Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Sucker Senior's Exhibition
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I turned my head toward the hand grabbing me, and there stood a somewhat familiar face.
"Park Hee."
"Hey! You!"
Whoosh!
He approached with a startled expression and pulled me straight into a hug.
Who would've thought I'd run into Park Hee here.
"What the hell happened to you? I heard you were still in the hospital—when did you get discharged?"
Park Hee was a classmate from university.
Like Jungeun Park, we'd been pretty close during school, but after graduation our paths diverged, and we hadn't met up much.
Still, he was a grateful friend who always sent flower wreaths whenever I had an exhibition.
"Wow! Are you talking about Painter Kanghyeok Lee?"
At Park Hee's words, someone standing nearby approached and bowed politely.
"Hello, Senior! I'm Ha Dongun!"
"Senior?"
I glanced at Park Hee at the unfamiliar name, and he grinned as he provided more context.
"You probably don't remember him, but he transferred in as a sophomore when you were a senior."
Ah, if he'd transferred in, it was only natural I wouldn't know him.
Park Hee had been part of the student council back then and handled most of the department's events, so he'd know.
"And Dongun here is an art specialist reporter, just like Jungeun."
"A reporter?"
"Yes, Senior! I work for the Gangil Daily's art section."
"We came together today to cover the exhibition."
"Here?"
I turned my head again to check the banners plastered everywhere.
'Hong Ikhyeon.'
It sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn't quite place it.
Seeing my reaction, Park Hee widened his eyes.
"You don't remember Senior Hong Ikhyeon, do you? You know, Sucker Senior."
"Ah!"
The nickname jogged my memory instantly.
People tended to remember him more by that moniker than his actual name.
The term "Sucker Senior" might sound a bit odd at first, but once you learned how he got it, everyone would nod in understanding.
After all, it was a nickname Sucker Senior—Senior Hong Ikhyeon—had given himself.
"So this exhibition is Sucker Senior's?"
"What? You seriously came here without knowing?"
Ha ha. I let out an awkward laugh at the question, and Park Hee shook his head like he couldn't believe it.
"Anyway, this is wild. Running into you right here like this."
Just then, Ha Dongun, standing nearby, asked curiously.
"But who's this kid? Is she your daughter, Senior?"
"Oh, right... You're Daeun, aren't you."
Park Hee didn't know as much about me as Jungeun did, but he was still pretty well-informed.
He kept in touch with Jungeun, after all.
"Nice to meet you. What are you, about five?"
At his question, Daeun gave a slightly tense greeting.
"H-Hello."
"Hey, I'm your dad's friend, Uncle Park Hee. Nice to meet you."
He extended his hand for a shake.
His gesture struck me as a bit odd.
"You have a kid?"
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
"Your wrist."
I hadn't noticed at first.
But on the wrist he offered for the handshake was a clear stamp that read:
'Good job!'
"Oh man, I thought I scrubbed it off."
"You really have a kid?"
"Yeah, I got married about a year after your accident and had the baby right away."
"You actually got married?"
"You remember Miyeon, right?"
"Miyeon? Your girlfriend from university you broke up with?"
Miyeon was the name of the girlfriend Park Hee had dated for a few years in school.
I remembered her clearly because of the time he broke down sobbing and got wasted.
"Yeah, that's her. Turns out some connections don't break that easily. We ran into each other by chance, started meeting up again... and now here we are. The kid's already three."
To think he'd reconnected with an ex, gotten married, and had a child while I was laid up in the hospital. A lot had happened.
"Well, let's meet up sometime when we get the chance. Since fate brought us together like this, why don't we head in together?"
"Together? Weren't you guys on your way out?"
"Yeah, we looked around, but now that I've run into you, how could I just leave? Let's go back in and check it out."
It didn't really matter to me either way.
As he said that and fully turned to head back the way they'd come...
Park Hee brought up something out of left field.
"Oh, right. Since you're awake, Bae Changshik must've gotten the news too."
Ah... My expression hardened at the name Bae Changshik.
Ha Dongun piped up curiously.
"Bae Changshik? You mean that painter?"
"Nah, you wouldn't know."
"What?"
"That Bae Changshik is Kanghyeok's biggest rival."
"His rival?"
Park Hee smirked at Ha Dongun's startled reaction.
"Well, self-proclaimed rival, anyway."
"Ah..."
"Shall we go?"
I watched Park Hee walk off with that loaded comment, grinning.
"Daddy! Daeun wants to go too!"
'Bae Changshik.'
Hearing the name after so long stirred up a flood of thoughts.
"Sure, let's go."
Inside, there were more people than I'd expected. Lots of kids, especially.
"Wow, it's packed."
Park Hee, who'd arrived first, chuckled.
"Of course. It's a participatory planning exhibition."
"Participatory?"
"Yeah, Sucker Senior's specialty is sculpture. He's doing a show on the theme of 'space,' so that's probably drawing the crowds."
Ha Dongun chimed in with more details.
"There aren't many Korean artists working in this vein, so that's the reality. That's why I'm here covering it personally today. Sculpture on the special theme of space."
' Sculpture.'
I wondered how Sucker Senior had interpreted space.
Scanning the interior, I saw all sorts of sculptures occupying their spots.
Then someone approached our group.
"Huh? You guys still here?"
"Ah! Senior Hong."
Seeing Senior Hong Ikhyeon brought back a rush of old memories.
"Oh, you're..."
He looked at me, thought for a second, then said.
"Kanghyeok Lee."
"Yeah, you remember."
"Is it really you?"
"Yes, Senior."
I nodded, and his face lit up as he welcomed me.
"Man, it's been forever. Since graduation? Like nine years?"
Nine years. I hadn't seen him since he graduated, so that tracked.
"I'd heard a lot about you."
"Ha ha, nothing much."
"Who hasn't heard of the top painter from our school? So what brings you here? You didn't come just for my exhibition, right?"
I was pondering how to explain when Park Hee bailed me out.
"We ran into him and his daughter Daeun at the zoo by chance, and we stopped by."
"Oh! Cool."
He peered at Daeun, who was hiding behind my legs.
"So, did you see lots of animals?"
"Yes..."
She flashed a bright smile.
"Good job. This place might not be as fun as meeting animals, but walking around and experiencing things with your dad will make it plenty fun. Have a good time."
"Thank you."
Daeun bowed politely, and Senior Hong smiled warmly, clearly charmed.
"If I'd known you were coming, Kanghyeok, I would've waited and done an interview."
"An interview?"
"Yeah, I just finished one with ART magazine. They said the special planning exhibition was super impressive and asked if they could feature photos of the sculptures. Fun experience."
ART magazine. It had been ages since I'd heard that name.
My own solo show back then had gotten a full-page spread.
The editor had even begged me to stay in touch.
"Impressive. Congrats."
"What? You making fun of me?"
"Yes."
He chuckled and shook his head.
"When a famous painter the magazine begs for gets featured says that, it's definitely teasing."
"Ah..."
I'd meant it sincerely, but I could see how it might come off that way.
I gave an awkward smile, unsure what to say, and he burst into a hearty laugh.
"Kidding, kidding."
With that, he turned and gestured toward the interior.
"I've wrapped up everything busy anyway, so how about I give you a tour?"
"You, Senior?"
"Yeah, it's my work. Don't you think the cute little princess here would like hearing me explain it?"
He seemed even more excited looking at Daeun.
"Daeun, right?"
"Yes."
"If it's okay with Daeun, Uncle would love to give you a personal tour of the exhibition. Sound good?"
His tone was so natural as he said it.
Did Senior have a kid too?
At his question, Daeun hesitated a bit, but her face was full of anticipation.
'It might be a special experience for Daeun.'
How often do you get a tour from the artist himself about his own work?
It'd be special for her, for me, for everyone here.
"Can we, Daddy?"
Daeun asked cutely, and I smiled back.
"If Daeun wants to, sure."
"Really?"
"Yeah. How about we ask our artist here to give us a personal explanation?"
"Yeah!"
At Daeun's enthusiastic reply, Senior Hong beamed.
"Alright then, first, allow me to introduce myself. Hello. I'm artist Hong Ikhyeon, holding this planning exhibition in the Imagination Space today. I'll now give a brief explanation of the works on display."
His voice must've carried, because people admiring the pieces started gathering around us one by one.
I got a little worried.
But Sucker Senior just winked mischievously, like he'd planned it.
'Senior's always been an eccentric one.'
He clearly intended to give the tour to everyone who'd visited today.
"Thanks for coming, everyone. I'll start with the first piece I prepared. Since the theme is space, the first work has a special name too."
He paused mid-sentence, turning to point at a sculpture behind him.
A statue of a woman cradling a child in her arms. At a glance, you might think it's just a simple depiction of maternal love.
'But there's something uncanny about it.'
Senior's works always carried layers of meaning. Especially the title he'd given this one—it resonated deeply.
"The first piece is called 'Digital Maternal Love.'"
Digital Maternal Love.
The name alone didn't reveal much.
But seeing it with the sculpture made it crystal clear.
The mother's face holding the child wasn't a human face—it was a smartphone.
The first "space" Senior wanted to convey was a lonely void stripped of maternal love.
But unlike us, Daeun seemed to view the work from a different angle.
"Daddy."
"Yeah?"
She beamed.
"That's Mommy and Daeun's kitty."
Daeun was grinning ear to ear at 'Digital Maternal Love.'