Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Painting Duel Over Ice Cream
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We found ourselves in an unexpected dilemma due to the sudden ice cream bet.
Even Hyorin, who had boldly proposed it, Jungeun Park, who said ice cream instead of ramen was fine, and I.
Because we couldn't find anything suitable for a bet here.
"Hey, think about it. Isn't there anything?"
"Ugh, nothing. We can't do something like drawing straws. Hyorin, got any good ideas?"
"Yeah, me neither. Nothing except something really simple..."
That's when Jungeun came up with a good idea and suggested it.
"Hey, how about this? We're art students, after all. Shouldn't we bet with a drawing?"
"Suddenly suggesting a drawing contest?"
"How?"
"Hmm, we draw on palm-sized paper. Then post it on the school community that students use a lot and ask for votes."
"Oh, that's not bad."
Since it was palm-sized, it wouldn't take long to draw, and having experienced the power of the school student community during the freshman festival, I figured quite a few students would participate.
Even during break, they'd use the community.
"So the one with the fewest votes buys the ice cream."
At Hyorin's words, Jungeun shook his head with a meaningful expression.
"No, the opposite."
"The opposite?"
"If someone draws poorly, gets the fewest votes, and has to buy ice cream, they'd feel bad. So the first place buys it happily."
"Yeah, first place buys."
"Yeah! Either win the bet and buy ice cream! Or lose the bet and not have to buy."
It was definitely a fresh idea.
But...
"Hey, then this is basically a showdown between me and Hyorin, right?"
"...Yeah."
Seeing Jungeun's flustered expression was a bit ridiculous.
"Man, trying to weasel out like this."
At that, Jungeun spoke confidently, looking slightly aggrieved.
"Hey, what can I do? It's unfair enough that I can't draw as well as you two. What am I supposed to do between two geniuses?"
He said it so confidently that it almost made us feel like the bad guys.
There was nothing more to say after that.
"So we're doing it, right?"
His cheeky grin made it impossible to push further.
In short, we'd fallen into the trap Jungeun had set.
'He's always slippery as an eel over the fence.'
I looked at Hyorin and asked.
"So, are you in? Like you said earlier, but this feels like it'll just be a fight between us two."
"Well, I'm confident, honestly. But it's a bummer since the fun is in winning and getting treated."
I blinked at Hyorin's sudden bold declaration.
"You're confident?"
"Yeah, what? You don't think you can beat me for sure, do you?"
Actually, I did think I'd win.
Because we'd never properly competed in drawing skill before.
Hyorin had always been helping and leading me, so that made it even more so.
At Hyorin's words, I chuckled a bit incredulously.
Then, Jungeun, who had been listening to our exchange, spoke up.
"Then since we're at it, why not have a showdown to see who draws better between you two."
"Yeah."
"What?"
What started as a simple bet over ice cream had suddenly become one over pride.
'Hmm, this isn't great.'
Honestly, I didn't want to compete with Hyorin like this.
I wasn't entirely sure about my feelings yet, but I didn't want any hard feelings from something like this.
No matter who won, it'd just leave scars...
"Let's do it."
"Yeah."
"Let's use this chance to see who draws better."
Hyorin really wanted to confirm it, it seemed.
Who was the better artist.
Creak.
Then Jungeun went into the storage room at the back of the studio and rummaged around.
A moment later, he came out holding palm-sized transparent acrylic plates.
"I kept these from the last assignment. We can draw on these. What do you think? Pretty good, right?"
A drawing contest with acrylic plate painting.
"Nice."
"Sounds good."
Whoosh!
Hyorin and I answered at the same time and glanced at each other without missing a beat.
Jungeun grinned and said.
"Then everything's set. Shall we start?"
And so, under the pretext of ice cream, we began a pride-staking duel that would never happen again.
Whirr-!
In the studio with cool air conditioning blowing, we each held a transparent acrylic plate and drew.
'It's definitely different since it's not canvas.'
Being transparent, the background showed right through.
Unless you deliberately paint the background, the feel of the painting would vary wildly depending on how you drew it.
Stroke.
As I thought that and looked up, Hyorin was staring at her acrylic plate, lost in deep thought for a while.
She'd probably use the transparency to her advantage.
Scribble.
But unlike us, Jungeun started drawing very familiarly.
'Well, he said he did it for an assignment.'
I remembered it was for the sophomore finals independent project submission, but I didn't recall if he got a good grade.
Not that it mattered.
What mattered now was whether to take this seriously.
What if I won and Hyorin got upset? I absolutely didn't want hurt feelings from this.
If anything, it'd be a hundred, a thousand times better to throw it and lose.
But.
'If she finds out later that I held back, that'll make her angrier.'
Hyorin had strong pride.
She'd be furious if she learned I drew half-heartedly.
She was already serious about art, and with pride on the line, half-assing it was out of the question for her.
Stroke.
After agonizing over it, I watched Hyorin finally pick up her brush and resolved myself.
'Yeah, no way. Even if I win, I have to give it my all.'
The wording was a bit off, but the conclusion was the same.
To avoid hurt feelings, give it everything right now.
And so I.
Scribble!
Began filling the transparent acrylic plate with my painting.
About an hour later.
"Ugh! Done! Can't do more, done done!"
"I'm finished too."
"Me just a bit more. Ugh! Done!"
Finally, we all finished our drawings.
'Whew, harder than I thought.'
What can I say? I underestimated the small acrylic plate, but it was surprisingly tough.
The limited space required even more care, making it tricky.
Stroke.
"Alright, let's show our drawings. I'll go first."
Then Jungeun immediately showed us his.
He seemed convinced his couldn't win, but contrary to that...
"How is it?"
I tilted my head and said to the slightly embarrassed Jungeun.
"It's good..."
"Yeah, it's good."
Hyorin reacted similarly.
"Yeah, really good. A lake reflecting the night sky. Cooler than I expected."
At the praise, Jungeun smiled awkwardly.
"Nah, you don't have to hype me up just because I said I can't win. I meant what I said earlier, but I don't have some inferiority complex toward you guys."
"What are you talking about?"
"Yeah."
"It's really good."
Did he actually think we were lying?
Hyorin nodded too.
"For real. I seriously think it's good."
Honestly, if Jungeun were truly bad at drawing like he said, he wouldn't have lasted here.
You needed some talent to hold on.
But at our reactions, Jungeun's expression... saddened a bit.
"Still, getting praise from you guys feels nice."
Wondering what was bothering him, I wanted to ask, but knowing Jungeun, he wouldn't open up.
He never showed his inner thoughts easily.
To change the mood quickly, Jungeun said.
"So, who next?"
Hyorin and I exchanged glances.
After a brief look...
"I'll go first."
I took the initiative and showed my painting.
"This is what I drew."
On the acrylic plate I showed, thin lines formed a landscape.
Mountains stretched like a folding screen, with trees and a lake below, prettily drawn. A technique possible only with transparent acrylic.
"Landscape done just with lines?"
At Jungeun's question, I smiled and answered.
"Yeah, my painting is meant to be viewed like this."
Saying that, I went to the window and pulled back the draped curtain.
I held my painting up to the view of the mountains behind the school.
In that moment, the lines filled with color, reborn as a beautiful painting.
"Wow... the expressiveness is insane."
I gave it my absolute best.
Because this was everything I could do for Hyorin.
With that in mind, I glanced at Hyorin's reaction.
"......"
No words.
Her expression was hard to read.
She was just staring blankly at my painting.
Then Jungeun suddenly stood, pulled out his phone.
"Wait a sec. Gotta post these anyway. Let me take pics now."
He came over, snapped photos, and marveled again.
"Whoa, as expected of top student Kanghyeok Lee. Amazing. Didn't expect this approach."
I wanted to stop his over-the-top praise.
It felt like jumping to conclusions before seeing Hyorin's.
But then Hyorin raised her hand.
"Now I'll show mine."
"Oh, yeah."
Jungeun sat back down expectantly, and as we settled, Hyorin said.
"This is what I drew."
Stroke.
Hyorin showed us her acrylic plate painting, and seeing it, I...
"......"
Was speechless.
Because Hyorin's painting depicted something unexpectedly.
Stroke.
I stopped mid-sentence and turned. Daeun, who had been listening intently, blinked rapidly and asked.
"Daddy, why'd you stop?"
I grinned playfully at her.
"To make you curious."
"Ah! Daddy's teasing Daeun! Tell me the rest! Daeun's super super curious!"
Yeah, this was the reaction I wanted from Daeun.
That's why I paused to tease her a bit, and the response was perfect...
Stroke.
Then, Director Yoon, listening beside us, spoke to me.
"Kanghyeok Lee."
"Yes."
"I'm serious right now."
"Yes."
Wondering why the sudden tone, Director Yoon... no, threatened me.
"If you tell me nicely, there won't be any bloodshed."
......Yes