The Mysterious Art Museum

Chapter 22 (1) - The Mysterious Art Museum

I was confident.

Confident that the painting I created could captivate Monica's heart.

Seeing her moved by the painting did indeed fill me with pride. But after a grueling 10-hour marathon, I was exhausted, my eyes heavy, my mind foggy.

I can't even remember how our conversation ended.

I fell asleep in the taxi Monica had called for me as soon as I got in, as soon as we started moving.

Thanks to the driver waking me up when we arrived at my place, I barely managed to get up and reach for my wallet, only to find out that MG Electronics had already covered the charge. I was grateful, but at that moment, sleep was more pressing.

I collapsed on my mattress as soon as I got home, falling asleep without even changing my clothes. I slept for a whopping 12 hours.

No morning sunlight, no sound of birds. That's impossible in a semi-basement room.

My room, where I can only tell it's daylight through the small sunbeam sneaking through the curtains.

I lay on my mattress, blinking at the ceiling.

Yesterday's events felt like a dream.

That thought made me bolt upright.

"Could it have been an actual dream?"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Recently, visiting that art gallery and experiencing such vivid dreams made me worry that yesterday might have been just another dream. Frantically, I searched around and found the bag I had taken with me yesterday.

"Could it be, could it be?"

The bag was nowhere in sight.

Could it really have been just a dream?

Then, spotting the strap of my bag peeking out beside the mattress, I pounced onto it, clutching it like prey.

Apparently, I had thrown it to the opposite side of the mattress while sleeping in my clothes.

Rapidly opening the bag, I sighed in relief and smiled.

"It wasn't a dream, haha."

Inside was the contract I had signed yesterday, carefully preserved. Even though a wrinkle wouldn't nullify it, I unfolded it as if not to allow even the slightest crease, smiling broadly.

"A signing bonus of 100 million won and a 2% incentive! Haha!"

Both the signing bonus and the incentive had doubled. Rubbing my eyes, I looked again at the amount for the signing bonus. Although a professional painter would care more about the RS (revenue sharing), for someone like me who had never even seen such a large sum, the upfront money was more thrilling.

I lay back on the mattress, laughing like a madman.

"100 million won, 100 million won."

It never gets old, no matter how many times I look at it.

I read the contract over and over again.

Then, noticing a slight misalignment in the pages, as they were stuck together, I realized there was another page. Hastily, I separated the two sheets with my fingernail.

"Huh...?"

It was an art sales contract.

Ah, I vaguely remember that too.

I quickly reviewed the sales contract.

My name and signature were in the seller's section, and Monica's in the buyer's.

The price for the painting was a whopping ten million won.

The person who bought my painting, which I used to draw for 25,000 won per portrait, had paid ten million won for it.

I recall what Monica said when buying the painting.

"I'll buy a nice frame and hang it in my office to look at every day."

The greatest compliment and joy for someone who makes a living off painting is knowing someone finds solace in viewing their work every day.

Although I was too tired to fully comprehend at the time, I had perked up at the mention of ten million won.

"But ten million is too much. You know what kind of person I am."

MG Electronics is a conglomerate with the resources to track me down in the crowded streets of Ikseon-dong.

It was only a matter of time before they learned how much I charged for a portrait and about my family's financial situation. Fearing they might later complain about the price being too high, I had tried to lower it.

But Monica just smiled and said.

"I'm in the art business, but I'm also a businesswoman, Mr. Ban."

At first, I didn't understand what she meant. She looked at me blankly and said.

"Do you know the cheapest way to buy a valuable artwork?"

"I guess at an auction or a private sale?"

Monica flicked her index finger and laughed.

"No, the cheapest way is to 'buy it today.'"

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