The Reborn Genius of an Arts High School - Chapter 139

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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 139.
It hadn’t been long since Ye Ji decided she wouldn’t go to university right away.
Still, her resolve to stay in Korea and continue her work there hadn’t changed.
So if she were to go, she’d considered whether a domestic university might be acceptable.
But watching friends around her throw themselves entirely into getting into good universities, she found herself thinking many things.
How to put it.
‘Maybe I just don’t need it anymore…’
Third year of high school—that peak season of academic fervor.
Among friends staking their lives on entrance exams, she felt somewhat apart.
More than that, really—she felt a sense of alienation.
The reason was simple.
‘I’m already doing it enough as it is.’
The goals her friends had—once they got into university, they’d travel freely, get their licenses, date.
Beyond that, take good classes, gain good credentials, land a job somewhere prestigious, or hold an exhibition.
Those goals that other students needed university for didn’t apply to Ye Ji.
She’d already learned much through her special classes with Yeong-gwa, and now she was simply busy applying those lessons to her paintings.
At this point in time, university might actually become more of a constraint than anything else.
Right now, she wanted to focus only on painting, not on university life.
‘I like painting too, but I don’t think I could ever live like that, not even if I died and came back.’
It was something Hyun Min had said once.
Shaking his head as he watched her pour all her time into painting.
Different people valued different things, after all.
Some people just wanted to live at their own pace.
At least, that seemed to be the type of person Hyun Min was.
When Ye Ji heard that from Hyun Min, she’d thought about it.
Not everyone thinks like I do.
I still want to focus more on painting.
Once she’d reached that conclusion, Ye Ji found she understood even less why she should go to university.
“Still, these days you need at least some academic credentials to do anything…”
Hak Su, who’d been saying this much, seemed to notice the contradiction in his own words and hesitated.
Academic credentials were, after all, a kind of résumé.
A record that during that time, she’d received this level of education and was capable of completing it.
But Ye Ji already had competition award records at a level that could surpass such things.
“…Well, of course those things aren’t strictly necessary, but…”
As Hak Su trailed off, what he might mention next
was something Ye Ji had already considered.
“That’s true. People can’t live by painting alone, so learning other knowledge and meeting diverse people is certainly important.”
When Ye Ji finished Hak Su’s thought for him, he brightened and nodded.
“Right! That’s it. They say young people should have all kinds of experiences. So you really should go to school when you can.”
At Hak Su’s words, confirming that’s what he’d meant, Ye Ji smiled faintly.
No wonder he was Hae Yun’s friend—his true feelings showed right on his face.
Hak Su was a man who, even in his later years, had pride in his work and a sense of mission about it.
His earnest demeanor was appealing, but unfortunately Ye Ji already had a reason to refute his argument.
“Exactly. For now, let me do what I want to do, and I can enroll in a couple of years anyway—I’ll still be young enough.”
It wasn’t as though Fine Arts Departments didn’t have repeat and third-time applicants.
Whether she studied with her age group or a few years younger classmates, her position would be different from ordinary students either way.
If anything, being older might even reduce any awkwardness she’d cause among her peers.
This was something she’d felt watching Ha-eun last semester.
If she was going to stand out anyway.
In a country like Korea, where distinctions for elders are so clear, being older would earn admiration rather than resentment.
“So, for now, I’m not thinking about it.”
At Ye Ji’s words, having already considered every aspect, Hae Yun couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
Hak Su’s expression had gone somewhat vacant from being so thoroughly refuted.
“…It’s that you don’t like wasting time, isn’t it?”
Whether it was muttering to himself or a question, Ye Ji scratched her cheek at Hak Su’s murmur.
The nuance was a bit different, but
when you came down to the conclusion, it was the same thing, so she didn’t deny it.
Certainly, at the start of this year, her intention had been to enjoy what would be her last school life and minimize outside activities.
But in the end, whenever a good opportunity came near, she’d reach for it.
“I think I’m someone who’s quite greedy. I keep pushing myself too hard.”
Ye Ji wanted to live long and healthy.
That way, she could paint so many more of the things she wanted to paint.
The youth she could enjoy at this age, the diverse knowledge she could learn.
Painting was just as important to Ye Ji as all those things.
So, for now, she didn’t want to push herself too hard.
“I’m putting off what can be put off and doing what I want to do first.”
At that point, Hak Su seemed to give up trying to convince her, nodded, and acknowledged Ye Ji’s perspective.
With her will this clear, there was nothing he could do about it.
In fact, whether it was him or anyone else who came, convincing her would be difficult.
“In any case, thank you for looking kindly on my choice.”
“Is there just one or two people who think well of you? Ah, that’s really too bad.”
Hak Su, speaking with feigned nonchalance, sipped his coffee.
At least he didn’t seem displeased, so that was fortunate.
“Oh, that reminds me. Didn’t you say you had something to tell me?”
At that point, Ye Ji steered the conversation and asked Hae Yun.
The stories that followed were ones Ye Ji was hearing for the first time—surprising yet welcome news.
***
In his conversation with Ye Ji, Hak Su found himself amazed multiple times.
How could such a young person think so deeply, leaving an old man with nothing to say?
She’d already finished grasping what she needed.
But that was one thing.
“Ah. Right. It’s nothing big, but next summer we’re holding an exhibition in Montrebleu.”
“…Really? Truly? That’s not nothing at all.”
Now she was hearing about it for the first time?
With Ye Ji’s surprised response, Hae Yun, with a sheepish expression, launched into the details about the exhibition.
Watching the two of them talk afterward, Hak Su couldn’t help but be a bit surprised.
He was most surprised by Ye Ji’s manner of treating Hae Yun—someone even graduate students found difficult—as if she were a regular neighborhood elder.
“Director Marc does want to bring in anyone who makes good work, so since you two developed a separate connection, I’m happy about it too.”
Second, he was struck by the fact that Hae Yun’s exhibition was an opportunity added through Ye Ji.
And at how satisfied Ye Ji looked about it.
Was it only he who found this situation strange?
Han Gyu and Hae Yun merely had their usual attitudes.
Was he the one being inflexible, thinking someone would feel hurt to their pride taking an opportunity from a young student?
Was he the rigid old man, more than Hae Yun after all?
As Hak Su began this sudden self-reflection, the three of them continued their warm conversation.
After exchanging news for a while, Hae Yun subtly changed the subject.
“So, how’s the work for the New York exhibition coming?”
At Hae Yun’s question, Ye Ji nodded.
“Always the same. I’m working well.”
From her answer, Hak Su could definitely confirm that this student Ye Ji was quite unusual.
Usually someone would choose a safe, uneventful response.
But there was pride in her work evident in her answer.
Unlike her polished, courteous manner before adults, her bland first impression and ordinary appearance, she had a notably strong sense of self.
At that point, Hak Su grew curious too.
“You’re preparing pieces for the New York exhibition? I’m curious.”
As Hak Su revealed his curiosity, Hae Yun quickly assented.
“Ah, well… it’s a bit messy, but if it’s alright with you, would you like to see?”
At Ye Ji’s words, Hae Yun rose from her seat as if she’d been waiting for exactly this.
Han Gyu, curious as well, got up and asked too.
“You’ve got a lot of pieces already done?”
“I’m just preparing steadily. The more pieces, the better anyway, right?”
“That’s true. …You’ve heard that, haven’t you, sensei?”
“…What is it, you brat?”
To Han Gyu’s jesting, Hae Yun pretended to punch him and shot back.
The three of them, exchanging banter with each other, seemed truly close, so Hak Su felt oddly about the whole situation.
Quite differently from how people in arts management typically had superficial affectations.
Han Gyu was someone whose passion for art was strong enough that even Hak Su acknowledged it.
That was why he’d introduced Han Gyu to his close friend—because of his stubbornness.
He was the talent that friend desperately needed.
That Hae Yun and Han Gyu, whom Hak Su respected, appeared quite excited to see her work—and unfinished work at that.
‘Wait, this…’
Hak Su realized belatedly.
He’d been taken advantage of by those two.
The excuse about introducing him to Ye Ji had been just that—an excuse.
In their hearts, they’d clearly come here wanting to see Ye Ji’s work.
The looks they kept giving him, urging him to hurry up, made that obvious.
“Huh.”
It was absurd, and it was funny.
Just what kind of paintings was she making to enchant so many people?
With a short, wry laugh and growing curiosity, Hak Su climbed up to Ye Ji’s studio.
Could it be because he’d been in the cool, air-conditioned air just moments before?
The warm air of the studio, with its large windows wide open, felt almost pleasant.
Situated as it was halfway up the mountain, the chirping of cicadas poured in through the wide-open windows.
In the grass-scented air full of sunlight, dozens of works gleamed even brighter, stretched across the space.
Though each varied in degree of completion.
“Is that the piece you submitted to the Blank competition being developed as a series?”
“Yes, it turned out to be more interesting than I thought. The way gemstones are cut changes their appearance completely.”
Listening to the conversation between Hae Yun and Ye Ji, Hak Su carefully ventured further inside.
Paintings that held diverse possibilities and yearning, restrained in their color harmony.
Most were brilliant and vivid works, but within them lay a strange consistency.
“……”
Only when faced with the works did Hak Su realize, without knowing it himself, that he’d underestimated Ye Ji.
She was only nineteen after all.
Most prodigies who became famous in their teens simply had good fortune, that was true.
Of course, some talent and wit had to support the luck for luck to follow at all.
But generally in such cases, the fame tended to be a bit exaggerated compared to their actual ability.
‘I thought she was that kind of person…’
She wasn’t.
Unfinished works, nearly completed ones, works just beginning.
Seeing it all at once made it clearer.
Ye Ji was the prepared type—someone who knew how to seize the chances that came her way, who could turn even a passing breeze into opportunity.
Which is why she must have thought deeply about how to use her time that well.
The restrained emotion felt in the works.
And the energy contained within.
From every element, who Ye Ji was as a person came across clearly.
It was surprising that a young genius possessed the caution usually found only in those who’d spent years unknown and struggling.
Yet the passion that felt hotter than summer’s heat certainly held the boldness of her teens.
All the more reason Hak Su found himself drawn to her.
As an educator, teaching the finest students was his life’s goal and joy.
Even if she seemed like a finished genius, people always find inspiration in learning at any stage.
If he could influence her growth—it could be a profound source of pride.
But if she went to university a few years from now?
‘Who knows if I’ll feel this way then.’
Even if he felt the same, there was one crucial problem.
He’d already passed the mandatory retirement age and was serving as provost, holding the position of emeritus professor.
In plain terms, he had at most two or three more years, after which he was scheduled to step down from teaching.
Once his thoughts reached that point, a single desire began to take root in Hak Su’s heart.
If it were possible.
A desire to break Ye Ji’s firm decision and recruit her.

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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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