「Mari: Instead of going to crowded places, how about just the two of us watching the sunset somewhere much better? We can welcome the New Year safely too.」
「”Hana: Somewhere safe?」
「”Mija: Where’s that?」
*
“……”
I was sitting by the cool window in the hotel room.
In the distance, under the dark blue shadows, red taillights flickered like swarms of fireflies.
The view from the window. Around Namsan, it was packed with people watching the last sunset of the year.
“……”
The final sunset was fading away.
The eventful year of 2004 was coming to an end, leaving its last sunset behind.
The sight of the sunset over Namsan.
The countless people gathered there hoped for happiness in the coming year.
Watching those crowds, I too found myself reflecting on the past year.
‘Was I happy?’
If someone asked me whether I was happy,
I could only answer that I was.
This was an undeniable truth.
‘After returning, the kid who once lazed around in a semi-basement room tried pretending to be a genius beyond their means. Who would’ve thought I’d actually get early admission into a school for gifted children?’
But that wasn’t all.
I formed deeper connections with good adults.
Uncle had much more time to find himself than in the previous life.
I met a great mentor, Teacher I’m Ara.
I also got to know Manager Kang and Mari’s father.
I made many friends too.
I saved Mari.
I persuaded Juri.
I became close with Mija.
And countless seniors welcomed me warmly.
‘Back in my previous life at this age, I only hung out with kids loitering at the local PC room. Now I know so many people.’
If I were to call a year like this ‘unhappy,’ even the ghost of Go Hun, who crossed the Jordan River, might come chasing after me, shouting, “You fool!”
I undoubtedly had a happy year.
My life had certainly turned for the better.
The man ‘Go Hun’ became the ordinary girl ‘Go Hana’ and found happiness.
“……”
Yet…
For some reason, I still felt unsure of myself.
There were things I hadn’t yet achieved that weighed on me.
“……”
I looked at my hands.
‘On the first day after returning, they were pale and small, like props from a ghost movie. Now the skin’s rougher.’
Calluses that didn’t suit the hands of a dainty little girl had formed.
Calluses between my index finger and thumb—evidence of three years spent drawing every day since my return.
Traces of a ‘painter,’ if you will.
But if you asked me whether I had truly become an ‘artist’ yet…
-Hun, why do you love art?
-Why do you draw, Mr. Go?
-Why did you want to become an artist, Mr. Go Hun?
‘The kind of art I want to create is…’
“……”
My thoughts were interrupted by a sound.
“Yoo-hoo!”
“……”
The blonde menace sitting at the table in the hotel room cheered, her mouth smeared with ketchup and a blissful smile on her face.
“Yoo-hooo—! Hamburgers and cola from room service are heavenly! The bun is top-notch, the lettuce is crisp and fresh, and the beef patty and cheese have a rich, deep flavor! This… this is the charm of a five-star hotel?! This is the life of the elite?!”
“……”
I couldn’t help but turn to look at her absurd celebration.
“Mi-chan, Mi-chan… You promised we’d eat together after watching the sunset.”
“I was hungry, so I started without you. Hana-chan, aren’t you eating? If not, this glorious self will finish it all!”
“I will eat. I was waiting for Mari to come out of the bathroom so we could eat together.”
“But Mari-chan said we could start eating when the room service arrived. Hee-hee…”
Before she even finished speaking, the firmly closed bathroom door suddenly swung open. Mari walked out with a refreshed expression, striding confidently.
Mari wore a proud smile. She was the tallest and most mature-looking among us (which made sense, since she was the oldest). But when she had this innocent expression, she looked just like a child.
Mari stood tall, puffed out her chest, and let out a dramatic breath.
“Humph!”
“……”
“I felt like an adventurer wandering through a sea of mist!”
“……”
I quietly rubbed my temples and sighed.
‘Mari, Mari… You didn’t have to share that.’
Mija naturally glanced at me.
-What does that mean?
“……”
The Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog is a masterpiece by the German Romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich. It’s a painting with an unforgettable impression of mist flowing like a tempestuous sea. Friedrich often depicted the grand and majestic beauty of nature.
‘In short…’
“……”
Hmm.
Uh…
Hmm.
“……”
Sometimes that pure innocence was almost frightening. It was great to befriend the genius granddaughter of a conglomerate family, but I hadn’t expected to learn this much about her.
Out of respect for Mari’s dignity, I chose not to translate her words.
Instead of responding, I naturally sat at the table. Then I quickly set up the room service food. Mija had already taken out the tray to eat, so it didn’t take much effort.
“Mari, let’s eat together now.”
“Huh? I didn’t mind if you ate first.”
“Because I wanted to eat with you.”
“Hehe…”
“You did wash your hands, right?”
“Of course!”
“Alright…”
Mari naturally slid into the seat right next to me. With practiced elegance, she began slicing her towering handmade burger with a fork and knife. It looked less like she was eating a burger and more like she was enjoying bread paired with a salad.
Mija, upon witnessing this, was utterly shocked.
“W-what?! You’re eating a burger in such an evil way?!”
“Hm? I always eat them like this.”
“Burgers are America’s soul food! You’re supposed to grab it with both hands, get ketchup all over your mouth, and take a big bite! Even my mom eats them like that!”
“Mija, is that why you deliberately got it all over your mouth when you ate earlier?”
Mija hastily wiped her lips and muttered, “N-no, it’s just that the burger was big, so it is natural….”
“Exactly! I slice it up because the burger is big.”
“T-that’s not the American way…!”
“Huh? I-I did live in the U.S. for a few years though. Nobody ever said anything about it.”
“Ugh…”
Mija, who boasted two weeks of experience in America and loved to assert herself as a pseudo-Westerner, wilted at that statement. The only sound that filled the room after that was the quiet crunch of pickles being eaten.
‘She’s not great at English, but she sure loves nitpicking about American culture,’
I thought to myself, letting Mija sulk while I turned my attention to Mari.
“Mari, what about family gatherings? Are you skipping them this year?”
“Hm? Yeah, it’s fine.”
“Really?”
“Normally, I’d have to go to my grandfather’s place for year-end banquets and family gatherings, but this year, I’m skipping it all because I said I wasn’t feeling well. Lucky, right?”
“…Huh. I see.”
“Yeah, my grandfather’s throwing a big event to celebrate a major milestone he overcame this year. But I didn’t feel like going to such a crowded place, so I was relieved to skip it.”
“I-I see.”
I had a vague idea of the issue since I occasionally read economic news. HU Pharmaceuticals had managed to successfully enter the European market this year and even caught some industrial spies. But seeing such an economic issue tied so closely to my friend’s reality gave me an odd, uneasy feeling.
‘And it feels like the HU Group is doing even better in this timeline… Is it just me?’
As I mulled over this, Mari began complaining.
“Haa… Whenever I go, my relatives just nag all the time. And those restrictive evening dresses and uncomfortable makeup… I’m glad I don’t have to deal with any of that this year. I prefer clothes that are a little cuter, anyway.”
“D-dresses?”
“Huh? Are you interested in dresses, Hana?”
“No, it’s just that the only kind of dress I know is a wedding dress. So hearing the word ‘dress’ pop up in casual conversation felt kind of fascinating.”
“Dress?”
“Yeah.”
…
“Hana’s wedding dress… hmm.”
“….”
Mari slowly began scanning my body up and down.
Something… something was about to happen.
I had a feeling I needed to stop it.
“Mari?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re not imagining something dangerous, are you…?”
“No?”
“Then what are you imagining…?”
“I was just thinking, if Hana were the model, a lively style with boldly exposed legs might suit you better?”
“…I’m not wearing one. Who would even look at a wedding dress on an elementary school kid?”
“Aww, but I want to see it.”
“Not. Happening.”
“Aww…”
Mari pouted and continued slicing her burger.
Mija, watching our exchange, wore a strange expression.
“What kind of conversation is this?”
“I have no idea either, Mija.”
“I see.”
And with that mutual understanding, we finished our dinner. The food was as luxurious as one would expect from a five-star hotel. However, it didn’t stray too far from the familiar taste of a hamburger.
After dinner, we decided to shower.
Of course, we didn’t shower together.
Mija was surprisingly strict about her personal space. She had a strong resistance to showing herself changing clothes or being seen naked. However, within her own space, she was utterly unrestrained.
“Woohoo! The bubbles are rising! Hahaha!”
“…”
“Woohoo, woohoo…? H-huh?! Too many bubbles?!”
“Mija, Mija…”
Next up was Mari. She stood holding her change of clothes, sneaking glances at me with a bright smile. It almost felt like an invisible tail wagging behind her.
“…”
“…”
I shook my head.
“We’re not going in together.”
“…Aww.”
Even though I had become a girl, to be honest.
Showering together… still felt overwhelming.
‘Thank goodness the Hanul dorms have private bathrooms in each room. If they didn’t, and I had to go to a public bath… that would’ve been a disaster.’
Finally, I finished showering.
Mari approached me with a hair dryer in hand.
“I’ll dry your hair!”
“…Alright.”
My hair was quite long, so it took a while for her to finish. Still, Mari seemed pretty skilled at drying hair. It felt… ticklish somehow.
‘This isn’t like drying a pet…’
To brush away the awkwardness, I spoke up.
“Is my hair too long?”
“Hm?”
“It’s always been a hassle, so I usually keep it tied in pigtails.”
“Yeah.”
“But drying it takes forever. Should I just cut it short—”
I couldn’t finish my sentence.
Mari suddenly lunged at me like a child whose cherished gift was being taken away.
“No!!”
“Wha—?!”
“You absolutely, absolutely, absolutely cannot cut it! Your hairstyle is so cute and suits you so well! I’ll buy you lots of amazing and adorable ribbons, so please, please don’t cut it!”
“Alright, alright, just let go of me, okay?!”
On the other bed, Mija chuckled at the scene, now with a face mask applied as an added bonus.
“Hehe, you two are like real sisters.”
“Mija, does this look like sisterly behavior to you?”
“Of course! Hana and I aren’t just sisters; we’re soulmates!” Mari declared proudly.
“Okay, that’s a bit scary…”
“Hehe… Anyway, are you ready to pull an all-nighter?”
“For an artist, staying up late is second nature.”
“I even brought coffee! Hana, you’re straight black, right? Mija likes hers loaded with sugar?”
“Yep, thanks.”
“Geez, this kid’s taste buds…”
We each changed into robes or pajamas, then settled onto our beds. A box of cookies from the hotel’s first-floor store sat between us as we lazily watched TV. It was bliss.
‘Is this what they call a “hotel vacation” in a five-star hotel…?’
Even though it wasn’t a royal suite, the room was luxurious enough to feel indulgent.
On TV, a special program celebrating the year-end was airing.
[Currently, the streets in front of Jongno are bustling with people gathered to welcome the New Year. Similar celebrations are taking place in cities like Busan and Daegu…]
– Crunch.
“……”
“……”
“……”
[Ten minutes left! In just ten minutes, the New Year of 2005 will begin…]
– Crunch.
“…Snore.”
“?”
“?”
Mari and I looked at the bed on the far right.
Mija was sleeping with a face mask on.
I muttered in disbelief,
“She’s the one who insisted we stay up all night, but now she suddenly falls asleep? What’s with that?”
“Haha, really,” Mari replied.
“And it’s almost midnight, too. She knocks out just before it happens.”
“Exactly. She’s a funny one.”
“…”
“…”
[A little later! The New Year is upon us!]
Suddenly, a question popped into my head.
It was something I had been mulling over alone.
But somehow, I felt like I could share it with Mari.
“Mari.”
“Yeah?”
“What do you want to do in the new year?”
“First, I want to draw.”
“…”
“Drawing makes me happy. Even if my arm gets a bit sore, I still want to do it.”
“…That’s true.”
Her firm response made me feel like a weight had been lifted from my chest.
‘Ah, what I need to do was already decided from the start. Why was I pretending to be lost?’
I chuckled and said,
“Let’s draw tons at school.”
“Yeah!”
“Mari.”
“Yeah?”
“Happy New Year.”
“You too! All of it!”
And somehow,
It felt like I could see the path I needed to take.
[Happy New Year!]
“……”
First, I’ll draw.
Not to solve anything,
But to create ‘works that bring me joy.’