Chapter 144
Chapter 144
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: Fateful Reunion in First Class
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Another photo was added to the living room wall at home.
It went right next to the one of Hyorin and Daeun, this time a photo that Daeun had taken.
Of course, they were taken at different times, but to Daeun and me, it felt like a family photo with all of us together.
I gazed at the photo with a warm smile, then asked Daeun, who was sitting at the living room desk.
"Make sure you didn't forget anything."
"Yeah! Daeun has a camera too! Daddy help!"
Her words made me chuckle as I replied.
"Yeah, Daddy packed everything you need, so just make sure to grab the stuff you really want to bring."
"Yeah! Daeun got it all!"
"Then you're all set?"
"Yeah!"
With our preparations complete, we finally set off for America, where Rep. Yoon was waiting.
Jungeun Park escorted us all the way to the airport.
He seemed pretty bummed about not seeing Daeun for a whole week.
But ever since he got a girlfriend, he wasn't as torn up about it as before.
He had a partner now, after all.
Heh.
Whatever the case, thanks to Jungeun's escort, we made it to Incheon Airport in total comfort and boarded the plane without a hitch.
And now, settled into our first-class seats that cost ten million won each, we were constantly amazed.
Gulp.
'So this is first class.'
The space alone was on another level.
I could even lie down fully and still have room left over.
Daeun was clearly stunned by the seat too, looking around nonstop as she chattered.
"Daddy! This place is awesome!"
When else would we ever get to sit in first class?
I smiled at her excitement.
"It's a long flight, but we'll be comfy the whole way. Right?"
"Yeah! Can Daeun draw then?"
"You're gonna draw already?"
"Yeah! Daeun draw on airplane!"
At that, I glanced around subtly.
Step, rustle.
Passengers who hadn't boarded yet were still coming in, so the plane obviously hadn't taken off.
If I let her pull out her art supplies and a flight attendant asked us to put them away, it'd be awkward.
"Daeun, how about we wait until the plane's in the air? Just ten minutes or so. Sound good?"
"Can't draw right now?"
"Yeah, remember the last time we flew? They make you buckle up and all that when it takes off. Better not take stuff out—we might get hurt."
At the mention of getting hurt, Daeun's eyes went wide as she shook her head.
"Can't get hurt!"
Then she closed her bag and told me.
"Daeun draw when airplane in sky."
Heh.
"Yeah, let's draw once we're up."
Thankfully, I'd convinced her. I smiled at her and buckled her seatbelt.
Click.
Just then, a flight attendant approached us and said.
"Thank you for flying with us today. I'm Flight Attendant Lee Gayeon. If you need anything during the flight, please let me know. I'll handle any inconveniences for you right away."
"Oh, thank you."
She was so polite, even kneeling down a bit, so I smiled awkwardly and replied. Lee Gayeon then turned to Daeun.
"Would you like any drinks? We have a wide selection of food and beverages prepared for our guests."
Daeun's eyes sparkled at that.
"Chocolate milk too?"
"Ah, chocolate milk? Of course. Shall I bring some right now?"
Daeun's face lit up brighter than ever at the promise.
"Yes! Daeun loves chocolate milk!"
"Got it. I'll bring one right away. Anything else? Peanuts, maybe?"
" Pea... No thanks."
Heh.
"Alright, please wait just a moment."
Swish.
With that, the flight attendant quickly fetched the chocolate milk and vanished.
Moments later, the captain's announcement came, and the plane that would carry us to America.
Rumble rumble roar—!
Rose into the sky with a thrilling engine roar.
Ding!
Once the seatbelt light turned off, I unbuckled Daeun and said.
"Gonna draw right away?"
Slurp slurp!
She slurped down the chocolate milk the attendant brought and nodded.
"Yeah! Daeun draw now."
"Got it. Just need the sketchbook and colored pencils, right?"
"Yeah!"
As I said that, I opened her bag and pulled out the supplies one by one.
Then curiosity struck, and I asked.
"What are you gonna draw? Got something in mind?"
"Yeah! Daeun draw what she want."
I opened the sketchbook in front of her.
"You're really something, Daeun."
"Daeun special?"
"Yeah, how do you always know what to draw? Daddy has to think forever before starting."
"Daddy no idea what to draw?"
"No, sometimes it's different each time, and yeah, I get inspired, but that's rare. Mostly, I just agonize over what to paint."
Probably a dilemma every artist shares, not just me.
"Hmm, Daeun just draw whatever 'cause fun..."
Yeah.
Had she misunderstood me?
Daeun looked a bit deflated, so I smiled and clarified.
"No, not weird—I'm saying you're amazing. Super cool, like, the best."
"Daeun best?"
"Yeah, the best."
"Hee!"
She beamed, finally getting it.
'As long as Daeun's smiling.'
A little misunderstanding, but it blew over fine.
"So, what're you drawing?"
Slurp!
"Auntie said draw that."
"Yeah? Which auntie?"
"English auntie!"
"Oh, Rep. Yoon."
"Yeah! She want animal picture! Daeun want draw animal!"
Before Rep. Yoon left for America,
We'd talked collabs and what to include.
She'd mentioned animals for clothes or bags, so Daeun must want to draw that.
"What animal?"
Daeun grinned.
"Kitty."
"Yeah, kitty."
"Yeah! Daeun draw kitty."
"You've drawn cats before?"
"Yeah! Drew before!"
"When?"
"Long time ago!"
As I wondered what "long ago" meant, she grabbed a colored pencil.
"Then Daeun draw! Wait little!"
And with that, she started drawing the cat.
Scribble scribble scribble.
'Probably takes about thirty minutes.'
Whenever she got into drawing like this, she'd focus for at least half an hour.
She'd go quiet too.
In the meantime, I thought about prepping immigration papers and pulled out the documents I'd brought, setting them on the table.
That's when.
Swish.
Someone from a seat nearby leaned over and spoke up.
"Excuse me..."
Jerk!
I nearly jumped.
Who'd expect a total stranger to suddenly chat?
"Yes?"
"Sorry if I startled you."
The woman bowed her head slightly.
"Oh, no, it's fine. But... who might you be?"
I didn't recognize her at all.
Still, maybe I was the one forgetting.
"Uh, I know it's rude, but... are you Painter Kanghyeok Lee?"
She knew my name exactly.
I nodded and asked again.
"But may I ask who you are?"
She smiled faintly.
"I thought so, but wow, it really is Painter Kanghyeok Lee."
Come on, just tell me who you are first.
"Oh, sorry. Do you not remember me?"
If I did, I wouldn't feel this uneasy.
"Sorry, I don't..."
"Well, I guess not. We only exchanged greetings once at your exhibition way back."
"My exhibi... tion?"
My heart sank at "exhibition."
That meant she'd bought one of my pieces someday.
But she smiled shyly at my reaction.
"Oh, no need to be so shocked. It was ages ago, and I'm just happy to see you after so long."
"Ah, haha. I see."
That was a relief, then.
"I'm late introducing myself. I'm Jessica—I run an investment firm in the US. I bought one of your works back then. Now that I say it, I think I introduced myself the exact same way that time."
An investment firm in the US.
Something faint stirred in my memory.
Not clear, but...
'Something feels really off.'
What was it?
A near-stranger stirring this discomfort.
Like something happened at our first meeting, but I couldn't recall.
'Hmm.'
If I couldn't pinpoint it, probably not a big deal.
"Anyway, it's been forever. Never dreamed I'd run into you on a plane—must be fate."
"Haha, yeah?"
Her expression turned odd as she asked.
"You really don't remember me at all, huh."
Ah, seriously, what?
Her face suggested something definitely happened that first day.
Like my memory was wiped clean.
Heh.
"Maybe that's for the best."
That cryptic smile.
If she'd just spill it, I wouldn't feel this weird.
But asking what happened that day felt awkward.
She seemed to think forgetting was better.
Not like she'd explain anyway.
So I forced an awkward smile.
Or tried to.
Swish.
"Daddy."
Daeun's sudden call stopped me cold.
"Yeah? What?"
"Daddy look at Daeun drawing."
"Yeah, wanna see the drawing?"
"Yeah. Daddy look at Daeun drawing please."
Sudden request to check her work.
I peeked— not even the underdrawing was done.
But she really wanted me to look.
Swish.
She even grabbed my arm tight.
"Look please."
At this baffling behavior, I smiled.
"Got it. I'll look at your drawing. Now let go..."
Squeeze!
She hugged my arm harder and shook her head no.
What was up with her?
That's when Jessica, seated nearby, chuckled.
"Is she your daughter?"
"Oh, yes. This is my daughter, Daeun Lee..."
Then Jessica covered her mouth, laughing.
"She looks just like that lady from back then."
'Huh?'
A forgotten memory flashed back.
The woman who'd bought my painting back then...
Gulp.
'What twist of fate is this...'
She had confessed to me.