Chapter 34: The Night Before (4)
[Yoo Ah-ra Looking at the Camera.drawing] (85)
LilacSo │ Views: 25,904 │ Likes: 546 │ 2026.01.19. 00:05
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She was so beautiful I just had to draw her.
“`
Comments (85)
– Whoa~ Who is this person?
– Came here without thinking and nearly had a heart attack;;
– This is insane.
[Lee Yeon-ji’s Radiant Smile.drawing] (123)
LilacSo │ Views: 20,580 │ Likes: 687 │ 2026.01.21. 18:15
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She was so beautiful I just had to draw her.
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Comments (123)
– Wow. This looks like a classic masterpiece. Was our Yeon-ji always this elegant?
– Are you a professional artist by any chance? I know a bit about painting, and this has a real John Millais vibe…
└ John Millais, my ass. Are you really trying to flex in front of an actual expert?
[Kim Yoo-jung Pretending to Be Pouty.drawing] (237)
LilacSo │ Views: 18,965 │ Likes: 780 │ 2026.01.23. 17:25
…
She was so beautiful I just had to draw her.
…
Comments (237)
– This guy is basically Bob Ross, lol. “She was so beautiful I just had to draw her” is kind of addicting to read.
– You could hold an exhibition with these. By the way, are these for sale? I’m a huge Yoo-jung fan and willing to pay up to 500,000 won.
└ 500,000? Do you even know how expensive oil paints are? Just look at this—clearly, they used high-quality materials.
D-10 Until Lilac’s Album Release.
With most of the pre-release promotions done, the team was now scrambling to figure out what else they could do post-release.
And these days, the biggest topic in Letter Entertainment’s marketing department was none other than the mystery artist dominating the official fan café.
“This is seriously insane. Who is this person?”
A marketing associate gawked at the monitor, utterly amazed.
The colors, the refined yet expressive brushstrokes, the impeccable way each member was captured—this wasn’t just fan art.
This was art in its purest form.
“You still don’t know? It’s LilacSo. They became a top-tier name in record time. Their work is all over community sites right now.”
“Really? This is some next-level professional-grade stuff.”
“The fans are already treating them like some kind of legend. They’re calling them the ultimate ‘능덕 1(ability-fan)’—like, a fan with actual insane talent.”
“Oh, Team Leader, should we run an article on this?”
The marketing team leader, Jang Jae-sik, sipped his instant coffee and shook his head.
“It’s already out. The entertainment reporters jumped on it before we even had to.”
The mysterious fan—presumably an artist—had already taken over various online community sites, with their posts dominating the best sections.
Their artwork was racking up likes on Facebook and other social media platforms at an impressive rate.
“Man, they weren’t kidding when they said fans are the best marketing these days…”
Jang Jae-sik let out a dry chuckle as he stared at the flawless paintings.
“No, but seriously—at this level of quality, shouldn’t the artist team be reaching out to them directly?”
“Oh, this? Actually, Team Leader Lee Ha-yeon has already taken action. She said she’s going to make use of these paintings one way or another. They won’t make it into the first batch of albums, but she’s determined to use them for later editions.”
“…Really?”
Well, that was just like her.
If there was money to be made, that woman wasn’t going to sit still.
Jang Jae-sik shook his head.
Lee Ha-yeon—was he really about to watch that ruthless woman succeed yet again?
“Well, I guess it’s not such a bad thing.”
At least she was better than the department head.
With that thought, Jang Jae-sik smirked and set his paper cup down.
I was summoned to Lee Ha-yeon’s office.
The reason?
Obviously, the paintings I uploaded to the fan café.
“The art style is completely different from the album cover, so I had no idea it was you until the Lilac girls told me.”
“I made them differently on purpose. I figured if people found out, it might backfire.”
There was no way the three days of effort I put into the album cover would have the same level of polish as something I threw together in a single day.
“Hmm. I see.”
Lee Ha-yeon stared right through me, flashing a bright smile.
For some reason, she seemed a lot more cheerful and approachable than usual.
“That aside, what exactly did you do before coming here? Your background, your education…”
“I was just an art student.”
“Just an art student? What a coincidence—I didn’t expect us to be alumni.”
Her eyes sparkled with newfound interest as she spoke.
Now I get it.
It was because we were Alumni.
That’s what this is about.
This woman clearly takes immense pride in being a Seoul National University graduate—unlike me.
It left an odd, unpleasant feeling.
“There’s no need to feel any sort of connection with me over that. I was a pretty lousy student.”
“But your academic records don’t just disappear, do they? They stay with you forever—just like your name.”
Her eyes were still gleaming as she looked at me.
This is seriously uncomfortable.
“Anyway, they say all forms of art are connected. Seeing you, So-ha-ssi, I think that might be true.”
I was about to brush it off with a laugh—until those words hit me.
My face went cold.
My gaze toward Lee Ha-yeon hardened.
I’d heard those exact words before.
And now that I thought about it, Jeong Ha-yeon and Lee Ha-yeon had the same name, just with different surnames.
Lee Ha-yeon tilted her head in confusion.
“What’s wrong?”
“…Oh, nothing. More importantly, is this another contract?”
“Yes. Any issues?”
“None at all. I spent nearly a million won just on the materials for those paintings.”
She placed the contract on the desk.
“I can compensate you several times over.”
“That’s nice. So, where exactly are you planning to use them?”
“First, we’ll announce on our official SNS that we’ve found the artist behind the viral paintings. Then, we’ll turn your artwork into limited-edition photo cards. They’ll be a rare item.”
There will probably be people buying a dozen CDs just to get their hands on one.
She chuckled and slid the contract toward me.
I skimmed through it briefly before picking up the pen—when she suddenly asked,
“By the way, what does LilacSo mean? Is it really just as in ‘beef’?”
“No. It’s actually Lilac and So-ha, just with the last character cut off due to the ID character limit.”
“Oh, I see.”
Lee Ha-yeon chuckled softly, then added another request.
“Ah. Would you be able to continue your activities for a few days after the album release?”
“Oh, that—”
I spoke as I signed the contract.
“I was planning to do that anyway.”
I was going to throw everything into this.
To crush Kim Yo-han’s arrogance—no, wait.
For Lilac’s success.
They say a gentleman’s revenge is never too late, even after ten years.
I shouldn’t let my grudge cloud my priorities.
“Thank you. And if possible, I’d like to give you the next contract now as well.”
“The next contract… Ah~”
She must mean the exclusive contract.
“You’ll see when you read it, but the terms I’m offering are exceptionally good.”
“I know. But that one…”
I was planning to sign it eventually.
With that contract, I’d immediately solve the issue of my studio space.
But not just yet.
“Later. I’ll sign it only after Lilac hits #1 at least once.”
“…Excuse me?”
For a moment, Lee Ha-yeon’s face went blank.
Then, she suddenly burst into laughter.
“I love your confidence. I truly hope that happens.”
She held out her hand.
I took it without hesitation.
In the quiet team leader’s office, the ticking of an analog clock filled the room.
Kim So-ha had left an hour ago, but Lee Ha-yeon remained, carefully reviewing the academic records of one Kim So-ha.
The documents had been obtained by a senior who had graduated from Seoul National University’s College of Fine Arts and was now a professor.
It was a curiosity.
That senior was from the Class of 2002, while Kim So-ha was from the Class of 2008—there shouldn’t have been any direct connection between them.
And yet, the senior knew Kim So-ha very well.
‘His grades were nothing special, though…’
GPA: 2.6/4.3.
On paper, it was unimpressive—barely average, even below par.
However, the words from her senior painted a different picture.
From the very day he entered university, Kim So-ha had drawn attention—not just from his peers, but from upperclassmen, professors, and faculty alike.
A true genius, the kind that had crushed the hopes of countless mediocre talents.
A fully formed artist whom prestigious international art schools had scouted before he even finished middle school.
Yet, one day, he simply withdrew—a prodigy turned into a reclusive boy, leaving behind only questions.
Those magical rumors circulated widely in the industry.
At first, the industry buzzed with legendary tales about him.
But that admiration didn’t last long.
Kim So-ha neglected not just school but art itself.
He had zero attendance points.
Yet, whenever a professor pushed him to submit something, he would reluctantly turn in flawless work.
Because of that, he became known within the university as a bored genius—someone who had lost his spark, an old star resting on past glory.
“…Hmm.”
Lee Ha-yeon closed the folder.
Her mind swirled with questions, like a thick fog.
Kim So-ha and Heli.
A man destined for success in the art world—why?
Why had he abandoned painting and turned to composing instead?
Was it, as people said, simply because he lost interest in art?
Or had something so profound, so life-altering happened to him that it changed his very identity?
“Whatever it was, he’s an intriguing person.”
One thing was certain—great mysteries always come with irresistible allure.
As Lee Ha-yeon thought about Kim So-ha, a mysterious smile formed on her lips.
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