The Mysterious Art Museum
Chapter 165: The Mysterious Art Museum

Just a moment ago, from the window of the lodging you found for me, I could see a beautiful spectacle.

The bell tower, rooftops, and smoke-emitting chimneys formed a deep, dark silhouette against the horizon's light.

The light was merely a flash of lightning against the backdrop of heavy storm clouds.

As the clouds thickened towards the bottom and began to scatter into pieces with the autumn wind, they eventually disappeared.

When the light flashed for a moment, the rain-soaked dark-colored roofs shone brightly here and there in the village.

At the window of a second-floor room where the breeze was gently blowing, a piece of paper on the table fluttered in the wind.

I often open the drawer in Yeongju's room where I keep the letters I've sent and take out old letters to read them.

Small memories come back to me, eventually merging into one large mass.

At some point, I stopped worrying about what to paint today, as things I wanted to draw appeared before me every day.

Sitting at a desk placed to provide a good view of the outside scenery from a well-ventilated second-floor window, I leaned my chin on my hand and smiled while feeling the sea breeze in a splendid mansion overlooking the sea.

A very faint sound of a door opening could be heard. It might have been mistaken for the wind moving the door, but I smiled slightly. Then, after waiting for a moment, I turned around and shouted loudly.

"Waaaah!"

"Kyaaaah!!!"

Tip-tap-tip-tap.

A little girl in a dress with water droplet patterns ran away, laughing merrily. Watching the child leave through the door, I smiled as I heard Yeongju's voice.

"Ban Ji-young! Didn't I tell you not to go into the study when your dad is there?"

"Kyahaha!"

The voices were noisy but pleasant.

Yeongju's face peeked cautiously through the open door.

"Are you working?"

I stretched and smiled.

"No, just looking outside."

Hearing that I wasn't working, Yeongju entered the room and looked at the letter on the table.

"Looking at letters again? It's been 10 years since we got married, and you're still not looking at my letters but your own?"

"Haha, just because I like it."

"Try to finish your work early today. You didn't forget that brother-in-law and mother are coming today, did you?"

"Is it today?"

"Oh my, what a fool! What else can you do other than painting? It's your mother's birthday today!"

"Oh, right. Oh, what should I do? I didn't prepare a present."

"I bought everything, so just come down in time."

"As expected of my wife. I did well in marrying you."

"Stop it... No, don't joke and go to the harbor in 30 minutes."

"Eh? I thought they were coming in the evening?"

Yeongju cuts herself off from swearing. Yeongju has never sworn at me since our marriage, and I really like that about her.

With a look of exasperation, Yeongju said.

"You forgot they were all coming because it's mother's 70th birthday. Monica, Leah, Irina – they're all coming by ship. It's time for them to arrive, so go meet them."

"Oh, right."

"Who would think this man is the world's most famous painter? Hurry up! And tidy up the kindergarten bag Jiyoung left by the front door when you go."

"Got it."

I hurriedly left the room before getting scolded. I saw a vacuum cleaner placed in the hallway. Yeongju cleans my study only when I'm occasionally out of the house so as not to disturb my work at home.

As I went down to the front door, I saw Jiyoung's kindergarten bag scattered around, just as Yeongju said.

"Oh, what's all this. Ban Ji-young! Why did you leave your bag like this!"

From the kitchen, my cute daughter Ji-young peeked her face out.

"Hehe, Dad, are you taking out your anger on me after getting scolded by Mom?"

"What? When did I ever take my anger out on you?"

"Should I tell uncle everything?"

"Tell what?"

"That you said auntie isn’t pretty. I heard everything."

"Shh! Hey, you absolutely can’t say that! You know how good your uncle’s hearing is. Absolutely not!"

"I'll keep quiet for a thousand won."

"Wow, look at Seo Young-ju's daughter, so keen on money. Here, take it."

"Hehe!"

I handed my daughter a thousand won, patted her head, and said, “I’ll be going to the harbor, so stay put. Don’t bother Mom while she's cleaning, or you'll get scolded again.”

“Yes! Is Lea coming?”

“Yeah, Monica and Irina too.”

“Yay! I like Lea the most! I wish she would visit more often!”

“Lea’s busy. Can an eighteen-year-old world-renowned genius painter have time to play with you?”

“But she still plays with me.”

“That’s nice of her.”

“I also like Irina Auntie's piano playing. I hope she plays the piano again. When I told my school that my piano teacher is Irina Auntie, all the teachers were surprised.”

“Well, who in the world gets lessons from Irina? You realize how lucky you are, right?”

“Hehe! Monica Auntie said she’d make clothes just for me! Aren’t you jealous?”

“Oh, I’m dying of jealousy.”

“Hehe! I’ll brag about it at school~”

“Go on, go play and stop talking. Doesn’t your mouth get tired from talking all day?”

“Not at all~ I’ll keep talking~”

I wonder who she takes after to be such a cheeky little thing. She's my precious child, but sometimes I feel like giving her a flick on the forehead.

I watched my daughter running around me in circles and then suddenly yelled.

“Stop, it's making me dizzy!”

“Hehe!”

“Go to your room and do your homework.”

“Okay! But Dad!”

“What now?”

“The kids at kindergarten want your autograph.”

“Alright, I’ll do it later. Go to your room.”

“A hundred!”

“What?”

“The whole school wants it.”

“Do I look free to you? How can I do a hundred?”

Ji-young’s eyes began to flutter and soon filled with tears.

“You won’t do it?”

“…….”

Ji-young’s shoulders slumped, and she hung her head.

“I’ll be bullied at kindergarten then. The kids were really looking forward to it. Then Ji-young will be alone without friends, ride the kindergarten bus alone, eat alone, have no one to talk to…….”

“Alright, alright! I’ll do it!”

“Hehe! Have a good trip, Dad!”

Ji-young, as if nothing had happened, straightened her shoulders and scampered to her room. I held my forehead and shook my head in disbelief.

“Ah, my fate.”

I sighed and opened the front door.

The warm sunlight rushed in all at once, and the fragrant sea breeze tickled my nose at this place.

I live on Biyangdo, a small island near Jeju Island.

Though it's inconvenient to travel to and from Jeju Island for Ji-young's kindergarten, it's hard to replace an island as quiet and beautiful as this one.

Our house, built on the very top of a hill on this small island with an area of 0.5 km², blends beautifully with the natural scenery.

Walking towards the harbor, familiar village elders wave and speak to me.

“Hey, Artist Ban. Where are you headed?”

“Artist Ban! My mother really appreciates the park you built in our village. Thank you, thank you.”

“What are you doing this evening? How about some makgeolli and pork belly?”

Politely bowing to the village elders repairing a docked boat, I smiled and said,

"Yes, elders. Today is my mother's 70th birthday, and guests are coming from the mainland. Let's have that makgeolli some other time."

"Oh, is that so? That's nice. Mainland guests are always welcome. Are you heading to the harbor to greet them?"

"Yes, it's time for the ship to arrive."

"Alright, then off you go."

At that moment, one of the village elders cleared his throat and said tentatively,

"By the way, about that painting you hung in the village hall. It's really nice. Could you paint one for me too? My son who moved to the mainland keeps nagging me about it."

There was no need for me to respond. The other elders around me took care of it.

"Good grief! Haven't you seen the news? Ban's paintings sold for 7 billion at a New York auction, and you're asking for a free one? There's a limit to how thick-skinned you can be!"

"7 billion is nothing. Wasn't it three years ago? I saw news that one of Ban's paintings sold for 11.3 billion in Austria!"

"Ban, don't listen to this nonsense and go on your way. The ship will be arriving soon."

Grateful for the elders handling the situation, I smiled broadly and walked toward the harbor.

Late autumn is approaching winter, but the sun on this southern island is still warm.

The sound of waves hitting the harbor is always pleasant.

Whoosh. Whoosh.

The sight of waves breaking into white foam in front of me is always awe-inspiring.

Which painter could truly capture this scene? Which painter could express the texture of this dazzling sunlight?

All beautiful things exist in nature.

Art is the act of capturing nature and transferring it onto a canvas.

Capturing the most beautiful moment of a single instant.

In the distance, a large ship approaches.

The village headman takes a small boat out to transfer people from the large ship, as it cannot dock at such a small island.

I see my loved ones waving at me as they transfer from the deck to the small boat.

"Mom, brother, sister-in-law, Monica, Lea, Irina. Oh? Yong-han is here too?"

That guy has been pursuing both music and art since joining our company. Thanks to him, we expanded into the music business.

Young-ju moved to this island, and we hired a professional CEO for the company, who turned out to be quite capable. The music business is growing day by day.

Sitting on a rock near the harbor, I quietly watched the people I love, parting the waves of nature to come to me.

Faces of many people I've met float across the blue sky, especially those from the dream of the strange art museum.

"Are you watching? Every day, I paint something new. And sometimes, suddenly, I discover something I've never seen before. It's a difficult task, but I'm managing well."

Since dreaming of Van Gogh, the strange art museum no longer follows me. I went back to Ikseon-dong where I first found the museum, but now there's a cafe there.

I haven't seen the museum since that day, but the dreams it left in my heart remain deeply ingrained.

Gently tapping my left chest, I looked up at the sky and smiled softly.

"I dream about paintings, and I live painting those dreams. I try to live loving life, loving people, and sharing. Perhaps this was the story you wanted to tell me?"

I looked up at the sky and slowly bowed.

"Thank you."

< The Mysterious Art Museum End >

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