At Cha Gil-Do’s words, I got up awkwardly and washed my face. In the meantime, he had already laid out a change of clothes and gave a slight nod.
“Put them on.”
A gray knit with black pants. Clothes I normally wouldn’t wear, but this wasn’t the time to be picky. While I changed into the perfectly fitting outfit, Gil-Do didn’t look away from me even once, but it didn’t bother me. I’d shown him far worse.
Once I was dressed, Gil-Do came right up to me, tidied my hair, and said,
“This suits you much better.”
“It’s not really my style….”
“Of course. It’s mine.”
As he spoke, the hand that had been fixing my hair slid down to my nape. His fingers tapped lightly, and then he stared at me.
“You’re not avoiding it?”
“Avoiding what?”
“…You’re far too defenseless.”
“Defenseless?”
I had no idea what he meant by that, so I asked again, but instead of answering, Gil-Do suddenly grabbed the back of my neck.
Caught off guard, I staggered, my forehead bumping into his chest—
“Eh?”
—before sharp pain exploded as Gil-Do bit into my nape.
‘……?’
My shoulders hunched, trembling from the pain. I had no idea what was happening, only realizing once he pulled back. I clutched my neck and lifted my head.
He did this before too—why did he keep biting me?
Looking down at me, Gil-Do spoke.
“Now do you feel a little wary?”
“…Uh, am I going to get bitten if I go there?”
Was there some big dog at the gallery? That would be a problem….
“Ha, haha.”
Gil-Do laughed with a pleased expression, covering his face and even shaking his shoulders.
“Hahaha.”
Why laugh without answering me….
After laughing for quite some time, Gil-Do’s laughter subsided, and he fixed me with a steady gaze.
“No.”
Then why did you bite me!
I wanted to retort, but I knew I’d get nothing for it, so I kept my mouth shut. Gil-Do looked me over, then tossed out,
“You’ll learn to avoid it on your own.”
He reached out, looking satisfied.
‘I don’t understand this protagonist.’
The spot where he bit me still felt hot, but it didn’t hurt anymore, so I let go of my neck and took the hand he offered. His hand closed gently but firmly over mine, tugging. Slow as ever, I was pulled along, practically dragged out by him.
Gil-Do pushed me into the back seat, then got in beside me. For a moment I wondered who would drive if he sat in the back, but someone was already in the driver’s seat. Must be the chauffeur, like in dramas.
So he wasn’t just radiant because he was the male lead—he really was rich.
The sudden awareness of the gap between us left me feeling strangely distant. As I sat there, Gil-Do once again stretched out his hand.
Not understanding, I just stared blankly at the large palm in front of me.
‘His palm lines are really deep.’
I recognized the life line at once and started tracing his palm, comparing. Then his quiet voice came, and my wrist was seized.
“What are you just staring for, I told you to give me your hand.”
He fastened a watch around my wrist, checked it, and said,
“Not bad.”
“I barely ever look at one….”
“A watch is like a rank. Wear it.”
I didn’t understand, but since it was the protagonist saying it, I nodded.
Then Gil-Do held out his palm again. Wondering what now, I looked at his face.
“You seemed like you were checking something.”
“Ah!”
I quickly grabbed his hand, comparing it to mine. His palm lines were bold. The life line, traced with my finger, ran clearly down to his wrist. Meanwhile, Baek Eun-Seong’s life line was faint and short.
Because he was the male lead and Baek Eun-Seong was a villain extra, maybe that’s why….
But even so, this was too much.
‘Tch, looks like a long life is out of the question.’
Gil-Do suddenly grabbed my hand, instantly realizing what I had been looking at, and said,
“Don’t believe it.”
“……”
“If that nonsense were real, you’d already be buried. Do you still believe it?”
I shook my head quickly.
“Good. Then just believe me. I’m the god who spared you, aren’t I?”
Gil-Do’s low voice was thick with laughter.
* * *
The gallery had just opened, but it wasn’t crowded, maybe because the promotion wasn’t widespread yet. At least there wasn’t any big dog, thankfully.
Soft classical music flowed, and artworks displayed here and there caught the eye. None were by artists I knew—this wasn’t my original world—but it was still nice. I rarely had the chance to leisurely admire works like this.
Gil-Do, who had been viewing alongside me, spoke.
“Rough and clumsy, I can’t tell what it’s supposed to be.”
He was looking at a piece of red, blue, and black squares with an expression of total incomprehension. I thought he’d be used to such art, but apparently not.
“Even if it lacks delicacy and refinement, it has primitive ambition.”
I explained, pointing to the label on the work. It read <Raw Ambition>.
Understanding, Gil-Do nodded. But then he looked puzzled.
“Your paintings weren’t like this.”
“My style’s different. I’m more in the fine arts direction. This is abstract modern painting, where interpretation changes depending on the viewer—that’s what makes it fun.”
Gil-Do listened, then turned back to the piece.
“I see why this would draw you more….”
Then I felt his gaze. It slid over me, wrapped around me, warm and soft like silk.
“If it were before.”
So, he meant the painting was good, but….
‘Why does he keep looking only at me….’
Normally I wouldn’t have noticed, but his gaze was too blatant, fixed solely on me.
“Um….”
I opened my mouth, thinking there must be some reason—
“Director Cha Gil-Do, isn’t it?”
A voice interrupted. A young man with a pleasant baritone was approaching. At the same time, I heard the grind of Gil-Do’s teeth. Who could provoke that reaction? I tried to see, but Gil-Do seized my arm and pushed me behind him.
Looking up at him, I saw his eyes sharpened, as if something before him was intolerable. I had only seen that expression when he was furious, and I tensed instinctively.
The stranger’s easygoing voice reached us.
“I’m Oh Yu-Seong, CEO of OUN.”
He extended his hand. Gil-Do shook it reluctantly, then let go immediately.
Oh Yu-Seong’s tone was calm and smooth.
“I didn’t expect to meet you here, Director.”
“I’m surprised too. Who knew the CEO of OUN was so idle as to loiter in a newly opened gallery.”
“I’m just a puppet CEO. Hobbies are all I have.”
“Nowadays they call speculation a hobby?”
“Ha, you’re good with jokes.”
“……”
“…Sometimes even small galleries give birth to monsters. This industry is so stagnant, unless we dig them out, those monsters will never grow. As a sponsor, I think of my role as bringing them in, raising them, and packaging them beautifully.”
Anyone listening would find his voice likable, but the more he spoke, the darker Gil-Do’s expression grew. His cold eyes and tight mouth radiated complete disgust.
Yet Oh Yu-Seong continued unbothered.
“Isn’t it the same for you? Since you’ve brought someone here, clearly to train your eye.”
“……”
“You’re an artist, aren’t you? Would you mind an introduction?”
He meant me, standing behind Gil-Do. Shy as I was, I tensed at the thought of being introduced.
But Gil-Do didn’t answer right away.
“……”
Then, with a faint smile, he said,
“No.”
“……”
Oh Yu-Seong fell silent, but only briefly.
“I understand the desire to monopolize a talented artist. But collaborating with OUN could be a great way to increase the value of his work.”
Gil-Do’s sharp rejection should have shaken him, but Oh Yu-Seong stayed calm, not even losing his smile.
Still—Oh Yu-Seong….
The name rang a bell. It meant he must be a character from Please, Obsession. Most likely an important one. This wasn’t the drama but the novel, so seeing his face meant nothing, but still I tried to sneak a glance.
At that moment, Gil-Do clamped down hard on my hand, as if telling me to stay still.
His voice came cold and low.
“Do you need me to spell it out? Get lost.”
“…This wasn’t the right place for a conversation. My apologies. Enjoy your viewing.”
As Oh Yu-Seong left, Gil-Do muttered under his breath.
“Leech bastard.”