Chapter 63

Chapter 3: Episode 63 - We Must Stop It (3)

I was sure my question was about what she wanted to do at university.

However, An So-hui's unexpected answer was, "I'll show you."

I became very curious about what An So-hui wanted to show me.

"Here."

An So-hui took out a plain white notebook from between the bookshelves and handed it to me.

I blinked in surprise as I opened the notebook.

It was because neat pen lines drew landscapes, portraits, and still lifes.

What was interesting was that An So-hui's drawing skills were exceptional.

Even to me, who knew little about art, An So-hui's drawings did not seem like mere doodles for fun.

An So-hui had clearly been practicing drawing alone for a very long time.

'So, this is it.'

I finally understood why An So-hui had taken her own life.

An So-hui's dream was to become a great artist.

However, her parents wanted her to enter a prestigious university with a popular major that would lead to good employment.

The conflict between these two goals left a deep wound in An So-hui's heart.

"What do you think, teacher?"

An So-hui asked with bright eyes, clearly eager for my evaluation.

She probably had never shown her drawings to her parents or An Tae-hwan, and perhaps not even to her friends.

Thus, my evaluation was all the more intriguing to her.

"Since I'm an honest person, I'll be honest."

"Yes, I like honesty too."

"An So-hui, are you perhaps the reincarnation of Van Gogh? Your drawings have a unique touch."

"What's the reincarnation of Van Gogh? How embarrassing. If you say that somewhere, I might get hit."

An So-hui didn't know what to do with herself at my praise.

She was embarrassed by the praise but also delighted.

This was the brightest I had seen An So-hui since entering her room.

It was hard to believe that such a vibrant child would soon face such a terrible fate.

"I exaggerated a bit, but I really mean it; your drawings are excellent."

I said, carefully examining the notebook.

"Which drawing in the notebook do you like the most?"

"This one."

An So-hui pointed to a drawing without hesitation.

It was a landscape painting of a city view from a high building.

The scene included detailed depictions of roads lined with cars, a piano school, and various restaurants.

"Surprising? I thought the landscape of the lake was the prettiest."

"The drawing you mentioned is more complete, but the one I pointed to has my memories."

"......"

"I often went up to the rooftop of this building when I skipped piano lessons."

"If it has memories of skipping, I can't help but acknowledge it."

"Right?"

An So-hui and I met each other's eyes and burst into a smile.

We had become much closer through our conversation about the drawings.

To become close to someone, you have to listen to the stories that come from deep within their heart.

"If you were in my situation, what would you do? I have something I love and want to do, but I have to do something I don't like because of my parents."

"......"

"Should I just keep enduring like this?"

An So-hui honestly asked the question that had been troubling her.

"......"

I couldn't answer for a while.

Doing what you love.

And doing what you have to do.

Balancing these two is incredibly difficult.

Usually, what I love doesn't earn much money and is hard to gain social recognition.

On the other hand, what I have to do is often uninteresting and stifles individuality.

In short, both have their pros and cons.

In this case, however, the answer is predetermined.

I had to unconditionally support An So-hui.

I knew about the tragedy that awaited her.

"I'll just tell you what I think."

"Yes."

"I hope An So-hui continues to draw. You draw well and seem to love it."

"Teacher, you think so too?"

An So-hui's voice brightened, thinking she had gained a strong ally.

"Of course. As I said, I'm on your side."

"Teacher, you're amazing."

"But, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Going to university isn't bad either."

I calmly began to persuade her.

To find a middle ground where her parents would understand and An So-hui would be happy.

"I think it would be good to major in something related to art, like design. That way, you can study art more professionally."

"I want to go to an art school."

"I understand your feelings, An So-hui. But I think it's a bit late for that."

"......"

"Your parents don't know that you have talent and love drawing, right?"

"Of course not. If I told them, they'd scold me for days."

An So-hui answered with a gloomy expression.

"Your parents want you to enter a prestigious university with a good employment rate, so of course, you couldn't tell them. You must have felt very frustrated."

"Yes. I wanted to tell them long ago, but I was afraid of being kicked out."

"So, let's find a middle ground that satisfies both you and your parents. That's what I think. What do you think, An So-hui?"

I summarized my opinion and looked at An So-hui.

An So-hui looked confused but soon nodded as if she had made up her mind.

"Hmm... I think your opinion is the most practical. I don't have to go to an art school to draw."

"......"

"I don't want to fight with my parents either."

"You've thought it through well. You're already an adult, An So-hui. You're much more mature than I was in my third year of high school."

An So-hui smiled at my praise.

A child who had to suppress her passion for art due to her parents' obsession with academic credentials.

A child who was probably compared to her brother, An Tae-hwan, who had entered a prestigious medical school, countless times.

A child whose face lit up like a flower with just a word of praise.

An So-hui's life, which I had not known in my previous life, entered my heart.

My desire to save An So-hui became even more intense.

* * *

After the tutor left, An So-hui had a brief conversation with her mother on the living room sofa.

"How was the new English teacher? He seemed well-featured and had a good personality."

"He was the best among all the tutors I've had. He seemed very competent and treated me really well."

An So-hui praised the new tutor for a long time.

It wasn't just empty words that she usually said when a new tutor came; it was genuine.

Someone who told her that he was on her side, not her parents'.

Someone who tried to understand her as a person, not just as a student.

Someone who made her want to show her drawings.

This was the first time for An So-hui.

"I'm glad you like him. After all, he was chosen by your brother, who graduated from Shinwon University's Medical School. He must be good, right?"

"......"

"You need to enter a good university and a good major, just like your brother. We can't tarnish our family's reputation. You know that, right?"

"Yes."

An So-hui answered in a dejected voice.

Her mother still didn't know that every time she compared her to her brother, it left a deep scar on her heart.

Her brother was her brother, and she was herself.

'Why are you doing this? Shouldn't you be comforting me instead?'

An So-hui felt frustrated as she looked at her mother's profile, who was watching a drama.

An So-hui knew that her mother had a talent for art.

She had heard that her mother worked at a design company. Why did her mother dislike her drawing so much?

Why did she only focus on her studies?

It was hard to understand.

"Since you've rested enough, go back to your room and study."

"Yes."

There was nothing else to say.

Her mother didn't care what An So-hui liked or what emotions she was feeling.

The only thing her mother was curious about was which university and which major An So-hui would enter.

Back in her room, An So-hui took out the plain white notebook instead of her study materials.

She started drawing the face of the new tutor, Im Shin, whom she had met for the first time today.

Indeed, An So-hui was happiest when she was drawing.

* * *

Two weeks passed like water.

After the regression, I started my first year of pre-medical studies and was having a smooth time.

One of the characteristics of this life, different from my previous one, was that I was receiving Yang Sun-jae's guidance.

I had to organize and summarize a terrifying amount of lung and esophagus-related papers and materials every day.

Thanks to this, I had to let out joyful screams.

I had to spend almost half a day in the library within a week of starting school.

That wasn't all.

There was a pop quiz every two weeks.

Based on my previous knowledge as a thoracic surgeon, I naturally scored full marks.

-Happiness is a memory, and misfortune is an experience.

There is nothing to fear, so move forward.

Choose a motto that will keep you steady in your future medical career.

For the unique homework given by Yang Sun-jae, I mentioned the afterword of my father's novel.

Yang Sun-jae was satisfied with my motto.

On the other hand, he was surprisingly indifferent to my perfect score on the pop quiz.

It had been like this since I revealed myself as a genius.

I rarely received praise from Yang Sun-jae.

A week after starting university, I once again drew the attention of many students.

The stabbing incident at the bar was re-evaluated.

The media came to investigate the incident, and the university newspaper covered me.

They couldn't stop praising the skilled emergency treatment performed by the fresh-faced new medical student.

My presence was already sky-high.

But the most important thing to me was An So-hui.

Stopping An So-hui from taking her own life was my most important task.

During the twice-weekly tutoring sessions, I focused more on listening to An So-hui's stories than on the lessons.

I became a breathing hole for An So-hui.

Even on days without tutoring, we exchanged messages and talked on the phone.

I felt that An So-hui's personality was becoming brighter through me, though I might be mistaken.

But changing fate wouldn't be easy or simple.

On a Saturday morning.

I logged into the internet messenger BuddyBuddy.

But An So-hui's status message was ominous.

It seemed to hint at a farewell.

Worried, I called An So-hui, but she didn't answer.

My heart sank.

Why?

Just the other day, when I tutored her, she didn't seem depressed at all.

I had been confident that I was managing her mental state well.

Was I worrying unnecessarily?

To confirm if a major incident was about to happen, I called An Tae-hwan.

The ringtone seemed to go on forever today.

"Senior, I can't reach So-hui. Is she at home?"

-No, she's not. Why?

A foreboding feeling began to take a more concrete form.

I gripped my phone tighter.

"Has anything happened to So-hui recently?"

-Im Shin, are you calling me just to ask about So-hui? That's disappointing.

"It's important. Please answer quickly."

-She had a big fight with her mother the day before yesterday. She was caught drawing instead of studying.

"......"

-It was chaos at home. It was almost like a war zone.

"......"

I sighed deeply at An Tae-hwan's explanation.

The wheels of fate, which I thought I had stopped, started turning again.