I Became an Artist in a Romantic Comedy

Chapter 76: Choi Yeseo’s Concert (Finale)

“Phew, that feels so much better.”

“Would you put on your clothes properly before coming out?”

Surrounded by a cloud of white steam, Yeseo emerged from the bathroom, towel-drying her hair.

“Wh-what! It’s not like this is the first time you’ve seen me!”

Flustered, she crossed her arms over her chest.

“Don’t say things that can be easily misunderstood. Also, button your shirt.”

“Ugh, it’s not a big deal,” she replied, confidently puffing out her chest.

I sighed in exasperation.

“Come here. I’ll dry your hair for you.”

“Huh? What’s with you?”

“Maybe I ate something weird yesterday. Just get over here before your hair gets damaged.”

I tapped the chair in front of me, waiting for her to sit.

She narrowed her eyes at me suspiciously, which only made me laugh.

“You look tired. That’s all. Happy now?”

“That’s weird… The Ha-eun I know isn’t like this.”

“What are you even talking about?”

Muttering under her breath, Yeseo reluctantly sat down. While she showered earlier, I’d prepared a hairdryer and a towel from the staff room.

‘No idea why there’s a hairdryer here, but it’s convenient.’

As she leaned back, her round eyes briefly met mine. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“What’s so funny?”

“You’re cute. That’s all.”

“…You’re the worst.”

Her face quickly turned tomato-red again, and I gently grabbed a handful of her damp blond hair.

“This reminds me of the past,” she murmured.

“Yeah?”

“Mm-hmm. Back then, Ha Yoon, Yeol, and I would always bug you to dry our hair after a bath.”

“It was exhausting, you know.”

“Hehe. What about now? Is it still tiring?”

“Three at once would still be exhausting. But it’s just you today.”

I didn’t say the rest—I didn’t want her catching on that she looked worn out.

I rubbed her hair with the towel, soaking up as much moisture as possible. The strands went from glistening gold to a fluffy mess as I used the hairdryer.

Finally, I took out a comb and carefully ran it through her hair.

Swish, swish.

“That feels weird!”

“It’s weird for me too. And stop moving your head.”

“Not a chance~. I’ll just keep annoying you!”

She giggled, but I stayed focused, the faintest smile playing on my lips.

For some reason, it felt… nice. Calm, even.

We didn’t say much after that. Yeseo swung her legs back and forth, humming a tune, while I combed through her hair.

Despite the activity, it didn’t feel like work.

“All done. Now get up. We’re leaving.”

“What? Already? Let’s stay a bit longer!”

“Fine, have it your way.”

I pulled out my phone to text Soyeol, letting her know to hang out at a nearby café.

Feeling someone’s gaze, I glanced up to meet Yeseo’s sparkling yellow eyes.

“Hehe.”

“You’re seriously like a puppy, you know that?”

Her goofy grin made me shake my head in disbelief. What was so amusing?

“Your hands are so pretty, Ha-eun. Long and slender, and so white. How are they this nice when you don’t even use hand cream?”

She grabbed one of my hands, leaving me no choice but to let her examine it.

“I don’t trust chemicals on my skin. Nature is the best,” I replied.

“…You know hand cream is fine, right?”

I shrugged. The most I used were basic skincare items like lotion.

Though a lot of men were good at makeup these days, I’d always felt it wasn’t for me. Something about it seemed like it would ruin my skin.

Not that I thought makeup was inherently bad—just not for me.

“Ha-eun.”

She leaned her head on my shoulder, her voice soft.

“How was I today?”

“You were amazing. Though I’m guessing you don’t want me to say that.”

“You know I hear that after every concert, don’t you?”

“Hmm. Then… Did you have fun?”

This time, I threw the question back at her. Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Hey! I asked first!”

“Answer my question, and I’ll answer yours.”

“Ugh, fine. Yeah, I had fun! It was exhausting, though!”

Her bright smile made me grin in return.

“Good. I had fun watching your performance too. Does that answer your question?”

“What kind of answer is that!”

Despite her protest, she was all smiles.

Standing up, I suggested we head out, and she quickly followed suit.

“Here. You earned it.”

“Huh? What’s this…? Wait, where did you get this?!”

On our way out, I handed her a small piece of candy wrapped in yellow plastic—a lemon-flavored treat.

Her wide-eyed reaction made me chuckle. She’d probably recognize it as something she hadn’t seen in seven years.

Covering my laughter with a hand, I explained, “It’s homemade. My mom made it.”

“So that’s why I couldn’t find it…”

Every time she went to a convenience store, Yeseo would head straight to the candy aisle, only to leave disappointed. The lemon candy she longed for hadn’t been sold since she was ten.

“Well, back then, my mom made it. The one I gave you now? I made it myself.”

“W-wait, really?”

“Why would I lie about something like this? It shouldn’t be sticky like before, either.”

Thanks to the cool weather, the candy had kept its form perfectly.

When Yeseo popped it into her mouth, her face lit up with delight.

“…Hehe. This is still the best candy I’ve ever had.”

“Glad you think so. By the way, no afterparty with your group tonight?”

Normally, there’d be a post-show celebration, so I found it odd.

“Oh, everyone has their own schedules today. The leader said we’d do the afterparty another time.”

Lucky me. Another group hangout avoided.

“…Did you make this candy knowing I wanted it?”

As we walked down the hall, Yeseo suddenly spoke.

“Who knows? I just remembered you liked it back then and decided to make some.”

“Pfft. You’re such a tsundere—acting all gruff and aloof!”

“Eat it and let it give you strength for the week ahead.”

“Okay, okay~. Look at you, getting all shy about it.”

She gave my shoulder a playful tap. Her hands, I noticed, were smaller than mine—far smaller.

Would she like it if I held her hand? Probably. So I did just that.

“Eek!”

“It’s cold. Let’s go like this.”

…For the record, this wasn’t some petty revenge for her teasing me earlier.

Meeting Lee Doyoon and Baek Yuseol

“Geez, you’re impossible to track down. Why’s it so hard to see you these days?”

“Hahaha. My schedule’s been crazy. Long time no see, Ha-eun!”

I finally caught up with Lee Doyoon after a while—and Baek Yuseol was with him.

“Feels like you got that backward, but fine. How’ve you been?”

“It’s been two months, huh? Yuseol and I have been doing great.”

Well, well. Doyoon seemed different—more confident, even self-assured.

Looks like his acting career was treating him well.

I did wonder about his school attendance, though. But my concern turned out to be unnecessary.

“Oh, don’t worry! My current project’s the last one for this year. After that, I’ll focus on school.”

“Then that’s fine. Our ‘Ten Million Actor,’ huh?”

I reached out to pat his shoulder, but Yuseol stepped between us, blocking me.

“I’m a guy, you know.”

“Still don’t like it.”

“Geez… fine. Keep an eye on your boyfriend, then.”

Yuseol pouted at Doyoon, who responded with an awkward laugh.

They really were something else.

“Dude, you need to manage your girlfriend better.”

I couldn’t help but tease Doyoon.

“Haha, my bad, my bad.”

He laughed it off, and even Yuseol chuckled along.

For the record, rumors about me not getting along with Yuseol? Total lies.

“So, it’s been about 100 days?”

“Three days from now, it’ll be exactly 100.”

“Time flies. Feels like just yesterday you two got together.”

Though I didn’t say it outright, Doyoon and Yuseol had been dating for three months.

Apparently, Doyoon was the one who confessed first.

Unbelievable. The dopamine must flow nonstop with these two.

“Anyway, take care. See you at lunch.”

“Got it~. Later.”

We parted ways after a quick catch-up. While they likely had their own plans, I had somewhere else to be.

At the Chairman’s Office

The butterfly-painted door was exactly as I remembered it. I knocked before entering.

Inside, the office was empty.

I had a feeling Chairman Lee Ji-chul might not be in yet, but the silence still surprised me.

He must’ve been delayed because of a request I’d made recently.

According to his text, he’d only just landed in Korea this morning after a trip to Japan.

I figured I’d wait here until he returned.

The office was sparsely furnished—a couple of sofas and a transparent table.

‘Man, this place is so empty.’

The stark contrast between the extravagant exterior of the building and its barren interior was unsettling.

‘Wouldn’t this be a great spot for a mural?’

The idea was tempting, but obviously not allowed.

[Me: When will you be here?]

[Chairman Lee: Traffic’s bad. They don’t call it “Hellcheon” for nothing.]
[Me: I’ve got 30 minutes to kill. Mind if I spruce up your office a bit?]
[Chairman Lee: Spruce it up? How?]

[Me: With a mural. The walls are perfect for it.]
[Chairman Lee: You’ve got some nerve. Don’t touch a thing.]

“Figures.”

I sighed, disappointed but not surprised. Still, I couldn’t sit still.

Even as I lounged on the sofa, my legs jittered restlessly.

It was the artist’s equivalent of withdrawal. Seeing a blank wall and being forbidden to paint on it was torture.

‘There’s a canvas right in front of me, and I can’t use it? Ridiculous.’

“Forget it. Humans are slaves to their desires, after all.”

I stood up and pulled a pen from my pocket. Just as I approached the wall—

Click!

The door opened, and in walked Chairman Lee and his secretary.

“Ah, couldn’t you have come in a little later?”

“Good grief. You really are something else.”

I clicked my tongue in disappointment as I slid the pen back into my pocket.