CHAPTER 27 "YOU DON'T HAVE TO" (2)

Contrary to my initial intentions, I ended up staying in that room and spending more time with him than I anticipated.

I should get out of here as soon as I can.

I knew that he didn't like being disturbed while he was working. My presence was probably bothersome even if he denied it.

"Do you want to drink tea?"

Huh? At his suggestion, I unconsciously turned my head to Kyle. I then noticed that there was already a teacup on his desk.

"No," I shook my head, "but thank you."

I was quick to decline his offer. If I accepted, then it would only make it even harder for me to go back since I would need to sit here until I finished my tea.

In spite of my refusal, however, Kyle rang the bell to call for the maid anyway.

"Prepare tea and refreshments," he said.

"Yes, sir," she bowed and left the room.

What was that? I couldn't process the rationale or the meaning behind his actions. There was nothing inherently weird about him calling for the maid and ordering her to bring refreshments, but…

"I said that I didn't want any tea."

"I'm the one who wants tea."

After a while, the maid returned with a tray filled with beverages and refreshments. She nervously approached Kyle's desk and carefully placed a new cup of tea beside him.

Afterward, she walked sprightly over to where I was sitting and placed another cup on the table next to me with ease.

"Put the refreshments over there," Kyle motioned towards me.

The maid dutifully set the plate of snacks down beside me following Kyle's order. What was this…?

"But I said that I won't be drinking any tea?" I looked at him in confusion.

"I never told you to drink it," he replied.

Then don't put it in front of me!

I huffed and turned back to my book. As I was scanning the lines on the page before me, a pleasant, floral aroma from the rose tea wafted over to my nose. Then, the sweet, buttery scent from the cookies also drifted over my senses, and my hand unconsciously reached for the plate.

"Didn't you say you weren't going to eat anything?" Kyle's voice interrupted me.

"No, I just told you that I wasn't going to drink any tea. I didn't say that I wasn't going to eat the snacks."

Though that was what I said, I knew that I was probably going to end up drinking some tea, too.

At that moment, Kyle dropped the papers he had been reading and picked up his teacup. I could feel his piercing gaze on me. The intensity of his golden eyes was difficult for me to bear.

"I'll just quickly finish up eating and leave the room after I'm done," I hurriedly blurted in an attempt to turn his gaze away from me.

"You don't have to."

The ease with which Kyle replied to me indicated that he didn't mind my existence in the room, but I objected right away.

"I didn't intend to stay so long here and disturb you while you are working."

"Do I look like I'm working right now?"

Of course he wasn't literally busy at the moment, since he was pausing to take a sip of tea, but I knew he had been before I went to his office.

"… But that's because I interrupted you."

"I was about to take a break anyway."

From how focused you were when I entered, I didn't see any indications that you were planning on stopping anytime soon. Really, I can't believe how confident you are at lying to me now.

"And just because someone is next to me while I'm working," he continued, "doesn't mean that they will be a disturbance to me."

Those were the kindest words to have ever come out of Kyle's mouth, according to his standards and the way he usually speaks. He gracefully lifted the teacup to his lips again.

I raised my own cup with a frown. The rose tea was excellent, but I couldn't enjoy its pleasant taste because I still felt uneasy from staying so long in his office.

My mind went back to when I had worked in an office, and I recalled several instances when I was nose deep in my work and other employees would come by to interrupt me for some reason or another.

Only

I was still able to keep working, but my efficiency dropped, and I ended up getting off of work late.

Whenever that happened, I remembered how annoyed I had felt. Surely Kyle must also feel the same without expressing it.

"It looks like you're the one in a hurry. Is your schedule that busy?" Kyle suddenly asked me with a smirk on his face.

Truth be told, I didn't have anything on my schedule for today because I had been ordered to continue resting until tomorrow. I was barely allowed to move or do any work.

Kyle would have already known about the doctor's orders, but he still had the nerve to put me on the spot and ask me anyway. What an evil man.

"I'm not busy at all," I tried to laugh off his teasing, "so if you insist, I'll just take my time eating and drinking. Don't mind me. I'll just be relaxing here while reading my books."

For now, I decided not to worry about being a disturbance to Kyle.

Because if I continue arguing with him, I'll truly start to annoy him.