“… Rice?”

“Why, have you eaten?”

“No, that’s not it….”

“Then follow me. I’ll buy you a meal.”

Gi Tae walked ahead, leaving a stunned Ga Eul frozen in place.

‘Why is he suddenly offering to buy me a meal?’

Ga Eul followed him a beat later. His one step was equivalent to her two, so she had to walk briskly to catch up.

Come to think of it.

‘This is the first time I’m having a meal alone with the president….’

She had only planned to express her gratitude and leave, but somehow ended up having dinner with him.

Even though she had eaten with President Han’s family recently, this was practically the first time eating with just the two of them. Ga Eul was already worried, feeling tense that the meal would be awkward.

Stealing a glance up at him, she followed him out to the parking lot outside the gallery and got into his car. Before he started the engine, he frowned and said offhandedly,

“Why did you carry all that, are you an idiot.”

“I just wanted to greet you as well, President.”

“What for.”

‘Have someone else do it next time.’ He instructed indifferently, then turned his gaze forward and turned the steering wheel.

“….”

“….”

He was focused on driving and didn’t speak, and Ga Eul wasn’t really on casual speaking terms with him either, so she just stared out the window, pretending to look at the scenery.

Then, she stole a glance. She peeked at his side profile, now fully concentrating on driving.

‘Was he worried about me…?’

The moment she became aware of her unconscious thought, Ga Eul swallowed the smile that threatened to escape.

Just like with the street lamps, why did she keep mistakenly thinking he was doing things for her sake?

It was absurd how she kept connecting his actions to consideration for her. He had never done that even once in the 9 years.

Judging that there was no way, Ga Eul turned her head back to the window.

A little while later, he finally threw a question at her, still staring straight ahead with his hands on the wheel after stopping at a red light.

“What do you want to eat.”

“I eat anything well, President. Whatever you’d like….”

Ga Eul replied politely, but he cut her off.

“Not that. Then what can’t you eat or don’t like.”

“There’s really nothing.”

“….”

“It’s true.”

She honestly didn’t have anything she particularly wanted to eat, nor anything she couldn’t eat.

Even though she answered honestly, he sighed and looked at her disapprovingly.

“You don’t think of anything other than painting.”

“No…! That’s not it, I just really eat everything well so…”

“You’re at an age where you should be eating a lot, but you have nothing that immediately comes to mind when asked.”

He still looked dissatisfied.

Most people liked her agreeable demeanor the most….

Ga Eul just offered an awkward smile instead of a response.

It was the first time someone had pointed out her lack of assertiveness since she started living at the mansion. It felt a little unfamiliar.

* * *

Since she said she ate anything well, they arrived at a restaurant located inside a 5-star hotel.

Should I have specifically told him what I wanted to eat…?

It was a bit burdensome, but since she had already said she ate anything, Ga Eul quickly followed after him as he strode forward without further questions.

Following the staff’s guidance, Ga Eul was seated at a table by the window with a full view of the outside. Sitting down, Ga Eul unconsciously looked out the window and exclaimed.

“Wow….”

The night view outside the window was so beautiful that she couldn’t take her eyes off it. Had she ever been this high up in a building before?

Before she knew it, Ga Eul was staring endlessly out the window.

The yellow lights spread out calmly below, emitting a picturesque glow. The lights reflected in the river were endlessly beautiful.

It was a view she wanted to paint.

A smile naturally formed as it closely resembled the street lamp lights leading to the back path of the main building.

Watching Ga Eul, he asked offhandedly,

“Is it pretty.”

“Huh? Yes….”

Ga Eul turned her head with a bright smile to answer his question, but faltered for a moment.

As she was admiring the view outside, at some point he had also turned his head to look down at the scenery.

The small smile on his face as he looked down at the sight caught her eye.

The beautiful lights still lavishly adorned the window view, but the sight of him seamlessly blending into the picture like a painting captured Ga Eul’s gaze.

His side profile came into view alongside the scenery.

Somehow it was hard to look away. Enough to want to capture it in a painting.

As Ga Eul was lost in thought, he turned his attention away from the window and asked,

“Yoon Ga Eul, do you want a drink?”

Ga Eul glanced at the glass he tilted. The red wine swirled as she stared at it blankly before asking back,

“…Is that tasty?”

“Who knows. If it’ll suit your taste.”

After a moment of contemplation, Ga Eul nodded. A glass half-filled with red wine was soon placed in front of her as well.

As she awkwardly accepted the wine glass, he asked with a puzzled look,

“You’ve never had wine before?”

“No, I never really had a chance to. When I meet friends, we usually go to local pubs and drink soju or beer.”

Even that was only occasional. At Ga Eul’s answer, he nodded his head in lieu of a response and took a sip of wine. Ga Eul also glanced at him drinking and carefully took a sip as well.

‘Oh…? It’s delicious.’

Unlike her cautious first taste of wine, Ga Eul lightly drained her glass. Seeing that, Gi Tae called over a passing staff member and had Ga Eul’s empty glass refilled.

“Drink more.”

“Yes. Thank you, President.”

Ga Eul smiled brightly. Unlike how she had been tense the whole time, the alcohol made her relax. Her insides warmed and she felt drowsy, putting her in a good mood.

Lost in thought, Ga Eul would get captivated by the night view again, steal a grateful glance at Gi Tae, then go back to looking at the scenery, repeating the cycle. Gi Tae said offhandedly,

“You can see a night view like this anywhere, what are you so entranced by.”

Gi Tae tapped on the window as he spoke. Ga Eul, who had been absorbed in the view, smiled shyly and replied,

“It’s just… so pretty. Do you not like it, President?”

“Who knows.”

“It’s so pretty, how can you… Ah! Is it because you’ve been to places like this a lot?”

A slight flush had risen to her cheeks, likely from the alcohol. Watching Ga Eul, whose face was slowly turning a rosy pink, Gi Tae also shifted his gaze outside for a moment.

The moonlight flickering on the water was quite a sight, but it was difficult to compare to the view he had seen in Venice.

The scenery from the terrace where he had a glass of wine to celebrate the gallery business. He preferred that view. Not this cheap scenery that anyone could see in abundance from any high place.

Ga Eul was still staring intently, waiting for his answer. Instead of responding, Gi Tae gestured at the steak with his chin and roughly replied,

“Venice maybe. It’s getting cold, hurry and eat.”

It was a meaningless comment meant to divert her attention, but Ga Eul suddenly exclaimed with an envious look and asked excitedly,

“Wow, come to think of it, you were recently in Venice before returning, right President? What’s it like there? I’m curious since I’ve never been abroad.”

Taken aback by Ga Eul’s reaction that differed from his intention, Gi Tae answered curtly.

“It’s nice. Unique since it’s a city on the water.”

“Wow… Then did you ride a gondola too? What about the water bus?”

Ga Eul’s questions kept increasing and at some point the meal took a backseat.

“No.”

“Why? You didn’t ride a gondola and cross the Grand Canal…. I heard the Grand Canal is a highlight there.”

“I didn’t ride a gondola but I stayed at a hotel nearby so I saw plenty of it.”

“Oh, really? How was it? Compared to the Han River. Is it much prettier?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty. …But are you really not going to eat.”

“Hehe, I’m eating.”

“What exactly have you eaten….”

He answered indifferently but still responded diligently whenever she struck up a conversation. Ga Eul was already on her third glass as she continued her questions.

She had only heard snippets through Madam that he frequently traveled abroad, but listening to him, it seemed he knew everything she was curious about.

I should definitely go on a trip abroad someday.

If I ask him to recommend travel destinations, would he do that?

The night view was to her liking, and the wine she was having for the first time had warmed her insides and quickened her pulse before she knew it. In a good mood from the heat she felt on her face and the conversation with him, Ga Eul accepted another glass of wine without realizing she was drunk. Because of that, laughter kept spilling out.

Ah! Another thing I’m curious about.

“President. You know… I have another question….”

“What is it.”

“What kind of paintings are popular in the galleries in Venice? What about other countries?”

The uninterrupted conversation didn’t feel awkward and was even quite enjoyable.

Enough to make her want to have a meal with him again and chat.

.

.

.

“President. The meal was delicious. Thank you.”

“Sure.”

The two exited the building instead of the underground parking lot after finishing their meal. It was because Ga Eul had gotten quite drunk.

The wind teased her cheeks but it was far from enough to cool the heat in her flushed face.

Walking slightly ahead of Gi Tae, Ga Eul staggered a bit. Frowning at her, Gi Tae said quietly,

“Yoon Ga Eul. Don’t wander and stay still for a bit.”

“Hehe, yes….”

“…You really don’t listen.”

Ga Eul answered diligently but couldn’t properly control her body, swaying this way and that. Gi Tae clicked his tongue.

She had said she wanted to sober up a little so he brought her out for now… But there were no signs of her sobering up, and who knows how far they’d walked.

The prospect of bringing Ga Eul back to the hotel building where the sedan was parked looked bleak.

Gi Tae had called a driver since they had both been drinking. He looked away from Ga Eul for a moment to check if he had gotten a call.

But then.

“…Ah!”

“….”

In the short moment he took his eyes off her, Ga Eul, who had been walking ahead, stumbled and sat down with a thud, letting out a short scream.

I shouldn’t have let her drink.

Gi Tae sighed and approached Ga Eul, extending his hand after putting his phone back in his jacket pocket.

“Hold on and get up.”

“…Yes.”

She’s good at answering again.

Ga Eul was still sitting on the ground. Gi Tae asked,

“What are you doing.”

“I can’t put strength in my legs.”

“This is….”

Ga Eul’s face was completely flushed a pinkish peach color as she smiled for some reason, unable to control her body properly. Her skin was so fair that her exposed neck, her slender arms revealed as she rolled up her sleeves saying it was hot – all of it.

Looking down at the big peach, Gi Tae heaved a big sigh and crouched down with his back to Ga Eul.

“Get on.”

She kept drinking when offered, so he thought she had a high tolerance, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.

I’m the one cleaning up after carelessly making her drink. She didn’t look like she could walk on her own anyway, so Gi Tae gave up early and offered his back.

But even though she was drunk, Ga Eul kept refusing.

“How can I get on the president’s back.”

Gi Tae frowned at Ga Eul who kept stalling for time and just tilted his head. Pressured by his forceful gesture, Ga Eul finally stopped her ongoing refusal and placed her hands on his shoulders.

But she still hesitated, not readily leaning her body against him. Gi Tae glanced back at her again. Only then did Ga Eul lean against him.

Feeling the weight on his back, Gi Tae stood up, straightening his bent knees. His knees touched the ground briefly, dirtying his pants, but he lightly ignored that and started walking.

After walking a few steps like that.

Ga Eul, who he thought would stay still out of guilt, suddenly became excited from the elevated view and lingering intoxication, and slyly started kicking her feet.

Bothered by Ga Eul’s annoying movements, Gi Tae pressed his lips into a line and spoke while waiting for the light to change.

“Yoon Ga Eul. Don’t squirm.”

“Yes….”

“You’re not listening again.”

Obediently answering but still wriggling her feet, Gi Tae ended up chuckling despite himself.

Then, as if uncomfortable with the position, Ga Eul firmly locked her arms around Gi Tae’s neck and let out soft laughter as she moved her arms this way and that.

Her arms around his neck were warm.

The light turned green and he started walking again. Ga Eul, who had been obediently piggybacking, suddenly called out to him.

“President.”

“Yeah, what.”

“President….”

“….”

“President….”

“Don’t call me if you have nothing to say.”

“…Yes.”

Her spirit deflated and the strength of her arms around his neck weakened.

Finding it absurd, Gi Tae laughed and walked towards his sedan and driver that had appeared in the distance.

She’s quite cute, but I shouldn’t let her drink.

The troublesome Yoon Ga Eul who doesn’t eat, whose constant chatter leaves no room for boredom, who makes him take care of her disheveled state.