Van Gogh Reborn!

317

The Final Showdown (22)

“Look at me, Hun. Look me in the eyes and tell me.”

“It’s really not true.”

“Then why did you say that?”

Grandpa asked me for the umpteenth time.

He seemed to suspect that my parents abused me because of what I said at the auction.

Far from abuse, I was well-fed and happy to the point of being spoiled.

I didn’t know how to clear this misunderstanding.

“No. It didn’t sound like that to me.”

As we were arguing, I saw the game console that Jang Mi-rae gave me as a gift.

“Game.”

“Huh?”

“It was about the game. You know, in the game, it’s inconvenient if you don’t have money.”

I didn’t know what was inconvenient.

I just picked up some things that the viewers said when I was doing internet broadcasts.

Grandpa probably didn’t know either, so I hoped he would let it go.

“Really?”

“Yes. Maybe?”

“Maybe?”

Grandpa looked doubtful again, so I steeled myself.

“The game is also played by people, so there is a society. There are many things you can’t do without money. Henri is always acting frustrated. I just blurted out whatever came to my mind, so don’t worry about it.”

I hugged Grandpa and hurried to another room.

It was a hectic day, with the auction, the interview requests, and Grandpa’s misunderstanding.

I thought it was all because of Henri’s unnecessary stubbornness, and I couldn’t calm down.

I felt a bit sorry for him when I remembered that I couldn’t answer him between me and .

I lay down on the bed to get some sleep and turned on my smartphone.

As expected, there were countless articles related to today’s auction.

They all made a fuss about the highest bid of the year for an artwork.

“…”

I used to lament every night because I wasn’t recognized, but now I’m getting too much attention for something that was just a memory with my friends.

It’s a strange world to live twice.

What made such a different outcome?

I wanted to give people a little courage and hope, then and now.

But so much has changed.

I got out of the disease that bound my reason and shook my emotions, and I learned what love is.

Through my mother, father, and grandfather, I met countless works of art and broadened my horizons, and I devoted myself to painting in a stable environment.

But that’s not enough to explain what happened today.

I can’t explain why ‘Vincent van Gogh’ is loved.

“…”

Yes.

As Vincent or as Kohun, there are countless reasons why I am loved.

But among them, the most decisive one was people.

I was nothing by myself, but I was able to continue my work as Theo helped me.

And I became known thanks to Gachet, who collected my paintings and letters after I died.

It’s the same now.

I was able to live healthily thanks to my parents and grandfather, and I was able to broaden my horizons and think deeply through my grandfather and Jang Mi-rae.

I was able to proceed smoothly with various things thanks to Bang Taeho, who helped me from my first solo exhibition.

And I made a name for myself in the art world by meeting Henri Marso.

Nothing was done by myself.

I sorted out my thoughts and opened my mailbox. There were quite a few letters.

One was from the Munster Sculpture Project Committee, informing me of the Citizen Award and the award ceremony, and the other was from various media outlets requesting interviews. I forwarded them to Bang Taeho.

There was a congratulatory letter from the Bugrenelli Shopping Mall, with a 500 euro gift card enclosed.

There was also a picture file that Cha Si-hyun sent me regularly. I opened it and saw that he was getting pretty good at it.

A blue branch with leaves sprouted over the lake.

I should call him tomorrow.

“…?”

The sender of the most recent letter was the Berlin Philharmonic Office.

Subject: Invitation to the Berlin Philharmonic

Sender: Berlin Philharmonic Office

Greetings, this is the Berlin Philharmonic Office contacting you.

The Berlin Philharmonic is an organization that works for the coexistence of citizens and helps the needy neighbors by holding charity concerts and operating music classes and academies.

Therefore, we are very interested in the activities you showed at Dallida Square.

We are sending you an invitation that you can use at this year’s charity concert. Please come and brighten up the place.

-Joel Wayne, External Cooperation Team, Berlin Philharmonic Office

I didn’t know that the Berlin Philharmonic also did charity work.

Come to think of it, it’s not strange that people who make such warm music help others.

I should at least say hello since they bought at an absurdly expensive price.

I downloaded the invitation to my smartphone and went to sleep.

“Invitation?”

I told my grandfather, Bang Taeho, and Ma Eunchan that I had been invited by the Berlin Philharmonic while having dinner.

“Yes. They sent me a ticket for the charity concert.”

“When?”

“They said I can use it anytime this year.”

My grandfather nodded.

“It would be nice to go after finishing your busy work. Huni likes it too.”

“Yes.”

“You’re lucky. It’s so hard to get tickets.”

“Then let’s go together. You too, bro.”

Ma Eunchan, who had a mouthful of food, raised his head in surprise.

“Let’s go together. They sent me ten tickets.”

He swallowed hastily and drank some water.

“Really? Can I really do that?”

“Of course.”

“Really? Really?”

“Yes, I told you.”

“No way. I thought I would never hear it in my life.”

“Are the tickets expensive?”

“It’s not that they’re expensive, it’s that there’s no seats. You usually have to buy them at the beginning of the season for regular concerts. Otherwise, you can’t get them.”

Bang Taeho explained for me.

They sell tickets for a whole season at once, and even then they’re sold out. I could tell how much the Berlin Philharmonic was loved.

“But I can’t keep receiving like this.”

Ma Eunchan frowned with a fork in his hand.

“What do you mean by receiving?”

“I know there’s no VIP invitation. I heard it yesterday while I was walking around.”

The lie I told to avoid burdening him was exposed.

I didn’t know what to say, so I just watched him straighten his waist and shoulders and smile.

“I’ll pay you back as soon as I make money. I promise.”

I wanted to say that it wasn’t something I wanted to get back, but I didn’t want to refuse his words that he would pay me back someday.

I also wanted to pay back Theo for the debt I owed him someday, and I said it with determination, but every time he told me not to worry, I could only smile bitterly at his smile.

“I’ll remember that.”

“Yeah! You can trust me! I’m good at keeping promises.”

He smiled softly and continued eating, when Bang Taeho brought up the schedule.

“The awards ceremony is on July 28th, so it would be better to go back to Paris and stay there and then stop by Münster.”

“That’s right. It’s awkward to go outside. Huni, is there anywhere else you want to go?”

“No. I want to rest.”

“Ha ha. That’s right. You’ve been traveling for two weeks already. Ma writer, you have to sort out your life in Münster too.”

I suggested moving to Paris when I joined Chocolatier.

Ma Eunchan also agreed that he wanted to gain more experience than school, but he didn’t talk about it in detail.

“I paid the rent until the 10th. I have to look for a place in Paris too, but sigh. I forgot because I was sightseeing.”

“Hmm. That’s not good. It’s not easy to find a house.”

My grandfather thought for a moment and asked casually.

“Then how about living together?”

“What?”

“Don’t feel burdened. I built it too big and there are a lot of empty rooms. The current room representative and Kim writer are also staying.”

“Uh…”

Ma Eunchan hesitated.

He didn’t seem to be brazen enough to accept someone’s favor without hesitation.

“But it would be uncomfortable if there are too many people.”

“Ha ha. It’s better to be crowded than lonely. Don’t you think?”

“Yes. I’m going to live separately with my family soon, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

Ma Eunchan fiddled with his hands and bowed his head.

“I’m really sorry for being so shameless. It doesn’t seem like something I can refuse. I’ll do anything, cleaning, laundry, whatever. Please take care of me.”

Different people may feel differently, but when you live without anything, you often don’t see the kindness of others clearly.

You might wonder if they are ignoring you.

Or you might feel hurt by your pride, thinking that you look so pitiful that they pity you.

But when the next month, the next week, or even tomorrow becomes scary, you lose those feelings.

You have to get out of your situation, so you put your pride aside and try to survive by any means.

I was also like that, shamelessly borrowing money from Theo every time.

I engraved in my heart how much I owed him, and vowed to pay him back someday.

“Sir. It’s Arsen.”

“What is it?”

Henri Marso was annoyed when his secretary knocked on the door.

The man who had owned everything was in a dilemma for days, having to choose between two precious people.

“Come in.”

Arsen opened the door and entered the room.

“The Berlin Philharmonic has invited you, sir.”

“What?”

Arsen handed Henri a letter.

It was the same email that Hoon had received, but the orchestra conductor Bae Dovin had added a postscript.

P.S.

The that you love so much will be sent to Seoul next month, so if you have any regrets, come with your friend.

Henri Marso raised his eyebrows.

“What, what does he mean by that?”

Henri Marso crumpled and threw the letter, but his anger didn’t subside. He clenched his teeth.

As if his head wasn’t complicated enough, he couldn’t stand being mocked.

Arsen unfolded the letter and read it aloud.

“It doesn’t seem like a bad offer.”

Henri glared at Arsen.

“Didn’t you and B both avoid bidding at Christie’s auction because of your pride? You backed off because Hoon stopped you, and B bought the Flower, so both sides ended without any wounds.”

“So what?”

“It seems like he has some intention to propose something, since he asked you to come. B probably has some idea of what the Flower means to you, sir.”

“…”

Henri Marso narrowed his eyes.

“Are you saying he wants more?”

It was a question of whether he was asking for more money than the auction price.

“I don’t think B would do such a petty thing. He has no reason to, and he wouldn’t have invited you if he did.”

Arsen calmed Henri down.

He had been too sensitive lately, and his thoughts were going in a bad direction.

If it were normal, Henri, who had listened to Bae Dovin’s music for a long time, wouldn’t have thought that way.

Henri Marso took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to regain his reason.

“Fine.”

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