The Butterfly Resting on the Flower Vase (5)

"Director Cha."

The owner of that thin voice, like a sigh escaping, was astonishingly Gaon herself. The piercing gaze and stern voice that had cowed even the bystanders beside her were gone without a trace, leaving behind someone docile and soft-spoken — so much so that it was hard to believe this was the same person who had barked orders with a blade pressed menacingly against a dead soul's throat.

Her appearance, too, was strikingly different from her usual meticulously composed self. With her hair let down and a loose-fitting cardigan draped over her shoulders, she looked exactly like a college student in her early twenties. Had her face always looked this young? If he'd passed her on the street, he might have walked right by without recognizing her.

"Good evening."

"Mm."

After greeting her with utmost formality, Ji-won watched closely as Gaon, her voice low, swept back her not-yet-dry hair. The moment her sleeve rode up and her wrist came into view, his neatly groomed eyebrows twitched. He'd known she was on the slender side, but that pale wrist, blue veins standing out against the skin, was thin to the point of being frail — almost skeletal. He could probably snap it if he really tried.

That sword of hers… it looked awfully heavy. How does she swing it around with a wrist like that? Maybe she's tougher than she looks.

"I heard you were on vacation."

"It's all right. As it happens, I have business in London, so I was planning to depart this evening anyway."

"Gallery business?"

"Yes. An Émile Gallé vase is coming up at Sotheby's. It would suit the autumn exhibition concept I'm working on, but since it's hardly a trivial sum, I need to see the piece in person before buying."

At Ji-won's answer, a very faint smile crossed Gaon's face. It was the look of someone gazing fondly at a clever, obedient child. Good boy. At that whispered remark, Ji-won felt a rush of bewildered, deeply conflicted emotions.

You do remember what I do for a living, then? But for the record, I don't work harder at the gallery just because you told me to. 'Good boy'? What am I, a preschooler? And yet… what's wrong with me, getting genuinely happy over a single compliment like some kid. At thirty years old, no less.

"It sounds important. I can manage on my own, so feel free to go take care of your business, Director Cha."

"I'm afraid not. The auction isn't until next week; I only need to be there before then."

No. If I actually went off to handle my own business, it wouldn't be you I'd have to worry about — those two Kwon siblings would never let me hear the end of it. Sure enough, Hee-joo's expression shifted instantly, and she shook her head with firm finality, as if to say that was out of the question.

"It's absolutely out of the question for the CEO to travel alone. Especially in a foreign country…. If you truly insist, then I'll follow you there myself."

"You're the woman who can't even climb into the attic thanks to your fear of lawsuits. How exactly do you plan to board a plane?"

"That's exactly why you mustn't put people through this agony, ma'am!"

"I felt bad for dragging you out of your vacation, that's all. Besides, once we land in London, Jayden will be waiting."

Excuse me, ma'am. If that logic actually held water, I wouldn't have been summoned here in the first place, would I? Ji-won, quietly observing the back-and-forth between the two, wordlessly picked up his pouch and slipped it into his bag. Even a cursory glance made it clear Gaon's argument wasn't going to win.

"Ma'am, are you really going to do this? Back in Hong Kong, too—"

"How long are you planning to bring that up?"

"Until the day I die, and I'll write it into the handover documents as well. So promise me you will never travel alone. Come on, promise."

"Haah… fine. I'll stay glued to Director Cha's side."

"Don't forget there are ways to verify that later."

"You said I could go, you said."

Even as Ji-won loaded luggage into the trunk, Hee-joo's endless stream of nagging continued — and only stopped when Gaon, who had been silently nodding along, patted her shoulder a couple of times. Even then, the worry in her eyes lingered so intensely that Ji-won's own heart grew uneasy.

It's a five-day business trip, transfers included. Is it really worth fussing like that? Is there some enormous hidden danger on this trip that I don't know about? Glancing at the side mirror just before pulling onto the main road, Ji-won saw that Hee-joo was still standing at the front gate, staring after them. They were already far enough away that only her silhouette remained visible, yet her anxiety and concern came through as clearly as ever.

What exactly is the relationship between those two? Too tender for a simple employer-employee arrangement, yet far too formal for family. And what on earth happened in Hong Kong?

Hold on…. why am I wasting curiosity on someone else's private life? Snapping back to his senses, Ji-won neatly cut off the chain of questions that kept breeding more questions, and focused on nothing but the road ahead. He was a little curious about the silence from the back seat, but he didn't bother turning around to check.

The moment the seatbelt sign went off, Gaon called a flight attendant and requested bedding. And no sooner had the mattress been laid out than she lowered every window shade. By the time she'd changed into pajamas and settled into the bed, it was clear she was fully committed to sleeping.

"Ma'am, won't you have a meal?"

"Later. I'm going to sleep."

"It'll be evening by the time we reach London. Sleeping now will make it harder to adjust to the time difference."

"I know… but I couldn't sleep last night. I was in Jungcheon until seven."

Ji-won, already faintly irritated at having to micro-manage even the most basic things, blinked in surprise.

"Seven this morning?"

"Yes."

At Gaon's offhand reply, Ji-won faltered for a moment. Come to think of it, he had noticed her poor complexion from the moment they'd first met today. He'd assumed it was just the lighting making her skin look pale — their first meeting in bright daylight, after all. But an all-nighter before a long-haul business trip? Startled by the intensity of her workload, which far exceeded his expectations, Ji-won could no longer bring himself to stop her from pulling up the covers.

"Call me right away if you need anything."

"Mm."

"Won't you use an eye mask? Shall I close the door for you?"

"No. Neither. I'm fine."

Gaon murmured her reply and closed her eyes. She didn't seem to fall asleep right away, but Ji-won tidied the lights, shoes, and odds and ends with care before returning to his seat. Seeing her visibly relax at last, he realized that despite appearances, she must have been quietly tense all along.

Ah… what a turbulent day. And the kicker is, it's not even over yet. In fact, by London time, I've still got seventeen hours left of this day? Ji-won sank deep into his seat and squeezed his eyes shut with a groan, then slowly opened them when he felt hunger creeping in.

He'd barely picked at breakfast while watching his aunt's mood, and lunchtime was long past. Eating alone while someone slept nearby didn't sit entirely well with him, but he couldn't very well starve alongside her. After a quick glance at Gaon as she stirred faintly, he called the flight attendant at once.

"I'll have dinner now. Steak for the main, medium, please. Just bring a well-rounded selection on the cart for the salad — no need to wheel the whole thing up. No dressing. Bread, only the baguette, and fruit — one of every kind you have."

"Certainly, sir. I'll have it ready right away."

"Please don't disturb the guest in the next seat. If anything is needed, I'll let you know."

"Yes, understood."

Throughout the meal, Ji-won kept glancing at the next seat, reflexively wincing every time Gaon flinched in her sleep. They say she has a sleep disorder — she stayed up all night, and she still can't get proper rest. Wouldn't it be better if she just took something and slept deep? No, then she wouldn't sleep in London either. Which means the cycle just repeats. Haah…. Not my problem. It's not like I can do anything about it, so what's the point of staring?

Deliberately turning his gaze away, Ji-won sipped his coffee at leisure and picked out a movie. As the attendant of a superior, he couldn't drink himself into a stupor, so he had to do something to endure the boredom sober. Nothing in the catalog caught his eye, so he played one he'd seen before, remembered for its stunning color palette — but the film that had fascinated him every previous viewing strangely failed to hold his interest today. Was the screen just too small? It left him cold.

After yawning countless times and gritting his way through the whole film, Ji-won pulled out the exhibition catalog drafts and began leafing through them. On a normal day he could lose himself in this work for two or three hours at a stretch, but curiously, this, too, wouldn't hold his attention. Why can't I focus today of all days? Am I tired?

He was kneading his shoulder and rolling his neck from side to side when he caught sight of Gaon's composed face, turned toward him — and his hands went still. So now, finally, you're actually asleep. Two-plus hours of nothing but tossing and turning. And her face really is tiny. Even lying on her side, the line of her face hasn't changed at all. She always wears such a hard expression that I never noticed, but her features are remarkably delicate. It's a face I'd like to draw, just once. Not that I can draw people….

His fingers itched with a vague sense of loss as he rubbed them together, when suddenly the plane hit a patch of unstable air and lurched hard. At that, Gaon — who had been sleeping without so much as the sound of a breath — snapped her eyes open as if by magic. Oh, wonderful. Of all the timing. Ji-won silently clicked his tongue as he watched her rise, the sleep already completely gone from her face.

"…What time is it?"

"A little past seven, Korea time. If you're not sleeping any more, let's get you fed first. Mrs. Kwon insisted you have at least two full meals a day."

"Hm… I suppose I should eat."

"For the main, there's steak or grilled sea bass. Which would you like?"

"Whatever."

It was impossible to tell whether that meant both were fine or both were equally unappealing. She did say she always eats whatever she's given, though. With so little physical activity, maybe something easy to digest like fish would be better? Ji-won mulled it over for a moment, then watched Gaon down an entire glass of cold water as though her mouth felt gritty, and offered a third option.

"Ma'am. Then how about ramyeon?"

"…Ramyeon?"

"You don't like it? If your appetite's off, something a little spicy might go down easier."

"Well. I've never had it."

Never had ramyeon? Not even once? How is that possible for a modern human being? As Ji-won, usually the picture of composure, failed to hide his shock, Gaon looked a touch embarrassed. Worldly ignorance aside, even she knew that ramyeon was an enormously popular food.

"Mrs. Kwon forbids instant food."

Ah. Right — the woman who seems like she'd curate only the finest organic ingredients for a royal banquet at every single meal. Ji-won nodded at once and recommended the dish he'd originally chosen, but to his surprise, Gaon chose adventure.

"Then I'll have the sea bass."

"That ramyeon of yours… I'd like to try it."

A little later, holding a bowl of steaming ramyeon, Gaon initially seemed slightly taken aback by the smell, bolder than she'd expected. But the moment she cautiously tried a single bite, her expression changed entirely. Watching her eyes go round as saucers, Ji-won understood for the first time what a mother must feel feeding her baby its very first solid food. Nothing in the world could be more gratifying than watching someone savor a meal you'd chosen for them.

"Is it to your taste?"

"This is incredibly good?"

"That's a relief. In any case — it stays a secret from Mrs. Kwon."

"Yes. I'll keep it, absolutely."

Gaon nodding with grave determination, chopsticks still in hand, was so endearing that Ji-won found himself laughing out loud despite himself. Then he propped his chin on his hand and simply began to watch her eat. He had no idea he'd been grinning the entire time. Nor did he realize that not once, in all the time it took Gaon to finish the whole bowl, did his eyes wander anywhere else.