By Zephyria 
Knock, knock. Butler Do, having reached the painting studio, knocked before slowly opening the door.
“Young Master, I have prepared some tea.”
Butler Do walked forward, looking at the back of Seo Yi-kyung, who had been stationed in front of the canvas since the morning.
“Please put it over here.”
Seo Yi-kyung spoke as he looked back, then shifted his gaze forward once more. Because his apron was tied loosely, the strings dangled. Still, it was evident that he had made a great effort to keep paint from getting on his clothes.
Seo Yi-kyung had his sleeves rolled up and wasn’t wearing a cardigan. The bracelet fastened around his wrist slid down. Seo Yi-kyung moved the tip of his brush, applying color to the canvas.
Butler Do placed the tray he was holding on the work table. He then lifted the teapot and poured the tea. Beside it, fruit for Seo Yi-kyung to eat had also been prepared.
Butler Do watched Seo Yi-kyung paint for a while before picking up the brushes scattered on the work table to organize them. He seemed to hesitate, picking up this brush and then that one. Butler Do skillfully wiped the paint-stained brushes clean and returned them to their original places.
Then, the hand of Seo Yi-kyung, who had been standing before the canvas moving his brush for some time, stopped. He looked at Butler Do, who was wiping the brushes and tidying the work table, then turned around and perched on a chair. Butler Do spoke as he watched Seo Yi-kyung lift the teacup.
“The tea must have cooled. I will bring you some more.”
“No, it’s fine.”
It had cooled a bit, but since he wasn’t trying to savor the taste of the tea, it didn’t matter. Seo Yi-kyung moistened his throat with the tea, then stood up and picked up the colored canvas. This one was also a failure. He couldn’t show something like this to Han Seung-jae.
“I’ll do it.”
Butler Do approached Seo Yi-kyung’s side and lightly lifted the canvas. He then brought a new canvas and placed it on the wooden easel.
Seo Yi-kyung switched brushes and thoughtfully changed the color. He took a low breath as if calming his mind and body, then brought the brush to the canvas. However, he couldn’t actually paint and continued to hesitate. Butler Do, who had been observing him closely, spoke cautiously.
“Are you unable to paint because you are worried about yesterday’s events?”
Seo Yi-kyung turned his head back. Butler Do judged that the reason Seo Yi-kyung couldn’t paint was that his mind was not at ease. He believed it was due to the series of events that had occurred the previous night.
And for good reason; Butler Do had been the first to spot Min Ra-hyeon walking toward them and had asked if he needed anything. However, Min Ra-hyeon had expressed suspicion at seeing Butler Do standing in front of the dining room at this hour, asked who was inside, and took the lead, saying he would enter himself.
Butler Do had tried to dissuade him this way and that, but it was useless. Min Ra-hyeon eventually entered the dining room and discovered the two of them together.
Afterward, Seo Yi-kyung left first, and Butler Do remained in the dining room for a moment with a sunken expression. He felt as though his own inadequacy had ruined Seo Yi-kyung’s Christmas.
Furthermore, Butler Do had overheard the conversation between Han Seung-jae and Min Ra-hyeon.
“…He said he spoke those words because he was worried about the Young Master.”
Seo Yi-kyung removed his hand from the canvas and lowered his arm. It was only natural that Woorim Construction’s situation was poor. In the original story, ‘Seo Yi-kyung’ had even begged Han Seung-jae for money and poured it into the company. It was like filling a bottomless pit. It was never enough.
Now that the money line had been cut off, it was more than understandable that Woorim Construction was collapsing like this.
Suddenly, Seo Yi-kyung’s gaze landed on the sword resting on the shelf. Then, the image of Seo Dong-hu flickered blurrily before his eyes.
—You buy this sword.
Seo Dong-hu lowered the longsword he was holding. He spoke rapidly, mixing in curses.
—Fuck, I bought this for eight billion won because of Director Han, but I don’t need it.
It was an artifact that Seo Dong-hu had sent via Butler Do’s hands after Seo Yi-kyung had turned it down and walked away. Seo Dong-hu was likely anxious right now, wanting to get that corresponding amount of money from him.
Despite that, there was no need to look far for the reason why he was being so quiet. He was likely unable to do anything because he was walking on eggshells around Han Seung-jae. If it weren’t for that, he would have already visited several times to cause a scene and demand the money.
“I don’t know if I should say this, but…”
Seo Yi-kyung’s reverie while staring at the sword was broken. He turned his head and gazed at Butler Do. Butler Do was recalling yesterday’s events with a serious face. No matter how one looked at it, the image of the two of them reflected in Butler Do’s eyes…
“It seemed as though the relationship between the two of you is not good.”
Butler Do couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was, but he had observed Han Seung-jae while staying by his side. Although he hadn’t been there as long as Secretary Park, making it difficult to guess his inner thoughts, there is such a thing as an atmosphere. That was something one could feel instinctively.
“That can’t be.”
Seo Yi-kyung turned his head away from Butler Do and looked at the empty canvas. Han Seung-jae was a person lacking in emotion. Therefore, it didn’t show on the surface. That was why even Seo Yi-kyung found it difficult to grasp Han Seung-jae’s intentions.
Also, he had personally seen Min Ra-hyeon coming out of the study. Between that and the teacup that looked as if it had been drunk from, the two of them must have spent time together. And above all, wasn’t it Han Seung-jae who let Min Ra-hyeon into this house?
There was no way Han Seung-jae, who could do whatever he wanted, would keep someone he didn’t want in this house.
* * *
“Yi-kyung. You’re finally coming out.”
When afternoon came and Seo Yi-kyung stepped out of the painting studio, Min Ra-hyeon, who was sitting on the living room sofa, called out to him. As he did, he set down the coffee cup he had been drinking from.
“I’ve been waiting for you so we could have lunch together.”
Because he had eaten fruit while painting, Seo Yi-kyung didn’t feel particularly hungry. Moreover, the thought of eating a meal facing Min Ra-hyeon was even harder to endure.
Part of it was because of the smell of food. But it wasn’t as if he could feel comfortable sitting across from Min Ra-hyeon of all people. So he had come out slightly avoiding lunch time, yet Min Ra-hyeon did not stop walking beside him.
As Seo Yi-kyung entered the dining room, Min Ra-hyeon sat opposite him. He spoke with a nonchalant expression.
“But it must be hard for you too, Yi-kyung.”
Was he talking about having a child? Seo Yi-kyung thought. However, the words that came out of Min Ra-hyeon’s mouth were different.
“That your family’s situation has become so bad.”
Butler Do paused while setting down a plate. However, Seo Yi-kyung picked up his spoon as if it were nothing.
In the original story, Min Ra-hyeon had laid out the things he knew to ‘Seo Yi-kyung’ just like this. He had shaken the fragile ‘Seo Yi-kyung’ indiscriminately, saying that Seo Young-hwan had practically sold ‘Seo Yi-kyung’ to Han Seung-jae.
But now, Seo Yi-kyung didn’t dwell on such things. Furthermore, it didn’t matter what happened to Woorim Construction or Seo Dong-hu. None of that was important to him.
“…!”
As he tasted the soup, Seo Yi-kyung couldn’t stop his face from contorting. It was because he felt nauseous. He was wearing the bracelet on his wrist as if trusting it blindly, but it seemed it was nothing more than a meaningless gesture. Or, it might be because of the person he was eating with.
“That’s why I spoke well to Seung-jae yesterday. It would be harder if you said it yourself, Yi-kyung. Since he grew up without lacking anything, it seems Seung-jae doesn’t really know.”
Seo Yi-kyung put down his spoon. Butler Do brought water with a slice of green lime floating in it and gave it to Seo Yi-kyung. Seo Yi-kyung took it and pressed the glass to his lips.
“Ah, right. There was something I had to give you.”
Min Ra-hyeon took something out of his back pocket and held it out to Butler Do.
“Give this to Yi-kyung.”
The fingertips of Butler Do, who accepted it instinctively, twitched. After hesitating, Butler Do handed it to Seo Yi-kyung.
“It was dropped in the corner of the living room, so I picked it up.”
Min Ra-hyeon spoke as he tasted the soup, as if it were a matter of no concern to him.
Seo Yi-kyung looked down at the black-and-white photo resting in his palm. It was the ultrasound photo he had received when he went to Haseon Hospital for an examination with Han Seung-jae. Since Han Seung-jae had brought examination equipment into the house and the attending physician visited personally to provide meticulous care, there hadn’t been many reasons to go to the hospital. Thus, he had forgotten the fact that he had received this.
And this ultrasound photo was definitely something Seo Yi-kyung had put in the painting studio drawer. So, that meant he had entered the painting studio. Which meant he must have searched the drawer.
Staring silently at Min Ra-hyeon, Seo Yi-kyung spoke slowly.
“Thank you.”
Seo Yi-kyung gripped the ultrasound photo in his palm. The edges of the photo were already crumpled.