I Became an Artist in a Romantic Comedy

Chapter 84: Graffiti (1)

“The festival hasn’t fully ripened yet.”
 

“Sa Jong Arts High’s festival is happening this year, huh.”

“That grilled chicken skewer looks so good.”

It wasn’t my first time shooting a vlog, but it was my first time doing so in such a crowded place.

Our school’s festival had a history akin to that of a regional traditional festival. The large crowds weren’t an illusion.

With all the promotion we’d done, it was no surprise that people from surrounding areas had flocked here.

Still, how was I supposed to get into the school? The crowd was so thick that even approaching the front gate seemed impossible.

“So many people.”

“I’m already inside, lol.”

“That skewer looks delicious, but the wait must be at least an hour…”

“Hmm… maybe if I squeeze through carefully, I can get in.”

No, that wasn’t a good idea. Getting caught up in a scuffle wasn’t worth it. Taking the back gate would be smarter.

Thankfully, the back gate was less crowded than the front, though it was still packed with people.

“With this many people, do I even need to bother with the broadcast?”

With such a large turnout, the promotional broadcast I’d been asked to do seemed unnecessary.

Thinking about this, I made my way into the school.

Inside and out, the sight from above must have resembled an ant colony. Judging by the number of visitors, there had to be thousands.

“So many people…”

“Wonder who’ll perform.”

“Would love for Lemon River to show up.”

“Excuse me…”

Even getting to my classroom wasn’t easy. The buildings were just as crowded as the gates.

“I just hope nothing goes wrong.”

If I got tripped and fell in this crowd… yeah, that’d be a disaster. I didn’t want to end up as someone’s doormat. Better to hurry.

“Ha-eun, this way.”

Fortunately, Hong Yehwa met me in the hallway, making it a bit easier to navigate.

“Phew. This is chaos.”

Our classroom hadn’t started operating yet. Since all the art department classrooms had been converted into exhibition spaces, they were relatively quiet.

“Good thing this building only houses the art and creative writing departments.”

Compared to other buildings, it was quieter here, and people seemed to respect the atmosphere.

Of course, that didn’t mean it wasn’t crowded. It just had a calmer vibe compared to other areas.

“Let me catch my breath…”

As I wiped off the sweat on my forehead, Yehwa handed me a can of soda.

“Ugh, the class rep is so smug.”

“She’s streaming again just to show off!”

“I kinda want to live Ha-eun’s life just once.”

“Yeah, but she’s got the stamina of a glass cannon, lol.”

“Thanks. By the way, is it okay for the broadcast to include you?”

Yehwa tilted the camera down so her face wouldn’t appear. Although her face was already well-known, it felt polite to ask.

“I don’t mind. People who know me already know.”

“Fair enough. But aren’t you busy with student council work? Are you okay being here?”

“The seniors are handling most of it. There’s not much left for us to do.”

Yehwa plopped down beside me, shrugging casually.

I glanced around the room. The once-packed desks were gone, replaced with chairs arranged along the walls.

Those spaces were likely reserved for the incoming artwork.

The exhibition was set to open at 10 a.m., which meant I had time to visit other areas first.

Maybe the student lounge or the library would be good options.

…Then again, I was streaming right now. That meant I had to wander around for content.

The thought of it already made me feel exhausted, but I didn’t have a choice.

A short stream wouldn’t do, and I’d been asked to help promote the festival.

“If only I had someone to wander around in my place.”

My best bet was to dump the task on my younger brother, but unfortunately, he and my parents weren’t arriving until the afternoon.

While lamenting my lack of options, I heard Yehwa speak.

“Oh, So Yeol and Yeseo are here.”

She turned to look at the classroom door, where Ha Soyeol and Choi Yeseo entered, waving cheerfully.

“Hi.”

“Hey~!”

It was nice to see them, though I wondered—weren’t they supposed to be preparing something for their own class?

Well, they probably handled it already.

Yehwa and I waved back, gesturing to the empty chairs.

“Sit wherever you like. Most of the class isn’t here anyway.”

As Yehwa said, there were only a few students in Art Class 1. Most of our classmates had gone off to enjoy the festival.

“Must be nice,” I thought. Some of us didn’t have the luxury of taking it easy.

“Do you two mind being on the broadcast?”

“Not at all!”

“Sure, go ahead~.”

They say people get cuter with age. Maybe that’s why I found their nasally replies oddly endearing.

Or perhaps it was something they picked up from their moms.

Soyeol, as usual, clung to my back like a koala, while Yeseo busied herself chatting with Yehwa.

“Oh my god, I’m so jealous…”

“Jealousy is a loss. Jealousy is a loss. Jealousy is—ugh, I’m so jealous.”

“Whatever, I have a girlfriend.”

“Yeah, but you only have one, while the class rep has a thousand concubines, lol.”

“Alright, enough weird comments. Let’s go check out the festival.”

Even though it was a festival, I’d brought my backpack like a responsible student. 

My main reason for coming to the classroom was to drop it off.

Holding a selfie stick in one hand and the drink Yehwa had given me in the other, I trudged through the festival.

For most people, this wouldn’t be a big deal, but for me, it felt heavy.

I’d better drink this fast and toss it.

“…Though this weight isn’t just from the drink. Hey, get down.”

I directed my words to Ha Soyeol, who was clinging to my back like a koala. Predictably, she ignored me.

If words alone worked, she wouldn’t still be doing this.

Behind me, Yehwa and Yeseo were chatting away, unconcerned.

“Ugh, I’m already exhausted.”

When would this day finally end?

When I stepped outside, the crowd had grown even larger than before.

It was still morning, yet more and more people kept pouring in.

Given the scale of the festival, it was natural for it to draw such attention.

“So, where should we go first? I skipped breakfast since I overslept.”

Festivals are all about food, right?

Outside the buildings were countless booths, some selling food and others offering hands-on experiences.

My target was the food booths.

“Something simple would be best.”

It was still early, so I didn’t want anything too heavy.

It’d also be better to pick something everyone would like.

“I wonder if the masterpiece was moved properly.”

Despite the time crunch, I had managed to complete it.

Whatever happened after that was the student council’s responsibility. My job was just to paint it.

Come to think of it, I’d painted a cake into that piece. Were there any booths selling cake around here?

Lost in thought, I suddenly felt a light tap on my shoulder. Turning, I found Soyeol looking up at me with her signature crimson eyes.

“There’s a booth with cake slices over there. Let’s go.”

“Did you read my mind or something?”

“Huh?”

“Never mind.”

Her puzzled expression made me abandon the thought.

Sometimes, spending time with these girls made me wonder if they could actually read my thoughts.

“Anyway, can you get down now? I’m out of breath.”

“Fine… What a shame.”

She might be light for someone athletic, but my stamina wasn’t built for this.

Even lasting five minutes was pushing my limits.

“My back’s free if you want to hop on!”

Yeseo’s bold offer was, of course, ignored. She was like a haughty cat.

We arrived at the booth and quickly filled our stomachs. While all the cakes were tasty, strawberry cake remained my favorite.

Since all four of us chose different flavors, we got to try a variety.

“That cake was amazing. I tried it earlier.”

“Where to next?”

“When’s the exhibition opening? That’s why I came.”

“Think Ha-eun’s paintings will be on display?”

“Hmm… I don’t really have a specific destination in mind.”

Just walking around for a bit had already drained me. 

Normally, walking across the school grounds wouldn’t be an issue, but with so many people, it was overwhelming.

Still, I felt like I could hang in there a little longer.

I could always rest later. It wasn’t like I was going to collapse.

“…How about we take over the broadcast and let you rest for a bit?”

At Yehwa’s suggestion, my head automatically nodded before I could think.

My brain said I could keep going, but my body instinctively agreed with her.

“Thanks. I’ll just take a quick break.”

The nearest quiet spot was the library. I decided to head there and cool off for a while.

“Looks like we’re doing a proxy broadcast now.”

“Honestly, this might be better.”

“Yeol’s eyes are so dreamy~.”

With the chat’s approval, I handed over the selfie stick without hesitation. These ungrateful viewers…

After everything I’d done for them on previous streams, this was how they repaid me?

Complaining would make me look petty, though, so I just sighed and left Yehwa and the others in charge of the broadcast.

The library was a stark contrast to the noisy outdoors, offering a much-needed haven of peace.

Although it was the festival, the library wasn’t operating as a booth. Instead, it had been designated as a rest area.

I didn’t know whose idea it was, but they deserved praise.

“…But why is that here?”

I had planned to kill time by reading a book, but something caught my eye.

A doodle of an angel.

It shouldn’t have been here. It was supposed to be in the old school building.

“I didn’t see anything. There’s nothing in this library…”

Clearly, Woo Hwa, my mentor, had intended for these drawings to be seen in order.

But somehow, I’d skipped the proper steps and ended up here anyway.

“Not that it matters. It probably won’t work, like the others.”

Even as I thought this, my body tensed involuntarily.

There had to be a reason the angel was placed separately.

“Phew…”

Still, nothing happened. As expected, it didn’t work.

“Of course. What was I even worried about?”

Feeling foolish, I sat down on a long bench against the wall.

It felt like I’d already spent an entire day’s worth of energy, despite having done very little.

I closed my eyes, wondering if I should take a quick nap.

That’s when it happened.

“…What the hell is this?”

Suddenly, I was seeing the memory behind the angel doodle.