Chapter 35

The warmth of spring lingered in the classroom, emanating from the plum blossom painting on the chalkboard. This is what a masterpiece feels like—a warmth that resonates beyond the canvas.

“…Ha-Eun.”

The trembling voice of Teacher Lee Ah-Reum broke the silence.

“Yes, teacher? Pretty amazing, right?”

“No, it’s not that…”

She shook her head, her body slightly trembling.

Smack!

“Ouch! Why’d you hit me?”

A small but noticeable thud landed on the back of my head.

“How could you adjust the painting without Seol Yoon’s permission?!”

“What? Oh, but didn’t you just stand there and let me do it?”

“Stopping you mid-adjustment wouldn’t exactly make the painting prettier.”

Then why tell me where the chalk was in the first place?

“Well, I thought you were just doodling in an empty spot.”

“Are you a mind reader now?”

I scratched the back of my head where she’d flicked it, shrugging nonchalantly.

“Besides, does it really matter? The painting was already faded, and it doesn’t seem like Seol Yoon cares.”

“That might be true, but it still feels a little… unsettling.”

There was something I hadn’t mentioned to her.

[Seol Yoon Snack Queen: Plum blossom? Oh, you mean that plum blossom? The one on the chalkboard?]

[Me: Yeah, I was wondering if I could tweak it a bit.]

[Seol Yoon Snack Queen: Oh, I don’t mind! I put a lot of effort into it back then, but I don’t really think about it anymore.]

[Me: Don’t complain later if I do.]

[Seol Yoon Snack Queen: Why would I? I’d love for you to make it even prettier! Feel free to do whatever you like!]

I had already asked for her permission before picking up the chalk. As for why I saved her contact as “Snack Queen”…

"Are you eating snacks again?"

"Hehe, I get hungry quickly when I’m running around everywhere!"

"Moderation is key. You’ll get diabetes at this rate."

"Hah! This body was built through exercise!"

Whenever I visited her for work, she was always munching on something. That’s why her contact name became “Snack Queen.”

“Well, should we move to the next classroom?”

I broke the silence, and Lee Ah-Reum’s gaze softened as she inspected the plum blossom painting one last time.

“It doesn’t look like it was touched, but the atmosphere feels sharper now.”

“I didn’t change it completely. If I could, I might have reworked the whole thing, but that didn’t seem right.”

“You say some scary things…”

This painting wasn’t mine, so I couldn’t bring it to life in its entirety. I only added enough to preserve its current form for a bit longer.

For now, I had done all I could to extend its life.

“Well, shall we?”

Reading my expression, she shook her head with a smile.

“That’s enough for today. There’s not much time left anyway.”

Checking my phone, I saw that lunch was about to start.

“But isn’t there enough time to at least look at the other classrooms—”

“Ah, what’s for lunch today? Let’s go!”

Before I could finish, she grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the classroom.

As she led me away, my gaze fell back on the plum blossom painting one last time.

‘…Sorry, I couldn’t fully save you.’

Unlike my paintings, which could last for decades or more, this plum blossom had only a few years left at best.

No matter how much I touched it up, the inherent lifespan of its vitality couldn’t be extended.

By the time we left the building, the bright sunlight shone through the windows, reflecting on the wooden floors.

“It doesn’t feel like March 2nd weather,” I muttered.

“Global warming? More like global self-destruction,” she quipped.

“That’s a bit grim, don’t you think?”

Why were all the educators I met so… offbeat?

“At 17, you’ve probably seen gory stuff. You know what’s what.”

“You’re not really a teacher, are you?”

“Back in my day, people got their hands dirty.”

Her day? She was only eight years older than me.

“In movies, of course.”

Why did I even bother starting this conversation?

After a short exchange of idle chatter, we arrived back at the Class 1 art room. Just as she was about to enter, I grabbed her wrist.

“So why did you avoid going to the other classrooms earlier?”

At first glance, the situation might seem questionable—a teacher and student standing close like this—but I wasn’t about to let it go.

“Haha… you’re sharp.”

Scratching her cheek awkwardly, she admitted, “There are other paintings in the classrooms, but there’s nothing there for you to see right now.”

“What do you mean?”

“In the first classroom, you felt the warmth of the plum blossoms. But why do you think only that classroom had such an atmosphere?”

“…Huh.”

I hadn’t realized it until now. There were likely paintings or art pieces in the other rooms too.

Even if they weren’t paintings, any masterpieces in those rooms should have resonated with me.

But only the plum blossom painting had stirred anything in me—the warmth and comfort of spring.

“What could be there, then?”

“They’re not particularly grand paintings. Probably similar to the plum blossoms you saw earlier.”

Her explanation cleared my doubts. Even Lee Ah-Reum couldn’t sense anything from the other classrooms.

“The old building only contains paintings?”

“Yep. Every piece there is part of the Chairman’s collection.”

It was starting to make sense. The reason I could connect with Seol Yoon’s painting was that there were no conditions attached to it.

“How can you be sure it’s all paintings?”

“Why else would I have the keys to this place?”

The Chairman was craftier than I’d thought.

“When I was given the key, I was told the building only held paintings.”

“And the other classroom keys?”

“They’re still with the Chairman. I’m just managing the building for now. He said he’d hand over the keys eventually.”

What is this, some RPG? Am I not high enough level to unlock these rooms?

“Well, I guess there’s nothing I can do about it for now.”

“Maybe if you win the World Art Prize, the Chairman will personally hand you the keys.”

I doubted that, but whatever.

Lee Ah-Reum opened the classroom door and called out, “Let’s go eat lunch, everyone!”

The chatter in the classroom immediately turned into a chorus of chairs scraping and footsteps rushing out.

Lunch was lively. Students buzzed about the supposedly top-tier school meals, debating if lobster or king crab might actually be on the menu someday.

Eventually, I found myself sitting with Ha Soo-Yul, Choi Ye-Seo, and the usual suspects.

It was only during lunch that I noticed something strange.

While the others chatted animatedly, I discreetly observed Lee Do-Yoon from a distance.

He looked fine on the surface, but his fingers trembled ever so slightly.

‘We need to talk seriously today.’

And then there was Baek Yoo-Seol, glaring at Choi Ye-Seo and Hong Yea-Hwa for some reason.@@novelbin@@

I decided I didn’t want to know.

After school, as the classroom emptied, I stayed behind. The silence felt oddly serene.

Not long after, the door creaked open, and Lee Do-Yoon walked in.

“You’re here.”

“Y-yeah… haha.”

He laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.

Resting my chin on my hand, I spoke bluntly.

“What made you, someone with no talent for art, think you could join the art department?”

Why are you even here?

He froze at my question, his expression stiffening.

And I, my veins beginning to pulse with frustration, waited for his answer.