“Then, go to the upcoming sponsorship party and buy a few works. Eun Chae will not be interested in it.”

Chairman Song Myung Hwan laughed as if he was satisfied with that as well.

Kwang Il remembered Kwon Ki Joo who came back tired, listening to that laughter.

((())) ((())) ((()))

It’s an endless mine.

Kwang Il mumbled as if he didn’t even have time to pray, that Chairman Song Myung Hwan had more slush funds than he had known so far.

While watching Kwon Ki Joo’s movement that didn’t even pretend to follow the beat, he was slowly taking off his black leather gloves and knocking on his protruding knee.

From his appearance, Kwang Il got the impression that he was deeply lost in thought. A person who is not usually very planned and does not have many random thoughts. It was strange.

He could have made a joke to ventilate the atmosphere, but there was no one who would appreciate such an effort. Kwang Il only raised the main point in his mouth, cutting off even the thought of trying.

“Kwak Hyun Sub.”

“He’s in the hospital.”

Kwon Ki Joo said so without changing his expression. Kwang Il felt a shudder for a moment. It must have been a tough day for Kwak Hyun Sub, who seemed to be treated extremely courteously.

Kwang Il rubbed one eyebrow with his thumb as if he didn’t want to imagine it.

“He will be an important witness to us later……”

At that moment, Kwang Il felt Kwon Ki Joo looking at him. Kwang Il shut his mouth. There’s no point in blaming him.

“I reported it to the upper management. If Chairman Song wants to leave evidence so that he can’t handle it through another route, it would be better to go through me.”

“Why didn’t Director Kim report to Chairman Song earlier and late?”

“He probably thought I might lose Kwak Hyun Sub.”

Ah, he might have hoped to lose him. Ki Joo added so and laughed as if it was insignificant.

Kwang Il thought it made sense. There were many people in the organization who were dissatisfied with Kwon Ki Joo gaining Song Myung Hwan’s trust. Of course, Director Kim is included. He has a cunning personality like a snake, and he doesn’t show it outright, but he’s probably the person with the most ill feelings towards Ki Joo.

“But why are you so hardworking?”

Kwang Il, who had judged that Kwon Ki Joo, who suddenly deviated from the laidout plan, lacked a sense of responsibility, was now doubting whether his thoughts were wrong. It’s definitely not because he came to his senses after hearing what he said before. Kwang Il thought it was strange to have such a conviction about his subordinate, but it was.

He’s diligent to that extent. Not fitting.

Ki Joo was silent. Kwang Il got up from his seat without regret, as if he hadn’t expected an answer in the first place. It seemed like I heard him mumbling something just before the door closed.

What got into him, annoying.

At those words, Kwang Il turned around, but Ki Joo was lying nonchalantly on the bed. Looking at him blinking lazily, Kwang Il thought he had heard it wrong.

((())) ((())) ((()))

Finally, it snowed one more time at the end of winter.

There was a line of cars pushing and pulling while climbing up the tidy uphill road where the snow removal work was completed early. Even so, as soon as they crossed the hill, there was a crowded situation in front of the museum to enter the roundabout.

Celebrities arrived one after another, and broadcast cameras simultaneously captured the scene. Meanwhile, the snow piled up on the round traffic island melted and flowed down due to the heat of the vehicles.

Ki Joo indifferently turned the steering wheel. The traffic management staff of the museum gestured in the direction of the parking lot in front of the entrance. As soon as he entered the parking lot with few empty spaces and finished parking, Ki Joo got out of the car.

The banner covering one side of the majestic museum wall shook in the strong wind. In that wind, the unusually large words ‘the wings of art’ wavered as if they were being pushed away.

Ki Joo trudged towards the separate entrance he’d been directed to by the art gallery. As a rule, private events didn’t open the main entrance. After all, celebrities often got invited on the condition they’d pose ostentatiously in front of the cameras at the entrance.

He’d walked about a block behind the main entrance when a familiar vehicle caught Ki Joo’s eye. More precisely, he was watching a woman getting out of the back seat.

Her hair elegantly twisted up, she was dressed in a light blue dress.

The design, revealing her slender neck and fragile shoulders, accentuated the merits of a woman with a thin bone structure and a straight posture. Bathed in the dim lighting characteristic of the art gallery, her glistening eyes and pale face sparkled.

Ki Joo observed her distinctly different demeanor from a distance. He reached for his back pocket in a moment, but stopped himself. It had been a while since he quit smoking. He ran his empty hand through his hair instead.