I Became an Artist in a Romantic Comedy

Chapter 65: Banquet Hall (4)

For someone born in a country steeped in Confucian values, my words were anything but polite.

“What’s she staring at like that? It’s embarrassing.”

I couldn’t tell if there was something on my face, but the woman’s gaze remained fixed on me.

“What are you looking at?”

Despite my irritation, I tacked on some semblance of courtesy, addressing her formally.

“Oh, um… I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to stare so much…”

She finally realized what she was doing and quickly lowered her head in apology.

I wasn’t looking for an apology, though. I just wanted to know why she’d been staring.

But before I could say anything more:

“What’s with his tone…”
“Typical. Relying on his looks and acting all high and mighty.”
“Wait, isn’t he Lee Ha-eun? The guy who painted Vanishing Snow?”

The murmurs around me grew louder, judging me for interrupting their group so suddenly.

“…Well, they’re not wrong.”

I had spoken first and aggressively at that. A small part of me recognized I might be at fault.

Not that it would change anything.

Years of hearing people badmouth me had left me unfazed. Their words held no power.

“Brother…”

But while I remained nonchalant, Ha-yoon and Hong Yehwa looked visibly worried.

I waved my hand dismissively to reassure them, then turned back to the apologetic woman.

“Let’s start with introductions. I’m Lee Ha-eun.”
“Oh, I’m… Lee Soo-rin…”

A timid personality. That suited me just fine—less chance for prolonged conversation.

We could just ride out this awkwardness and then part ways.

“Um… I’m a fan. That’s why I was…”
“Ah.”

Lee Soo-rin fumbled to pull a notebook and pen from inside her clothes.

So she was staring at me because she was a fan. Well, that made sense.

I signed the paper and handed it back to her.

Her expression brightened as she spoke again.

“I always watch your streams! Your artwork is so beautiful and fun!”

Her words felt oddly stiff, almost as if she weren’t used to speaking Korean.

“Uh… thank you,” I replied, my tone flat.

Her smile grew even wider at my response.

“How curious…”

That was the first impression Lee Soo-rin left on me.

She had an aura of mystery, as if she were someone I couldn’t easily define.

Was it because she was Lee Ji-chul’s granddaughter?

Regardless, she was the type of person I’d never encountered before.

Though she remained quiet after that, the joy in her expression was impossible to hide.

“Wow, Rin-unnie can smile like that?”

Ha-yoon watched her with a mix of wonder and curiosity.

“Yeah, she really brightened up all of a sudden,” Hong Yehwa chimed in, adjusting her red hair.

Then both of their gazes shifted to me.

“What’s with them now?”

“Brother, no more.”
“Ha-eun, don’t take on more… okay?”

Their intense stares were enough to make me shiver. I had no idea what they were talking about, but if they were saying to stop, I’d stop.

I nodded quietly. When it came to these two, I had no choice.

“Ahem! So, you’re Lee Ha-eun, huh?”

A man seated at the table cleared his throat and stared at me.

“Ugh, he’s so slimy.”

Something about his demeanor screamed stay away.

There’s a certain type of person—someone who looks and talks in a way that oozes insincerity.

This guy was that type.

He was also the one who had been bothering both Ha-yoon and Hong Yehwa earlier.

I gave him a half-hearted nod in response.

“You already heard, didn’t you?”
“…Quite rude, aren’t you?”
“Didn’t you drop the honorifics first?”

I had one principle I lived by: An eye for an eye.

If someone disrespected me, I’d return the favor.

He frowned, clearly irritated by my response.

“No need to show courtesy to someone of your… class.”
“We’re in South Korea, though. That’s strange, isn’t it?”

This wasn’t a monarchy or a caste-based society.

But people divided themselves by wealth, creating their own hierarchy.

The rich kept getting richer, and the poor sank further into poverty.

“Seriously. The ones who have it all are the worst,” I muttered under my breath.

It must have been loud enough for him to hear, though, because he shot to his feet.

“Oh, great. Here we go.”

“What’s your problem? What can you even do?” I smirked at him as he trembled in anger.

“You little—!”
“Brother!”
“Ha-eun!”

Here’s something I’ve always wanted to say to guys like him:

The money you flaunt so confidently? It’s not even yours. It’s your parents’.

Smack!

“Aaah!”
“Goodness! He’s been drinking nonstop—I knew this would happen!”
“Ugh, I had a feeling that guy would pull something like this.”

“Gah, that hurts like hell.”

Pain shot through my left side where the blow had landed, making me wince.

“If I weren’t so frail, I’d knock him out myself…”

“Ssss…”

“Brother! What do we do? Yehwa-unnie, hurry and get someone!”

Ha-yoon and Hong Yehwa quickly rushed to check on me.

The situation had unfolded so fast that neither of them had time to intervene.

“Tsk. I provoked him, but I didn’t expect him to lash out like that.”

Who throws a punch over a few words? How utterly ridiculous.

“Ugh… I’m feeling a bit dizzy. Did that hit rattle my brain?”

The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. It seemed like the inside of my cheek had torn.

As I pressed my hand against my mouth, the guy who’d punched me smirked and sneered.

“Hmph! How dare a nobody like you talk back to me!”

For someone who’d been through mandatory education until middle school, his intelligence seemed lacking.

“What a joke.”

I pulled my hand away and spat out blood.

“Tsk. My shirt’s ruined.”

A trail of blood dripped down my chin, staining the collar of my white shirt.

“Ugh, and now my head’s pounding.”

The initial dizziness had subsided, only to be replaced by a throbbing pain. Supporting my head with one hand, I managed to stand.

“Are you ready to handle the consequences of this?”

“Hah! Do you think I care about someone as broke as you?”

I sighed. “Talking to you is making me dumber.”

For the record, I probably had more money than his parents combined.

The commotion must have drawn attention because a group of adults began approaching. Most of them wore stern expressions, but what did that matter to me?

“Mom! Dad!”

Ha-yoon’s voice rang out, cutting through the murmurs.

And there they were: Madam Kang and Director Lee.

The crowd parted like the Red Sea as they approached, a sight that genuinely startled me.

“What the… Dad, just how important are you?”

My parents’ faces lit up upon spotting Ha-yoon, but their expressions quickly turned grim when they noticed me.

“Wait a minute… Their faces…”

Just earlier, they’d looked slightly flushed from drinking. Now, they were pale as sheets.

Without hesitation, they rushed over, their concern melting away my irritation.

“Ha-eun?! What happened here?” Dad’s voice was filled with alarm.

“Ah…deul?” Mom’s breathless whisper made it clear she was on the verge of tears.

Unable to meet their worried gazes, I kept my head slightly bowed.

“Why do I always end up worrying them?”

I sighed inwardly and waved my hand dismissively.

“I’m fine. Really. Just a small cut insi—”

Before I could finish, Mom grabbed my face and pried my mouth open.

“Blood…”

Her trembling voice made it impossible for me to look at her. I could only roll my eyes helplessly.

“…Everyone, remain where you are.”

Dad’s deep, commanding voice echoed through the now-silent banquet hall.

As he approached me, I tried to greet him, though my words came out garbled.

“Hewwo, Dad.”

With Mom holding my jaw open, my pronunciation was… less than ideal.

“It doesn’t matter why my son is here,” Dad said, his tone unnervingly calm.

“What matters is that my son has been hurt.”

His gaze flicked to me briefly before he reached out and gently touched my bruised cheek.

Ssssss.

The sudden heat made me wince, and the pain I’d been trying to ignore flared up all at once.

“Urk!”

Dad immediately pulled his hand back, startled. Mom looked equally alarmed.

“Ha-eun, I’m so sorry! Does it hurt a lot?”

Dad began inspecting my face from every angle, his concern palpable.

“Yeah, it hurts… but I’m okay.”

The last thing I wanted to do was touch my burning cheek.

“Here, use this,” Hong Yehwa said, pressing a cold pack against my injured side.

Sssss.

The sharp chill quickly numbed the pain, providing much-needed relief.

“Ahh… That’s better. Thanks.”

I kept the cold pack in place and finally took a proper look around.

“Sorry for causing such a commotion,” I said, bowing slightly.

As expected, no one responded.

“Yep, that’s about right.”

Despite Ha-yoon and Yehwa fussing over me, I calmly turned my attention back to the guy who’d punched me.

“Thanks, friend. Because of you, I’ll be heading home earlier than expected.”

I suppressed a grin and leaned into the provocation.

Opening my mouth, I pointed to the torn spot inside my cheek.

“See this? That’s grounds for assault. And from what I know, that’s a serious charge.”

Oh, and by the way, he was an adult. Which meant his parents couldn’t take the fall for him.

“Also, no settlements. I have more money than you.”

His face turned ashen, realizing how badly he’d screwed up.

The moment my dad appeared, his fate had been sealed.

Anyone who knew anything about this circle would know who Lee Seong-hak was.

Watching his color drain was almost entertaining.

“If you’re born in a country steeped in Confucian values, at least try to speak with some decency,” I added.

Sure, it was ironic coming from me, but hey, learning is a lifelong process, right?

“Confucius spoke of the four virtues: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom. From these, we derive the four beginnings, the qualities we’re born with.”

I leaned in, smirking.

“Somewhere along the way, you seem to have lost them. That’s why people say someone has ‘no four basics’—no sa-gaji.”

The crowd stared, wide-eyed, as if hearing the term’s origin for the first time.

“…How do you not know this?”

“I… I just—”
“See you in court, pal.”

With that, I stood up, still pressing the cold pack against my cheek.

Hong Yehwa, my family, and even Uncle Hong followed suit.

When it comes to dealing with people like him, the quicker the resolution, the better.

As I turned to leave, my gaze briefly met Lee Soo-rin’s.

I offered her a small nod before walking away.

Moments later, my eyes met Lee Ji-chul’s.

The director’s expression was stony, his jaw tight.

“Well, looks like that guy’s life just got a lot more complicated.”

I wasn’t going to get involved any further.

Funny, though. Did that guy not use the internet? How could he know my parents and yet have no idea who I was?

Then again, if he’d known, he probably wouldn’t have acted so recklessly.