Covetous Sponsorship - Chapter 36

“Your lips that were endlessly flickering in front of my eyes, I swallowed them in one breath. The lips that were so annoying, once touched, seemed to have never been there and soothed my nerves. In the midst, the breath that mixed felt sweet as if biting into a fruit.

Ga Eul’s eyelids that opened wide in surprise slowly lowered. Her white face without a single touch of makeup slowly bloomed with heat, taking on a peach color.

This innocent face had been drawing my gaze for some time now. The sight of her closing her eyes and obediently responding to the kiss further ignited my thirst, making Gi Tae twist his head and soon delve deep.

The clumsy kiss that still couldn’t keep up was strangely stimulating.

How long had it been since their lips overlapped? Gi Tae, who had been perfectly attached without room for other thoughts to intervene, let go of Ga Eul’s lips after a long time.

The small lips that exhaled the held breath glistened even in the darkness.

Swiping Ga Eul’s lips with his thumb, Gi Tae threw a question.

“How is it.”

I think I know now.

As if giving her a chance to confirm it, although he said that, he gained confidence in his own feelings instead.

The hand that was hanging on the passenger seat headrest irregularly tapped the leather seat at the answer that didn’t come out right away. Ga Eul’s mouth opened very slowly.

“Sleepy……”

Snorting a laugh close to a sneer, Gi Tae leaned his body against the driver’s seat backrest. The sharp nerves seemed to have worn out to the point of losing will, covering his face with his arm.

“…… What am I doing holding onto a drunk kid.”

* * *

The next day, Ga Eul, who woke up holding her head throbbing with a hangover, looked at the screen full of notifications with doubt, and checked it with her eyes that hadn’t fully opened.

[Ju A: Yoon Ga Eul! I was totally surprised yesterday.] [Ju A: The man who came to pick you up, he’s the second grandson of Taesan Group, right?] [Ju A: He said he knows you…… Why did that man suddenly pop out there?]

‘So the CEO came to pick me up.’

Although she didn’t know how she got home while deeply drunk, she remembered everything from the car.

With that, Ju A’s contact no longer caught her eye.

Ga Eul, who had no capacity to look back at Ju A’s contact, carefully checked the contact from the ‘CEO’ whose presence was distinct.

[Come to the department store when you wake up.]

He usually insisted on seeing her at the gallery unless it was urgent. A single text message telling her to come to the department store office as soon as she woke up made Ga Eul’s shoulders flinch and tremble.

‘I kissed the CEO again yesterday…… I’m crazy, really.’

She thought there would be no chance of running into him since there was no contact yesterday and he didn’t come to see her until late in the evening. Why did she overlap lips with him in his car again?

Even though she was dead drunk, the sensation he gave was very clearly remembered.

The side of his face vividly came to mind as he overlapped his lips, telling her to check it out, and Ga Eul’s face turned red.

She thought making a mistake once was enough, but if it turns out like this, what will happen to me now? Ga Eul, who drank because of her anxious heart, was more confused than ever.

Moreover, it was him who overlapped lips together the day before yesterday and yesterday as well. She couldn’t even guess his intentions.

‘What will he say?’

He was a man who would come to get her if she didn’t go find him herself.

Ga Eul went into the bathroom, standing on her feet that wouldn’t move. Anyway, she had to give an explanation about that day’s events, no, including yesterday’s events.

“Ah, I don’t know……”

Now, she couldn’t even guess what words would come out of his mouth.

.

.

.

“I will guide you right away.”

As soon as the employee sitting at the information desk saw Ga Eul’s face, she smiled and guided her to the executive elevator. She informed Ga Eul that the head of the headquarters instructed to send ‘Yoon Ga Eul’ straight up without going through cumbersome procedures if she came to visit.

The elevator that quickly reached the high floor opened its doors fast as well.

“You can just go in.”

“…… Thank you.”

Ga Eul, who cautiously knocked twice while gripping the strap of the mini crossbody bag she brought as if it were a lifeline, like the first time she came here. Soon a familiar voice flowed out.

“Come in.”

“…… Yes.”

Ga Eul, who entered by pushing the door, hesitated near the door and then approached the office desk. Because as soon as she entered, he tilted his head as if telling her to come closer amid the sharp gaze she encountered.

As she approached next to the office desk, he stood up. Ga Eul swallowed under the gaze that looked down from above right away.

“Hangover.”

“I have some, but it’s okay.”

“Why did you drink.”

“That’s because my head got a bit complicated…….”

He snorted a laugh as if he understood Ga Eul’s answer, and suddenly raised his right hand.

His hand reached one of Ga Eul’s cheeks. Although the gaze was still sharp, the temperature of the touched hand was very hot.

The big hand that touched her cheek gently rubbed Ga Eul’s face. With that, she bit her lower lip without realizing it.

“Even after kissing. What should we do.”

Skipping all the personal matters, he threw the most embarrassing question first. The hand that stroked her cheek as if waiting after asking the question blocked all her thoughts.

In the end, Ga Eul removed Gi Tae’s hand and took a step back before opening her mouth.

“I’ll be careful from now on. This kind of thing won’t happen again.”

“Let’s pretend it never happened?”

Since she drew the line saying she’ll be careful, that’s how it would turn out.

“…… Yes.”

Ga Eul nodded.

Even though her heart grew, she hesitates. To the point where she couldn’t pinpoint why, there were many things that bothered her.

She had to cut it off before her heart grew bigger. Ga Eul averted her gaze, putting strength into the hand gripping the bag strap. Then the men’s dress shoes that approached again stopped right in front of her.

“Yoon Ga Eul.”

“…… Yes?”

The hand that had gently tickled her cheek this time grabbed Ga Eul’s chin and lifted it up without hesitation. As the forcibly raised face met the distorted face, she took steps back without realizing it. After a few steps, Ga Eul’s pupils trembled finely as she frowned at the bookshelf touching her back.

Leaning against the wall, he whispered lowly.

“I have no intention of treating you like before.”

The surprised Ga Eul raised her head to add something and opened her mouth.

The eyes that had been looking down at her with a deep sunken gaze for some time were thoroughly scanning down her eyes, nose, and lips.

* * *

Late at night, Ga Eul, who had been constantly tossing and turning to invite the sleep that wouldn’t come, finally got out of bed and headed to the studio.

− Wait, give me some time to think!

− How long.

− When I finish thinking…… I’ll tell you.

− I can’t wait long.

She was able to answer like that and escape from his office she visited today.

But what could she say she escaped from?

She just wanted to get away for now because her shoulders shrunk under the embarrassing gaze. She felt like she would cause another accident if she couldn’t overcome those eyes.

In fact, even if they pretended it never happened, it wasn’t as if they could cleanly go back to how they were before. Because one kiss already couldn’t be made into something that never happened.

Then, could they become awkward now?

With more thoughts than usual, the steps that were going to head straight to the studio circled the garden a few times before heading to the studio.

She didn’t really come to do anything, so she didn’t prepare to draw a picture by pulling out the easel without hesitation as usual.

She was just meaninglessly scanning the canvases placed in the studio. She decided to check her work so far to empty her mind.

Ga Eul’s steps scanned from the practice drawings she had drawn so far to the completed works that were not put out in the gallery. The steps that had been striding like that stopped in front of one painting. An unfinished painting was placed there.

“Ah, I had forgotten about this.”

The landscape painting of the botanical garden where she walked hand in hand with him.

Seeing this painting again in the relationship that had suddenly changed felt strange.

Ga Eul looked down at the painting and shook her head at the thought of Gi Tae that continued again, and rolled up her sleeves.

“To get rid of distracting thoughts, painting is the best after all.”

Ga Eul, who had no intention of drawing, changed her mind. She took out the brushes and palette one by one to start working, and hung the apron around her neck.

Today, the goal was to complete this painting steadily.

Ga Eul was about to put on the arm covers.

Rrrr……. Rrrr…….

“Who is it at this hour……?”

Ga Eul put down the arm cover she was trying to put on and picked up her cell phone.

[Shin Yeon Woo: Ga Eul. Are you free tomorrow?]

Seeing Yeon Woo’s text, Ga Eul bit her lower lip and let out a groan.

She felt too apologetic to postpone the appointment again, citing illness as an excuse. In the end, she had no choice but to send a reply, leaving her mind that had not yet been sorted out.

[Yes, I’m free.]

* * *

Ga Eul thought Yeon Woo would call her nearby to have a meal as usual, but when he said he would come to pick her up himself, she expressed her refusal.

− Can’t we meet near the gallery?

− …… Alright.

Even he, who was disappointed, couldn’t force it readily and easily backed down. With that, Ga Eul expressed her gratitude with a smile.

Since she was just going out to eat today, there was no need to wear the plain clothes she wore in the studio that could be thrown away.

Ga Eul took out a fluttering chiffon one-piece dress. It was an outfit she had no occasion to wear except for appointments like this, so she was in a great mood as if it served as a change of pace.

Before long, the cafe came into view, so Ga Eul quickened her pace. He, who had already arrived and was standing outside the car, waved his hand.

As Ga Eul arrived, Yeon Woo greeted her with a smile.

“Ga Eul, long time no see.”

“It has been a while, Shin Yeon Woo.”

Yeon Woo, who had been looking at Ga Eul intently, soon turned his gaze and pointed to the car.

“I’m thinking of going a bit far, is that okay with you?”

“Huh……? I thought we were going to eat. Where are we going?”

Ga Eul, whose curiosity was piqued, asked.

After meeting Yeon Woo a few times at the arcade and having a lot of fun playing games, the awkwardness and wariness disappeared, and she even felt a bit of friendliness.

The fact that she realized he was a good person after facing him a few times also played a part. When they played games together at the arcade, she even thought it was fun.

So today, Ga Eul showed the brightest smile without any wariness while facing Yeon Woo, and waited for an answer. Then, Yeon Woo, who cleared his throat with a loud sound, opened his mouth.

“Today, instead of a meal, I wanted to say let’s go eat delicious dessert…… Ga Eul, do you like cake?”

“Cake?”

Since she never expected him to invite her to eat cake, a voice full of doubt flowed out of Ga Eul’s mouth. Then, Yeon Woo, who touched his neck, kindly added an explanation.

“Yes. I heard there’s a famous dessert cafe in Namyangju.”

The man, who rarely read the situation and led her before she was aware, looked around with unusual care. The sight resembled a large dog that made a mistake and was checking the mood, so Ga Eul burst into laughter.