CH44

With the poster made and the Academic Affairs Office taking care of putting it up,

'Now all that's left is to wait for the submissions.'

Leaving Sinchon, I headed straight to Seoul National University.

Since it was my first outing in a while, it felt too soon to head back home.

'Well, since I'm out, I might as well drop by to see Professor Jo Soo-deok.'

It'd be nice to check on how his work has been going and catch up for old times' sake.

Vroom!

The sound of the S-Class's V8 engine never fails to impress!

After driving for about 30 minutes, the familiar sight of Seoul National University's campus came into view.

I'd been there often enough recently, and seeing it now still brought a sense of comfort.

Following the main road, I made my way to the Fine Arts building.

'It's already changed.'

There were posters promoting solo and group exhibitions, club recruitments, job postings, university announcements, and more.

Maybe it was because I'd just been putting up posters myself, but I found myself noticing these notices more than before.

One in particular caught my attention.

'A special lecture by a novelist, huh…'

<Dropout from Seoul National University's Department of Korean Language Education.< p>

Winner of the Yi Sang Literary Award.

Author of 'Our Twisted Hero,' novelist Lee Moon-hyuk's special lecture.>

Well, it is Seoul National University, after all.

'Even their special lectures are top-notch.'

'Our Twisted Hero' is a novel everyone knows.

While its film adaptation is one thing, it's also a significant piece of literature that appears in textbooks, so almost everyone has at least heard of it.

And this special lecture would run for a whole week starting today.

'A top-tier author giving daily lectures?'

It's probably not for the money.

He could make more just by writing during that time.

'It must be out of a sense of duty.'

Hmm.

I am a bit curious.

In my previous life, I didn't have much of a connection with Lee Moon-hyuk.

Our periods of activity were quite different, and since he was more of a mentor figure, it was natural that our paths didn't cross much.

I hadn't read much of his work either, so…

'It's a great opportunity, but…'

Attending the lecture seems like overkill, right?

Swallowing my regret, I forced myself to continue walking toward Jo Soo-deok's studio.

Knock, knock.

There was no response to my knock.

Maybe he's in the office?

Knock, knock.

Or perhaps he didn't come in today.

On a whim, I gently turned the door handle.

'Huh?'

I saw Jo Soo-deok standing in front of a canvas.

He didn't even hear my knock, completely engrossed in staring at the canvas.

Soon after, as if struck by inspiration, he began swiftly and boldly applying various images to the canvas.

It was like watching a writer constructing sentences, step by step.

The images layered on top of each other, creating a heavy, substantial atmosphere.

Then,

Swish, swish.

His strokes were clear and powerful.

Swish, swish, swish.

As the intense colors were added with almost frenzied energy,

"…!"

An incredibly three-dimensional scene unfolded, so deep it was hard to gauge its full depth.

He looked every bit the businessman in the U.S., but…

'He's really something.'

In this moment, Jo Soo-deok was the epitome of an artist.

I watched him quietly, holding my breath.

How much time passed like that?

"Gah!"

Jo Soo-deok let out a short yelp when he finally noticed me.

"Boss? When did you arrive?"

"Around the time you were adding yellow paint to your work."

"So that was quite a while ago…"

I hadn't checked the time, but it felt like at least 30 minutes had passed.

"Why didn't you say something?"

"This is my first time seeing you paint. I was so fascinated that I just stood here."

"It's not that impressive…"

"It was overwhelming."

"Come on, it's not that big of a deal…"

Jo Soo-deok scratched his head in embarrassment, leaving blue streaks in his hair due to the paint on his hands, but he didn't seem to mind.

Indeed, his entire body was covered in paint.

Even though he was wearing a work apron, somehow paint had gotten all over him underneath as well.

Noticing my gaze, Jo Soo-deok offered an explanation.

"When I get into it, I forget about everything. Sometimes my shoes get soaking wet, and I don't even realize it."

"I guess you'd feel a little disappointed if you left work clean."

"Absolutely. It would mean I didn't focus enough."

Jo Soo-deok then flashed a contented smile.

It had been a while since I'd seen him like this.

The warmth of his welcome was palpable.

"Shall we move to another room?"

"Let's do that."

After washing his hands, we headed to his office.

Inside were three completed works.

"Mind if I take a look?"

"Oh, I'd be grateful if you did, Boss."

Each one had a strong, impactful image.

One painting, with a pair of eyes drawn against a gray sky, hinted at who the model might be.

"Ah, that one…"

"Is that Chairman Park?"

Jo Soo-deok just smiled awkwardly in response.

But only for a moment. He then added a brief explanation.

"At first, I thought of painting a tiger, but that felt too direct, too one-dimensional. So I kept mulling over the emotions I felt at the time."

"And this was the result?"

"Yes. It was like looking up and seeing a pair of enormous eyes staring down at me."

"It's chilling."

"Isn't there a more terrifying word you can use?"

Hahaha.

After a shared laugh, we naturally moved toward the reception sofa.

"You've already completed four pieces. That's quite a lot of work."

"I've just been painting day and night."

"Isn't that the ideal situation for an artist?"

"It is, but… Sometimes it gets exhausting, and I find myself sprawling on the cot. When that happens, memories of my time in the U.S. always come to mind. My body was tired, but working in a bustling environment was fun. I just… I miss those times occasionally."

It didn't seem like he was just saying that to be polite.

I, too, often find myself thinking back to those days.

"So, what do you do when that happens?"

"I just get up and start painting again. There's nothing better for shaking off loneliness…"

"You could always give me a call."

"But it'd be the middle of the night."

"Hmm, maybe I should install a phone line directly to my room…"

As I joked, Jo Soo-deok chuckled.

"How have you been, Boss?"

"Reading books, studying English, just doing things like kids my age."

"Director, like other kids your age?"

"Why? Is that a problem?"

"Well, it is a bit. Our Boss is someone who operates on a global stage."

It felt like the shift from artist Jo Soo-deok to businessman Jo Soo-deok was beginning!

Sure enough, his voice took on that familiar, sly tone.

"Sometimes I even wonder…"

"…?"

"If you really need to go through elementary school, Boss…"

"It's mandatory, you know."

"I know, I know. But honestly, wouldn't it be better to skip straight to university… No, what's the point of school at all? You should be out there immediately, earning foreign currency for the country…"

It had been a while since I'd had a conversation like this.

You know how it is.

When people who like each other get together and exchange light-hearted banter.

"These days, are universities even real universities? They're more like job placement agencies."

After chatting about various topics,

"Professor, speaking of jobs…"

"Oh, yes, yes."

Realizing that something important was about to be discussed, Jo Soo-deok pulled out a small notebook.

"Could you recommend someone to work for me?"

"An employee?"

"It's getting harder to keep asking Hyungang for help whenever I need someone. I think it would be better to have my own staff."

"Well, I could handle that directly…"

"Normally, I would leave it to you, but there are times, like now, when you need to focus on your work. I need someone to assist me during those times."

"Hmm, to replace me, they'd have to be incredibly capable."

How can someone say something like that so shamelessly, without changing their expression!

But that's the charm of Jo Soo-deok—he's impossible to dislike, haha.

"Shall I reach out to someone from the Economics Department at Seoul National University? Those students are pretty sharp…"

"No."

"…?"

"I want to choose from among your students, Professor."

"The ones in the doctoral program?"

"Yes. It would be even better if it's someone I'm already acquainted with."

"Like one of those who went to the U.S. with us?"

I nodded.

They were, after all, veterans.

Having confirmed my intention, he quickly came up with an answer.

"Among them, the one who worked as an interpreter is the sharpest. He was planning to study in the U.S., but his family had financial difficulties, so he stayed in Korea on a scholarship."

No wonder his English was so good.

He had been preparing to study abroad.

"It's rare to find someone who's both diligent and has good sense. You've picked the right person."

"I didn't say anything."

"Oh, you didn't? Well then, let's say I chose the right person."

I was smiling as Jo Soo-deok moved to pick up the phone.

"Jin-wook is in his office, right? Tell him to come to my studio. Yes, right now."

After finishing the call, he looked satisfied.

"He's in the next building, so he should be here soon."

About five minutes later,

Knock, knock.

There was a knock at the door.

Then a young man stepped in.

"Professor, you called for me…"

When he saw me, Jung Jin-wook quickly bowed.

"Ah! Boss, you're here as well."

His surprised expression made me stand up and bow in return.

"Jin-wook, our Boss…"

Jo Soo-deok succinctly explained the situation.

He did it so clearly that I didn't need to say a word.

When it comes to handling matters, Jo Soo-deok really is the best.

"Jin-wook, was it your dream to become a professor?"

"Yes. It's a bit embarrassing to say this in front of my professor, but I always wanted to teach."

"Why do you want to be a professor?"

"I thought it was almost impossible to live a stable life as an artist."

"So you wanted to secure a stable source of income, and that's why you chose to become a professor?"

"Yes."

"How old are you this year?"

"Thirty."

"Hmm, so you'll likely spend at least five more years as an adjunct lecturer building up your teaching experience. Can you endure that long?"

"…"

I know how he feels.

During my time in graduate school,

I saw many who dreamed of becoming professors.

They somehow managed to complete their doctorates, but by the time they'd written their theses and taught a few courses, they were getting old.

Even then, they held on, hoping to be hired as professors, but while those who studied abroad took the top spots, those who stayed in Korea were left fighting for the scraps.

And only one out of a hundred actually landed a job.

The rest struggled to even secure adjunct positions, following professors around to countless drinking parties, trying to secure any opportunity they could.

So, will he choose this difficult path?

Or will he accept the offer from Hyungang's third-generation heir?

Jung Jin-wook didn't hesitate for a second.

His answer came immediately, almost embarrassingly so.

"It's a bit awkward to say this in front of you, Professor, but…"

"…?"

"Even if you offered me a tenured position at Seoul National University, I would choose to work with the Boss without a second thought."