I Became an Artist in a Romantic Comedy

Chapter 11

7-Year-Old’s Stormy Days and the Protagonist (Complete)

When we returned to the lodging, the kids were already asleep in the car.

They must have been exhausted after playing at the beach for hours.

I, however, was still awake.

“Yaaawn.”

Correction. I was forcing my eyes open. I’m so tired.

I watched as the adults carried the kids one by one to their rooms.

“Aren’t you going to sleep yet, son? You look so sleepy.”

Dad asked as he took Ha-yoon to his room.

I wanted to lie down right then and there too, but…

“I need to eat dinner first. If I get up at night to eat, I’ll probably upset my stomach in the morning.”

Unfortunately, my digestive system in this life wasn’t the strongest. Unlike my past life where I ate late-night snacks all the time.

“Hmm, I guess there’s no helping it then. Just wait a little, okay? Dad will grill some meat for you.”

“Okay.”

After saying that, Dad went to grill meat with the other adults.

They said we were having pork belly for dinner. I wanted to eat quickly and then sleep.

By the way, everyone had already changed out of their swimsuits. If we moved around in them, we might catch a cold. Same for the kids.

As I looked at the orange sky, Mom approached and placed her hands on my shoulders from behind.

A smile of delight appeared on her face.

“Son! Why are you sitting alone looking so glum?”

“There’s nothing I can do but hold a spoon. I’ll carry the dishes when the food comes out.”

“Oh no, what nonsense is that…”

Mom frowned a little and then lifted me onto her lap. I must be getting a bit heavy by now.

“It’s just… Mom doesn’t like seeing you alone. I don’t know how to explain it.”

I understood the sentiment she was trying to convey. But…

“The people I’d spend time with are right there, drinking.”

One of the adults I’m closest to and have fun with was drinking with the other adults. Auntie, what are you doing over there?

Even before the meat came out, she was cracking open a bag of chips and downing beer.

On either side of her sat the mothers of Lee Doyoon and Baek Yuseol.

“Haha… In that case, you should’ve called for me, son.”

Mom had come over after putting Ha-yoon to bed and checking on the other kids.

She must have been worried some of them might not be feeling well.

“It’s fine. I wasn’t being glum; I was just spacing out.”

Mom looked at me with a peculiar expression, then puffed up her cheeks and rubbed them against mine.

…What is she doing?

“Whatcha doing?”

My cheek was squished, making my words muffled. Her light-brown hair tickled my nose.

“I dunno. I think I just started saying things randomly because I got too excited today.”

Well, I guess it makes sense. After all, from her perspective, she almost lost both Ha-yoon and me in an accident.

I tapped her head resting on my shoulder with my right hand.

It was a signal that there was no need to worry. I made it through, didn’t I? That’s what counts.

“I just want Ha-eun and Ha-yoon to be happy.”

…I feel the same way, Mom.

“Don’t worry about us; worry about yourself. You’re not exactly in perfect health.”

“Oh? Even when Mom tries to be sentimental…”

She pressed down on my head with her chin. Ouch.

But it’s not like I didn’t appreciate it. In this life, I want to be happy. And for that, my family’s safety is the top priority.

“My son~. Mommy loves you?”

“I love you too.”

That was the last of our conversation.

We just sat together for a while, watching the men grill meat.

I wondered when we’d get to eat.

As I was patting my growling stomach, Dad called out to us.

“Honey! Son! Come eat the meat!”

Perfect timing. Just as I was about to stand up.

“Nope. Mom will carry you.”

…She’s really not letting go of me today. Yoon lets go right away if I ask, though.

‘Why am I the only one…’

Mom carried me over like a teddy bear.

We ate outside, near the exterior of the lodging.

And I was still sitting on Mom’s lap.

“Here, son, have some of this too.”

Dad kept piling meat onto my plate.

The meat made me crave some alcohol, though I couldn’t exactly ask for any.

Feeling a bit regretful, I reached for a zero-calorie cola instead. The carbonation felt refreshing, and then I continued eating meat.

I was getting full.

As soon as I said I was done, Mom promptly carried me inside.

She sat on the sofa in the living room of the lodging.

“Lying down right after eating isn’t good, so let’s just sit here together for a bit.”

She then started looking at her phone. What was I supposed to do?

Luckily, she tilted the screen so I could see it too.

Watching YouTube was fine, but couldn’t she put me down? Weren’t her legs getting numb?

Oblivious to my thoughts, Mom rested her chin on my head.

After some time had passed…

“Shall we go to bed now?”

“Yaaawn. Yeah.”

After a deeper yawn, she held up her phone.

Weren’t we going to bed?

“What are you doing?”

“Just one more picture.”

We already took so many earlier. Just the two of us, really?

“Thinking about it, I took lots of photos with Yoon as a joke, but not as many with you.”

Does it have to be now? Can’t we do it tomorrow?

Too tired to say anything, I just gave her a questioning look.

“It’ll only take ten seconds. Okay?”

“Alright.”

Might as well smile for the picture.

Click!

And just like that, a picture of Mom and me smiling was saved to her phone.

Then she took me to my room and laid me down.

“Goodnight, son.”

“Goodnight to you too~.”

I simply waved my hand, too sleepy to say more.

Mom left, closing the door behind her. Now it was just me and the four other kids.

I moved over to lie next to Yoon, adjusting her blanket to cover her properly.

Watching Yoon with sleepy eyes for a moment, I closed my own.

And not long after, I fell asleep.

“Ugh. What…?”

Feeling something in my mouth, I blinked my eyes open.

“Good morning.”

Ha Soyeol greeted me with a cheerful morning greeting. In an odd position.

“…Why is your finger in my mouth?”

“You were sleeping with your mouth open.”

I must have been really tired. Sleeping with my mouth open?

“Right… Anyway, what time is it?”

Instead of answering, Ha Soyeol pointed to the clock on the wall with her finger.

Following her finger with my eyes, I saw it was about 11 a.m.

“I really slept in.”

After having dinner and lying down around 8 p.m., I had been asleep for about 15 hours.

Oddly, I didn’t feel stiff or anything. I actually felt refreshed.

I sat up and scratched my messy hair.

Looking around the room, I saw that the other kids were already out. Ha Soyeol…

“Your aunt asked me to wake you up. She said it’s time for lunch.”

“Oh, right.”

No wonder I was hungry.

Ha Soyeol gave me a lingering look.

“…Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Nothing.”

Then, she pulled out a comb from who-knows-where and started combing my hair.

“I could just wash it, you know.”

“It’s not that bad.”

She replied firmly. But why is she smelling my hair?

After having my hair brushed, I went outside and saw the adults.

They were sitting on the living room sofa, drinking coffee and watching TV.

The classic scene. I spotted Dad and Mom and went over to them.

“Where are the kids?”

The three other little ones were nowhere to be seen.

Dad raised his arm and pointed his fingers.

The kids were outside at the grill, eating meat. I guess they missed out yesterday.

The uncles were grilling meat for them, keeping the kids away from the grill.

Yeah, at least two adults are needed to watch them.

But wasn’t Ha Soyeol going to eat?

“Don’t worry. Mom ordered chicken and pizza.”

She seemed to read my thoughts and cleared up my question.

Auntie had ordered delivery and was waiting for it.

“Aren’t you going to eat any pork belly?”

“I’ll eat with Ha-eun.”

She was willing to give up pork belly just to stay with me.

The other ladies nearby chuckled. Soyeol can say some cringeworthy things…

“So, our son. You sure slept a long time, didn’t you?”

Dad said, pulling me into a seat on his lap.

Nodding along, I agreed.

“Yeah, must’ve been really tired.”

Mom nodded in agreement beside him.

It was true that I’d slept a lot. Fifteen hours.

After waking up, I headed straight to the bathroom. Then I downed a bottle of water from the fridge.

And now, here I am.

“Well, it’s understandable. The little guy fought hard to protect his sibling.”

One of the aunties joined in the conversation.

“It’s all in the past now. As long as we’re both safe, that’s what matters.”

Trying to change the subject, I shrugged it off, making the aunt raise her eyebrows.

“Kid, do you even realize

how amazing what you did was? You saved not just Ha-yoon, but your mom and dad too.”

“…Yes, I do.”

I knew, which is why I’d rather not think about it.

“Sigh.”

The aunt sighed deeply and hugged Ha Soyeol.

“Our daughter. Maybe we need to reconsider him as a future son-in-law.”

At her words, Soyeol shook her head, her eyes narrowing from cat-like to leopard-like.

Seeing her gaze, the aunt remarked.

“Sigh, this little one already knows how to flaunt affection.”

Dad and Mom chuckled, and Dad hugged me tighter.

“No matter how close we are, I can’t give up my son that easily, sis.”

“Excuse me? I’m not giving up my daughter that easily either! What kind of fantasies are you indulging in?”

This was giving me a headache. I couldn’t keep up with the level of this conversation.

Ding-dong!

Nice timing, delivery.

After briefly glaring at Dad, Aunt got up to receive the delivery.

Dad got up to help her. As for Mom…

“So, son, do you approve?”

…Approve. Of what, now?