LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 52
Chapter 52: World Art Prize (3)
At the table, the only one who kept moving was Yoon, her mouth busy chewing as her eyes darted around.
Even she could tell something was off.
“What’s going on with these people? Do they have business with oppa?”
Uncle Hong Jin-hu. She’d thought he was a nice guy.
He had treated her to food, seemed to get along well with her brother—it was easy to assume he was trustworthy.
But was that not the case?
She tugged lightly on the sleeve of her brother, who had only been sipping his coffee silently.
What’s going on?
She asked with her eyes.
People pestering your oppa, he responded the same way.
In response, she fed him a bite of cake.
She’d heard once that eating something sweet helped you think more clearly when you were deep in thought.
She hoped this small gesture would help, even if just a little.
Her brother chewed on the forkful of cake before breaking into a quiet laugh.
Though the rest of the table stiffened at the exchange, this was a normal scene for the siblings.
“Is it good?”
She returned the same question he had asked her earlier.
“Yeah, it’s good. Probably because my little sister gave it to me.”
Her brother, who usually didn’t care much for sweets, always said it tasted good when she offered him some.
And in moments like these, he seemed to let his guard down.
Back when their parents scolded him, this tactic always helped him relax.
She noticed his shoulders loosen slightly, and it put her mind at ease.
She just wished this awkward scene would end soon.
That was all she wanted.
***
Thanks to Yoon, the tension that had been suffocating the atmosphere dissipated, and I was able to approach the situation with a calmer mindset.
I had provoked them earlier, but the initiative was still mine.
As long as I maintained this position, things could proceed smoothly.
“Hmm. I can understand why you’d be cautious.”
David, speaking in Korean, smiled warmly.
“Our positions make us tread carefully. And, of course, Lee Ha-eun, your fame precedes you.”
“I suppose you could consider this a sort of event,” Uncle Hong Jin-hu added, shrugging.
“An event? Who rents out an entire café for an event?”
I hadn’t realized earlier. I thought the café was simply having a slow day.
But now that I looked around, it was clear something was off.
“Haha. Just for a day. Isn’t it quiet and atmospheric?”
“Maybe I’m too young to appreciate that vibe.”
“Ha! You only play the age card when it’s convenient for you, don’t you?”
Uncle Hong chuckled, clearly amused.
“Anyway, when are you getting to the point?”
As if waiting for my cue, David stood and bowed slightly.
Then he introduced himself.
“David, administrator of Jupiter, representing Atlantis of the Solar System.”
With his introduction, he handed me a business card.
“Hah.”
A small laugh escaped me.
So, there was no need to feel nervous after all?
I had assumed they came to pressure me. Apparently not.
“Is this a recruitment pitch?”
“Haha, I’ll leave that up to your interpretation.”
I examined the card briefly before slipping it into my jacket pocket.
“Leave it to my interpretation”? Definitely feels like pressure.
I furrowed my brow, nodding slightly as if confirming my own suspicions.
“I’m not interested.”
My words made the other two planetary representatives narrow their eyes at me.
“I have no intention of joining any organization, nor do I want to turn art into work.”
“Not turn it into work? Are you crazy? With talent like yours?”
It was Karlin who spoke, her spirited demeanor belying her mid-thirties age.
Irene, though silent, looked uncomfortable as her gaze met mine.
“If you joined us and learned from the planets, you could shine even brighter!”
“The planets destroyed by Heo Mu-seol were painted by me.”
Learn? What nonsense. Unless they could even imitate one of my masterpieces, I wouldn’t even consider it.
At my rebuttal, Karlin closed her mouth. She must have realized how nonsensical her suggestion was.
“Well, I gave up long ago. I only brought them here because they wouldn’t stop nagging me.”
Uncle Hong Jin-hu chuckled as he sipped his espresso.
“You could’ve tried harder to convince them. Why drag them all the way here?”
“The moment I saw Heo Mu-seol, I knew it was futile. Even at Peach Blossom Land, I felt out of place.”
True. If they could have persuaded me, they wouldn’t have come here in the first place.
“You’re too big for us to contain. You’re not someone who can be tied down.”
Muttering something about how he hoped to see a new masterpiece in ten years, Uncle Hong trailed off.
“Well, David, are you going to keep pushing?”
David sighed deeply, scratching his head.
“Hmm. If Hong Jin-hu says so, then I’ll admit defeat. I’d have loved to witness your talent up close, though.”
The thought of this man’s gaze on his Miracle Land made my skin crawl. I rubbed my arms instinctively.
“Unfortunately, that seems unlikely. My apologies for disturbing you.”
I was surprised by how easily he gave up. I’d expected him to persist longer.
When I looked at him with a puzzled expression, he gave an awkward smile.
“I’m not completely unreasonable, unlike Miss Karlin here.”
“Did you just say my name?”
At the mention of her name, Karlin whipped her head toward David.
He shook his head with a small laugh.
“Well, it seems we’ve taken up enough of your time. We’ll be leaving now.”
After checking his watch, he rose from his seat and bowed politely.
“As you mentioned, we’re quite busy.”
“Yes, take care.”
That guy’s definitely sulking. Acting like he’s fine doesn’t fool me.
Karlin and Irene muttered something under their breath as they followed David out.
“I’m not giving up, you know? We’ll be seeing each other often, at least here.”
“Just hurry up and leave. You’re being ridiculous.”
“Wow, the kid’s got more charm than I thought. And he’s handsome too.”
What the hell did I just hear? You do realize there’s nearly a 20-year age gap between us, right?
“Is this how they flirt in America?!”
My head was spinning.
I waved my hand dismissively, gesturing for her to leave. Irene, the representative of Mercury, dropped her dissatisfied expression and offered a gentle smile as she departed.
“Well, I guess we’ll be seeing a lot of each other while I’m in the U.S.”
That much was probably true.
As the creator of Heo Mu-seol, I intended to make public appearances, which meant we’d likely cross paths again.
“…Do I really have to meet her again? With that… thing?”
From that moment, I started referring to Saturn as “that.” Treating her like a person felt like a stretch, especially given the 20-year age gap.
“Ah, I can already hear the reporters swarming.”
The thought of the impending headache made my temples throb.
“By the way, why are you still here, Uncle?”
I turned to Hong Jin-hu, who had been happily observing the situation while eating a dessert cake.
His continued presence left me baffled.
“Hmm? I’m not part of their group. I’m just a colleague from the same company who lent a small helping hand.”
“Don’t you have work to do? You’re the Sun, after all.”
Who would believe that someone casually eating cake here was a titan of the art world?
As I stared at him, unimpressed, Uncle Hong scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish.
“Can’t a man take a break?”
“You’re not exactly at a stage where you should be taking breaks.”
Shouldn’t he be dealing with articles or managing something related to the Prize?
Uncle Hong casually mentioned that his subordinates handled all of that while he took it easy.
Ah, the perks of being at the top.
“This is what a proper boss is like, huh? Not the trash hierarchy I know.”
“Oh, right. Take a look at this.”
Mid-bite into his cake, Uncle Hong suddenly pulled out his phone and showed me something.
“What is it?”
I leaned over to look. It was a photo—of Hong Yehwa holding a bouquet with a bright smile.
“…She won at the National Exhibition?”
There? Had I underestimated Hong Yehwa? Or was this the result of my involvement?
Either way, it was good news.
“Congratulations. Your daughter even took first place.”
“…The way you say it somehow annoys me.”
Even a compliment gets this reaction. Can’t catch a break, can I?
“And I got word that she flew out last night.”
“What…? She got on a plane right after winning?”
“I assume so.”
What is it about this place that’s so enticing? Why does everyone want to come here?
“Oh, and the others said they’re coming too.”
“The others?”
Don’t tell me… Ha Soyeol and Choi Yeseo?
Why would they come?
Just imagining the chaos was enough to give me a headache.
Meanwhile, my sister continued happily demolishing her dessert, oblivious to my plight.
***
“Why do we have to take another flight?!”
The blonde girl was complaining loudly.
Beside her, a black-haired girl pouted.
“My muscles are going to atrophy…”
Hong Yehwa glanced at them briefly before shifting her gaze to her suitcase.
Inside was the painting she had won at the National Exhibition.
She wanted to show it to Lee Ha-eun.
“Like an oasis in the middle of a desert.”
She wanted to say thank you, to express her gratitude.
Thanks to the early theme suggestion and guidance, she had been able to refine her painting with care.
If it hadn’t been for Lee Ha-eun, as he himself had said, she might have entered the Youth National Exhibition instead.
Winning there might have been easier, but winning in a tougher competition was far more meaningful.
By taking one step at a time, she hoped to someday wake her mother from her slumber.
“Yehwa! It’s time!”
At Choi Yeseo’s call, Hong Yehwa picked up her pace and followed.
It would take an hour to reach the place where her mentor awaited.
The three girls boarded a plane at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
An hour-long flight later, they arrived in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Lee Ha-eun was.
Their suitcases were heavy, but their steps were light as they embarked on the journey.
Not only Yehwa but also Ha Soyeol and Choi Yeseo had shining eyes.
At the airport, they spotted a boy standing awkwardly.
For the first time, the two weeks they’d been apart felt unbearably long.
Like a cat catching a whiff of something familiar, Ha Soyeol darted forward.
Crunch.
“…Did she just break his back?”
The thought crossed Yehwa’s mind as she stared in concern.