Chapter 205
Chapter 205
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 205
Chapter Title: Mural Village Birthday
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The place we headed to with Jeong-su was Seoul's most famous mural village.
Turn your head left, and you'd see a wall painted with enormous flowers. Turn right, and there was a fence covered in cute characters.
'My eyes are really feasting here...'
Just as he said, pretty pictures adorned walls everywhere in the village, making it a delight to the eyes.
By the way.
This must be Yu-na's first time in a place like this, right? I looked down, and sure enough, Yu-na's mouth was hanging wide open.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
After looking around for a while, a huge exclamation burst from Yu-na's mouth.
"Wowww! Daddy, there's a giant cat over there! It's bigger than Yu-na!"
"Really? Won't our Yu-na get gobbled up in one bite?"
Frightened, Yu-na backed away stealthily and hid behind me.
It was just a painting, after all.
I smiled and gently stroked Yu-na's head.
"That cat's smaller than Daddy, right? So no need to be scared. If it tries to gobble you up, Daddy will protect you."
Right then.
"What's so scary about this?"
Su-jin boldly slapped the big cat painting with her palm. Smack! Smack!
Whatever.
Yu-na stretched her arms out to me, completely ignoring Su-jin.
"Daddy! Piggyback me!"
"You want to see from higher up, right? That's why you're asking for a piggyback?"
"Hehehe. Yes!"
There were a lot of stairs here, so it'd be tiring, but it was Yu-na's request.
I hoisted Yu-na onto my back, and Jeong-su, who had been talking with the staff, cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.
"Kids, we have to be as quiet as possible once we're inside, okay? If we get any complaints, filming today will be tough. Got it?"
"Hehehe. Yes! Oh! Yes..."
Yu-na had answered loudly at first, then realized and repeated it softly.
"Alright, shall we head in?"
"Sure."
We slowly followed Jeong-su deeper into the village.
Step. Step.
The walls on either side of the uphill path were covered in lush pine tree paintings, like walking through a forest. Next, we entered an alley full of animal drawings.
This time...
We stepped on a floor painted with goldfish.
"Whoa...! Daddy... put me down."
Whispering.
She murmured her exclamation and request right in my ear.
My ear was itching so much.
I bent my knees, safely set Yu-na down, and stood back up. In the meantime, Yu-na was hopping around on the goldfish.
"How is it? Fun?"
"Yeah, it is. Seeing murals I only used to see in old pictures makes my eyes happy. I like it."
"...Really?"
Jeong-su's lips curved up.
At his playful smile, I narrowed my eyes and asked.
"Hyung, you're up to something, aren't you? What exactly are you planning here?"
"You'll see soon enough. Let's go a bit further in. It's just a little ways."
He took Su-jin and started walking ahead. I knew he was planning something...
But I had no idea what.
"Yu-na, let's go deeper in."
"Yes."
How much time passed like that?
Jeong-su, who was leading, suddenly stopped. Then he spun around! And looked straight at me.
"Jun-seo? This is our final destination. Got any idea what it is now?"
This was the final destination?
At his words, I looked around.
There was nothing particularly noteworthy in the space.
"...What?"
"Look over there."
He nodded toward what looked like just an ordinary house wall.
Unlike the others, it was blank white, like a canvas...
"You said you draw pretty well, right?"
"I'm confident enough to say that... but why bring it up all of a sudden?"
"...You still don't get it? I didn't know my little bro was so oblivious."
"Uncle, he's really clueless."
Su-jin, who had been quietly watching, chimed in with Jeong-su.
No, there has to be something here for me to notice.
I'd never been called oblivious before... Hearing it from both of them at once made me feel inexplicably choked up.
He sighed heavily in exasperation and lifted what was covering the ground.
Watercolor paints in various colors, brushes big and small for mural painting.
And chalk for sketching.
That's when I finally understood what Jeong-su had been planning.
"I was thinking about what kind of special gift would make a lasting memory, and this place popped into my head. Building unique memories... well, that'd make a great gift, right?"
I froze like a statue.
I had no idea how to react.
Honestly, I figured Jeong-su hyung was up to something annoying today.
But...
To give me such a unique gift—who was this guy, not the Jeong-su hyung I knew?
"...This is my first time getting a birthday gift like this. Thanks, hyung."
"Huh? Huh! Oh, no!"
Ignoring Yu-na's sudden out-of-place protest, he grinned brightly.
"This is my early birthday gift to you. You said you draw well? Go ahead and paint whatever you want here."
Jeong-su had spread out a mat on the ground and was watching us.
By the way.
'Why's Yu-na been like this since earlier?'
Yu-na was hugging my leg, her lips pursed out like a duck.
Her tiny lips quivering.
She really looked like a duck.
"I wanted... to give it first..."
Her mumbled words were hard to make out. I didn't know exactly why she was sulking, but...
I cleared my throat, steadied myself, and stroked her sulky head.
"Yu-na, how about Daddy draws the prettiest picture in the world just for you?"
"...Really?"
I gently pried Yu-na off and nodded confidently.
"Yeah."
That's right.
I planned to draw the cutest, prettiest thing in the world here.
"Just wait a sec, okay?"
"Yes."
After the staff clacked the slate, I started moving my hands quickly.
First, the sketch.
Swoosh. Swoosh.
I already knew what to draw.
So I boldly sketched the base on the white wall with gray chalk.
Good. Sketch done...
Next, I mixed the watercolor paints to get the colors I wanted and layered them onto the sketch one by one.
How much time passed?
I wiped the sweat from my brow with my wrist and stepped back three paces. I hadn't captured all her charm, but...
'Well, this should be fine, right?'
Still, it was a pretty satisfying result. Yu-na smiling innocently like an angel.
I tossed the brush I'd been using into the paint bucket and turned around.
"Yu-na, sorry you waited so lo—Huh?"
While I'd been focused solely on the mural.
Villagers and tourists had gathered around before I knew it.
And they...
Didn't seem interested in me.
They were all staring only at the mural I'd just painted on the wall.
"Wow... it really looks like an angel."
"It looks alive... Did actor Lee Jun-seo really paint that?"
"We watched him from the start. But I still can't believe it even after seeing it. He could've succeeded as a painter, not just an actor?"
While I was resting and listening to their admiring murmurs.
Thud thud thud!
Yu-na came running and hugged my leg tight, then looked up with a whoosh!
Her eyes sparkling brightly.
Her mouth hanging open.
Her sulk seemed melted away by the mural.
"Daddy! Daddy! Is that really me? It looks just like an angel!"
"In Daddy's eyes, this one's prettier."
"Huh? Yu-na doesn't sparkle like that! The painting's prettier."
"No. The mural couldn't capture all of our pretty Yu-na's charm."
Right then, Jeong-su approached us, face scrunched up.
"You two filming a drama or something? Wipe your hands with this towel first. Don't touch anything with those hands."
He'd been lounging comfortably on the mat watching, and tossed me a towel—but his eyes were still on the mural.
"How is it?"
"You said you were confident enough to brag about it? Man... this is seriously impressive..."
"I am pretty impressive."
"Now it feels less like a birthday gift I prepared for you... and more like one we prepared for Yu-na?"
I burst out laughing at Jeong-su's words.
"Thanks to you, I had a great experience. Thanks, hyung."
After thanking him, I looked at the people still mesmerized by the mural.
Click! Click!
They started taking photos with their phones, and some even posed kissing Yu-na's cheek on the wall.
I could do that for real.
I went to scoop Yu-na up with both hands but paused.
Seeing my paint-smeared hands, better not hug her.
I slowly raised my lost hands and awkwardly scratched my nape.
"No more to do here, so shall we head back? The paint splattered on my clothes and skin—I need to wash up."
"Yeah, let's go. Got word that all the prep's done."
"Prep?"
"You'll be shocked. Heh heh heh."
Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep bleep!
After parting with Jeong-su, I got home, grabbed some clothes, and headed straight to the shower.
The trip home took longer than expected, so the paint on my body had dried hard and wouldn't come off easily.
"Why won't this come off?"
Soaking in the tub and scrubbing hard finally got it off.
Guess I'll have to soak longer to get the paint stains out...
Splash! Whoosh!
Whisper whisper.
Thud thud! Thud thud thud!
"...?"
Something weird sounded from outside the bathroom. Listening closely, I heard multiple voices too.
"Yu-na? Did you turn the TV up loud?"
"..."
No response.
Well...
No more weird noises, so I hummed a tune and focused on showering.
"La la la— la la— la— la la la la—"
After singing Yousia's "Time Travel" a whopping 14 times?
I finished showering leisurely, came out confidently in just pants.
And froze like a statue at the sight before me.
Petals neatly scattered on the floor.
Balloons filling the ceiling.
In the center of the living room, a feast fit for a king.
"Happy birth—day—! Happy—"
Yu-na's small voice came from ahead. Soon, she appeared holding the birthday cake, singing the birthday song as she strode forward.
"We lo—ve— our Da—ddy—!"
"..."
A wave of emotion crashed over me like a furious tide, tears starting to well up.
'Daddy, I love you!' Other dads appeared one by one, singing the birthday song with Yu-na.
When was the last time I'd been celebrated this grandly? I couldn't remember.
Birthdays were just ordinary days to me... I wiped my tears and watched Yu-na approach.
She'd really grown up...
Just as Yu-na, holding the little cake, reached right in front of me.
"Happy birth—day... Whoa!"
I reflexively grabbed her as she nearly tripped...
And the cake flew right into my face.
Unable to dodge...
My tears of emotion vanished in that miraculous moment.