The next day, while Ga Eul was deeply immersed in her work after noon, she suddenly stopped at the vibration of her ringing cell phone and picked it up.

It was a text message from Park Gwan Jang regarding the exhibition.

[Miss Yoon Ga Eul. I received your paintings well. I have something to discuss with you about this exhibition, so if you have time today, could you please stop by the office for a bit?]

Ga Eul tilted her head to one side.

‘Is there a problem with my paintings?’

She had sent over the decent paintings to the gallery earlier in the morning.

She was a bit puzzled as she couldn’t guess what he wanted to talk about, but Ga Eul quickly replied that she would come and began cleaning up her studio.

She wiped the paint off the brushes with a paper towel and shook them in a container filled with cleaning solution.

Since they needed to be properly maintained, she hurried to clean up as quickly as possible, but time had already passed quite a bit.

Just as Ga Eul was about to leave the studio, she suddenly looked at her attire and hesitated.

‘What should I do? My clothes are too dirty.’

If she stopped by the annex to change clothes, it would take more time here. But going as is, she was covered in paint stains.

Ga Eul let out a brief groan.

‘I have no choice.’

Despite the weather turning to summer, Ga Eul picked up her outerwear.

* * *

“Hello, Park Gwan Jang.”

“You’re here, Miss Ga Eul? You came quickly. The weather has gotten quite hot, right? Have a seat. I’ll get you something to drink first.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

Park Gwan Jang, who had warmly greeted Ga Eul, returned with a glass of iced tea with ice cubes floating in it.

Ga Eul smiled brightly and took a sip of the iced tea he handed her. Despite the slightly hot weather, she had stubbornly brought her outerwear, so she was a bit hot, but as the cold sensation seeped in, she felt a bit more alive.

Park Gwan Jang, who had been fondly watching Ga Eul enjoy the iced tea he gave her, began to carefully gauge her reaction.

He had come to deliver a message on behalf of him, who seemed busy these days.

“This is a bit of a sensitive matter, but the CEO suggested that you try painting the works for this exhibition again.”

“…Why? Is there a problem with my paintings…?”

Ga Eul asked back in surprise. So Park Gwan Jang also found it difficult to say, and his explanation became long-winded.

“No, no! That’s not it. It’s not that there’s a problem. Just… he said it would be nice if you painted something that’s uniquely yours. Since you’re still young and have great potential for growth, I think he wanted you to take on a challenge for this exhibition rather than submitting well-painted works. Umm, so…”

He was rambling on today for some reason.

“He said it would be good if you didn’t follow your father’s style… and shed it all off on this occasion.”

“…What?”

Ga Eul was quite taken aback as it was an unexpected reason.

She had painted that way for nearly 10 years, and the chairman had also wanted that. Although it wasn’t perfect yet, she was confident. She believed that over time, someday she would be able to paint exactly like her father’s paintings.

Everyone had wanted that, and she had only received praise for being superior to her peers because of it.

But now…

‘Shed it all off…?’

Honestly, she was a bit perplexed.

She thought he had accepted her current style when taking her in.

She thought the hardship would end once she signed the contract… There was a concern that his standards might be even more demanding than the chairman’s.

“But I think the CEO sees your paintings favorably. He doesn’t usually give advice on paintings… Umm, usually…”

Park Gwan Jang trailed off, but Ga Eul fully understood what he meant.

Given his personality that she had occasionally seen while staying at the mansion for nearly 10 years, he wouldn’t bother with the troublesome task of teaching someone. If he had to go through such trouble, he wouldn’t have signed the contract in the first place.

So his instruction to paint new pictures was even more baffling.

“Umm… Park Gwan Jang. Do you also think there’s a problem with my current paintings? Or do they seem poorly painted…?”

Park Gwan Jang shook his head first at Ga Eul’s question.

“No, how could that be?”

It was a question asked out of incomprehension, but he misunderstood it as Ga Eul being hurt, so his following explanation became lengthy.

The paintings were good enough to be put up for exhibition right away, and he himself didn’t understand why the CEO made such a suggestion.

“Well, anyway! Just try it out for now. You need to paint something so we can also judge whether it can be exhibited or not.”

Although he phrased it as a suggestion, it was already as good as confirmed.

“…Yes.”

But she wasn’t confident.

“In the worst case, we can just put up the current paintings for now, so don’t feel burdened.”

There was more she wanted to ask, but Ga Eul gave up early on.

Park Gwan Jang also seemed quite flustered as he was just delivering his instructions.

“Then I’ll try it out for now and pick out the decent ones to send.”

“Sure. That’s a good idea. Then, Miss Ga Eul, send a few more before the exhibition! The time shouldn’t be insufficient, but it’s not ample either, so paint diligently.”

“Yes, I will.”

Park Gwan Jang patted the shoulder of Ga Eul, who couldn’t readily smile.

Knock knock, there was a knocking sound from outside at that moment. A gallery employee who was manning the information desk carefully pushed open the door and announced a visitor.

“Umm… there’s a visitor outside looking for someone…”

“Oh, is that so? I’ll be right out.”

When Park Gwan Jang was about to nod and leave the office, the employee shook his head with a troubled expression.

“No, the visitor is looking for Miss Yoon Ga Eul.”

* * *

‘Did I have a visitor who would come all the way to the gallery?’

No matter how much she thought about it, there was no one who would come looking for her, so Ga Eul’s head naturally tilted to one side.

Ga Eul left the office and headed straight to the first floor lobby. She was blankly looking around, vaguely wondering who was looking for her, when someone suddenly tapped her shoulder from behind.

Ga Eul was startled and turned around to find that man standing there.

The man she had met at the dinner party she was invited to not long ago.

Shin Yeon Woo, Chairman Shin’s grandson.

The man, wearing a light sky-blue shirt, looked more gentle and friendly than the neat suit she had first seen him in. The eye smile he was giving her as he looked at her was like a gentle puppy that followed people well.

‘But… what business does he have here?’

She thought she would never see him again, but they met again in just a few days. And he had come looking for her first.

The surprised Ga Eul just blinked with her eyes wide open as she looked at Yeon Woo.

Then Yeon Woo let out a chuckle and asked kindly.

“Were you surprised?”

“Ah, yes. A little. But why did you come all the way here…?”

“I didn’t have your phone number, and I heard you belong to this gallery, so I thought I might run into you if I stopped by.”

“…For me?”

“Yes. Who else would I come all the way here to see besides you?”

His attitude was as unembarrassed as the first time they met. Yeon Woo, with a bright smile spread across his face, suddenly looked Ga Eul up and down, then abruptly lifted the corners of his mouth.

‘What is he smiling at?’

Ga Eul also turned her head to follow his smile. Then she realized her mistake.

She had taken off her outerwear that she had painstakingly worn despite the hot weather and had forgotten to put it back on before coming down.

Ga Eul’s face instantly flushed peach-red with the embarrassment that suddenly rushed in.

The people she had passed by on her way to the lobby came to mind. Why did no one tell her?

Meanwhile, Yeon Woo, who had noticed the colorful stains were paint, asked.

“These are all paint, right? You came out while painting?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’ll go grab my outerwear. Just a moment!”

As Ga Eul hurriedly tried to turn around, Yeon Woo grabbed her wrist.

When Ga Eul looked at Yeon Woo with her wrist suddenly grabbed, he shook his head and said.

“It’s fine. It’s just cute and colorful, why bother?”

“…Ah, yes.”

Ga Eul didn’t really hear what Yeon Woo was saying. She just wanted to leave quickly.

As Ga Eul fidgeted with her grabbed wrist and looked around, Yeon Woo quietly observed her, then asked again with a gentle smile.

“It’ll be fine if we go somewhere without people, right?”

Then he led Ga Eul.

“Let’s go, Ga Eul.”

* * *

The place Shin Yeon Woo led her to was a cafe located a bit far from the gallery.

Thanks to being guided to a place without customers, Ga Eul stopped trying to hide her attire.

Ga Eul gradually moved her body back as she looked at the man who was still smiling happily for some reason.

Yeon Woo noticed it but didn’t point it out, and instead asked a question.

“Ga Eul, what do you want to drink?”

“I think an Americano will be fine for me.”

“Okay. Ga Eul, you have a seat. I’ll go alone and come back.”

“Thank you, Shin Yeon Woo…”

Yeon Woo, who had left alone like that, returned to his seat with two Americanos.

It was only the second time seeing his face, but how could he act so intimately without any shyness? It was a bit amazing.

But that was it. It was rather embarrassing.

A man she had only met by chance once had come looking for her in front of the gallery.

Unlike Ga Eul, Yeon Woo smiled brightly and held out a cup to Ga Eul. Then he led the conversation.

“I came because I had something to say. I’m glad I ran into you. Can I find you at the gallery next time too?”

Ga Eul took the cup Yeon Woo handed her but didn’t drink it as she answered.

“No. I only go to the gallery when I have business, so it’ll be hard to run into me even if you come.”

“Then I was lucky today, huh?”

“Yes, well… I guess so.”

Ga Eul became wary of him as the conversation naturally flowed. Then he abruptly held out his cell phone to Ga Eul.

“If you give me your number, we can meet without missing each other.”

“What? Why would I…?”

When Ga Eul didn’t take the phone, Yeon Woo directly put his phone in Ga Eul’s hand and urged her.

“Hurry.”

“…”

It’s not that she has a blunt personality, but it’s strange to give her number to a man whose intentions are unknown.

When Ga Eul now openly showed her wariness, Yeon Woo shrugged and said.

“You don’t want your father’s painting back?”

“…What?”

“I thought I could tell you a way to get it back, so I deliberately took time to come find you. We need to have each other’s numbers to contact one another, don’t we?”

“Really?”

Ga Eul’s face instantly brightened.

Seeing the bright face smiling more radiantly than anyone in the world while wearing a shirt covered in paint, Yeon Woo covered his mouth for a moment as he felt laughter about to spill out.

Then, with a smiling face again, he lightly waved the phone in front of Ga Eul.

“Then give me your number first.”

.

.

.

After exchanging numbers, Yeon Woo offered to take Ga Eul back to the gallery. Ga Eul naturally got in his car.

Ga Eul could only think about her father’s painting until they arrived in front of the gallery.

‘He says he can give me the painting, how…? Will he try to persuade Chairman Shin…?’

When he said it would be difficult right away and take some time, Ga Eul replied that she didn’t mind however long it took.

As long as she could get it back. She didn’t care if it took a bit more time compared to the 10 years she had spent longing for her father’s painting.

Because that wait was nothing compared to those 10 years.

Before she knew it, the gallery came into view, so Ga Eul unfastened her seatbelt to get out.

But Yeon Woo got out with her.

“It’s okay if I get out alone.”

“I’ll just say hello and go. I’m a busy person too.”

He deliberately got out with her to wave goodbye.

His kindness and consideration made her feel bad for openly showing wariness since the cafe.

‘To the person who wants to return the painting… what was I doing?’

“Go well.”

“Okay. See you next time, Ga Eul.”

He really just said goodbye and immediately got in the driver’s seat.

Yeon Woo’s car quickly moved farther away from the gallery, and Ga Eul turned to the gallery to grab the outerwear she had left behind.

But then.

“…CEO?”

Like Ga Eul a moment ago, he was staring at the car driving farther away.

When the surprised Ga Eul called out to him, only then did he shift his gaze to Ga Eul and asked while tapping the top of her head.

“What? Is he your boyfriend?”

“No!”

When Ga Eul jumped up in surprise and denied it excessively, Gi Tae let out a chuckle.

If not, then not. Why is she jumping up and down so much? That reaction made him strangely curious. A question he wouldn’t usually ask more about was thrown out.

“Then.”

“He’s just someone I ran into a few days ago when I went to Chairman Shin’s house to see my father’s painting. He’s Chairman Shin’s grandson.”

“Ah.”

Gi Tae let out a single sound as if remembering. Then he asked back as if puzzled.

“But you said you have no relationship?”

“Yes! I met him for the first time.”

When she answered right away while nodding her head fervently, Gi Tae leisurely stared into the distance that was no longer visible and muttered.

“Doesn’t seem like he thinks that way though…”