Go Hana returned to Korea after the awards ceremony in June.
Although the Biennale exhibition continued for another six months, the artist didn’t need to stay there the entire time. Besides, there were things she had to take care of in Korea.
After the awards ceremony, the number of invitations that poured in for her was enough to form a towering mountain.
Of course, she didn’t have to accept them all, but completely ignoring them wouldn’t have been right either.
“…I can’t refuse invitations from those who helped with the exhibition, after all.”
Before leaving with Chief Jung and the others, Hana took one last look around the Biennale venue.
“…”
— Murmuring voices —
After the judging period ended and the Biennale opened to the public, the Korean Pavilion was packed with crowds eager to see that piece. Even under the early summer sun, a line stretching dozens of meters had formed.
Many people had come to see the man who had become art.
They had come to hear his story.
Like the VIPs before them, they cried, reflected, and talked about that man.
— Is this the masterpiece created by that genius?
— It’s fascinating. Feels like a theme park.
— I’m embarrassed to say, but I don’t really get it.
— Can something like this even be called art? Art is…
— What do you even know?
— It feels kind of sad. The ending was strange.
And in the end, they remembered his life.
Like starlight in the vast blue sky,
they reminisced about the brilliance of his fiercely burning existence.
“…”
Go Hana quietly turned away.
She returned to Korea to reunite with her family and friends.
Welcomed by cheers so overwhelming that Incheon Airport felt like it might collapse, she stepped back into her everyday life.
*
August.
At the peak of the sweltering heat.
Go Hana returned to Venice.
But this time, she wasn’t alone.
Mari was by her side.
“…”
The two of them sat side by side on an orange boat, one of the water buses used for transportation.
Dressed in similar loose summer outfits and wide-brimmed white hats, they looked almost like a matching set.
The breeze, carried along by the rippling water, made their white hats flutter. Occasionally, their shoulders would brush, raising their body temperature, but neither of them minded.
They simply sat there, holding hands.
“…”
“…”
It was unusual for them to remain so still, considering how they usually indulged in affectionate displays that would make onlookers blush.
Not that their bond had weakened over the summer—far from it.
And yet, Mari suddenly covered her mouth and tightly shut her eyes.
“Ugh…”
“…!”
Hana asked worriedly,
“Are you feeling really bad? Should we just get off?”
Mari shook her head.
Hana let out a deep sigh.
“Being extra sensitive to things really has its downsides, huh? I didn’t think you’d get motion sickness this badly…”
“I-I’m… I’m fine… really…”
“Want some water?”
“No, it’s okay… Just… keep holding my hand.”
“Of course.”
They squeezed each other’s hands tightly. Somehow, their grip felt even firmer than it had before the Biennale.
Watching from behind, Chief Jung tilted her head with a puzzled expression.
“…?”
“…Was that much physical contact normal between friends?”
But having never had friends in school, Jung Siyoon had no way of knowing.
Mari, trying to distract herself from the nausea, looked around.
“….”
Venice.
The city seemed to float on the water. White and red stone buildings stood between damp wooden poles jutting out of the waves.
As she gazed at the scenery, Mari muttered out of nowhere,
“…You said you couldn’t draw it. But this doesn’t seem that impossible.”
“?”
Chief Jung blinked and followed Mari’s gaze.
Sure, the entangled mass of buildings looked complicated enough to be difficult to draw.
‘She really forgets that her observational skills are on a whole other level…’
But Hana just smiled wryly.
“Guess that’s how that old man saw it. Considering how much he liked things like lotus flowers and ponds, I suppose he was the type to be drawn to water.”
“Really? That’s kind of unique.”
“Well, thanks to him, we now have all these fun ways to depict light reflections. Let’s just appreciate his poetic musings.”
“Yeah. Those artists do have that kind of thing going on.”
“…Van Gogh…”
“Hm? Why him all of a sudden?”
“No reason.”
Their conversation trailed off as Mari closed her eyes, beginning to doze off.
Chief Jung remained silent.
“…”
‘What… What are they even talking about?’
As someone who worked at an art studio and was responsible for looking after Mari, she had a decent knowledge of art.
Yet somehow, the two girls’ conversation felt impossible to follow.
‘The way they just throw around ‘this guy,’ ‘that person,’ ‘this thing,’ ‘that thing’… and yet, it all fits together perfectly… This isn’t just random talk, is it?’
In the end, she gave up trying to figure it out.
Noticing her expression, Go Hana smiled and explained,
“…Claude Monet. That old man once said that Venice was ‘too beautiful to capture in a painting.’ But I guess that sentiment didn’t really resonate with Mari. Probably because of her seasickness.”
“Ohh, I see.”
“Still, isn’t it a breathtaking view?”
“Yes. When we were preparing for the exhibition, I didn’t really take it in… But now that we’re back, it truly is beautiful.”
“It’s a relief.”
“Huh?”
“It’s a waste if you can’t fully enjoy a view like this.”
“…”
Jung Joo-im glanced at the young lady’s exclusive moving beautiful-girl biological translator (a nickname he couldn’t say out loud) with a newfound expression.
‘The atmosphere… has softened.’
The eyes that had been filled with a sense of duty just a few months ago were now calmly taking in the surrounding scenery. They were clear enough to reflect the shimmering waters of Venice.
“…”
Hana smiled leisurely.
-♪
Humming a tune, she unconsciously moved her fingers slightly, the gesture exuding a mature air. Compared to the young lady beside her, who was groaning from motion sickness, the difference was striking.
“….”
Jung Joo-im watched her and thought,
… Somehow, she seems much more feminine after winning the Golden Lion Award. She always had a girlish side, but now… it feels like she’s truly grown up.
How should I put it…
A few months ago, she was like a wildflower blooming on a rugged mountainside. But now, she has the elegance of a high-end plant neatly placed in a flowerpot.
‘First love? No… I’ve been around her all the time in the studio, and there’s never been a hint of that.’
Jung Joo-im pondered for a moment and found the answer.
“!”
That’s it!
It must be because of the sense of duty she felt after the Korean government proposed the ‘Gwanghwamun Go Hana Statue Construction Plan’ upon her return home.
Was that all? For two months, she had basked in the honor of having her portraits displayed in every art school and being inducted into various halls of fame.
Jung Joo-im looked at Hana with a proud expression.
“….”
‘Back then, when Go Hana pleaded in the studio for them not to do it, I really thought she hated it… But unexpectedly, she must have a strong sense of patriotism.’
— Sob…! Please, please, just don’t immortalize me like that…!
But seeing her acting so mature now,
It seemed like, deep down, she actually liked it.
Jung Joo-im nodded.
And made a decision.
When they returned home after this summer vacation, he would actively express his opinion to the Korean government…
*
They had finally arrived at Giardini Park.
The Biennale exhibition was still in full swing.
Perhaps due to the scorching midsummer sun, the number of visitors seemed to have decreased. But for Mari, who wasn’t fond of crowded places, that was good news.
Hana and Mari held hands as they looked around.
Mari’s eyes widened.
“Wow…! Seeing it in person is so much better. It’s way more vivid than in photos.”
“The Korean Pavilion is this way.”
“Okay!”
The two girls walked lightly, as if taking a casual stroll.
Jung Joo-im followed behind, watching their backs.
The taller girl kept looking around excitedly, letting out bursts of admiration, while the shorter girl spoke softly, explaining things to her. Every now and then, laughter bubbled up between them.
“…”
It was a peaceful sight.
Jung Joo-im felt relieved.
“…That’s a relief.”
It wasn’t just because he was in charge of them as an artist manager.
The countless hardships these two girls had faced were things even adults would struggle to endure. Yet, they had overcome them and were moving forward.
Hand in hand.
Step by step.
Jung Joo-im felt his eyes sting slightly and wiped them discreetly. Then, he murmured quietly to himself.
“…It’d be nice if we could put the young lady’s statue next to Gwanghwamun, too.”
*
“….”
“…”
Mari had finished viewing Walking Together.
Once again, Hana had not gone inside.
They reunited at the entrance of the Korean Pavilion.
“…”
“…”
Mari looked at Hana. Then, she quietly pulled her into an embrace.
Under the scorching sun, despite the sweltering heat, there was no hesitation.
“Hana.”
“Yeah?”
“Did you let it all go?”
“!”
Hana slowly nodded. Even if she didn’t fully understand, Mari seemed to have sensed something.
“…Yeah.”
“That’s incredible.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“It is.”
“You really let it go.”
“…Yeah.”
Mari spoke slowly.
“Regret, hesitation, fear… all of it.”
“…Yeah.”
“That’s amazing.”
“…Thanks.”
“So, what will you do now? Doesn’t the weight of expectation feel heavy?”
“I’m going to learn a lot.”
Hana smiled.
“Because, like you, I’m a genius. I can do it all.”
“!”
Mari understood.
In that one sentence,
there was respect directed toward her.
“…I’ll work hard alongside you.”