Van Gogh Reborn!

Thomas Arthur looked sadly at Ko Sooyeol, who with his eyes closed, tried to control his surging emotions. 

He couldn't say anything because he couldn't comfort him hastily. 

After some time, Ko Sooyeol breathed deeply and exhaled. 

"I'm sorry. You were telling me about the real estate, right?”

"Yes. There is a villa in Gobelin, Paris, an apartment in New Malden, London, and including this a total of three." 

Ko Sooyeol nodded. 

Both Gobelin and New Malden were places where Koreans lived together, so it would have been easier to live. 

Ko Sooyeol’s son-in-law Lee Soojin sometimes contacted him from there, and he also remembered seeing it in pictures. 

"We rent everything except here at the moment. Here's the document." 

Ko Sooyeol accepted the document handed over by Thomas Arthur. 

"If there is nothing special, I want you to continue managing it." 

"Yes, and…" 

Thomas Arthur showed Ko Sooyeol a copy of Lee Soojin and Hae's account details along with the organized document. 

Ko Hae's assets amounted to US$72,000, and she owned two cars and several artworks. 

Lee Soojin had US$8.9 million and a car combined with stocks, bonds, and cash. 

It was an unexpected amount, and Ko Sooyeol confirmed the number again. 

He didn't think they would have this many liquid assets after buying a house in Burbank, Villa in Paris, and an apartment in London. 

"There are so many?" 

Ko Sooyeol knew that his daughter and son-in-law were recognized and were famous, but they were employees of Max Studio. 

Even if they received incentives, it was an unexpected amount. 

"Thanks to the running guarantee of the movies [Trinity War] and [End-Phase], their assets have increased significantly." 

Ko Sooyeol nodded to Thomas Arthur's explanation. 

In the 2010s, Max Studios set a new record of $2.8 billion at the Worldwide Box Office. 

"And….," 

Thomas Arthur took out two pictures and put them in front of Ko Sooyeol. 

"What is this?" 

The two photos were the works released by Ko Sooyeol when he was in his prime, [Pine trees 3] and [Pine trees 6], which he had not seen for 30 years. 

"Hae was collecting," 

Thomas Arthur explained. 

"It was hard to find, and it was expensive, so Hae used to complain that she didn't know when she'll collect all [Pine trees] and hold an exhibition." 

Ko Sooyeol lamented why the cash assets of his daughter and son-in-law were so different from each other and he got the answer. 

" …foolish girl." 

Ko Sooyeol’s heart ached when he heard about the daughter, who collected his paintings costing millions and was even planning on an exhibition.

Ko Sooyeol wished that his daughter had given him a call rather than doing this, but soon realized that he was no different from his daughter and sighed deeply. 

"How can both of us be so foolish?" 

Ko Sooyeol blamed himself for hesitating several times while looking at his daughter's phone number. 

He regretted that if it wasn’t for his pride, he would have talked to his daughter.

"It's all sorted out. Now, as long as Hun signs it and solves the tax-related problem, I'll take care of it." 

Ko Sooyeol, who was immersed in his thoughts, nodded at Thomas Arthur's words. 

He had to go through the inheritance process and decide how to handle the belongings here. 

"Hun," 

Ko Sooyeol called his grandson. 

There was no answer, so he called him one more time, but there was no response this time as well. 

"Little Hun, where are you?" 

Ko Sooyeol got up and searched the house for his grandson. 

Ko Sooyeol, who looked around the first floor, looked out at the garden. 

He thought that if it was his grandson, he might be trying to catch a strange bug again.

Thomas Arthur, who was looking around the house together, approached Ko Sooyeol. 

"He's not on the first floor, so he must be upstairs." 

Ko Sooyeol nodded and headed to the stairs. 

The wall near the stairs was marked with gold to check how tall Ko Hun was. 

There were traces of his daughter, son-in-law, and his grandchild throughout the house.

Ko Sooyeol, who was climbed two steps, was surprised when he saw his grandson lying on the stairs. 

"Hun? Hun!" 

Ko Sooyeol, who hurriedly approached Ko Hun. 

No matter how much he called or shooked, there was no response. 

Ko Sooyeol was shocked as it reminded him of the last incident. 

"Arthur, Arthur!" 

Ko Sooyeol urgently called Thomas Arthur. 

Thomas Arthur who went up to the unusual voice took out his cell phone as soon as he saw Ko Hun. 

"Hun! Wake up! Hunnnnnnnnn!" 

⏪ ⏪ ⏪ ⏪ ⏪ ⏪

I suddenly came to my senses. 

I thought the howling Theo's voice was gone and everything was finally over, but somehow my consciousness came back. 

I can't open my eyes. 

I feel like I'm in warm water. 

When I twisted my body as hard as I could, I could feel that it was blocked everywhere. 

Is this the result of the unforgivable sin? 

Is it a punishment to live forever in a cramped space where I can't open my eyes and breathe freely? 

"He moved.”

“Really?” 

How long did it pass? 

The voices of a man and woman could be heard. 

It’s not French, English, or Latin, it’s a language I heard for the first time in my life. 

I don't understand it, but it's a voice full of excitement and happiness. 

"Baby, are you already giving your mom a hard time?" 

Isn't this hell? 

Isn’t this solitude, a punishment? 

Even if I couldn't understand their language, I kept waiting for the lovely voice that came from time to time. 

There were days when I couldn't do anything except crouch and move my hands and feet a little. 

Suddenly one day, the warm voice I kept hearing began to moan. 

Was it something like this? 

That's right. I’m a sinner, I can't live comfortably. 

"Argh. Argh." 

“We're almost there. Take a long breath. Whoo! Whoo!" 

A lovely voice groaned and screamed. 

I don’t know why I feel uneasy when she is in pain. 

I'm afraid…. 

What is bothering her like this? 

The tearful screams continued endlessly. 

Then the uncomfortable small prison began to press my body down. 

It's distressing. 

My whole body seems to be crushed by her painful scream. 

Am I paying the price of sin that cannot be washed away? 

I have no regrets. 

I didn't have a choice. 

What is the meaning of life if I can’t paint? 

It is no different from a dead body that breathes and is a burden to my beloved brother. 

Rather, this is right, even if I paid the price with my own life. 

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh “

The screaming stopped after a loud cry and the voice that was screaming a little while ago whispered in my ear when I couldn't open my eyes.

"My son. My son." 

If this is really hell, can it be this warm? 

Can I feel so overwhelmed just by the whispering words that I don't know the meaning of? 

"I love you," 

⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩

How can I forget? 

Days filled with love. 

Those who gave me a happy time, a new life with a gaze warmer than the sun and a gentle voice. 

How could I completely forget the people with whom I walked side by side holding hands? 

When I opened my eyes again after committing an unforgivable sin, I believed that I had fallen into hell. 

But instead, in front of me were people who taught me that I can be loved. 

How. 

How. 

How could I forget the people who protected me, embraced me, loved me, and live as if nothing happened? 

So shamelessly as if nothing had happened.

I loved them so much. 

It hurts so much. 

I'm tearing up just thinking about their faces. 

How. 

"Hun!" 

It's Grandpa. 

Grandpa is calling me desperately as he did back then, like when he was looking at me in the hospital.

I wonder if grandpa knows. 

Does he know that I loved him so much from the first time I met him, and I actually respected him more than anyone else?

Does he know that Papa who had no parents thought of grandpa as his biological father? 

“Is everything all right?” 

Grandpa urges the doctor nervously. 

“Why can't he wake up if there's nothing wrong?” 

I seem to have made him sad once again. 

I have to wake up, and I hope I can get up and find Papa and Mama with grandpa. 

I'm sure they're waiting under the cold, humid soil. 

I'm sorry that I forgot you Mama, Papa. 

I’m sorry for living happily while forgetting you. 

It hurts so much. 

My chest hurts so much that I can't get up. 

I found something so precious, but now I think I can't see or touch them. 

My heart is breaking. 

How did grandpa endure this pain? 

If it were me I would have fallen sick and would have never gotten up. 

Yeah, grandpa probably held out because of me. 

It was the same then and now. 

He would have pretended to be fine somehow. 

He would have been worried about me just as I'm worried about grandpa now. 

I'm sure grandpa would have endured all alone with all those wounds and deep sadness so that I won't be sad and I don't remember anything. 

I can't stay like this. 

I can't be sad for Mama and Papa. 

Wake up. 

I have to comfort grandpa. 

I don’t want Grandpa to cry anymore. 

"Grandpa," 

I called my grandpa with my eyes closed because I had no strength. 

Grandpa’s hands covering my face flinched, and soon he grabbed my face with both hands. 

"Hun, Are you alright?" 

“Huh? Grandpa…" 

“Yes.” 

Grandpa's urgent voice calms me down a little. 

How should I start? 

It would be best to say it without adding or reducing. 

It’s best to say it as it is. 

"Mama didn't hate grandpa." 

When I opened my eyes gently, grandpa's eyes were shaking a lot. 

The wrinkles between the eyebrows are deep. 

"Mama kept thinking about you holding the phone every day. Mama wanted to call Grandpa." 

"Hun…" 

I took a long breath… 

"Mama told me a lot of stories about grandpa. Mama said we will live with grandpa when we go back to Korea. I'm sure…. Mama loved Grandpa." 

Grandpa nodded and hugged me. 

"Mama also missed grandpa a lot." 

Grandpa shook his head, my shoulders became wet, and I hid in grandpa's arms because I felt like I was about to cry.

(To be Continued)

To read 8 Chapters ahead 👇

Paid Chapters