Gi Tae, who hadn’t even noticed Do Jin’s presence, glanced down at the hand gripping his arm before nodding his head towards Ju A who was standing beside them. Startled, Ju A nudged Do Jin’s side, urging him to let go.

“What are you doing, elder brother?”

“Just a moment. I have something to say.”

Lightly brushing off Ju A’s arm, Do Jin glanced at Ga Eul who was nestled in Gi Tae’s embrace before lifting his gaze. Then, with a serious expression, he spoke the words that met his eyes.

“I’m meeting you for the first time. Who are you?”

“Elder brother!”

“Hey, you’re also meeting him for the first time, Baek Ju A. Have you ever seen him with Ga Eul before? What makes you trust him to just let Ga Eul go with him?”

Gi Tae let out a hollow laugh at the bold remark. Ju A, who had been trying to stop him, seemed to think it made sense upon hearing it. Either that or she had simply become curious as she withdrew her restraining hand and looked up at Gi Tae together with Do Jin.

Was an explanation really necessary?

“Hmm…”

“…”

The very person who had caused the commotion snuggled into the warm embrace, shifting to find a comfortable position before drifting off to sleep. Gi Tae, who had been watching Ga Eul nestling into his arms with a smile, let out a soft laugh. He then pointed to Ga Eul’s phone on the table and spoke.

“If you had seen how my name is saved, you would know.”

Although they were much younger than him, they were Ga Eul’s friends, so he tried to speak politely. As he did so, he received Ga Eul’s phone from Ju A, which he had not managed to grab earlier.

How did she save his name?

In fact, he didn’t know either. He had just blurted out whatever came to mind, thinking of shaking off these bothersome kids and leaving quickly.

At that moment, Ju A, who had been glancing back and forth between the two, carefully opened her mouth.

“I just saw earlier that he’s saved as ‘Representative’…”

“Really?”

“Elder brother, the only person Ga Eul would call ‘Representative’ is the gallery representative, right?”

Ju A, who had been carefully examining Gi Tae’s face again, clapped her hands.

“That’s right! Elder brother, I think he’s the representative of Ga Eul’s gallery. No, he definitely is.”

“How do you know that? Have you seen his face before?”

“Not exactly… But he’s such a famous person that his photos circulate a lot in the community, so I know his face.”

At Ju A’s confident words, Do Jin’s momentum faltered a bit. Knowing that he was indeed the representative made him feel slightly embarrassed for confronting him so rudely.

However, it was a separate matter from letting Ga Eul go with him. The world was such a dangerous place these days. Do Jin, whose tone had become a bit calmer, spoke politely but sharply.

“Still, the relationship between a representative and an employee isn’t usually that close, right…? Come to think of it, I think it’s best if we take her home.”

Gi Tae looked down sharply at Do Jin who refused to back down. Upon closer inspection, although he wore a mask of politeness, there was a man inside who saw Ga Eul as a woman.

‘If he just graduated and they were in the same class… They must have been together for about 4 years.’

Gi Tae, who had been looking down at Do Jin with the distinct feeling of a new member of society, quietly laughed. Then, without answering Do Jin’s words, he instead asked a question.

“You’ve known Yoon Ga Eul for about 4 years, right?”

At Gi Tae’s question, Do Jin quickly nodded his head as if to show off his closeness. Did he know how absurd it was?

It was a sight he had seen many times before. The type who lingered around without any courage.

It seemed Yoon Ga Eul couldn’t even distinguish people who pretended to be close to her.

Do Jin, who had been under Gi Tae’s gaze for a moment, rolled his eyes before bowing his head politely to indicate his refusal.

“Sorry for causing trouble when you came all the way here. Then, we’ll take Ga Eul…”

“It’s been 10 years now.”

Gi Tae cut off Do Jin’s words as if he was tired of dealing with the timid man who pretended to be masculine.

Gi Tae sighed and added an explanation to Do Jin, who looked confused as if he didn’t understand what he meant.

“I’ve known Yoon Ga Eul since she was young. It’s been 10 years now.”

“…10 years?”

“If we knew each other even before she signed with the gallery, that should explain it.”

“How can I believe your words alone…”

As the atmosphere grew slightly sharp, Ju A intervened again.

“Elder brother. Let her sleep comfortably and stop holding onto the person leaving. We don’t even know where Ga Eul’s house is anyway. Even if we take her, we can’t take her home…”

Gi Tae, who heard Ju A muttering to Do Jin as if telling him to just let her go, quickly snatched the conversation.

“If you don’t know her house, who’s going to take who home? I think it’s right for me to take her.”

“Wait, no!”

“Ah, elder brother, seriously!”

In the end, it was Do Jin who got hit hard on the back by Ju A. Leaving Do Jin and Ju A behind, Gi Tae held Ga Eul again.

“Then.”

“…Ah, no!”

Only Gi Tae’s retreating back, moving away quickly with his long legs, entered Do Jin’s eyes. Ju A strongly scolded Do Jin, who was fuming with anger.

“Ah, I’m telling you, he’s the gallery representative! We don’t know where Ga Eul’s house is anyway, so it’s right to ask someone who knows her. And…”

Ju A, who had been holding back words that were a bit embarrassing to say in front of the person concerned, continued.

“He’s a really famous person. He’s the second grandson of Taesan Group, and he runs the department store business and the gallery business. It’s also true that the gallery Ga Eul belongs to is TS Gallery.”

“…What?”

A dumbfounded voice flowed from Do Jin’s mouth at the unfamiliar background. Although she didn’t tell Do Jin everything, it was a face Ju A knew well.

She had seen him frequently appearing in communities with the title of being the second grandson of Taesan Group, from the watch he often wore to his suits, car model, and gossip with famous celebrities.

It wasn’t just because he was a chaebol heir that such gossip circulated. Ju A recalled the face of the man she had seen earlier.

He had a handsome appearance that exuded the aura of an actor. Although she hadn’t expected to run into him like this, she could see why he drew attention in person.

“He’s also the gallery representative, and he said he’s known her for 10 years. Well, he’s known her longer than us.”

How does Ga Eul know a man like that…?

Come to think of it, she had never heard anything about that man. No, she didn’t even know Ga Eul’s home address yet.

Ju A, who had been talking in a slightly bitter tone, poured alcohol into Do Jin’s empty glass. For now, the priority was to quietly silence Do Jin, who had been making a fuss beside her.

“So you stop it too, elder brother, and sit down! Why are you acting like this today of all days?”

“…”

“Ah, I’m so embarrassed I could die.”

The customers inside the store had been glancing at the table where Ju A and Do Jin were sitting, as if they thought it was a lovers’ quarrel.

* * *

Gi Tae, who had returned to the car holding Ga Eul in his arms, placed her in the passenger seat and sat in the driver’s seat.

He was about to fasten her seatbelt on behalf of the person who was already asleep when he suddenly lifted his head at the sight of Ga Eul’s innocent face.

The face that was sleeping obediently was so white and pure.

“I was trying to catch and devour her, but she slipped away like this.”

He didn’t know if it was because of him or if she had a drinking occasion that led to this by chance.

Seeing the person who had become unconscious while trying to catch her, his desire dissipated.

He had been aiming to catch her since morning, but she made him engage in a trivial argument. Gi Tae, who was reminded of Do Jin again, fastened the seatbelt and turned the steering wheel while muttering curses.

Gi Tae’s car quickly left the road.

.

.

.

The sedan that had been driving fast stopped in front of the annex. Gi Tae, who had been watching Ga Eul sleep without moving the entire time the car was running, twisted the corner of his mouth and turned off the engine.

He knew it was rude at midnight, but he had no choice but to wake her mother, who would be sleeping in the annex.

Gi Tae, who had turned off the engine, was about to get out of the car to ask her to open the annex door.

“Hmm…”

Ga Eul, who had been tossing and turning while mumbling something, opened her eyes. Gi Tae’s head also turned towards Ga Eul, who was like that.

The eyes that had been opened and rolled around for a while soon landed on Gi Tae beside her.

Gi Tae’s eyebrows rose and fell as if telling her to say something about yesterday’s kiss if she had anything to say.

Ga Eul’s pupils trembled slightly upon discovering Gi Tae like that.

When she was bold enough to stop him, she must have been afraid. It was Gi Tae who spoke first to Ga Eul, who couldn’t easily open her mouth.

“Why did you do that yesterday?”

“…What about you, Representative?”

“I asked first.”

“That’s…”

Ga Eul, who had been hesitating for a moment, opened her mouth without meeting his gaze.

“It was a mistake.”

“…A mistake?”

“…Yes. I received the painting as a gift, and you felt different from usual… So, I think I got swept up in a strange feeling and made a mistake. That painting… It’s special to me.”

At Ga Eul’s answer, which seemed to imply that it was just impulsive, Gi Tae’s expression distorted in an instant.

I thought she would give a pure answer like she did it because she liked me or something.

It was a mistake.

With those words alone, everything was over.

Why do I feel so terrible…? Although there wasn’t a particular answer he had been hoping for, his brows furrowed strangely.

Irritation surged at Ga Eul’s words. Gi Tae’s voice soon sank even lower.

“Just a mistake?”

“…”

“You must be the type to act first and think later. Quite impulsive.”

“…I don’t know either.”

The words were about to come out roughly.

At that moment, Ga Eul muttered to herself.

“Before, I used to tremble when I saw you but managed to hold it in well. Why couldn’t I resist that day…”

“…What?”

She seemed to be properly drunk, revealing her honest thoughts while looking confused. Gi Tae’s sharp nerves gradually subsided.

Was she aware of what she was saying right now with the person concerned beside her?

Gi Tae put his arm on the passenger seat’s headrest and looked down at Ga Eul intently.

She seemed to be muttering to herself, not talking to him. Ga Eul, who was saying that she didn’t understand her own feelings, truly looked confused.

Her uninhibited and honest answer also seemed quite cute.

Although Gi Tae had lived his life as he pleased, he had his own set of rules within that. He had never acted on impulse or spontaneity, but why did he keep getting off track whenever he was involved with Yoon Ga Eul…?

That wasn’t his intention. Today, he had just planned to calmly converse with Ga Eul after catching her.

“It’s all because of the painting…”

Gi Tae’s eyes, which had lowered at some point, landed on Ga Eul’s lips as she cutely mumbled.

His gaze blatantly traced over Ga Eul’s lips. Ga Eul’s lips, which had turned red from constantly biting them, were nicely ripe.

Gi Tae, who had approached closely and unfastened Ga Eul’s seatbelt, lowered his head to her ear. As the belt restraining her body was released, Ga Eul’s body became more liberated but narrowed even further due to Gi Tae approaching.

Looking down at Ga Eul like that, Gi Tae whispered secretively.

“Then, do you want to check?”

“Check? How?”

Ga Eul met his gaze while rubbing her eyes as if her vision was blurring. Encountering the transparent gaze filled with bewilderment, an inexplicable thirst began to rise again. Ga Eul, whose shoulders trembled as if the breath touching her ear was ticklish, looked up at Gi Tae again in confusion.

The gaze gradually descending to the lips and the lips that were barely an inch apart. He made it quite obvious what he meant. The breath that had already come close tickled her lips.

“If we do it again, we’ll know. Whether your feelings were temporary or not.”