‘Forest Path’…

The only thing that filled Gi Tae’s mind as he headed to the department store for work was none other than Yoon Dae Ho’s painting. From yesterday until now, after hearing the news from Director Park, he kept thinking about that painting.

The painting by Yoon Dae Ho that the director of Leon Gallery said would be unveiled at tomorrow’s exhibition was ‘Forest Path’.

Tok, tok, tok. His index finger tapped repetitively.

“We have arrived, President.”

Before he could gather his thoughts, the black sedan stopped in front of the first floor lobby.

With a sigh at his muddled thoughts, he passed through the building lobby and entered the elevator.

Reaching the high floor, the door opened and his secretary immediately came to his side and spoke.

“Good morning, President.”

“Yes.”

“The guest has been shown to your office.”

At the secretary’s words, Gi Tae’s gaze went to the woman already sitting in a corner of the office reception sofa.

Cha Hye Su.

Leaving only a message that she would contact him, he had forgotten and contacted her late. As a result, it was a face he hadn’t seen in a very long time.

As Gi Tae entered the office, Hye Su, who had been sitting, abruptly stood up.

“Gi Tae!”

Her expression changed every moment. As if she had things she wanted to say while waiting for his call, her words came out very fast as she sat down again following him.

“That day, I didn’t go to the gallery to see you. I just stopped by briefly to meet Ga Eul. And… if I had known you disliked people coming without an appointment, I would never have done that before.”

Hye Su hurriedly explained what happened that day, saying she did it because she didn’t know. She looked very upset.

On the other hand, Gi Tae listened to her explanation with an expression of utter boredom. He had called her, albeit belatedly, because of a prior promise. He had no intention of listening to her detailed explanation.

That day, he had been beyond sensitive and everything got on his nerves and annoyed him, but now, all of that seemed meaningless as he was composed.

However, remembering what Ga Eul had said, Gi Tae, who had been keeping his mouth shut, asked a sharp question.

“I see. Why did you go to see Yoon Ga Eul then?”

“…There was just something that concerned me a bit.”

“I heard talk of marriage came up.”

“That’s…”

“What on earth did you say to Grandfather?”

Since nothing good would come of blushing in front of each other, he was polite but didn’t mince his words.

“I didn’t know we had that kind of relationship.”

Hye Su’s face flushed red. Hearing such a cold remark directly from him hurt her feelings.

However, she had also thought about the questions she would face while waiting for his call, so she quickly suppressed her hurt feelings and rapidly spoke.

“As you know, I’m close with Chairman. When the Chairman marked me as his daughter-in-law, I thought that included your opinion too.”

Not wanting to ruin the relationship, Hye Su took a step back.

“Isn’t it natural to be concerned when another woman keeps clinging to the man you’re going to marry?”

“…”

“That’s all it was. Because I thought it was an arranged marriage.”

She spoke coolly, but under the table, out of sight, Hye Su’s sharp nails dug into the sofa.

Sitting there making strange excuses after getting caught having a long conversation with Yoon Ga Eul, she ground her teeth, thinking she shouldn’t have said much that day.

She immediately put on a bright smile, conscious of his gaze still on her. Hiding her true feelings, she appealed with false sincerity.

“I mistakenly thought we were to be married. I didn’t have any ill intentions towards Ga Eul.”

When he didn’t give any response, his thoughts unreadable, an uneasy Hye Su added one more thing.

“It was my misunderstanding that caused this, so I’ll apologize first for what happened that day. I’m truly sorry, Gi Tae.”

Hye Su said with a coy smile. Since she had thought of the answers in advance, unlike her true feelings, she could speak relatively easily, pretending to be cool.

“You’ll accept my apology, right? We’ll probably see each other often, so there’s no need to be awkward. I’ll be more careful from now on. Let’s continue to get along well like we have until now.”

Gi Tae, who had been staring at Hye Su as if dissatisfied with something, finally nodded his head once. Then, he rose from his seat.

Hye Su also got up from the sofa, following him.

“Well, I suppose so.”

She had assuaged his suspicions for now, so she could slowly approach him again. She would make up for that day’s mistake by showing her good side and gradually letting him know more about what kind of woman she was.

Hye Su, who had been trying hard to maintain a calm smile, frowned at Gi Tae’s returning words.

“Then, there was no talk of marriage.”

* * *

Ga Eul lay in bed until late afternoon.

Although she had struggled to open up in front of him and seemed a bit more composed, it was difficult to be okay. Being alone, thoughts of Dae Jun came to her again, and she hadn’t slept well, so she was in poor condition.

It seemed like she would need a little more time to fully collect herself.

Rrrr… Rrrr…

Mi Jeong’s name appeared on Ga Eul’s phone screen as she lay listlessly. Confirming the caller, Ga Eul hurriedly answered the phone.

“Yes, Madam.”

“Ga Eul.”

“What is it?”

As Ga Eul answered the phone, Mi Jeong made a request to her in a very lively voice.

“It’s just that, Gi Jeong and his family are coming in three days.”

“Yes.”

“I think we’ll be short on hands, so I was wondering if you could stop by for a bit that evening to help prepare dinner? Are you busy by any chance?”

“No, I’m not busy.”

“Oh, that’s great! It’s nothing difficult, Hee Sun and the Ansan lady will handle the food preparation, so you just need to help serve. I ordered this and that because I wanted to serve a lot, and there’s too much to do.”

“Alright, I’ll come to the main house that day then.”

“Okay. Thank you, Ga Eul.”

‘It’s been a while since they visited the main house.’

After hanging up, Ga Eul naturally thought of Gi Tae’s older brother, Gi Jeong.

He was someone she had rarely met, as he was already married and independent by the time she entered the mansion following Chairman Han.

At a glance, he had a beautiful wife and had an arranged marriage early on at Chairman Han’s recommendation with a decent family. So perhaps because of that, they didn’t seem to have much affection for each other. They seemed like an ordinary couple, neither on bad nor good terms.

Ga Eul, tossing and turning, thought of Gi Tae. She knew he also attended this occasion that happened once or twice a year. Except for other times, she had seen his back as he left the main house at least a few times on this day.

‘Will he be coming too…?’

After contemplating him for a long time, Ga Eul yawned and slowly blinked. Having stayed up late last night, drowsiness came over her now in her exhaustion.

Skipping even a day shows. She had no intention of taking a complete break from painting, but she didn’t have the energy to pick up a brush right away and thought she would be able to paint in the evening. Unable to fight the oncoming sleepiness, Ga Eul finally closed her eyes.

* * *

‘He bought it after all.’

Concerned about Yoon Dae Ho’s painting, Gi Tae lined up according to the opening hours of the Leon Gallery. It was his first time lining up in front of someone else’s gallery, so he kept feeling astounded.

Although ‘Forest Path’ was not a very valuable work in the art world, it was still Yoon Dae Ho’s work, so once he decided to buy it, he had no choice but to hurry in case someone else snatched it up first.

As expected, as soon as he entered, there was a line of people hoping to purchase in front of Yoon Dae Ho’s painting. Pushing past all those people, Gi Tae called out the highest amount.

Surprised by Gi Tae’s move, some people showed up calling even higher amounts in order to obtain ‘Forest Path’, but Gi Tae kept calling higher amounts and eventually got his hands on the painting.

“Ha…”

Despite the ridiculous amount of money he had poured out, the painting was among the worst. Looking down at the painting again, Gi Tae let out a hollow laugh.

To think he had wasted money on such a painting. It was definitely an act he would never have done normally.

Gi Tae’s gaze toward the trees in the painting ‘Forest Path’ deepened.

The reason he had hesitated whether to buy it or not.

The trees were so shoddy that some were saying even Yoon Dae Ho was past his prime. A bizarre line of trees ruined the true value of the painting. If only he had painted just the scenery, it would have been fine.

Looking at it again, the overall landscape was beautiful, but the trees planted on the canvas were a mess.

Even in the best light, there were so many of those wretched trees lined up that he couldn’t give the painting much credit.

Yoon Dae Ho’s paintings before and after ‘Forest Path’ were all incomparably beautiful. That’s how much criticism this one painting alone received.

Even now, with the passage of time, that remained the same.

Rrr… Rrr…

Checking the screen, Gi Tae carefully placed the ‘Forest Path’ he had been glaring at in the backseat and answered the phone.

“Yes, Father.”

“Gi Tae.”

“What is it?”

“I think you’ll need to attend the Se Jin Hotel founding anniversary event.”

Leaning against the car frame, he glanced at the painting in the passenger seat and raised his head again. He had heard it was today… Wasn’t hyung supposed to go? For a moment, his brow furrowed.

“What about hyung?”

“He called saying something suddenly came up with a client, so he probably can’t go. It’s a event you can’t miss, so you’ll have to go in his place.”

Gi Tae, who had been frowning for a moment, sighed and then nodded.

“Alright. I’ll attend.”

.

.

.

Because the event lasted longer than expected, it was late at night by the time he could head out. The tedious occasion seemed to have deepened his fatigue a bit more.

Gi Tae covered his eyelids with one arm as he rode in the backseat, his body tired.

“President, I’ll take you to your studio apartment.”

As soon as he got in the car, Gi Tae initially intended to head straight to his studio upon seeing the painting, but changed his destination.

“No. Let’s go to the main house.”

Since he hadn’t bought it for himself in the first place, it would be better to hand it over quickly to the person it was for.

Late at night, the sedan that had been quietly driving was now familiarly and discreetly parked on the side road of the main house. Gi Tae got out of the backseat holding Yoon Dae Ho’s painting in one hand.

Satisfactorily gazing at the studio with no light coming from it, he was about to enter when he suddenly furrowed his brow first.

“She really doesn’t listen…”

In the few days he told Yoon Ga Eul not to think about painting and rest, she had already been to the studio and was now sleeping soundly curled up in a corner. With a blanket draped around her in a comfortable pose as if this was now her bedroom.

Gi Tae, who had pulled over an empty easel and placed ‘Forest Path’ on it, plopped down next to the sleeping Ga Eul.

“You’re always good at just answering.”

When he tapped her cheek, she mumbled something in her sleep.

Gi Tae, who had gently poked Ga Eul’s slightly furrowed brow and laughed in case she woke up, soon withdrew his hand and went back to appreciating Yoon Dae Ho’s painting that he had placed on the easel.

No matter how he looked at it, it didn’t seem like Yoon Dae Ho’s painting that he knew. Clearly knowing it wasn’t painted by someone who had only drawn trees once or twice. To think the trees would be this terrible.

His thoughts eventually reached the painting ‘Rose Garden’ hanging in the corridor of Chairman Shin’s house.

“Of course, the painting you want is probably one like ‘Rose Garden’.”

“Mm…”

Ga Eul added appropriate interjections even in her sleep.

Finding it absurd, Gi Tae glanced at her once and then continued speaking while looking at the painting again.

“But considering the giver’s sincerity, just accept it.”

Since he barely managed to buy this too after spending a lot of money.

Something like ‘Rose Garden’ – even if he offered money, they said they wouldn’t sell it, so how could he possibly bring that to her?

In the first place, it wasn’t a matter of money. Unconsciously stroking Ga Eul’s hair, Gi Tae let out a hollow laugh.

“The things I’m doing because of Yoon Ga Eul.”

Having relieved what had been bothering him all along, he soon got up from his seat without hesitation.

She doesn’t listen at all, so what’s so pretty that he even bought a painting?

Contrary to such grumbling, the corners of Gi Tae’s mouth curved up in a smile as he tucked the blanket around her more snugly and left the studio.

* * *

The next day, as sunlight fell on her face, Ga Eul stretched with a slight frown.

‘Ah, I only meant to rest my eyes until the paint dried…’

She had fallen asleep here out of habit again, intending to finish work today and definitely sleep in the annex. Sitting up, Ga Eul looked around.

Since he had told her to rest for a few days, she didn’t want to be seen in the studio… Fortunately, it seemed he hadn’t stopped by, so a sigh of relief naturally flowed out.

‘If he had come, he definitely would have said something, right?’

Ga Eul, who had fixed her disheveled hair and felt reassured, began tidying up her surroundings to leave the studio.

But then.

“Huh…? What’s this?”

An unfamiliar canvas was placed there. On an easel she hadn’t brought over.

Moreover, it wasn’t a blank canvas.

Her doubtful gaze properly fell upon the canvas. After a moment, Ga Eul’s eyes opened wide at the familiar painting.

Ga Eul hurriedly checked the side of the canvas. Father always left a small signature on the side after finishing a painting, and that signature was clearly engraved on the side of this canvas.

Ga Eul held her breath.

A painting by her father that she had completely forgotten about was placed in her studio.