“Is it really okay to just send a bouquet? ……I’m sorry.”

A fountain pen that was moving swiftly above the signature line stopped sensitively as if irritated.

The secretary, who knew Chairman Han’s personality well, asked impatiently and shut his mouth tightly upon receiving Gi Tae’s glare.

That look seemed to be asking, who are you to interfere unnecessarily?

Rrrr…… Rrrr…….

As the secretary worried, the call came right away. Only 5 minutes had passed since the promised time.

Gi Tae answered the phone without blinking an eye. Then, waving his hand, he even dismissed the secretary.

−Han Gi Tae, you rascal! You dare to deceive this old man? Didn’t you say you were coming?

“I was going to come, but I got busy so I sent a bouquet instead. It should have arrived by now, haven’t you received it yet?”

−Do you think I called you here now to celebrate or something? I told you to look at the paintings and think about it! No wonder you answered so obediently…… You, did you intend to do this from the beginning?

“I’m sorry. There was more work than I expected after returning.”

Gi Tae got up from his seat as the call seemed to last long. He turned his body and slightly leaned against the desk, staring straight at the clear sky visible through the window. With his remaining hand, he twirled the fountain pen he was holding.

−Ah, my neck…

“…….”

The sunshine pouring down warmly for winter was cozy.

Gi Tae brought the phone to his other ear as the call got longer. Then, at the loud voice that suddenly came through, he held it a little away from his ear.

“Ga Eul paints well!”

“Yes, I know she paints well. I keep hearing about it.”

Again, talk about Yoon Ga Eul.

Naturally, the face of the woman he saw yesterday came to mind.

Not knowing if it was due to her clumsy personality, one side of the face he saw after a long time had red paint on it.

At that sight, he also reached out his hand. It was unlike him.

By the time he realized it, she had her eyes wide open and shoulders hunched.

He didn’t know because he wasn’t interested, but she seemed to be the type to show her emotions clearly on her face.

The little girl he briefly saw when young had already grown up to be an adult and was gently thawing his mother. Even making pretty eye smiles with her eyes folded nicely.

Just yesterday, it was amazing to witness with his own eyes how the family atmosphere had clearly changed.

Yes, it was amazing.

Perhaps because of that, he answered that he would go see the exhibition. Really unlike his usual self.

Rather, what was more interesting was that side.

It wasn’t the paintings at all.

A dry laugh naturally escaped his mouth.

He understood well that his grandfather was attentively looking after that girl, but there was definitely a problem with how he ran the gallery. Now that it had become his gallery, there was no need to follow that way of running it.

In the gallery, each and every artist who is put forward represents the face of the gallery. The reason for carefully selecting them in the contract was also only because of that. Just as only scarcity raises the value of luxury goods, it’s the same for galleries.

Gi Tae had already filled TS Gallery with aesthetically outstanding individuals. He couldn’t squeeze that girl, who was just graduating from university, between them just because she fit his grandfather’s taste.

The reality is that young artists who have just graduated from university and are still awkward to be called artists are not helpful.

He had already concluded at the dinner that he could not accept his grandfather’s request.

And yet he readily answered that he would go…… No wonder he’s angry.

‘I wonder if she’s good enough to be considered.’

Suddenly gauging the skills of the woman he saw yesterday, his grandfather’s shout came through the receiver again.

“Han Gi Tae! Are you listening?”

“Yes, I heard. Grandfather.”

“Come to the main house right now.”

“It’s difficult because I still have schedules left. I have a lot of documents to look over too.”

“Then come in the evening after you’re done!”

“Yes. Then, I’ll hang up.”

Gi Tae, who hung up the phone, carelessly checked his fingertips and frowned. The fountain pen’s ink seemed to have leaked, leaving black stains on the two fingers that were holding the fountain pen.

“……What a mess.”

Gi Tae took out a handkerchief to wipe the ink, but stopped for a moment.

Red oil paint.

The ink that was stained on that woman’s cheek yesterday was seeping into one side of the handkerchief and not erasing.

* * *

Ga Eul tried to strike up a friendly conversation first with the chairman who seemed to be in a bad mood.

“The flowers seem so pretty, Chairman…… No, Grandfather.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Actually, rather than appreciating their beauty, she was just startled.

Suddenly a bouquet…….

It was a rather large bouquet, as if he had asked the flower shop to make it appropriately, but it felt in detail like a lot of thought was put into it, unbelievable for a man’s sense.

It must be the florist’s eye. Not Han Gi Tae’s.

‘I really thought he would come.’

As the tension loosened, it felt like she lost some strength.

Why did she tremble unnecessarily for someone who wasn’t even coming?

Leaving behind Ga Eul who became a little crestfallen, Chairman Han also turned around.

She thought he would look at the other works while he was here, but perhaps because he was very angry, he did not hesitate in turning around.

Ga Eul glanced at the chairman’s dampened mood for a moment and then quickly followed him out the glass door. Then, she conveyed her gratitude.

“Chairman. Thank you so much for coming today.”

“No. It’s cold, go inside.”

“Yes. Please go carefully.”

“Okay.”

Ga Eul blankly watched the vehicle gradually moving away.

She didn’t feel like going back into the exhibition hall for some reason.

* * *

The after-party that started at a rather shabby barbecue restaurant after the graduation exhibition.

Ju A, who was sitting at the same table as Ga Eul, discovered Ga Eul’s bouquet and asked in admiration.

“Wow, why is this bouquet so big? Who gave it to you?”

“……Someone I know. They couldn’t come today so they were sorry.”

“Ah, is that so? They must have been disappointed.”

“……Maybe. A little?”

Ju A patted Ga Eul’s shoulder a couple of times.

Even though she had safely finished her graduation exhibition, Ga Eul seemed more crestfallen than usual, so Ju A deliberately shook the soju bottle more energetically. She exclaimed at the swirling transparent liquid.

“When you’re feeling down, it’s soju. Come on, have some, Ga Eul.”

‘Right. The graduation exhibition ended safely too, and it’s a fun dinner. Let’s not be gloomy.’

Ga Eul tried to lift her mood for Ju A who was trying to cheer her up, and forced herself to smile brightly.

Ga Eul, who was smiling for the first time since entering the barbecue restaurant, made Ju A smile brightly and say:

“Eugh, look. How pretty you are when you smile. Yoon Ga Eul.”

Usually more than her exaggerated reaction, Ga Eul asked.

“……Ju A, are you drunk?”

“No, no. I’m just in a bit of a good mood!”

How could she say no when her chopstick skills kept missing unlike usual?

Sigh, she’s hopeless.

Ga Eul also laughed genuinely for a moment because of Ju A who seemed a lot drunker than usual.

Then, another classmate at the next table looked for Ju A. Ju A got excited and abruptly stood up to say:

“I’ll be right back, going to the next table for a bit.”

There were so many classmates looking for Ju A, the mood maker, due to her lively personality. Ga Eul waved her hand.

“Okay. Come back.”

As Ju A moved to the next table, Do Jin handed Ga Eul a chocolate milk and struck up a conversation.

“Ga Eul, drink this at least.”

“Thank you, Oppa.”

“No worries. Let me know if you feel like you can’t drink anymore. Don’t force yourself.”

“Yes.”

Ga Eul wasn’t drunk enough yet, so she gratefully received that milk and held it tightly in her hand.

Then, Do Jin asked as if he couldn’t understand.

“But Ga Eul, why aren’t you dating anyone?”

“Uh…… I don’t know. I think I was just too busy to do it.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Ga Eul nodded.

Come to think of it, that’s right.

She only ever thought about showing Chairman a well-painted painting and a more grown-up side of herself, so she never even considered anything else.

Just investing time in painting was overwhelming, so she felt all other time was a luxury.

To produce one well-painted piece, she always only held a brush for 9 years. All her time was limited to only painting.

Do Jin, who had been quietly watching Ga Eul lost in thought for a moment, threw another question.

“Eh. Is it because your standards are high? What’s your…… ideal type like?”

Do Jin asked in a small voice, but somehow Ju A, who had gone over to the next table, came running over and said loudly as if she heard their conversation.

“What, what? Are you two playing some truth game right now? Me too, me too! I want to hear too. Ga Eul’s ideal type! I’m curious!”

At that, Do Jin let out a deep sigh.

Ga Eul laughed slightly at her friend who seemed especially more whimsical today. Then she thought about it a bit seriously.

Ideal type…….

“Hmm…… I think I like someone who is kind and nice. And…… it’d be better if they’re a warm person.”

She thought about her ideal type for the first time, but after talking about it, it was exactly like her father.

But…….

Han Gi Tae.

Why is that name suddenly coming to mind again?

Ga Eul frowned at the name that suddenly came to mind.

Actually, there was no reason for him to visit her exhibition.

They weren’t close enough to take that for granted…….

Suddenly the bouquet kept flickering in Ga Eul’s sight. Why does it keep coming into view and getting stepped on?

“Now it’s Oppa’s turn, right? What about you, Do Jin oppa?”

This time Ju A asked. Then, ahem! He cleared his throat and muttered in a lower and more serious voice than usual.

“Hmm…… I like someone small, with long straight hair…….”

“Oh my, Ga Eul. What’s that?”

Then, Ju A pointed her finger at Ga Eul’s bouquet and spoke.

“……Hey. Baek Ju A. Why do you keep interrupting people?”

Do Jin, whose words were cut off by Ju A’s exclamation, glared at Ju A, but Ju A’s attention was already on Ga Eul’s bouquet, so she didn’t even pretend to hear Do Jin’s scolding.

Ju A reached out towards Ga Eul’s bouquet. Then, she shook that bouquet.

“Ga Eul, there’s some paper stuck in here? What is this?”

“……Huh? There was something inside?”

“Yeah.”

At Ga Eul’s question, Ju A rummaged through the inside of the bouquet. And she took out a stiff piece of paper from inside.

Ju A brought that paper to Ga Eul’s face and waved it. Because of that, the pink paper showed off its presence to Ga Eul as well.

There was something like this inside……?

She didn’t look closely because she thought it wouldn’t be a bouquet he chose himself. She had only vaguely guessed that he would have instructed his secretary to send something appropriate.

“Ooh. I can’t see well what’s written.”

Ju A, who was dead drunk, frowned and looked at the paper, so Ga Eul held out her hand.

“I’ll read it. Give it to me, Ju A.”

“Okay, here. What’s written on it?”

“Hmm…….”

“Hurry. I’m curious!”

[Congrats on graduating, Yoon Ga Eul. −Han Gi Tae.]

Ga Eul blinked her eyes repeatedly and then opened them wide.

The boldly drawn strokes made her think of him.

−Han Gi Tae.

Ga Eul’s gaze lingered on the man’s name for a long time.

Handwriting that clearly shows it was written by him.

Is this a note he wrote himself?

Will there ever be a chance to ask him that…….

As always, she knew very well herself that there would probably be no occasion to run into him in the future either.

* * *

The dead drunk Ga Eul staggered past the entrance of the mansion.

The cold night breeze tickled her cheeks sharply, but the alcohol showed no signs of wearing off due to drinking a bit too much.

‘Ah…… My head hurts.’

She hadn’t even touched alcohol since coming to college, but today she kept accepting and drinking whatever was given.

Ga Eul stopped walking for a moment due to the oncoming hangover and held her head. Then, she noticed the main building where the lights were still on.

“……Huh? Mom hasn’t gotten off work yet?”

Usually around this time, all the family members of Chairman Han and his wife in the main building would be asleep. So the lights should be off with Mom getting off work too, but the lights were still brightly lit in the first floor living room of the main building.

The fact that the lights were on meant that someone was still awake at this late hour, so there was a high probability that her mother was there as well. If it seemed like there was something to be ordered, her mother sometimes stayed late.

Ga Eul’s swaying steps headed towards the main building.

“I should go in with Mooom……!”

Ga Eul, who arrived at the entrance of the main building, slowly entered the shoe rack.

There was another sliding door inside, but it was slightly open so the inside was clearly visible.

Ga Eul, whose vision kept shaking, rubbed her eyes for a moment and looked at the two men through the gap.

Contrary to her expectations, her mother was nowhere to be seen, and Chairman Han was talking to someone. The other person only had his back visible, so it was difficult to immediately recognize who it was.

‘At this hour…… a guest?’

Who is it……?

“……Sigh.”

Then, the man turned his head with a sigh at the same time. Because of that, his face was fully revealed. Ga Eul immediately recognized who he was.

‘Uh……? It’s Han Gi Tae who congratulated me on graduating.’

He was frowning heavily.