I stuffed my hands in my pockets, looking around the lobby.

It had been three minutes since I received Hong Jin-Hoo’s message and came downstairs.

Where the heck is this guy?

"Over here."

Tap.

As I glanced around, a cool sensation brushed against my cheek.

I turned to see Mr. Hong Jin-Hoo pressing a bag of ice cream against my face.

“Can’t you greet people in a normal way?”

I grabbed the ice cream bag with my hand and pushed it away.

“Don’t kids these days greet each other like this?”

“In what country, exactly?”

“Hmm… They liked it when I saw it on YouTube.”

He muttered softly, disappointment in his voice.

What on earth is he talking about?

Taking out an ice cream, he popped it into his mouth and nodded toward me.

“Let’s move first.”

Though his words were muffled by the ice cream, I got the gist of it.

I could still understand his garbled speech, and he continued.

“Let’s head to the same café as last time. It’s quiet and nice there.”

The café from last time? Oh, that one.

The place where my sister and I were relaxing before this guy dragged a whole planetary discussion into it.

I simply nodded as I quickly finished the ice cream in my mouth.

“But that café was reserved last time, wasn’t it? Won’t there be people this time?”

“Don’t worry about that. I reserved it again.”

“...I see.”

Rich people, I swear. They have no idea how valuable money is.

“You’re giving me a very disrespectful look.”

“That’s a misunderstanding.”

We headed to the café we’d visited last time. Again, there wasn’t a single person there except for the staff.

There’s throwing money around, and then there’s this.

“I’ll have an Americano.”

“Do you not like sweet things, Lee Ha-Eun?”

“It’s not that I dislike them. I just think they’re not good for my body. And can you pick one title to call me? Either teacher or student.”

“Hohoho. Bear with me, I’m getting old and my memory is a bit shaky.”

What does age have to do with it? How many people confuse titles like that?

And isn’t he a bit young to be worrying about dementia?

I chose a seat by the window, wanting to look outside.

“You sat by the window last time too. Is there a reason for that?”

“I’m not sure. At some point, I just started checking for window seats whenever I go to restaurants or cafes.”

“It’s on the first floor, so it’s not like the view is great.”

“That’s true. But it’s become a habit.”

Anyway, isn’t it about time we got to the point, Mr. Hong?

As if reading my thoughts, he shifted his tone.

“Well then, let’s get straight to it. How do you want to handle Hollow Snow?”

His gaze turned serious as he locked eyes with me.

“You’re being awfully direct.”

Is this the same man I know? His words were unusually blunt.

“You’ve wanted to wrap this up quickly too, haven’t you? Honestly, it would hurt my pride a bit to let ordinary folks have it.”

He’s in a hurry, but it’s not a bad thing. Artists are often driven by such desires.

“What about handing it over to the event organizers?”

“Ridiculous.”

So decisive. I didn’t expect him to cut me off so firmly.

Mr. Hong’s gaze was more intense than I’d ever seen it before.

I was reminded of the first day I met him. Yes, this must be his true self.

A man with a position as significant as his couldn’t possibly be mild-tempered.

I crossed my arms and tapped my fingers against them.

It was a habit of mine, something I did when I was deep in thought.

Tap, tap.

“Just out of curiosity, do the other planets know about this?”

About Mr. Hong eating up Hollow Snow?

Understanding my question perfectly, he gave me a sly smile that sent chills down my spine.

‘Hah… This guy is scary.’

Even though we’re coworkers, the thought that he could betray me at any time lingered.

Of course, the result would have been the same no matter who sat in his place.

The art world is full of people missing a screw or two.

“What about donating it to Atlantis?”

“Then you’d have a silent, bloodless war on your hands. Is that what you want?”

‘Yikes. This guy is scarier than I thought.’

I know better than anyone the value of Hollow Snow. Among masterpieces, there’s nothing quite like it.

Most masterpieces have short lifespans, which makes them highly valuable.

But if one had a long lifespan, its value would be immeasurable.

Even masterpieces are often managed at a national level.

‘The angel painting is in France, isn’t it?’

If I ever visit France, I’ll have to check it out.

“Hmm.”

I swallowed a sigh. If I donated it somewhere, it would start a war, just as he said.

If I gave it to a corporation, the damage could be catastrophic.

And giving it to a government? That doesn’t sit right with me either.

‘I can’t trust those politicians.’

It would be a miracle if they didn’t make backroom deals with other countries.

There have been actual cases of that happening, so that’s also out.

Nation-states and corporations are off the table. That leaves private ownership.

Which is exactly what Mr. Hong is aiming for.

“It’s not an easy situation, but isn’t managing Hollow Snow too much for you?”

He added a comment about my health, which made me frown. Why bring that up?

“Is that a threat?”

“Of course not. It’s merely a concern. What would I gain from threatening the creator of Hollow Snow?”

His expression didn’t change as he looked at me.

A blank face.

‘Tsk. How unsettling.’

Bringing up my health was a deliberate move. To be honest, it’s true that managing Hollow Snow permanently would be too much for me.

And who knows what this guy might pull? It makes me want to step back.

“How far have you thought this through?”

Even so, I need to consider the worst-case scenario. It’s not over yet.

“I just wondered if I’d see this piece in this domain again.”

“Wow, what a roundabout way to say you’d cut off my fingers.”

Though I laughed at the absurdity, well…

‘Classic scare tactics. These kinds of threats were all the rage in my previous life.’

In reality, such threats don’t have much utility. They’re just bluffs to gain the upper hand in conversation.

“Why would I do something so cruel? I’m only worried about your well-being.”

“Maybe you should try saying that with a softer expression. You’ll scare kids just by walking past them.”

“I’d like you to make a decision now. Dragging this out feels unnecessary.”

Ignoring my remark, he slid his hands into his suit pockets.

His indifferent expression betrayed a hint of boredom.

‘Sigh. I can’t even complain when a guy with so much time to spare acts like this.’

I had plenty to say, but the words didn’t come out.

“Fine. Let’s set a price.”

I exhaled deeply and spoke up.

His face, slightly reddened with excitement, suggested he thought we were finally getting somewhere.

“A thousand.”

“It’s not ten million, so is it a billion?”

“Of course.”

A trillion won? What is this, some kind of game? I can’t believe he mentioned a trillion so easily.

“Ugh. That’s too much. It’s way too burdensome.”

Sure, Hollow Snow is worth that and more, but it’s the kind of painting that’s priceless in a literal sense.

“No one but me can manage Hollow Snow anyway.”

“Oh? Then what’s this talk about a price? What’s this meeting even for?”

“What I’m saying is, I’ll sell it, but…”

Looking up at the café ceiling briefly, I turned my gaze back to him.

“Hollow Snow’s value can’t be fully expressed in monetary terms.”

“Hmm. That’s true. Honestly, I thought even a trillion was too cheap.”

How do he and I have such different concepts of money? First Ms. Lee, and now him.

“Which is why I’ll sell it to you under the condition that I’ll continue to manage it and oversee it once a year. It’ll only take a day.”

“Isn’t that too advantageous for me? If I leave the management to you, doesn’t that hurt my pride?”

The same guy who just hinted at cutting my fingers off is worried about pride now?

“Each time I manage it, I’ll charge 1.4 billion won. Considering the prize money was 1.6 billion, and 200 million was taken out for taxes and fees…”

“Hmm. So it’s like an annual lease, then. What about ownership?”

“That’s included, of course. The purpose of creating Hollow Snow was for the prize, after all.”

This deal is far too advantageous for me, honestly…

Hearing his muttered words, I sighed.

“Would I sell Hollow Snow for 1.4 billion won annually to just anyone? I’m doing this because you’re someone I can trust.”

“Someone you can trust?”

“You’re Hong Ye-Hwa’s father and a respected figure in the art world.”

“Is that enough of a reason?”

“Obviously. No matter how high someone’s position, trust is rare.”

I waved my hand dismissively, making a disgusted face.

“Because you’re her father, I trust you to some extent. And from what I’ve seen, you don’t seem like a bad person.”

“Hah, hahahaha. Didn’t I just mention cutting off your fingers?”

“I knew you were joking.”

Mr. Hong laughed incredulously.

“But still. Doesn’t this deal seem a bit unbalanced?”

“What now? Isn’t this transaction over?”

“You’ll keep ownership, and I’ll accept the annual lease terms. It’s not about taking Hollow Snow from you but ensuring its proper care.”

“Wow. After all that talk about wanting it so badly.”

He laughed heartily and waved his hand.

“Even if I had ownership, I doubt you’d let anyone take it away.”

Of course not. That’s obvious.

“Well, let me know if you ever need it. I’ll transfer ownership then.”

“Thank you. Shall we wrap this up?”

“Sure. Prepare the contract, and just so you know, my entire family will be reviewing it.”

You have to understand, Mr. Hong. Even though I seem independent, I’m pretty overprotected by my family.

“Of course. Since we’re here, why don’t we grab a meal before heading back?”

With a wide grin, Mr. Hong pulled out his wallet.

***

At 17, during the summer, I sold my first painting.

Of course, calling it a "sale" feels a bit off since I retained full ownership and was only charging a management fee.

‘Still, since I’m receiving an annual payment, doesn’t that count as selling it?’

I was set to receive 1.4 billion won annually.

Considering the true value of Hollow Snow, it wasn’t that much.

It was a special discount because he’s Hong Ye-Hwa’s father.

With just one maintenance session a year, 1.4 billion won would land in my account.

‘…Looks like I’ll need to open another bank account.’

This money should go to Mom. She worked so hard raising me and Yoon.

While I’m at it, maybe it’s time to bring up moving houses.

We definitely have enough money for it.

***

Everyone, at least once, has imagined something like this:

What if I were one of the 100 richest people in the world? Or what if, one day, 1 billion won just fell from the sky?

It’d be amazing, wouldn’t it?

But do such dramatic things actually happen in real life?

Imagine someone working tirelessly for 10 or 20 years to save 1 billion won.

Then imagine someone else hitting the lottery and pocketing the same amount in an instant.

In a world where money is earned through blood, sweat, and tears, if there’s an easy and convenient way to make it, wouldn’t people naturally choose the latter?

By sheer luck, I’ve been given the latter option.

No blood or sweat—just the so-called "gift" of talent.

- Lee Ha-Eun's Account: 1,400,074,600 KRW.

A staggering 1.4 billion won.

And it landed in the account of a mere 17-year-old.

This truly is a ruthless, meritocratic world.