In an instant, the smile that had been blooming on Yeo Reum’s face due to Hye Su’s sudden approach faded away.

She still had a lovely and confident expression, as if she had done nothing wrong.

The excitement Yeo Reum had felt at his contact, which had brought her all the way to the gallery, plummeted.

With her mind in turmoil, Yeo Reum unconsciously bit her lower lip.

‘I was supposed to have dinner with the CEO… What should I do?’

The chairman had clearly asked him to avoid being present when she was around.

It was a request she was reluctant to obediently follow, but… if she said something to the chairman again, the relationship that had barely recovered could be damaged once more.

Just a few months ago, she didn’t want to return to that indifferent relationship.

Unlike last time, Hye Su’s gaze passed over Gi Tae and went straight to Yeo Reum.

Without even a greeting, Yeo Reum could tell what the stare boring into her was demanding.

He may not know, but she could tell for certain.

She was hurt. She had been so happy that he had asked her to dinner…

Yeo Reum, who let out a silent sigh, blurted out an absurd excuse.

“Um, CEO. I had a prior engagement, but I forgot.”

She didn’t know if he would take it at face value, but since she had already made plans with him, the excuses that could come out of Yeo Reum’s mouth were limited.

“…I’m sorry. I’ll get going first.”

I’m not even sure what my expression looks like right now. Worried that she might show a strange expression, Yeo Reum turned around quickly without even hearing his response. Behind her retreating back, Hye Su’s cutesy voice flowed in.

“Oh my, what a pleasant surprise running into you here. I just arrived, about to go looking for Gi Tae.”

She whispered a little more intimately, loud enough for Yeo Reum to hear as well.

“It seems your appointment was cancelled too, so then… would you like to have dinner with me?”

Yeo Reum let out an empty laugh at the absurd suggestion, but started to walk away.

However, just as she took a step, he grabbed her wrist.

Startled by the sudden grip on her wrist, Yeo Reum stopped breathing and turned around.

He was looking down at Yeo Reum sharply, his brows deeply furrowed.

“Where are you going, Yoon Yeo Reum?”

“…Pardon?”

Yeo Reum dumbly asked back, dazed. So he asked again, his voice dripping with irritation.

“Didn’t we say we’re going to eat? Where are you going?”

“Well… I just told you. I accidentally forgot I had an appointment…”

He sighed. Without hiding his annoyed demeanor at all, regardless of Hye Su’s presence, he pressed Yeo Reum.

“If you’re going to lie, at least do it properly. Why are you suddenly acting like this?”

Yeo Reum pressed her lips firmly shut at the gaze persistently following her, as if telling her to explain.

Was it that obvious of a lie?

I was fidgeting myself… He figured it out in an instant.

To hide her trembling lips, Yeo Reum had no choice but to erase her smile and put on a serious face.

“It’s true.”

“…”

All she could do was insist stubbornly.

Yeo Reum’s gaze flitted over to Hye Su standing next to him.

Although it pained her to give him such an answer, she thought that with this much, she would also turn around and leave without further comment.

Gi Tae’s mouth opened at Yeo Reum’s answer, then closed again.

Yeo Reum also glanced at him to see if he would say something else, but he simply closed his mouth and turned around.

* * *

Due to Yeo Reum leaving, claiming she had a prior engagement, Gi Tae and Hye Su ended up having a meal together.

Somehow, Gi Tae found himself at the same restaurant, even the same table, that he had come to with Yeo Reum.

“Gi Tae, you seem to have lost your appetite.”

“…That’s not it.”

She had imagined a sweet or sticky atmosphere, but he was only looking out the window. Hye Su’s gaze also turned to look outside.

‘What the. There’s nothing interesting to see.’

Looking outside wondering if there was something special, it was just the Han River she always saw.

Nothing but chunks of scrap metal rushing by in the wind could be seen.

Yet he wouldn’t take his eyes off that sight.

Hye Su, who was chewing on her steak, bit her lower lip. She thought he might be a little different when it was just the two of them, but he was even more reticent. Hye Su became unnecessarily anxious.

‘Does this make sense? When I dressed up like this to see him, he’s just staring outside?’

Hye Su’s face contorted.

At the recent exhibition, due to the nature of the event, she had to dress conservatively and felt she couldn’t show off her charms well.

Still, she had tried to exude elegance by only wearing expensive items.

Today was quite different.

Although she was bundled up, her figure was subtly revealed, and she could create a dizzying atmosphere with a slight tilt of her head.

But for that to work, she needed to catch his gaze, didn’t she?

The man in front of her didn’t touch his food at all. In public settings, even if just out of politeness, he was always kind, but today his mind seemed to be elsewhere, making it awkward as if she were dining alone.

In the end, words Hye Su didn’t even mean slipped out of her mouth.

“Gi Tae, you don’t seem to be feeling well today. Let’s end the meal here, shall we meet again another time?”

She had wanted to go upstairs together.

“Let’s do that.”

The man who had been silent the whole time was unusually quick with this response.

* * *

‘Why is the CEO acting like this?’

Like yesterday, Yeo Reum headed to the gallery again today. Unlike yesterday, today’s steps were very cautious and slow.

After parting that way yesterday, Yeo Reum was very hurt.

So without even stopping by the studio, she went straight to the annex and just went to sleep.

But… when she woke up, there was another message from him.

There was no reason given, so she couldn’t know why. But asking felt awkward after parting that way yesterday, so she couldn’t casually inquire as if they were close.

When Yeo Reum arrived, the secretary stood up from her seat.

Unlike yesterday, she didn’t knock, so Yeo Reum looked at her quizzically and waited, and the secretary informed her with a smile.

“The CEO said for Ms. Yoon Yeo Reum to come straight in when you arrive.”

“…Ah, yes. Thank you.”

Yeo Reum knocked to at least signal her arrival out of courtesy and swallowed. Slowly opening the door and quietly entering the office, Yeo Reum immediately stiffened.

Unlike usual when he would only look down at documents and tell her to wait a moment before stating his business much later, she couldn’t tell how long he had been watching, but their eyes met as soon as she entered.

He was sitting at his clean office desk with his legs crossed and an arrogant posture, intently observing Yeo Reum as she entered.

Yeo Reum swallowed at the intense gaze.

After being caught in a lie and parting coldly, it felt as if a chilly air of having fought was lingering all around.

Although the awkward and cold atmosphere from yesterday’s events still hung in the air, the words that came out of his mouth were of a quite different nature.

“I wonder if you have another prior engagement today.”

“…”

Yeo Reum closed her mouth for a moment.

At the tone and gaze that made it clear he knew it was a lie, she had no choice but to shake her head.

Like yesterday, he put on his jacket and gestured outside with a tilt of his head.

“Then, let’s go.”

“…Yes.”

The atmosphere was rather bleak for going to dinner together.

Still, having dinner together might dissolve this awkwardness…? Since they ate together today, maybe he would rethink that yesterday’s lie was actually the truth.

Yeo Reum, who took a deep breath, quickened her pace and stepped next to him. If she put in effort, she might be able to clear up yesterday’s misunderstanding.

Gi Tae, who glanced at Yeo Reum beside him, slowly relaxed his lips.

He turned his body towards Yeo Reum and stopped.

“…About yesterday.”

Yeo Reum looked at him quizzically as he suddenly turned to face her.

Yeo Reum also met his gaze nervously, wondering what he was going to say.

In Yeo Reum’s view, beyond him, a familiar figure appeared once more.

As the gaze that had been looking straight at him suddenly turned behind him instead, he furrowed his brow and also turned to look back.

“Gi Tae!”

Hye Su’s voice, visiting the gallery for two days in a row, was heard from afar. At that, Gi Tae’s expression also instantly crumpled.

How am I supposed to avoid her when she comes looking for me so vulnerably like this again. Yeo Reum’s expression wasn’t pleasant either.

Yeo Reum sighed and was contemplating what other lie to tell.

He cut her off first.

“What. You have another prior engagement again?”

“…Pardon?”

“What excuse are you going to make up this time?”

“…”

Yeo Reum pressed her lips tightly shut, at a loss for words. In the meantime, Hye Su arrived. She stood in front of him in a glamorous outfit that felt different from yesterday.

Large hanging earrings swayed beautifully along her hair. However, his gaze didn’t turn anywhere.

“Um… Gi Tae?”

Ignoring Hye Su who was calling for him, Gi Tae whispered to Yeo Reum.

“I don’t understand why you keep avoiding me.”

The gaze meeting hers up close was quite sharp.

“…You don’t even smile anymore.”

At that, Yeo Reum shrugged.

“It’s not like that.”

“Don’t say it’s not. If you’re going to make the excuse of another prior engagement, just go.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Yeo Reum’s face turned deathly pale. Yeo Reum bowed her head and quickly walked away without even lifting it.

Gi Tae keenly observed that retreating back until Yeo Reum disappeared from view, then suddenly turned around and looked down at Hye Su.

He was satisfied that Yeo Reum knew to make herself scarce so as not to get on his nerves.

Hye Su flashed a bright smile at the handsome man turning to face her. It was a cutesy smile that one couldn’t help but fall in love with.

Gi Tae’s expression contorted.

Hye Su’s eyes widened as she stood face to face with Gi Tae. He openly sighed first, then gave Hye Su a subtle rebuke.

“Ms. Cha Hye Su. What kind of rudeness is it to keep visiting without even setting a schedule?”

“…Pardon?”

Taken aback by the somewhat cold tone, Hye Su stammered, but he issued a warning first.

“I’m only being polite for your father’s sake. Next time, set a schedule through the secretary first.”

“…I will, I’m sorry, Gi Tae.”

Even as the startled Hye Su froze, the indifferent Gi Tae got into the sedan that had just arrived alone.

Whether she stood there in front of the gallery or not, the sedan drove away without hesitation.

* * *

Two days before the exhibition, Yeo Reum received a summons and visited the gallery. It was a gallery she had no choice but to go to as Director Park had called for her.

In the midst of that, Yeo Reum tried her best to pick a time when she wouldn’t run into him to make the appointment.

As Yeo Reum entered the gallery, the paintings for this exhibition had already filled the entire interior.

Yeo Reum spotted the busily moving Director Park and carefully approached.

“Um, Director…”

“Yeo Reum.”

Director Park scolded Yeo Reum for the first time.

“Why on earth haven’t you sent the painting you said would be the last one?”

Only then realizing her mistake, Yeo Reum let out a single word. She had been so distracted lately that she had made a mistake. She had forgotten about that painting.

“I contacted you asking when you would send the painting, but you don’t answer well either.”

“Ah…”

“Of course, it’s fortunate that there is a painting to replace it, but you should have kept your promise.”

“I’m sorry.”

Her recent heartache was her own issue. At that, Yeo Reum repeatedly apologized without room for excuses.

“I’m truly sorry, Director.”

“…It’s alright. Just don’t do this again.”

After scolding her, perhaps feeling bad, he sighed and spoke kindly again as usual.

“Still, that painting could be exhibited in the next exhibition, so finish it and try sending it later.”

Feeling even more apologetic, Yeo Reum also faced Director Park and gave an awkward smile.

“Yes, I will. …I’m really sorry.”

She had made a big mistake because she was so distracted. It was because her mind had been entirely focused on recently growing distant from him. Still, she should have considered it a separate matter…

‘Get it together.’

“That’s what I called you for. You can go for today. …I don’t know what’s going on, but hang in there.”

“Yes… Thank you for your concern.”

After conversing a bit more with Director Park, who had briefly spoken sternly about work but returned to his usual kind demeanor, Yeo Reum conveyed that she would do her best at the next exhibition and left the gallery.

Pushing open the glass door and stepping out, she ran into that woman again whom she kept encountering for some reason.

‘…Cha Hye Su.’

She must have obviously come to see the CEO.

She didn’t want to care anymore.

Yeo Reum tried to ignore her and pass by. However, Hye Su blocked Yeo Reum’s path.

“Thanks for making way for me.”

She had the same kind smile as when Yeo Reum first faced her. Yeo Reum’s brow furrowed upon seeing that smile. Because she knew what was hidden behind that smile.

How can she be so brazen…?

Suddenly remembering the falling out with him, Yeo Reum felt a surge of anger. Unaware of Yeo Reum’s mood, Hye Su kept trying to talk to her.

“By the way, I wonder why the CEO was in such a bad mood then…”

“I didn’t step aside for your benefit, Ms. Cha Hye Su.”

Disgusted by Hye Su’s actions, Yeo Reum cut her off and snapped.