I Became an Artist in a Romantic Comedy-Chapter 87

The now-quiet exhibit hall had become tranquil, with only a handful of people silently appreciating the artworks.

These were the types who preferred the serenity of this place over the festival’s noisy chaos outside.

Most of them had likely spent a good deal of time staring at my painting.

Originally, this piece was supposed to be displayed in the 3rd-year building.

That was tradition, and it had been planned for this festival as well.

However, thanks to the student council president’s suggestion, the painting had been moved to my classroom.

I didn’t have any particular reason to object. It would’ve been strange to have my work displayed in another class’s room, after all.

“So this is what you were working on, cooped up in your studio?”

My dad chuckled, snapping photos one after another.

“They asked me not to show it to anyone, even family,” I explained.

While I could talk about it, I wasn’t allowed to show the painting until it was officially displayed.

It felt a little unfair to my family and friends, who visited me every evening, curious about my progress.

“But, bro, isn’t the title for this piece a bit… lazy?”

“They didn’t complain, so why should you? It’s simple and works just fine.”

For once, I’d gone back to my roots, giving the painting a deliberately simple name.

“‘Party’? Seriously? That’s way too plain.”

“It’s literally a party. What else do you want me to call it?”

Anyone looking at it would immediately associate it with a party, though it did feel more like a pajama party than a birthday bash.

As long as the message came across, that was all that mattered.

“Ugh, no effort at all.”

“Don’t expect too much from me.”

I lightly flicked my sister’s forehead with my finger, stopping her from heckling me further, and walked closer to the painting.

“Please observe from a safe distance.”

Each exhibit room had an assigned attendant to ensure no one got too close to the artwork.

Since ours only had one painting, there was just one attendant.

Other classes, which displayed multiple works, had three attendants each.

But I’m the one who painted it… Do these rules apply to me too?

“Uh… Sorry about that.”

I couldn’t be bothered to explain, so I had stepped closer for a better view.

It wasn’t worth the effort to argue, though, so I stepped back reluctantly.

***

By the afternoon, Party’s popularity began to surge.

Although the exhibit had opened at 10 a.m., most people had been wandering around the outdoor festival at that time, so there hadn’t been much interest.

But as lunchtime passed and exhaustion set in, more and more people began seeking refuge indoors.

Their destinations were limited—either the library or the exhibit halls.

Many of those who entered the classroom with Party found themselves lingering longer than they’d planned.

The growing crowd eventually filled the hallway, completely blocking it off.

"Uh… What do I do about this?"

Fortunately, my family had moved to the main building before the rush began.

Looking back at our classroom from the main building, the scene resembled something out of a zombie movie.

The appeal of Party was as straightforward as its name—it simply made people feel warm and cozy.

Imagine the feeling of stepping out of a shower and crawling under a blanket in an air-conditioned room.

Not that it literally induced that sensation, but it mentally comforted those who were tired or stressed.

I hadn’t expected it to cause such a craze, though.

"Good thing I told the others to meet us at the main building."

With the exception of Ms. Lee Ah-Reum, the rest of my group had relocated as planned.

Ms. Lee, however, was still trapped in the sea of visitors. Poor woman…

The reason my family had come to the main building was to see Gumiho.

While Seiren was privately owned by Chairman Lee Ji-Cheol, the ownership of Gumiho remained with me.

Chairman Lee had left it entirely up to me to decide what to do with Gumiho.

His priorities seemed more focused on his granddaughter, Lee Soo-Rin, than on the painting itself.

Considering that Gumiho had once “abducted” his granddaughter, it made sense that he preferred to keep some distance.

"I’d love to take it home, but…"

There wasn’t enough space in our house for a painting of that size. Leaving it in the hands of a museum didn’t sit well with me either.

In the end, I decided the chairman’s office was the best place for it.

Chairman Lee had been agreeable, giving me his permission to store it there.

Shortly after we arrived at the main building, we ran into the others in the lobby.

The space was bustling with a variety of parents, including familiar faces like Hong Jin-Hoo’s uncle and Choi Ye-Seo’s parents.

"But who’s that?"

Beside Hong Jin-Hoo’s uncle was a woman I didn’t recognize, sitting in a wheelchair and looking rather frail.

"Could that be Hong Ye-Hwa’s mother? She does seem to have significant health issues, just as I’d heard."

Ye-Hwa’s mother had reportedly been hospitalized for a long time, but it seemed she had come out today to support her daughter.

The love of family really couldn’t be underestimated.

"Now that I think about it, wasn’t Ye-Hwa’s goal tied to her mother?"

One of the reasons she pursued art was related to her mother, if I recalled correctly.

Soon, the adults and kids naturally split into their own groups.

“Eun-ah, here.”

“Dalgona? It’s been a while.”

I recalled the times when Dad used to make this for me and Yoon.

Smiling at the nostalgic memory, I broke the candy in half.

Soo-Yul was already munching on hers, while the others declined, claiming they were too full.

“Give it to me!”

“You really have a sweet tooth. You’re going to rot your teeth at this rate.”

“Do you want a punch, big bro?”

Her sass seemed to have leveled up lately. Must be adolescence kicking in.

“I’m not big on sweets, but dalgona is an exception.”

The slightly bitter taste from the soda made it tolerable for me.

“Oh, right. Mom said she wants to see your painting.”

“Huh? My painting?”

“Yeah, the one in our classroom. Party.”

At Ye-Hwa’s casual comment, I glanced out the window. The building was still crowded.

“It might take a while to get in.”

Meanwhile, our next stop was the chairman’s office, where Gumiho was displayed.

Time was tight.

“Hmm. Then maybe Mom and I can just go check it out on our own. The exhibit’s open until six, right?”

“Don’t worry about it. We can all go together. I’ll talk to the student council president and get us in after hours.”

“Are you sure?”

“I painted it. They should at least grant me that.”

Ye-Hwa smiled faintly, her gratitude apparent.

After some time, our group finally arrived at the chairman’s office.

Aside from Gumiho, the room contained only a desk and a few chairs.

It always struck me how stark and barren the space was.

"Miho, you’ll be happy with all this company."

The shy fox spirit would have plenty of visitors today.

Though I didn’t show it, I felt a small swell of pride.

Of course, it was only possible for us to be here because Chairman Lee had granted permission.

With a large group like ours, he’d even taken the time to come in person.

“I’ll be stepping out for a bit later. Please keep an eye on my family and the kids.”

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“You’re always making this old man work, aren’t you?”

“Aw, come on. Aren’t we close?”

“Not close enough for you to take such liberties, kid.”

Our banter masked the reality of our transactional relationship, but Chairman Lee agreed without hesitation.

“If you didn’t have talent, you’d already be sleeping in a barrel somewhere.”

“Yikes, such scary words.”

While the others entered Gumiho’s illusionary world, I stayed behind.

Having seen it countless times, I didn’t need to go in. Besides, someone had to keep Chairman Lee company.

The only other one who stayed behind was his granddaughter, Lee Soo-Rin.

And with Ye-Seo, who was experienced with illusionary spaces, there wasn’t much to worry about.

As Chairman Lee and I exchanged small talk, Ye-Hwa returned at some point.

“Ha-Eun, is it okay if we go now?”

I glanced at the clock. It was well past six and nearing seven.

The exhibit would have closed by now, but that didn’t matter to me.

Looking at her mother, who seemed more alert now, I nodded.

“Sure, let’s go.”

Though it wasn’t urgent, I was glad I’d contacted the student council president earlier.

Despite it being seven, the festival was still lively under the fading light.

However, the vendors and booths seemed to be wrapping up, signaling an end to the day.

“They’ve all closed up, huh.”

“Well, they’ll reopen tomorrow morning. Everyone’s probably heading back to prepare.”

As Ye-Hwa pushed her mother’s wheelchair, the older woman turned to me.

Her gaze was steady and warm, with a soft smile that reminded me of Ye-Hwa.

"Her looks definitely take after her mother."

While her hair and eyes came from Hong Jin-Hoo, her facial features were clearly her mother’s.

“Thank you for this. I hope we’re not imposing.”

“Not at all… This is nothing.”

“Our Ye-Hwa may seem a little distant, but she’s a sensitive and caring child.”

“Mom!”

I won’t elaborate further, but their conversation left me slightly uncomfortable.

It wasn’t anything inappropriate, but her mother’s words hinted at a desire to connect me and Ye-Hwa.

Unlike my mom, who would tease me, her approach was far more direct.

We entered the now-empty building and climbed to the 1st-year art classroom.

The empty hallway, bathed in the light of the setting sun, combined with the cozy atmosphere of Party, made my eyelids grow heavy.

"I’ll probably pass out the moment I get home."

After helping Ye-Hwa and her mother into the room, I took a moment to breathe in the quiet corridor.

Her mother’s eloquence was overwhelming, and I didn’t want to intrude on their time together.

Still, I couldn’t help but glance at their silhouettes through the open door.

Their occasional smiles and laughter etched themselves into my memory.

"Should I take a picture?"

As their laughter echoed softly, I found myself gazing at them, unable to look away.

"I should give her the painting."

It seemed Party had found its rightful owner.

Watching their peaceful expressions, it felt like the only natural choice.