Fame (9)
Waking up to superstardom.
This phrase, which sounds like a clickbait title from a web novel, had become my reality.
Two days after the work was done.
I couldn't step outside the hotel. Truthfully, I had nowhere to go, and moving around with a bunch of bodyguards felt burdensome.
I felt too guilty to step out, knowing that dozens of people would have to move with me.
There I was, sitting on the hotel bed, watching TV.
It's Italian broadcasting, so I don't understand a word, but the images alone were enough to comprehend.
RAI channel had set up a special broadcast about me.
They edited together everything I had said over the past fortnight, or sped up the camera angles to show the entire process of my painting in an hour – a highlights show.
The news channels were similar. But there, not only my name but also Monica's name was frequently mentioned.
Especially the news focusing on the launching event happening tomorrow. With this level of buzz, the launch should go smoothly.
Peeking out to the terrace, I saw journalists sprawled below the hotel.
Worried about being spotted and dealing with the hassle, I quickly drew the curtains and sat back on the bed, tousling my hair in frustration.
“Wow, this is crazy. After being trapped in a store for a fortnight, now I'm confined to a hotel room.”
Just then, someone knocked on my hotel room door.
Knock, knock.
"Marco?"
The only people who would come to my room are Marco and the head of the security team. I laboriously moved my buttocks, which had been on the bed for too long, and opened the door.
And I froze.
"Irina?"
Is this an illusion?
There stood Irina, in front of my hotel room.
Why on earth is this world-renowned pianist here?
Her usually icy, princess-like demeanor was oddly graced with a bright smile.
"Ban, long time no see?"
"Irina? Is it really you?"
As I rubbed my eyes in disbelief, she burst into laughter.
"Yes, it's me. I was invited to Monica's launch event."
Ah, this person. She's close to Monica.
I quickly stepped aside from the door and said,
"Come in."
"Thank you."
It's a suite, so the room has a living area.
I seated her on the sofa in the living room and returned after making coffee.
“Where did you come from? Poland?”
“No, I came from a performance in Austria.”
“Wow, I’ve always wanted to visit there.”
“Let's go, it's not far from here.”
Oh? That’s right.
This is Europe, after all. Maybe I really should visit?
Once the event is over, there’s no need to stay longer. Perhaps I should take a detour and travel on my way back? I doubt many people in Austria would recognize me yet, so it seems like a good idea.
“By the way, has news about me reached Austria too?”
Irina smiles and nods.
“It’s all over Europe.”
“Wow, there goes my trip.”
“Haha, why not take a tour around the rural areas instead of the city centers? The real Europe is in its rural villages.”
Oh, that’s a good idea.
It's a bit disappointing not to visit Vienna in Austria. But asking for bodyguards outside of Italy would be a nuisance, so I should find a quiet place to travel.
While I’m pondering, my eyes rolling with plans, Irina speaks.
“Ban.”
“Yes?”
“Do you remember Professor Jerzy Stuhr?”
Jerzy? Oh, the professor with a name like a girl group.
“The professor from the Warsaw Conservatory?”
“Yes, the professor seems keen on bringing you to the school.”
“He still hasn’t given up on wanting to use my paintings as teaching materials?”
“No, the Conservatory also teaches art. It's not a major subject, though. They seem to want to invite you as a guest lecturer.”
“Haha, please politely decline for me. I’m not cut out for teaching others.”
Irina grins.
“Ban, you’re really unique.”
“What do you mean?”
Irina examines my face and says,
“A personal invitation from the Warsaw Conservatory, and you decline it outright. How many people on Earth would do that?”
“…….”
Is that so?
Irina continues,
“Do you know how many people dream of a professorship at the Warsaw Conservatory? This could be a milestone in your career, yet you flatly refuse.”
“It’s not my path.”
Irina’s smile deepens.
“Exactly. That’s what makes you unique. You don’t deviate to any other crossroads you encounter on your path. You seem like someone who values the path you’re on more than wealth or fame.”
I chuckled and said,
"It's not something grand like that. In Korea, there's a saying, 'A stork trying to follow a heron splits its legs.' It's just that I don't want to end up in a situation where I'm neither here nor there, trying too hard to be something I'm not. You can think of it as me being cowardly if you like."
“Haha! Splitting its legs? Haha, Korea really has some interesting sayings. Like on the broadcasts too.”
“You watched the broadcasts, Irina?”
“Yes, Monica sent me a link to watch them online. I made sure to watch whenever I had time. It was your broadcast, after all.”
I scratched my cheek with my index finger, smiling awkwardly.
“I’m embarrassed.”
“Not at all. You’ve been a benefactor to me.”
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