By Zephyria 
x
He had been keeping a close eye on this spot last night as well. Although the living room was filled with numerous objects and decorations, Seo Yi-kyung clearly remembered the sofa and table that had occupied this space. It was only natural, as it was where Min Ra-hyeon had stayed. There was no way he could be confused. Therefore, it certainly wasn’t a hallucination.
“What are you looking at?”
Butler Do’s question broke Seo Yi-kyung’s reverie. He had just returned after seeing off the attending physician. Keeping his absorbed gaze fixed forward, Seo Yi-kyung parted his lips.
“I feel like… there were things here…”
Seo Yi-kyung trailed off, recalling the image of Min Ra-hyeon, who had always sat here, like an afterimage. Butler Do looked at the same spot and replied.
“Secretary Park mentioned that a nursery for the baby soon to be born is being made on the second floor. Perhaps that is why the layout of the house is being changed?”
Only then did Seo Yi-kyung turn his head to look at Butler Do. The butler stood with his body tilted, as if hiding his right hand behind his back, while pointing to the changing areas with his left hand.
Just as Butler Do said, as if preparing to welcome a new person entering the house in the summer, the height, size, and length of the furniture were being meticulously changed and rearranged.
“I should have taken charge of this myself, but I have unintentionally caused a nuisance.”
Normally, Butler Do would be responsible for these household affairs, but it seemed Secretary Park had handled many of them while he was lying in the hospital ward.
Looking at Butler Do’s troubled profile, Seo Yi-kyung murmured softly.
“Why are you hiding your arm?”
“Pardon?”
Seo Yi-kyung tilted his head and pointed to the arm Butler Do was keeping tucked near his waist.
“You were injured then, weren’t you?”
The two were recalling the same day and the same place. Even Butler Do could guess that Seo Yi-kyung did not wish to mention Seo Dong-hu’s name, even implicitly.
“Ah, no, it is nothing.”
“Please show me your hand.”
Seo Yi-kyung stood his ground stubbornly. After several refusals, Butler Do finally revealed his arm. He was wearing a white glove. When Seo Yi-kyung looked at him as if telling him to take the glove off, Butler Do eventually complied reluctantly.
Seo Yi-kyung groaned softly as he looked at the scars remaining on Butler Do’s fingers. In the chaos of that day, he hadn’t known what was happening to Butler Do. However, Butler Do had faced Seo Dong-hu, who was wielding a sword, with his bare hands.
Since the attending physician hadn’t given him detailed information, Seo Yi-kyung had simply thought Butler Do had suffered minor abrasions. Perhaps that was why he had felt somewhat relieved that the injuries weren’t severe. Yet, indelible marks remained on Butler Do’s hand.
“…….”
“I am sorry. Because of my shortcomings, such a thing happened. Nevertheless, I will do my utmost in serving the young master. I will ensure that nothing is lacking.”
Watching Butler Do hurriedly put the glove back on, Seo Yi-kyung spoke.
“If you hadn’t blocked him in front of me that day, I wouldn’t be here either.”
Butler Do’s movements stopped abruptly.
“Thank you for helping me.”
To Butler Do, the person facing him now felt like someone different from the person he had served since childhood. It was a strangeness that he couldn’t accurately describe.
“Could you bring some tea to the painting studio?”
However, he soon dismissed it as a misconception. Seo Yi-kyung’s calm expression was no different from before. He treated him exactly as he always had, without dwelling on the wounds on Butler Do’s hand.
“Yes, I shall do so.”
Seo Yi-kyung watched Butler Do’s retreating figure as he walked away quickly, then turned toward the painting studio.
—If the sword had penetrated just a little deeper, it could have been disastrous. You can only describe it as being very lucky.
The attending physician had said that while wrapping bandages around Seo Yi-kyung’s body at Haseon Hospital. However, Seo Yi-kyung did not believe it was merely luck.
When Seo Dong-hu raised and swung the sword, Seo Yi-kyung had been unable to avoid the blade even as he stepped back in that split second. And he clearly remembered the back of Butler Do, who had suddenly leaped out. The back of a man who had stood as a shield with his entire body. Butler Do’s sacrifice was not something that could be dismissed as luck.
Click. Seo Yi-kyung opened the door to the painting studio and stepped inside. The scent of oil paints wafted through the air. He looked around the neatly organized shelves and work table. Perhaps because he had been away for a while, he felt a sense of alienation.
Seo Yi-kyung fiddled with the pocket watch necklace in his hand. A precious object had almost been sold off cheaply because it fell into the hands of someone who did not know its value.
Seo Yi-kyung opened the glass display case and slowly placed the pocket watch necklace inside. The long rays of sunlight touched the pocket watch, making it shine. It finally felt as though it had found its rightful place.
Knock, knock. At the sound of the knocking, Seo Yi-kyung looked back. The door opened and Butler Do entered, set down a plate of fruit, and then lifted the teapot to fill the teacup.
Although the attending physician had taken special care of him in the hospital ward, it was incomparable to Butler Do. Butler Do knew exactly which fruits Seo Yi-kyung liked and what he could or could not eat.
As Seo Yi-kyung sat down, he suddenly looked toward one spot.
‘That painting is…’
A canvas was resting on a wooden easel. It was a landscape painting of a winter mountain. He recalled the conversation he had with Han Seung-jae in the study while holding the painting Jin Seon-yu had completed for him.
—If I give you the painting… you said you would pay the corresponding price.
Meeting Han Seung-jae’s cold eyes, Seo Yi-kyung’s fingernails dug into his palms as if they would pierce through.
—Do you dislike my painting so much that you want to find a flaw in it?
—If there is something you want, say it. If you want the price of the painting in money, I can give you that too.
Finally, the answer Seo Yi-kyung had so long yearned for and waited for came from Han Seung-jae’s mouth. Without a moment’s hesitation, Seo Yi-kyung stated what he wanted.
There was only one thing he wanted.
—I want to leave this house now.
Clink. Butler Do spoke as he carefully placed the teacup, from which white steam was rising, in front of Seo Yi-kyung.
“It is hot, so please drink slowly.”
Looking at the canvas, Seo Yi-kyung shifted his gaze and tentatively lifted the teacup. Saying he wanted to leave this house was close to the truth. As if noticing that Seo Yi-kyung had been looking at the canvas, Butler Do murmured.
“Director Han told me to put it in the painting studio.”
Seo Yi-kyung, who was about to put the cup to his lips after cooling the tea, paused. He looked up at Butler Do and asked as if to confirm.
“Seung-jae did?”
“Yes. He told me personally when you were discharged and returned to this house.”
After leaving the hospital ward, Butler Do had returned here immediately and was carrying out his duties. Recalling the words he had clearly heard from Han Seung-jae, who had returned home late from work, he nodded firmly.
He did not convey the words Han Seung-jae had said just before Seo Yi-kyung left the house. Originally, Han Seung-jae had even ordered him to burn that canvas of the winter mountain. It was proof of how displeased he had been. However, Butler Do could never bring himself to burn the painting Seo Yi-kyung had painted.
It wasn’t just any object; it was something painted by Seo Yi-kyung, for whom painting was essentially his entire life. How could Butler Do possibly burn that? Therefore, he had kept the canvas hidden away in his own room.
However, the Han Seung-jae he faced after returning home somehow knew about it and told Butler Do to put the painting back in the painting studio. He suspected that Han Seung-jae did this knowing that Butler Do would never be able to burn Seo Yi-kyung’s painting. But that was merely Butler Do’s own interpretation of Han Seung-jae’s intentions.
“…….”
After taking a sip of tea, Seo Yi-kyung’s gaze moved back to the canvas. He stared at the painting for a long time even after Butler Do had left.
* * *
Around evening, a sedan pulled up in front of the townhouse. Han Seung-jae crossed the garden and entered the house. Butler Do hurried out from inside to greet him.
“Welcome back. How shall we handle dinner?”
Butler Do asked, barely catching his breath. Han Seung-jae’s return from work was earlier than usual. However, he didn’t have the luxury to examine that deeply.
“Prepare it so we can eat together.”
“I understand.”
As Butler Do turned to leave, Han Seung-jae spoke as if holding him back.
“Is he in the painting studio?”
“Yes, he has been in the painting studio all afternoon. Shall I bring him?”
“That’s enough, you may go.”
Butler Do stepped away busily. Han Seung-jae went into the dressing room and changed his clothes. After straightening his sleeves, he headed toward the painting studio. After the attending physician’s visit in the morning, he had heard about Seo Yi-kyung’s condition through Secretary Park.
He reached for the doorknob of the painting studio, then lightly knocked. This was likely the only place where he would knock before entering.
As Han Seung-jae slowly opened the door, Seo Yi-kyung, who had been standing in front of the canvas looking at the painting, turned around.