It seemed she was planning to attack Alice over her clothes today. Alice skillfully countered Genevieve’s question.
“This is a different outfit from yesterday. This one is a bit darker in color. Assistant Manager Genevieve, it seems you have trouble distinguishing colors?”
A relaxed smile bloomed on Alice’s lips.
Once again, Genevieve had tried to jab at Alice but ended up with nothing, causing her eyes to twitch in frustration.
Genevieve hesitated, contemplating whether to poke at Alice again, but eventually seemed to give up, letting her lips droop.
“I have something to report. The vice president is in, right?”
Genevieve headed straight for the office, seemingly uninterested in Alice’s response.
Why did she even ask if she was just going to go in anyway?
Alice shook her head and finished preparing the materials.
***
Ryan had very few meetings today and was unlikely to run into anyone due to an external meeting. Knowing that the external meeting would take a while, Alice decided to leave early.
Ryan disliked having his secretary wait around and waste time just because a meeting was running late. He preferred to come and go flexibly.
‘Flexibly’ is a bit difficult, though.
‘Army Based Stew.’
Alice thought of Ryan on her way home.
His cute response of “My favorite food is Army Based Stew” left a lasting impression.
“Is there a mart on the way?”
Suddenly, she wanted to make his favorite food for him.
Moreover, Army Based Stew was her specialty, right? I wonder if he has plans for dinner.
Alice pulled out her phone from her pocket.
[What time will you be home?]
Hmm, he might be eating out.
Alice erased what she had written.
[Are you having dinner… out?]
That didn’t seem right either, so Alice shook her head.
[Let’s have dinner together tonight.]
Ah, that sounded too old-fashioned.
Again.
“Ah!”
Alice covered her mouth with one hand.
While holding her phone, she accidentally pressed the send button.
No! Come back!
“This isn’t right!”
Get a grip, Alice. Just delete it quickly.
But next to the sent message, the word ‘Read’ was peeking out at her.
Alice left another message for Ryan.
[Shall we eat something simple at home?]
Army Based Stew isn’t exactly a simple menu, but there wasn’t really an excuse to invite him over.
[Okay.]
A simple reply came from Ryan.
I wonder what time he’ll arrive.
Alice had never worried about meals after entering Ryan’s house.
Thanks to the helper aunt who visited every other day, she would just scoop out the food that was already prepared and take it upstairs to eat.
Was it because she heard the rumors about Ryan’s mother’s death today?
Suddenly, she thought she should make something that Ryan likes.
[Expected to arrive at 8.]
Did they communicate telepathically?
How did Ryan know that Alice was curious about what time he would come?
With no time to spare, she ordered the ingredients through an app that could deliver quickly before she got home.
When Alice arrived home, she dropped her things on the second floor and immediately went down to the first floor.
“Where could the apron be?”
As she looked around for the apron, she found one placed on top of the water purifier.
“Her taste is… really cute.”
It was a yellow apron with a bear holding a honey pot, happily frolicking in a wide field.
Is it because the bear is eating honey that it looks happy, or is it because it’s running in the field?
While admiring the design for a moment, Alice checked her ringing phone. It was a text saying the ordered ingredients had arrived at the door.
“Should I show off my skills after a long time?”
Alice started cooking, taking out the ingredients one by one.
Chop the cabbage, minced garlic, onion, and the most important spam, and just add one tail gomtang, and it’s done!
Beep beep-.
Just as she was concentrating on cooking, she heard the sound of the front door.
Alice, startled, ran to the door while stirring the Army Based Stew with a ladle.
Ryan had arrived earlier than expected.
“You’re here early?”
Ryan stopped in his tracks just before entering.
Alice was waiting at the front door, blinking her eyes.
It seemed he was taken aback by her appearance in a yellow apron, holding a ladle in one hand.
After scanning the bear and the ladle, Ryan finally spoke.
“You tied your hair up.”
Since she usually wore her bobbed hair, or rather, a wig, this was the first time he had seen her with her hair tied up.
“Yes, it was bothering me while cooking…”
Alice felt Ryan’s gaze lingering on her jawline.
Is it strange that I tied my hair? Is it very strange?
Alice fiddled with the tied-up ponytail.
In her rush to prepare the food before Ryan arrived, she hadn’t even checked her hair.
“Does it look awkward? I was going to let it down after cooking.”
