The Reborn Genius of an Arts High School - Chapter 109
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 109.
At first, he thought the staff was handling it carelessly.
Han Sung Electronics was a global conglomerate, after all, and he’d assumed everyone wanted to work with such a company.
But gradually, that perception began to shift.
‘She’s not an ordinary person.’
He saw star quality in Goyo’s work.
In the arts and entertainment world, there existed a special talent that could only be described one way.
It was a kind of talent difficult to categorize or pin down.
If he had to explain it, it was the ability to capture people’s gaze and heart, perhaps?
Goyo was a painter who possessed that quality.
“Ahem.”
As the appointed time drew near, an unexpected tension washed over him, and he cleared his throat.
The meeting venue itself was a private room in an exceptionally upscale sushi restaurant.
It was the sort of place that political and business figures often used for confidential meetings.
He’d chosen this location deliberately, matching the apparent desire for discretion.
Soon, the sound of footsteps approaching the room echoed through the space.
Just what sort of person would “Goyo” the artist turn out to be?
As he waited expectantly, gazing at the door, he froze.
“……?”
The restaurant staff had brought two students.
Siblings, perhaps—though they didn’t quite seem to be.
Two students whose expressions bore a remarkably composed absence of tension.
At a timing that felt distinctly wrong, the female student among them stepped inside first.
“Hello. It’s an honor to meet you.”
A neat, demure-looking female student with a gentle image.
“I’m Goyo.”
Jae Hyun, who had been momentarily blank, quickly gathered himself and managed his expression.
“Yes, it’s a pleasure. I’m Kwon Jae Hyun, Executive Director of Han Sung Electronics.”
Though taken aback, he habitually maintained his courtesy and exchanged a handshake with Goyo.
Now that he thought about it, he’d had an extremely expensive, fine sake standing by….
Jae Hyun turned to an attendant, his voice noticeably deflated.
“Cancel the alcohol, and……bring cola instead, please.”
He had a strong premonition that much of what he’d carefully prepared was about to become pointless.
***
‘Wow…. What kind of restaurant is this?’
Ye Ji was looking at the interior of an upscale sushi restaurant for the first time in her life.
She was struggling to keep her gaze from constantly wandering around the surroundings.
She wanted nothing more than to walk around and explore—the place was that beautiful.
While resisting the urge to take photographs.
“I’m Kwon Jae Hyun, Executive Director of Han Sung Electronics, currently heading our marketing division.”
Jae Hyun introduced even the secretary sitting beside him.
At the sight of him introducing his companion as well, Hyun Min stepped forward to introduce himself.
“I’m Kang Hyun Min, and I’m supporting Goyo’s artistic activities.”
After observing the atmosphere briefly, Hyun Min added deliberately:
“I’ve heard about you from my brother. He’s Kang Hyun Seung, Director of SS Group.”
“Ah, SS Group’s…….”
The younger brother of SS Group’s Director Kang Hyun Seung?
Jae Hyun, who had been nodding, flinched a beat too late.
Even if he considered this merely the younger brother of a major conglomerate executive, it was quite unexpected.
But if he was talking about Director Kang Hyun Seung, then surely…….
Jae Hyun, visibly flustered, whispered something quietly to his secretary beside him.
Upon hearing his words, the secretary, startled beyond measure, dropped the tablet PC she’d been holding.
The sight of Jae Hyun and his secretary exchanging meaningful glances and nodding.
What they were saying and why they were so surprised was painfully obvious.
Unlike Hyun Min, who had stayed hidden from media exposure, Hyun Seung was a famous chaebol heir.
There was no way someone managing marketing for a major corporation wouldn’t know him.
Hyun Min smiled and nodded as if confirming their reasoning.
“Ah, well…… that is….”
With Hyun Min adding conviction to their speculation, Jae Hyun became visibly flustered.
He even straightened his posture, then, realizing the reaction was excessive, shifted back to his original position.
At his flustered demeanor, Ye Ji’s expression wavered between wanting to smile and wanting not to.
She wasn’t sure if revealing Hyun Min’s background was necessary for this meeting.
Yet amid the awkward atmosphere, only Ye Ji maintained her composure.
She picked up the appetizing dishes covering the table one by one and ate.
The portions were small, but the taste was certainly there.
“Well, I see. This is quite…… to meet with the artist Goyo like this, the world’s connections are truly mysterious, aren’t they?”
Jae Hyun, offering awkward laughter, finally managed to pull his attention away from Hyun Min with effort.
After all, the star of this meeting wasn’t Goyo’s manager, but Goyo herself.
With professional composure, he soon gathered his wits and began steering the conversation.
Since this meeting had been arranged only after Goyo’s side had relented from repeated refusals, Jae Hyun naturally guided the talk toward things that would appeal to Ye Ji.
There was some exaggeration, perhaps.
But it didn’t all feel empty.
Jae Hyun appeared to have been deeply impressed by the Celian popup he’d seen in Paris.
“That delicate blue light, the fragrance, the entire atmosphere. It was the most beautiful and overwhelming sight I’ve ever witnessed at any event venue.”
As someone in the planning business, he said he’d felt almost envious.
Jae Hyun looked like an ordinary middle-aged man, but he possessed a more refined manner of speaking than expected.
Even as he praised Ye Ji, it didn’t feel like excessive flattery.
His impressions of Goyo’s work held genuine sincerity from having witnessed art.
At his high praise for the Celian popup, Ye Ji’s heart softened somewhat.
Though she hadn’t noticed immediately—the table was large—a faintly familiar fragrance had drifted across to her as she sat.
It seemed Jae Hyun had even applied the Celian fragrance.
“Thank you. I’m glad you appreciated it. As an artist, I’m pleased.”
Ye Ji didn’t hide her gratitude for the praise.
If her previous encounter with Celian had involved Seong Su as an intermediary, this time Ye Ji was the protagonist from the start.
It felt different, though not particularly uncomfortable.
Whether it was a major corporation or anything else, it was the other party who wanted this contract, not Ye Ji.
As the atmosphere gradually loosened, Jae Hyun broached the main subject in earnest.
“I’m not sure if you’re interested in technology news, but we arranged this meeting because of an ambitious new product we’ve been preparing lately.”
What they wanted was buzzworthy publicity for their new product.
Simply pouring money into advertising wasn’t enough.
Han Sung was already a company with global recognition, after all.
As Jae Hyun began explaining, the secretary produced a sleek briefcase that looked like something from a spy thriller.
After unlocking various security codes and opening the case, inside lay a smartphone.
The unusual thing about it, however, was….
“We’re planning to be the first to commercialize a smartphone with a foldable screen.”
Year after year, phones that looked similar.
Han Sung intended to break that mold and introduce a new form of technology.
“Given the brilliant display quality we offer, we’re confident that if the artist’s work—known for beautiful colors and delicate refinement—partners with us, it would create excellent synergy.”
Ye Ji finally understood clearly why they’d been so eager to find her, a painter, specifically.
Using brilliant, beautiful color artwork to showcase superior display quality.
It was a very direct and effective approach.
“You might know, but we’ve actually faced criticism that our products lack emotional appeal compared to competitors.”
While confident in technology, they needed to supplement the weaker aspect of design.
They’d determined that collaboration with Ye Ji, whose visual elements stimulated people’s emotions, was essential.
Along with that explanation, Jae Hyun handed over a preliminary contract, which Ye Ji accepted.
As she scanned the contents, Jae Hyun continued his explanation.
“Of course, the specific usage method would require discussion, but what we’d like to propose is adding a Goyo Edition to the product launch.”
Contracts, somehow, always did this to her.
Unable to take in the contents at a glance, she hesitated, and Hyun Min took the document from her.
At that sight, Jae Hyun became noticeably more anxious and fidgety.
He reached for a water glass, then set it down, sipped some beverage, then picked up chopsticks instead.
“That……!”
As Jae Hyun kept glancing at Hyun Min examining the contract, he added somewhat hastily:
“As for the contract fee, that’s just provisional for now. Just provisional, so please consider it a reference. Yes….”
Ah, right. Since it was a contract, the amount would naturally be specified.
Ye Ji, who hadn’t given it much thought, grew curious and tilted her head, and Hyun Min pointed to one section of the contract.
The amount written on the contract was a staggering 3.5 billion won.
While not an insignificant sum, it felt so unreal that she couldn’t quite grasp it—if that made sense.
As both of them merely responded with a kind of “well, I see” reaction, Jae Hyun began breaking into a cold sweat.
“That’s just filled in as reference. You only need to look over the detailed terms carefully.”
Why was he so apologetic about it?
Once she thought about it that way, something did start to click.
“…….”
Wasn’t the person sitting beside her a chaebol heir?
From that perspective, the amount might feel like pocket change.
Though admittedly, it was quite a substantial sum for Ye Ji herself.
‘It’s not like I particularly need more money right now….’
It was hard to feel the necessity of this contract based on money alone.
Sensing the dragging atmosphere, Jae Hyun added urgently:
“Ah! That’s right—you were interested in charitable activities too, weren’t you?”
The reason why Goyo’s side, which had shown no clear response until now, had finally accepted the meeting.
[Beyond the new product launch, discussions about global charitable activities would also be possible….]
It was the mention of charitable work.
As Jae Hyun looked to his secretary, she handed Ye Ji a thick file folder.
Contents written so densely in small text that it made the eyes dizzy.
Indeed, perhaps because they were a global company.
Just the materials summarizing sponsorship details were enormous.
Planning to examine it carefully later, Ye Ji closed the file again.
“For now, I think it’s not bad.”
If it was money that could be used for good purposes.
It would be a worthwhile choice, trading rest for meaningful impact.
However, since there was no need to decide hastily at this meeting, Ye Ji gave a measured response.
“I’ll review it and contact you again.”
At Ye Ji’s words, Jae Hyun brightened and nodded.
“Ah! Yes, of course. Feel free to leave whenever you’d like.”
“Then we will.”
Ye Ji rose from her seat without hesitation at Jae Hyun’s words.
Hyun Min also carefully gathered the materials he’d received, then stood with a bow.
After quietly slipping out of the restaurant, Ye Ji turned to Hyun Min casually.
“……Want to grab some tteokbokki on the way home?”
“Yeah, let’s do that. Grab some and head back.”
Though the restaurant had been excessively gorgeous and beautiful, whether due to the uncomfortable atmosphere.
The two friends, feeling unsatisfied despite the smooth conversation, headed straight to a street food restaurant instead.
Still, it hadn’t been a bad meeting.
***
After the two left the restaurant.
Jae Hyun and his secretary sat in silence a while longer, lost in thought.
Though they hadn’t yet learned exact details, both appeared to be barely twenty years old.
Yet they had completely commanded the atmosphere of this meeting.
“…….”
“…….”
Hyun Min’s demeanor was at least understandable.
Having grown up as the son of a chaebol owner, a meeting like this wouldn’t have been particularly uncomfortable.
“But does Chairman Shin Myung Hee even have two sons?”
His secretary answered his question.
“There are rumors of a second son, but he hasn’t engaged in public activities.”
But the resemblance was unmistakable….
Adding that, the secretary showed him a photograph of Director Kang Hyun Seung, registered as a businessman on the internet portal.
He’d become flustered and stumbled as well, but a secretary was a secretary for good reason.
After seeing the photo, which was practically evidence, Jae Hyun let out a long sigh and took a gulp of cold water.
Right. The son of a major conglomerate chairman.
That much made sense, but then what about Goyo? Who exactly was this girl?
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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