“Oh my, Mr. Gi Tae. It’s been such a long time. I heard you’ve been very busy lately, but I’m so glad to see your face like this.”

Hye Su answered with a smile.

Hye Su, who responded so naturally and lovingly, didn’t even wait for Gi Tae’s answer and this time started talking to Mi Jeong.

“Mother, please try some of this too. It’s so delicious. Ah! The side dishes over there are too far for you to reach, right? I’ll put some on a small plate for you.”

The way she tried to take care of Mi Jeong first before herself seemed quite attentive. A warm response flowed from Mi Jeong’s mouth.

“Oh, thank you, dear. Hye Su, how are you so pretty and so graceful in everything you do?”

As Hye Su carefully placed the small plate with vegetables in front of Mi Jeong, she showed a shy expression at Mi Jeong’s words and replied.

“No, mother. You’re the one who’s more graceful than me.”

“Oh my, oh my. Look at you! How can I be more graceful than you? I’m much older than you.”

Mi Jeong laughed, saying there was no need for flattery. Then, Hye Su responded as if she was wronged, even waving her hand.

“No, mother. It’s true. Actually, I’m not good at empty words… And…”

“…?”

“I also go to the massage shop you visit, mother. We haven’t run into each other because the times we visit are different, but thanks to you taking such good care of your skin, I think you look even better than me.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. The manager who takes care of my skin always says that among the customers who visit, your skin is the best. So, I was thinking…”

Hye Su, who had been speaking well all this time, hesitated for a moment as if pondering, then said to Mi Jeong.

“Mother, let’s go get a massage together sometime.”

“Oh, I’d love that, Hye Su.”

Mi Jeong finally burst into laughter at Hye Su’s flattery.

Due to Hye Su, who only said pleasant things, the dining room became more boisterous than usual.

Seeing that scene, an amazed Gi Tae let out a hollow laugh and went to sit in an empty seat.

Sitting right across from him, Hye Su glanced at Gi Tae as he sat down, and when their eyes met, she gave him a bright smile.

Gi Tae let out a deep sigh and said to his grandfather, Baek Ho.

“I thought this was a family dinner, but I guess I heard wrong.”

“Boy, just eat. Why are you bringing that up now? What kind of habit is it to say that in front of an invited guest?”

Baek Ho clicked his tongue and responded sullenly, then suddenly got angry and even shouted.

“This is happening because you never listen to your grandfather. If I don’t say it’s a family dinner, it’s obvious you won’t come.”

“I don’t come because you always lie. Didn’t you know?”

“I lied from the beginning…”

At that moment, Hye Su intervened.

“Chairman. Don’t be upset. I’m fine. I’m just happy to be invited. And Gi Tae came even though he’s busy, right?”

“Hmm, right.”

“For now, let’s finish the meal in a good mood and talk.”

“Yes. Let’s just finish eating for now.”

Gi Tae let out another hollow laugh at the sight of Hye Su gently persuading his grandfather and his grandfather quickly softening.

It was absurd that he had lied saying it was a family dinner and invited Cha Hye Su, and that Cha Hye Su naturally mixed in with his family members.

He had clearly told him before.

Gi Tae looked at Baek Ho and then took his gaze away. Then, he shook his head.

He had already finished talking about there being no marriage plans with Cha Hye Su. She had also agreed to it.

So, it was obvious that this was something his grandfather had devised on his own.

Gi Tae pretended to eat just to go along with it.

He was planning to just pass the time and leave.

‘I wonder if she’ll be in the studio around this time.’

Gi Tae’s entire mind reached out to Ga Eul, who would be in the studio, leaving the dining room.

The original plan was to go find Ga Eul as soon as he got off work.

Thinking of Ga Eul, a faint smile lingered on Gi Tae’s face, which had been frowning the whole time.

Gi Tae glanced down at the cookie set he had quietly put down next to him and thought.

I hope she likes it.

Eager to deliver it quickly, Gi Tae’s meal became more and more half-hearted.

Then, a scream rang out in the dining room.

“Ah!”

Hye Su, who had been smiling the whole time, suddenly frowned, holding one cheek.

Everyone’s gaze turned to Hye Su.

Startled by her pained look, Mi Jeong was the first to ask a question.

“Oh my, Hye Su. What’s wrong?”

“Ah, mother…”

Hye Su, her eyes brimming with tears, pointed to a side dish and replied.

“I think… I bit a stone.”

“Oh no, what should we do? The clams must not have been cleaned properly.”

The food Hye Su pointed to was a marinated clam dish. Mi Jeong urgently called Hee Sun in the kitchen.

“Hee Sun! Can you come here for a moment?”

“Yes, madam.”

Hee Sun, wearing vinyl gloves covered in seasoning, entered the dining room. Mi Jeong immediately asked.

“Who made the marinated clams?”

“I did. Did something happen?”

“Well, in the clams…”

There was a stone, but in fact, it could have gotten mixed in while cooking.

It was an ambiguous thing that couldn’t be simply blamed on Hee Sun.

However, due to Hye Su showing a pained look, Mi Jeong became a bit troubled. So, she carefully mentioned that the clams weren’t cleaned well and tried to let it go.

But before that, Hye Su, who had raised her eyes fiercely, suddenly shouted.

“Ajumma!”

“…Hye Su?”

Mi Jeong was startled and called Hye Su’s name as she suddenly shouted when she had been so gentle until now.

Then, Hye Su replied as if flustered, rolling her eyes.

“Ah, no. It’s just… I suddenly bit a stone, so I was very surprised, mother.”

“…So?”

“Yes… I don’t usually do this, but I think I was just too surprised for a moment. My, my.”

Hye Su answered Mi Jeong carefully, word by word, as if at a loss, but firmly confronted Hee Sun.

“Ajumma. There was a stone in the clams. I bit it without knowing. What would have happened if my tooth fell out?”

“Was that so? I’m really sorry…”

“Please be more careful in the future.”

Hye Su gave Hee Sun a once-over with a subtle look and then curtly turned her head away.

She confronted her politely and with propriety, but it was definitely a contrasting attitude from when she was dealing with Mi Jeong.

The atmosphere in the dining room became strange due to a single clam.

Then, Gi Tae, who abruptly put a marinated clam in his mouth, said flatly.

“It’s just delicious to me.”

Hye Su looked at Gi Tae in surprise. She thought she had heard wrong.

Gi Tae lightly ignored such Hye Su, turned his head to look at Hee Sun, and said.

“I haven’t told you, but I’ve been enjoying the food.”

What was he suddenly doing? His family members, including Mi Jeong, all looked at Gi Tae with wide eyes.

Regardless of his family’s gazes, Gi Tae smiled a rare smile and said one more thing to Hee Sun.

“Thank you for always providing delicious meals.”

“Ah… Yes.”

Hee Sun replied in a daze.

Gi Tae picked up another clam. Then, he put it in his mouth.

Everyone stopped eating and watched Gi Tae deliciously eating the marinated clams.

After a while, Gi Tae, who had cleanly finished a bowl of rice with just marinated clams, said to Hye Su.

“I’m sure she didn’t do it on purpose, so what are you doing to someone who went to the trouble of setting the table?”

“Pardon?”

Hye Su’s eyes widened at the sudden rebuke.

‘Did he just say something to me? I said I bit a stone.’

She was just a housekeeper ajumma. But he took the side of that ajumma, not hers.

‘Isn’t it natural to receive an apology?’

Mindful of onlookers, she had even ended it by gently admonishing, which was mild compared to her usual personality.

The flustered Hye Su stammered as she explained.

“Of course I’m grateful for the meal. It’s not that… I suddenly bit a stone and it hurt a lot, and I was surprised. I thought my molar was going to fall out. It’s something that could never happen in my house…”

“Then why are you barging into someone else’s family dinner?”

Gi Tae, who seemed tired, covered his eyes with his hand and even sighed, then said to Baek Ho.

“I think family dinners are meant to be had with family after all. Don’t bring in outside guests.”

Clatter, Gi Tae got up from his seat before the meal was even over. Then, he spoke to Hee Sun, who was still standing awkwardly in the dining room, mindful of the atmosphere.

“You don’t need to keep standing here either. Go rest comfortably outside.”

“Yes…”

Hee Sun looked at Gi Tae in puzzlement and left the dining room in a daze.

Gi Tae hung a beautifully packaged shopping bag on his wrist and turned around without a moment’s hesitation, saying,

“The mood doesn’t seem right to continue, so I’ll get up first.”

“Gi- Gi Tae?”

Even though he heard Mi Jeong calling him from behind, Gi Tae quickly left the main building.

He wanted to get out of this noisy place as soon as possible and see her.

* * *

Ga Eul was waiting for Gi Tae and continuing to draw in the studio.

The drawing was already on the back burner, so she immediately reacted to the creaking sound of the door.

“CEO-nim!”

“Yeah.”

Ga Eul ran and hugged Gi Tae tightly.

Even Gi Tae, who had been frowning the whole time, slowly lifted the corners of his mouth.

“I was going to come right away, but Grandfather suddenly called…”

“Yes, I heard earlier. From the madam when I passed by the main building.”

“Is that so?”

Gi Tae, who had been warmly looking down at Ga Eul in his arms, held out what he had brought hanging on his wrist to Ga Eul.

“Here.”

“Huh? What is this? Are you giving this to me…?”

“Yeah.”

“What is it?”

“Open it yourself and see.”

Ga Eul hesitantly took the shopping bag.

Its appearance was similar to when he took her to the department store, so Gi Tae let out a chuckle.

She was hesitating a bit.

Ga Eul felt burdened by expensive gifts. She was making an awkward smile, probably wondering if he had given her something expensive again.

Gi Tae looked down at Ga Eul’s expression changing every moment.

But she seemed to really like sweets, so I wonder how it will be.

Gi Tae leaned against the wall and gazed at Ga Eul with a delighted look as she tore off the wrapping paper one by one.

Unlike her slight hesitation, Ga Eul exclaimed loudly after confirming the contents.

“Wow…”

“Do you like it?”

“Yes. The cookies are so pretty, it’s a waste to eat them. Where did you buy this?”

“I stopped by the department store for a bit because of work. I heard it’s something girls like these days.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“How can you know even less than me?”

“…Because I only draw.”

Even while answering, Ga Eul picked up a star-shaped cookie evenly sprinkled with sugar powder and took a bite. Then, she kept exclaiming.

“Wow, it’s really delicious. I thought it would only be pretty, but it’s so, so delicious.”

“Of course it has to be delicious. They don’t let just any brand set up shop.”

“Hehe, I guess so.”

Gi Tae playfully poked Ga Eul’s cheeks that had turned peach-colored as she held an armful of cookies, looking cute, and said softly.

“I’m glad it suits your taste. Eat it all by yourself.”

Then, Ga Eul looked down at the cookie set and said with a smile.

“There’s so much that I don’t think I can finish it all by myself.”

“You can eat it slowly.”

“I’m so grateful, but I think it will go bad before that.”

“Really?”

It was a large quantity.

Ga Eul looked down at the cookies as if they had already gone bad, with a regretful look.

At Ga Eul’s honest answer, Gi Tae unexpectedly thought of Hee Sun, whom he had seen a little while ago.

Come to think of it, he had never given any proper gifts to her mother.

“Then, take it home and share it with your mother. I heard it suits mothers’ tastes too. Then you can finish it all.”

Ga Eul, who had widened her eyes for a moment at Gi Tae’s words, bit her lower lip and replied shyly.

“Yes. If it’s like that… I think I can finish it all. Thank you, CEO-nim. I’ll share it deliciously with my mom.”

“Okay. Enjoy it.”

She didn’t expect him to tell her to share it with her mother. Because he had an indifferent personality, she didn’t think he would be considerate enough to mention her mother.

At the unexpected words, Ga Eul lowered her gaze and looked over the pretty cookie gift set again. Then, she picked up the prettiest looking cookie and held it out to him.

“Would you like to have one too, CEO-nim?”

Ga Eul asked, looking up at Gi Tae.

Gi Tae looked at Ga Eul holding the cookie and looking up at him, and lifted the corners of his mouth.

Is this Yoon Ga Eul’s way of expressing gratitude?

“I don’t eat sweets.”

At his answer, Ga Eul, who had been rolling her eyes for a moment, withdrew her hand with an “Ah!” exclamation.

“Ah, right! You don’t like sweets, do you? The madam also said she doesn’t really eat sweets. I forgot for a moment.”

Ga Eul, who was looking down at the burnt cookie piece in her hand, said with an awkward smile.

“Then, I’ll have to eat this one.”

While looking at the embarrassed Ga Eul, Gi Tae slightly leaned his upper body.

“Since Yoon Ga Eul is giving it to me, should I have a taste?”

“Pardon?”

Gi Tae, who laughed at the surprised Ga Eul with her eyes wide open like a startled rabbit, lightly bit into the cookie in Ga Eul’s hand.

Crunch.

Gi Tae, who had snatched a bite of the cookie, straightened his upper body again and said,

“Well, it’s not bad.”

Is it because Yoon Ga Eul gave it to me?

.

.

.

“I think I’ll have some free time for a while.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Should we go on a trip together? Or we can do whatever Yoon Ga Eul wants to do.”

At Gi Tae’s words, Ga Eul smiled brightly and then let out a groan.

“Hmm…”

There were so many things she wanted to do that it was hard to prioritize.

Gi Tae laughed, thinking Ga Eul would answer right away since she liked it, but she was carefully contemplating.

“Or you can just stay in the studio apartment. Hugging Yoon Ga Eul all day long doesn’t sound bad either.”

“Wh- what are you saying…”

At the joke that didn’t sound like a joke, Ga Eul’s face turned bright red.

The two left the studio and took a brief stroll in the garden behind the main building.

Gi Tae, saying there wouldn’t be anyone coming to the main building around this time, held Ga Eul’s hand after a few rounds of bickering.

The two were already walking several laps even though they didn’t have anything else to do.

Gi Tae looked down at the small hand tightly holding his and said,

“Time is flying. Should we just go to the studio apartment instead?”

They couldn’t bear to part ways and had been lingering for dozens of minutes.

As Gi Tae spoke implicitly revealing his true intentions, Ga Eul smiled brightly. Then, she shook her head.

“I didn’t tell my mom I’d be staying out tonight. Since it’s just the two of us living together, she becomes wary if I keep sleeping out. I should stay out moderately. You should go now too, CEO-nim.”

Ga Eul urged Gi Tae to go back, telling him to leave.

Ga Eul said it out of consideration, thinking he might be tired due to the late hour, but Gi Tae sighed instead.

Am I the only one who feels reluctant?

“Yoon Ga Eul.”

“Yes?”

Gi Tae let go of their interlocked hands and pulled Ga Eul into a tight embrace, saying,

“Should we just live together in the studio apartment? It’s perfect for two people to live in.”

“No.”

“Why? Because I keep touching you? I won’t touch you.”

Gi Tae tried to coax Ga Eul. Then, Ga Eul looked up at him as if she couldn’t believe it and asked back,

“Really?”

“…”

Gi Tae, who had closed his mouth for a moment at the unexpected question, soon let out a chuckle and shook his head.

“No. That would be difficult.”

Both Ga Eul who had asked and Gi Tae who had answered burst into laughter at the cheeky response.

Before they knew it, Ga Eul and Gi Tae had walked and walked around the garden behind the main building and reached the side of the main building.

Now that it was really time to go in, Ga Eul said she would walk him to the car, held Gi Tae’s hand, and came out side by side to the front of the main building.

Ga Eul, who had been smiling the whole time, suddenly stopped walking upon seeing the silhouette of the woman standing in front.

‘Huh? Who is that…?’

Ga Eul narrowed her eyes to see who it was.

Then, realizing it was someone she knew, Ga Eul was surprised and stopped walking.

With the woman’s back still turned, Ga Eul quickly pulled out her hand that had been holding Gi Tae’s.

‘That was close.’

She narrowly avoided being caught holding hands with him.

Still, Ga Eul’s pupils trembled finely.

‘Wasn’t there a family dinner today? Why is Cha Hye Su here…?’

Just then, Hye Su, who had spotted Ga Eul, took large strides towards them.

‘I don’t think she saw us holding hands, but what should I say about being together?’

She had always felt at ease because no one came out at this late hour.

She never expected to run into that woman here either.

Ga Eul was restless in an instant, imagining all sorts of bad things like her saying something to Chairman Han.

Hye Su asked first.

“What is this? Why are you here, Yoon Ga Eul?”

At Hye Su’s question, Ga Eul bit her lower lip hard.

Then, to avoid being together and getting caught on any fault, she blurted out whatever came to her mind.

“I, I think I need to go quickly because it’s late. …I’ll get going first.”

“…”

No one answered Hye Su’s question.

With those words, Ga Eul quickly left as if running away.

Gi Tae only silently gazed at Ga Eul moving farther away and his own hand that had been rejected.