The Reborn Genius of an Arts High School - Chapter 135

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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 135.
To show one’s work. And to have it recognized.
When cause and effect follow naturally like this, sometimes it’s hard to remember which came first.
And then came Young’s perfectly timed question, cast into that very moment.
“Yes, just being able to show it has value to me.”
Ye Ji traced back through her own heart once more.
“Money and recognition, of course they’re nice when you actually get them. But I don’t think I’m painting for those things.”
In any case, the direction her heart was pulling her remained steadfast.
But at her words, Young fell quiet, gazing out the window as if lost in thought.
Sitting carelessly atop the desk, speaking in that light tone of his.
Even if he seemed reckless and frivolous, he was a true adult—the kind you rarely saw these days.
Ye Ji knew there was deep anguish and conflict within Young.
But she couldn’t bring herself to ask what it was.
He was an adult, and not the type to burden a child with his own struggles.
He would likely continue thinking things through on his own, wondering what to do about it.
And somehow, it seemed like he might be searching for hints within her.
“The New York exhibition. Prepare well.”
Just as Ye Ji had sensed.
Young closed the conversation by offering her that encouragement.
It had already been a year.
During all that time knowing him, she’d learned much from observing him, just as he had taught her.
Like the words he’d spoken when first planning the lessons.
In those hours spent learning and growing together, they’d come to understand each other well enough.
“Yes, but….”
—Ding.
Before Ye Ji could finish speaking.
A message came through: her father had arrived at the school gates.
“I’ll just walk you to the car!”
Had he not heard because she’d trailed off?
Young smiled brightly and spoke again.
As Ye Ji made her way to the school grounds with Young’s cheerful assistance.
She didn’t want to pretend to know the things he deliberately kept hidden.
“Thank you for your help. I suppose I’ll see you next semester?”
“Right! Enjoy your break~”
Before meeting her father and getting into the car.
After exchanging light greetings, Ye Ji didn’t board right away—she stopped once more.
“I don’t think a work has to have clear reasons and concepts behind it to be complete.”
Ye Ji said to Young.
The young artist, who didn’t know how to fill the emptiness, hesitated.
“……What?”
“Empty spaces have their own meaning, don’t they? The artist doesn’t have to fill everything in, I think.”
At her words, Young’s usual composed expression crumbled.
Watching him like that, Ye Ji added one last thing.
“……It’s about the summer homework. See you later!”
It obviously sounded like an excuse.
But with those words, Ye Ji climbed into her father’s car and left the school.
Young stood alone in the empty school grounds, dazed for a moment.
***
The final exams passed without incident, and Ye Ji now found herself facing the last summer break of her high school years.
In the meantime, Hansong Electronics’ new product had achieved record-breaking numbers and was selling at tremendous speed.
The Goyo Edition was recording equally impressive sales figures, no less popular than the product itself.
[Ethan: What is this now? Ye Ji. This is you, right?]
[Elisa: I ended up not being able to get one :(]
The fact that even Ethan and Elisa were reaching out showed just how widespread it had become.
Unlike Celian, which appealed only to a specific consumer base because of its luxury status.
This new Hansong product had captured the attention of people around the world.
Moreover, the news that part of the profits would be donated to students from disadvantaged backgrounds drew even more interest.
Simply owning a special phone would be tempting enough, but adding the knowledge that it supported a good cause.
‘Since I was going to buy it anyway, I’d rather get the Goyo Edition.’
It was more than enough to plant such thoughts in people’s minds.
And the artistic sensibility that helped Hansong shed its image as a clunky, utilitarian brand captured the hearts of younger consumers.
As a result, just two days after pre-orders began, all available stock across every country had sold out.
Should they print more, or should they hold back for the sake of exclusivity?
An emergency meeting was called.
And since Ye Ji, the owner of the Edition, couldn’t be left out of such decisions.
She found herself having to return to Hansong’s headquarters—a place she’d thought she’d never visit again.
“Resale prices have already started appearing before the product even reaches consumers.”
Kwon Jae Hyun showed Ye Ji the meeting notes compiled by the staff and summarized the situation.
“It’s worst in America and China, and domestically there’s also some movement to resell with markups beforehand.”
The product was selling so well it was causing an uproar.
Ye Ji thought that was fine, but the atmosphere in the meeting notes seemed more serious than she’d expected.
Looking at notes that raised various problems but offered no solutions, Ye Ji addressed the fundamental issue.
“What if we just made more of them? If we sell more, we can donate more, which seems like it would be good.”
Even though it was an Edition, if the point was to maintain the charitable aspect, there was no real need to preserve exclusivity.
Most arrogant artists would have prioritized their work’s scarcity, but Ye Ji was different.
Hansong, which had expected to reject this approach, welcomed Ye Ji’s decision.
“See? I told you everything would work out if we got the artist!”
Having sized up Ye Ji after a few meetings, Kwon Jae Hyun proudly relayed her decision to the staff.
To all appearances, he was genuinely enjoying himself.
“My appetite’s been so good lately thanks to you that I’ve put on weight!”
Watching Jae Hyun laugh heartily, you could tell the Edition’s popularity was remarkable even from Hansong’s perspective.
In any case, with the work’s owner approving additional production, the previously tense atmosphere was resolved easily.
[Gave up premium status for sharing. Genius painter Goyo’s “good influence” on Hansong Electronics]
[Hansong-Goyo Edition breaks ‘limited’ official status! “Additional production confirmed for greater donations”]
As Hansong launched second and third rounds of pre-orders in response to the sellout, media attention continued longer than expected.
As people’s interest deepened, Ye Ji felt a small anxiety growing inside her.
What if more and more people started to realize that Goyo and Ye Ji were the same person?
Of course, having achieved this level of fame, she had to account for her identity eventually being revealed….
“But I mean, only special people would notice something like that, right? I wouldn’t be able to tell.”
Da Hye responded bluntly to Ye Ji’s anxiety.
In truth, recognizing a work just from looking at it required tremendous experience and skill.
Even those who had figured out Ye Ji’s identity so far matched that profile.
Industry veteran journalist Seong Jin Ho, the boy genius Ethan.
And even they had only caught on because they already knew Ye Ji and were interested in her before seeing Goyo’s work.
Would people at that level really have nothing better to do than compare high school painter Ye Ji with Goyo?
There were so many painters and designers in the world.
“……Yeah, I guess that’s true too.”
Even if her name became known, it wasn’t yet the right time for everyone to recognize her.
But that expectation could also be interpreted in the opposite way.
[Emma: Ye Ji! Were you Goyo?!]
[Emma: Why didn’t you tell me?!! You traitors!]
In reverse: if someone were a veteran with interest in both Ye Ji and Goyo.
They could potentially piece it together to some degree.
On break from school and focused on preparing for the New York exhibition, Ye Ji checked her phone and was slightly startled.
It was a group chat that Emma had created with Young.
[Young: Took you long enough to figure it out?]
[Young: You’re the one with no eye for detail. Not our fault.]
Before Ye Ji could even react to Young’s teasing tone, the two of them started bickering in the chat.
Was it because the Edition at Hansong had rendered Goyo’s work so perfectly?
Emma, who had been unusually interested in Ye Ji recently, had apparently figured it out right away.
What should she say to make her understand?
While Ye Ji was thinking, Emma’s next message came through.
[Emma: This is how it’s gonna come out, huh?]
[Emma: Just you wait.]
Wait for what?
To be frank, she and Emma weren’t exactly that close to begin with.
They’d only met two or three times, after all.
That’s why Emma’s somewhat exaggerated comment seemed playful.
Judging by the mischievous emojis she kept sending.
It didn’t seem like genuine hurt….
[You know, I wasn’t trying to deceive you….]
At Ye Ji’s words, Emma added another cryptic reply.
[Emma: That’s exactly it.]
[Emma: Just you wait!]
Why did this feel ominous?
Emma’s message, more mischievous than spirited, was hard to decipher right away.
But what Emma’s warning meant became clear the very next day.
Through an official email from BLANK New York’s exhibition planning team.
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Dear Artist Ye Ji,
This is the BLANK New York Exhibition Planning Team.
As we prepare your entrance into New York, the anticipation within our gallery has reached an all-time high.
…(excerpt omitted)…
We have decided to significantly expand the scale of your New York Solo Exhibition beyond the original plan.
Accordingly, the following promotions are being additionally discussed beyond our existing support:
1. Private View
Before the official opening, we will conduct a pre-sale by privately inviting select top collectors we manage, senior curators from major museums, and other prominent figures—an exclusive event.
2. Large-scale Outdoor Advertising Campaign in New York (City Takeover)
The specific locations are still being discussed, but we plan to produce a large facade banner at one of the key locations in New York City for promotion.
Support for the added events will be entirely borne by this gallery.
While some changes may occur during implementation, this gallery commits to actively providing infrastructure support for a successful exhibition.
We pledge full support so that you may focus solely on creating works for the remainder of the period.
Moreover, we hope you will be able to meet New York audiences with the finest possible results.
Thank you.
Emma Lee, Director of BLANK New York Exhibition Planning.
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Hyun Min and Ye Ji, along with Da Hye, who had gathered on the first floor of Ye Ji’s Studio, put their heads together to read the email.
“So basically….”
Da Hye borrowed Hyun Min’s laptop and read through the email once more.
Ye Ji belatedly realized what Emma had meant and pressed her palm to her forehead.
She hadn’t anticipated things would escalate this far.
The support was not just comprehensive—it was extraordinary.
Most striking of all was the part about inviting New York VIPs.
It was the kind of issue where simply having them purchase a work could elevate everything to a different level.
Just as people had become far more interested once Chairman Shin Myung Hee bought her work domestically.
“Lacking time for preparation… wouldn’t be possible.”
These were the real giants of the art world, people Hyun Min himself rarely had the chance to meet.
Even typically composed Hyun Min seemed tense, his expression hardening as he reviewed the schedule once more.
“Don’t do anything else before the New York exhibition. Just focus on these works. No exceptions.”
At Hyun Min’s emphasis, Ye Ji nodded with a dazed expression.
The New York exhibition would take place next spring.
It wasn’t an impossibly tight timeline for Ye Ji, but when you wanted to fill it with the best works, time was always insufficient.
“I’ll be busy again for a while.”
At Ye Ji’s words, Da Hye made a curious expression.
“‘Again for a while’? Weren’t you always busy?”
It would be faster to count the days she wasn’t busy.
At Da Hye’s remark, Ye Ji had no way to argue back.

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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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