It was a members-only lounge bar in Hannam-dong, BYN.

Among them, there was a secret space where one could spend even more quiet time by climbing the curved stairs.

From above, you could see the people below at a glance, but from below, you couldn’t look up at the top. It was an isolated space where the people using the lower floor had no idea who was there or what conversations they were having.

To begin with, anyone who set foot in this bar had something special to show off, whether it was their family background, reputation, or wealth, but even so, the upper floor was not a place where just anyone could go up.

Gi Tae preferred the quiet upper floor. He was particularly satisfied that he could enjoy contemplation and that noisy voices were not buzzing right next to his ears. He also liked the structure of looking down on everyone from above.

So usually, the upper floor was entirely Gi Tae and Ju Hyeok’s domain.

As he was enjoying whiskey for the first time in a while, Ju Hyeok, who was sitting across from Gi Tae, slid a square white paper onto the table.

His hands holding out the paper were full of scars. They were indelible scars from his profession.

Looking down at the envelope placed on the table, Gi Tae pointed to it with a nod and asked,

“What’s this?”

“A wedding invitation. I’m getting married.”

Gi Tae laughed, recalling how he had been grinning from ear to ear since entering the bar, as if something was so great. He must have wanted to brag about this.

Gi Tae picked up the envelope, scanned the names of the bride and groom written inside, and spoke.

“Congratulations.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“But you’re getting married already?”

“What do you mean already? Now is the perfect age to get married, at thirty. And how long have I been dating Se Hee?”

Was that so……?

At Ju Hyeok’s words, Gi Tae tilted his glass.

Clang!

The ice in the glass crashed into the glass, letting out a clear scream.

Come to think of it, they had indeed reached that age before they knew it. Gi Tae shrugged his shoulders and readily nodded in agreement. The corners of Ju Hyeok’s mouth went up refreshingly, and a smile spread across his face.

Kim Ju Hyeok. He was a man who seemed to have decided to live the exact opposite of his father. From his father’s point of view, it could be seen as rebellion, but rather, he had only lived uprightly, so to Gi Tae, he was the epitome of righteousness.

His father always wanted great things from Ju Hyeok and wanted him to take over the family business. Ju Hyeok left all those things behind without any regrets to find small happiness.

He always said he didn’t need any of those things at all.

Ju Hyeok, who wore silver-rimmed glasses, had the air of a kind church oppa, and with his warm and caring personality, he was always quite popular with women.

It was rare for a woman not to be fond of him, as he was polite and affectionate, but he always only looked at his girlfriend of over 10 years with the same devotion.

Today, he had finally reached the end point, marriage, and was constantly laughing like a fool.

His affection even extended to animals. He rejected his father, a media company president, who demanded that he take over the company, and defiantly graduated from veterinary school to become a veterinarian.

Today, his hands were full of scratches. Yet he was the kind of person who only smiled.

Gi Tae looked at his friend, who couldn’t stop smiling even as he wet his throat with whiskey, as if it was amazing.

Then Ju Hyeok, who had been grinning, pulled up his glasses and suddenly said in a serious tone,

“Gi Tae, you should get married too.”

“Oh, well. I should.”

At the obedient answer, Ju Hyeok opened his eyes wide.

It was because he didn’t expect to hear the word “yes” come out of his mouth so easily. Soon, Ju Hyeok’s voice rose a notch.

“What? Did you have a girlfriend?”

“No.”

“Then……?”

“It would be nice if it was a family that could help my business.”

“Hey, Han Gi Tae!”

At the dizzying answer, Ju Hyeok shouted first.

“You have to marry someone you love no matter what. Are you going to treat marriage like a business too? Do you think that will work? It’s someone you have to spend your life with?”

Love?

At Ju Hyeok’s fluster, Gi Tae rather let out a snicker.

He was about to retort when we ever made decisions swayed by such private emotions, but Ju Hyeok was that kind of person.

* * *

Having drunk, of course there was a buzz, but his mind was rather intact.

Gi Tae, who had been half-listening to Ju Hyeok’s constant advice that he must marry a woman he loves, got into the back seat of the car brought by the driver.

“I’ll take you to your officetel, sir.”

“Yes.”

Then, in less than a minute, he changed his words.

“Let’s go to the main house.”

“Yes, sir.”

As they turned direction and drove, familiar scenery soon revealed itself.

Even from a distance, the shape of the main house could be seen at a glance.

However, the place he would stop by was Ga Eul’s studio beyond that, which was not yet visible.

He had promised to look at her paintings.

Of course, she had asked him to look at them where she was, but today, for some reason, he suddenly wanted to browse through the works she had done so far before going.

She was a quick learner. Watching the brush movements change as soon as he taught her, he felt himself being drawn in without realizing it.

It was quite interesting to teach her as it gave him a sense of satisfaction.

“I’ll be right back.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll be waiting.”

Today, Gi Tae silently passed the main building as usual and unhesitatingly stepped onto the back path. Now, in the much brighter view, he could see very well the light seeping out of the studio in the distance.

Gi Tae looked at the light with a puzzled expression and moved his steps.

As he pushed open the door and entered, Ga Eul was there again.

However, she was in a deep sleep.

The difference from last time was that she seemed to have decided to sleep here, as she was curled up small, covered with a blanket she had brought from the corner of the studio.

The posture of using one hand as a pillow looked very uncomfortable. Her face, which was as white as drawing paper as always, looked like a slightly mashed glutinous rice cake. It also looked like a small rabbit sleeping curled up in a rabbit hole.

Her eyelids trembled as the strands of hair that had fallen seemed to tickle her in her sleep.

Gi Tae, who had been quietly gazing at her, removed the strands of hair. As her face brightened, her soft face was fully revealed.

The eyes that always looked up at him wide open were closed.

When she was a little girl, whenever they met by chance, her eyes would always freeze. These days, when she saw him, she would smile brightly at him.

Although he had never given much thought to Yoon Ga Eul, looking back, that was quite a cute smile.

By the way.

Why did she keep sleeping here?

Gi Tae, who let out a hollow laugh looking at Ga Eul, looked down at the canvas he was seeing for the first time.

No one was pushing her, but she painted through the night. Her painting style, mature for her age, seemed to play a big part in that. He wasn’t sure if he should call it commendable or foolish.

Of course, it was good for him. She said she would paint a lot, so there was no need to particularly stop her.

At that moment, a canvas caught Gi Tae’s eye. While the others were displayed for all to see, that one was showing its back.

When Gi Tae was about to look at the last painting that was turned around.

“…… Sir?”

“Are you awake?”

Ga Eul, who had just woken up from sleep, rubbed her eyes and sat up. Embarrassed by her disheveled hair after waking up, she touched her hair and gave an awkward smile.

His gaze stuck to her flushed cheeks.

Curious about the reason for his visit even though she had just woken up, Ga Eul approached him.

“You painted a lot.”

“Yes.”

Pleased with Gi Tae’s praise, Ga Eul smiled brightly for now.

Then, he approached one canvas that had been turned around. Startled, Ga Eul suddenly blocked him and exclaimed,

“No! Not that one!”

Gi Tae’s expression, which had been somewhat gentle until a little while ago, crumpled greatly, and his eyes narrowed.

A low voice flowed out as if in warning.

“Yoon Ga Eul.”

Nevertheless, Ga Eul shook her head and was stubborn.

“You can’t see this one.”

“Why. What did you paint?”

“…… It’s a secret.”

What……?

Gi Tae openly let out a snicker as if it was absurd. Ga Eul still blocked him, then suddenly closed her eyes tightly.

‘If I had known you were coming today, I would have hidden this out of sight.’

Whether he knew or not how Ga Eul felt, he looked displeased with a frown.

Ga Eul carefully spoke, watching his reaction.

“This one doesn’t even have a proper form yet.”

“…….”

“I don’t want to show you inadequate paintings…… Can’t I show it to you after it’s completed…….?”

She had painted landscape paintings until late at night.

Although she didn’t intend to, when she painted as her hand reached, she had captured the most joyful recent memory.

A painting with him and her in it.

‘You’ll know right away if you see it, right? That it’s me and you.’

Then, she definitely couldn’t show it to him.

Heat rose to the flustered Ga Eul’s cheeks.

It had been quite fun to hold his hand and walk around the botanical garden she had visited for the first time in 10 years until closing time, worried she might get lost. It was the next best memory after walking hand in hand with her father.

When she said she was thirsty, he bought her a drink and waited for her to finish it.

She knew that he had stood behind her, secretly worried that she might bump into someone else while looking around.

At that time, she thought it would make a good painting if she captured the memory in a picture. It was very impulsive and impromptu.

Actually, he wasn’t that kind. It wasn’t without some beautification in her mind. As if she had gotten drunk on the scent of flowers. She had just painted it because she liked the memory of that day……

When she finished painting, it somehow gave off the feeling of a couple.

A man and a woman holding hands affectionately, walking in a park surrounded by flowers, from the back.

Others might not be able to tell, but since it looked just like the scenery that day, he as a party involved would likely recognize it right away.

He would find her strange. Asking why she painted such a thing.

Ga Eul kept shaking her head even at the gaze that looked down at her somewhat ominously as if telling her to step aside.

Gi Tae lightly pushed Ga Eul away from the canvas. The moment she was inevitably pushed away due to the difference in strength, his hand had already reached the canvas.

If he turned that over, he would see it.

Startled, Ga Eul blocked his hand with hers, then suddenly clung to his body.

“Sir! Can’t you just pretend you didn’t see it? I’m really sorry. It’s just that I don’t want to show you this one yet…… L, look at the other paintings!”

“…….”

Ga Eul exclaimed, hugging Gi Tae’s body tightly.

He gazed at her intently as if dumbfounded, forgetting that he was trying to look at the canvas.

Unable to endure that gaze, Ga Eul lowered her head to avoid eye contact.

However, she didn’t let go of her arms that held him as if binding him, and kept shaking her head.

Soon, a deep sigh was let out over her head.

He spoke in a firm voice.

“Yoon Ga Eul. Step aside.”

At that voice, Ga Eul unknowingly loosened the strength in her arms. However, she only stepped back from his body, still hugging him.

“…….”

“…….”

Somehow, even breathing felt awkward.

Then, he greatly narrowed the distance.

Suddenly, the sharp gaze was right in front of her as he lowered his upper body to get closer.

Ga Eul unconsciously pulled her head back slightly, but they were still close enough to fully see his eyelashes settling down.

In the distinct brown eyes that looked as if they had been painted over several times with oil paint, Ga Eul’s trembling figure was reflected. She could even feel his breath.

“Step aside while I’m still asking nicely.”

Ga Eul shuddered again. Yet she didn’t step aside.

Ga Eul shook her head again.

Sighing, he finally straightened up and took a step back.

“…… Useless stubbornness.”

Ga Eul, who had been watching his back as he turned around and left the studio, collapsed with her legs losing strength. Then, she let out a sigh of relief.

Her startled heart was beating wildly. Thump thump…… at a faster pace than usual.

.

.

.

Ga Eul, who was dragged out by Gi Tae telling her to sleep at home, walked farther away from him than usual as he took her to the annex.

She felt awkward with him again because of what she had done a little while ago.

They arrived in front of the annex without a word.

When Ga Eul was about to bow her head to thank him for taking her, he spoke first.

“Keep your weekend free.”

“Yes……? Why?”

“I’m going to check on our gallery’s paintings exhibited at the Seoul Art Fair. You can see paintings from other galleries too, so it will be helpful for you to go there.”

As the topic of paintings came up, a smile slowly bloomed on Ga Eul’s face, which had been acting awkwardly.

“Yes!”

Gi Tae, who had been watching Ga Eul nodding her head happily, laughed and turned around without a word.

Ga Eul called out to him to stop.

“Sir.”

“Oh, why.”

“Please be careful on your way.”

“Okay.”

Gi Tae, who was about to take a step again, suddenly stopped and said one more thing than usual.

“Sleep well.”

“Yes. You too.”

Ga Eul’s laughter flowed in along with his shoulders.

* * *

Ga Eul stepped out on time. He was supposed to pick her up in front of the main building.

The white dress she took out to wear after a long time fluttered at the knee line with each step.

It felt somehow refreshing even with that small change, as if it had been a long time since she took off her work clothes.

Ga Eul, who smiled slightly, busily moved her steps near the main building.

Whenever he arrived, his sedan had already been parked for a while, so Ga Eul walked a little faster.

She got into the passenger seat more familiarly than last time and greeted him.

“Hello, sir.”

Today seemed like a good day to go on a date again.

.

.

.

Ga Eul’s eyes grew wide and sparkled.

They said 130 galleries participated, and the scale was so large that she couldn’t look around at a glance. The first place Ga Eul entered was Hall A. It seemed she would have to move diligently to look around Hall B as well.

While walking following him as he boldly crossed the booth, Ga Eul also examined various paintings from the corner of her eye.

Not knowing what to look at first, her heart pounding as if stepping on clouds due to the considerable scale tapped vigorously throughout Ga Eul’s entire body.

Ga Eul, who was smiling with her lovely cheeks that had somehow flushed to the color of a peach, tried to strike up a conversation with him.

“Sir…”

“Oh my, Gi Tae!”

At the voice that suddenly interjected, Ga Eul opened her eyes wide.

A woman who looked flashy even on the outside was walking quickly toward him, as if happy to see him.