The Lounge of Dormitory 7.
This was the place where dorm residents, looking to ease their loneliness after dinner, would gather in comfortable clothes. (Of course, someone like Mija preferred to play alone in their room.) It was a casual space where people sat in groups, chatting and hanging out.
But right now, all the attention was on me.
The seniors from the art department asked with wide eyes,
“Really? Japan… and Tokyo University of the Arts, no less?”
“Yes.”
“Wow, that’s incredible. I’ve only ever heard of things like this in biographies or internet legends. To think someone actually saw a student exhibition and contacted you from overseas!”
“To be honest, I thought it was amazing from the moment you started planning your solo exhibition by yourself…”
“That alone is impressive, but we’re so used to you just being this baby… ”
“And to think this soft, squishy, adorable person is a genius…!”
With that, they began to poke at my cheeks. Over the past year, my cheeks hadn’t changed at all—they stretched like slime under their fingers.
“So soft!”
“So squishy!”
“…”
For some reason, those compliments gave me chills, and my shoulders trembled slightly.
I appreciated the praise, but…
This whole “soft and squishy” thing was kind of creepy.
I wasn’t sure why, but something about it just sent a shiver down my spine.
As the admiration and compliments continued, one first-year student—one of the new freshmen—who had been quietly observing from the corner finally gathered the courage to speak up.
“Go Hana-senpai, you’re really amazing..! I’ve admired you so much ever since I saw the news about you…!”
“…Huh.”
Oh, dear.
“Senpai,” they called me.
For some reason, I felt a bit embarrassed.
“Oh, thank you. And you don’t have to force yourself to call me senpai. Technically, I’m a year younger than a middle school first-year, so it’d be better if you treated me like a casual classmate. Or just think of me as a neighborhood kid.”
“Ah… Yes, yes! Go Hana-senpai.”
“…Huh.”
I had meant to ease their nerves, but seeing the first-year student grow more flustered and their face turn red, I couldn’t help but chuckle awkwardly.
‘Still nervous? I really wish they’d just treat me like a kid.’
Then, the seniors around us tilted their heads and chimed in.
“Huh? Go Hana-senpai…?”
“Huh? Go Hana-senpai…?”
“Huh? Go Hana-senpai…?”
Hearing their reactions, the first-year student began trembling like a frightened hamster.
“D-did I say something wrong…?”
“No, it’s just… The idea of Go Hana and ‘senpai’ being said together feels kind of… strange.”
“What does that even mean, senpai?”
As the chatter continued, two seniors Kang Jina and Na Aeri who had just returned to Korea after a long time away, joined in. They had clearly heard the buzz about me in the lounge.
Kang Jina and Na Aeri exclaimed in unison as if singing in a choir.
“Hana got invited to Tokyo University of the Arts?!”
“Hana got invited to Tokyo University of the Arts?!”
“Oh, uh, yes. That’s right.”
The cola-and-tea duo immediately clutched their heads in unison.
“Ughhh! I’m so jealous! You must have tons of portfolio material ready for college! I don’t even have anything worthy for the schools in the UK! The theater and film department asks for way too much!”
“Ughhh! So jealous! You have all this portfolio work! I have nothing to submit to American colleges! The practical music program has such intense requirements!”
“…”
‘Are they like this because they’re finally seniors in high school? Is that why they’re so focused on college entrance exams now? They seemed pretty relaxed before last summer break when they were in their second year.’
Ah, the mysteries of the human heart—who knew when people would start stressing out?
Their perfectly synchronized duet left quite an impression.
Then, Kang Jina and Na Aeri locked eyes.
“…Huh?”
“…Huh?”
In that shared gaze, they realized something.
They were both struggling with their college applications.
“You too…?”
“You too…?”
“…”
“…”
The two of them silently embraced, as if witnessing the end of the world together. At that moment, it seemed they were the only ones in the universe who could share this pain.
–Hug!
“Aeri! I’m sorry for all the times I teased you about your UK theme!”
“No, Jina, I want to apologize for everything I’ve done to you too!”
“The UK is a greater country than I thought…”
“Aah, the walls of America were too high… so high…”
Yesterday, my world came crashing down.
I applied, but they rejected me.
They turned on me in an instant like a stranger.
I’m so heartbroken; I’m still crying now.
“Aeri…!”
“Jina…!”
This was the melodramatic display of the two now-eldest seniors. However, their theatrical antics no longer drew much attention.
Amid the lively chatter in the lounge, the focus had shifted elsewhere, and a casual exchange of comments filled the air.
– These snacks are so good.
– Stop eating, you pig.
– Oink, oink. Master, please upgrade my feed. This stuff is too cheap.
– Mina, I’m serious, your feet smell way too bad. Do you rub them in fermented soybeans every morning? Go wash up.
– Haha, unni, your jokes are so not funny.
– Does this bat in my hand look like a joke to you?
It was a scene where playful banter veiled with sharp undertones flew back and forth.
But this was just pro wrestling.
‘…So peaceful.’
The thing about being in a group of girls was that even when everything seemed harmonious on the surface, there was often an underlying sharpness in the atmosphere.
It was like smiling while sneaking in some mixed martial arts techniques on each other.
At first, I had a hard time distinguishing between the two dynamics and often felt flustered. But over time, I’d learned to tell the difference between MMA and pro wrestling. Thanks to that, I could now relax even in situations like this.
‘It really feels like home now.’
In this comfortable atmosphere, Oh Yujin-sunbae braided Juri’s hair as she spoke.
“That’s amazing, Hana. You’re so cool! Truly a genius girl.”
Juri chimed in to back her up.
“Hana’s always been a genius.”
“Right? Isn’t she incredible?”
“Yeah! Every time I see her, I’m amazed!”
“Juri, it must be nice to be in the same grade as Hana.”
“…”
An endless shower of compliments.
Surprisingly, these two weren’t mocking or teasing me—they were genuinely praising me. It felt like MMA disguised as pro wrestling.
‘It’s strange how they both think I’m some kind of genius when, really, they’re the ones who are brilliant.’
Especially Oh Yujin-sunbae, who was genuinely upset that I hadn’t been selected for the art fair, saying I was “undervalued.” She’d been sincerely indignant on my behalf. But now, with the news of my invitation, she seemed greatly relieved.
‘Even in a past life, Yujin-sunbae always helped me when I felt ignored or struggled.’
I felt grateful to her for treating my problems as if they were her own.
“…Thank you so much.”
“Hehe, no need to thank me.”
Yujin smiled warmly at me.
“By the way, Hana, are you going to Japan to exhibit your work now? That… media art project, right?”
“I’m still coordinating with Tokyo University, but since it’s in Japan, smooth communication might be a challenge.
Rather than just presenting Aeri Sanctuary of Saint Chris Aeri by itself, I think I’ll include a few of my earlier paintings to create a sort of special exhibition.
The theme of the exhibition is examples of collaboration between media and art, so they seem excited about the idea.”
Yujin nodded thoughtfully.
“Hmm, since most of your works are large-scale…..over 1 meter on each side….it’s going to be hard to transport them yourself.”
“Exactly. I even contacted some airlines recently, but they said it’s difficult to bring art pieces in the cargo hold due to the high risk of damage…”
I could still clearly remember the voice of the airline employee, who sounded genuinely troubled when I called.
‘All that effort to overcome my fear of phone calls and manually inquire everywhere—it ended up being a waste.’
Yujin, however, spoke to me in a confident tone.
“In that case, try reaching out to companies that specialize in transporting art internationally. You can ask the administrative teachers at school or Professor Ahn Sooyoung for recommendations. They’ll know plenty about reliable transport options.”
“…!”
Come to think of it, I really did attend a good school. It was only natural that many of the teachers here had experience with overseas exhibitions. It seemed I still had a habit of gathering information on my own, like I used to.
Yujin continued to share practical tips with me, brimming with confidence.
“…And if you have any questions about filling out forms or how to package your artwork, come find me in the high school studio. I know most of the basics about paperwork, so I can help you with it.”
“…”
For a senior in high school who’s busy with her own college prep, she really seemed composed. Meanwhile, my peers Na Aeri and Jina, who are the same age as her, were still holding onto each other and sobbing their hearts out. Truly, her mental strength was on another level.
“…”
Ohhh.
Oh Yujin.
My mentor.
My guiding moonlight.
Lead me to the path.
Amen.
I quietly lowered my head in respect.
“Th-thank you…!”
“Huh? Ahaha! What is this? You’re practically bowing!”
Juri giggled and clapped her hands.
“Oh! Hana, are you officially becoming her disciple now?”
“Yes! That’s correct! Please accept this unworthy disciple’s bow…!”
Oh Yujin chuckled softly at our playful banter.
“Then shall we give our disciple’s cheeks a little squeeze?”
With a mischievous smile, Yujin reached out to pinch my cheeks. Yet I dared not resist the gestures of my master, both in this life and the past. I could only pay silent respect in my heart.
*
Having resolved one major issue, another challenge awaited me.
This time, it was about installing the artwork.
First of all, anything on a large scale requires a strategy. Even something as simple as preparing a meal becomes a strategic operation when it’s for a thousand people. Procuring ingredients from a local supermarket or convenience store wouldn’t cut it, you’d need to establish an entirely new supply chain from start to finish.
This same logic applied to setting up art installations.
For small paintings, it’s easy….you just hammer a nail into the wall and hang it up.
But for large-scale works, like dozens of massive paintings measuring around 2 meters each, it’s a different story.
You have to carefully calculate the flow of the audience’s movements, their lines of sight, and the spatial dynamics of the exhibition venue.
And if there are unique types of works, such as 3D sculptures or video installations, additional factors come into play, the placement of lights, ensuring shadows don’t interfere, and figuring out how to install power cables seamlessly.
It was, in essence, a miniature construction project.
Of course, this was all part of the market’s demand. Naturally, there were plenty of companies specializing in art installation services.
However, being overseas meant there was no one readily available to help me.
Once again, I was forced to think hard about my options.
If only someone like “Go Hun,” who brimmed with energy, were here. He could just tackle the installation solo in a single day and call it a job well done. But alas…
‘Ah… Go Hana! This frail and feeble girl’s body is so terribly weak!’
Flat, smooth, slender, delicate.
This utterly muscleless body simply didn’t have the stamina to endure the process of setting up an entire exhibition display.
After much deliberation, I finally arrived at the conclusion, ‘I need to recruit someone to help me with the setup.’
“……”
Truthfully, if this was a manpower issue, I could just ask Mari, the youngest daughter of a chaebol family, and the problem would be solved in an instant.
‘Mari, help me!’ And with a simple click, she’d take care of everything. But if I got into the habit of relying on her like that, I feared it would become a crutch.
It was stubbornness on my part, but at least when it came to my work, I wanted to solve things on my own.
With this worry on my mind, I found myself at my uncle’s auto repair shop in Mapo-gu over the weekend.
“…So that’s what I’m struggling with.”
“You’re something else, kid. At your age, most kids are worrying about how to make their first crush notice them as mature adults. You know, the usual embarrassing, naive stuff.”
“Well, I am a little extraordinary.”
“Yeah, sure.”
My uncle snorted, organizing the appointment board on the wall. It was filled with requests from the nearby university studio apartments in Mapo-gu.
Toilet repairs.
Pipe replacements.
TV fixes.
Boiler repairs.
And so on…
“…You’re pretty booked, huh?”
“Don’t know how, but word’s spread. Business has been booming lately.”
“…”
With that, my uncle was out of the running as a candidate.
‘If he left his shop for four weeks during a critical growth period, it’d be the end of it.’
Of course, if I asked, he’d probably shut the shop down to help me. But I didn’t want to rely on childish whims anymore…not in this life.
Still, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed.
“Haah… Is there anyone out there who’s free, strong, skilled with their hands, and willing to fly overseas to help for four weeks?”
“Huh? There might be.”
“Huh? Seriously?”
“Yeah, someone I got to know at tech school. Young guy. Good character, dependable. Used to be in the special forces or something.”
“…Special forces?”
“Yep. Name’s Kim Palgon. He’s out of the military now, but I hear he was a really diligent soldier.”
“…”
Hmm.
Hmmmmm…
…Approved.
I responded enthusiastically.
“Ah, ack…!”
“…?”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.