I Became an Artist in a Romantic Comedy-Chapter 101

"Would you like one of these?"

He pulled two calorie bars from his pocket and handed one to my master and one to me.

"Been working out lately?" I asked.

"I signed up for a gym recently."

Ah, I see. His wiry frame does have that ‘lean muscle’ look.

But really, why is the chairman here?

Noticing my inquisitive gaze, the chairman hesitated briefly before speaking.

"I’m the one who organized this meeting. And as the head of a school, it’s my responsibility to protect my teacher."

Ah, so he had his reasons. Unexpectedly admirable words, really. Though, to be honest, my mouth felt a bit dry and gritty. Must’ve been the calorie bar.

‘Chocolate’s not my favorite, but… well, this isn’t bad.’

I couldn’t help wondering how long this flow of thoughts would continue—or when the ridiculous scene in front of me would finally end.

Both questions were intriguing, but at the moment…

‘When are we going to eat?’

Lunch was long over. By this hour, I’d usually steal a few bites from Yoon’s snacks.

I rubbed my slightly sunken stomach and felt nothing but bones.

‘…I need to put on some weight. But if I eat like the kids, my stomach won’t handle it.’

In my past life, I didn’t eat because I didn’t have food. Now, I don’t eat even when I have plenty.

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My habit of eating just a little has even made people around me suspicious.

As I sat there, zoning out with random thoughts, my master, who had been chewing on his calorie bar, nudged me and said,

"Disciple, I think it’s over."

I turned my gaze to where he was pointing.

"Oh. Hmm."

Just as my master said, the adults who had been arguing now lay sprawled over the desk, utterly exhausted.

The black guy—no, the macho-looking guy—and even the crazy woman, Kalin, were all slumped over.

Their disheveled appearances didn’t match the image of the wealthy elites I had imagined. Seeing them like this, they seemed almost human, just like me.

"…Aren’t you tired at all, Master?" I asked.

"Hm? Oh, please. This is nothing."

And the ultimate victor in all this chaos was none other than Ms. Lee Ah-Reum. On the surface, she looked like the first one who would’ve thrown in the towel.

"You’re thinking something rude right now, aren’t you?" she said.

"How’d you know?"

"At least try to hide it…"

As I exchanged light banter with Ms. Lee Ah-Reum, one of the exhausted figures stirred.

David, who now looked thoroughly haggard, adjusted his glasses and asked,

"By any chance, were you known for your sharp tongue back in school?"

"How’d you know?" I replied.

"Like teacher, like student."

He sighed deeply, prompting me to tilt my head in curiosity.

"Does this mean you’re the winner?" I asked.

"Yes, it’s me."

Oh. I’d kind of expected that. Out of everyone here, David seemed to be the one who could think on his feet the most.

I also doubted he’d neglect any of his responsibilities.

We’d met before, and I had gotten a decent impression of him. If things didn’t work out, I could always consider alternative methods.

I stood up and extended my hand toward him—a gesture of congratulations on my part.

David, understanding the intent, offered a faint smile as he shook my hand.

"Thank you," he said.

"That was entertaining to watch. Do you think you’ll do it again sometime?"

"Ugh. If I did this twice, my tongue would probably fall apart. No, thank you."

David turned around, gathered the melted-down Kalin, and began heading out.

Before leaving, he bowed slightly to Ms. Lee Ah-Reum.

"Well then, I’ll contact you after we adjust the schedule."

"Alright~."

Ms. Lee Ah-Reum waved him off cheerfully.

This woman had debated relentlessly for hours without stopping. There was a glimmer of joy in her eyes.

‘Scary woman…’

As David walked away, that thought seemed to linger in his mind.

After the chairman sent the remaining people off, only my master, Ms. Lee Ah-Reum, and I were left in the room.

"Whew."

"Please don’t make noises like that—it’s uncharacteristic of you," I said.

Anyone who heard it might misunderstand.

"My, such a cheeky student~," she teased.

"Ah, right. You’ve always been like this," I muttered.

Somehow, I’d gotten so used to her antics that I’d forgotten what kind of person Ms. Lee Ah-Reum really was.

As I reminisced about past events, I noticed Ms. Lee Ah-Reum staring at me.

"Ha-Eun," she called.

"Yes? What is it?" I asked.

"......"

"......"

She didn’t say anything. I stared back at her, wondering what was going through her head so seriously—

"What should we eat?" she finally asked.

"…Let’s call the others and go to a Chinese restaurant."

Ah, right. I’d almost forgotten this was just how she was.

***

"Urgh..."

"You’ve really done it now."

She had overdone it with the food. Honestly, she should’ve paced herself.

I patted her back while sighing internally. Watching this, my master, who had been quietly observing, opened his mouth to speak.

"Back in my day, I could eat three whole chickens at 26."

"Ha-Eun, take him to a psychiatric hospital."

Still trying to calm her stomach, she raised a finger in my master’s direction.

It was a natural response. The nonsense he was spouting was relentless.

"I think it’s you who needs to go to the hospital, Ma’am. You’ve got indigestion."

She had insisted on eating all the food, muttering about how wasting food was a sin.

…Though, to be fair, part of it was my fault. I couldn’t finish my share.

We could’ve just thrown the leftovers away, but no.

"Ugh, I’ll be fine. I’ll just take some antacids."

"Ugh, tsk tsk. Back in my day—"

"Master, that’s enough."

If he kept pushing, she might end up spilling the contents of her stomach onto him. For everyone’s sake, it was better to stop here.

And so, as punishment for riling up Ms. Lee Ah-Reum, my master volunteered to take her to the hospital.

She claimed she’d feel better after some rest, but it was better to get her checked out as soon as possible.

For the record, Hong Ye-Hwa and Choi Ye-Seo tagged along. Apparently, there was a grocery store on the way to the hospital, and they wanted to grab some snacks.

"…Aren’t you going to eat something?"

"I’m good. I’m full right now."

Ha Soo-Yul patted her stomach and looked at me.

She really had demolished the Chinese restaurant earlier. Literally cleaned it out.

If she ate any more, her stomach might burst, yet she still wore that calm expression.

"Hmm. We’ve got some time. What should we do?"

Everyone else had left early, and I didn’t really have anything to do either.

But going home straight away felt… unsatisfying somehow.

While I wouldn’t call myself a homebody, I wasn’t entirely clueless. Being alone with her meant I should suggest something.

But what?

I tilted my head in thought, and then an idea came to me.

"Want to go to the aquarium?"

It was a casual suggestion, but it hit the mark.

"!"

Her hair almost seemed to lift into an exclamation mark above her head. What was that?

I didn’t know how she managed that, but it seemed to be her unique way of showing excitement.

"Sharks!"

"Yep, we’ll see sharks. And the dolphin show too."

And just like that, an impromptu date was arranged. Destination: the aquarium.

Sometimes, a break like this is nice. Sure, I had a pile of work waiting for me, but moments like this were necessary. People need this kind of thing for their mental health.

When we arrived at the Beijing Aquarium…

"Oh wow."

The place was packed. Absolutely packed.

‘Good thing I changed into more comfortable clothes.’

I had opted for something more practical, and it seemed like the right choice.

Ha Soo-Yul had also matched the dress code, looking casual and relaxed.

We looked a bit like one of those nerdy couples you’d see in a café. I was even wearing round glasses to complete the look.

Our appearances must’ve stood out because people around us kept sneaking glances.

Both of us wore neutral expressions with slightly drowsy eyes, which seemed to make people quickly avert their gaze when we made eye contact.

"Hmm?"

Of course, Ha Soo-Yul just tilted her head curiously.

Taking her hand, I led us into the aquarium. Inside, we were surrounded by a variety of marine creatures.

As we walked through, we took photos together and filled our slightly empty stomachs with snacks.

‘Now that I think about it, isn’t this the first time I’ve spent this kind of time with Soo-Yul?’

I never would’ve imagined, back when we met at age four, that our connection would grow to this point.

Still… it felt nice.

"Ha-Eun, look at this," she called out.

Her voice brought me back to the present. I turned to see her smiling faintly.

But my eyes were drawn to her hands.

She was holding her phone with both hands. Ah, this must mean…

"One, two, three."

Click.

The camera captured a bright, smiling girl and a boy with a similar expression.

Soo-Yul, who was usually passive about taking the lead, seemed so lively when she was with me.

"Great white shark!"

Even after ten years, her love for sharks hadn’t changed.

"Nom."

Even the way she playfully nibbled on my cheek, always claiming she was hungry, hadn’t changed.

"Look over there."

"Dolphins, huh?"

"Not just any dolphins. Look, one of them has a heart-shaped sticker on it!"

Even her silly comments made me feel good. It was a warm, ticklish sensation in my chest.

I couldn’t help but feel grateful for this moment and for the emotions it brought me.

Our day together continued like that at the aquarium.

***

"Wow, that’s so unfair."

"Speeding violations should be punished…"

The two girls’ gazes weren’t directed at me—they were fixed on Ha Soo-Yul.

"Didn’t you make a promise, Soo-Yul?" Choi Ye-Seo said, her eyes losing focus.

"Penalty… no, execution…" Hong Ye-Hwa added, just as dramatically.

"…What did you do, bro?" Ha-Yoon asked.

"I don’t know what they’re talking about."

I ruffled her hair as she crawled over to me, and we both headed up to the third floor.

"What’s for dinner, I wonder~?" Ha-Yoon hummed as she rested her head on my stomach, which had now become her pillow.

Leaving her like that, I drifted into thought.

‘I need to finish my work quickly.’

If I didn’t, the others might try to take Ha Soo-Yul away.

Still, I couldn’t help but feel satisfied with how today turned out.