Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Chapter 16

She fixed her gaze on the spot where Ines was standing.

At that moment, Timothy stepped forward, bringing Sheila and Henry with him.

He wanted to see for himself what exactly this "talent and spark" Ines claimed to see in someone's eyes looked like.

Sheila had been into animation since grade school. All these years at Aetherion, she'd even worked on a major project with the renowned director Mr. Smith-so how could she possibly lack talent or spark?

Ines cast a long, searching look at the covered frame, then turned to face the crowd.

She spoke slowly, her voice calm and clear. "I hadn't originally planned to exhibit

this piece. But honestly, I couldn't find a single flaw in it. Today marks the first stop on my national tour, and this is one of the country's landmark animation conventions. After a lot of thought, I decided to bring it out for everyone to appreciate and learn from."

With that, Ines stepped aside and pulled the deep red cloth away from the large frame.

For a moment, it was as if someone had pressed mute on the entire gallery.

The silence was so profound, you could have heard a pin drop.

It was a painting of The Grand Canal, Venice.

usual somber palette, the

classic forms, yet everything

leap from the

it felt astonishingly alive-each figure seemed

like watching an

long seconds,

finally understood what Ines

hinted at motion, motion that felt impossibly

the piece felt

Of course-paper cutwork.

relief technique made the picture pulse

shattered. Applause exploded like thunder through

clapping began to fade, Ines raised both hands, signaling

began to explain the

own impression-dynamic yet

together, and how the relief-cut technique had been ingeniously used

then, Ines revealed something else: the work was not her own design. Instead, it had been a fortieth birthday gift from one

out, "Which student, Ms. Ines? Will we get

married and moved on. Talents like hers don't come around often,

deep note of

a lump in her throat, her eyes shining with tears as she slipped