The next day.

Rrrr……. Rrrr…….

“Ugh, so noisy…….”

Yoon Ga Eul, who had been sleeping in bed wrapped up in a blanket until the sun was high in the sky, suddenly pulled the covers over her head at the sound of the phone ringing in her ears.

The ringing phone combined with her lingering sleepiness made her furrow her brows involuntarily.

Ah, I should have put it on vibrate before going to sleep.

She hadn’t expected the planned events at the exhibition to cause such a commotion.

In the end, after struggling through a conversation with a fuming man, Ga Eul collapsed into sleep as soon as she arrived home, the tension finally releasing.

That man had scolded her so fiercely… If she hadn’t been able to prove that it was a series, she had an ominous feeling she wouldn’t have been able to set foot in any gallery again.

‘He said he was the chairman of Daerim Construction…?’

Ga Eul was well aware of Daerim Construction’s reputation. He had gotten genuinely angry, asking what she was doing to lower the value of the paintings he owned.

Fortunately, he was someone she could communicate well with.

When she calmly explained about the artwork, along with the fact that she was Yoon Dae Ho’s daughter, he readily backed down.

He even complimented that the paintings appeared flawless as a series.

In fact, the controversy arose because she had to blame her own lack of skill in not being able to clearly express that it was a series at a glance. She herself thought her abilities were still lacking to paint the promised series.

was a painting Ga Eul had planned with her father during the time when she was happiest painting.

For Ga Eul, it was a meaningful work filled with memories of her father, a pair that she had to complete someday.

So if it weren’t for the deal with Gi Tae, Ga Eul would have worked on it after gaining more experience. It’s just that the conditions he had originally proposed were so absurd that she had no choice but to take a gamble.

It was fortunate that it worked out well.

Otherwise, she would have tarnished her father’s reputation.

‘Still, I’m glad. I kept my promise to my father and met the conditions.’

As she briefly covered her ears with the blanket, the ringing subsided.

‘It’s been so long since I slept soundly….’

Lazily lounging on the spring sun-drenched bedding, a smile naturally spread across Ga Eul’s face.

The bedding had just been washed yesterday, emanating the scent of warm sunshine, and with her worries and concerns gone, her heart felt much lighter.

Soon, the chairman would find out too…? But for now, I want to sleep some more.

During the days she had to paint, discarding canvas after canvas to meet the submission deadline because she couldn’t express it the way her father had taught her, she hadn’t been able to get proper sleep. So Ga Eul had no intention of getting out of bed.

Taking a day off as a reward for her hard work wouldn’t be so bad.

Just as Ga Eul’s consciousness was about to flicker out, it happened.

Rrrr……. Rrrr…….

‘Again, who is it…?’

Ga Eul, who was slightly startled awake by the ringing phone again, reached out and grabbed her cell phone.

Whoever it was, she was going to tell them she’d call back later.

Ga Eul answered the phone without even checking the caller ID.

“Hello. Who is…?”

“Were you sleeping?”

A low, resonant voice cut in, interrupting Ga Eul’s words.

“…?”

For a moment she was puzzled, but Ga Eul mumbled in a voice still thick with sleep.

“I’m sorry, but if it’s not an urgent matter, would it be alright if I called you back later?”

Then the curt male voice immediately followed.

“That would be a bit difficult.”

“…?”

What? Who on earth is this?

As the conversation continued, Ga Eul finally woke up properly and checked the caller ID.

However, it was an unsaved number, so she couldn’t tell who it was.

“…”

“…”

When she didn’t answer, the other person also remained silent for a moment.

Not revealing who they were and judging by the impolite tone… It seemed to be a prank call. Either that or they dialed the wrong number. After silently staring at the screen for a while, Ga Eul was about to end the call without a word.

At that moment, the person on the other end of the line, who had been quiet, spoke up again.

“Ga Eul, did you have fun yesterday?”

“…”

“Seems like you had quite an entertaining debut.”

“Who, who are you?”

Along with a chilling feeling, Ga Eul abruptly sat up. Although it was still an unsaved number showing only digits, he seemed to know who he was calling, correctly addressing her as ‘Ga Eul’.

Come to think of it, the voice sounded quite familiar when she listened closely.

If he was referring to yesterday…?

Ga Eul turned pale and held the phone politely in a formal posture.

“…Could it be, Han Gi Tae?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“How did you get my number?”

“Is that what’s important right now? Come out to the front of your house.”

“What? Why, why?”

“Why? Because I’m in front of the annex.”

“What?”

The startled Ga Eul dropped her cell phone. Despite the loud clatter it made when it fell, Ga Eul was too stunned to even think of picking it up and checking.

Ga Eul furrowed her brow, racking her brain that was still not fully functioning from just waking up.

He seemed to be mocking her just now.

He had asked if she had fun.

Could he be angry…? But… it was resolved well?

There was no doubt he had come to hold her responsible for the commotion at the gallery.

He must have been quite displeased that she caused a disturbance at his gallery. Realizing this, Ga Eul’s pupils trembled finely.

His voice flowed out from the cell phone once more.

“I think we need to talk. I’m coming in for now.”

Ga Eul hurriedly picked up the phone, frantically shouting in case he really barged into the annex.

“Han Gi Tae! Wait, wait just a moment please! I just woke up and haven’t done anything yet. I’ll wash up quickly and come out to you.”

“What for?”

“Ah, no, you can’t!”

“What can’t I do?”

“The house is a bit messy right now. Please wait outside for a bit! I’ll just wash my face and come right out!”

5 minutes.

With that brief reply, the call ended.

Ga Eul went to the living room and furtively checked out the window.

Outside the window, Han Gi Tae was standing with his sedan pulled right up to the front of the annex, leaning against the car body and glancing at the watch on his wrist.

He seemed to be counting down.

* * *

As promised, Ga Eul, who had only washed her face before coming out, pulled the hood of her large hoodie down low over her head. All that could be seen underneath was her long hair sticking out.

After finishing her hasty preparations, Ga Eul returned to the living room and peeked out the window to check on him again.

He was still standing there, leaning against the car body. Without his suit jacket, wearing only a blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, his tall, proud figure looked as perfect as a Michelangelo sculpture. But to Ga Eul right now, he seemed no different from the grim reaper.

From time to time, he lowered his gaze to his wrist to check his watch. Ga Eul watched him while holding her breath, then quickly drew the curtains closed lest their eyes meet, and hurriedly stepped away from the window.

Then she checked the time on her cell phone.

Soon, the 5 minutes he had threatened to come barging in would be up.

To be precise, 4 minutes had already passed.

Less than 1 minute remaining.

“Sigh… How should I deal with him…?”

This was the first time he had personally come to find Ga Eul.

The fact that he had come all the way to the annex himself made Ga Eul even more frightened.

Just how angry must he be to come here at a time when he should be busy working, when he rarely even visits the main house?

Why did such an incident have to happen yesterday, landing her in this situation now…?

Without realizing it, Ga Eul picked up her sneakers and headed towards the back of the annex. Although smaller than the main house, the annex had everything the main house did, including another back door leading out the rear.

Arriving at the shoe rack by the back door, Ga Eul hastily shoved her feet into the sneakers she had brought and stood in front of the door leading to the back garden.

She knew well that running away like this could further inflame his anger.

But her body was telling her to flee from him.

Unlike Chairman Han, he was someone whose thoughts and actions were completely unpredictable. It was already overwhelming just facing him normally, so if he was angry on top of that, she felt she wouldn’t be able to handle it.

‘For now, I’ll think about how to deal with this and contact him again later…’

Click, Ga Eul swallowed and opened the back door.

But then.

“Yoon Ga Eul.”

“…Huh? …What?”

A voice that shouldn’t have been heard was heard.

Looking up, the person who shouldn’t have been there was there, and Ga Eul stood there blankly for a moment before reacting belatedly.

He was leaning against the wall by the back door, staring down at Ga Eul.

Because of that, Ga Eul froze stiffly.

‘I’m sure I checked and he was out front before coming straight here. When did he come over to this side?’

He had been casually looking down at the dazed Ga Eul, then let out a laugh that was close to a sneer and took a step closer.

Already trapped with no room to move between the closed back door and him, Ga Eul couldn’t hide her flustered state as he took another step nearer.

He spoke as if finding it ridiculous.

“I thought you might try to run away, so I came around back to check. And you don’t disappoint.”

“…”

“I had hoped we would meet at the front door. You have no conscience, Yoon Ga Eul.”

“…”

Ga Eul pressed her lips together for a moment, averting her eyes from his gaze and darting her pupils around to avoid him.

His tone, wavering between laughter and displeasure, seemed to make her break out in a cold sweat.

As if telling her to try saying something, he tilted his head once, and Ga Eul hurriedly opened her mouth to attempt an excuse.

“I came in through the back door yesterday. I was just going to put on my shoes that were left on this side and go straight out the front door…”

“Is that so?”

“Yes!”

When he asked again, Ga Eul nodded her head vigorously. However, he only openly sneered.

“I guess Yoon Ga Eul enters and exits her own house like a thieving alley cat. Going out of this narrow back door instead of using the front door.”

“…It’s the truth.”

“I told you to sell the painting, but you made a big fuss and then shamelessly shut your mouth.”

“That’s…!”

“Did you think I wouldn’t know if you didn’t say anything? It clearly happened at my gallery.”

He tilted his head again.

Ga Eul decided to give up on making excuses and disclosed a bit more honestly.

“There was a bit of a commotion, but I handled it well through discussion. That’s why I didn’t mention it, but…”

“You’re lucky the Daerim Construction chairman backed off easily. Who knows what would have happened to you if he hadn’t believed it. What nerve do you have?”

Sigh. He let out a sigh and suddenly took another step closer.

Already trapped with no room to budge, Ga Eul couldn’t hide her flustered reaction as he approached one step nearer.

“Why, why are you coming closer…?”

“How do I know you won’t run away again?”

“I won’t run away. How could I possibly run from here…!”

“You just got caught trying to run away.”

Wondering what on earth he was trying to do, Ga Eul looked up at him with wide, fearful eyes, and he snatched her wrist. He lightly tugged on Ga Eul’s captured wrist.

Ga Eul’s steps automatically followed his movement.

Ga Eul quickly put strength into her legs and resisted.

Blatantly building a sneer on his lips at that feeble struggle, he lifted Ga Eul up.

“Eek!”

Ga Eul screamed at the suddenly elevated view. Regardless, he began to walk away with Ga Eul hoisted over his shoulder.

“Put me down…”

Every point of contact with him felt awkward. Hesitating to grab onto or lean against his body, she raised her hands in the air, and her form swayed helplessly with his steps.

Flailing with no sense of stability, Ga Eul eventually clutched his shoulders.

Easily ignoring her protest, he secured Ga Eul in his arms again and spoke.

“I’m in a hurry, so follow along obediently.”

“…”

Ga Eul finally mustered the courage to wrap her arms around his neck. Then, as he said, she behaved meekly.

Arriving at the front of the annex like that, Gi Tae finally set Ga Eul down from his embrace in front of the passenger seat and pointed to the car with a tilt of his head.

“Get in.”

“…Where are we going?”

* * *

They arrived at the TS Gallery, careful not to get on his nerves. To be precise, it was his office inside the gallery.

‘Why did he bring me here?’

Sitting on the couch for receiving guests, the moments when she had clung to his neck kept coming to mind.

A cool scent emanated from the nape of his neck. Ga Eul’s face flushed again.

Being overly conscious of it, being alone with Han Gi Tae was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

But the very person who had dragged her all the way to his office and sat her down was only focused on looking through documents.

If it was going to be like this, couldn’t we have met later…?

To divert her attention, Ga Eul sat up straight, pressing her legs tightly together with no room to spare.

At that moment, without even sparing her a glance, he quietly spoke.

“Sit there and reflect on your actions.”

It seemed he had no intention of letting her go for a long time.