Chapter 3
Until the last class, all the students’ attention was focused on the upcoming exhibition.
Then came the noisy walk home after school.
“Hey… are you really okay?”
Normally, Hyunmin would be busy sticking his nose into everything.
But today was different.
Whenever he had the chance, he followed Yeji around and kept asking if she was okay.
At first, it seemed like he just felt really guilty.
“I said I’m fine. Can’t you tell?”
Now Yeji was getting annoyed.
Even on the way home, he kept following her, so she answered more firmly.
But Dahye also looked a bit uneasy.
“It’s just… bothering me. Even the way you use the brush has changed. It feels weird!”
It’s not like she could complain, since Yeji seemed to be better.
But the more Dahye thought about it, the stranger it felt.
“Isn’t it weird to suddenly get better like that?”
At her words, Hyunmin laughed carelessly.
“Wow, becoming a genius after getting hit by a soccer ball.”
“Hey, the one who caused the accident should stay quiet.”
Watching them argue, Yeji chuckled.
But when she thought about it, it was a bit strange.
Because of the sudden memory of her past life, she hadn’t even thought about it herself.
“I guess I don’t remember anything from before and after getting hit.”
At her words, Hyunmin’s playful expression turned pale.
“R-really?”
“Yeah. I remember getting off the bus in the morning… and then I remember waking up in the classroom.”
Yeji looked perfectly fine—actually even better than usual.
Hyunmin, who had been trying to brush it off, became serious.
“Please go to the hospital. Please. Should I go with you?”
Why would I go with you?
Yeji made a disgusted face, and Hyunmin quickly pulled out a card.
“Then at least use this and go. Please.”
Since the one at fault was insisting so much, refusing would feel strange.
Yeji casually took his card.
“Okay. I’m going to spend a lot.”
“Yes, yes. Just please tell me you’re fine.”
After asking her to contact him if anything was wrong, Hyunmin left.
“That’s why you shouldn’t kick a ball anywhere.”
“Exactly.”
Yeji asked Dahye as they walked.
“Don’t you have to go to academy?”
“I do, but…”
Dahye hesitated for a moment, worried about Yeji, then nodded.
“Yeah… you’ll be fine. But if the doctor says you need more tests, go to my mom’s hospital!”
After those words, they parted ways.
Yeji headed straight to the hospital.
For some reason, she felt nervous.
Maybe it was because the memory of being told she lost her eyesight was still vivid.
Even during a simple check-up, her palms were sweating.
“It looks like a mild concussion. No other symptoms.”
She had a noticeable bump on the back of her head.
It only hurt if she pressed it.
Other than that, there was nothing wrong.
The doctor reassured her.
“If you want, you can get a CT scan for a more detailed check.”
If she was fine, there was no need, right?
But Yeji was worried about something else.
“Um… are my eyes okay?”
“…Why? Is something blurry or strange?”
The doctor checked her pupils again.
“No… it just feels like my eyesight got worse lately.”
“Oh, then you should go to the eye clinic over there.”
Even though her hands were sweaty from nervousness, the eye exam showed nothing unusual.
In fact, her vision was good enough that she didn’t even need glasses.
“….”
Something felt strange.
In the end, she bought some eye supplements at the pharmacy and went home.
After getting off the bus and leaving the busy city behind, rows of apartment buildings appeared.
One of them was her home.
A warm, comfortable home for her family.
“I’m home.”
Her mother, who had just arrived as well, quickly looked over.
“Are you okay? Why was that boy kicking a ball in the morning?”
She had already heard everything through messages.
After checking the bump on Yeji’s head, her mother looked worried.
“The hospital said you’re really okay?”
“Ow, yeah. Just the bump. Where’s Dad?”
“He’s almost home. Should we ask him to bring something?”
“Yeah. Chicken.”
“Okay, go wash up. I’ll call him.”
A normal, happy family.
Yeji felt both unfamiliar and warm.
It was something she hadn’t valued before.
But now she understood how precious it was.
Only after remembering her difficult past life did she realize it.
While washing her face, she looked at herself in the mirror.
Katrin, who painted while starving, was already dead.
Now she was healthy, young, and full of possibilities.
She didn’t need to live that desperate life anymore.
“But still… I want to paint.”
That one desire hadn’t changed.
The mirror fogged up with steam.
But the person inside it was still her.
No matter how much things changed, some things stayed the same.
She was someone who had to express herself with her hands.
And she felt joy when her work was recognized.
17-year-old Yeji and 30-year-old Katrin—
Both shared the same values and goals.
“Then nothing has changed.”
She splashed cold water on her face and organized her thoughts.
Her past life just added experience.
She only needed to accept it and live fully in the present.
She was still herself.
The next day, Yeji went to school as usual.
Even after a day, the classroom was still buzzing about the exhibition.
“They’re allowing overnight work in the studio starting today.”
At Dahye’s words, Yeji scratched her chin.
There was still over a month left—was that really necessary?
But that was just her own standard now.
“Why are you all still standing? Class already started.”
The teacher entered, and the noise quieted down.
This was a still-life drawing class.
Their teacher, Jung Mijin, had short hair.
“I told you there would be an assessment today, right?”
Students groaned.
The teacher just smiled and placed an empty desk in the center.
“You have 100 minutes. No break.”
She placed a crystal glass on the desk.
It had many sharp angles and sparkled brightly.
It looked like something you’d drink expensive liquor from.
“Seriously… where did she even find that?”
Dahye muttered.
Students complained.
This was a basic sketch assignment.
They had to draw the crystal glass with a pencil.
“The other class had a crystal suncatcher. This is easier.”
Hyunmin said.
“Oh right, I almost forgot.”
The teacher brought her tumbler and poured water into the glass.
Now the light reflected even more.
Students groaned louder.
“…I think ours is harder.”
“Nice going.”
Hyunmin couldn’t argue.
“Start. You can move your desks if you want.”
Students quickly stood and moved around, trying to find a better angle.
“As if that’ll make much difference…”
Dahye just turned her desk.
Yeji did the same.
Everyone already had strong basics.
Yeji tried to understand what the teacher was testing.
If it was about shape, she would’ve brought a plaster model.
Drawing every angle of that glass perfectly would take more than two hours.
Yeji looked at the glass and her pencil.
Shine. Light.
This was a test about light.
She immediately started shading the darkest areas first.
That’s my strength.
Most people look for the light source.
But she focused on reflected light.
Light reflects and bends everywhere.
The darkest areas were the bottom and deep curves.
“…No, this part is brighter.”
Out of habit, she smudged the graphite with her wrist.
Gradually, the shape of the glass appeared.
She looked at others.
Dahye was carefully drawing the full outline first.
That’s the standard method.
But Yeji was different now.
You can’t get ahead by just following the rules.
She skipped unnecessary steps.
She already had the image in her head.
So she worked much faster.
“Time’s up. Bring your work.”
The teacher collected the papers exactly at 100 minutes.
“I didn’t finish!”
“Did anyone finish?”
“…Someone did.”
One paper stood out.
“Whose is this?”
Dahye looked shocked at Yeji.
“It’s mine.”
Everyone, including the teacher, looked at her.
“Mine isn’t fully finished either.”
But no one agreed.
Her drawing had depth.
Light, reflection, shadow—all were clear.
Even without perfect detail, it looked complete.
“I guess we know who gets an A.”
No one disagreed with Hyunmin.
