Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: The Mural of Happiness
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Before we started working, the shop owner gave us a rough idea of what she wanted for the mural.
"I'd like it to have an overall bright feel."
"You mean bright colors?"
"Yeah, maybe add some flowers, and, um, people would be nice too."
As she spoke, she explained why she wanted those elements.
"No one dislikes flowers, right? At least for the people coming to eat at our place, I want them to see the mural, feel good, and leave happy."
A painting meant to make people feel good.
I cautiously asked the owner.
"Isn't it for drawing in customers?"
"Hmm, drawing customers would be great too, but making people feel good is the bigger reason."
A mural not to attract customers, but to uplift moods.
I'd felt it from the first impression, but the owner seemed to have a unique personality.
And her next request brought even greater surprise.
"And I want this young lady here to paint it."
"Yes? M-me?"
The person she pointed to was none other than Hyorin.
"There must be some misunderstanding. I'm just here to help Kanghyeok with his painting..."
"I know. Professor Im mentioned that, but I'd prefer if you did it."
Then she turned to me and asked.
"That's okay with you, right?"
Well, Hyorin painting instead of me.
'No big deal.'
I hadn't come because I desperately wanted to paint it myself. It was just an part-time job arranged by Professor Im.
It was simply to earn some pocket money, and the pay would be the same regardless of who did it.
And most importantly, the boss commissioning the job wanted it that way. Who was I to object?
"I'm fine with it."
"Thanks. Think of it as the auntie being fickle. In return, while you're painting here, Auntie will cover all your meals. Now that we're on the topic, has everyone eaten?"
"Oh, food?"
"We haven't yet."
Come to think of it, while gathering all these materials, I lost track of time. It was already well past one o'clock.
"Perfect. Come on in, everyone. Let's eat and talk about the mural."
With that, the owner turned and headed straight into the shop.
Staring blankly at her retreating figure, I awkwardly smiled at Hyorin standing beside me.
"Wanna eat?"
She gave a slight nod.
"Yeah."
Hyorin was gauging my reaction.
Was she worried she'd taken my job?
"What's up?"
"N-nothing."
Hyorin fiddled with her hair and looked away.
At her response, I let out a short sigh.
"Hmm, I get why you're watching me like that, but is it really necessary?"
"Huh? What?"
"Come on, you know. You're not worse at painting than me."
Hyorin always worried about me.
She cared about my grades, fretted over every little thing that might cause problems.
But she was awfully strict with herself.
"Compared to you, I'm..."
"You trying to say you can't paint?"
She looked at me with complicated eyes.
"No."
"You're not."
"Why do you think that?"
"Because you paint well."
She bit her lip hard and turned her gaze away.
But I kept going, ignoring it.
"That's why I've always wondered. Why do you always volunteer to assist me?"
She denied it, but in my eyes, Hyorin's skill was more than worthy of recognition.
Her grades already proved it, yet she was so hard on herself.
"So today, I'll assist you. You paint this mural, Hyorin."
"But..."
"But what?"
Knowing I wouldn't back down, she let out a long sigh and nodded.
"Ah, okay."
"Alright, it's decided. Think about what to paint. I'll get everything ready to start right away."
With that, I began preparing for work.
I spread out the drop cloths on the floor and cleaned the wall for the mural.
I removed patches of moss here and there, smoothed out rough spots with a trowel.
I was busy with preparations for a while.
Step.
"Have some coffee while you work."
The owner came out with two cups of instant coffee.
"Everything going okay with the prep?"
I took the coffee she offered and gave a rough explanation.
"I'm getting it ready, but the wall's not in great shape. Moss means it's damp, and that could make the paint peel later."
The wall's condition as a canvas wasn't ideal.
She nodded.
"But it'll be better than now, right? With a pretty picture, it'll look nicer than it does."
As long as moisture didn't ruin the paint, it'd be fine, but regular maintenance would still be needed.
"You'll want to maintain it every few years."
"Got it. I'll keep up with it."
Then she turned to Hyorin, who was pondering the wall.
"Thought about what you want to paint?"
"Oh, um... not yet."
Maybe because she'd never led a project like this.
Hyorin hadn't decided on the mural's image yet.
Seeing her dilemma, the owner glanced at me, then spoke to Hyorin.
"Mind if we chat for a bit?"
"Chat?"
"Yeah, talk about the mural, and I've got some questions too."
Questions?
Hyorin glanced at me cautiously.
"Should I go alone?"
Oh man, you dummy.
She was still watching my reaction to the end.
Honestly, she didn't need to go that far for me. Why was she acting so subservient?
I told her.
"I'm busy with prep here. Go on your own."
"He says that's fine, so shall we go inside and talk?"
"Ah... yes. Sure."
With that, the owner took Hyorin into the shop.
'Whew.'
Now that I'd ended up assisting because of the owner's suggestion.
The situation felt awkward, but also a relief in a way.
All this time, Hyorin had been sacrificing for my shortcomings.
Maybe that's why.
I'd pushed hard for the owner's proposal this time.
Whatever the case, hoping this chance would boost Hyorin's confidence in her skills, I kept working diligently...
Bang!
Suddenly, Hyorin burst out from inside, flinging the door open.
'What?'
Stunned for a moment, I saw her face flushed beet red.
Thud!
"Uh..."
And she just ran off.
Staring at her fleeing back, I muttered in confusion.
"Why... why?"
Daeun, who had been listening, jumped up from her seat with wide eyes.
"Mommy ran away?"
The owner grinned nonstop, nodding as if it was hilarious.
"Yeah, can you believe it? So funny."
Daeun tilted her head repeatedly.
"Why run away? Daeuni doesn't know why Mommy ran."
"Probably even your daddy doesn't know. Right?"
"Oh, me?"
Yeah, back then, I never properly heard why Hyorin fled.
"Now that you mention it, I don't think I heard."
"Exactly."
Daeun shouted with eager anticipation.
"Daeuni's curious! Tell Daeuni! Why did Mommy run away!"
Daeun was curious, and so was I.
Hyorin came back after a few hours.
And once she did, both she and the owner acted like nothing happened and dove right into work.
"But seriously, what did you talk about in there? I'm curious too."
"Hmm, talk..."
The owner eyed us playfully, then shook her head.
"Nothing much."
"Come on, tell us! Daeuni's super duper curious!"
"Really, nothing much. I just shared one fact."
"One fact? What?"
"That your mommy should paint what she wants to paint."
"What? You said that?"
When the owner first described the mural's theme, she wanted it to evoke happiness for viewers.
So I assumed it was related...
"Yeah. I'm sure that would be the happiest picture your mommy could paint."
No, I couldn't fathom what the owner was thinking.
The very moment I thought wanting to paint it made it the happiest picture.
Daeun yelled.
"That's right!"
Affirming the owner's idea.
"You'll see when you look at the picture! Mommy was super happy!"
"Y-you can see that?"
"Yeah! Daddy, look!"
Scrape! Grip!
Daeun suddenly jumped up, grabbed my hand, and dragged me outside.
The mural again.
It should have faded without care, but thanks to Hyorin's repairs while working here, it stayed pristine.
At first, I thought it coincidence, but now it seemed deliberate.
'Don't tell me all of this was...'
Seeing the painting, I was swept by strange emotions.
The reason she intentionally revised it while working here, no accident.
Whatever started it, I could sense Hyorin's thoughts in the revisions.
'Did she want to depict our whole family?'
A man and woman standing back-to-back, holding hands, gazing at the rising sun.
That was Hyorin's original painting on the wall.
But later overpaints added one more figure.
Right between the man and woman.
Daeun.
"See what Daeuni means?"
Maybe because I'd heard everything.
The mural stirred new emotions in me now. And I understood what Daeun meant.
"Yeah... you're right."
Hyorin's own revision.
It held all her feelings.
Love, happiness, and the belated addition of Daeun.
But the emotion it conveyed was something else.
The happy family Hyorin had longed for so desperately.
'Thank you. For adding Daeun.'
"Now you see Mommy's face!"
For the first time, I saw the exact scene Daeun saw.
The emotions of the painter.
"Mommy really is smiling."
Hyorin's expression as she painted felt vivid before my eyes, like a video.