I Became an Artist in a Romantic Comedy

Chapter 3

Sometimes, I really do wonder.

What would it have been like if I had a younger sibling? In my past life, I only had an older brother, so as the youngest, I never really knew that feeling.

If I had a younger sibling, I’d treat them incredibly well.

I’d want to give them snacks and play with them in a supportive way.

Although people around me who had younger siblings didn’t seem to get along well with them,

I, as the youngest everywhere I went, held a certain fantasy about having a younger sibling.

A younger brother would be nice, but I wanted a younger sister. There were too many guys in the family already.

In short, I needed a touch of femininity in the family. Hmm.

Anyway, the reason I’m bringing this up is that I’m finally going to have a sibling of my own.

I found out just now because of the screams coming from my parents’ bedroom.

Hearing my mother’s voice scream loudly through my door made me sit up immediately.

Even though I’m only four, I sleep separately from my parents because I wanted to, though they seemed a little sad about it.

I never explained to them that I felt uncomfortable because of the parents I had in my previous life. I just vaguely brushed it off.

Still half-asleep, I got down from my bed.

Maybe because I got up so suddenly, I felt dizzy, but I ignored it.

Stumbling, I grabbed the door handle.

“Aaaah! Honey!”

My mom’s cries from outside sounded so desperate, almost heartbreaking.

She’d always had a weak constitution. And before I was even born…

“No, don’t think like that.”

I was born just fine. Although my body is a bit weak, maybe because of Mom’s genes.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“You’ll be okay! The ambulance is coming soon!”

“Sob… Haah…”

“Just hold on a bit longer. You’re okay… You’re okay…”

Dad’s comforting voice and Mom’s heavy breathing made me hesitate at the door.

Is it the right choice to open this door and go into my parents’ room?

Would I get scolded like in my previous life for butting in unnecessarily?

I knew my mom and dad weren’t like that, but the memories engraved on my soul held back my body.

“…It’s different. I need to go.”

That’s what I thought, but my trembling hand had no strength.

Gritting my teeth, I forced strength into my hand.

Click!

I turned the handle and opened the door.

Mom’s health was weak enough that Dad needed to drive her to the maternity clinic.

I heard that when I was born, she was also taken away in an ambulance.

My heart raced with anxious thoughts.

As I reached the master bedroom, the door was already open, and I could see everything inside.

Mom was sweating heavily, crying, and Dad was also drenched in sweat.

“Damn it! Why isn’t it here yet—Ha, Ha-eun?”

Dad, frantically looking out the window and towards the living room, saw me.

He started toward me but stopped, knowing Mom needed him.

Instead, he waved me over with a strained smile.

“…Why are you up so early, son? It’s still night.”

His voice was deliberately gentle, as if he knew I was worried.

Dad has always been a warm, kind person, like a breath of spring. Mom, too, is like cherry blossoms in the spring.

They’re truly made for each other.

Dad is endlessly serious when it comes to family.

That’s why I liked Dad. Because he cared about family. Unlike my previous life.

“I just… just woke up. Is Mom in a lot of pain?”

I couldn’t answer Dad’s question well. I was more concerned about Mom. Mom…

“Don’t worry… about me, sweetheart… I’ll be okay.”

Even in her pain, with her hand on her belly, Mom spoke weakly but reassuringly.

“Okay…”

I couldn’t say anything else. All I could do was nod.

What could a four-year-old like me do to help?

Even I thought that I was completely useless right now.

I should’ve just stayed in my room. Then my parents wouldn’t have been so worried.

I felt like I’d slowed down my rational judgment and been a burden.

“Hngh!”

Mom’s groans of pain grew more intense, and Dad did his best to comfort her.

All I could do was hold her hand.

Her grip was so strong it felt like my hand bones would break, but nothing happened.

Thanks to the ambulance that arrived just in time.

Mom was carried away on a stretcher, and Dad followed her out.

On any other day, they would have taken me with them right away. But I guess they didn’t have the time to worry about that in this situation.

Watching them leave through the front door, I thought,

Should I go too? Or just go back to my room and go back to sleep?

I wanted to follow, but I knew I couldn’t be of any help if I did.

So, I just watched the front door close.

Slam.

A big door sound that never usually happened in our house.

…I had a bad feeling.

Frowning with unease, I went back to my room.

In the corner of the room, I saw my drawing supplies.

Mom had bought them for me after our visit to an art café, smiling happily.

She was always calling me a genius, saying I was the next Picasso every other day.

Though I enjoy drawing, I don’t want it to be my job.

When a hobby becomes a job, it becomes painful.

So I just do it occasionally when I feel bored—a simple signature or sketch.

I’ve never seriously drawn anything at home.

There’s a blank sheet of paper on the desk across from my bed.

Mom left it there, thinking I might draw something on it someday.

“…Shall I start?”

The only thing I could think of to help Mom was drawing.

Back in the days when I was talentless and all I did was draw for fun.

It was a night that reminded me of those times.

I sat down at the desk and took out my supplies from the corner of the room.

Starting with colored pencils, then crayons, and pastels.

Among them, I picked up the colored pencils.

Since the image I wanted to draw was clear, crayons were out.

And since I didn’t want anything too light like pastels, those were out too.

All that was left was the sharp, precise colored pencils.

They blunt as you draw, so I’d have to sharpen them again.

I chuckled to myself, but my gaze was serious.

Holding the colored pencil, I gracefully traced a line.

The drawing I was about to complete… I hoped it would be a good gift for my family.

And for my soon-to-be-born sibling.

Blink, blink.

A four-year-old’s body is weak and gets tired quickly.

In short, I was getting sleepy.

Even so, I forced my eyelids open and kept drawing.

It was still too early for dawn. It wasn’t even close to morning.

But something felt uncomfortable about leaving it until tomorrow. I felt uneasy.

This work was also a way to shake off that feeling.

It sounds complicated, but in short…

I was worried about Mom having a miscarriage.

I was scared something would go wrong.

Since her body had already miscarried once.

So I just… because I was afraid.

Drop, drop.

Tears began falling from my cheeks onto the paper, dampening one corner. Perhaps because my eyes were tired.

Ah, this won’t make the drawing look pretty.

With the child’s sniffles, the night passed.

***

Lee Seong-hak, Ha-eun’s father, looked at his sleeping wife’s face.

Then he glanced at the baby beside her and smiled softly.

His face was full of exhaustion, but he looked incredibly happy.

“You did well, honey.”

There was no one to hear, but he’d said it several times already and wanted to say it again.

After their first miscarriage, Lee Seong-hak’s wife, Kang Eun-chae, struggled for months.

With her weak body, Kang Eun-chae blamed herself, thinking she had lost the child.

Lee Seong-hak managed to comfort her and brought her to look forward to their second child.

Now their son, Lee Ha-eun, was the eldest.

The birth of Ha-eun became a way to lessen Eun-chae’s guilt.

Due to her trauma from the miscarriage, Eun-chae clung to their son almost obsessively.

Even though Ha-eun was born with a weak body, Eun-chae stayed by his side all day.

He couldn’t blame her. Lee Seong-hak himself kept a close eye on his son every day.

Ha-eun’s presence brought them hope, and today their long-desired third child was born.

They named her Lee Ha-yoon.

It was the name their son had chosen for his future sibling.

A common name, but it was good. It was the first time their son had wanted something.

Both of them had happily agreed, regardless of whether it was a boy or a girl.

He recalled the bright smile Eun-chae had when she learned it was a daughter.

She had always clung to Ha-eun, but lamented that he wasn’t much fun to tease.

Lee Seong-hak chuckled, gently stroking his sleeping wife’s hair.

Maybe… it was like their first daughter had returned.

As he thought that, he met the gaze of a nurse entering the room.

“Oh! I knocked, but there was no answer…”

“Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment.”

“No, no, it’s fine. I just came to check on the patient and the baby.”

Nodding, he left the room briefly. Looking out at the bright sky from the hallway window,

He noticed the streets full of people.

After a moment’s thought, he murmured,

“Thank you, son.”

If his son hadn’t come to the master bedroom that night, his wife’s stress might have been even higher.

The doctor had mentioned that the mental factor had also helped significantly.

Once he got home, he’d have to make Ha-eun’s favorite pork belly for him—

“Huh?”

Suddenly realizing something, he hurried back to the hospital room, entrusted his wife and daughter to the nurse, grabbed his coat, and rushed out. The nurse looked at him with surprise and confusion.

The sun was high, and that meant it was well past lunchtime.

Our son was still home, likely starving.

At four years old, he couldn’t cook or prepare food for himself.

Picking up speed, he managed to flag down a taxi.

His face filled with concern for his son, the biggest hero of the night.