I Became A Renowned Genius At My Arts High School - Chapter 240



Only Noblemtl

Episode 240. Ownerless Paintings (1)

“I feel like I went for nothing.”

Although she is only twenty-two, Park Seon-hwa has more experience than most veterans in this field.

The point is that we should not be disappointed or immature in separating the artist from the work just because the artist’s personality is different from his artistic world.

So, it was clear that there was another reason why Park Sun-hwa seemed to regret meeting Whitney.

“What happened?”

Su-hyeon asked Park Seon-hwa, who had been pacing around the studio with a disheveled look on her face, as she sat down.

“You were so excited that you went out earlier.”

“That’s right.”

Park Seon-hwa squinted one eye slightly.

“Actually, I didn’t even get to see the studio properly.”

“uh?”

“why?”

This time, my friends turned their heads and asked.

“Did something happen?”

“No, you spent your time properly. It’s been three hours, and you haven’t even looked around the studio. What have you been doing until now?”

“Um… …Watching a fight?”

Park Seon-hwa shrugged her shoulders. She looked quite embarrassed.

“A fight? Who? With whom?”

“It was a bit confusing because the conversation was mixed up, but I couldn’t understand everything. It seemed like he was a fan or a stalker. Anyway, I had a strange visitor.”

It was said that a total of five people applied for a tour of Whitney’s studio that day.

Three of them were white, one was Seonhwa, and the other was a Japanese woman who appeared to be in her 50s or early 60s. And the moment Whitney saw her, her complexion changed.

“He told the manager to kick out the visitor, saying that he had tricked her into coming in. The Japanese woman desperately clung to him.”

“Wow. What kind of relationship is that?”

“Well, it seemed like he knew Whitney, but I don’t know if he’s known her for a long time or if it’s just recently. Whitney told us that she was a stalker.”

“A woman in her 50s stalking a writer in his 30s? The plot is strange.”

“No. The world is big and there are many people on Earth. There might be some amazing story behind it.”

“So? How did things go?”

The story was more interesting than expected, so the kids pulled up chairs and sat in a circle around Park Seon-hwa.

“When the security guard tried to drag her out, the woman was lying down in the workshop.”

“uh?”

“Lie down?”

“She seemed determined not to be dragged out, but at that point, I thought there must be something going on. That lady had a very elegant style. Her clothes were the same. I told you, she definitely didn’t look like someone who would lie down.”

The decisive factor, he said, was the envelope the woman took out of her bosom.

The woman held out an envelope with her eyes as if they were going to shoot lasers and shook it at Whitney. Whitney received it and checked the contents, and she became extremely furious.

“At first glance, it looked like a photo, but Whitney got really upset. And she was yelling at me to get the woman out of there. So the lady ran over and grabbed Whitney’s arm, but Whitney shook her off? I thought there was going to be a gunfight. Anyway, the lady got kicked out, and Whitney left. The tour was supposed to start after Whitney calmed down, but it looks like she didn’t.”

He said he waited for the writer’s condition to return, but after waiting for two hours, the only reply he got was an apology saying they would reschedule the appointment within a few days.

So, Park Seon-hwa just stood there blankly for a while before returning to Soo-hyeon’s studio.

“Isn’t that something that happens often when you become a famous writer?”

“Yeah. You know, some crazy people come after you. I heard that they especially target young writers. There are people who will pester you to go out with them, and there are even people who make outrageous threats to collectors who are bullies.”

“Even if she’s a woman in her fifties, it can’t be an exception. But what kind of photo did she show? Oh, this isn’t shallow curiosity at all, but a voice from the heart that worries about the author?”

“Then just leave it at that. An artist of Whitney’s caliber would be thoroughly managed by the gallery, and they would take care of stalkers and threats.”

“I guess so?”

The kids who had been quiet for a moment turned their heads towards Soo-hyun again.

“What? Why?”

“You should be careful too.”

“suddenly?”

“He’s forgotten his location again.”

“At a time when there is such a craze for finding blue-chip writers, you, Soo-hyun, have become a newcomer who is receiving a lot of attention.”

“Yeah. You’ve already been on American TV, you’ve won the Grand Prix at Lisa’s, your exhibition is on the Times Square billboard, your work is starting to sell, and AMF or whatever has declared that they’ll be watching you.”

“There will be as many psychopaths as there will cheering people. You really have to be careful.”

“And that’s how people think? At first, they cheer for a talented genius, but then they gradually want to see that person ruined.”

“That’s right. There are people who are jealous, envious, and scheming. Those kind of dark people.”

“Besides, there’s someone who holds a grudge against you. What if, when you become more and more famous and reach the top, he suddenly turns around and does something to harm you?”

“Of course we won’t just sit back and watch, but always be careful with your actions. Manage your image. Huh? There’s something like that. Maybe even some mysticism.”

“That’s nonsense.”

“Hehe. I said no.”

It was a noisy evening for the first time in a long time.

We were laughing and chatting so much that we forgot if we were in New York or Korea, and if it was winter or summer.

The back-and-forth chatter continued into the night. By the time we parted ways with the kids, the story of Whitney that Park Sun-hwa told felt like a distant dream.

In fact, until then, this matter was something that was distant and distant to Soo-hyun.

***

The next evening, on a Manhattan street.

“amazing.”

“I feel intimidated by the building.”

“It’s cool. I’ll keep it in my eyes and remember it for a long time.”

Su-hyeon, her friends, and Manager Kang Yu-jin were sitting in a restaurant, looking up at the building across the street.

Felicity Auction.

This global auction house, known as one of the world’s four largest auction houses, has mainly dealt with art, jewelry, luxury goods, and photographs since it opened in the 18th century.

It has now expanded to over 50 offices in 30 countries around the world, and has conducted over 400 auctions this year alone.

Among them, today was special.

It was the day of the evening auction of artworks by contemporary artists, a project they had been devoting their heart and soul to for a long time.

“This is my first time watching an auction.”

Soo-hyun said nervously.

“But can galleries and artists attend?”

When Cha Yoon-hee asked cautiously, the children nodded.

“That’s why. I feel like an intruder.”

“Let’s not get carried away. If we keep quiet, no one will know that there are artists and gallery people among us.”

Director Kang Yu-jin, who was watching the scene, burst into laughter.

“Haha. That’s not true. James Lee just felt awkward watching his work being auctioned, so he skipped it. The auction is open to everyone.”

Director Kang Yu-jin nodded slightly.

“Besides, now is the time for the secondary market and galleries to consider cooperative relationships.”

James Lee, who had been embarrassed to watch live to see how much his paintings were being sold for, was enjoying a date with his lover, Jun, who had arrived in New York late at this time.

It was a bit disappointing that James Lee was gone, but Soo-hyun was a little excited about the fact that it was her first time participating in an auction, and that it was the evening auction of Felicity Auction.

“Should we get up now? It’s probably time to go in.”

Director Kang Yu-jin, who checked the time, stood up sharply from his seat. Su-hyeon and her friends also hurriedly cleaned up their seats.

Just as I was about to enter the Felicity Auction building across from the restaurant.

“oh my god.”

Park Seon-hwa opened her mouth wide.

“why?”

“Hey. No, don’t look at me and just listen to me.”

Park Seon-hwa blinked for a moment at Soo-hyeon’s question and then spoke in a quick, small voice.

“Do you see the lady in the coat standing on the far right?”

“uh.”

The kids looked sideways at the coordinates that Park Seon-hwa had given them.

And soon, I realized what Park Seon-hwa was trying to say.

“Is that really him?”

“Who caused the ruckus in Whitney’s studio?”

“Oh my. Did I see something wrong? That doesn’t look like that at all.”

Children observing their mother from time to time.

Su-hyeon also glanced at the Japanese woman that Park Seon-hwa was pointing at.

As expected, she had an elegant and calm impression, just like Park Seon-hwa described. Her clothes were also neat.

What’s the story?

At that moment, I was about to pass her by with just the usual curiosity in mind.

“Whitney!”

The Japanese woman shouted loudly.

At the end of her gaze stood the writer Whitney and her manager, who had just gotten out of the car.

“Huh. It’s really Whitney.”

Park Seon-hwa relayed an unexpected event, and the kids stopped walking as they were about to enter the building and watched the scene with bated breath.

A Japanese woman walking towards Whitney.

She was holding a canvas in her hand that looked to be about size 30.

Because he was short and skinny, the way he walked while hugging it tightly looked somehow dangerous.

anyway.

“Whitney!”

The Japanese woman approached Whitney and handed her a canvas.

“What is it?”

Whitney asked sharply.

“Just look at this once. Do you really not know this?”

As Whitney spoke only English, the Japanese woman appealed to her in broken English.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know anything about this. I don’t know who you’re confusing me with, but please don’t bother me like this. If you keep showing up, it won’t end well.”

Whitney gave a cold warning. But the Japanese woman looked like she didn’t understand even half of what he meant.

“Get out! I don’t know you and I don’t know this picture. Get out! Get out!”

Then Whitney gave a fierce warning in short, bold English that even a beginner could understand.

“Bad year!”

And an unexpected curse word came out of a Japanese woman’s mouth.

“… … !”

“… … !!”

“… … ?”

The clear pronunciation drew the attention of the people on the street to the Japanese woman.

But that was only for a moment.

“Get out of the way.”

“Okay, let’s go inside.”

“This way.”

The people surrounding Whitney pushed past the Japanese woman to make way for her, and Whitney quickly walked into the building under their protection.

“and.”

“what?”

The busy New Yorkers went back to their respective destinations, and the only ones left on the streets were Su-hyeon, her friends, and a Japanese woman who had fallen over and lost her mind.

“Okay, let’s go in. It’s rude to stare at something like this.”

The children came to their senses again at Director Kang Yu-jin’s urging.

“Get up.”

Su-hyeon, who had been walking towards the woman without realizing it, extended his hand.

“… … ?”

The woman looked at Soo-hyeon with tearful eyes.

Then, Soo-Hyeon picked up the picture of the woman that was scattered on the street again.

“Fortunately, it wasn’t damaged.”

Su-hyeon smiled and brushed away the dirt on the corner of the canvas.

The woman who saw that scene burst into tears.