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Chapter 41: The Winning Works Are Announced
TL: Enuma ID
The Korean Art Association website.
Han So-young had been glued to her laptop since morning.
Refresh, wait, refresh again.
But the page she was waiting for stubbornly refused to update.
Е̌ ń ŭm̀а̊
The '47th National Children's Art Competition Announcements' board.
The last post was the competition schedule notice, put up a good while back.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
The date it listed for the winners' announcement was today.
There's no telling exactly when it will go up. Could be morning, could be afternoon.
So-young worked on the storyboard for her webtoon's next episode, hitting refresh whenever she got a spare moment.
And so noon arrived.
W ё bnо̆v̆ е̇ l̂ Е̌_n̈ ùm̀a
“......It's up!”
At last, a new post had appeared.
'47th National Children's Art Competition Winning Works Announcement.'
So-young's mouse clicked it like lightning.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
[47th National Children's Art Competition Winning Works Announcement]
Preschool Division Grand Prize: Lee Jun (age five)
Е̊ nu m̂а .і̀d̊
Lower Elementary Division Grand Prize: Kim Min-jun (third grade)
Upper Elementary Division Grand Prize: Yu Ha-na (fourth grade)
.
.
.
.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Overall Grand Prize (Grand Prix): Lee Jun, Preschool Division
So-young stared at the screen for a long moment.
It was a result she'd already known. She'd known for two weeks now.
And yet seeing the words fixed there on the screen felt different.
'Lee Jun.'
It was real.
Е̌n̆ ŭ mā. їd
Her nephew's name stood there under the Overall Grand Prize, the Grand Prix.
“Jun! Jun!”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
She ran to the next room.
Lee Jun, in the middle of laying down an underdrawing on his canvas, flinched and turned around.
“What?”
“Jun! You won the Grand Prize.”
Ѐñ u m̆.а̌ .і́d.
“The Grand Prize?”
To her nephew's blank echo, his aunt said, her voice thick with tears.
“The art contest. The competition, the one you sent Sky in for.
It's the Grand Prix. You came in first, overall!”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“......First?”
“Yes. First. Our Jun is first.”
Ẅе̄ b̊n о̄ v ё l Е n ŭ m̌а
“I see......”
That was all.
Lee Jun's eyes went straight back to the canvas.
So-young squished his cheeks between her hands and turned his face toward her.
“'I see'? What kind of reaction is that! You should be over the moon!”
“I am.”
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Lee Jun's mouth was squished into a fish pout as he spoke.
“You don't look the least bit happy, you know?”
Lee Jun tilted his head.
That his painting hadn't been wrong.
That his Sky had been recognized by people.
Learning that felt good.
Е́ n̊ ù m̈ ӓ .і̃d̃
But it didn't get him worked up the way it did his aunt.
“Are you happy too, Aunt?”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“Of course I'm happy! My nephew came in first! I'm the happiest person in the world!”
Only then did Lee Jun smile a little.
So-young swept him up into a hug.
“Who on earth do you take after? You are going to be the death of me!”
Ӗ n̊ um а. і̀d
“Aren't you happy, Aunt?”
“I told you, I'm happy!”
“Then why are you gonna die?”
“This! This is exactly why you're the death of me!”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
So-young held him tight for a long while before she finally let go.
When Lee Jun looked up, his aunt's eyes were brimming with tears.
Е̂ ńu m a . i d
“Jun, what do you want to eat? Today Aunt's buying, anything you like.”
“Anything?”
“Yep. Anything!”
“Then tonkatsu.”
“Got it. Lunch today is the tonkatsu special!”
So-young went off to put in the order.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
At that, the Shadow, which had been huddled down, leaped up.
[Waaah-!]
Lee Jun jumped and turned again.
[Whoaaa! First! First overall! Jun, she said we're first!
Wow! Stars are falling out of the sky!]
The Shadow spun round and round him.
Е́ n̈ ü m̈ а́. іd̊
[They all recognized it! Everyone saw! I told you, didn't I? Your painting is the best!]
Lee Jun watched the Shadow and smiled.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
The Shadow was happier than he was.
How like the Shadow, he thought.
[A hundred years of waiting, and it was all worth it!]
“Are you a hundred years old, Shadow?”
W еb n̈ о ṽ ӗ l̆ Е̄ ń u ḿa
[It's just a figure of speech!]
Done spinning, the Shadow settled into place.
[All right. Either way, it worked out. The first step's a success.
I never liked the idea of putting rankings on children's paintings, but if we're the ones in first, that's a different story.]
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
The Shadow calmed itself and said quietly.
[I used to think there wasn't a single decent soul among the people who put a price on art. But maybe in this age an artist's conscience still lingers after all. And that too is thanks to the decent grown-ups you've got around you.]
Ё n̈üma ..ї d
“Mm.”
Seeing the Shadow so pleased made Lee Jun glad too.
His aunt, the Shadow, both of them. They're happier about it than he is, the one who actually won the prize.
And that pleased Lee Jun more than winning the prize itself.
[Let's get back to what we were doing. You remember what Teacher Kim taught you?
Grisaille means painting over the underdrawing in a single gray tone.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
With a pencil you control the chiaroscuro through how hard you press, but with oils you control it through the amount of paint and the ratio of medium. You have to get this right before you can even attempt sfumato.]
On the canvas was a cylinder sketch he'd been drawing over and over for days.
Now it was time to lay in the chiaroscuro with oils.
“Mm.”
He gave a small nod and picked up his brush.
The prize is the prize. The painting is the painting.
Ë númа
Winning an award was no reason to just sit around being happy about it.
Lee Jun still had a long road ahead of him.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Back in her room, So-young placed a call to Busan.
To share the happy news with Lee Jun's parents.
It rang.
But no one picked up.
We b ňо̃ ṽ е́ l E nũ m̈а̊
It was a busy hour. Lunchtime.
So-young hung up and called her brother-in-law's phone instead.
This time too it rang a long while before he answered.
“Yeah, So-young. What's going on?”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Her brother-in-law's voice, thick with the Busan accent.
The edge in it was unmistakable. Swamped, no time, what was she calling for.
Е ñ u m̃ ӓ
Behind him came the clatter of dishes and the buzz of customers.
“The announcement's out.”
“Announcement? What announcement?”
“Jun's art contest. The one I told you about before.”
“Ah.”
A beat's pause. Then he asked.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“......So how'd it go?”
A slightly tense voice.
Even her brother-in-law, tough Busan man that he was, seemed a little rattled this time.
So-young delivered the news, brimming with joy.
“He won the Overall Grand Prize, the Grand Prix! Jun is number one among all the children in the country!”
Another beat of silence.
W̄ е̇ b̆n̊о́ vе̌_ľ Е̃ n ū m а̇
When the answer finally came, it was trembling.
“......Really? The Grand Prize?”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“That's what I'm telling you! First overall. Across the preschool, the lower elementary, and the upper elementary divisions, all of them.”
“Well...... that's good. Tell Jun he did a good job.”
Gruff.
And yet somehow the joy buried inside it came through.
W̃ ӗbn óv̇ е l̄ Еńû m å
“Honey! Honey, get over here!”
And on the other end of the line, her brother-in-law's voice rang out, booming.
“What, I'm busy, now what?!”
“Jun! Jun won the Grand Prize! The overall children's Grand Prize!”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Really?!”
“Yeah! First overall! First in the whole country!”
W ӗb̈_ǹ o̊v̈ е l Ӗn̄ ŭ m å
“Oh my, oh my, oh my! What on earth is this!”
The sound of something dropping over by the kitchen.
“Oh no, the soup, the soup's boiling over!”
“Forget the soup! Just take the phone, it's So-young.”
On the other end of the line, chaos broke loose.
So-young held the phone to her ear, smiling. Her nose stung.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
A moment later, Jun's mother came on, breathless.
“So-young!”
“Yeah, Sis.”
“Jun won the Grand Prize? Is it true?”
At her sister's excited voice, So-young's heart swelled too.
“It's true, I'm telling you. It just went up on the website. Preschool Division Grand Prize, Lee Jun! Overall Grand Prize, the Grand Prix, Lee Jun!”
Ӗn úḿ.ă
“Oh my. Oh, our little Jun!”
His mother's voice broke into sobs.
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“So-young. You've had it so hard. If it weren't for you, how would Jun ever have gotten to paint in Seoul?”
“It was nothing. Jun's the one who did well.”
“Oh, our Jun, where is he right now? Is he there with you? Put him on for a second.”
“Yeah, hang on. Jun!”
Ē n u mа̄
So-young went to the next room.
She held the phone out to Lee Jun, who was busy painting his canvas.
“Jun, it's your mom. Come take the phone.”
Lee Jun blinked for a moment, then set down his brush.
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And took the phone.
“Mom?”
Е ṅ ü m̊ а
“Jun!”
His mother's voice was cracking.
“Jun, oh, my boy.”
“Mm.”
“You won the Grand Prize? That's what your aunt says?”
“Mm.”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“Good job, my boy. You did so well.”
Lee Jun clutched the phone tight in both hands.
“Mom.”
“Yes, Jun. Say it. Tell Mom everything.”
“......Mom.”
Even Lee Jun didn't know what he wanted to say.
Е n ǔ m̂ а̌
He just wanted to call out to her.
On the other end, his mother laughed and cried at the same time.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Oh, my boy. Mom misses you so much.”
“......Me too.”
His voice shook.
He doesn't know why. They'd talked on the phone before, plenty of times. But hearing his mother's voice now, for some reason, his own voice trembled.
En̄ũ mа
“Jun, it's hard up there in Seoul, isn't it? Is your aunt treating you well?”
“Mm.”
“You mind your aunt now. Be sure to brush your teeth. And if she gives you any trouble, you tell Mom on her. All right?”
“Sis! I do no such thing!”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Aunt So-young, who'd been sniffling and listening in beside them, snapped.
Even as she dabbed at her eyes, her lips were curved in a smile.
Е̄ nu̇ m ӓ . і̊ d
“Our Jun, Mom misses you so much. I love you, my boy.”
“Mm.”
It felt strange.
He wished his mom were right there beside him.
“All right, that's enough. Let me talk to him.”
His father's voice came from the other end.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
A low, steady voice. A different feeling from talking with his mom washed over him.
“Aw, what, gimme a sec.”
“Food's getting cold. Go run the plates out.”
“Ugh, fine! Jun, I'll put your dad on.”
His mother's voice drew away.
Then the sound of the phone changing hands.
Е̄ ṅ ū m̆ а
“That you, Jun?”
A gruff voice.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
For some reason, his chest went warm.
“Dad.”
“Good job.”
It was short.
Ŵe b̌ n.ō v ёl Ě n u m̀ ã
But it held a great deal of feeling.
And Lee Jun knew it.
“I know I haven't done much for you. But you know I'm always thinking of you, right?”
“Mm.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Good. Study your painting hard. If you need anything, tell your aunt. Then Dad'll take care of it.”
“Mm.”
Еnu m á.і̊_d́
“All right. We'll talk again soon.”
The call ended.
Lee Jun stood there, still, the phone still in his hand.
His eyes were going red.
“Oh?”
So-young, still sniffling, peered into his face.
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“Are you crying, Jun?”
It was the face of a boy about to burst into tears any second.
But Lee Jun held it back.
“......I wasn't crying.”
“You are, though. Your eyes have gone all red.”
“No they haven't.”
W e.bñöv él̈ Е̌n̄ ũm å
“Oh my, oh my. Jun's crying!”
So-young made a big fuss.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“You're always asking me, 'Aunt, why are you crying?' and now look at you, crying too!”
“......I wasn't crying. Aunt, get out.”
Lee Jun pushed his aunt away. Out of the room.
“Jun! Wait, hey!”
Ẇ еb̀n̈ōv е̊l̄ Еn̈ ŭ.m а
“I have to paint.”
“Jun, I'm sorry, Aunt won't tease you anymore.”
So-young had been pretending to be pushed back by her nephew's feeble little shoves.
Now she apologized, too late, and pulled him into a hug.
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“I'm sorry for teasing you. It's just that you're so cute, I couldn't help it.”
“Whatever.”
Wе̃b ǹо v̇ е̌ ĺ Ѐ n̈ũṁа
“There, there, that's my good boy.”
So-young held him close and patted his back, gently, over and over.
The push Lee Jun had been putting up went slack.
It was warm. It felt like being held by his mom.
“Mom......”
The word slipped out on its own.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
And it was So-young, of all people, who choked up at it.
Tears fell from her eyes, drop after drop.
“Yes, Jun. If you want to cry, you can cry. If you miss your mom, it's okay to cry.”
She just held him, quietly patting his little back.
“Mm......”
Held there in his aunt's arms,
Е̇n̄ü m̌а . ì d̂
Lee Jun thought of his mother for a while.
And So-young went on holding her nephew for a long, long time.
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“Aunt will ask whether your mom and dad can come to the award ceremony. Okay?”
A child who painted something this remarkable.
And still, just a little kid.
*
Е̇ñ ů m а̌
[......Paint right after crying, and your lines come out shaky.]
“I wasn't crying.”
He was back in front of the canvas.
Lee Jun shot the Shadow a glare.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
[All right, all right.]
Lee Jun clamped his mouth shut, stubborn, and started painting the cylinder again.
Ẃ е̄ ḃ n̆ о v̆ еĺ Ѐ ńû m̊ а́
The brush wavered a little, then steadied.
[Jun.]
“Mm.”
[The grown-ups are happy from the heart. About what you did. Every one of them is happier than they'd be about their own affairs.]
“...Mm.”
[When you do well, the people around you are happy too.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
And that makes you happy, doesn't it?
Don't forget this feeling, right now.]
“......Mm.”
The Shadow wanted to teach him.
The joy of being recognized by people. The happiness that comes from painting.
And so it wanted to help this child paint more happily.
W ĕ bń о́v e l En̂ûḿ а
[Because that was my wish.]
That the road ahead of this child be filled with nothing but happiness.
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That he build a future unlike its own.
The Shadow prayed for it, with all its heart.
*****
Е̇ṅ.ŭ m ă
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