Chapter 7

The moment he said it out loud, even the students around them who had been voicing suspicions fell silent.

To shut down any doubts that might arise, Yeji had done all of her work at school.

Every student in her class.

She had intended to make all of them witnesses to the fact that she had personally painted that piece.

Naturally, that included Jian as well.

Hadn’t he seen enough during the shared evening self-study sessions and regular class hours?

What? What are you—”

Yeji was about to ask what exactly he was trying to imply, but Jian cut her off.

Or maybe you took some amazing lessons somewhere. Or got yourself some miracle medicine.”

Medicine?

This wasn’t America or Europe.

Comparing her to the trash who took strange substances in the name of art irritated her.

There was something annoying about his perfectly composed voice, hovering somewhere between praise and mockery.

“What, have you been watching too many TV dramas?”

Da-hye, who had been busily touching up her painting beside them, frowned deeply and looked up at Jian.

“It was a joke. Why are you taking it so seriously?”

Jian let out a small laugh and added casually,

“I heard you even quit the academy you were attending. But suddenly your skills improved by leaps and bounds. I was just curious how you did it. Thought maybe I could learn something from you.”

Kim Jian was the top-ranked student in the entire first-year art department.

He had personally seen Yeji paint this work.

So why would he say something like that now, in front of students from other classes and grades who couldn’t verify the truth?

Yeji could clearly feel the jealousy and malice hidden beneath his subtle tone.

Whether the allegations were true or not probably didn’t matter to Jian.

He simply wanted to plant a negative rumor while people were gathered here.

And if that rumor grew and affected her award chances, all the better for him.

“I don’t know.”

Of course, she had no intention of letting things proceed that way.

Facing his childish hostility, Yeji smiled faintly.

“I just spent all day painting in the same classroom and studio as you.”

She had openly shown every step of her process.

But what about Jian?

Oh, right. You were barely at school because of that expensive academy, weren’t you? So maybe you didn’t see it.”

“What?”

Jian looked genuinely caught off guard as the criticism was turned back on him.

Facing him, Yeji added another remark.

And besides, yours was watercolor, right? I never got a chance to see it. I’m curious what kind of piece you made.”

Watercolors dried relatively quickly.

If someone wanted to raise suspicions, watercolor would actually be more questionable than oil painting, whose canvases were much harder to move around.

After all, carrying a watercolor piece between an academy and school for someone else to work on would be far easier.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Kim Jian’s piece either.”

Da-hye joined in, glaring fiercely at Jian.

Jian looked even more flustered and hurriedly protested.

“What are you trying to imply? Everyone’s seen how I paint during class. Do you think I pulled some trick?”

This time Yeji answered him with an unwavering smile.

“I was joking too. Why are you taking it so seriously?”

Among the spectators, the situation had completely reversed.

Yeji’s painting was a work that represented astonishing growth.

Jian’s painting was a work whose process almost nobody had properly witnessed.

Having ended the conversation that way, Yeji decided to smooth things over.

She wasn’t looking to cause a scene.

Anyway, you’ll probably still be ranked first in the entire school this semester. What are you worried about?”

She genuinely meant it.

In Korea, being an honor student wasn’t simply about being talented.

Kids who were merely talented often ended up being labeled eccentrics.

Outstanding students were usually those who excelled at doing exactly what they were told.

Jian’s paintings weren’t really art so much as works perfectly optimized for Korea’s entrance examination system.

Standardized still-life paintings with strong, precise contrasts sharp enough to seem cutting.

If Korean professors or teachers were scoring them, Jian would undoubtedly receive higher marks for technical execution.

Besides, what I wanted wasn’t an award. I just wanted to create a painting that wouldn’t embarrass Chloe.

Yeji had no interest in obsessing over grades.

In the art world, grades were hardly a measure of success.

Moreover, her goals and Jian’s goals were completely different.

There was no reason for them to end up fighting.

But Jian saw things differently.

“This year’s judge is Chloe. You might end up being ranked first.”

The fact that the chief judge for the exhibition was someone far removed from Korea’s entrance-exam standards was a significant factor.

“What does it matter if my practical score is high? My academic grades are the problem.”

Yeji had intended that as a way to ease the tension.

Instead, Jian’s expression hardened instantly.

“Oh? So you’re saying your practical score will be higher than mine?”

Did he really have to phrase it like that?

Even after all this, Jian stubbornly clung to his hostility.

And Yeji saw no reason to reassure him otherwise.

The moment she let out a small laugh, Jian’s face twisted completely.

The atmosphere became one spark away from an explosion.

“Teacher! Teacher!”

Hyun-min’s cheerful voice rang out.

Following that booming voice was Ki-hoon, Class 1’s homeroom teacher.

“Teacher, you don’t really have anything to do during the exhibition anyway! Come join the after-party!”

“What nonsense are you talking about? Did you forget that final exams start right after this exhibition ends?”

As Ki-hoon was being dragged along by Hyun-min, he sensed the strange atmosphere.

Yeji and Jian facing off.

The students gathered around them quickly dispersed the moment a teacher appeared.

“……”

Anyone could tell they had been moments away from a fight.

Recognizing the situation, the teacher called out to them with a stern expression.

“Kim Jian. Lee Yeji. What are you two doing?”

“…Nothing.”

With his face red from anger, Jian brushed past Yeji, tapping her shoulder as he left.

“What a lunatic…”

Da-hye muttered irritably while glaring at the back of Jian’s head.

But Yeji seemed entirely unbothered.

Instead, she looked at Hyun-min.

When their eyes met, Hyun-min shamelessly flashed a V-sign with his fingers.

So he went and got a teacher before things escalated.

If he’d simply said they were about to fight, the situation might have become an even bigger problem.

So he had apparently come up with a convenient excuse to bring the teacher over.

Hyun-min might seem immature, but he was surprisingly skilled at handling people.

He had been the same when he accidentally injured her before.

Hadn’t he handed over his own card as compensation, leaving undeniable proof behind?

Since the situation had already been settled, there wasn’t much the teacher could do anyway.

“How am I supposed to let you guys out of my sight when you’re making me this nervous? Wait in the classroom. I’ll order pizza.”

“Oh! Make mine cheese-crust!”

“You go post an announcement in the class group chat! I’ll try contacting Jian myself.”

With that, Ki-hoon hurried off.

“It’s better if that guy doesn’t come…!”

Hyun-min whispered quietly enough that the teacher couldn’t hear.

His shameless expression made Yeji chuckle.

“You could’ve just left it alone.”

“Sure. Even if I had, it’s not like you would’ve lost.”

Yeji shrugged at Hyun-min’s comment.

There was no need to be enemies.

But there was also no need to be friends.

People who saw skill with their own eyes and still chose suspicion and malice were twisted from the inside.

They couldn’t even accept goodwill as goodwill.

If Yeji lightly provoked him here and there, Jian looked like the type who would dig his own grave.

Honestly, letting him ruin his own image wasn’t such a bad option.

“That’s not exactly good for you either.”

As if reading her thoughts, Hyun-min spoke firmly.

Then he immediately changed the subject.

“Hey, Park. You still not finished? Let’s go eat pizza.”

Hyun-min hauled the still-reluctant Da-hye to her feet.

After making a round through the exhibition hall, he managed to gather the rest of Class 1.

The students mixed together in a noisy crowd.

Because of the nature of an arts high school, each class only had around twenty students.

Spending every day together from morning until evening practice sessions had made them quite close.

Just as Hyun-min was about to leave behind Yeji, he suddenly stopped.

“……”

He turned around once more.

As though it might overflow and spill out at any moment.

The waves in Yeji’s painting seemed vividly alive.

[Full Bloom]

Just as the title suggested, flowers in full bloom lay submerged beneath the water’s surface.

The layers of paint were thick enough to create actual texture.

The volume made it feel as though living waves had been preserved in place.

It was not a work that could emerge from shallow technique.

Though filled with dark colors, it somehow stirred deep emotions.

“Full Bloom…”

The flowers had indeed blossomed fully.

Yet they remained unseen.

Trapped beneath deep water, unable to reveal either their fragrance or their true form.

Would those flowers ever rise above the surface?

Or had they already shone in their most brilliant moment and then sunk beneath the waves?

He found himself wanting to hear the story behind the painting.

To hear its interpretation.

Was this really the depth a seventeen-year-old could produce?

Having seen the works of countless masters, Hyun-min felt a strange sense of familiarity.

After staring at the painting for a while, he raised his phone.

Click.

With the sound of the camera shutter, Hyun-min finally followed after his friends.

“Ah.”

Ahem.

Yeji woke up, clearing her painfully dry throat.

Their homeroom teacher had definitely told them to go straight home after eating pizza.

But could you really call yourself seventeen if you listened that well?

Everyone had insisted on going to karaoke afterward, leaving her voice completely hoarse.

“Being young really is nice…”

Mentally, she felt exhausted by all the commotion.

Surprisingly, though, her body wasn’t tired at all.

“Congratulations, Yeji.”

“Honestly, I’m jealous. But still… I watched everything you did. It felt strange.”

“It made me think, maybe I could do it too.”

“Let me show you my paintings sometime! Should we start a study group together?”

Yeji replayed all the praise and congratulations in her head.

The scores hadn’t been released yet.

Still, even she was satisfied with this piece.

“Kim Jian was always kind of annoying.”

“Adults love him, so he probably thinks he’s somebody special.”

Even among their classmates, Jian’s jealousy had found little support.

The image he had carefully maintained—

The artificial model student who seemed designed by adults—

created a sense of discomfort among his peers.

As a result, the class was largely celebrating Yeji’s growth instead.

Whether they truly meant it or not was another matter.

But at least that was the atmosphere.

And because of it, Yeji found herself becoming hopeful.

Maybe, unintentionally, her grades would really rise dramatically as well…

Grrr…

She had planned to sleep in, but she was hungry.

Today was the opening day of the exhibition.

The day when both the general public and the judges would begin viewing the works.

She was supposed to visit with her parents that afternoon, so her morning was free.

Maybe I’ll eat something and do some painting.

Final exams for regular academic subjects were only two weeks away.

Technically, she should probably be studying.

“……”

She could think about that after eating.

Up we go.”

Why were modern beds so comfortable?

Getting out of them was never easy.

Back in my day, beds were stuffed with terrible cotton—

…?”

Her random thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of her phone.

An unfamiliar number.

It started with 010, so it probably wasn’t spam.

Hello?”

Answering absentmindedly, Yeji frowned at the voice on the other end.

…What? No, that’s not—”

Still half asleep, she grabbed the phone tighter and pressed it closer to her ear.

What did you say?”

What she heard was so absurd it went beyond disbelief and straight into anger.

My painting was damaged?”