Chapter 28

28

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No matter how many times he looked, it was beautiful.

Kang Hyundo rolled the short and weighty sentiment around in his mouth.

Perhaps it was because he had watched the process of the work being completed. Seeing the finished work now, he felt a renewed sense of emotion.

And what was most moving... Kang Hyundo slightly turned his head to check behind him. Everyone in the exhibition hall was looking up at Kang Seok's work.

Kang Hyundo was not alone. It seemed that everyone subconsciously acknowledged it as the best work. This was what made him happiest and most moved.

Buzz, buzz.

Kang Hyundo, lost in his thoughts, slightly lowered his gaze. His phone, held in his right hand, was vibrating.

The screen displayed a number instead of a name. It was a passionate admirer, his wife, Baek Myunghee, calling. The number on the right side of the phone indicated that it was almost five o'clock.

'Already this much time has passed?'

He had arrived a little after four, and it was already five. No matter how many times Baek Myunghee called, there was nothing to say. Kang Hyundo quickly turned around.

People were still looking at Kang Seok's work with dreamy expressions, unlike Kang Hyundo.

The exhibition hall, with various works hanging halfway, was where Kang Hyundo turned around. He was heading in the opposite direction of where everyone was looking, towards the entrance, to quickly answer the phone before it stopped vibrating.

Just as he was about to enter the only passage surrounded by walls.

A woman approached Kang Hyundo. She had strikingly dried pink lips.

"Excuse me, you said you were the father of the artist, right?"

She extended a business card with her greeting. Kang Hyundo took the card absentmindedly. The card, which read [Peony Gallery Director Seol Yejin], was straightforward.

"My name is Seol Yejin."

"Ah."

This woman was the owner of this gallery. Kang Hyundo quickly put away the card and slightly shook the hand she extended. Just as Kang Hyundo was about to open his mouth to greet her,

"Father."

Kang Seok appeared.

.

.

.

"Seok?"

Kang Hyundo's eyes were filled with a mix of joy and surprise. They asked, 'How did you get here at this time?'

Kang Seok quickened his steps.

"Mr. Go Dohan drove me here. I thought you would already be gone, but it took quite a while? Did something happen while moving it?"

"Nothing happened. I just installed it and looked around, and time passed."

"Is that so? Wasn't it too big and heavy for you?"

"Not at all. Actually, the staff at Peony Gallery did all the work, so I didn't do much."

Kang Hyundo smiled in his usual friendly manner. It was a harmless smile that anyone could see was kind.

Then, as if suddenly remembering someone beside him, Kang Hyundo's left arm stretched out. Pointing with his finger, he said,

"This is the director of Peony Gallery."

"Hello, I'm Seol Yejin."

"Kang Seok."

Their brief first greeting passed. A short silence followed. Kang Hyundo, wanting to say something since Kang Seok was shy, but...

Behind Kang Seok, Mr. Go Dohan, whom he had met before, was leaning against the wall connected to the passage, and his right hand was receiving a call from [1010235].

Time to go.

Kang Hyundo decided.

Director Seol Yejin had clearly approached him because of Seok's work. Now that he was here, there was no need for him to step in. Seok was a sharp kid and would handle it well.

Moreover, Mr. Go Dohan had also come with Seok. Kang Hyundo's gaze shifted to Go Dohan.

His gaze was slightly averted from Kang Hyundo. It seemed that Go Dohan was seeing Seok's completed work for the first time.

He just stroked his chin. Go Dohan didn't say a word or make any movement; he just quietly looked at the work.

Kang Hyundo strangely felt that this behavior was more genuine. That person must be deeply moved, even without saying anything.

Suddenly, the thought crossed his mind that it was impolite to keep peeking at people. Kang Hyundo quickly straightened his head. At that moment, he caught Go Dohan pressing the corner of his eye with his thumb and index finger.

Of course, Kang Hyundo's memory did not store this. He erased the scene from his memory, thinking it was a delusion, and slipped away from between Seol Yejin and Kang Seok.

"I have to go now."

"Leaving already?"

Kang Seok asked, and Kang Hyundo nodded.

"I have to go. Mrs. Baek is desperately looking for me."

Kang Hyundo subtly shook his phone in front of Kang Seok. The phone was still vibrating. Kang Seok nodded.

Because the furniture in the furniture store was all large, it was difficult to deal with sudden situations if Kang Hyundo was away for too long.

With his son's permission, Kang Hyundo immediately took out a business card from his pocket and handed it to Seol Yejin, saying that if he couldn't reach Seok, to contact him at any time. Then, he whispered to Seok,

"See you at home."

He quickly gave a heavy hug, more meaningful than any words, and bowed to Seol Yejin and Go Dohan before disappearing.

Of course, Go Dohan, absorbed in the work, didn't even realize that Kang Hyundo had greeted him.

Kang Seok watched Kang Hyundo leave and straightened his body. At the same time, he extended a white business card.

Seol Yejin's white hand prominently held the end of the card.

"Can I call you Kang Seok?"

Seol Yejin, who had curled her lips after receiving the card, asked softly. Kang Seok, who was touching the peony imprint on the back of the card, opened his mouth roughly. He intended to say to call him however she liked.

"Call me Kang Seok."

But Go Dohan was one step ahead.

Seemingly knowing each other, Go Dohan immediately blocked Seol Yejin's attempt with informal speech, standing behind Kang Seok as if he were a guardian, looking down at Seol Yejin.

When did he come? Kang Seok turned to look at Go Dohan, who had appeared as if by teleportation. Go Dohan's eyes were red. What's going on? Kang Seok's eyes narrowed in confusion, and Go Dohan turned to meet his gaze.

Step back. Go Dohan gestured.

Why?

Ah.

Then, the words Go Dohan had muttered in the Qinghua High School sketch room came to mind.

– 'You can't let the witch take your painting. Let's go.'

He called her a witch. Was he referring to Director Seol Yejin?

Black skirt with a side slit, thick sheer blouse, and a fur scarf that only slightly covered the neck.

It was a common all-black outfit among artists, but calling her a witch made it seem fitting. But why a witch? As Kang Seok continued to ponder, her pink lips curved into a soft smile.

"Sure. Call me Kang Seok. It sounds a bit intimate. It feels like we're in a very close relationship."

"Seol Yejin."

"Oh, what did I say? I said it's the same, right? I said let's do it, right? Who is it that can't learn from imagination?"

Go Dohan glared at Seol Yejin with a shadowed gaze, but Seol Yejin only looked at Kang Seok with a soft smile, not blinking.

"Let's get to the point."

"Do you always have to get to the point in every conversation? I was just enjoying a great work of art, and the artist happened to show up. I just wanted to have a conversation. Oh, do you think people with a point-and-conclusion mindset can't understand me?"

It sounded like a monologue, yet not quite.

Her gentle tone of catching the end of Go Dohan's words seemed to be a skill she had practiced many times. Hearing this, one might wonder why Go Dohan was holding a solo exhibition here out of pure curiosity.

While Kang Seok remained silent, their conversation continued endlessly.

In any case, summarizing their casual talk, it seemed they had enjoyed the work.

The rest of their words slipped by Kang Seok, who subtly raised his head. Beyond the two figures shaking like a cat and a fox, Kang Seok's work was visible.

Shadows of blue and red rippled on the white marble floor whenever the light scattered. It was a well-made work, even to his own eyes.

'What I wanted to draw.'

He drew what he wanted to draw.

The human ensemble, as if time had been cut and stored, was purely what Kang Seok wanted to draw.

Unbound by sculpture or commission, it was a painting of what he wanted to draw. Upon completion, it had become a work with a special meaning to Kang Seok.

It was bewitching.

Kang Seok smiled as he looked at it.

Now that it was finally completed, he could sell it.

– 'I can't sell it yet. I haven't even completed half of the work.'

– 'Hm?'

– 'This is not completed...?'

– 'Yes.'

– 'When it's completed, we'll talk again.'

That day.

In Go Dohan's studio, when Go Dohan asked how much he would sell it for, Kang Seok had said they would talk again when it was completed. Now was that time. He wondered if Go Dohan had seen his work in the exhibition hall.

He would need to appreciate the work to negotiate the price.

Of course, the conversation about selling the work could only start after Go Dohan and Seol Yejin's argument ended.

Well.

If their argument didn't end easily, it might be nice to blend in with the staff and enjoy the work.

Just as he was about to take a step forward.

Clap, clap, clap!

Clapping echoed in the spacious space.

Kang Seok, Go Dohan, and Seol Yejin, who were arguing, and the staff of Peony Gallery, turned their heads in the direction of the sound, in the order of proximity.

"Professor, clapping seems too attention-seeking. Everyone around is looking at me. Isn't such behavior inappropriate?"

"It's not an exhibition period, so what's the problem? Nomin, my assistant seems quite stupid."

"But I am the assistant, Professor..."

"At least you understand that much."

Where people's gazes were directed.

There stood Hwang Nomin, who was speaking to Park Jiyeop with a pale face, and Park Jiyeop, who was whispering something with a gentle smile on his face.

The expressions of Go Dohan and Seol Yejin, who had spotted Park Jiyeop, soured. It was as if they had discovered a piece of blue mold on the back of a peanut butter-covered slice of bread when they were starving.

In short, they had a look of extreme displeasure.

"Why is he here?"

"That's what I want to know. Did the master call you?"

Master. Once a teacher and student, now on different paths. That was the relationship between Seol Yejin and Go Dohan.

Seol Yejin, looking at the approaching Park Jiyeop, put her hand into a small handbag. When her hand emerged, it held a lollipop. A strawberry-flavored lollipop.

Seol Yejin roughly peeled the candy wrapper, ran her hand through her hair, and bit the lollipop.

Meanwhile, Park Jiyeop and Hwang Nomin had arrived right in front of Kang Seok's group.

"Student Kang Seok, it's nice to see you again."

Park Jiye