Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: My Daughter is a Genius Painter 064
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"Wha-what? How... how did you..."
Painter Oh looked pretty shocked at Director Go's sudden appearance.
Well, anyone would be surprised to see someone who should be in Seoul show up in Daegu.
"Is that a problem? Did I show up somewhere I'm not supposed to be?"
Director Go was still keeping up her usual frosty attitude, but for some reason, her eyes seemed to be smiling...
Zzzt-!
Nah, maybe not.
"Painter Kanghyeok Lee."
"Yes?"
"We seem to have a lot to talk about, don't we?"
"Wh-why the sudden formal speech..."
Even at my question, Director Go stuck to her sharp tone.
"Right? Why do you think I'm suddenly speaking formally?"
Aha ha. Looks like she found out that I'd asked the manager to bring her down here.
Seeing the manager's expression from behind her only confirmed it.
'Sorry.'
The manager bowed his head and mouthed an apology. I gave him an awkward smile and mouthed my thanks.
'Thank you.'
Anyway, that was sorted.
The real issue was Director Go.
"I-I'll explain everything later."
"You'd better. If you dragged me here for no reason, you'll pay dearly for it."
Eek. Once again, I got the feeling I absolutely could not afford to get on her bad side.
Not if I wanted to live a long life.
"Anyway."
She glanced around at my suggestion to talk later.
"You've decorated it pretty nicely."
At Director Go's comment, Painter Oh asked in a still-flustered voice,
"Wh-what? How did you even get here? You said you were busy."
"Yeah, I was busy. But someone was up to something so interesting that I had to come down."
With that, Director Go strode right into the exhibition hall.
At her abrupt move, not only I but Painter Oh and even Daeun hurriedly followed her inside.
As she slowly walked through the inner space lined with various paintings, appreciating the works, Director Go spoke in her usual icy tone.
"Looks like you haven't just been slacking off. Your technique has definitely improved since I last saw you in Seoul."
"I spent all day painting thanks to someone."
Oof. There was some bite in Painter Oh's words.
But Director Go didn't pay it any mind and kept walking.
"Meeting and parting... When I first heard the theme, I thought it was some elementary school essay assignment. What middle-aged guy gets all sentimental."
"I don't think it's the kind of thing that deserves that jab. You're the one acting childish with your sarcasm."
"Who's being childish? Seems like you're the one sulking like a kid."
Uh, um...
Did I make a mistake calling Director Go here?
They say fights between spouses are like water off a duck's back, but the vibe between these two felt downright scary.
It even made me glance nervously at Daeun amid their bickering.
"D-Daeun, sweetie. Want to go grab some snacks?"
"Snacks?"
"Yeah, Painter Oh said there were some left from yesterday. If you're hungry, let's go eat."
I was trying to give them space to talk without us around.
"You should stay right here."
"Yes?"
"It'd be nice if you thought about whose presence is keeping me from losing it."
Her words carried layers of meaning.
In other words, Director Go was...
'Definitely pissed off.'
And what was keeping her anger in check was none other than Daeun.
She bent one knee to the ground and pulled a chocolate milk from her luxury bag, offering it.
"If you're hungry, have this."
"Wow! A gift from Director Go!"
"Of course. Shall we look at more paintings?"
"Yes!"
After Daeun's enthusiastic reply, Director Go glanced at me and Painter Oh before standing and continuing her walk.
Her viewing of the works lasted over an hour like that, finally stopping when she reached the very room where I'd first met Painter Oh on opening day.
"This room..."
Director Go's expression changed as she entered the final room.
Up until then, it had been her signature blank look, but now her eyes softened just a bit.
As if the space itself held some story.
Seeing her reaction, Painter Oh gave a wry smile.
"You remember it, huh."
Remember what? I wondered, but then Director Go shot back.
"No idea what you're talking about."
"Tch. You do remember. After all the days we spent together, you think I can't read your face?"
At that, Director Go awkwardly averted her gaze, as if embarrassed. But Painter Oh had already seen through her.
"I tried to recreate it as faithfully as possible, and your reaction tells me I nailed it."
A room expressing the theme of meeting and parting.
It seemed the true owner of this room was someone else.
"You used to love coming in here."
"......"
"You said it was quiet and calming. Some days, you'd spend the whole day in this room."
A faint nostalgia settled on Painter Oh's face as he spoke.
"Back then, just seeing your face made me happy. I wanted to stay by your side every day, play with you, hold you, kiss you..."
Painter Oh's voice trembled faintly as he continued.
"But I never thought you'd leave like that. If I'd known, I'd have loved you more. Played more, made you happier..."
I'd heard that story once before.
From Director Go herself.
At Painter Oh's reaction, Director Go asked coldly,
"So you made this room to remember those times?"
Painter Oh Sangmun looked up, meeting Director Go's eyes squarely, then slowly shook his head.
"No."
"Then?"
"To show it to you."
"What?"
"I made it hoping you'd see this room."
A room made for a Director Go he never thought would come.
"I didn't really think you'd show up, so being able to show it to you like this is such a relief."
With that, Painter Oh approached the blank wall. He stood there quietly for a moment, staring at it, then...
Rip!
He grabbed the protruding edge on one side of the wall and peeled off a whole sheet of wallpaper. As if it had been set up that way from the start.
Everyone was stunned by what was revealed.
'Th-that's...'
The wall beneath the wallpaper was densely covered in shapes that looked like someone had drawn pictures on it.
Director Go, confirming the drawings...
Whirled around and stormed out of the room.
* * *
I followed Director Go outside.
Daeun scurried after me.
"Director Go!"
She stood outside the museum, where visitors were entering through the entrance for the viewing.
As I called out loudly and approached, Director Go turned her head briefly, touched her face with her hand, then reverted to her usual frosty self.
"Why'd you follow me?"
"I was worried about you."
"Worried?"
That's when Daeun looked up at her and asked,
"Were you crying, Director Go?"
"Yeah?"
At the question about crying, Director Go shook her head.
"Who cried? I didn't cry."
"Really?"
Nod.
"Of course. Anyway, why'd you really follow me? I'll be heading back in soon."
Normally, Director Go wouldn't have come out, but today was a special day.
I was worried about her, but I also wanted to talk to her, so I'd followed.
"But Director Go, you might think this is overstepping..."
"Normally, you'd be right to keep quiet."
Her tone was firm, but this time, I didn't back down.
"I'm saying it anyway. Any chance you'd consider calling Painter Oh back to Seoul? If you're fighting, maybe make up."
At "make up," Director Go's expression shifted oddly.
"Make up? I've never fought with my husband."
"You probably haven't fought. But you're still pushing him away."
"Pushing him? Me?"
"Isn't that what it is?"
Director Go seemed not to understand what I meant.
"Hmm, I don't know what you've heard or how, but I've never pushed him away."
That wasn't pushing away?
Then what was it that I'd heard?
"You told Painter Oh to go down to Daegu."
"So... you're saying he's been in Daegu all this time because of that conversation?"
...Yeah.
What was this? Her face was the same as always, but her tone—or something—sounded incredibly angry.
"Ha, unbelievable."
Even that exasperated tone.
"I don't know what your husband told you or how he spun it, but back then, this is what I said to him: If we mope around grieving, it'll hurt him up in heaven. So let's each focus on our work and pull ourselves together. There was work in Daegu anyway, so I told him to go and sort his feelings out."
"Y-yes, is that really what you said?"
If Director Go was telling the truth, it was just a suggestion to take time apart to heal from the grief through work.
In a word, overcome sorrow via your job. A very Director Go-like proposal.
But Painter Oh had taken it differently. As in, live separately forever.
"No wonder... After that day, he went to Daegu and never came back up."
"No, then why didn't you contact him? You could've just asked why he wasn't coming back to Seoul."
"Well, both he and I were busy."
Even so, how could...
By my standards, it was utterly incomprehensible.
Painter Oh misinterpreting her words, and Director Go not asking why he stayed down there for years.
'Whew. Head's spinning.'
That's when Daeun, who'd been listening to all this, suddenly called out to Director Go.
"But Director Go!"
Even mid-conversation, Director Go kindly answered Daeun's question.
"Yeah? What?"
"Those drawings in that room earlier. Who drew them?"
At that, Director Go furrowed her brow slightly and answered honestly.
"My daughter drew them."
"Ah! Then Daeun knows!"
Suddenly claiming she knew, Daeun shouted loudly.
"Knew what?"
"Those drawings. They were pictures of Mommy and Daddy."
Huh? Mommy and Daddy drawings?
There was nothing resembling parents in those scribble-like shapes.
But they looked different in Daeun's eyes, apparently.
Director Go showed great interest in Daeun's words.
"Th-there was something like that?"
"Yes! Want Daeun to show you?"
Nod.
Director Go nodded, and Daeun grinned, grabbing her hand and tugging.
Thud thud!
Holding Director Go's hand, we made it back to the inner room.
Seeing Director Go return, Painter Oh approached in surprise.
"Y-you're back?"
Before Director Go could answer, Daeun pointed at the drawing and spoke first.
"Here! This is what Daeun meant!"
And what she pointed to was...
"......You're right. It really is there."
Three figures that looked like a family, drawn small.
"Yes! Daeun did good, hee hee!"
They looked extremely happy.