Chapter 216
Chapter 216
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 216
Chapter Title: Did She Hold an Exhibition After Studying Abroad?
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After returning from studying abroad, did she hold a solo exhibition?
I'd turned the question back on Aram, who had asked me that.
"What do you think, Aram? Do you think she held one?"
"Yes."
She apparently hadn't expected me to flip it back on her.
Aram pondered the question for a moment.
Then she looked me straight in the eye and said it.
"I think she did hold a solo exhibition."
"Really?"
"Yes. She chose to study abroad to pursue her dream, and coming back means she must have achieved the goal she set out for."
That was certainly one way to see it.
Hyorin had even said she felt she'd done enough after returning.
That could be interpreted as her having reached her desired goal.
But.
"Hmm, I'm not sure if this is the answer you want to hear, Aram, but Hyorin didn't hold a solo exhibition after coming back from abroad."
"Really?"
Her expression visibly darkened at my response.
And understandably so, since the goal of going abroad had been to make it big as an artist.
The fact that she hadn't achieved her dream even after studying abroad could come as a bit of a shock to Aram.
Even so, I smiled and told her,
"You don't need to be that disheartened."
"If it's just words of comfort..."
"No, I'm not saying this to comfort you."
"Then?"
"Hyorin herself said she achieved her dream."
She tilted her head, clearly not understanding what I meant.
But right then, we arrived at the soup house.
Daeun grabbed Aram's hand and tugged.
"Let's hurry inside!"
"Uh, okay. Got it, Daeun."
Sadly, the rest of the story would have to wait.
We went into the soup house, placed our orders.
And then,
"Please tell me the story!"
Aram couldn't wait and asked me.
"Yeah? What story?"
Horyeong reacted with curiosity to Aram's behavior.
But I couldn't explain the details.
After all, how this story ended depended on Aram's decision.
"Uh, that... it's about Daeun's mom... I was just curious about what happened next."
"What happened next?"
"Uh, well... she went... abroad to study..."
"Abroad."
"And came back... so I was wondering if she held a solo exhibition then."
"I see."
Horyeong hadn't been in the studio at the time, so he didn't know the full story.
He didn't react much.
But if he heard everything, he'd figure it out eventually.
Why Aram was asking me this.
"Could you tell me?"
At Aram's question, I asked her a bit worriedly,
"Are you sure you're okay with that?"
She glanced at Horyeong.
But figuring he'd find out eventually anyway, she clamped her mouth shut and nodded.
'So she's saying go ahead and tell it...'
Even if I told her, it probably wouldn't change Aram's decision.
Still, maybe this story would help her make up her mind.
"Hmm, where should I start? Ah, that works. You know how Hyorin didn't contact anyone for a few months after going abroad?"
I relayed to them what Hyorin had told me back then.
Hyorin said she'd been living off the money she'd scrimped and saved from part-time jobs.
Naturally, it wasn't enough, so she'd had to be extremely frugal.
Even so, since she'd gone there to study, she cut back on eating and sleeping to focus on her studies.
After about two months of adapting like that—studying while also drawing on the side—
Someone approached Hyorin as she painted alone.
His name was Lucas.
He was three years younger than her but in the same major, so they saw each other often.
"Hey, painting alone again today?"
Lucas came over and sat next to her as she painted by herself in the studio.
Hyorin recognized him and greeted him.
"Oh, hi."
Her English was awkward, but she'd prepared in advance, so the conversation wasn't too uncomfortable.
"But you don't make friends? The other international students are all busy partying."
"Yeah, I came here to paint."
"That's what everyone says."
"I'm seriously just going to paint and go home."
Lucas smirked at her firm reply.
"Come on, you came to study, but you can't study the whole time abroad. Don't you need a break now and then?"
"I'm fine."
"Man, you're so rigid."
Hyorin kept her eyes fixed on her painting as she replied to Lucas.
"I need to paint. Could you move?"
"Sure, sure, figured as much."
As he stood to leave, Lucas suddenly placed a sheet of paper on her spot.
"Come if you're interested."
"What's this...?"
The paper had a date and time written on it.
She unfolded it slightly to check, and the word "PARTY" jumped out in huge letters.
"There's a party at Kerry's place tomorrow night. Come if you're interested."
Her expression stiffened at the word "party."
"Nah, I'm good."
"You don't know Kerry?"
"Who's Kerry?"
"Her parents run a famous gallery in New York. I figured since you're all about painting, you'd be interested, so I mentioned it. You can't just go—it's invite only. I'm friends with Kerry, so I got an invite. If you're interested, I could take you as my plus-one. Could be fun."
Running a famous gallery in New York.
Truth be told, she wasn't all that interested.
Attending the daughter of a gallery owner's party wouldn't mean she could hold a show there.
She knew better than anyone that she didn't have the skill for it yet.
So she tried to decline.
"But get this—apparently, there's an Anna Merrison painting at Kerry's house. Some kids are going just to see that."
"Oh, there's an Anna Merrison painting too?"
Anna Merrison.
Known as "Grandma Merrison," she was a pretty famous painter.
And for good reason—she'd started gaining fame in her late seventies.
She'd lived her whole life as a farmer's wife, then began painting at 76.
By 80, she'd caught the world's attention—a true legend.
The chance to see one of her paintings.
Hyorin set down her brush and said,
"I'll go."
Lucas grinned, as if he'd known she would.
"I'll let them know. Tomorrow evening at 6. Meet me in front of the school. I'll pick you up."
Even then, only one thing filled Hyorin's mind.
Just the name Anna Merrison.
The next evening, Hyorin picked out some decent clothes and waited at the school entrance.
Right on cue, a car pulled up in front of her.
It was a pretty famous supercar—the kind that made your jaw drop just looking at it.
But,
"How do you get in this thing?"
Hyorin wasn't impressed.
At her question, Lucas got out like a gentleman and opened the door for her.
"Oh, thanks."
Once she was in, Lucas drove off excitedly, like a kid in a candy store.
Along the way, he kept trying to keep the conversation going while sizing up her looks.
"You look pretty today. You don't usually dress up like this."
"Uh, thanks."
"Did you eat dinner? There's good food there..."
"Yeah, I ate before coming."
"Uh, okay. Then, uh, didn't paint today?"
"No, I painted right up until I left."
"......"
Lucas gave up on the one-word answers and fell silent.
Eventually, the car sped along the road and arrived at Kerry's house.
It was like a massive palace, with sprawling gardens and an impressive gate.
Inside, plenty of students were already there, enjoying the party.
"What? Everyone's already here?"
Lucas hurried out and tried to open the passenger door for Hyorin.
Click.
But she opened it herself and got out first.
"Wow, the house is huge."
Without so much as a glance at him, she headed straight inside.
A bit offended that she hadn't even looked his way, but since she was his date for the night,
He rushed after her and grabbed her hand.
"Hey, let's go together."
Her expression changed oddly as he took her hand.
"What are you doing?"
"What? You're my date tonight. This is basic."
"Basic?"
"Yeah, basic. Least I could do after bringing you here."
Hyorin widened her eyes and asked,
"I don't really want to."
"What?"
"I don't want to hold your hand."
Stunned by the bombshell, Lucas stared at her blankly.
But she wasn't done.
"I don't know what you're thinking, but I'm here to see Anna Merrison's painting today."
"Then the party?"
"I'm just gonna look at the painting and leave. Parties are noisy anyway—I don't like them."
"Ha!"
Lucas was speechless at how straightforward she was.
She tossed one more line at the frozen Lucas and turned away.
"Then let's go in already. I barely slept last night thinking about seeing that painting."
As she walked off, Lucas swallowed hard.
The look on her face when he'd grabbed her hand.
He'd sensed real killing intent in that expression.
In the end, all he could do was call after her as she strode ahead.
"Hyorin! Wait up!"
As Hyorin and the chasing Lucas entered the building, they encountered the students already partying.
More people than expected, but the house was huge—or maybe the vibe kept it from getting rowdy.
It felt more like stepping into a fancy restaurant.
Hyorin glanced around the place.
That's when Kerry spotted her and approached.
Long blonde hair, doll-like features—Kerry Huins.
"Hmm? Who are you? Don't remember inviting you."
Surprised by the unexpected intruder?
She scowled as she asked, but Lucas jumped in.
"I invited her. Thought it'd be good to bring her along."
"What? It was you, Lucas?"
Amid the exchange, Hyorin asked,
"Why can't I be here?"
No idea how it'd sound to them.
But Hyorin was genuinely clueless.
She'd heard about these kinds of parties in America, but this was her first time seeing one.
The closest thing to a party she'd experienced was some American high school drama she'd glimpsed once.
"No, it's not that..."
"Oh! Good, then. I was worried I wouldn't get to see the painting."
Kerry looked like she'd never seen anyone like this, but
Since the whole party culture was foreign to Hyorin,
She asked without any ulterior motive.
"I heard you have an Anna Merrison painting here—is that true?"
Kerry replied with a condescending gaze.
"Oh, you're curious about Anna Merrison's work too?"
"Yeah, honestly, that's why I came—not for the party."
"I see... but here's the thing. Only people with the right qualifications can see that painting."
At that, Lucas's eyes went wide.
"Wait, you didn't say anything like that to me..."
Whoosh!
Kerry raised a finger at him.
Shut up.
Hyorin, missing the gesture, tilted her head.
"Qualifications? What kind?"
Kerry smirked smugly.
"You need the right credentials to view a masterpiece. Like, a good eye for art."
"How do you judge that?"
Lucas, overhearing, looked dumbfounded at what came next.
"You have to tell fakes from originals."
And understandably so—her "test" was utterly ridiculous.
It seemed like a blatant way to mess with someone who'd clearly come for the art.
"Fakes from originals?"
Hyorin's eyes widened innocently as she replied.
"Pfft, that's easy."
"...Easy?"