By Zephyria 
In the center of the study, a canvas rested on a wooden easel. Seo Yi-kyung watched from the entrance as Han Seung-jae approached the painting.
Soon, he stepped cautiously inside.
Han Seung-jae gazed silently down at the canvas before him. The mountain ridges were drawn with precision, yet their rough texture remained prominent. The sight of the mountain surrounded by white snow looked detached from the affairs of the world, appearing both aloof and incomparably noble.
“It looks familiar.”
At Han Seung-jae’s indifferent tone as he turned around, Seo Yi-kyung felt as if his chest were tightening, only to feel his heart begin to pound violently a moment later. Standing at a certain distance from Han Seung-jae, he raised his hand and pressed it gently against his chest. He hoped that the voice leaking out through his thumping pulse would not tremble.
“The painting I tried to give you last time, Seung-jae…”
It’s the same one. The end of the sentence crumbled on his tongue, and Seo Yi-kyung’s mouth began to go dry. Despite him only speaking that far, Han Seung-jae replied as if he remembered.
“Did you paint it again?”
Han Seung-jae was still admiring the painting. Because of this, Seo Yi-kyung could not see his face. Conversely, it meant that Han Seung-jae could not see Seo Yi-kyung’s expression either.
“Yes.”
Just then, a presence was felt at the open door. Butler Do entered the study carrying a tray. Seeing Seo Yi-kyung’s back standing by the door and Han Seung-jae standing before the painting, he walked inside.
“Director Han, I have brought your tea.”
“Put it in front of me.”
Passing by Han Seung-jae, Butler Do placed the tray on the study desk. He skillfully lifted the teapot to fill the cup and turned around. In that moment, Butler Do felt a sense of curiosity.
Butler Do could see both Han Seung-jae’s expressionless face as he admired the painting and Seo Yi-kyung’s complexion, which had turned even paler. The more he looked back and forth between the two, the more he felt a strange current flowing between them—something he hadn’t noticed upon entering.
Looking closer, Seo Yi-kyung was positioned near the entrance. It almost seemed as if he had claimed a spot that would make it easy to turn around and leave.
Han Seung-jae, who had remained before the canvas until then, spoke.
“You finished it faster than I thought. You said you were slow and needed a lot of time to paint.”
Not long ago, Han Seung-jae had entered the painting studio and seen the unfinished work. Compared to when he had seen it, the winter mountain had been completed at a remarkably fast pace.
“Did you borrow someone else’s hand?”
The image of Jin Seon-yu flickered before Butler Do’s eyes. Looking at Seo Yi-kyung’s pale face, Butler Do chimed in.
“No, sir. The young master stayed in the painting studio all day to paint it.”
It wasn’t comfortable lying to Han Seung-jae, but it was for Seo Yi-kyung’s sake. He had personally witnessed Jin Seon-yu holding the brush before the canvas, but he tried his best not to mention it.
Butler Do hoped that the relationship between Seo Yi-kyung and Han Seung-jae would become deeper and more harmonious. After all, hadn’t Seo Yi-kyung clung to the task without rest because he wanted to gift this painting to Han Seung-jae? He figured Seo Yi-kyung had likely only received a tiny bit of help from Jin Seon-yu.
In reality, even without Jin Seon-yu’s help, he was someone capable of painting this level of work with ease. Thus, Butler Do strongly hoped that Han Seung-jae would only look at Seo Yi-kyung’s sincerity.
A moment later, as Butler Do prepared to withdraw from the room, he glanced at Seo Yi-kyung and thought it wouldn’t be strange if he collapsed right then and there.
“Young master, what is wrong…”
Seo Yi-kyung’s state seemed somehow unstable. However, the voice of Han Seung-jae, who was turning around, was chilling.
“Close the door and leave.”
Ultimately, Butler Do gripped the doorknob as told.
Once the study door closed, Han Seung-jae pointed to the canvas containing the winter mountain with his fingertip.
“Now, tell me.”
“….”
“Did you really paint this yourself?”
Seo Yi-kyung did not avoid Han Seung-jae’s eyes. Han Seung-jae had never trusted people to begin with. His gaze was as cold as ice, and there was no such thing as affection in the way he treated others.
And yet, he accepted Min Ra-hyeon.
Just thinking of Han Seung-jae brought an afterimage of Min Ra-hyeon before Seo Yi-kyung’s eyes. Even when he thought of Min Ra-hyeon, Han Seung-jae immediately occupied his mind. No matter which of the two he thought of first, it always ended with the image of the two of them together.
Furthermore, if he avoided Han Seung-jae’s eyes here, or stepped backward, or even attempted to grab the doorknob to leave the study, Han Seung-jae would be certain. That the person who painted this was someone else.
Seo Yi-kyung barely steadied his buckling knees and took a step forward. Step, step…
“You said… that if I gave you the painting, you would pay the corresponding price.”
Seo Yi-kyung continued to walk, repeating the words Han Seung-jae had said. He was slow, but he did not stop. Finally, he stood facing Han Seung-jae and looked up at him slowly.
Likewise, Han Seung-jae gazed steadily down. Because of his lack of color, Seo Yi-kyung’s lips looked exceptionally reddish.
Meeting those cold eyes, Seo Yi-kyung still had his hands clenched against his thighs. His fingernails dug in as if they would pierce his palms.
“Do you dislike my painting so much that you want to find a flaw in it?”
At Seo Yi-kyung’s words, Han Seung-jae murmured indifferently.
“If there is something you want, say it. If you want the price for 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.”
Seo Yi-kyung felt as if his legs would give out at any moment and he would collapse onto his backside. That was how drastically the look in Han Seung-jae’s eyes changed as he looked down at him.
It was different from the Han Seung-jae who, until a moment ago, seemed as if he would grant whatever Seo Yi-kyung said, no matter what it was. He seemed like a different person.
Seo Yi-kyung felt a chill run down the nape of his neck. That chill led to his stiffened shoulders and traveled down his rigid spine.
Han Seung-jae spoke coldly.
“…Ha.”
However, he swallowed his words and instead raised his hand to sweep back his hair. That alone made Seo Yi-kyung recoil.
He could no longer endure it. Han Seung-jae must be exercising patience right now. Perhaps it was because of the child in Seo Yi-kyung’s womb.
Sincere congratulations. A baby boy or an Alpha. The countless gift boxes and cards that had poured in all bore such phrases.
And Seo Yi-kyung didn’t care which it was. Whatever it turned out to be, he was willing to use anything that could block him from Han Seung-jae at this moment.
As if telling him to look at his stomach, Seo Yi-kyung wrapped his palm around his waist. As hoped, Han Seung-jae’s terrifying gaze lingered there.
Step, Seo Yi-kyung took another step back. He did not take his eyes off Han Seung-jae, as if he had encountered a threatening wild beast. It was the same for Han Seung-jae, who looked down at him with his head tilted.
Seo Yi-kyung could see nothing around him. He didn’t even know if he was breathing. He continued to move back, back, and back, widening the distance between himself and Han Seung-jae.
Han Seung-jae did not budge. However, his pupils followed Seo Yi-kyung with obsessive persistence.
Thump, Seo Yi-kyung turned around. He walked almost at a run and grabbed the doorknob.
Slam!
Seo Yi-kyung left the study. At this late hour, no one moved about the second floor. Seo Yi-kyung intended to go down to the first floor. Butler Do, who could help him, was there. Uncharacteristically, he pressed the elevator button repeatedly and frantically. The doors, which had remained on the second floor, slid open. Even that felt like an eternity to Seo Yi-kyung.
“Haa, haa.”
Exhaling the shallow breath he had been holding, Seo Yi-kyung stepped inside and pressed 1. Just as he was about to place his hand on the close button—
His slender wrist was seized, and Seo Yi-kyung was dragged out of the elevator. His body was unable to offer even a meager resistance.
“Seung-jae, you said… you would grant me anything.”
Seo Yi-kyung felt as if his seized wrist would break at any moment. The pain spread from his elbow to his shoulder. Seo Yi-kyung was led into the bedroom. It was not of his own volition.
Click. After closing the bedroom door, Han Seung-jae released Seo Yi-kyung’s wrist. Seo Yi-kyung lifted his tingling wrist and gripped it with his other hand. His fingertips trembled. It wasn’t broken. But he knew because he had experienced it before. The wrist, which was beginning to turn red, would be covered in deep purple bruises by tomorrow.
Having closed the door, Han Seung-jae turned around. His sinister eyes captured Seo Yi-kyung as if to swallow him whole.
“….”
Seo Yi-kyung stepped back. Though it was an action not much different from before, Han Seung-jae approached leisurely.
The exit to leave this room was now behind Han Seung-jae. The only place Seo Yi-kyung could go was the terrace. If he attempted to go down to the first floor from there, his legs might not remain intact this time.
No matter what choice he made, he would be caught again and dragged back into this room.
Han Seung-jae reached out his long arm. Seo Yi-kyung’s waist, as he tried to slip away, was gripped firmly. Han Seung-jae’s gloomy voice echoed right above Seo Yi-kyung’s head.
“You have more talents than you look.”
A large palm pushed Seo Yi-kyung’s body down onto the bed.
“Painting is one thing, but you also have a talent for making a person very aroused.”
“You said you’d grant everything…”
Seo Yi-kyung spoke with difficulty. He took shallow breaths while holding his trembling wrist.
“You definitely said that, Seung-jae.”
As Han Seung-jae slowly lowered his upper body, his refined features came before Seo Yi-kyung’s eyes. That alone made Seo Yi-kyung realize vividly that there was nowhere left to run.
“I intended to grant everything if you asked for anything.”
Han Seung-jae had intended to give Seo Yi-kyung money if he asked for it. No matter the amount. He had no intention of interfering even if that money flowed into Woorim Construction. Or, even if he asked for help for CEO Seo Young-hwan, he was prepared to do as requested.
However, Seo Yi-kyung’s words about leaving this house far exceeded his expectations. That was why he hadn’t caught him while Seo Yi-kyung was fleeing the study.
“Leaving my house is out of the question.”
While holding Seo Yi-kyung’s waist, Han Seung-jae declared with a cold gaze.
“So, ask for something else from now on.”