The Mysterious Art Museum

Chapter 14 (1) - The Mysterious Art Museum

Ikseon-dong.

I came out to draw portraits again today, but there are no customers.

After spending two hours just wandering around the neighborhood without a single customer, I took out my phone and checked the MG Electronics website.

"Today's the day of the contest announcement."

I probably didn't make it. The picture I submitted doesn't really match a refrigerator design.

A refrigerator advertisement poster, maybe, but engraving a picture on the refrigerator itself is overly extravagant. I wasn't expecting much, but clicked on the contest winners announcement out of curiosity, only to find my name wasn't there.

However, a name that makes me happy is listed.

"Wow! Youngju won the Excellence Award!"

It's not the grand prize, but she won second place.

If she knew, she would have called me by now, but since there's no call yet, she must be busy and hasn't checked.

Looking at the time, it's 5:40 PM.

The docent program usually starts at 11 AM, 2 PM, and 4 PM, so she probably just finished the last session.

I call Youngju, and she answers right away.

- Hey, Junghoon.

"Youngju, congratulations."

- ...Huh?

"Haven't you checked? You won the Excellence Award."

- Really?

"Yeah, check it out. Congratulations, my friend."

- Really? Really? If you're lying, I'll rip out your guts and hang them on top of Namhansanseong!

"Ha, crazy. What an analogy. It's true."

- Yessss!!!!!!!!

Her voice fades away, but I can hear her shouting excitedly.

Seems like she's alone somewhere, maybe in a restroom. I feel happy hearing my friend's joyous shouts.

After a while, Youngju comes back to her senses.

- What about you? How did you do?

"I didn't make it."

- Oh...

"It's okay, I didn't expect much when I submitted that picture."

- That's why you're an idiot. Why did you submit such a picture? Silly.

"Ha, yeah."

Why did I do it?

Because I wanted someone, even just one person, to see it.

I felt it was too precious to keep to myself.

I congratulate Youngju again and hang up.

Then, I notice I have seven missed calls on my phone.

I must have missed them because my phone was on vibrate in my bag. But what is this phone number? I've never seen it before. These days, even telemarketing calls come from cell phone numbers, so I don't usually answer unknown numbers.

I throw my phone back into my bag, muttering.

"Korea is such a great country. People are overflowing with offers to lend money."

It's funny because if you actually apply for a loan from those who call to offer, they check your income level and situation, only to end up telling you that the loan is rejected.

Why do they even call if they're not going to lend money?

As the evening approaches, bringing more people, I hope someone will ask for a portrait as I watch people passing through the alleyway.

I love this time.

The paper I use for customers' portraits is too precious, so I usually sketch passersby in a small sketchbook I carry.

An artist is a being who captures moments eternally.

Kimon Nicolaides said this.

Learning to draw is the same as learning to see things accurately.

To draw well, you first need to observe well.

Artists are those who attribute more than just the visual meaning.

During these times, I observe people and analyze the motion of the human body through quick sketches. Some artists even study the human body to the extent of looking up pictures with skin peeled off to reveal the muscles. This time is very important for an artist.

Then, I spot an incredibly beautiful foreign woman while observing the people.

"Wow, is she a person or a goddess?"

She has the radiant beauty of Aphrodite herself.

People who met her walked aside hesitantly. She was not only beautiful, but her eyes, fashion, and walk exuded a charisma that somehow intimidated people.

I quickly started sketching to draw her.

I looked at her, then at the sketchbook, then back at her, and I noticed that she started looking at me.

Sometimes people get upset when I draw them without permission. It's a shame, but it's better to stop before I make trouble. I pretended to look elsewhere and watched her. She was with a Korean woman and said something to her, then came straight here.

Damn, I'm caught. I quickly turned the sketchbook and started drawing the neighborhood.

I thought she might say something if she knew I was drawing her. The place where I was sitting was a little away from the route where people moved. The only people who came here were the ones who lived here.

Therefore, the two people coming to me meant they had something to do with me.

'Oh, this is a headache.'

I had this kind of thing before.

At that time, the police came and took away the picture I was drawing, and I had to write a pledge that this would never happen again before I was released.

The two people who came to me in no time. I sighed and looked up.

"I'm sorry."

The foreign woman didn't seem to know Korean, so she looked at the Korean woman.

The Korean woman didn't translate for the foreign woman, but spoke to me.

"Are you Ban Jeonghoon?"

Huh? How does she know my name?

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