I Became an Artist in a Romantic Comedy-Chapter 81

Well, there was Hong Ye-hwa, but even that...

"Ye-hwa! Long time no see!"

And just like that, a group of girls—including one whose name I’d already forgotten—swept her away.

"Sniff."

Not knowing anyone made me feel out of place. It looked like this year, too, I’d end up sitting quietly in the corner of the classroom.

Feeling a little lonely, I doodled idly in my notebook.

"Lee Ha-Eun—is Lee Ha-Eun here?"

Someone who looked like a school staff member opened the classroom door and called my name.

‘What’s this about? I haven’t done anything to get in trouble.’

Well, they called for me, so I guess I’d better go check.

As I stood up and stepped out of the classroom, I felt everyone’s eyes on me.

This content is taken from fгeewebnovёl.com.

‘What’s going on? Did I really do something wrong?’

The sudden attention from classmates who usually couldn’t care less about me was unnerving.

Feeling a slight chill, I stepped into the hallway.

"Wooow… Hey, did you see that? That was Lee Ha-Eun, right?"

"Didn’t they say he’s bad at sports? But look at those proportions..."

"I want to get closer to him, but there are just too many girls around him already. Sigh."

Lee Ha-Eun remained blissfully unaware of it all.

***

"Uh… did I do something wrong?"

The tired-looking man, presumably a school staff member, rubbed his forehead and sighed.

"Oh, no, nothing like that. The student council asked for you. I'm the advisor, so I’m just relaying the message."

"Ah, I see. But… why me?"

"They said it’s about the festival. I’m not sure on the details. The council will explain it to you."

The festival? But that’s still two months away. Why would they need me for anything?

"Isn’t it normal for an advisor to know these things?" I asked, puzzled.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "The student council here operates independently. I’m more of a figurehead—just in name only."

"A ghost member, huh?"

"Something like that. I just help out when they ask me to."

Basically a servant. I didn’t dare say it out loud, though. The exhaustion etched into his face stopped me. The idea of students bossing around faculty was baffling… but then again, this wasn’t a normal school.

This was a paradise for meritocrats. And that included not just the students but the faculty as well.

The student council was composed of the best of the best. Their wealth, intelligence, and influence were unparalleled.

They were the type to always make the best decisions in any situation.

Each department elected one representative to the council, making them a class apart from regular students.

‘Although, they’re still just students at the end of the day.’

If I remembered correctly, Hong Ye-hwa, Lee Do-Yoon, and Baek Yoo-Seol were part of the council. But as second-years, they didn’t have much decision-making power yet.

Whoever called me must have been from the third-year council members—those who had already stripped themselves of the "amateur" label. From a peer’s perspective, their level of dedication would make anyone lose their motivation.

‘Not that it concerns me.’

To me, school was just a place to eat lunch or gain a bit of social experience.

Lost in thought, I realized we’d arrived at the student council building.

Though slightly smaller than the chairman’s building, it was still overly extravagant for student use.

Especially considering it was only for the 15 members of the council.

‘An entire building for the student council? S Group doesn’t hold back, huh.’

The council was primarily managed by third-years, with lower grades filling in the gaps. If a third-year was absent, the lower grades would take over temporarily.

‘This setup feels like something straight out of a manga.’

The fact that this building actually existed still felt surreal. I hadn’t even set foot here during my first year.

Why would I? It’s not like I was part of the council. Coming here seemed like a waste of energy.

I followed the advisor into the building, only to learn that the meeting room was on the third floor. Thankfully, there was an elevator, sparing me the climb.

When we finally arrived, the advisor quickly made his exit, mumbling something about needing to get back to other work.

‘Wow… Poor guy. He must’ve been through a lot to be that scared of students.’

Feeling a bit sorry for him, I opened the door.

And what greeted me…

‘We’re definitely still in Korea, right?’

Like the chairman’s office, the council room was over-the-top. The sheer effort that must’ve gone into its interior design left me speechless.

I sighed deeply and stepped inside.

As expected, five people were present—each a well-known name from their respective departments.

‘So, the first-years are on the first floor, second-years on the second, and so on?’

I wondered briefly if any of my acquaintances might be here. Nope. Guess not.

"Did you leave your manners at home or what? Where’s your knock?"

A guy lounging on the sofa, who looked like your typical thug, shot me a glare.

"Oh, right."

I’d completely forgotten to knock. I was about to step back out and fix that when—

"It’s fine. Just come in," said a girl who hadn’t even looked up from her paperwork.

Even so, I figured I should at least apologize for barging in.

"Uh, sorry for coming in without knocking—"

"Save it. Say your piece and leave."

"...?"

The thug waved dismissively and turned away, clearly uninterested in any sort of conversation.

‘What’s his deal? I didn’t do anything to him.’

Was it because I didn’t knock? Or maybe I was late?

Either way, I had no desire to deal with someone so prickly.

Minutes passed. Five. Ten.

"Um… if there’s nothing you need, can I leave?"

Calling someone over and then saying nothing? Come on, I had important things to do. Like doodling.

The girl who had been face-down on her desk suddenly shot up.

"Oh, right! Sorry about that."

Her dark eye circles reminded me of the advisor from earlier.

"Phew. There’s just so much to do… My apologies."

Watching her rub her eyes and sigh, I couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for her.

‘Yup. Note to self: never join the student council.’

Just glancing at the stacks of paperwork made it clear that this was far too much for a student to handle.

"It’s fine, really," I said, shaking my head. There wasn’t much else I could expect from someone so overworked.

"Thank you for understanding. Now, about the open seat… Oh, wait, there isn’t one. Just a moment."

She stood up and walked over to the thug on the sofa.

And then—

Smack!

‘Oof. That’s gotta hurt.’

Without hesitation, she delivered a brutal kick to his… sensitive area.

The other council members froze in place, visibly cringing.

The third-year council was made up of three women and two men. One of them, likely a literature student, seemed to be retreating into his own imagination, possibly already drafting a story inspired by the scene.

"If you’re going to be rude to a guest, get out. Unless you want to die," she said coldly.

"Gah… It’s broken… I’m done for…" the thug groaned, clutching himself as he stumbled out of the room—likely headed to the infirmary.

"Sorry about that," said the council president, Kim Yoo-Jin, with an awkward smile. "He’s from the athletic department. I think he was sulking after losing to a junior recently."

Her comment jogged my memory. Ha Soo-Yul had mentioned coming to school during the break for sports practice. Maybe she had something to do with his loss?

"It’s fine," I replied.

The now-empty sofa, with its luxurious upholstery, seemed to invite me to sit.

‘S Group really does have too much money… This isn’t even surprising anymore.’

Kim Yoo-Jin sat to my left, while the three other members, who had been silent until now, sat across from me.

At some point, an iced tea had appeared in front of me. Kim Yoo-Jin smiled and gestured to the others.

"You probably already know who I am, so let me introduce everyone else. Starting from the center—"

"I’m Jo Ha-Ru, from the music department," said the girl in the middle.

"And to her left, Ha Soo-Cheong from the entertainment department. Lastly, Park Jin-Woong from the literature department. The guy who just left was Cha Ji-Wook from athletics."

"I see," I said, feigning ignorance. Truthfully, I already knew their names and faces. You tend to pick up these things in this circle.

"But is this guy really going to be any help? He’s just a second-year," Jo Ha-Ru said, pointing at me.

Really? Pointing at someone you just met?

I already knew Jo Ha-Ru had a strong personality, but seeing it in person was… something else.

I needed to correct her misunderstanding.

"Well, I did win the competition, so…"

"Huh? What competition?" she asked, blinking in confusion.

"Uh…?"

Her cluelessness left me momentarily speechless. Sure, not everyone needed to know who I was, but still…

I must’ve looked dumbfounded because Jo Ha-Ru tilted her head curiously. She didn’t seem like a bad person—just genuinely unaware.

"It was an international competition. Quite well-known in the art world," I explained.

Kim Yoo-Jin nodded in confirmation, being part of the art department herself.

"Whoa, so you’re a genius too?" Jo Ha-Ru leaned forward, her eyes sparkling.

Feeling uneasy under her intense gaze, I turned to Kim Yoo-Jin. "So… why exactly did you call me here?"

"Oh, it’s nothing serious. Just a small favor to ask. Can you help us?"

Her sweet smile sent a chill down my spine.

‘It really isn’t anything serious… right?’