“The exhibition has just started, are you leaving already?”

“Yes, director. I’m not feeling well today……”

“I see. I didn’t know and kept holding you back. Go on then, Miss Ga Eul.”

“Is that okay?”

“Of course. You don’t need to stay long. I’ll let you know if any paintings sell.”

“Thank you. Then……”

“Take care.”

Ga Eul bowed her head to Director Park and left her seat. It was the very first day of her exhibition at the gallery, a day she had undoubtedly been looking forward to greatly, yet somehow it wasn’t enjoyable at all.

Her head was throbbing with pain.

Rrrr…… Rrrr……

Ga Eul checked her phone as it kept vibrating. The screen showed a familiar chat room bustling with conversation.

[Ju A: Ga Eul~! I’ll be there soon.] [Elder brother Do Jin: Me too.] [Ju A: I’m so jealous of your first exhibition. And, congratulations.] [Elder brother Do Jin: Ga Eul, should we go for a drink together after the exhibition today?]

‘They came all this way…… What should I do, I feel bad.’

After writing and erasing repeatedly, Ga Eul finally expressed her regrets and declined.

She thought about trying to endure just one day, thinking she would be fine after resting tomorrow, but she was not in any condition to do anything.

[Ju A, elder brother Do Jin. I’m sorry. I’m not feeling well today, so I just stopped by the gallery briefly and now I’m heading straight home.]

Her aching head throbbed more and more.

[Ju A: How sad on your first exhibition! Where are you hurting?] [My head keeps hurting, and I’m not feeling well…… I’m sorry. You came all this way.] [Ju A: No, no. We were planning to see the paintings even without you anyway.] [ㅠㅠ Thank you, Ju A.] [Ju A: It’s okay, so go home, take some medicine and rest well! Okay?] [Okay okay.]

Ga Eul turned off the screen, leaving behind the two worried people.

Ga Eul’s expression sank even lower as she left the gallery.

‘It’s really a misunderstanding. There’s no way I would dislike the CEO.’

She sighed involuntarily. Even when she said it wasn’t true, after telling a few lies due to the chairman’s orders, he dismissed all her words as if they were lies. When she tried to explain, he turned his back on her completely, telling her to leave.

That day, while working in the studio, she briefly went outside due to her depressed mood and spotted his car.

Although there was no way the angry him would come to see her…… in case they ran into each other and she heard more hurtful words, she left the studio in a hurry without properly cleaning up, as if running away.

‘Instead of that, I should have cleared up the misunderstanding……’

How should she convey her feelings so that he would sincerely accept them? Ga Eul’s worries deepened.

Due to worrying a lot since incurring his misunderstanding, her head kept throbbing with pain. It seemed she might have a slight cold too, as she felt a mild fever rising.

When she gets home, she’ll have to take medicine and sleep.

After getting completely better, with a clear head, I’ll apologize to the CEO. I don’t know if he’ll accept it though.

Unlike usual, Ga Eul had difficulty leaving the gallery. Due to the proper promotion, a large crowd had gathered, making the gallery entrance complicated.

She barely managed to leave the crowded gallery entrance, being jostled here and there by the crowd.

A man blocked Ga Eul’s path.

Thinking she might be blocking his way, Ga Eul moved aside first. However, the man only turned his body in the same direction.

As it wasn’t just once or twice, it felt quite intentional, so Ga Eul raised her head. A man with his hat pulled low, hiding his face, was blatantly blocking her way.

In the end, Ga Eul had no choice but to ask.

“Please move aside.”

“Ga Eul.”

Ga Eul’s eyes widened.

The man in front of her had called her name accurately. Ga Eul took in his appearance again.

She hadn’t noticed before, but his attire seemed familiar from somewhere.

‘Where have I seen it……?’

Ga Eul furrowed her brow, trying to turn her aching head that wasn’t working well. It definitely seemed like an outfit she had seen before…… but looking again, she thought it might have been a misconception as it was a common outfit.

The man, receiving Ga Eul’s full attention, bent down to pick up a phone.

“You dropped this. Here.”

“Ah, yes……”

Being unwell, she hadn’t even realized she had dropped her phone again. As Ga Eul reached out her hand awkwardly, it occurred to her.

‘Huh? Isn’t this the person I bumped into last time……?’

Looking again, the outfit, the voice, the situation, even the line was exactly the same.

Ga Eul, feeling creeped out, snatched the phone away as if stealing it. Standing on her two legs that were barely supporting her due to her cold, she struggled to open her mouth.

“……Who are you?”

At that, the man slightly lifted the brim of his hat.

A man with an unkempt beard. The white hairs mixed in among the black beard hinted at his age. A faint smell of alcohol wafted over, causing her brow to furrow involuntarily.

Looking again, he still wasn’t someone she knew.

Thinking it suspicious, Ga Eul rolled her eyes and took a step back.

She was thinking of running away.

However, the man, as if sensing Ga Eul’s thoughts, grabbed her arm and hurriedly opened his mouth. He quickly spoke while beating his chest.

“Ga Eul. It’s uncle. It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, don’t you recognize uncle?”

“What……? Who on earth……”

No matter how much she thought, no such person existed in her memory.

When Ga Eul shook her head, he sighed. The breath mixed with the smell of alcohol.

“It’s Uncle Dae Jun.”

Ga Eul’s eyes widened greatly. Then, they immediately narrowed.

She wondered if she had heard wrong. If a person had any shame, shouldn’t they not appear in front of her?

A dark expression settled on Ga Eul’s face. She hadn’t recognized him well because of his very dirty appearance, but looking closely, it was indeed him.

“Uncle, what brings you here……?”

Kim Dae Jun. He was an old acquaintance of her father, and a bad person who drove her father to his death.

Ga Eul’s face openly contorted.

She had forgotten since she had seen him when she was very young and it had been over ten years, but looking again, she remembered exactly. It was also a name she couldn’t forget.

Ga Eul’s breathing became rough. No matter how much she tried to control them, her eyes kept welling up with tears. The words the man uttered in front of such a Ga Eul were utterly absurd.

“So Ga Eul became a painter. I heard you opened an exhibition today. It seems like just yesterday you were so small. Already you’ve grown up so much. Congratulations on your first exhibition. Uncle came by because he wanted to congratulate you.”

“Is that really all……?”

“Of course, of course.”

“……Ha. Okay. Then I’ll be going now.”

“Ga Eul!”

As Ga Eul immediately turned her body, he called out to stop her again. As Ga Eul was about to distance herself right away, Dae Jun finally revealed his true intentions.

“Ga Eul, uncle needs a little money. Could you lend me some for a few days?”

“Uncle, are you crazy?”

“I can really pay it back this time. I’m really sorry to have to ask even you, Ga Eul, for such a favor. I’ll pay it back right away……”

Harsh words poured out of Ga Eul’s mouth. How could he defraud her father with money and then say such things to her?

Out of shock, words she wouldn’t normally use were exchanged. But the man showed no signs of stopping.

“I’m really desperate, Ga Eul. Uncle used to play with you a lot when you were little…… Don’t you remember?”

“Let go of this!”

Unlike the simple-minded Yoon Dae Ho, Ga Eul cut him off sharply, and Dae Jun pleaded, even bringing up her childhood.

Ga Eul found those words even more shocking.

She had indeed been very close with Dae Jun. That was true. He had frequently visited her home, bought dolls for young Ga Eul, played with her, and even got along well with her mother.

……Until he defrauded them with money.

Ga Eul shouting loudly at the shabbily dressed man. By now, the gazes of all the people gathered at the gallery entrance were directed at the two of them.

Director Park emerged from among them. Approaching Ga Eul, Director Park forcefully pushed Dae Jun away and hid Ga Eul behind his back. As a result, Dae Jun rolled on the ground.

“Who are you!”

“……Ga Eul, damn it!”

Dae Jun, seeming to instinctively realize he was at a disadvantage, quickly ran away.

Only after seeing him disappear into the distance, his face hidden by his hat pulled low again, did Director Park turn around. Seeing Ga Eul’s tear-stained face, he was considerably flustered and urgently asked.

“Are you okay?”

“……*sob*”

“You must have been very startled. Who was that person? Do you know him?”

Ga Eul shook her head. Then Director Park, who had been wiping the tears on Ga Eul’s cheeks, patted her shoulder and said.

“This won’t do. I’ll drive you home, just wait a moment. I’ll bring the car right away.”

“It’s okay. Director, you’re busy today.”

“But how can I let you go alone.”

Ga Eul bowed her head to the busy Director Park who insisted on driving her, and quickened her steps.

“Ga Eul…… Miss Ga Eul!”

In fact, lacking the strength to respond, Ga Eul left the vicinity of the gallery almost running, even though she knew Director Park was calling her.

Looking around alertly, fortunately, there seemed to be no one following or staring.

For now, I want to rest. I need to go home.

“Ugh……”

Ga Eul’s footsteps, which were heading straight home, stopped in the middle of the road.

She had intended to go straight home…… but that didn’t seem possible.

If she went looking like this, mom would ask what happened, and mom, who still falls ill every year on dad’s death anniversary, might collapse from shock if she heard about Dae Jun.

Then, I.

‘Where should I go……?’

She wanted to go somewhere comfortable to rest, but no place came to mind.

Nevertheless, Ga Eul dragged her increasingly weakening body, moving her feet wherever they led her for now.

* * *

The interior of the conference room, where a meeting was being held regarding the entry of a new brand into the department store, was packed with executives and staff from the relevant departments.

Gi Tae stared blankly at the data screen displayed on the PPT, tapping the end of his pen on the desk. Today especially, the content that wasn’t entering his eyes well made his thoughts keep drifting elsewhere.

‘Why does she dislike me?’

He hadn’t paid attention for 9 years.

Partly due to his indifference to others, he recalled Yoon Ga Eul, who always seemed uncomfortable when they met.

It was certainly not out of consideration, but he intentionally didn’t show interest so she could live a little more comfortably. She must already find living in the mansion uncomfortable, so there was no need for him to add to that.

So the period he treated her well wasn’t long.

It could all just be excuses but…….

Gi Tae’s hand holding the pen suddenly tensed. The cheap plastic pen rolling around the conference room was flimsy, so it broke with a single friction sound.

At that noise, the employees filling the conference room turned to look at him, trying to gauge the situation.

“Han Gi Tae, Division Director.”

His brother, Gi Jeong, called out to Gi Tae.

“Ah….. I’m sorry. Please continue.”

Gi Tae waved his hand as if it was a mistake and diverted all the gazes.

After that, the meeting continued. Looking at the PPT data screen in an attempt to concentrate, a model wearing a white dress caught his eye.

Several models wearing outfits that could well represent the characteristics of the clothing brand were lined up.

His gaze kept being drawn to the white dress. It was similar to what Yoon Ga Eul had worn when she went to the exhibition recently.

Why keep recalling someone who said she disliked him, his lips curled up crookedly in exasperation.

* * *

To check on the situation of the first day of the exhibition, Gi Tae headed to the gallery. Spotting Director Park approaching him, Gi Tae pushed open the glass door and entered the gallery.

Expecting Director Park to report on the situation first, his gaze alternated between the empty spaces of sold paintings and the paintings that hadn’t sold yet.

The words that came out of Director Park’s mouth, who had come up beside Gi Tae, were quite different from his expectation. Before reporting on the exhibition status as usual, he casually said this.

“CEO. I’m still worried about Miss Ga Eul.”

“……Why Yoon Ga Eul.”

Gi Tae’s brow furrowed as the talk was about Ga Eul rather than the exhibition on the very first day of the show.

As Director Park’s head turned towards the outside of the gallery with a hardened expression, his frowning gaze also turned outward.

“……?”

What’s out there.

Gi Tae’s eyes narrowed as Director Park let out a small sigh while staring at the empty space.

Director Park, who had been looking outside worriedly, carefully opened his mouth.

“Some drunk person accosted Miss Ga Eul. In front of the gallery, what a commotion that was…… This is the first time even for me.”

Muttering “I wonder if she’s okay”, Director Park seemed worried even with the silent Gi Tae and was busy continuing on his own.

“Seeing her crying face, I’m still concerned. I couldn’t take proper care of her because I was busy with the exhibition. She said she wasn’t feeling well today. I hope she’s not hurt somewhere……”

Gi Tae, who had been listening silently, opened his mouth rather quickly.

“Where is Yoon Ga Eul now?”