The Reborn Genius of an Arts High School - Chapter 143

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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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Chapter 143.
The third year, second semester proved quieter than expected.
The final semester wasn’t drastically different from before.
It only felt like any other second semester, no different from always.
The Special Class curriculum wasn’t significantly different from the previous semester either.
Of course, since Han Mu Yeong despised boredom with an almost pathological intensity, he brought new lessons every time.
There wasn’t a single class that resembled previous ones, and true to his word about making the final semester a time to play.
Classes with progressively lighter themes continued.
Rather than exhausting works that Ye Ji had agonized over and conceived from the depths of her mind,
She quite enjoyed the time spent lightly painting new works at Han Mu Yeong’s suggestion.
Classes where artworks were completed using only a single paint color.
Classes where everyone worked on wide transparent acrylic sheets, then overlapped all the works together.
It was a pleasure to go through processes she would never have attempted alone—exercises like these.
And she appreciated how the finished pieces that emerged were impossible to create by herself.
Painting while working, painting while resting, painting while playing.
Though such a life was somewhat amusing, the satisfaction was immense.
Regular subject classes inevitably continued with the same rigorous instruction as an advanced course, and most were replaced with college entrance portfolio preparation.
Given such circumstances, Ye Ji focused even more on the Special Class lessons.
As Special Class lessons continued, the relationship between her and So Min….
…….
…….
hadn’t changed significantly.
They still passed each other in the Special Class without greeting.
Since they weren’t close enough to be friends, Ye Ji didn’t feel any particular need to improve her relationship with So Min.
Of course, since the Special Class consisted of only five students—a select few.
They were bound to encounter each other constantly, so Hae Yun seemed somewhat concerned about it.
Just as Hae Yun wasn’t Ye Ji’s spokesperson, Ye Ji had no reason to take the initiative in reconciling Hae Yun and So Min.
No matter how much So Min admired her.
Actually, being somewhat distant from everyone seemed more natural than being on good terms with all.
Just as one has close friends one likes and gets along with, it’s normal for people to have those they find awkward or dislike to some degree.
However, So Min—now without that distinctive acidity—appeared more at ease than before.
“It looks like Han Mu Yeong and our teacher have made up. …Probably?”
That news Han Gyu had passed along likely had some influence.
Ye Ji thought no further than that.
As time passed that way,
some rather good news came from Se Hee, who had been making the rounds at auditions.
It seemed several renowned domestic designers had decided to feature Se Hee in their shows.
Se Hee, who had begun building her own career through her own efforts, grew considerably more confident.
The corridors of the third-year hallway, dull and subdued.
Even in an atmosphere where everyone was careful with their words, Se Hee’s cheerful voice breaking the silence had a surprisingly positive effect.
Everyone relaxed adequately, each waiting and anticipating their own coming achievements,
able to summon new strength.
Of course, that perspective belonged strictly to other departments.
In the Model Department, where they were each other’s competitors, quite a few people seemed to resent her.
Ye Ji had felt it herself—a sensitive time.
Hadn’t she too been disliked for the single reason of standing out?
Se Hee’s situation was probably not so different.
But Se Hee wasn’t the type to be easily pushed around, so no problems serious enough to worry over had ever arisen.
“Hey! There was a fight in the Model Department!”
“Oh, hey hey! No way! No, it’s over!”
Most situations were resolved by Se Hee at almost the same speed rumors spread.
“Who am I? I’m Se Hee Park~!”
She seemed to have her own way of navigating such situations.
Moreover, according to Hyun Min, who had wide connections….
“Se Hee Park—scarier than she looks…. Really glad she’s on our side.”
Ye Ji was curious by what standard she was considered “their side,” why such rumors circulated, what tactics she was employing….
A little curious, certainly,
but she decided not to look into it.
“Ye Ji~ Da Hye~! Let me eat lunch with you guys today too~!”
It was enough that she remained an unchanged, carefree, and bright friend to her.
In any case, after eventful times had passed and school life grew peaceful,
graduation approached day by day.
It felt unreal, and ordinary days that seemed eternal simply continued.
Organizing the summer uniform, now stained with paint marks that seemed impossible to wear again,
enjoying the school festival,
the long summer—everything was a succession of the qualifier “for the last time, never to return.”
In that time, Ye Ji occasionally thought of her seniors from the Special Class last year.
In retrospect, she wondered how foreign she must have seemed to them.
And yet how well they accepted her—gratitude struck her anew.
Buzz—
On a peaceful autumn day,
Ye Ji, enjoying the sunlight streaming through the classroom window, gripped her buzzing mobile phone tightly.
Rushing out of the classroom so as not to disturb her classmates during self-study, she checked the screen belatedly.
It was a call from an unknown number.
The number starting with 010 seemed too genuine to be spam.
Ye Ji answered the call.
“Hello?”
—Hey, is this Ye Ji’s number?
The voice coming through the receiver seemed oddly familiar.
A man’s voice, approaching old age after his middle years.
Where had she spoken with someone like this before?
“Ah… yes, this is. Who might this be?”
As Ye Ji asked while thinking, the answer came immediately.
—Ah! How’ve you been? It’s Grandfather Lee Hak Soo! I saw you before with Hae Yun.
………?
Lee Hak Soo, the person she’d seen with Hae Yun….
—I saw you at your studio, …you don’t remember?
As Ye Ji fell silent, retracing her memory, she finally recalled who he was.
Lee Hak Soo, dean of the Korea University College of Fine Arts.
It was his voice.
***
Lee Hak Soo’s sudden contact had a clear purpose.
He proposed meeting up without preamble.
Of course, she hadn’t yet heard the purpose of that meeting.
She’d asked, but he said he’d explain once they met in person.
Not wanting to press an adult further, she agreed and set a date for the weekend.
So the weekend arrived.
Ye Ji, feeling oddly déjà vu, tidied her messily cluttered studio.
When she concentrated, she naturally paid attention to nothing else; and having come in and out working during the semester,
“That’s all excuses! You just don’t organize your space at all!”
Hyun Min groaned and helped her tidy up.
Around the easel, the floor was littered with empty paint cans, and some bore footprints where they’d been stepped on.
“I keep telling you to collect all the used paint in one place!”
“…I thought there was still paint left in them.”
Ye Ji muttered a half-protest as she reorganized the hardened brushes and all sorts of materials along with the paint.
The only world Ye Ji could control was the one on the canvas.
If someone could manage everything else too, they wouldn’t be human—they’d be a god.
“Why didn’t you close this one? It’s all hardened!”
“If it hardens, I’ll just buy new ones.”
“What…. Sometimes, looking at you, I think you might be the chaebol, not me?”
At Ye Ji’s endlessly generous—no, extravagant—attitude toward art materials, Hyun Min shook his head.
Usually he helped her clean up bit by bit, but these days the situation was different.
Hyun Min had grown quite busy with College Entrance Exam preparation coming ever closer.
With both occupied for different reasons, tasks like cleanup—lowest priority—had accumulated.
Moreover,
‘When someone wants to meet here, there’s usually only one reason….’
With so many good cafés throughout Seoul, why specifically come here?
Usually it was because they wanted to see Ye Ji’s work.
So before showing anyone else, at least the surroundings needed to be tidy.
Not that she was particularly trying to make a good impression on Lee Hak Soo.
But Lee Hak Soo was Hae Yun’s acquaintance, wasn’t he? And an adult?
She couldn’t show a guest such a mess.
“But why does the dean of Korea University’s art college want to see you?”
To Hyun Min’s question, Ye Ji had no real guess, so she shrugged.
“You’re not even going to college anyway—at least try to get me in somewhere.”
Hyun Min said it half-jokingly as he gathered empty paint cans into a large bag.
At that, Ye Ji tilted her head.
“Shouldn’t you say that to your mom instead?”
“Hey…. That’d be real nepotism.”
“Then is what I’m doing fake nepotism?”
What kind of conversation was this?
Ye Ji and Hyun Min giggled while muttering nonsensical jokes.
Though it was still autumn, the exertion made it feel quite hot.
Once she’d cleared out the studio trash and dumped it outside, she felt quite refreshed.
It was a task she’d had to complete eventually anyway; might as well get it done now.
Just as the tidying finished,
Dean Lee Hak Soo arrived with fortunate timing.
“Hello.”
“Ah, yeah. Ye Ji. You’ve been well?”
Lee Hak Soo responded to Ye Ji’s greeting with unexpectedly warm familiarity.
Was it from years of teaching?
He seemed accustomed to conversations with young students, his manner gentle and considerate.
After greeting Ye Ji, he exchanged greetings with Hyun Min as well.
“Hello. I’m Hyun Min Kang, a friend of Ye Ji’s.”
“Oh, yes. Nice to meet you. I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before—have we met?”
Lee Hak Soo laughed good-naturedly as he spoke, but it wasn’t mere chitchat.
At his mention of finding Hyun Min’s face familiar, Hyun Min laughed awkwardly.
Lee Hak Soo, together with Hae Yun, was also acquainted with the former SS Group chairman—Hyun Min’s grandfather.
Should he mention who he was, or was it unnecessary information?
As Hyun Min hesitated, the timing for disclosure slipped away.
It was because of another person accompanying Lee Hak Soo.
“This is Professor Kang Sang Chul, the admissions director of Korea University.”
Huh?
At the introduction of this unfamiliar person, Ye Ji and Hyun Min exchanged glances.
The joke they’d made while cleaning came to mind.
‘Is this seriously a group gathered for nepotism?’
Why would the admissions director be here?
To see Ye Ji, of all people?
Kang Sang Chul’s eyes, with their somewhat intimidating expression, felt piercing—though it might just have been her imagination.
Though the confusion wasn’t resolved, Ye Ji and Hyun Min ushered the two inside.
They couldn’t very well leave them standing outside.
As she brought out some simple drinks, Ye Ji couldn’t hold back and asked first about their purpose.
“So, what brings you….”
At Ye Ji’s immediate question, Lee Hak Soo paused for a moment.
Where should he start the story?
After a brief pause, Lee Hak Soo opened his mouth again.
“You’ve heard of special admission, haven’t you?”
She’d heard of it.
She’d seen articles about celebrities, mostly child idols who’d been active since young, getting into university that way.
She wasn’t sure exactly what that system entailed,
but it seemed like a separate pathway for students, different from ordinary admission.
As Ye Ji nodded, Professor Kang Sang Chul, the admissions director, withdrew a document and handed it to her.
“This time, Dean Lee Hak Soo has recommended you for the Global Arts Talent Admission Category.”
……Me?!

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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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