I Became A Renowned Genius At My Arts High School - Chapter 177



Only Noblemtl

Episode 177. Dramatic Open (2)

No matter how I looked at it, it was strange.

‘It’s already been a few days since it rained. And yet, I’m still this excited?’

While everyone else was running around making stepping stones and arrows, Soo-hyun activated detective mode and explored the surroundings.

‘And isn’t this the only place like this? Even though it’s blocked by the trees, it’s not like the sun doesn’t shine at all, so it’s just strange that it’s all muddy here.’

Just in case, I looked at another place close to the booth, and there was soft, dry dirt there.

There were circumstances that raised suspicions of intent.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?”

Steve noticed Soo-hyun running around busily and approached her, asking her.

“If there wasn’t a hole in the sky, why would it be so muddy here?”

Soo-hyun immediately shared her doubts.

Steve’s brow furrowed as soon as he heard the whole story.

“Frankie, is that them?”

“I have a strong suspicion. It’s also because you came to our side and said things that got on our nerves earlier. It’s also because you made an unreasonable bet in the first place and kept picking fights with Peter.”

“hmm.”

However, it was frustrating because the suspicion only grew and there was no evidence.

That was when.

“no way.”

Soo-hyun turned her head and said.

“restroom.”

“uh?”

“Our booth is close to the bathroom. Maybe they brought water there and sprayed it?”

“what?”

“Wait a minute, Frankie and his team just walked over there.”

“That’s right.”

“They said we smelled like poverty, but then they giggled and said it smelled like a bathroom.”

“that’s right.”

“But the bathroom is further past our booth. It’s on the side of the road, so you can’t see it from here.”

“… … !!”

Steve, with a serious expression on his face, walked back down the path Frankie and the others had walked, checked his vision, and burst out laughing.

“Oh, right. Those guys already knew there was a bathroom here.”

“And there’s no sign. Of course, if you’ve been here before, you might know, but why is it so suspicious?”

In an instant, sparks flew into Soo-hyun and Steve’s eyes. And.

“I’ll take care of the women’s bathroom.”

“I’ll search the men’s room.”

The two, who had joined forces, each headed to the bathroom with a serious look on their faces.

And after a while.

“Want to see what I found?”

Steve came out carrying a bunch of hoses with a rotten smile on his face.

“Who kept this hidden away in the bathroom closet?”

“Ha, it’s a real horse?”

“Isn’t it incredibly long? It should be long enough to reach our booth. And look here. The hose is covered in dirt.”

“I guess he put it down on the dirt floor and turned on the water. That must have gotten mud all over the hose.”

“Yes. And you left it like that.”

“Maybe he didn’t clean it up in time, or maybe he’s planning to splash around a few more times when he gets the chance?”

“I guess so.”

Looking at the clear evidence, Soo-Hyeon could hardly help but laugh.

Are you doing this because you have nothing better to do after eating?

“How far will it go?”

Soo-hyun asked with a cool smile.

“what?”

“Did those guys do it on their own, or was the organizer also involved?”

“well.”

Steve thought for a moment and then opened his mouth.

“Even if not all of the organizers, one or two of the people involved might have been involved. If they were going to do something like this without people knowing, they would have at least known how long it would take to avoid being caught.”

“Then there is no need to announce that we have solved this problem by using our wits.”

“Yes. For the time being, it would be better to pretend to be in trouble quietly and wait for an opportunity.”

“Yes. There is also a saying that criminals return to the scene of the crime.”

“If they try to do something again, it would be better to set a trap and fall for them properly.”

After reaching an agreement between the two of them, Soo-hyun and Steve suppressed their boiling anger and returned to the booth to do what was necessary, while keeping a close eye on the management team that showed up late.

From their flustered appearance, it seemed like they weren’t directly involved, but they hid the fact that they had solved the problem, keeping in mind a possible internal helper.

After spilling everything like that, Taylor’s faces became something to behold.

“Peter.”

Martin looked at Peter with a serious face.

“me?”

“Be honest.”

“what?”

“Is it really a woman’s problem?”

“What? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“No matter how I look at it, it looks like it was Frankie and those guys’ doing it, but you’re the one who’s desperate because they can’t catch him.”

“however?”

“You’re going to do this because of a woman? I don’t understand. Think about it carefully. Are there any other incidents? Are there any mistakes you’ve made?”

Peter frowned for a long time at those words, his face becoming serious.

“Because I’m more handsome?”

“Arai.”

“Oh, my ears are rotting.”

The Taylors shook their heads in genuine annoyance, and Peter made a funny face before turning serious and saying:

“Okay. No matter how coolly I look at it, it seems like someone intentionally poured water on our place, so let’s be alert. And leave the hose job to me.”

“uh?”

“If Frankie is the mastermind, I think I know how to catch him.”

Peter shook his head with a properly heated expression.

***

The next morning.

Fortunately, there were no other accidents at the venue, and Taylors quickly moved to install the devices they had made the day before.

On the still squishy dirt floor, wooden planks were firmly fixed to create an interesting stepping stone bridge, and a sign with an interesting phrase was also erected saying that another world would open up when crossing the bridge.

Upbeat music flowed through the speakers, and bold arrows made of masking tape crossed the space, pointing out the exact location of the booths.

Everything was ready, now we just had to wait for the people to arrive.

Cheeeeeing-.

In a converted food truck, a torch ignited a fire and melted shards of glass.

Peter was working with a rare serious look on his face.

Whoop.

Soo-hyun also took a deep breath and strode towards her workbench.

It was a clear day.

I’m really looking forward to what will happen.

Meanwhile, the booths at the entrance of the event venue were crowded as soon as they opened.

New York Big Wave Art Fair.

Although it is an event that has just started, influential industry figures have been showing up one after another as it is an art fair planned by New York City with great expectations.

With so many outstanding rookies participating, people were flocking to the event, either with the desire and ambition to secure future stars that could be nurtured, or simply to enjoy the event.

“Damn. You see? There’s Bucky and Jackie over there.”

“On the first day of the event, I thought I’d get there right on time for the opening. Oh my gosh. My heart started pounding like crazy.”

“Calm down. Stand naturally. Don’t shake and blow your chance.”

Among the new artists, those who had already established a affiliation were relatively free from the burden of introducing and selling their works, as the booth manager dispatched by the gallery took care of it.

On the other hand, the writers who were in charge of everything from planning to sales were trembling with tension.

When the big names that we had only heard of from afar showed up at the event and their eyes sparkled like those of a beast hunting its prey, some of us looked quite intimidated.

“Wait a minute, there’s a stain here.”

“Really? Oh, really?”

“Give me something to clean quickly. It has to be displayed in perfect condition without any flaws. Who would buy a work of art that was put together carelessly?”

“Here’s the wiping cloth. And this amount of leaflets should be enough?”

“That’s enough. Wouldn’t it be better to move the table slightly over here to better suit the flow of visitors?”

“Okay. Let’s lift it now.”

However, newbies who had some experience were able to demonstrate concentration quite skillfully.

Of all of them, the one that exuded the most professional scent was definitely Frankie’s team.

“Is this a new mirror piece?”

A collector approached Frankie with interest in his work.

“Jeff, how long has it been?”

Frankie greeted the collector with an exaggerated gesture and a bright smile.

“I saw you at a party two weeks ago, so it hasn’t been that long.”

“I wanted to tell you about that party. It was so great and wonderful. I heard you’re planning on having another big one next month?”

“That’s right. Actually, I need a piece to showcase there, but I haven’t found anything I like yet.”

The collector looked around the venue with an indifferent expression, then smiled vaguely. At that moment, Frankie’s eyes lit up.

“Then my new work might be a good fit.”

“hmm?”

“The title of this work is ‘Exploration.’”

Frankie began to explain, reaching for his mirrored artwork.

“As you can see, this mirror is made by connecting several long mirrors at various angles.”

“Hmm.”

The collector frowned and examined his work.

The mirrors, which were connected like a folding screen, had a slightly different angle on each side, forming a winding shape, allowing a refreshing view of the surroundings, as if they were eyes at the back.

“This is my place. This is where the true value of my work is revealed.”

Frankie grinned as he placed the Collector’s body in front of a certain mirror.

“oh.”

The Collector straightened up as Frankie instructed and let out a short exclamation.

“Do you know why the title is Exploration?”

“Hmm. If I stand here, I can naturally observe the entire room. It reminds me of the mirror trick I used to do as a child.”

“That’s where I got the idea from. However, each mirror in this piece has a name.”

Frankie chuckled and pointed to the small writing engraved on the mirrors.

“Luck, danger, love, predator, clown, trash, fate. You get the idea, right?”

“Haha. That’s funny. So the person reflected in this mirror becomes my luck, danger, trash, or destiny at that moment?”

“Yes, it is fun to watch, but it can also be a chance to reflect on relationships or create new ones. What do you think? Isn’t it the perfect piece for a party?”

“Hmm.”

A collector who shows interest but has a worried expression.

“Well, it’s nice. But I’m not sure if it’s the right size.”

“What size?”

“There are pillars in the party hall, so I need a piece that won’t interfere with them. I’m not sure about this one because it’s long. Haha. Anyway, because of the location, it’s harder to find a suitable piece.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Let’s look around some more and then talk again.”

“Okay, as much as you want.”

The Collector left, and Frankie grumbled, unable to hide his hurt pride.

“Ha, that guy. It’s clear he had no intention of buying the work in the first place.”

“what?”

“Just a few months ago, he was the one who came to me and asked if I had any new work. But now, I’m getting such a lukewarm response, so I guess he’s thinking of buying something different this time.”

“no way.”

“Well, you’ll probably end up coming back, right? You’ll need a piece that really grabs attention, and it won’t be easy to find one that’s suitable for a fancy party.”

“Yeah. And even if it’s not Jeff, there are plenty of big shots out there.”

“That’s true. There are some huge players over there right now.”

Frankie looked at the other group of collectors with a sullen expression, then met their eyes and smiled brightly, a salesy grin.

however.

“… … .”

“… … .”

As lunchtime passed and no response was received, a heavy silence descended on Frankie’s booth.

furthermore.

“Where did everyone go?”

Frankie said nervously.

“Could it be because the venue is too large?”

“Even if it’s wide, it would have been time to go around twice more. The exit and entrance are on this side, so where did all the visitors who came in disappear to?”

It was a strange thing.

It’s already been three or four hours since the waves of spectators that had been pouring in began to overflow inside.

No matter how slowly I looked around, the people who should have appeared before my eyes when I turned back were nowhere to be seen, as if they had evaporated.

“Surely there isn’t another entrance?”

“That’s not it. There is a passageway for employees to enter and exit, but visitors will only be allowed to enter and exit through this door.”

“Ha, then what the heck is going on?”

That’s when Frankie was pounding his stuffy chest with his fist.

“… … ?”

“……what?”

On the other side of the street, I saw a group of people laughing and talking with excited faces.

“What, you’re only coming out now?”

“Yeah. But, what is it?”

“Everyone is wearing something around their neck?”

Frankies frowned and fixed their gaze.

Soon their eyes caught sight of a strangely shaped necklace.

It was a necklace made by stringing together pieces of hose and glass beads.