“Prove your ability there.”

“What?”

“I need a justification to bring you with me, don’t I? Sell the paintings you made at a high price. Then I’ll say I saw them at the exhibition and bring you along.”

“…Okay.”

Yeo Reum answered in a daze.

“Work hard.”

This was an opportunity.

It was a response to the absurd tantrum she threw yesterday.

Words that should have made her happy flowed out, but Yeo Reum couldn’t be completely delighted.

Clearly, he told her to try selling her paintings at a high price. At a place where paintings by artists belonging to TS Gallery were exhibited together.

It was a very difficult condition.

Growing anxious, Yeo Reum asked again.

“Gi Tae. What if… I can’t sell my paintings, or even if I do, I can’t command a high price… What happens then?”

“Well. What would happen then?”

At his vague answer, Yeo Reum let out a groan.

Yeo Reum became lost in thought, recalling the exhibition that would be held in the spring.

The chairman may like my paintings, but that could just be his personal opinion. Whether my paintings would be well-received outside…

After pondering for a while, Yeo Reum raised her head. His lofty face came straight into view.

He was leaning against the sofa backrest, simply looking at her, his thoughts unknown.

As if sensing Yeo Reum’s hesitation, he urged her to give up.

“You don’t have to do it if you can’t.”

“If I don’t, you won’t accept me, right?”

This time, he didn’t answer her question. He merely shrugged his shoulders.

Yeo Reum looked down at the paper with detailed information again.

A contest.

It was something she had never done before, so it would be foolish to make a hasty judgment, but no matter what, she wasn’t that ignorant of the ways of the world.

She could win the contest. But the idea of her paintings, exhibited for the first time, selling at a high price was something out of a drama.

As she kept delaying her answer, he urged her for a response.

“Yoon Yeo Reum. So. Will you try it or not?”

“Well, that’s…”

“Quickly.”

However, I have no other choice.

With the opportunity right before my eyes, I have even less room to hesitate.

This was a chance he gave me.

Even if it’s a trap to make an excuse to confidently reject me… As always, I can only try.

“I’ll do it.”

Determination shone in Yeo Reum’s eyes.

It was different from when she was helplessly swayed against her will. A condition that could only be judged by her skills alone.

I really wanted to show him. Even if it was a vague opportunity, for some reason, my motivation surged.

“Good. You made the right decision.”

He answered, raising the corner of his mouth as if she had made a good choice. Yeo Reum stared at his face for a moment.

I thought he would simply nod his head without much emotion. But he smiled.

I had never seen him smile before.

Come to think of it, he hadn’t laughed even once at the recent dinner. He always maintained a blank expression.

‘Did he just smile?’ The smile was so faint that it felt like an illusion, but it was enough to captivate Yeo Reum’s gaze.

Just raising the corner of his mouth slightly made him seem a bit more approachable. He was still difficult, but the cold feeling seemed to have dissipated.

As Yeo Reum was expressing those thoughts, he erased his expression and continued speaking.

“Well, then. Since you said you’ll do it, I think we can stop talking about this. Why did Grandfather bring you here?”

Yeo Reum, who had been absentmindedly staring at his face, was startled.

He had asked a sharp question.

Yeo Reum, finding the question itself difficult, chose to awkwardly avoid it.

“Didn’t you hear from the chairman…? That’s all there is to it.”

“I don’t know why you came into our house. He’s not the type to explain such things one by one.”

“Ah, yes…”

Under his gaze that still lingered on her as if demanding an answer, Yeo Reum sighed deeply and replied.

“My father was a famous painter.”

“Who?”

“If I say Yoon Dae Ho… Would you know him?”

Since some time had passed, maybe he wouldn’t know…?

Yeo Reum carefully recited her father’s name. However, judging by his expression, her father’s fame seemed to have not died out yet.

The eyes that had been indifferently fixed on her wavered for a fleeting moment. Yeo Reum witnessed that moment.

Shortly after, he, openly showing an expression of interest, even uncrossed his legs and leaned his upper body towards Yeo Reum. Maintaining that slightly closer distance, he looked straight into Yeo Reum’s eyes and sharply asked.

“If you’re Yoon Dae Ho’s daughter, you should have been able to make a living to some extent by selling his paintings. Then, where did all those debts come from?”

“…Ah, that.”

‘He really doesn’t know anything. But… Do I really have to talk about it?’

She didn’t want to mention her father’s death in detail.

Yeo Reum barely managed to answer, desperately holding onto the corners of her mouth that threatened to droop.

“There were some difficult circumstances. It’s hard for me to say. …I’m sorry.”

“Well, there’s no need to apologize.”

She was very tense, but he unexpectedly backed off easily.

Instead, with those words, he got up from his seat.

The conversation ended there.

Yeo Reum also reflexively stood up following him.

Gi Tae glanced at Yeo Reum who followed him, but soon withdrew his gaze and walked towards his office desk.

Yeo Reum trailed behind him.

“Why.”

When Yeo Reum followed him, Gi Tae stopped walking and asked.

Startled by his sudden stop, Yeo Reum rummaged through the crossbody bag she was wearing. Then, she took out a handkerchief from it.

The handkerchief still stained with red marks.

Yeo Reum held out the handkerchief to him.

“I brought the handkerchief you gave me yesterday to return it to you.”

“…”

He didn’t take the handkerchief and just stared down at it.

“…?”

As Yeo Reum lowered her head following his gaze, she saw the faint red stains remaining.

Yeo Reum hastily added, as he still didn’t take the handkerchief and only stared at the red stains.

“I washed it, but I don’t know where it got stained, the mark wouldn’t come off. It was already there when you gave it to me…”

“…I see. Give it here.”

“Ah, yes! Here. Then I’ll be going.”

Having returned the handkerchief to its owner, Yeo Reum finally smiled brightly and bowed her head. Then, she turned around to leave the office.

“Yoon Yeo Reum.”

Just as she took a step, he called her to a stop again.

Yeo Reum immediately turned around at his call.

Unlike when he had just called her to a stop, silence fell for a moment.

Yeo Reum looked at him curiously.

After a short while, he spoke in a plain tone.

“Congratulations on graduating.”

* * *

Three days later, Yeo Reum called Ju A and Do Jin to a cafe.

She had been in the studio ever since hearing his proposal, but there was no significant progress.

She wanted to clear her head and get advice on good painting themes or ideas that could shine in the contest.

“Oppa, what kind of paintings would sell at a high price?”

At Yeo Reum’s sudden question, Do Jin asked back as if taken aback.

“…All of a sudden?”

“Yes.”

“Well. From our perspective, wouldn’t it be good enough just to sell…”

“Still. Isn’t there some clever way?”

“…”

Unlike Yeo Reum’s desperate plea, the two exchanged glances and then looked at Yeo Reum again.

Ju A, who was usually straightforward, held Yeo Reum’s hands tightly with a cautious touch and asked.

“Our Yeo Reum, do you suddenly need a lot of money? Did you get into some trouble?”

“No. It’s not that. I need a revolutionary way to sell my paintings at a high price.”

“So why do you need such a method in the first place…”

Unlike a moment ago when she asked cautiously, Ju A put on a stern expression and asked Yeo Reum again.

“Tell me honestly. You got into trouble, right?”

“No.”

“Speak straight.”

Under the persistent gaze demanding her to tell the truth, Yeo Reum answered a bit more honestly.

“There is something, but it’s not a big deal. I didn’t get into trouble.”

“Then why do you need money?”

“Actually, the family atmosphere has become a bit uncomfortable because of my painting. I thought maybe if I achieve great results in a contest or something, it would get better.”

“Ah, so that’s why you need a way to sell your paintings at a high price?”

“Yes. Only by doing that…”

Can I gain recognition.

Yeo Reum nodded. Then, the two sighed simultaneously as if on cue.

Seeing their identical reactions, Yeo Reum asked, feeling a bit puzzled.

“…Why?”

“Ah, we thought you had gotten into some trouble.”

Thinking that it could be understood that way, Yeo Reum smiled awkwardly. Then, she asked the same question again.

“…So, what kind of paintings can be sold at a high price?”

Ju A and Do Jin, finally taking Yeo Reum’s concern seriously, began to express their opinions earnestly.

“Isn’t it just a matter of skill? If you have the skills, whatever you paint would receive a good response, right?”

“That’s not helpful at all. Ju A. Do you think Yeo Reum asked for no reason?”

“Ah, then you suggest something, oppa! Do you have some great idea?”

Do Jin, who seemed about to speak right away, only made a groaning sound, his mouth gaping.

“…Hmm, what if you come up with a rather unconventional theme? First, you need to stand out to be sold or not.”

“For example?”

“Well, I don’t know that much.”

“Ah, oppa! Think about it more seriously.”

“Then what about you, Baek Ju A?”

Unlike earlier, Ju A answered confidently as if she had thought of a clever idea.

“What if we research paintings that have sold at high prices? There are only a limited number of collectors who buy paintings at expensive prices anyway. How about it? Don’t you think this is the most realistic method so far?”

“So what kind of paintings are those?”

“How would I know that? We’ll have to find out from now on! I think we can figure it out just by visiting the galleries in Seoul.”

“Then it’ll be too late. Yeo Reum said the exhibition is in the spring.”

“Ah, then what do you want me to do!”

This is difficult indeed.

Yeo Reum turned her back on the two who were arguing again and became lost in worry.

.

.

.

After spending several hours at the cafe wracking their brains over the same topic, they still couldn’t find a plausible method in the end.

Yeo Reum, who had returned home trudging along, headed to the studio to at least properly stretch her hands.

Just as Yeo Reum was about to pass by the front of the main building to go to the studio.

“…Chairman.”

“…”

Startled to suddenly encounter Chairman Han, Yeo Reum bowed her head reflexively without even thinking to pick up the dropped drawing book.

Although he felt more intimidating than usual due to the scolding last time, Yeo Reum politely waited for the chairman’s answer.

“…?”

However, instead of an answer, only the sound of footsteps growing distant could be heard.

Yeo Reum slightly raised her head and looked at Chairman Han.

Furious at Yeo Reum, he ignored her and left the main building.

She saw his back growing distant, leaving her behind.

Ignoring her… It was the first time she experienced it since entering the mansion.

The price of incurring his displeasure was utter indifference.

.

.

.

Passing the back path of the main building and treading on the stone path of the garden, Yeo Reum’s studio existed in isolation. It was originally used as a warehouse, a space Chairman Han readily provided when he brought Yeo Reum.

After gradually remodeling it, changing the lights, and bringing in easels, canvases, and various art supplies, it was reborn as a quite decent studio, albeit not spacious.

Yeo Reum, who had just entered the studio, sighed and muttered to herself.

“Sigh… I’m really hated by the chairman, aren’t I?”

Yeo Reum, recalling Chairman Han, soon shook her head.

Forget it. For now, let’s just paint.

In any case, the most important thing right now was preparing for the contest in the spring. If that goes well, Chairman Han’s heart will also soften. The person I owe a debt to is the chairman.

The chairman doesn’t want me to repay the favor through other means.

Therefore, the opportunity he gave me was the best chance for me.

Yeo Reum pulled over an easel, placed a canvas on it, and opened a small drawing book.

The sketches she had been scribbling since talking with Han Gi Tae were already crammed to the point of reaching the end of the book. Pondering over what kind of painting would meet the criteria he mentioned, the new drawing book had already become as worn out as an old practice book.

If you don’t know the method, you can only try drawing in various ways for now.

Yeo Reum flipped through the drawing book, quickly turning a few pages, then squeezed out two colors of paint onto the palette and mercilessly mixed them with a knife.

Yeo Reum pressed the already blended paint with the knife repeatedly, even though it was mixed.

‘What could he be thinking? Han Gi Tae.’

The person who openly showed disinterest suddenly acted friendly and even gave an opportunity.

He doesn’t seem like someone who would just give a chance.

Anyway, there won’t be a second chance. I wanted to succeed.

Yeo Reum’s anguish and desperation were spreading directly onto the canvas.