I Became an Artist in a Romantic Comedy-Chapter 115

Of course, I still held onto the memories of Sanya, but I am now Lee Ha-Eun.

A completely different person from the deceased Sanya.

"Let’s end the story of the already dead. Let me tell you what I’ve gone through."

"Useless..."

"Oh, come on. Useless, why? This is also a kind of painting."

Right. Let’s go all the way back to a very distant past.

Let’s start from when I was four. How about that?

At my question, the angel stared at me for a moment. Then, she turned her gaze to the horizon. The sunset was still there.

"Painting..."

She murmured, pausing for a moment before speaking.

"Of course, even if you don’t want to hear it, I’ll still tell you."

"Then why ask?"

"Just out of courtesy."

The angel looked at me like I was crazy, but whatever. I had already been called every name under the sun.

After clearing my throat slightly, I continued.

"Originally, I never wanted to draw again. But something changed when I was four."

Thus began the chronicle of my journey.

***

The sound of Low-Hwa’s footsteps echoed through the hallway.

Tap-tap. Tap-tap.

I turned my gaze to the sound of the rain hitting the window.

Just moments ago, there wasn’t even a cloud in the sky, let alone rain.

But as soon as Lee Ha-Eun entered the [Angel], the rain began to pour down.

I glanced at the window for a moment before moving forward.

I stopped at a certain point, facing the door stacked with packages.

All of them were packages containing Sanya’s belongings.

This was in front of the studio that Sanya used to work in.

Apparently, Lee Ha-Eun thought that someone still lived here, so she didn’t go inside.

After a brief thought, Low-Hwa pushed the packages aside.

Since he was the one using this one-room apartment, his steps into the house were light.

But his heart was as heavy as it could be.

Originally, he had intended to send those packages to Lee Ha-Eun.

He had been excited, thinking about how beautiful the paintings would turn out if drawn with the old equipment.

But that thought quickly faded. Was it really the right choice?

If he had to choose between the tools he got from his family and the ones filled with regrets...

What was there to think about? Of course, it was the former.

And so, he couldn’t bring himself to send them. He wondered if there was any need to bring up the past.

‘Should’ve burned them all earlier...’

Sanya’s belongings were originally supposed to be taken by the teacher, but...

That was something Lee Ha-Eun wouldn’t want.

Soon, he planned to burn them all at once.

Once inside the small apartment, he couldn’t help but notice how different it was from his past life.

The dark room was nowhere to be found, and bright light now filled the space.

It was neither too large nor too small. But when Sanya had worked here, it always felt cramped.

“Hmph. I guess I won’t have to deal with this place anymore.”

Crossing his arms, Low-Hwa glanced around the room before slowly blinking his eyes.

In the center of the room, there was nothing, but something seemed to flicker in Low-Hwa’s vision.

An armless chair. An oil canvas. And a young boy—no, a young man, sitting in that chair.

—“How nice it would have been if my teacher were my father.”

“......”

He blinked again. There was nothing in the room. No chair, no canvas, no person.

Nothing at all.

“I must be getting dementia, too.”

Even seeing illusions...

...What does this have to do with anything? Should I really go to a mental hospital?

Sighing, he walked closer to the only window.

The rain was still falling, and there were no people on the streets. This was, after all, a slum.

A student who had lived in such a place for years. A poor soul who, in the end, never showed the world the brilliant light he had inside and withered away.

At the end. If, just at the very end, Low-Hwa had come looking for him, would Sanya’s life have been different?

He shook his head and sighed inwardly.

It was all in the past. There was no point in thinking about it; it only gave him a headache.

With his eyes still focused on the window, he held his phone in his hand.

He dialed a number and made a call.

[Hello?]

“Oh, uh, this is Low-Hwa from Room 444. I’d like to move out, please.”

Low-Hwa still found it difficult to speak formally to someone.

***

The angel's mental state was beyond words.

What reflected in her eyes was neither the sunset nor the horizon.

It was the man beside her, staring vacantly at the world’s edge.

It was because of Sanya, no, Lee Ha-Eun.

She wanted to say something, anything, but her mouth wouldn’t open.

She listened to his story and heard about Lee Ha-Eun’s life.

A life that was incomparable to the lives of the masterpieces—so much happier.

She wanted to be petty, to feel some spite, but...

Somewhere in her heart, she felt relief. That’s what she thought.

Perhaps a life with someone by your side is what a successful life truly is.

Lee Ha-Eun’s figure was caught in the angel’s eyes.

‘Yeah. I should let go.’

Once, he was a father, a friend, a lover.

But without a word, he disappeared, and now, almost twenty years later, he had returned.

The bad man.

Thinking this, she finally spoke.

"You look happy."

"Hm? Yeah, I guess. After all, I have people who love me."

Lee Ha-Eun, who had been absent-minded for a moment, nodded slightly, surprised by her words.

"Though, my health isn’t great. That’s a bit of a flaw."

The angel nodded in agreement as Lee Ha-Eun scratched the back of his head, looking a bit uncomfortable.

She had heard enough. She understood his situation well.

"If I go outside, my power will disappear."

"You had power?"

"Of course. Is that why your personality is like this?"

"Should I take that as an insult? Right?"

With an arched eyebrow, Lee Ha-Eun asked, and the angel simply laughed.

The man, who didn’t suit pride.

He taught joy to a fox.

He showed travel to a fish.

He gave hope to a girl.

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He gave happiness to a puppy.

He created brief encounters for a parrot.

And he disappointed the parents who were always angry.

[Dragon] was a painting born out of all that.

That’s why he sent it down there. Beneath the endless clouds of the illusionary world.

As I told this story, Lee Ha-Eun’s expression began to change.

"Why? Honestly, you didn’t want to see the dragon either, did you?"

"Well... I guess so."

Lee Ha-Eun briefly avoided her gaze before staring at the sunset.

The last one was the angel.

To the young angel, I showed a painter who deceived the world.

This, perhaps, was my birth.

As the words faded, a quiet silence settled between us.

We both just stared at the orange sky.

***

Hmm. It’s a relief that the angel didn’t eat the dragon.

But, is it still falling?

Of course, since this is the angel’s world, she could bring it up here, but it seems like she has no intention of doing that.

Honestly, I’d rather not see the dragon. It’s really scary.

It’s always angry, right? I can’t even imagine what kind of reaction it would have when it sees me.

Also, the painting was of Sanya’s parents, so... I’m not sure I want to see it either.

Maybe after some time, I’ll visit. I can’t just avoid it forever.

It’s not good to discriminate.

But, the angel is the youngest? And the dragon is her older sister?

Hmm... Reverse sibling roles...

I felt a bit dizzy at that thought, and the angel looked at me strangely.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Ugh, how boring.”

The angel chuckled and stretched her arms.

Then she waved her hand behind her.

I turned my head, wondering what she was up to, and then—

“Ugh!”

“Ouch!”

“Ahh, there’s no water here, so...”

“Yawn.”

“Woah!”

Oh, look. All the masterpieces are here, even the dragon down below.

“Ugh. Look at them coming right in as soon as I opened the door.”

The angel furrowed her brow and complained.

The ones who had discovered me rushed over to greet me and exchange pleasantries.

It had been a few months since I had seen them.

Even Sieren and the Nine-Tailed Fox, it had been almost a year.

Seeing their joyful faces, I smiled and returned the greetings.

“More importantly, tell Rou Hua when you go outside.”

At that moment, the angel looked at me with a serious expression.

The sudden change in atmosphere made me tense up, and I looked back at the angel.

“I... I drew you way too cute. I should’ve kept that decadent look from before—.”

“Aww, our youngest looks just right now, doesn’t she?”

Before I could respond, Sieren approached and started cuddling the angel.

The angel squealed, irritated, but with her body now so small, she couldn’t defeat Sieren, who was taller than me.

Soon, the others joined in and ran toward the angel. Ha ha.

‘They’re so close.’

Yeah, families are supposed to be like that.

Taking care of each other.

Love is simple.

It’s about accepting and embracing everything about the other person.

Even if that includes anger, hatred, and other negative emotions.

Only by accepting and understanding all of that can it truly be called love.

Watching them bicker, I smiled softly.

I felt like my role was done now.

I turned my head and looked at the now darkened night sky.

The stars, which were hard to see in the real world...

Were shining so brightly.

‘Maybe I should try painting.’

I left the illusionary world three hours later.