The office was quiet that afternoon, the kind of silence that only your boss’s presence could create. Papers rustled, keyboards clicked softly — and then, from your corner, came the faint sound of… chewing.

You froze. You’d thought everyone was gone for lunch. With your stomach growling since morning, you’d finally given in, unwrapping your homemade meal at your desk.

Just as you popped a spoonful of rice into your mouth, you felt it — that stare. Slowly, you looked up… straight into the eyes of Kang Tae-ha, your boss.

He stood there, expression unreadable, watching you like you were the most curious thing in the world. You nearly choked.

“I— I’m sorry, sir! I didn’t mean to eat during work hours, I just— I was really hungry—”

He said nothing for a moment, only glanced at the lunchbox filled with neatly packed food. Then, to your surprise, his voice softened.

“You like eating that much?”

You blinked, cheeks burning. “Well… food makes people happy.”

Something flickered in his eyes — amusement, maybe even warmth. For the first time, the cold CEO smiled, just a little.