As lunchtime passed, the number of visitors had increased before they knew it. They seemed to be people who had briefly escaped from the crowded amusement park.

It seemed like it had been ten years since Yeo Reum last visited the botanical garden… Although it was nice to look at the flowers, it was also quite entertaining to watch the people.

Perhaps it was because they were spending time with precious people, but the way they gazed at the flowers, the way they looked at each other, and even the small act of sharing a drink, were all filled with warmth.

Although not visible, Yeo Reum felt a warm ripple in her heart as autumn approached.

As Yeo Reum smiled at the happy-looking people for a while, her gaze suddenly stopped at one spot. There was a family with a child who had come to the botanical garden.

As the crowd grew, a child who couldn’t see the flowers properly burst into tears, seemingly upset.

Then, the child’s father skillfully picked up the child in his arms and began to comfort her kindly.

“Our Ha Eun, do you want daddy to give you a shoulder ride? Then you’ll be able to see well.”

The child, who had already stopped crying, nodded her head.

“Yes. I want to see the flowers.”

“Come here. Daddy will help Ha Eun see them. Upsie-daisy.”

“Wow, I can see well!”

Yeo Reum’s gaze was soon fixed on the father and daughter.

At that moment, the surroundings suddenly became noisy and someone ran quickly towards where Yeo Reum was. Lost in thought while staring at the father and daughter, Yeo Reum failed to avoid the collision in time.

“…Ah!”

Yeo Reum lost her balance from the impact of the collision and fell.

Despite the signs warning not to run being posted everywhere, the man who had run without properly checking in front of him frowned in annoyance and instead got angry at Yeo Reum.

“Hey, watch where you’re going.”

Bewildered by the man’s somewhat rough tone, Yeo Reum was at a loss for words.

The man kept showing his annoyance while fixing his clothes.

Then, their eyes suddenly met.

“…?”

The man suddenly relaxed his expression and grinned. The man, who seemed to be about to apologize and just walk away, abruptly spoke to Yeo Reum.

“What, you’re pretty cute. Did you come alone?”

“…No, I have someone with me.”

At the firm answer, the man looked around. Yeo Reum also looked around following the man, but…

‘Huh…? Where is the CEO?’

He was nowhere to be seen.

It seemed like she had walked ahead and gotten far from him. Yeo Reum let out a groan.

“What. There’s no one?”

The man, thinking Yeo Reum had lied, started to talk to her in earnest along with his group. Even when Yeo Reum showed dislike, he grabbed her wrist and wouldn’t let go.

“If you don’t have anyone, want to hang out with us? You must be bored. How old are you? What’s your name?”

“I really do have someone with me, so please move aside.”

“If you keep refusing while making things up, it kind of hurts my feelings…”

The man muttered threateningly and snickered with his group. Saying he was good enough.

Being surrounded by these people who wouldn’t let her go made her feel a bit scared.

Suddenly feeling fear, Yeo Reum hurriedly looked around. Then, she saw him wandering around in the distance looking for her.

Happy to see him, Yeo Reum called out to him loudly.

“CEO!”

At that voice, he, who had been looking the other way, also spotted Yeo Reum.

“Yoon Yeo Reum. You…!”

He, who was about to open his mouth in annoyance, narrowed his eyes at Yeo Reum’s urgent expression and the group surrounding her.

She kept walking ahead, so he had been looking for her for a while, only to find her caught by some strange man and unable to move. Yeo Reum even looked frightened, her shoulders hunched.

“Hey. Who are you?”

When he asked in a fierce tone, the man who had been blocking Yeo Reum’s way and not letting her go looked him up and down.

As he took a step closer, the man seemed startled. He hadn’t noticed from afar, but up close, he was much taller than him. He looked down at him as if he was beneath him.

Feeling the pressure from his gaze, the man became docile. Even stammering his words.

“Ah, I thought… she was alone, so in case she was bored.”

“…”

“Aha ha. She really did have someone with her.”

“You gonna let go of that?”

“I’m sorry! Have a good time!”

The man quickly moved away, even offering an apology that wasn’t asked for. Yeo Reum looked at the man walking away in disbelief. The person who wouldn’t listen when she told him to move…

He, who had been staring at the man walking away with a sensitive air, turned his head to gaze at Yeo Reum.

Yeo Reum, feeling even happier, looked up at him with greatly downcast eyes. He let out a small sigh as he looked down at her gentle face and muttered quietly.

“Sigh… We should have come on a weekday if we were going to come.”

With so many people, they ran into all sorts of folks.

“Why do you wander around so arbitrarily without a word like this?”

“…I’m sorry.”

Yeo Reum smiled sheepishly.

At that moment, Yeo Reum, who had a small frame, staggered from being pushed by the still crowded throng of people.

“…?”

He quickly put his arm around her waist and pulled Yeo Reum slightly to him.

“…”

Thanks to that, she escaped from the crowd… but an awkward feeling enveloped Yeo Reum again.

“You really require a lot of attention.”

He, who had pulled her out from the crowd, immediately let go. And moved to hold Yeo Reum’s hand instead. It was roughly held in whatever way, but Yeo Reum was still startled.

Showing a slightly tired look, he spoke quietly in an annoyed tone.

“It’ll be hard to find you again. Hold on and don’t argue.”

“…Yes.”

And so, Yeo Reum walked around the botanical garden holding his hand until closing time.

His hand was unexpectedly warm.

As if transferred by his warmth, heat rose in her hand.

* * *

She still didn’t know what his intention was in bringing her to the botanical garden, but Yeo Reum had a pleasant time.

It was actually quite enjoyable. Although there was a brief incident, seeing the flowers after so long refreshed her mood.

Chased out as closing time arrived, they had dinner as it was mealtime after leaving the botanical garden. Despite him warning her not to drink alcohol, Yeo Reum couldn’t have a single sip.

‘I wasn’t planning to drink anyway.’

Before long, the car arrived in front of the main building. She thought he would leave as soon as he dropped her off, but after getting out of the car together, he walked towards the back of the main building.

Realizing he was heading towards the studio, Yeo Reum also followed closely beside him.

The back path with streetlights was no longer scary. Rather, it was like a picturesque night garden. Memories of the enjoyable day had considerably eased Yeo Reum, and she lifted the corners of her mouth.

Arriving at the studio, he opened the door first and entered, then turned around to look down at Yeo Reum.

‘Ah! Is he going to tell me now? That method. What could it be…?’

Yeo Reum looked up at him with sparkling eyes.

He abruptly spoke.

“Out of what you saw at the botanical garden today, draw what left the biggest impression on you. Doesn’t matter what it is. Draw what you want to draw.”

“…Pardon?”

She let her guard down. If she had known, she would have closely examined everything she saw at the botanical garden…

“Aren’t you going to prepare?”

“Ah, no.”

Yeo Reum, who had been blankly looking up at him for a moment, hurriedly began preparing to draw. Then, she sat down with the canvas in front of her.

‘What should I draw…?’

She did see a lot, whether flowers or people, but she hadn’t thought she would be drawing, so she hadn’t taken it in with her eyes in detail.

‘He told me not to think too hard and just enjoy it…’

If she had known, she would have properly taken it in with her eyes.

She felt a bit tricked. She had really just enjoyed herself today.

“Hmm…”

As she couldn’t readily start, he, who had been silently standing beside her, quietly spoke.

“Yoon Yeo Reum, you seemed to be having quite a good time when talking about the flowers today?”

“Pardon?”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen you talk so excitedly.”

Ah, that’s right.

As he guided, Yeo Reum immediately thought of the black-eyed susans. Then, without realizing it, she tried to draw them like usual. Almost unconsciously, out of habit, in the style of her father.

As Yeo Reum was concentrating without realizing it, he, who had been silently watching, suddenly grabbed the hand holding the brush.

“Why…?”

“I’ll say it again, you don’t have to draw it accurately. Draw what’s left in your memory. It’s okay to make mistakes. It’s just practice.”

Yeo Reum nodded her head with a sheepish smile at his words.

She was looking for a way to shed her father’s style while unknowingly trying to follow it right in front of his eyes.

Yeo Reum began to focus even more at his words.

“It’s okay even if the memory is hazy. Just draw what remains in your memory from today. You can incorporate things like the scenery, scent, texture, or even your mood at the time into the painting.”

Yeo Reum’s lower lip, tightly shut while earnestly listening to him, parted slightly.

“That means you can draw things embellished by your feelings. But you can’t draw it the way you did before.”

“…Yes. I’ll do that.”

It wasn’t typical art coaching… but somehow she felt she understood what he was trying to say. Why he took her to the botanical garden and told her to just enjoy herself.

Yeo Reum picked up the brush more carefully than usual. Then, rather than recalling the detailed parts of the black-eyed susans, she began to depict the overall scenery of the botanical garden that remained in her memory.

“…”

“…”

And so for a long time. Only the small noises of handling the brush passed through the studio.

Yeo Reum’s brushstrokes as she furrowed her brow were more timid than usual.

But as time passed, a smile gradually bloomed.

Trying to draw relying only on what he said, there was no room to think about her father’s methods. Whenever she was about to habitually follow her previous ways, he would snatch her hand. As if stopping her.

This style of teaching was unfamiliar but seemed effective.

Amazingly, she could draw without any calculation.

As today’s memories came to mind bit by bit, Yeo Reum slowly became immersed in drawing without being conscious of him.

‘Today was so fun, wasn’t it? It’s been so long since I went to see flowers too.’

The process of incorporating her inner self felt enjoyable, like drawing a picture diary.

While her previous drawings were like a desperate struggle to somehow survive in this mansion, now it felt like a fun game.

As she repeated the unfamiliar process, her mind gradually filled with beautiful worlds seen through her eyes instead of her father’s paintings.

Meanwhile, he, who had been silently watching Yeo Reum become completely absorbed in drawing, nodded to himself in satisfaction.

Yeo Reum certainly didn’t lack the fundamentals. She just needed that something to break her habit of fixating on the wrong parts.

At first, she hesitated as if unsure of what to do, but then she began to perfectly carry out his directions that could feel abstract.

Even if it ended up being a drawing that was neither this nor that because it was still awkward.

‘But maybe because the basics are solid. Well… this isn’t bad either.’

What had been glimpsed in the countless sketches seen in the studio last time, Yeo Reum’s unique qualities, were becoming more prominent.

The changed form of the drawing wasn’t too bad either, and he couldn’t be more satisfied with how quickly she took in his teachings.

Above all, it made him look forward to it. Her world of art that would develop as she drew her own paintings.

* * *

Gi Tae and Yeo Reum had more conversations as they left the studio.

“CEO. But why did you tell me to shed it? Actually, I still don’t really understand. Your intentions.”

Yeo Reum asked with an honest heart. The current him seemed like he would accept her questions as they were.

He chuckled and spoke softly.

“How long are you going to follow your father?”

“…?”

“It might be good for a while. You could easily get attention with your father’s reputation.”

What he said was a bit unexpected.

“Think long-term. Even if you can cleverly avoid accusations of plagiarism because he’s your biological father, you won’t be able to erase that impression unless it’s a series. When you start drawing your own works, even if it’s not explicitly mentioned, everyone will implicitly know.”

“…”

“The longer that period lasts, in the end, the only one who’ll bleed is you alone. It’ll get to the point where your art career can’t be discussed without mentioning your father.”

His gaze deepened as he directly faced Yeo Reum.

“Now draw your own paintings. I’ve never asked anything strange of you.”

“…”

“Was it specified in the contract? To imitate Yoon Dae Ho’s paintings.”

“No!”

Yeo Reum nodded as if she understood.

At that, a small smile soon graced his lips as well.

She didn’t know that shedding her father’s style was for her own sake.

Because everyone demanded paintings resembling her father’s style from her for their own greed.

She thought his desires were also just wanting to see something new…

But all his requests were choices for her future.

“If I gain attention now by drawing like my father, wouldn’t that be more profitable for the gallery…?”

Even if her reputation would be terrible later on.

“What, why are you concerned about that?”

“Pardon?”

“Yoon Yeo Reum, you’re surprisingly calculating. I didn’t see you that way.”

“No! That’s not it…”

Yeo Reum shook her head while waving her arms to show she meant otherwise.

She couldn’t bring herself to ask why he cared for her that much, so she beat around the bush a bit…

Laughing mischievously at the flustered Yeo Reum, he said,

“Either way, it’ll be more profitable that way.”

She thought he was only doing it for her sake… but that didn’t seem to be the case.

“I’m looking at it long-term. I don’t do things that’ll be a loss for me either. I signed the contract because you’re useful.”

Useful.

Yeo Reum intuitively realized.

That evaluation was praise for Yeo Reum herself, not for paintings that resembled her father.

“You have a good foundation, and above all, a high level of understanding of the subject. But if I have an artist with a strong perception of imitation, it’ll tarnish the reputation of TS Gallery. Grandfather seemed to look at the immediate situation, but I’m not like that. I won’t tolerate it in my gallery.”

Because he didn’t regard it as just a type of business.

Although quite direct, she could clearly see that he cared a great deal for the gallery and did not view art merely as a business tool.

Also, that he highly valued her skills.

Although she would have to work hard to submit new paintings by the next exhibition, she had a feeling that she might be able to do what he said, albeit clumsily.

Unlike before, she also felt motivated.

‘I should draw as much as possible and submit them. Surely there will be some that he’ll find acceptable among them.’

Feeling grateful, Yeo Reum did not head straight to the annex but walked together with him on the path leading to the front of the main building to see him off. Glancing at Yeo Reum standing next to him, he asked casually,

“Aren’t you going?”

“I’ll go in after seeing you off, CEO.”

“Why?”

“…Just because.”

Arriving at the front of the main building after walking side by side like that. Yeo Reum stopped him as he was about to leave after just giving her a glance.

“CEO.”

“Hm, why?”

As he turned around while trying to get in the car, Yeo Reum slowly opened her mouth.

“Actually, I was really at a loss as to what to do. But just doing as you told me, it felt like I could see the path I should take.”

“That’s a relief.”

Yeo Reum smiled softly. The corners of his mouth also lifted slightly as he faced her.

The slightly warmed seasonal air enveloped the two of them.

Yeo Reum hesitantly spoke the words lingering in her mouth. It was a somewhat impulsive action.

“Could you make time for me again next time?”

As doubt flashed in his eyes, Yeo Reum hurriedly added as if making an excuse,

“What you teach me are things I can’t learn outside, and it helps me a lot.”

“…Ha.”

As a positive answer did not come right away, and a hollow laugh flowed out, Yeo Reum bit her lower lip firmly as if nervous.

‘He’s a busy person, so of course not?’

Just seeing her today was actually something to be grateful for.

“It’s okay! I’m just talking nonsense…”

The thought that she had thoughtlessly made a difficult request to someone who lived so busily that she wondered if he even slept finally occurred to her. Yeo Reum erased the smile she had plastered on her face and hurriedly waved both hands.

He had made time for her today despite his busy schedule.

Before, he wouldn’t even spare her a glance and would just pass by, but now he listened to her concerns and showed interest in her, so the request naturally flowed out of her mouth without realizing it. His teachings, which she had never heard of or seen before, had overwhelmed her in an instant, and it seemed a desire to learn more had also arisen.

And today had been such a wonderful day.

Yeo Reum smiled sheepishly.

Facing Yeo Reum like that, he chuckled and spoke quietly before starting the engine and leaving,

“I’ll come and see you when I have time.”

At the soft answer that flowed out again, Yeo Reum’s smile lit up the moonlit night.