V. Like a very real dream

When Steve arrives at the company, Steve intends to view the CCTV footage. Lexa who saw Steve walking in a hurry immediately approached him. "Mr. Steve, is there anything I can help you with?" asked Lexa.

"Nothing, I want to go to the CCTV room," Steve replied. Lexa was silent and just remembered that the CCTV had not been turned off when they locked Lyra in the warehouse. She ran back to Steve. "Sorry sir, by chance, the CCTV in this company is broken and we have called people to fix it."

"Why didn't anyone tell me about this?" The thing that Steve hates the most is when his employees don't talk about the problems that are going on in his company. It's good that they act quickly, but have to tell Steve first. "Therefore, on behalf of all employees, I apologize. For not informing Mr. Steve beforehand."

"Never mind, next time don't make a mistake like this again. I have to go to the CCTV room first to see which part is broken." Lexa panicked and didn't know what to do to prevent Steve from entering the CCTV room. Lexa approached Steve again. "Mr. Steve, can you check my work?"

Steve felt that there was something wrong with Lexa's movements, which seemed to prevent him from entering the CCTV room. "Later, just leave all your work at my desk."

"But, sir...." Steve walked quickly to leave Lexa, if this is found out then Lexa herself will lose her job and also her chance to be Steve's secretary. "No, I can't let this happen. I have to stop it." Lexa ran and pulled Steve's hand who was about to enter the CCTV room.

"What's wrong Lexa?" Steve asked with an annoyed expression on his face. Lexa who was frightened immediately let go of Steve's hand. "Now I can only surrender to the situation," thought Lexa.

Inside the CCTV room, Steve immediately pulled up a chair and looked for the broken CCTV part. Upon inspection, none of them were damaged and everything was working fine. Without thinking, he immediately played today's recording. As seen in the tape Lyra was talking to Lexa then saw Lyra locked up in the warehouse.

He ran quickly to the warehouse to get Lyra out of there and when the warehouse door opened, Lyra was seen crying and distraught over what had happened to her. Steve walked over to her and untied the tightrope. "Lyra, are you okay? Is anyone hurt?" Steve asked anxiously.

"N-no sir, I'm fine," Lyra replied.

Steve immediately took Lyra out of there and told her to calm down for a while in their workspace. Not long after, a voice came from the loudspeaker company and called out the names of the people gathered in the company hall. Everyone who was named started to get restless. "Who told you all to lock Lyra in the warehouse?" Steve asked in an even tone.

"Lexa, she asked us to do this," one person replied.

"But those who have this idea, sir. Meanwhile, I just follow it," explained Lexa defensively.

"We don't ask you to do anything like this, you do it yourself."

Steve massaged his temples and was bewildered by the debate unfolding before his eyes. "Enough! Aren't you ashamed of making a fuss in the company? This company isn't small, what if an outside guest finds out about this kind of thing and what you did to Lyra is too much!"

"Sorry, sir. I am willing to accept the consequences, so as not to be expelled from this company," said Lexa sadly.

"This time all of you, including Lexa, I give you a chance, but on one condition. You must apologize to Lyra first and she is the one who deserves to punish you, not me," Steve replied firmly.

Steve left them and returned to his workspace. Lyra was still sadly lamenting her misfortune today, but at least she was out of the warehouse. "Sorry Lyra, I'm late. I thought you didn't come to the company today and I got to your place earlier. Luckily I checked the CCTV footage. Otherwise, no one will know that you are in the warehouse," said Steve while handing her a cup of tea warm.

"Thank you, sorry if I worried you, sir," Lyra said quietly. "It doesn't matter, Lyra. What kind of punishment would you give to people who were mean to you today? You deserve to give them punishment," Steve said.

Lyra was silent for a moment thinking about what kind of punishment she deserved, whereas she alone had never retaliated with evil to the person who had been mean to her. "I forgive them all, sir. The reason is simply that a change in attitude can only be changed not from punishment but from the will and kindness that we continue to give them," answered Lyra.

A very satisfying answer to Steve, as good as Lyra was to people who were mean to her. "I don't know what your mindset is. But I appreciate your answer, it's very impressive," said Steve.

"Thank you, sir." Lyra then went back to work as usual and this time she would be driven home twice by Steve. Steve reasoned that he was afraid some bad guy would hurt Lyra, while Lyra herself was still a little scared.

At night, Lyra felt very sleepy. "Could it be that I'm too tired today? I'd better get some sleep." In her dreamland, Lyra opened her eyes and saw two people running towards the forest, out of curiosity she followed them both.

"Hello?" Lyra also greeted the person from afar while waving her hand. But the look in their eyes showed they didn't see Lyra. Lyra became a little confused and approached the two of them.

They both sat under a big tree and upon closer inspection, they both looked a lot like her and Steve. Lyra repeatedly blinked and thought what she was seeing was wrong. "How come? Maybe I'm too close to Mr. Steve to dream like this," said Lyra.

But there is something strange, namely his clothes. Steve dressed like royalty, while he was there dressed like a maid. "We have to get out of here, Lyra. I don't want to have to marry that noblewoman," said the man who looked like Steve, gripping the woman's hand tightly.

"Yes, Mr. Steve, but I don't think we can fight what's coming and I don't want to lose you myself," the woman said.

Lyra who heard that was surprised and did not expect that the two people were named Steve and Lyra too. A bright white light came to Lyra and the dream disappeared. Lyra opened her eyes and remembered what had happened in her dream earlier. "It feels like a very real dream, different from any dream I've had before," Lyra thought.

Lyra immediately looked for a book and a pen, then wrote down the dream in a book so she wouldn't forget, Lyra looked at the clock on the wall that showed exactly 6 o'clock.

"I have to get ready for the company now." It didn't take long, Lyra finished and all that was left was breakfast. From outside Lyra's bedroom window came the sound of heavy rain.

It was impossible to go to work in this state. She intended to arrive late by asking for permission from Mr. Steve first. Because she knew Steve would understand the situation. Suddenly Lyra's cell phone rings and an unknown number appears. Without thinking, Lyra picked up the phone. "Hello, who is this?" Lyra asked.

"Hello, it's me, Steve."

"Mr. Steve, where did you get my number from?"

"From the job application documents. Want me to pick you up, Lyra?"

"Yes sir, I happened to be ready. Thank you very much, sir," answered Lyra happily.

"Yeah, you're welcome. I'll be there in a minute." Steve turned off his phone and went to Lyra's house. Only 3 minutes passed and the doorbell rang. Lyra quickly grabbed her bag and ran to open the door. "Let's go," Steve said smiling, holding up the black umbrella.

"Yes sir, but I have to say goodbye to my mother first," said Lyra who hurriedly walked to her mother, the caretaker of the orphanage. "Mother, I have to go first."

"Yes Lyra, be careful on the road."

"Yes aunt, we go first," Steve said with a friendly smile, the orphanage mother smiled back at Steve. Previously, Lyra had told the mother who owns the orphanage that she had a very good boss and explained that the one who came yesterday was the boss.

Steve gave Lyra an umbrella to walk to the car and opened the car door for Lyra. Then Steve got in the car and drove to the company. "You have had breakfast?" asked Steve.

Lyra just remembered she hadn't finished the sandwich mom had made before she left. "Not yet, sir?" Lyra asked back.

"Not yet. Let's go to the cafe for a bit for breakfast."

"No sir." Hearing that answer too, Steve sighed harshly and explained back to Lyra that he had no objection to offering or buying this and that for Lyra. The car continued to move forward and arrived at a nearby cafe. They both entered and took a seat. "What do you want to order?" Steve asked, handing Lyra the menu book.

"Just coffee and sandwiches, sir," Lyra answered without looking at the menu.

"Alright, then wait here for a moment." Steve approached a waiter who was busy cleaning, coincidentally the cafe had just opened. Lyra thought back to last night's dream. For some reason, his heart was determined to tell Steve about the dream too. But how did Steve react after Lyra told him?