Chapter 19 (1) - The Mysterious Art Museum
'It was a curious experience for me.
It felt as if objects and I became one.
I became the pencil, and the pencil became me.
I became the paint, and the brush became me.
The paint and brush became part of me.'
I drew more than seven pictures already.
After drawing each one, I crumpled it up and threw it on the floor. A strange occurrence indeed. I hadnt even thought about what to draw, but the pencil moved on its own.
An easel, a canvas on it, sketch paper layered on the canvas, and the pencil.
It felt like these things were sucking in my consciousness.
In the midst of frenzied drawing, I suddenly stopped.
I blankly stared at the crumpled sketch papers on the floor.
None of the paintings satisfied me, but I had progressed in this moment.
Before, I used to think about what to draw, how to compose it, and whether it would be beautiful if I drew it. Never before had my hand moved before my mind like now.
It doesn't matter if I draw and crumple them up.
What's important is that I had this experience.
'But right now, I am being tested.'
Somehow, I must draw something. But what?
It's not a simple test of drawing a portrait.
A photorealistic portrait? If I'm given a photo, I can draw it any time.
During my school days, I was obsessed with hyper-realistic works, striving hard to produce lifelike paintings. I was amazed at the skills demonstrated in those almost photographic paintings.
Then, a thought occurred to me.
No painting can be more beautiful than nature,
But no nature can be more beautiful than a painting.
Nature is beautiful in itself, but paintings express what nature cannot.
Since then, I've given up trying to create realistic paintings.
No matter how realistic, it cannot be more beautiful than nature. But realizing this didn't mean I had made progress. Creating a painting more beautiful than nature was an incredibly difficult task.
I need to know what Monica's inner self desires. But currently, I don't even have a phone to do a basic search about her. I immersed myself in thought, recalling the information I knew about her.
**
Lunchtime in the MG Electronics cafeteria.
Monica, with her tray of food, noticed Soo-Young sitting alone at a corner table, eating while looking at her phone.
Monica gestured to the seat opposite Soo-Young and asked,
May I sit here?
Soo-Young put down her phone and nodded.
Of course, Monica.
Is today's menu Japanese?
'Yes, it seems so.'
After Monica sat down, she rubbed her palms looking at the food on her tray.
I'm not particularly fond of raw fish, but I can eat sushi. What's this?
Udon, Monica."
"Ah, I've heard of it. Is it good?
"Oh, I've heard of it. Is it good?"
"It's not too strong in flavor, so most people like it."
"Hmm, let's try it, whatever."
The MG Electronics cafeteria is known for its delicious food even outside the company. Although it was unfamiliar Japanese food that didn't suit her taste, Monica's refined palate seemed to be somewhat satisfied, as her expression was not bad.
Soo-young looked at Monica and asked cautiously.
"Um, Monica. What about Ban Jeong-hoon's meal?"
"Oh, I asked for it. Can you pick up the packed one and bring it to him after the meal?"
"Yes, but are you sure? You've locked him up."
Monica chuckled and said.
"Do you call it confinement when he can leave anytime he wants?"
"But still..."
Monica didn't care about Soo-young's worries and enjoyed her meal. Soo-young seemed to have no appetite, thinking that she had given Jeong-hoon a rude test.
She fiddled with the sushi with her chopsticks and asked.
"Ah, Monica."
"Yes?"
"About the test, you ordered a portrait, but what are you trying to see?"
Monica wiped her mouth with a tissue and smiled with crescent eyes.
"What do you think I should see?"
Soo-young thought for a moment and said.
"To be honest, I don't know. That person, did you see where he graduated from? He went to an art college that is one of the top three in Korea. And that college doesn't look at the college entrance exam scores and selects students based on 100% practical skills, so the competition rate is also tremendous. I don't think it makes sense to test the technical skills of a student who received a scholarship for four years and graduated from there."
Monica nodded without losing her smile.
"That's right."
"Then, since you want to check the gap between the portrait and the contest entry, are you trying to see if he can draw a picture that looks like a contest entry?"
Monica smiled brightly and said.
"Soo-young."
"Yes?"
"The truth is, the test is already over."
Soo-young looked at Monica with a blank face.
"I don't understand what you mean."
Monica smiled and picked up her fork again.
"He didn't run away, that person. Doesn't that prove his innocence already?"
""
He didn't run away.
Ban Jeong-hoon came knowing that there would be a test from MG Electronics today. And he is taking the test in the studio inside Monica's office.
If he had submitted someone else's picture to the contest, he would have run away at the stage of giving the test. Soo-young sighed and lowered her head.
"You're cruel, Monica."
"Oh, I'll definitely compensate him. I'm not the type to let go of something that bothers me, so I did this, and I have to take responsibility."
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