《Van Gogh Reborn!》 Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A trash painter. I don''t know what regret I had to greet the morning. Even if the long night pain reached my back, I couldn''t sleep at all. I just hope that the pain will end as if I will lose consciousness immediately. When I lit the cigarette, the door opened with a loud sound. As if surprised to see me gasping, my younger brother Theo rushed in. I''m thankful and sorry. I can''t make eye contact with my beloved brother. "You''re here." "What happened? Huh? What did you do? I couldn''t answer. I couldn''t tell Theo, who didn''t refuse to do anything I asked. I just smiled bitterly and took away the cigarette. "Is it time to smoke? Why! Why! Looking at the way he talks, it seems that he has already heard the story from the doctor. It would be strange not to know if you came from Paris to here at once. Why couldn''t I do anything properly Theo? I couldn''t even do the job of dying properly. The bitter words reached out to him. "What''s wrong with you? It''s upsetting!" Theo''s hand shook severely as he held the hem of my clothes. Now that I see it, he has wrinkles on his face. He don''t look good either. It''s probably all because of his ugly brother. When I tried to pet his head like those days when we lived without any worries, he raised his head and said. "I told you everything would be fine. Like ROSE, more and more people will recognize you. Why did you do that?" Theo screams with eyes full of tears. [Iris] and [Starry Night on the Rongang River] which was exhibitedst year, received quite good reviews. "Maybe." "Yeah! Then why did you do that?" I can''t draw anymore and don''t want to be a burden to you? Don''t you have a son and a wife? I shouldn''t be a burden for your health and family. "Theo the day before yesterday, when i went to the Wheat field it seemed like gold color melted on the whole wheat field." The wheat fields waiting for the harvest overflowed beautifully. Even tonight, the moon and stars will shine like that golden wheat field. Moon and stars,nterns, wheat fields. Sunflower.. Sunflower Sunflo I don''t think I''ll see the sun tomorrow morning. Theo shouts hurriedly beyond the distant view. Don''t cry with a hoarse voice. My voice isn''ting out. "No, no! You can''t do this! Wake up! Come on! Happy birthday dear Theo. My brother, please bury this sadness in your heart. I hope you forgive me for being a useless brother. "Bro! Bro!" I love you my dear brother. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Whoam I ? I suddenly came to my senses. It doesn''t mean anything to live with a body that can''t draw. I don''t know what else left to regret. Opened my eyes. Where am I ? I felt a foreign body. I felt something strange in my nose. There is an injection needle in the back of the hand. A spotless white room like an egg. It is full of things that are beyond being unfamiliar. Im even embarrassed. A box that emits smoke and regrly The heterogeneous sound thates from it. But not all of this is more surprising than my light body. Even hallucinations that I had seems to have disappeared. Even the pain that was crushing my chest. Symptoms of muscle twisting seizures and paralysis.theres no such thing. It''s just a little drowsy. Where are you Dr. Gachet? I told you not to treat me. It''s time to do that again. The moment I woke up to check for a shot on my left side, I saw a woman Ah!" A woman in a white dress..dropped the documents she was holding and covered her mouth. Her eyes shake as if she is seeing a ghost. Doctor! Doctor !" The woman hurriedly shouted into the hallway. People were taking turns and looking at the box that makes strange sounds and me. They look like they can''t believe it. "Is he awake?" Can he move?" I don''t understand what this woman is saying. From the look of it, it doesn''t seem to be European, but she''s quiterge. It''s not It''s not that she''s big, but.. my body looks rtively small and delicate. What the hell happened. What''s wrong with my body? I want to ask where this ce is. "Waar ben ik?" Even if I speak in the dutch. "O s suis-je?" Even if I speak in French.. The woman that ran to the hallway returned holding something on her ear. Doctor! Patient 501 is up. He has consciousness and his body moves. ButYes, I''ll contact you." The woman who said something alone swept my hair after checking the injection on the back of my hand. Is she a nurse? I think shes trying to reassure me. "Don''t be scared." It''s okay. What''s your name? "How old are you? I couldn''t understand thenguage she was speaking, so I shook my head. "Okay. It''s okay. you''ll get better slowly. I''ll contact your grandfather, so take a rest." I don''t understand what shes saying. However, at least I can see that she treats me with care. She, the woman who appears to be a nurse went outside and said, "He doesnt seems to remember?" "Yes. I talked but he doesn''t seem to understand what I was speaking. "It''s a miracle that he just woke up." I heard an unknown conversation outside. After some time, some people came in. They looked surprised. They exchanged conversations with the nurse and came. "How old is Hun?" Where did you live?" As expected, its anguage I am hearing for the first time. "Can you say something?" Say anything if you can. The doctor says something. I think hes asking something, but I can''t understand. "Can''t you do it?" When I gathered my eyebrows, the doctor swept down my shoulder as if to rx. "Did you contact Professor Ko Sooyeol?" "Yes, he said he woulde right away. It''s nearby." After few minutes the door opened. A healthy old man came in with an urgent look and looked at me and approached me threateningly. He hugged me. "My baby. My baby." Yeah. I knew you''d wake up. "I knew you''d wake up!" The old man I saw for the first time. I couldn''t get out of his grasp because his arm strength was too strong, but he was so sad that I didn''t think of pushing him away. After a long time, the old man swept my face. "Let''s get well soon and go home." Huh? I was embarrassed and just looking at him, the old man narrowed his eyebrows. "Yeah. You don''t remember, do you?" I saw you when you were young and didn''t see you after. "I''m your grandfather." He looked so desperate. "What''s wrong with him?" He turned his head and spoke to the young man. "Doctor, what''s wrong with our Hun?" Huh? "What does this mean?" "Why isn''t he talking?" They said that he spoke right after he woke up, but now First, I''ll examine it closely after taking some tests." Tests"? We can''t jump to conclusions, but maybe..he don''t remember anything." "What? What?" The old man slowly turned his head with his mouth open. The shaking gaze tells me that he is sad. ".it may be a temporary phenomenon due to the persistenta, so don''t worry too much." The old man shook his head. "No. That can''t be true. Hun, say something.? The doctor is lying, right? Right? We can''t say anything to him nowit might be dangerous. Oh God.You can''t do this!" You can''t do this if there''s almighty!you cant do this "Professor, calm down." "Hun! Say something." Huh? What are they doing? Huh? You don''t know your grandfather?" "Professor, Hun is very confused right now. If you do this, it''ll be harder." What kind of ce is this? Where am I? Theo. Where''s my brother Theo? What happened to my body. Why this old man is sad about me. I don''t know anything. I think hes about 70 years old? Where is this ce What.who..is that child. A young child. is standing in front of the mirror. strange. Am I this child. ck hair, ck eyes, and skin are pale because they are white not. Am I.. Asian? Some days passed It seems like they put something on this child''s body, drew blood, and put it in a narrow tube, and left. Is this child being kidnapped. Did they do some weird experiments with me and this child. I wondered if they would beat me, but conversely they showed favour enough to be burdensome, let alone threatening. With raising doubts I did not eat the food they gave me, but in the end, I could not resist hunger. Perhaps because of hunger, it tasted good even in this absurd situation. I couldn''t evenpare it to the hard and dry bread I used to eat. They generously used pepper and salt showing how rich they were. They even prepared several dishes made of meat and fresh vegetables for a meal. It was a luxurious meal. I could apply as much jam as I could. It was the first time in my life I had such a delicious meal. As I ate the food they gave me and took walks with the help of a nurse, I gradually regained my vitality. In the process of getting healthy, I did not experience any hallucinations, seizures, or paralysis that had gued me. Is it because I''ve been suffering for too long? I didn''t know being healthy was such a happy thing. Even in the midst of being flustered, this body The original owner.. I was worried about what happened to this child. I tried to find out what happened, but rather than finding a clue, I just fainted. This ce destroys mymon sense. There is a mysterious box that can y Mozart and Beethoven at any time with a clear sound iparable to the phonograph. If Mozart is ying here.this ce is definitely not much different from where I lived, but I couldn''t know where the hell this ce was. If it''s anguage, I canmunicate anywhere in Europe, such as Dutch, German, French, English, Latin, etc., I couldn''t understand what they were saying. I didn''t say anything hastily to be careful, but I can''t live with my mouth closed forever. To have minimalmunication. I also began to learn their words because I had to tell the truth to an old man who seemed to regard me as his grandson. Chapter -3

Chapter -3

As I got hold of thenguage, I was able to learn about this world little by little. The fact that this is the country I have been hearing for the first time. Its name is Korea and the outrageous thing is that the year is 2027. The world that has passed a century still listens to Mozart and Beethoven. Except their songs everything else changed. I was able to manipte something without touching it, and I could look anywhere in the world through a box called TV. Maybe this ce is not Earth. Otherwise, it cannot be possible for the picture to move. On TV, a yellow, square monster wearing only pants moves freely and even speaks. The most surprising thing in this wonderful world is this child''s body. I admire the blessing of a healthy body every day. I think I have regained my broken mental reasoning and peacefulness just by not hearing the hallucinations that bothered me, saying I was useless. There is no pain while twisting my body, and I don''t have to be afraid of the pain or about fearing when it wille. This miraculous happiness may be the daily life of a healthy person. But.. Even if it''s not intentional, it''s like stealing a child''s body. The reason why I couldn''t end this lie on my own even though I felt guilty is because of this childs grandfather. He refrained from talking in detail in front of me and I couldn''t understand properly what he said. I think this child had an ident. It is not unreasonable for the elderly to feel affectionate. This is also why I can''t tell him that I''m not your grandson even though I canmunicate with the limited words I learnt. "How do you feel, Hun?" When I nod, he spoke again. "Do you like it?" It''s neither bad nor good. It''s just that this situation is embarrassing and there''s a lot I want to ask. However, even if I exin that I was a person who died 137 years ago, it is obvious that I will be treated as crazy as those who persecuted me in the past. "Hun''s speaking is improving little by little, right?" The doctor asked the old man. "But" "It will get better soon." "The professor needs to cheer up so that Hun can cheer up. Hes eating well and exercising well." The old man stroked my hair at the doctor''s words. "When Can he get better?" "You can''t give up hope, because a miracle has already happened once." Oh, and I think he should also get a psychological counselling." The old man''s expression is not so good. "Psychiatry is not the same as before. All modern people have one or two mental illnesses. Getting treated and consulting a little early will help Hun." The old man exhaled long and nodded. "Let''s do that." The old man swept my hair. Even though it''s been repeated for a few days, I can''t get used to be petted by someone in the head at the age of 36. How long has it been since I received such a warm touch in the first ce? It''s aplicated feeling. ________ The next day. When I followed the nurse thinking that I would be taking a walk as usual, I met a person I had never seen before. "Nice to see you, Hun." "Hello." I greeted with a greeting of this ce that I learnt. "My name is Dr.Kim Heewon. Today I''m going to draw with the little Hun. Does Hun like drawing?" I did''t understand what hes talking about. As I was just looking at him, he smiled and gave me white paper and pencil. . "Should we draw Hun?" We''re going to draw, so let''s do it together". I think he means to draw a self-portrait. Drawing. I thought I could never draw again. The wish that I was so desperate came true. It''s just a pity that it''s an opportunity that I got in this poor child''s body. While hesitating, I picked up the paper and pencil. "Hun? Where are you going?" I tried to go to the bathroom to find a mirror, but the doctor took it out of the drawer as if he knew what I meant. "Here you go. Let''s look at this and draw". The expressionless child in the mirror seems to have grown up in the love of his parents. Even though he had no wounds on his body, no scar on his hands, and even though he had been lying down for a long time, he quickly regained his health just by eating and exercising. This is an evidence that he was taken care with lot of love and affection. How shocking would it have been for the parents to see their son, who they had raised so dearly, lifeless? Still the parents didnte to see him even after he woke up. My sadness got revealed in my expression I held up the pencil in front of the paper. ___________ Kim Heewon, a psychiatrist at WH Korea Hospital, suspected his eyes. Today''s patient was a 10-year-old boy. Kim Heewon feltpassion for the boy who lost his parents at a young age. Ko Hun, who had a car ident with his parents and was ina. After arriving at the hospital, doctors did everything they could, but a weekter, his cardiac pulmonary function stopped for 48 hours. The pupils did not react even when the light was shining, and blood pressure dropped sharply. He was brain-dead. Such a child miraculously woke up. Medical staffs who have observed him so far spected thatnguage ability regression and intelligence deterioration have progressed. In fact, that alone was a relief. The brain stopped for 48 hours, so there could be some damage to its function. It was a miracle just to wake up. Kim Heewon decided to approach the child to find out what he is doing in the paper. And "Oh my goodness." For a moment, he forgot his duty and fell in love with the child''s painting. As soon as the boy grabbed the pencil, his eyes seemed to shine. The boy observed himself in the mirror and soon moved his hand. That was bold. The lines that stretched out without any hesitation gradually formed some form. A child, who was calm a while ago, filled the paper fiercely. Rough lines formed a form and settled as if they were originally there. Professor Kim Heewon was mesmerized and watched the scene, and only after Ko Hunpleted the painting, he came to his senses. The picture was not detailed. It wasn''t even urate. However, the boy''s subtle emotional line of enduring sadness was conveyed as it was. "How" Professor Kim Heewon raised his head. Unlike the depressed expression he first saw, the boy was smiling faintly. "Did you learn to draw?" Ko Hun blinked as if he didn''t know what he meant. "Did you learn how to draw from your grandfather?" Kim Heewon wondered if Ko Hun learned painting from his grandfather Ko Sooyeol, who is the dean of Korea University''s College of Art, and an artist who represents Korea. His parents who were also in art-rted upations were also celebrities who often appeared in the media. He could only think that he had talent since he was young and received gifted education from his parents and Professor Ko Sooyeol. Ko Hun didn''t answer. He just stared at Kim Heewon and pointed to an empty paper. As he was looking around, he forgot that he asked to draw together. "I''m sorry. I forgot because Hun drew so well." Ko Hun picked up an empty paper. The child was asking for permission with spotless clear eyes. "Do you want to draw more?" Ko Hun nodded. He took the paper and ced the pencil again. "Oh my." He didn''t know much about drawing, but it was clear that Ko Hun was an extraordinary kid. A little while ago, a child who couldn''t stay still and was looking around. Once he took paper and pencil, he only drew. It was an amazing concentration that could not be thought of as a child. It was already the appointed time, and his grandfather Ko Sooyeol came to pick up his grandson Ko Hun. "Oh, did you have fun Hun?" "Hello." His grandson always repeatedly said hello, but Ko Sooyeol was happy with that alone. "Okay. Okay. Hello." Kim Heewon said, Hun, I''m going to talk to your grandfather''s, so wait here a little while." The child remained still without answering. He was just holding the paper and pencil he was holding tightly. Ko Sooyeol sat Ko Hun in a chair and faced the doctor. His face was full of fear. "How did it go?" When Ko Sooyeol asked, Kim Heewon did not know what to answer. He met a variety of children with long experiences, but a child like Ko Hun was very rare. He calmed down his surprised heart and calmly began to ask questions. "Professor, did Hun learn how to draw?" Ko Sooyeol shook his head. "Actually, I don''t know because it''s been a while since I saw him. It was when he was very young. His parents travel abroad frequently." Kim Heewon nodded. "I asked Hun to draw to find out how he is feeling. I don''t know what to say. He drew it so well." "Really?" When Ko Sooyeol reacted calmly, Kim Heewon cautiously pushed out the picture drawn by Ko Hun. "Professor will be able to see the picture better." Picture psychotherapy was not his major. "My my. I know about painting, but psychology" He wondered what kind of picture Hun drew. Once Ko Sooyeol took the paper his eyebrows started going up. "What is this?" "It''s Hun''s drawing." I asked him to draw a self-portrait, and he drew it like this." Ko Sooyeol couldn''t believe his words. Although the description was not detailed, the form was clearly set. He was just a lovely child at a distance, but it was different at a close distance. Eyes containing sadness and confused pupils were expressed in unrefined lines. From the rough lines, he felt an indescribable aura. The expressive power that went beyond being entric and the bold omission was not something someone who had learned how to paint for few years could do. It felt like the dignity of a master who established his own style of painting. Ko Sooyeol, who looked at the other pictures Kim Heewon showed him, asked quietly. Did really Hun draw this? "Yes. For now, it''s just a guess, but if you have good observation skills and can express yourself this far, I don''t think you need to worry too much." Is that true? "Yes. We''ll have to wait a little longer, but at least that''s how I see it. I think you dont have to worry about it even before the test resultse out. Ko Sooyeol turned his head and saw his grandson drawing something in one corner of the room. He must have wanted to draw. Kim Heewon continued the story. Hes drawing like that for the past three hours. There are very few children who can focus like this at that age. Even adults find it difficult to concentrate for more than an hour. Ko Sooyeol could not understand this situation at all. The grandson, who was fatally wounded in a car ident, was told hopeless. There was no cure. Life-sustaining treatment was all left. However. Knowing that there was no hope, he could not give up his only grandson after the death of his daughter and son-inw. That child had woken up. Doctors at WH Korea Hospital all said it was a miracle. Although he suffered from memory loss, speech impairment, and extreme anxiety, he was grateful that he had returned alive. A grandson who died and survived. He had encountered numerous masterpieces, still he couldn''t believe it. The doctor only said that Hun''s drawings were very well drawn, but in Ko Sooyeol''s eyes, it was not at that level. Right now, none of the students he taught for 30 years had such a strong expressiveness. Ko Sooyeol simply couldn''t believe the three sketches his grandson had drawn in pencil. He turned his head His grandson was looking around. Then he bowed his head, moved his hands frantically. It was just like when he was in the hospital room. He thought that the distracting behaviour was simply because of anxiety. He was looking around. Ko Sooyeol approached his grandson. The counselling room was contained in a piece of paper his grandson was holding. At the boundary where perspective copsed, there was an exaggerated expression of high heat and intention. On a drawing of a ten year old boy. Professor Ko Sooyeol shuddered. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A kind doctor I met yesterday gave me a sketchbook that was a little bigger than a 10P canvas (55cm38cm). The paper texture is not bad either. It is not a standardized canvas in France, but it is usable as it is. It would have been better if he had given emulsions and brushes, but the thick pencil set of these twelve colours is also very interesting. The colouring is unfortunate, but the colour is unique, and even if I don''t cut it with a knife, the led rises when I turn the tip of the pencil, so it is a very convenient tool. The development of technology is also phenomenal. The graphite has be harder and more convenient to use than before, and it can been painted in various colours, but there are countless things to draw. How did the paint change? What colour can I make? As I continue to think about it, I felt too bad that I couldn''t be born in this world. The passion that''s boiling in my heart. The desire to capture this wonderful world on the canvas diminishes the guilt of upying this child''s body. Hes only 7 or 8 years old. This child must have had his own life. But I took it from him for an unknown reason. Even so, there is a desire in the corner of my heart to enjoy this world more. A luxurious meal and a clean spacious room. Nice sketchbook and pencil. Happiness from a healthy body. Also the love received due to misunderstanding from this child''s grandfather. The dream-like time of the past few days might probably be thest gift God has given me. I can''t be greedy anymore. "Hun, take your medicine". While I was thinking like that, the nurse gave me a pebble that look like some small eggs. When I swallow it with water, sheughs. "You eat so bravely". If it''s necessary for this child, it''s right to do so. Because this child shouldn''t feel sick when I return his body. The nurse stroked my head. "You eat well and take medicine, so you''ll get well soon and you can draw more of your favourite paintings." It breaks my heart to hear that I can draw more pictures. "When you get better, you have to work really hard". As I stayed still, the nurse wrapped her hand around and cheered. You were really, really sick. we thought you would never wake up again, but your Grandpa came by every day. Although I can''t fully understand it. It seems that this child''s grandfather was terrified. I felt sorry for him. ______________ Are you ready? Let''s go to Grandpa''s house." After about a month from waking up, I was able to leave the hospital. Having conversation is still difficult, but the sentences that I can understand has increased, and I still haven''t found a way to return this body to the child. For the time being, I thought it was good for this child to act as the Grandpa wanted, so I followed him. Someday, when I return this body, I want to reduce the problems that will ur at that time. Okay, get in grandfather''s car." I watched it a few times through TV, but the car of Grandpa waspletely different from the cars I knew. The blue-coloured exterior is glossy andrge. When I tried to ride it, I hesitated because I felt little ufortable, but Grandpaforted me. "It''s okay. His face soothing the child was so pathetic that I was forced to climb up. My younger brother Theo said that a car was made, so he asked me to seed someday and buy it. I didn''t know I would ride it like this. "Uh." It''s so fast. I was amazed by the car that was moving much faster than a horse or train in an instant. It''s so fast. When I looked sideways in surprise, people and wooden buildings passed by so quickly that I couldn''t recognize the shape. My heart is about to explode. "Ha, grandpa!" Fortunately, when I urgently shouted Grandpa the speed decreased. The car stopped by the road. My heart is pounding so fast that I can''te to my senses. Hun I was barely trying to calm down, but Grandpa asked something. I don''t know what the hell he wants in this urgent situation, so he looked at me and asked again. "What did you just say?" Grandpa.!" He was so surprised and I couldn''t figure out what his problem was, but Grandpa suddenlyughed loudly. "Hahaha! Yes! Yes! It''s grandpa! Hun, who am I? "Grandfather" "Hahahaha! Yes, My baby, My baby. I''m your grandfather." Grandpa suddenly reached out and messed up my head. I felt affection for some reason, even though he was too strong. I can''t believe hes so happy just for calling him. I think he might have been had a hard time. After the car moved again, Grandpa stopped the car. "Okay, let''s get off." Grandpa''s house was quiterge. The stone wall is high. As I passed through the iron door, I saw a two-story building with a small garden. It is notparable to a noble family, but at a nce, it is a wealthy house. I followed him and as I was about to take off my shoes and go in. "Hun, what do you want to eat..? Grandpa will do everything for you. Or should I order something..? I don''t know what to answer. "You don''t have to eat at the hospital anymore. Ah.. Do you like pizza? Shall we eat pizza?" I don''t know if the pizza that Grandpa is talking about is the same as that pizza in Italy. I roughly guess what I hear and understand, but it''s still too eary to say in sentences. "Pizza?" Yes Pizza. Will you have some?" "Yes." It doesn''t matter what it is, but I''ve tried it a few times, so I think it''ll be okay. "Let''s see. The phone number" Hun, sit over there and rest. If you want to watch TV, watch it." There''s nothing like a TV to spend time with. There is nothing else to do, so I headed to the ce indicated by Grandpa. There was a very nice sofa and a muchrger TV than the one in the hospital room. And, a picture is hung beside it. Oh my. An oil painting of a woman sitting on a sofa. It''s amazing. The form was set as simple as possible. It''s unconventional. The exaggerated abundance, thin and thick boundaries, and the strangely prominentposition without feeling any three-dimensional effect deny the paintings I know so far. But Beautiful. TV, cars, coloured pencils, and luxurious meals were not as amazing as this painting. As I was mesmerized, I didn''t even know that Grandpa was next to me. "It''s a picture of dream". "Dream"? "Do you like it?" I nodded. Who in the world can paint such a picture? "It will be a little difficult for you to understand yet. Let''s study slowly with grandpater." I couldn''t really hear what he said. This painting is truly innovative. It is not known when it was painted, but I dare to assume that it is a work that has leaped through the history of art at once. "Who?" "This? Who drew this?" I nodded. "It was drawn by a man named Picasso. "Picasso?" It''s a name I''ve never heard of before. "Yes. Pablo Picasso, who was a genius among geniuses." Pablo Picasso. I should keep that name in mind. While I was watching Picasso''s Dream like that, Grandpa suddenly went outside and bought in pizza. I saw pizza for the first time in his life. I expected Margherita with tomato sauce, cheese, and basil. But the pizza Grandpa bought in was sparsely Brown, rich with ripen cheese. Meat is cut into small pieces and ced all over it. Vegetables like mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions are cooked and ced on it. It looked so fresh. What the hell is this? Is this luxurious dish really the pizza that I knew? "Okay, let''s eat." Grandpa handed over a piece. Grandpaughed as I was thinking about how to eat it because of its burdensome thickness and huge size. "Hahaha. You want grandfather to eat first?" All right. Um. I ate it. "Go ahead and eat." I don''t know whats so funny, but I''m d hes in a good mood. Let''s take a bite. The rich smell spreads throughout the mouth, filling the nasal cavity, and the savoury taste of touching the tongue makes my whole body shudder. What kind of meat spews juice. How on earth did they grow vegetables that had a crunchy texture even though they were baked so well? I''m sure that after 137 years mankind had developed a state of art pizza. "Mi, Miracle." I couldn''t help but admire it. Grandpa''s expression turned strange when I was about to put the Pizza in my mouth. "Hun, you." I met his eyes while holding pizza near my mouth. "Where did you learn French?" I don''t know what he was talking about. Grandpa scratched his eyebrows. I don''t know what hes thinking.may be about this miracle pizza. Then he finally opened his mouth. "Que tu parles franais..? It''s French. I can''t believe there was someone who spoke French..! I answered the question "I''m so d you can speak French." "Yes, I know French." Grandpa''s face was filled with astonishment. "You''re so good at talkingthen why did you keep your mouth shut?" I was surprised and dropped the pizza. "Huh?" He asked once again and I answered. "No one understands." "No one understands? Who?" "Nurse. Whatever I says, she didnt understand." "Huh." Grandfather rested in chair as if he was amazed. "Korean?" "I don''t know." While looking up at the ceiling he opened his mouth. What kind of mother does not teach his son in mother tongue"? Suddenly grandpa yelled in Korean. Then he turned to me. "Yeah. you''ve lived in France for about three years, so you can speak French. Ahhh, she should have taught some Korean at home!" He''s suddenly yelling again. I put down the pizza I picked up. Now that I know that we canmunicate, it''s time to tell him the truth. Although it''s harsh for him. I can''t just upy this child''s body like this. As I was opening my mouth to tell the truth. Grandfather shed tears. An old man with a strong hand dropped tears so sadly. "Grandpa thought you, you really couldn''t talk in shock. You punk." But it was okay. All you had to do is stay alive. Everyone said that you were dead. I thought I was left all alone in this world." "But look at thisArent you alive like this? You speak well..! Eat well! draw extraordinarily well?" Grandpa, who was sobbing, approached me and hugged me. I am not certain what to do. To him who found hope, I cant tell that your grandsonmaybe be dead. I have to say, but my hand is already hugging his back. "Grandpa" "Hahaha! Yesyes You can just learn how to speak!" Grandfather grabbed both arms and looked at my face. Then, he hugged again. I wonder how happy he is to be like this. But I can''t cheat and live. "Okay. That''s all I need. Let''s live with grandpa. I''ll let you do whatever you want and eat whatever you want." My eyes went to the pizza I was eating without even realizing it. "Do you like pizza?" I''ll buy you every day." No. Thats not healthy. Do you like painting.? This is a fake, but if you want to see the real thing, Ill take you to the Muse d''Orsay or the Louvre!" Louvre? Are you talking about the Louvre Castle? Yes! Do you want to see the Mona Lisa?" Mona Lisa. Is he talking about the genius Leonardo da Vinci? I''m talking about La Gioconda?" Wha That La Gioconda. I really want to see it. No, no, I shouldnt do this. I am Vincent Van Gogh not Ko Hun. Im a useless human being who lived in poverty and leached on my brother Theo all my life. But at least I did not live a life with lies. I cannot deceive this good old man and take over the body of a dead child to satisfy my greed. And, I know better than anyone how harsh it is to live on behalf of the dead. "Now. Lets eat first. "Ah hurry." I grabbed the pizza Grandpa had given to me and put it in my mouth as if possessed by a ghost. Delicious. No Words can describe how delicious this pizza is. This is the symbol of abundance. How can this yellowish-ripe bread be so soft and chewy? Tasty..huh? I nodded. This is the first time I have eaten such a luxurious food. I didn''t starve, but because of the canvas, paints, and modelling fees, I ate bread that was so hard that my gums hurt. However, this is also the happiness that this child should have had. This man is not conversing with me, but with his dead grandson. Continuing this misaligned rtionship will only make me feel ufortable. I was just about to tell the truth. Suddenly, Grandpa pulled out something. And do you like coloured pencils? Grandpa also bought colour pencils for you. Grandpa pulled out an iron can with (100 Coloured pencils) written on it. Let''s open the cover. Literally hundreds of colour pencils lined up neatly in a very beautiful shape. My hands are shaking without realizing it. how. What can I draw with this coloured pencils? No, since I can use such a variety of colours delicately, I can draw anything. Isnt it pretty? I nodded my head. Do you want it? I Want. Little Hun, who am I? Why dont you answer me? Grandfather waves the coloured pencil in front of me. Grandpa. Ha ha ha ha ha! okay! Here you go! Grandpa, who always looked at me with sad eyes,ughed so loudly. __________ Trivia The painter Vincent Van Gogh inherited the name of his older brother Vincent Van Gogh'', who died right after he was born. It is known that he grew up watching the grave of his older brother with the same name as himself, and as a child he suffered from pressure to live in the ce of his deceased older brother. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Ko Sooyeol sat down on the floor and looked at Ko Hun, who was painting with satisfaction. When he first brought Hun home, he couldn''t adapt to the different environment, but now he seemed to be adjusting little by little, so Sooyeol was relieved. The thing that relieved him the most is that, Hun didn''t let go of the coloured pencils he had bought him even for a second. Even while sleeping, he put them by his bedside and slept. That little guyis after all my grandson'' When his daughter and son-inw died, the world seemed to be falling apart. Even though they had their differences and quarrelled, it didnt mean that he didnt have any affection for his family. Ko Sooyeol, when informed of the ident, felt like to he lost everything in this world. Then he was told that his grandson had not yet died. He only thought he had to live for his grandson. He couldn''t give up even when he was told that his brain had stopped functioning. Everyday felt like a hell. All of the wealth and fame he had umted over the years were of no use to him at that moment. It was a meaningless thing that couldnt save his one and only grandchild. He had no reason to live. Therefore, he thanked all the Gods when his grandson miraculously came back to life. Ko Sooyeol approached Ko Hun. He loved painting so much that he drew several pages in a single day. Except for the time he ate and slept, he moved the coloured pencil as if he was pouring out something that had been suppressed for a long time. Did Hun draw a picture? There couldnt be anything cutepared to his Grandson who was sticking out his tongue and focusing. This time, wondering what kind of picture he was drawing, he gently shook his head. Another pizza Is the pizza that good? When he spoke Korean, Hun raised his head and looked up nkly. Is the pizza that good? When said in French, he nodded his head. It was like he was eating a Korean pizza for the first time. Hun talked about pizza in French. He didn''t know they can have this much meat in them. He asked how do they make this cheese so savoury, salty, and chewy? How can the potatoes are soft ? do you know how to grow them? It seems that his daughter had raised Hun strictly by giving only heathy food. Although she didnt teach him Korean. When he heard him talk, he sometimes wondered if he was really ten years old, but when he spoke Korean, he really looked like a child. He had a lot of questions at his age, so it was difficult to answer a lot of questions. The grandson he saw when he was a very newborn baby and the one he saw after being admitted to the hospital was normal, although there were some unusual things. But the one right now was different. hah.'' Sooyeol held up a picture drawn by his grandson. Although he couldn''t describe it realistically, the sense of using colour was excellent. Instead of drawing with borders, he distinguished objects by using different colours, and boldly omitted unnecessary parts. Thepleted [Pizza] contained Hun''s surprise as it was. It was reminiscent of Impressionism, which began in France in the 19th century. He knew how to express the emotions he felt through things rather than expressing them as he saw them. He didn''t think that was what this little boy intended. He thought he was following the style of painting he had seen somewhere. This picture is the result of this child''s talent and education. How the hell did she raise him? Ko Sooyeol did not know how his daughter had educated Hun so that he could draw like this. Little Hun. Hun shook his head. How about painting the still life in detail? Why does it the matter? Ko Sooyeol gave up talking in Korean with his grandson for the time being. This part was messed up. How about expressing it as it is in detail?" "It''s not fun." "Not fun?" Whats the point in a painting that looks like a replica? This guy. Ko Sooyeol smiled brightly. He was proud of his grandson because he thought Hun had a clear standard for the act of drawing a picture. However, in order for this child to be really big, the ability to observe and express things urately was also necessary. He wanted Hun to experience as many different works as possible in the process of establishing his own style of painting. What fun it is to draw the same thing again and again. The grandson was absorbed in painting again as if he was not interested in the talk. Ko Sooyeol started contemting how to attract Hun''s attention. _________ The best pizza is the potato pizza. It''s a pity that I''m full after eating just one piece of this. It must be because I''m small. These potatoes are not hard and crumble like paper . The moment I bite it, it crumbles and wraps my tongue with its moist flesh. It is reasonable for the tongue to lose consciousness. Mayonnaise is also a bigger problem. It doesn''t even taste like the mayonnaise I knew, so how did theye up with the idea of putting mayonnaise on top of a pizza? Properly ripe mayonnaise goes along perfectly with the cheese. There cannot be a taste that''s higher than this. How do I put it on a paper? I think about what to do, and repeated it, but there is still no satisfactory result. It is because I am not yet familiar with the tool called coloured pencils. I wonder how great it would be if I could use oil paints. But the process of learning this new tool is also enjoyable. Since the line can be written sharply, more delicate work is possible. There must be something else that can be expressed with this. This is so much fun. Without the hallucinations in my head. I am so happy now that I can fully focus on the drawing. How much time has passed I was Slowly getting hungry Just then a pizza was delivered, because there was a ringing sound before someone brings pizza. Is it pizza? "Yes. Go and wash your hands. "Yes." I went to the bathroom and washed my hands. It''s good to keep your hands clean, but the emphasis on this practice every time is like a ritual before eating a luxurious dish like pizza. I washed and came out. Looks like the pizza is there. The room where Grandfather was sitting is open. When I took a sneak peek inside, there was pizza. But when I took a closer look, it was not a pizza but a painting. If it had not been partially painted, I would not have known that it was a painting unless I looked at it closely. The objects on the canvas seem to pop out. Wonderful. I don''t know what kind of training it takes to make this kind of description possible. I know a few people who paint realistically like this. Such was the case with Gustave Courbet and the great artist Jean-Franois Millet. But this picture. This unfinished pizza picture actually follows exact pizza as far as the description goes. If it was finished, I would believe it even if it was a picture. Little Hun, lets eat. As I was lost in my thoughts, I heard Grandfather''s voice. It smelled like potato pizza, but it''s less important than looking at this picture. "Where is he? Little Hun, hun.! The technique of expressing reflected light with one small dot is amazing, but I am speechless at the ability to use colour. It''s not a human skill. You punk, if I call you, shouldnt you at least give a reply. I turned my head Did grandpa draw this? Grandfatherughs slyly. "Right. your grandfather painted it. Isn''t that cool?" "..Yes." Draw things as they are. I practiced drawing until I died, but I had no intention of drawing it as it is. Because when the camera was invented, I thought it meant nothing. Whats important is the essence beyond the form, and I thought it is the first priority. Even now, my thinking has not changed, but this god-like technique can be said to be an art in itself. It''s surprising that a grandfather, who appears to be in his mid-50s, can maintain such concentration and work with detail. My Hun is still young, so maybe he cant draw like his grandfatherright..? While I was admiring it, my grandfather said something that scratched my pride. Little Hun draws a lot with coloured pencils, but grandpa would draw like this. 10 years as an artist. Have I ever been more upset than this? I can draw too. "really? I don''t think so? Even though I am in a young body now. The sloppy tone, as if dealing with a child, sounds terribly insulting, with the intention of not being able to paint like this. "I could." "okay. okay. Grandpa believes in our Hun. Come on,e on, lets eat. It is possible to some extent if I try to draw delicately. _______________ Ko Sooyeol was delighted to see his grandson with a lot of passion. It was the greatest happiness he got in his age of sixty-four. The actions that Ko Hun showed after waking up were heart breaking, but the grandson now seemed to have be apletely different person in thest few days. In particr, when ites to painting, he showed a remarkable passion. There was no other way to express it other than obsession. Ko Sooyeol himself, as well as his daughter Ko Hae, would be equally proud in that aspect. In particr, he was stubborn when it came to painting, so if he felt something wascking, he could not stand it. He had to dig in until he was satisfied with his intuition. Ko Sooyeol recalled that when raising his daughter it would be always effective whenever she felt stimting herself rather than him telling her what to do. So he thought that the same the same thing would work for his grandson Ko Hun. After all apple can never fall away from the tree. Hun watched the potato pizza for a long time without eating it even though it was in front of him. This child is going to paint it.'' He was like both himself and his daughter. He could not live without painting. This is hisst year as dean of the University. Ko Sooyeol, who was thinking about retiring, pondered what to do for his grandson. He wanted to show and make him experience as much as possible, and to create an environment where Hun could fully develop his abilities. He had the ability to do that. Hun had the qualities of being a great artist. His drawing skills are great, but his endless greed for painting was his greatest talent. I think Europe is better than here.'' He was worried that Hun, who is not good at Korean, would not adjust well at schools in Korea. If so, it wouldn''t be a bad idea to have him study at Europe. First of all, getting healthy is the top priority, we can think about itter. Little Hun. When he focuses on something, he never answers with a single call. Hun. Can you hear me.? Hun turned his head. Would you like to go see paintings with Grandpa tomorrow? Are we going to a museum? "yes." He nods his head quickly. "Great. Then, if you get dictation on 80 Korean words correct, we can go." When the condition was attached, Hun pondered for a moment and then asked. In Korean? "yes. I''ll give you a book to study." ".okay." Listen to your grandfather well, eat well, and when you are healthy, I will take you to Europe. Hun''s eyes widened. The Louvre? "Yes. it can be Louvre, Vatican, National Gallery, Orsay. We can seen them all. Your favourite Picasso Museum or the Van Gogh Museum. The grandson, who had been listening to the story with his eyes lit up, suddenly stopped moving. Van Gogh? "Yes. Vincent Van Gogh." Hun frowned and tilted his head. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Vincent van Gogh?" "Yes." From Nethends?" You know it well. Perhaps it was Theo''s son. A highly sessful painter was born in our Van Gogh family. The name Vincent is somon, I don''t know who it is, but how great would it be if he was my nephew. He has became so famous that even an art museum was built. So it was like fulfilling the dream of mine and Theo. I''m really proud of him. What kind of picture did he draw? Hmm, he did a lot of portraits of sunflowers and wheat fields. also his self-portraits. It''s definitely Theo''s son. Sunflowers, wheat fields, and self-portraits are my main subjects. If he didn''t know, Theo must have told him about me a lot, tomemorate me. He seems to have painted several works over the years. I wonder what kind of picture he would have drawn for his ugly uncle. Would you like to see it? I nodded and stood up. I followed the instructions to wash my hands first. We went up to the second floor, which I had never climbed before. Eye-popping paintings are adorned in every wall. There are works that I think was painted by Pablo Picasso, and there are paintings of the great teachers whom I admire. Jean-Franois Millet''s [The End of the End]. weird. What.Hun? Is this a fake? It does look simr at first nce, but it''s not Miele''s delicate touch. "Hahaha. You got nice eyes too. Most of the pictures here are fakes. It was printed and painted over. The real thing is too expensive. Certainly, a painting by a painter as high as Pablo Picasso or Jean-Franois Millet deserves to be traded at a high price. Millet''s paintings, which received a humiliating evaluation during his lifetime, are now sold at high prices and are loved by many. How happy and fortunate. Come on, here it is. Theposition and colouring are the same as mine. Seeing that the brush touch and colour are slightly different, it looks like someone drew this too. Grandfather told me this painting was by Vincent van Gogh, so it means my nephew did it. I never thought that he would have copied my painting as they were. Did you see the picture..? Its called Caf Terrace at Night. . "Well. Isn''t it beautiful? That dazzling yellow and blue night, the green in between. Van Gogh often did this kind of colour arrangement. it''s kinda of weird It is a joy tomemorate and honour me, but to be able to seed by imitating a painting of another artist. It''s impossible. Life was a struggle for him. He lived fiercely in an environment that no one knew about, but eventually fell ill. Still, he left such a wonderful picture, isn''t it wonderful?" Did my nephew Vincent also had a hard life like me? Some people say that he is a madman or a madman who cuts his ear cut, but no one can curse his paintings. I guess something is wrong. Did he cut off his ear? "Well. That''s what happened. Whether it''s true or not is debated, but does that matter? It happened for me when I had a brawl with Paul Gauguin. I wonder if my nephew Vincent also went through the same thing as me. Was the person who painted this picture born in 1853? Well. It was probably around that time. Did he die in 1890? Lets see. Grandfather pulled out his smartphone and looked for something. Oh, yes. He was born on March 30, 1853 and died on July 29, 1890. How do you remember all these things? Its the year I born and died, of course I know. Is there a Van Gogh Museum? Why. Do you want to go? Is there a museum dedicated to Vincent van Gogh, who died in 1890? Yes it is.. why..? I can not understand. I don''t know why my art museum was built. A museummemorating me, all I sold was the [Red Vineyard] and a few props. It wouldnt have happened unless Theo earned a lot of money and builded it up after I died. Whats wrong with it? Can a painter the size of Van Gogh not have a museum? As the size of Van Gogh.? "Yes. Isn''t Vincent van Gogh the most loved painter in the world?" I don''t know what this grandfather is talking about. I thought this was reality, but now I am having doubts again that this might be the afterlife. If it wasn''t for heaven, there wouldn''t be a perfect world like this. Luxurious food, new art tools, a warm family and a healthy body. Above all that I, Vincent van Gogh, was the most loved painter in the world. This is too much "Hmm. You look like you can''t believe it." "Yes. Vincent didnt even sell his paintings properly. Ha ha ha ha! okay. That''s right. He was not recognized while he was alive. It breaks my heart, but it''s true. "Hmm. How should I exin it? okay. There is a work called The Portrait of Dr. Gachet. Yes. I once drew a picture for Dr. Gachet, who was my doctor. As a token of my gratitude, I presented his intellectual side with a sad expression. The painting sold for $44 million in 1999. Are you feeling any better now? What is a dor? "Um. Do I have to say it in Euros?" I don''t know what that means too. He seems to be talking about mary units, but dors and euros are units Im hearing for the first time. How much in francs? "franc? Why Franc? I shut my mouth because it''s difficult to answer, so Grandpaughs haphazardly. Little Hun youre asking embarrassingly difficult questions. I don''t know if anyone has calcted this, but let''s find it somewhere." Grandpa found something with his smartphone. This little machine thates up with anything seems to contain all the knowledge in the world. "Oh, yes. Here it is. At the current exchange rate, 44 million dors is 37.31 million euros, and it''s been a while since I''ve spoken French, so it''s hard to say numbers. Do you understand Korean numbers?" "No. In francs?" Come onOkay Lets look. When France changed its legal currency, 6.5 francs was converted to 1 euro. So, in francs, it would be around 244.41 million francs. That''s an unbelievable amount. "Ah. No. Grandpa quickly changed his mind. They say the franc has also been reorganized. Yes, the old 100 francs were exchanged for the new currency, 1 franc. Since this was in 1960, it would be roughly 24.24 billion francs in 1960. One day, I kept a record of all the money I received to repay the money I borrowed from Theo. The total amount Theo sent me for in 10 years was 17,000 francs. Although I lived sparingly in a small room, at least it was necessary to buy canvas and paints. It wasn''t enough But. the Portrait of Dr. Gachet sold for 24 billion francs. I can not believe it. But in grandfathers view, this calction has many loopholes. RightIsnt it? "Well. We did not assume any fluctuations in the value of the currency. I don''t know what that means. When prices rise, the value of money goes down. Unable to understand, I narrowed my eyebrows, and Grandpaughed. Okay.. This story is too difficult for our Hun right now. Anyway, Hun Not all of the information on the Inte is true like this stupid calction. So, when studying, you have to look at multiple materials together. You just need to know that. I stood I like a statue. What Hun.what happened? I dont know how much is 24 billion franc. haha you didnt know so why did you ask me to tell you in francs? It''s a mary unit that I can understand, but the amount is a problem. Simply put, since your favourite potato pizza is 28,000 won, you can eat 1,086,200 pieces with the portrait of Dr. Gachet. To calcte more urately, you have to calcte the price of a pizza in 1999, when the painting was traded. With my painting. I can buy and eat 1.86 million potato pizzas, the symbol of luxury and abundance. It''s hard to believe, but looking at Grandpa''s expression, it doesn''t sound like a lie. whywhy such a price? I can''t quite understand "haha. Look at this guy. It''s normal to have a lot of questions at this age. But let''s study slowly. Now lets go down and eat first. Suddenly I felt greedy. I feel sorry for the dead child and I feel sorry for the grandfather. If it was a dead child anyway, I thought that if there was no way to give this life back to him, I had no choice but to do it. So, I decided to embrace this new life by making use of this opportunity that I can''t have again and try to draw again. ____________ This world is full of iprehensible things. Except for this mother tongue. I learned French, German, Latin, and English freely, but only this Hangul is not entering my mind. It is probably the most difficultnguage to learn in the world other than Latin. I was greatly deceived by the cute font shape. However, I have to do it because of the condition that I have to get 80 points or higher for dictation to be taken to an art museum. Is Hun doing well in his studies? I was startled by my grandfather''s voice and raised my head. So it''s already the promised time. Come on, Ill give you ten questions, so take it and try it out. "Wait. little bit more." "no." As a university professor, he is strict when ites to teaching. As it was a promise, I had no choice but to take this position. The first question. Ko Hun. This is this child''s name, and now.. my name. Second. Ko Sooyeol. Grandpa''s name "The third problem. Ko Hae, Lee Soojin." Why two? You Little.. How do you think of your mother and father as separate? I can''t refute it because it''s true, but it''s a shame. By the way, where are the parents of this child? I didn''t ask because it seemed like he was intentionally avoiding the story, but I''m curious. I wonder if there is something he can''t tell the child. Fourth question. Our address 45 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Too long. Fifth question. I am ten years old. I thought he was a little younger but it seems he was ten. Sixth question. I like my grandfather the most in the world. When I raised my head and looked, he coughed for nothing and avoided my gaze. "what are you doing? write. . " Art galleryart gallery. art gallery. Seventh question. I love you, Grandpa. What are you doing! What! Im giving dictation problems? Write it quickly!" It is so difficult to satisfy a grandfather who loves his grandson so much. I will listen for the sake of going to art gallery I wonder what kind of paintings the painters of today paint. okay. To achieve that goal, this kind of suffering is nothing. Great.You got everything correct. May be you wrote what you felt in your heart Grandpaughed. It''s humiliating. Come on, lets get ready to go. Seeing my grandfather smiling contentedly at the answer sheet brings a sigh of relief. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I guess I''ll have to think about this again. You punk, what if you get lost? I fully understand that you are worried about your grandson, but it''s too embarrassing to walk around holding hands at the age of thirty-six. Hold my hand quickly. Ill just follow you. Mmmm. Grandfather scolds me with an expression which did not in the slightest had any scare. From what I have felt so far, he seems to be strict about educating his grandson, but he loves his grandson so much that he is unable to scold him. okay. I give up It''s frustrating, but its not like Im going to die. I let go of my pride and dignity, took Grandfathers hand and quietly followed him. _____________ I felt it the first time I came, but this ce seems like a town where quite wealthy people live. Overall calm and clean. There is no household waste or filth in sight. Suddenly grandfather opened his mouth and said. The ce we are going today is the WH Art Museum. I didn''t know what it is, so I just nodded my head instead. You will like it because it has a variety of works from very old to modern times. old times? "Yes." How long has it been? Its like. over a thousand years old. Korea seems to have a very long history. Artworks made a thousand years ago is probably a very basic work of art, but it is a good opportunity to see how art has developed in the East. Because I am interested in Oriental art as much as modern art. Maybe I can get to see pictures like the Japanese ukiyo-e art. Come on, we are here. I was surprised to hear that we had arrived after not even walking for a long time. On the right side of the slope, there is a strangely shaped building, and on the left an iprehensible structure. It is in the form of stacked balls made of a material that reflects the shape like a mirror. There seem to be no set rules and I don''t understand what they mean. First of all, it is quite high and my head hurts. What is that? I asked while pointing his finger at the sculpture. "Well. Isnt it like a bunch of leftover grapes? It definitely looks like a bunch of leftover grapes. "If so, it would have been better to colour it or put leftover skins next to it. When I said that, grandfatherughed. Surely. But maybe it''s probably not leftover grapes." Really? "Even Grandpa doesn''t know what it is. Shall we think about it together?" I thought that a professor at the best university in the country would know, but that doesn''t seem to be the case. I heard that civet poop looks like that. Come to think of it, it looks just like rabbit poop. The story of poop keepsing up, but no matter how I look at it, nothing elsees to mind. No matter how hard I try, I can''t find any clues. Nothing is conveyed except for the strange feeling I felt for the first time. It may be because I do not know what kind of symbol is being enjoyed now. After all, there has been a disconnection between time and experience. "I do not know." "It''s okay. It''s natural not to know." I can''t understand my grandfather''s words. Lets call it modern art, no, contemporary art. Contemporary art is not an act formunication in the first ce. I can not understand. It doesnt make sense. " Why do you think so.? The foundation of art is self-expression andmunication. Art is something what we have to draw and what we want to draw in the most unique way. What words andnguage cannot do. Touching and conveying the senses is the basis of all art activities. However, it is not an act ofmunication. Strangely Grandpa is cheerful and smiling. Your Grandpa thinks so too. Behind the smile lies bitterness. Come on, lets not talk about things that are too difficult and take a tour of the museum. As we climbed the uphill road, I saw a building I could not have imagined. I don''t know if it''s a Korean architecture style or if it''s mainstream in 2027, but it seems like it''s not a building of this world. Materials that do not seem to fit at all are exquisitelyposed. The artificial beauty of the exterior made of ss, the naturalness of wood, and the heaviness of the marble columns are harmonized. This building is an art in itself. In addition to the paintings of Pablo Picasso and the picture-like description style of grandfather, I once again experienced beauty beyond mymon sense. I slowly entered the building. You can see everything with one ticket. Museum of Ancient Art, Museum of Modern Art. Also, the Children''s Culture Center is holding an exhibition. Then from the Children''s Culture Center." Lets start with the ancient art museum. Wouldnt the Childrens Cultural Center be more interesting.? "it''s okay." I don''t know what might be there, but if there is something like a yellow sponge poop, I want to avoid it. If I saw those again, the hallucinations that I had barely escaped from mighte back again. ______________ Ah." The art gallery was really neat. It is an appropriate atmosphere to enjoy artworks with soft lighting. The works on disy are amazing, so even the interior atmosphere seems to have been calm. The first thing I saw was the shoes. The shoes are made of metal.'' The reflection of light was subtle and elegant. It is really nice to have itid out neatly. These are gilt-bronze shoes from the Shi period, and they say they were made about 1,400 years ago." I couldn''t help but be surprised at what grandfather said. It wouldnt have been easy to process that metal so thinly. Moreover, the exact same pattern was pierced all over the shoe, so I don''t know how the craftsman made it, but God must have been in his hand. However, it is unfortunate that it is not stored in its perfect form. What was it like 1,400 years ago? My heart races when I imagine that soft, old-fashioned exteriores alive and shines brilliantly. It''s amazing. what kind of country was Shi, that can create such elegant works? What is unusual is that their artworks are rted to life. Do they understand the ornaments.? Shoes, bowls, fans, etc. have been given an artistic soul like that, so they are definitely cool. It must have been a nation that knew art. It''s time to change floors and go around a circle. ________________ It is a work called Jeongseons Inwang jesaekdo. I fell in love. How the hell did he draw this.? not charcoal It''s not oil paint either. The mountainndscape painted with unknown paints is crude yet atmospheric. An unknown mountain covered in the mist is mysterious. Who lives in a building that looks like a house at the bottom? I don''t know where this calm and energetic impressiones from. The mountains and the delicately swept down trees are expressed only with the brush strokes thrown away carelessly. The person who drew this is very good at using a brush. He knows how to make an impression most effectively. Only one paint was used. It is truly, truly astonishing that so many different expressions are possible by applying different methods of painting by adjusting the concentration of water or applying different strength to the brush. Paintings of nature like this are calledndscape paintings. Landscape painting. And it was painted with ink, so it was an ink painting. ink painting. Who can understand this mysterious feeling? My brother Theo should have seen this painting. Lautrec, If that friend had seen this painting, he would have pulled out his wallet right away. How lucky am I to be able to see this. A person named Jeong Seon drew this while looking at Mt. Inwang. Until then, he hadn''t seen and painted much. Thendscape paintings he drew while seeing them in person are called truendscape paintings. A painting by seeingseeing.. "Ah!" I made a loud noise without realizing. Grandfather put his index finger on my mouth. He covered my mouth and nodded his head and smiled. Did you find out anything? "Yes. I didn''t know why it felt so mysterious, but this. The side of the building is looking down from above. "Hmm?" And the mountain is looking up from below. It is a picture with perspective neglected. The mountain in the back is drawn bigger and more magnificently, and the nearby ones are expressed small. However, the reason why this painting gives such an immersive feeling even when ignoring perspective is because it takes into ount the gaze of the viewer. When you look at the bottom of the painting, our gaze naturally falls down, and it meshes with the painting drawn from the roof, giving us the feeling of looking down from the air. Conversely, if you look up to see the top of the painting, you will feel as if you have witnessed a holy mountain. Paul Gauguin should have seen this painting.'' Knowing that friends personality, his pride would have taken damage when he sees this. _______________ Professor Ko Sooyeol was surprised by his young grandson''s observation, thinking that he would have had a very good teacher who taught him about differentpositions and arrangements. As a young child, he usually knew nothing. He didn''t know how a child who was always curious about anything he saw and asked questions was so wise when it came to painting. Did Soojin teach you? His daughter Ko Hae, who resembled him, did not seem to have conveyed this view and knowledge. Ko Sooyeol felt sorry for Lee Soojin, who was his son-inw and his student. Although he had excellent painting skills and abundant knowledge, Lee Soojin had an eye for painting. The sadness of losing his beloved daughter and son-inw was iprehensible. Ko Sooyeol inhaled his nose and wiped away his tears. Really? I had no idea. Our Hun is really amazing." Ko Sooyeol did not want to make a preconceived notion about his grandson Ko Hun. Surprisingly, Ko Hun was already in the process of establishing a style of painting on his own, and he could analyze the painting from his own perspective. Sooyeol didn''t want to add his opinion for no reason. So, he suggested asking questions as much as possible to encourage him to think for himself and to think together. Dont lie. Theres no way that a university professor doesn''t know." So..whats this paper? What about the paint? What does the brush look like?" But his grandson Ko Hun paid no attention to such things. He seemed to be longing for knowledge and anxious to know a little more. Like a sponge. Hahaokay young fellowI will answer, but you have to ask one by one." Hun came running towards him, took his hands and with a sparkling eyes he smiled. He smiled brightly. His grandson''s face that he saw after 6 years. This was the first time he showed such a bright smile. Ko Sooyeol stroked his grandson head, and felt like something was filling up in his old empty heart. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 After visiting the WH Art Museum, I fell in love with Korean painting. I spent the whole day just seeing the ancient art museum and couldn''t stop by any other ces, but now I am happy just studying Korean painting. I came in contact with oriental art through Japanese ukiyo-e, which was popr in Paris at the time. Even though they were neighbouring countries, the styles of painting in Korea and Japan werepletely different. While Japan used strong primary colours, Korea used colours more naturally. In Korea, of course, there was also a very splendid style called Jinchae painting, but ink paintings with arge number of works generally capture a deep image in natural expressions. In particr, the painters Kim Hongdo and Shin Yunbok, who were introduced by grandfather, were very interesting because of the fact that they painted not only naturalndscapes but also the daily lives of people at the time. It is said that the person who painted the Genre paintings were recognized as the best painter in the country, so it can be seen that the Joseon Dynasty of Korea was quite open. Its Sumo. While I was reading a book of Korean traditional paintings, my grandfather approached me. I thought it was a boring picture to you. It''s definitely not a pleasing picture. However, it is a very interesting and meaningful work in terms of being able to empathize with it. Is it possible to connect with people who are more than 300 years old.? Its fun. People''s faces are fun too. What does the two people in the middle doing?" They seem to hold onto each other and fight. Thats Sumo wrestling. Its a sport where you have to knock your opponent out of the field. It''s like wrestling. What is the person with a box in his hand handing out.? "I don''t know if hes handing out or not, but probably hes selling a candy." Candy.? "yes. Its a hard, sweet snack. Is it delicious?" Taffy is delicious. But it can cause cavities and break your teeth, so you have to eat in moderation. I don''t know how delicious it is, but to eat it at the risk of breaking a tooth. I asked Grandfather looking at the painting. What are these guys doing? They are betting who will win the match. The artist named Kim Hongdo, painted this painting to understand the daily life of the people during that time. A picture thats a letter from his heart. It is fun to think about what the hearts and daily lives of the people depicted in the picture will be like, while enjoying the sports. Its amazing that he was able to be recognized as the best painter even if he drew a Genre painting like this. "Genre?" "Yes. Genre paintings are usually said to be of low grade. Grandpa looks at me strangely. what.? "It''s difficult for you to understand. Who told you that..? Did Sooji tell you?" Sooji.? Whose sooji.? Your Dad." Theres no other way to exin this, so I just nodded. Do you even know why they gave the painting such a rating? I shook my head because I thought it would be suspicious if I said I knew. Then grandfather started to exin with a smile. The Royal Academy of Fine Arts of France was built by Louis XIV. He dreamed of a very powerful monarchy and tried to put everything in the country under his control. Art was no exception. That''s right. He was trying to cultivate painters who praised the king. That filthy pig, stricken with greed, hoped to be a god just because reigned over France. All artistic activities were forced in the direction of idolizing him. As a result, Painters drew a heroic figures that were considered loyal to the king and to the country. Its shitty. "Yes. shitty hey! Do not use such bad words. Hmmm. But still its shitty Iughed while saying shitty again and grandfather who was ring at me also startedughing. "Anyway. The ruins of the French Royal Academy of Fine Arts continue to this day. It dominated the art world at the time, and it was followed in Spain and Ennd, so it is deeply rooted. Its really sad. Artists a generation ahead of me showed courage in fighting against such a trend. Although they were ridiculed severely, they fought proudly, and this will became a model for many artists such as me, Lautrec, and Paul Gauguin. And yet, the evil still continues. As grandfather said, it is really sad. How about now? "Hmm. For example, even now making ster statues is a teaching method that continues at the Royal Academy of Art. In fact, you don''t have to draw such an ideal figure of ster to describe something urately. Grandpa is right. The reason they made the ster statues was to draw the heroized characters repeatedly in the name of enhancing the descriptive power. It hides the meaning of being loyal to the state and the king. At that time, even the style of painting was made to imitate Poussin and Rubens, so the academy-born painter was nothing more than a technician, not a painter. Much of that has now disappeared, but it is bittersweet that the teaching methods they left behind are still there. Did you understand..was it too difficult a story for our Hun. I understand. You are saying that the academy is a SCAM. Ha ha ha ha.this guy. Do you know that your grandfather is also a professor teaching at an academy, so am I a scammer? My grandfather didnt teach me that way, so I can tell just by looking hes an outstanding painter, schr, and educator, who care about art and dont teach students like the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in France. This little guy. You really know it well. Grandpa ruffled my hair and scratched his eyes. Then I turned my attention to the collection of Korean paintings again. As I kept looking at Kim Hongdo and Shin Yunbok''s paintings, I also wanted to paint pictures with the ink. Little Hun..Do you want to draw an Ink painting..? Yes..yes, I want to ? I was so shocked by the question that I involuntarily answered Okay then,e follow your Grandpa. I followed grandfather to his studio. The pizza drawing in his room has progressed a bit more than yesterday. I can''t help but admire it every time I see it. For the first time, I am practicing to describe in detail using coloured pencils, but I have a long way to go to reach that level. But I will reach it. Grandpa took out two ck stones from a drawers in the corner of the table. One is t and one is long. I didn''t know what he was doing, so I just looked at it and held it in my hand. Its heavy. This t one is called inkstone, and this one is called Inkstick. You put water in the inkstone and grind Inkstick." This is a fairly ssic method of grinding pigments and folding them in water. Even I bought the paints from a merchant, so I am looking forward to what kind of paintings I can draw with this old method. Come here, this is a brush. The brush is also quite different from the objects I used. In the Nethends and France, the hair is short and stiff, but this one is quite long and full of hair. If you apply force, you can write very thickly, but if you do not control the force well, it may ruin the picture. Do you have a thin brush? "Yeah. There are brushes at three different sizes." Art has developed, but still, the size of the brush cannot be fixed. When drawing coloured paintings, there is a separate brush that is effective for applying pigments, and it seems that ink paintings are drawn using a long brush that has rich, soft hair. It will take considerable effort to master. Look carefully, Grandpa will show you a demonstration. Yes." Grandpa added water to the inkstone and grinded the Inkstick. Just attach the cross section to the inkstone and slowly grind in one direction, so that the water gradually turns ck. It is a new feeling toe in contact with such an old method, which has been practiced more than 130 years ago. Is it Interesting.? "Yes. Does Grandpa prepare like this when you were painting? "Yes. The pigment will be finely ground and mixed with water. Concentration is definitely an important ingredient. Since there is a lot of water, there is a limit to what can be applied over it. Then how about the viscosity I got curious, and I dipped my finger in ink and ate it. Viscosity is barely felt. While I was thinking about what to do, whether, I should grind it a little more or reduce the water, Grandpa opens his bubbly eyes as if they are about to pop out at any moment. This boy! Why did you eat it! Because I want to see how it feels. There is no better part than the tongue to understand the characteristics of paint. Because it has a better sense of touch. Spit it out now! AkuAk.. Aku! Grandpa suddenly hugged me from behind and pressed my stomach tight. I dont think Sumo wrestling will be this intense either. "waaaa." Spit it out.! vomit! It hurts so much that I can''t even breathe, but after repeating it several times, I got nausea. Move it. It stopped only after spitting ck spit on the floor. I got dizzy. Its going to be a big deal.! uh? If you pick up anything and eat it, you''re in trouble! Do you eat it because there is nothing to eat.? I don''t know why he is scolding me like that. My surprised grandfather took me to the bathroom and washed me. Even after tidying up the, he continued to emphasize it. You cant eat that. huh? Promise me.Promise to Grandpa. Why.why cant I eat it? It wasmon in my days as Vincent van Gogh. To check the state of the paint, you can touch it with your hand or, if necessary, check whether the viscosity or oil has separated with your tongue. Because its bad for you!! After thinking about it, I asked. Pigments are obtained from nature anyway. The oil they put in oil paints is also taken out of what we eat. So whats bad Grandpa looked at me like I was crazy. Little Hun, this food is the soot that is left over from burning grass and hardened into stone. I don''t know what''s bad. Besides, if there is no problem with the body even after eating something made out of stone, then no one in this world will starve to death. Dont you think.? WellIts definitely not good to eat stones. Moreover Even your favourite Van Gogh died because of eating paint! "..what?" I heard an unexpected story. What are you talking about? Even if the paint looks pretty, there are some scary things in it. Do you know what lead is? I dont know. Shaking my head, grandfather sighed deeply. Dont even think about eating paint. The mineral that contains lead is very lethal to the human body. "How is it?" At first, your gums will hurt and you can''t even eat the pizza you like." Later, the gums hurt even more and you couldn''t even chew food properly." Wait.I have experienced simr symptoms. At that time, whenever I tried to eat, the bread was so tough and hard that it was possible to eat only a little of it by adding water. Thats not all? Your stomach will hurt and you will experience anaemia. do you know anaemia? Suddenly, you will lose sight and copse. It''s a little embarrassing, but these are all symptoms I''ve experienced. All this because of eating some paint? Yes! Most of the artists at that time died of lead poisoning. Beethoven and Van Gogh. A master famous for his entric personality as well as his skills died of lead poisoning. Did Beethoven also eat paint? Why is that person eat paint.!? At that time, sweeteners added to wine contained lead. Beethoven and Van Gogh could have drunk wine. So Hun. you should never drink alcohol when you grow up. Understand?" I didn''t even know what was bothering me, I just felt sad and angry. Regrettably, I sometimes resented the god for giving him such an ordeal. But all of this was due to ignorance. I can not believe it. Is there anything else caused by lead besides hurting my gums and stomach? Well! When it gets worse, it touches the peripheral nerves and messes with the inside of the body. Because of that, the body bes paralyzed, or a mental disorder urs. The thing that stole the painting from me was a substance called lead. I drank it myself, not forced by anyone else. I died of ignorance It''s stupid and it''s self-inflicted. How stupid i was Hey, boy. Hun. why are you crying? huh? Did your grandfather make you so scared?" I shook my head. I told you because I love you, because I was worried. huh? Misunderstanding aggravated as he wiped my tears. If it wasn''t for Grandfather, I would have done the stupid thing again, not knowing I was getting hurt. I have to learn. I don''t want to face an end filled with regret and bitterness like before. Crayons, coloured pencils, ink. I don''t know how many things I want to do in this limitless world full of different paints and other things I don''t know. When I leave this world as Ko Hun, I will never leave any regret as I did when I was Vincent Van Gogh. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Professor Ko sooyeol hung the picture drawn by his grandson and looked at it with delight. The painting, painted with ink paint, was so wonderful that he couldnt think he was a the same child who used to eat the ink just a week ago. He can learn fast.'' Ko Sooyeol was proud of his grandsons thirst for knowledge rather than his grandson''s amazing expressive power. He wasn''t childish. On the first day he tried to understand the characteristics of ink calmly. He adjusted the concentration of the water by grinding his own Ink stick for all day long. On the second day, he drew with a brush. By the time evening came, the entire studio was filled with Korean paper. By examining them one by one, Sooyeol could see that Hun was learning how to use a brush. It wasn''t a pointless repetition. He had drawn the line for a whole day to learn how much force he had to give to get the line he wanted. That tenacious lust for knowledge was admirable. On the third day he crumpled the paper. There are several types of Korean paper. In order to get the texture he wants, Hun crumpled the smooth-surfaced Korean paper to see if ink was absorbed well. In the process of studying and observing the properties of the materials he used, he found that this child was unusual. He wasn''t just in the realm of talent. He didn''t care about the painting that exudes the aura of a virtuoso. He knew the drawing process, so he was very excited about how much this child would grow and what kind of drawings he would draw. As he thought about it, a smile suddenly appeared on his lips. Knock Knock Then someone knocked on the door. Teacher, this is Mirae. Oh, Professor Jang. Come in. Sooyeol weed his guests. The door opened, and Professor Jang Mirae, who joined the Department of Painting at the College of Art, Korea Universityst year, came in. hehehe." she smiled mischievously. When Sooyeol was puzzled, Professor Mirae closed the door and clenched her mouth. What''s wrong?" I know that teacher is being respectful, but it feels a bit unusual. Please call me like before." No. You are no longer my student. Why not? My teacher is still my teacher. Sooyeol smiled happily. Jang Mirae, who graduated from the College of Fine Arts at Korea University and obtained a master''s degree from the Graduate School of Painting in Edinburgh, Ennd, was one of the most loved students among those taught by Sooyeol. At the age of 31, she was recognized in academia enough to be an assistant professor in the Department of Painting, College of Art, Korea University. "okay. What? have youe to trouble me today? The teacher is too blunt. When did I trouble you? "Hahaha!" Mirae could not forget the funerals of her seniors, Hae and Soojin, whom she always followed. It was hard for her too, but it was not as hard as her teacher who lost both his beloved daughter and his best student and son-inw. She was worried because she could not befort him in haste, so when she heard that he hade to work, she hurried to the dean''s office. However, she was relieved when Sooyeol, whom she met after two months, smiled like before. I just wanted to say hi Mirae, who was about to sit down, stopped suddenly and opened her eyes wide when she saw a picture she had never seen before in the room. It was an ink painting of a garden with a quiet atmosphere. The ink paintings in which light, shadow, and reflected light were expressed so well seemed to embrace the spirits of the East and the West. ink painting. Could it be that Lee Idaji, a painting expressed with a brush touch that looks dull at first nce? whose picture is it? I wondered what the price was for such an attempt. All these questions came through her mind before she coulde to her sense. She sat on the chair and opened her mouth. Teacher, this whose painting is this? Hun drew it for me as a gift. Hun.? . Hae''s son?" asked Mi-rae Jang in surprise. At the reaction of Ko Sooyeol, who smiled and nodded his head, she couldn''t help but be confused. Isnt he ten years old? Is that not good enough? Wellforsomethinglikethis There were many children who had a talent for drawing from an early age. Mirae herself was of that kind. However, her childhood talents were limited to how urately she could draw objects. A child''s drawings could not have a clear philosophy and an idea through deep contemtion. However, Hun''s ink paintings was different. It was not enough to describe thendscape in detail through concentration control and brush painting, but it contained the style of oriental painting as it is. There are two pine trees standing on the left, just expressing grass and stone walls. There were no other things. However, the perfectly expressed light and darkness indicated that light was falling on the empty space, showing a dazzling morning garden. It was not at the level that a ten-year-old could draw. Even if it was drawn by a student majoring in Oriental painting at Korea University, it would be still unbelievable. Mirae could not even think of such an unbelievable fact, and she got immersed in Huns new painting for a while. Sooyeol watched Mirae and the corner of his lips grew upward. He poured coffee and ced it in-front of Mirae. After drinking half of the brewed coffee, Mirae came to her senses. "Teacher." Jang Mirae hardened her heart and said. Next month, there is an exhibition for new artists at the Seoul Museum of Art. I was asked for a rmendation, so please allow me to give this picture. Mirae is sure that this unique and warm work will be loved by many people. She thought that this work should be widely publicized. "No." " What?" But her teacher was adamant. Im going to hang it here. I cant give up what Hun gave me. Mirae rolled her eyes. You cant do that! That''s great painting! I''m sure everyone will talk about Hun when it gets exhibited." "Hmm." Ko Sooyeol groaned and pondered. Still, thats not enough. He draw several pictures a day, so lets look for that among them. Are you free tonight? She looked shocked as if she had been stabbed in the back. How many pictures does he draw in a day? Somehow this guy only draws pictures. Did he have a dead ghost attached to him, making him not to stop drawing? Hahaha!" Ko Sooyeol still joking around made Mirae relieved for a moment. However, on the other hand, she wondered what kind of child Ko Hun, whom she only knew as the son of her best friend Hae. If he could paint an ink painting like this, then hes a real talent. But he must have been painting oriental paintings from a very young age to reach this level. The light expression and delicate depiction were probably influenced by his grandfather and parents. "Yes. Ill stop by at six o''clock." "okay. haha. Then we can go together." Im fine. Mirae was just about to leave the room, but her master, Sooyeol called her out. Professor Jang. Yes?" Is the painting so good that you want to hang them in an exhibition.?" "Yes." Ha ha ha ha. okay?" "of course. The teacher knows it too. There is none of my juniors who can draw like that. "okay? how great is it Well, its great to the point where it could make my teacher brag like an eight-year-old boy. Hahahaha! ________________ While I was painting in the living room, I smelled powdery mildew. Turning my head, a young woman stood there. Her eyes are big and her lips are red as if they were painted. It was the first time a young woman came to visit me while I was here. I didn''t even open the door, but seeing here in, it seems like she''s close with grandfather. I feel sorry for the way you look at me. She gazes at me with an emotion that I cannot tell whether it is longing or regret. Ah.'' Grandfather hadn''t said anything before, so I thought it was strange. It looks like there was a story behind it. If not, then there is no reason to look so sadly. Mom? The woman widened her eyes. Looking at her expression, it seems to be right. Grandfather and the people in the hospital all think I have lost my memory, so I have to guess to some extent. "Hello." "Huh? Yes. Hi." When I stood up and greeted her in Korean, Ko Hun''s mother greeted me in bewilderment. Little Hun, Grandpa is here! Just then, Grandfather came in. When I went out to the front door and greeted him, he hugged me tightly. It''s embarrassing, but it''s like this every time, so I felt like I have to give up. My mom is also here. Mom..? He turned his head to see the young woman. "I.." Hun, thats not your mother, but the one who works with your grandpa. "Ah." I made a mistake. I misunderstood. sorry." As I bowed my head to apologize, the woman covered her mouth. she looks like she''s about to cry she asked grandfather. He dont remember anything.? There are things he remember and things he dont, and I was refraining from talking about it, but it seems that he misses both of them. "OhmyGod." It''s in Korean, so it''s hard to understandpletely, but it seems that something is going on with this child''s parents. Are they dead?'' If that''s the case, everything makes sense. Otherwise, there is no way that they will note to see their son, who was in an emergency. I have been so absorbed in the paintings that I have not been able to think deeply. "it''s okay." I took my grandfather''s hand, who was perplexed, not knowing how to exin it. Are they dead? Li..Little Hun. All I can do right now is to live my best life for the sake this dead child. I want to express my apologies to this child, who gave his body to this lost soul even a little, by doing my duty as a grandson to this person. I dont remember very well, but I thought it was strange. Oh, hun "it''s okay. I have my grandpa." Tears started to run down from Grandpas eyes again. Leaving such a good kid alone in this worldAhhhhhh I''ll have to make up my mind now too. As long as I live as this child, I have to treat this person with sincerity. Whether it''s because ofpassion for this person who has lost both his child and grandchild, or because of the affection that has arisen while I''ve been together for two months. I don''t want to make him sad Because he gave me love, which was not given to me by my friends, rtives, brothers, and even my parents. "Don''t cry. I will alway be with grandpa." Ahhhhh..Hun. Grandpa hugged me tight. I too hugged him, even though it was hard. I hoped to hold like that for a while. But shortly I ran out of breath. As I floundered, grandpa rxed his arms and wiped away his tears. Then who is this? I asked, looking at the young woman.. who for some reason also crying with her mouth shut. As she bowed her head, she inhaled her nose, lowered her posture and raised her head. Thanks to her meeting my eye level, my neck doesn''t hurt. She is shedding ck tears.. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Uh Im Mirae. Huns mom and dad''s friend and your grandfathers student. Is she sick? I''ve heard of blood tears, but I''ve never seen ck tears before. Isnt our Hun very strong? Mom and Dad will be very happy in heaven. Smiling woman with ck tears. I know you''re trying tofort me, but I want to keep my distance. It''s fine. You can cry Hun. If I had been a child, I would have cried. I didn''t want to get close to her, so I pulled back, but the woman named Mirae suddenly grabbed my hand. Grandpa. Grandpa!" What happened Hun.? When I turned my head to ask for help, Grandpa, who went in to wipe his tears came out, saw Mirae, and smiled absurdly. He heh. If you are like that you might appear in Huns dreams. Wha..Why teacher? Grandpa rescued me from her and pointed her to the bathroom. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" After a while I heard her scream. I asked, calming my surprised chest. The tears were ck "Haha. It''s because of makeup. There''s no way people''s tears can be ck." When I was living in France, I heard that some women sometimes make eyshes or paint around their eyes. I didn''t know it was this bizarre. ________________ While waiting for the pizza, I was drawing, and suddenly Mirae came and spoke to me. "What are you doing?" I showed her what I have been drawing and she recognized it at a nce. Is it Painting of sleeping bird? Do you know about the Jo soks Painting of sleeping birds? Shes a university professor, so she found out right away. Even though she looks younger, she has amazing knowledge. I saw it for the first time today. The painter Jo sok knew better than anyone how to use a brush. The shape of the branches and the way the birds are grooming cannot be more lovely than this. "Oh my gosh. Its exactly the same. Do you always practice like this? "Yes. If I draw along, I can see why theposition was made this way. Lines and contrasts. "That''s great." Isnt everyone does like that? I''m surprised that she said something that is so normal as great. "Well. There are a lot of people who see a picture and draw as it is, but there arent many cases where they deeply think about what the intention is. Drawing without thinking is meaningless. But since everyone can''t be the same, I roughly agreed and picked up the brush. You seem to like ink paintings. Mirae spoke again. Its easy and at the same time very deep. "Hmmmm?" They only drew trees and birds without any other background. It seems simple if I focus only on the birds. ok. Mirae responded so that the story could continue. But I am not sure where this bird is or what condition it is in. I think its picking on its feathers, but the book says that it''s sleeping. "Ok." The way the branches are expressed is also wonderful. There is no hesitation in the brush. It looks simple, but it is a texture that can only be thought of as wood. Its worth studying because it can appear that way even though they have omitted so many. When I finished speaking, Mirae smiled. Awesome. Hun is really smart childisnt he? I''m not used to hearingpliments often. Although I receive excessively from grandpa, it is a first time I got from others. Am I a little excited? I said something she didnt even ask. The picture of this mans son is also interesting. "son?" "Yes. He drew aposition simr to that of Painting of Sleeping Birds, which his son Jo jiwoon drew. I turned over a few pages of the book I was reading and found Jo Jiwoons Painting of Sleeping Birds. Really ? I think the seasons are different. The expression became more delicate, and it further developed his fathers drawings. "Yeah. Beautiful." They are truly wonderful fathers and sons, and at the same time, they seems to have a rtionship as Teacher and a student. I started drawing the picture again. Hun. I don''t know why, but Mirae looked at me happily and opened her mouth. Why dont you do an exhibition with your drawing.? Did I hear it wrong? An exhibition? "Yes. It''s an exhibition focusing on people who haven''t published their paintings. I think it would be nice to hang a work of Hun, how about it.? I don''t know what this person sees in me. But I cannot miss the opportunity that hase. I will. "Great. She is a nice smiling person. You can draw a picture for the exhibition before the first Saturday of next month. If you couldnt finish on time, you can give me a painting you already drew. I nodded my head and smiled back at the smiling Mirae. About 3 weeks left, then, I have plenty of time to draw a new one. Then I will tell the conditions to be followed while drawing. "Conditions?" "Yes. Conditions." One, not to copy the drawing of another work. Of course. Its a given. Why put it as a condition. And draw what Hun likes the most. It''s not a themed exhibition. So many peoples painting will be exhibited along with Hun''s painting!" If it is a joint exhibition with several artists, it can attract attention only when individuality is prominent. It''s time for the best picture of mine. ______________ "Grandpa." Grandpa is sitting on a massage chair and sleeping. GrandpaGrandpawake up! "Huh? What, what., did the pizzae?" I want to use canvas and oil paints. Now..? "Yes. Can I use it? "okay. It doesn''t matter what you draw. So what are you going to do draw? Im going to paint an oil painting. "haha. Are you tired of ink painting now?" No. Ink painting is more fun the more you study it. "then?" Mademoiselle Mirae suggested that I exhibit at the exhibition. When I turn my head to ask for a response, she had a stupid expression on her face. I hope she don''t mean to pretend that she don''t know about the promise she just made. Heh heh heh. This guy, what Mademoiselle Mirae? Then How do I call her? You have to call her Aunt. Doesn''t that feel way worse? Even though Im in a childs body, my age is 36 and calling someone younger than me as aunt is more ufortable than calling her by name. S.Stop itTeacher! Both me and Grandpa were surprised. It''s the first time I''ve heard such a loud voice. Im still only twenty-nine! Grandpa avoids Mirae''s gaze. I heard that theyre teacher and a disciple, but still it''s scary. She looks at me and smiles. You can call me teacher. I''m here to teach Hun how to draw." It is better to be an angry person when you are angry, but it is dangerous to be able tough when you are angry. I am grateful, but I will decline. "Huh? Why?" Cant say because it''s scary. There are many teachers. Everyone here is a teacher. I said while holding a collection of ink paintings. There are things you dont know about. It would be very easy if a teacher teaches you..Isnt it? The answer is probably not just what Mademoiselle Mirae teaches. The answer to an Art is as many as there are people who see it. There are many painters I admire, but I have never specifically sought instruction from them. Their way of thinking, ideologies, and emotions can all be found in paintings. There is no need to listen to the artist''s ideals in words. Words hurt the moment you spit them out. I do not want to ept a sentence that strongly interferes with someone''s reason as it is. If I had considered it an easy and right path, I would have entered the academy long back. It is enough just to look at the paintings I like. I can understand it by drawing it like this. Mirae seemed shocked. Teacher, is he really ten years old? Ha ha ha ha! Hes like me. A genius by birth.. right, hun?" Its not something you can decide like that. Then what about college.? Mademoiselle Mirae worries about my college. Im not going. Thats good too. Grandpa says anything I say is good. Hun. Going to college is a great thing. Don''t you want to study your favourite painting? Knowing a lot about painting." I can find everything I want in the picture. Some are hard to find, and some are hard to understand just by looking at the pictures. Finding hidden things is fun, but what fun is it when someone teaches me. And when someone tells me the answer, I dont look for it any more. "Hahaha! Yes. Yes." Grandpaughs andughs. And I am not interested in things that cannot be understood through pictures alone. Mirae opens her mouth slightly and tilts her head. Thats not the picture I want. The act of painting. What I want to say, what I want, and my thoughts and feelings are conveyed through pictures rather than words. A picture that is not understood by others is lonely. I have felt that despair deep in my bones. Mirae, who looked at me without a word, smiled. I like your way of thinking ." She didn''t say anything else. Even trying to convince me, she didn''t say that she was right. How many people can be so honest with a 10-year-old child? How should you draw a picture? What kind of paintings are popr these days? That''s the problem with your picture. She is a different person from those people who say like that. "Too bad. I wanted to study art with Hun. ______________ As soon as Professor Mirae ate the pizza, she went to the studio, where Ko Hun was staying with the oil paints and canvas. They had only been together for a little over two hours, but she could see how serious that little boy was with his paintings. She then turned her head towards her teacher Ko Sooyeol and said. Im worried. I don''t know if its really good not going to a school, but if he didn''t have a diploma, there will be restrictions to his career." Professor Ko sooyeol nodded his head. But I know for sure that he will have a hard time because of the art forced in the form of entrance exams, but I cant force him, and its a waste to have him draw ording to a set frame. Professor Mirae has seen too many students who were tired of the art because of the entrance exam. In some cases, children with excellent senses lost interest while trying to fit themselves into the frame of art for entrance exams. It was not just a Korean problem. She studied in Ennd and France, they too had simr type of problem. And the thing shes most worried about right now is the pressure. The tendencies pursued by those who do modern art and Ko Hun''s thoughts arepletely different. Contemporary artists who viewed their work as merely to make a sensation'' did not want their work to be understood. The emphasis was ced on what could be said to make it trending. In such an atmosphere, when she think of how much pressure Ko Hun will face in the future, she can''t help but worry. Ko Sooyeol, who was listening to her, said with a smile. "Well. I dont know. What? This trend, which has been twisted somewhere, may change someday. right? Yes, but Dont worry ahead of time. If Professor Mirae, the students who follow Professor Mirae, and children like Hun eagerly desire art thatmunicates, the flow can change again. Ko sooyeol believed in the shocking impression he had received from his grandson''s painting. He thought Ko Hun''s paintings will be loved. The knowledge he had umted over a long period of time and his soul as an artist spoke to him. By the way. Yes.? Why are we speaking in French even now? Isnt it a bit ufortable? .. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Oil paintings are the paintings to be disyed in the exhibition. I like coloured pencils, but I want to do my best with the most familiar material. I looked at the oil paints grandpa gave. So many different colours. The world has gotten better. If youbine what''s in the box and what''s neatly organized, there are so many options, that I don''t know if I can select one even after looking at them for all today. Seeing a box full of paint fills my heart. There are even colors that were too expensive to evene up with in the past. I don''t have to worry about the paint cost. Thanks to this, the process of expressing colours seems to be much easier than before. Its an exhibition. By the way, I had no idea that I would get the opportunity so quickly. Based on the experience I had to endure in the past, I decided not to be impatient this time, but to slowly build up my skills. I wanted to find out the way people are thinking now and how art has evolved. Surprisingly, the world was full of geniuses like Pablo Picasso. I could see how narrow my vision was when I was staying in a small town in France. I''m excited to see what kind of artist will surprise me again in the future. I want to meet them, but that doesn''t mean I can''t miss this great opportunity. Now I have to give my all. Starry Night didnt get good recognition, but Irises did well. Theo said that it caught the attention from afar. Its a lively, really beautiful picture. Theo helped my painting to be exhibited at the exhibition Ande d''Efandant. My kind little brother who suggested that I participate in the exhibition, because the money he send out every month was not enough. Although I was disappointed that there was no response even though I had given my best. Theo cheered me again and again saying that I should open a personal exhibition the following year. Did he live happily? He looked unwell. The financial situation became difficult, and the older brother he had supported for over 10 years took his own life, so he must have resented me a lot. Still, on the day I took the brush again like this aftermitting the unforgivable act. will you still support me, brother. Will you give me courage my dear, brother. no. I must not be weak. Another life that came like a miracle and I cannot repeat the same mistake as before. In this life, I will live how you wished Vincent Van Gogh should be brother. As a Great painter not as a Crazy painter. For that, I should make a great impression on my first exhibition. What should I draw It should be the most beautiful picture I''ve ever drawn. Then. there is only one thing left to draw. The image is clear. There is only one thing that can best describe me, Vincent Van Gogh. Sunflower. There are only sunflowers in me, golden flowers that embrace the sun. I looked at the 30F canvas. Colour spreads over white paper. As gold melts, the brilliant yellow gradually catches the eye. I just follow the flow with the heat boiling in my heart. Ah. it isnt here? I need chrome yellow and can''t find it. Even looking through the paint cans, somehow the most important colour is missing among all the paints. Grandpa When I went to the living room, my grandfather is taking a strange pose. He is lying on his knees, his eyes closed and his tongue sticking out. ".What are you doing?" "Yoga. Come and join me. "no, I do not want. Its good. There is no more chrome yellow. Grandpa loosened his pose and narrowed his eyebrows. It will probably be in a big vat. As my grandfather walked into the studio, he pulled out an iron barrel that was a little smaller than my torso. Why is this so big? This is not popr among artists these days. There are improved products, and there are rumours that they are bad for the body, so they are not used often. Why is it not good for the body..? " Haven''t we talked about lead poisoning before? Its also in Chrome Yellow. The paint I ate the most was chrome yellow. I did a lot of things that were bad for my body. But that doesn''t mean I can''t paint. It''s a must have colour. The improved colour may be in a tube. Grandpa took the smartphone. Searched for something, and he stroked his chin. "You''ll get it out tomorrow." "thank you, Grandpa." So, what are you going to draw?" Sunflower. "sunflower?" It''s a nonsensical look. "You''ll find outter." Hoho You look confident. By the way, Little Hun, how about finding another way to draw without using chrome yellow? "why?" Chrome yellow is very discoloured. When exposed to light for a long time, it may turn brown, and in severe cases, it may appear grayscale. I am aware of some discolouration. Is it that bad? "Well. It would be quicker to see it with your own eyes. wherewhere.. Grandpa turned on the TV and he manipted something with his smartphone. How can he do such a magical thing so casually, where several screens pass by in a sh? It''s just amazing. Come on, look at this. It is a picture of a sunflower signed Vincent in the flowerpot. It look a lot alike, but it isn''t mine. I''ve never used such a dull colour before. With that in mind, I took a closer look. "Huh." it''s my picture It''s not my work., but the way the paint is applied thickly is very simr to mine. How is it? Maybe Van Gogh will be surprised when he sees itDont you think.? He really is surprised. Chromium yellow contains aponent called chromate, and when it reacts to LED lighting, the colour changes quickly. What is an LED light? Its literally lighting. The electricity bill was low, so it was used in many exhibition halls. They say that they are now being reced with smart LEDs because of inducing discolouration. I didn''t know the lighting would change the picture so much. This is at a level to reconsider. Ill look for something else. Yeah, Thats good. If it doesn''t work, ask Grandpa." "Yes." Returning to the studio, I lined up the yellow-based paints. My favourite colour is Cadmium Yellow. Little Hun. "Yes." If you look under the desk there, you will see a wooden box, try that too. I looked under the desk and saw a wooden box with an owl picture on it. When I opened it, I found 36 colour paints and a few brushes. There is also a paint knife, and it looks expensive at first nce. Can I really use this? Yes, but you can''t eat it. I dont eat paints anymore. But.. Im a little curious about what Cobalt Violet No. 482 will taste like. Whoh. I took a deep breath and squeezed the paint. I think it would be difficult to draw with arge palette for a long time because of my small body and theck of strength. The canvas is alsorgepared to the body. I put down the paint and stood up. I swallowed my saliva and picked up the brush. Repainting sunflower. There was nothing I could do without drawing a ce shimmering in gold. A wheat field that fully embraces the zing sun. Is there anything more nobler than thebor of a farmer who sweats, cultivates and harvests wheat conceived by grace? I wanted to be their sun. If that was not possible, I wanted to be a handful of ears of wheat that fell on a wheat field, to be a smallfort to the honest sweaty farmer. I wanted to put a little hope on the dinner table shared with the family while leading his weary body. I wanted to give him the courage to work tomorrow. I didnt mind when they called me a madman. I didnt mind when they didn''t understand my painting. Even if I was an artist who could not sell his paintings, I still painted because art is everything I had. It was then. My hand stopped moving. Seizures came from time to time, and auditory hallucinations took over my reasoning ability. I ended my life on my own because I lost the reason that kept me alive. I am the sunflower. Like a sunflower longing for the sun, I longed for art. A withered sunflower that cannot lift its head. Wishing for rebirth in the dark dirt. A small sunflower that sprouted with the grace of the sun and weed the bright light. Let''s draw such a sunflower that won''t give in to harsh winds. I started to apply paint was to the canvas. ______________ It''s already time. Ko Sooyeol, who thought that he couldn''t feed his grandson just pizza every day, suddenly checked his watch while studying cooking. It is past midnight. Light is leaking through the crack in the studio door. It looked like his grandson fell asleep while drawing. Ko Sooyeol headed to the studio. He carefully opened the door to avoid waking up his grandson, but there he saw his grandson sweating profusely and painting with his brush. As he was about to say it was time to sleep, the painting of Hun came into his eyes, and he was speechless for a moment. A single sunflower, as if swallowed by the sun, breathed as if it was alive. one petal. Each giant flower has its own life and functions as a single flower. There was no background. like an ink painting. Only one sunflower petal shone. How sublime is this Oh My God. He knew better than anyone that his grandson had a talent for drawing. It''s because the drawings are quite realistic and unique, unlike a child''s. He liked the drawing he drew as a gift for him very much. It was the painting of a person, who fell in love with Korean painting after seeing for the first time. However, the [ Sunflower ] thatspleted with oil paints on canvas was different. How can a painting shine? Life was being born from the tip of Hun''s brush, which he reached out without a single hesitation. As [ Sunflower ] waspleted, the high sequence shuddered as if the cells of his body were awakening. Ko Sooyeol was stunned Hun, who couldn''t say anything until he finished the painting wiped his sweat. After putting down the brush, Hun took a few steps back and checked the painting. But he suddenly hit someone, so he turned his head and looked at the person. Ko Sooyeol, unable to control the overwhelming emotions, lifted up his smiling grandson in his hands and rotated him in the air. Ha ha ha! this guy! This guy! You really drew something amazing. As a painter and as a grandfather, he couldnt be happier than this. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Reporter Kim Jiwoo, who visited the Seoul Museum of Art to cover the exhibition of new artists, took a deep breath. How can there be no people.? He didn''t expect much, but the number of people who came to visit other than the painters and staff could be counted with bare eyes. Fine arts was no longer a culture close to the masses. Thanks to people such as Ko Sooyeol and Jang Mirae, it was still alive and well, but even that was more recognized in abroad than in Korea. Moreover, as the decline of the publishing market ovepped, Yehwa, a magazine specializing in culture and art, was in financial difficulties. I don''t know if I''m going to starve to death like the artists here. Reporter Kim Jiwoo stepped into the exhibition hall with no motivation. This is fine.'' The three works were hung side by side. All of them were women without expressions, but they were the same pictures as if they were copied. However, the clothes worn by the women and the background were painted in different colours. They were all red, but the saturation and brightness were different. It seemed that the intention was to give a distinctly different impression depending on the colour. Kim Jiwoo spoke to the man standing in front of the work. Are you the painter? Oh, yes. Its the same painting, the colour scheme is simr, but the impressions are very different depending on the work. "Yes. This looks a bit cold. This seems to be provocative again, and there are several images in red, but I wanted to show that there are also conflicting images in them. Kim Jiwoo nodded his head. "why?" What..? Why did you want to show the contrasting image in red? That.. I wanted to point out a stereotype that we have. The image projected on colour is not the essence of colour, but rather what we oveid. Thats the story. When asked why he made this work, he exined the work. Kim Jiwoo shook his head. He asked a question because it was the most eye-catching work in this exhibition, but the return was only disappointing. Among young artists, there were many cases where they thought that others did not know their realization. While creating a usible work, there was no deep consideration for their own work. Even a very simple answer would be good. Rather than a person who gives a usible, pedantic answer. He was looking for someone who could confidently answer that question. but till now, there is no one. Kim Jiwoo looked around the exhibition space in moderation and repeated sighing. Then when he turned the corner. His breath seemed to be suffocating. Only one sunflower. It was just a sunflower that filled one side of the canvas with no background. Is it an illusion? The bright yellow seemed to shine on its own. This must be crazy.'' The thrill spread throughout his body. Reporter Kim Jiwoo bit his lips and examined the painting closely. Impasto technique, which uses oil paints to enhance the texture. It was a very ssic way. At present, no artist has pursued this method, let alone in an exhibition of new artists. After all, unless he is a descendant of the master Vincent van Gogh. However. This picture was different. The stems stretched out like an ink painting. As if painted at once, the brush marks, which looked like the surface of a wounded sunflower stem. The same goes for leaves. He couldn''t understand how a lump of green paint, expressed by carelessly crushing a brush, showed such vitality. However, the most surprising thing is therge daisy in full bloom among the petals and sunflowers. Its shining. The sunflower petals, painted in a dazzlingly bright yellow colour, were as lively as the wind. The rough brush strokes matched the surface of the petals. Doesn''t it look like it was just used without mixing it?'' He applied it without mixing oil paints and gave contrast. How skilled do you have to be this natural? The borately photographed sunflower lily of the valley came to be three-dimensional as much as it was thick with the impasto technique. Is it because of the nk space? This dazzling sunflower looked very lonely. There were also wounds. Still, the way its looking at the sun despite the scars could not be expressed so noble than this. The encounter between oriental painting and oil painting could not touch his heart more than this. Want.'' Kim Jiwoo felt the desire to have a painting after a long time. Who is it?'' Who the hell drew this picture?'' The author''s name is Ko Hun. He looked around to find the artist who made this heartbreaking work, but there was only one kid around. Boy. The bright-looking boy raised his head. He didn''t know why, but the boy seemed to be excited. Did you not see anyone here? Who are you looking for.? The person who drew this picture. Its me. Hah? Kim Jiwoo, who was about to take out the writing instruments, stopped for a moment. "what?" Its my drawing. Kim Jiwoo altered his head between Hun and [Sunflower]. "Huh? Huh?" How was it..pos? It was hard to believe that a child, who was a little slurred, drew such a picture. "really? Did you really draw it?" Hun nodded his head. Hun, I brought you a chair. Then Professor Jang Mirae came with a small chair. Kim Jiwoo''s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. Arent you Professor Jang Mirae? Hello, this is Kim Jiwoo from Yehwa. She was a little embarrassed by the sudden question, but Jang Mirae greeted him with a smile. "Yes. Hello. Hun, sit here. You came to talk to your grandfather. Right.? "Yes." Hun only answered and didn''t sit on the chair. He just wanted to hear how Kim Jiwoo felt about his drawing. Did youe to interview? Yes! How did you get here? Did your acquaintances or students participate? Or did you sponsor? I came to watch. Its my little friends first exhibition. Jang Mirae smiled and looked at Hun. A boy who looked at him came into the eyes of Kim Jiwoo, who turned his head following his gaze. Is this really the painting he drew? "Yes. He drew it really well.Didnt he..? Kim Jiwoo opened his mouth without even thinking of covering it. "how old are you? Where did you learn to draw? Really, really did you draw it? how?" When asked how the painting was, he didn''t answer, he just poured out questions. "Huh? Since when did you draw? Who taught you to draw it? Where did you go to school?" Fortunately, Jang Mi-rae came forward. Hes not so good at Koreannguage, so he probably wont understand if you speak this fast. What..? He lived in France for a long time. "Ah, then" Speak slowly, He understands. _____________ The person who kept asking questions squatted down. I''m grateful for the eye level, but this time, he just stared at me without saying a word. Just as I thought I had caught a strange person for the first audience in the first exhibition in this life, he finally spoke up. Why did you draw that picture? That''s a weird question. Is there any reason.? no.'' The underlying reason is unknown, but at least one thing is certain. Because I want to sell. Every painter drew a painting for selling it, and to make a livelihood with it. And I know the misery of a painter who can''t sell'' more deeply than anyone else. Ultimately, the act of painting and selling is finding someone who understands you. That is the basis. Neither Mirae nor the strange person responded. Even if I didnt want to answer his question, I answered it with consideration. He is rude You want to sell? "Yes. I drew it so that the person who sees it had no choice but to buy it. No answer again He opens his mouth slightly and blinks his eyes. I was already in a bad mood because no one wasing. This guy who came, only asks question but does not responds. I turned my head towards the hallway hoping for a normal person, but suddenly he grabbed my hand. Ill sell it! "Yes?" There will be a lot of people who wants to buy it. I want to buy it too! I''ll make sure this will be famous." I can''t understand what he means, so when I turned and saw Jang Mirae, but as usual she just smiled. Leave it to me. This reporter will write the best article. Do you mean to promote? Can I talk to you for a moment? If you can''t do it now, it''ll be fer. Shall I wait until the exhibition is over?" It seems like hes a bit of a strange person, but there''s no reason to refuse to have my picture published in a newspaper. Im will ask my grandpa. "Grandfather? Where is he?" He went for a walk As I was looking for Grandpa, he appeared behind the reporter "excuse me." The reporter who turned his head started trembling. Ko, Ko Sooyeol, Hae.Hun the grandson of the painter Ko Sooyeol? Son of Art director Ko Hae and Lee soojin.? He''s a really crazy person AhNow I can understand why you can draw a picture like this. You must have learned from painter Ko Sooyeol, Ko Hae, and Lee Soojin. right? Yes? At what age did you start painting? What is your age now?" 10 . He frowned heavily and looked me up and down. How old are you? He really is a crazy person. ______________ November 14, 2027 at 4pm. Reporter Ji-woo Kim''s reviews were recorded in the form of a column on the monthly Yehwa SNS. [Sunflower Portrait of a 10-year-old genius] Saturday 13th. The new artist exhibition hall hosted by the Seoul Museum of Art was held in a quiet atmosphere. The person in charge of the Seoul Museum of Art had 21 pieces of art exhibited to highlight new artists who had not had the opportunity to do so, and said that they would expand their opportunities in the future. Among them were excellent works such as [Red], [The Rapids], and the one that touched my heart Ko Hun''s [Sunflower]. How should I convey a painting that can shine? Ko Hun knows how to use a colour. The strong will of the sunflower to look up at the sun is felt from the stem extended with a bold brush stroke. The dazzling cadmium yellow seemed to swallow the sun. What does the single sunflower miss? What kind of sun does Ko Hun want? I asked for an interview to understand it. Please introduce yourself. Im Ko Hun, 10 years old. When did you start painting? I drew for about 10 years (I think Ko Hun, who lived in France, was not familiar with Korean, so he answered incorrectly). What kind of work is [Sunflower]? This is a self-portrait. Please exin in detail. There are so many great painters. Pablo Picasso, Kandinsky, Chagall, Renee. Sunflower represents me who admires those people. What motivated you to draw [Sunflower]? I wanted to sell. I tried to paint a picture that was so intense that anyone who saw it had no choice but to buy it. The 10-year-old boy''s words that he painted to sell. It shows the harsh reality of the current fine arts world. Even now, there are a number of painters who are struggling with the high cost of materials and continue to work with difficulty. Paintings are not exclusive to those who have them. A painting that they can''t help but want to buy. Isn''t this a warning to the mainstream artists who refuse tomunicate on their own and only shout out ideas? On the other hand, a 10-year-old boy who wants to be like them by referring to the great artists of the past. How pure is this Sunflower. I couldn''t move for a while in front of the unspoiled splendour of [Sunflower], which was born from the hands of a ten-year-old genius. -Kim Jiwoo (Yehwa) Chapter 13 Chapter 13 It is the third day of the exhibition. On the first day, nine people came and I remembered who came, but today the number of people increased even more. It seems that there were over fifty people in the morning alone. I went with Grandpa and Jang Mirae to have lunch. And I found a ce called a Chinese restaurant. It''s the first time hearing about such a restaurant. What would Hun want to eat? What is delicious? Jjamppong will be spicy.. I dont like spicy food. Ok. Then would you like to have some jjajangmyeon?" I don''t know what it is, but its a food that Mirae rmended, so I dont think it will be bad. So I nodded my head giving my confirmation. What about you teacher? "well. Little Hun, how about having a tray of jjajang and share it with your grandpa? The two people in front of me doesnt seem to know how to deal with person who doesn''t know anything about all these dishes, which I cant even pronounce. What is tray jj..ja..jjajang? Its a jajangmyeon on a tray. are only the bowls different? Does more seafood added in? When grandpa looked at Mirae and asked, she nodded her head. Sir, please give me three trays of jajangjang here. Has Hun ever eaten sweet and sour pork? no." Then, give me a small sweet and sour soup. Oh, give me a fork too. As Mirae was ordering food and I was looking around, grandpa''s smartphone rang. Tch. Useless phone calls. Grandpa silenced the sound without answering the phone. Who is it.? The usual annoying guy. AhIs it Henry Marceau? How does Professor Mirae know about that? He also contacted me. Hes such a frivolous guy. " Still, his skills are real, which most people dont have these days. So why is he calling.? Did he wishes to buy a painting of yours, sir? There is nothing to say and sell to that guy. I looked around, not paying attention because it was an iprehensible conversation, but something drawn on a long, thin piece of paper caught my eye. It''s ssy to be called a snake. It had a beard, By the way, I hope Hun sells his paintings. I woke up to Mirae''s words. Will they sell.? I wanted to sell it, but I didn''t know if it was a ce that also trades paintings. "Yes. But the money should be shared with the museum. Do you know, how much the museums share is.? When I shake my head sideways, Mirae tilts her head and smiles. I seeYou dont know. I became curious as to what the percentage is. How are the profits divided? 50 percent. What.Isnt it just stealing. Its too big. Isnt it.? Without the painters, they cannot operate, and somehow they are taking advantage of the position of the artist who wants to exhibit at least once. I thought it was stealing, but it turned out to be a roadside robbery. Is there a way not to share? "Well. If Hun rents the ce himself and disys it, there is no need to share the ie. Isnt it okay to do that? There are many reasons, but usually the rental fee is burdensome. For example, it costs about 400,000 won to rent an exhibition hall where Huns paintings are disyed. Expensive. It takes cost of 15 slices of potato pizza to rent a space that is smaller than grandpa''s house. Aside from that, we need to promote it. You should also spend money on invitations besides the rent, and ask for the people toe. Its not just about renting a ce. "Yes. So the ratio of 50 to 50. If it is understandable, it seems that apromise can be found. But doesnt Hun starting to speak in Korean fluently. Whats the secret.? Its because of the dictation. "dictation?" When I saw my grandpa, he was coughing for nothing. Then you should also learn to speak English. If youre not going to be in Korea, its good to learn English as well. I can speak English. Huh?" English, Dutch, French, German. Latin too. Mirae puts her hand between her chin and neck and tilts her head. It looked like she couldn''t believe, and her eyebrows gathered together. Fr wie viel mchte Hun seine Bilder verkaufen? Mirae asked in German, how much would I like to sell my painting. It''s a dialect of somewhere, so the pronunciation is a bit peculiar. [Sunflower] is a painting that I worked quite hard on and I am satisfied with myself, so I want to sell it to someone who knows the value of it. Das Bild ist gut geworden. Ich mchte es an jemanden verkaufen, der den Wert so gut wie mglich kennt, aber es muss genug Geld sein, um mindestens 50 Kartoffelpizzas zu kaufen. I said I would like to sell it for 50 potato pizzas worth. Miraes eyes opened wide is surprise. I don''t think it''s that expensive. Since I''m still a rookie, maybe I shouldpromise on 40 potato pizza worth. Did you study in Germany? "What?" "German." Ah yes." Multilingualnguage is a basic skill for Europeans at that time, especially for people who sell goods like me. But it might be strange for a child to know this manynguages, Mirae went through several verification processes. Teacher, isnt he really a genius? How the hell did Hae raise her child to be able to speak so manynguages? He shook his head. She taught him all thesenguages, but forgot to teach her ownnguage.? While they were chatting the food arrived. While I was not sure how to exin, the dish called Tray Jjajang came out with sweet and sour pork. Even ck and red colours that look sticky doesn''t look so appetizing. Grandpa put a little on my te. Bon appetite." I was still inexperienced with chopsticks, so I used a fork to put a small amount in my mouth. As soon as I ced the food in my mouth, taste numbs the tongue. The unknown sweetness, the short aura in between, and the unique vour of the sauce that epasses all of them. The unusual-looking pasta has an exotic vour "tasty?" yes. It''s not as good as the potato pizza, but at least it''s much tastier than the food grandpa makes sometimes. While eating one after another, I suddenly looked up and saw grandpa starring at me without eating. Eat quickly Grandpa. it is delicious." Grandpa is full just looking at what Hun is eating. What is that? If you don''t eat, you''ll be hungry. Come on and eat. Yes teacher, Hun is right. Come on, eat. "Okay." I gave my grandfather the tray of jjajang, and he ate it. Teacher, Did Museum authorities say anything about the offers for Huns paintings.? They did. How much did they say? "haha. It''s a secret. I''m curious too, so I looked up But it seems that he only caressed and did not intend to tell. How much do you think, the first time exhibitors usually get? "Well. Friends who just graduated from college get around 50,000 won in market price?" What is the official price? It is the amount that Hun decides and thinks is reasonable to trade. Usually, when ites to graduate from our college, they receive between 30,000 won and 50,000 won per painting. But since Huns painting is getting attention, I guess it would be around 900,000 won. Its the amount of money needed to eat 32 slices of potato pizza, but I''d like to get about 50. But considering that I''m a rookie, it doesn''t seem like a bad amount. Its the first time Ive put it out, can I get that much? When asked with joy, Mirae paused as if it was absurd. Of course. Grandpa just smiles. why?" "900,000 won is not a small amount of money, but it is a price that suits your painting. Reporter Kim Ji-woo, who came yesterday, and everyone who came this morning, were all in love with the painting." With that money, can I eat 32 slices of potato pizza? If you add up the ingredients you spent, you can eat 100 tes, right? "really?" When I went to the studio, Schminke, Lucas, Hond. I spent a lot of time trying to find a paint I liked. Each colour is different, but for a 15 ml tube it costs about 10,000 to 30,000 won. I remembered the paints in the wooden box on which the owl was painted. There were thirty-six paints, but I used up trying to make this and that. I don''t know how much I spent. Do you know the price of paints in a box with an owl picture on it? HmmmYes. A set product like that would probably cost two or three hundred? I painted with it because it was soft and the colour was good. If it costs several million won to paint a picture, no matter how rich you are, there will be nothing left. Professor Jang, stop talking about money. Grandpa opened his mouth. Little Hun, if you want to draw anything, you can draw anything. Grandpa will give you everything you need." ..Really." Grandpaughs It may be a selfish thought, but I want to do whatever I can. At least I don''t want topromise on the picture. I want to learn and learn as much as possible and pour out everything I have. If I could borrow the money for that, even for a moment, I would dly bow my head andplete the painting. But I shouldnt.. Because I don''t want to repeat the same life as before. My heartfelt condolences Theo, who dedicated his life and fortune for me. I dont want the same things to happen to Grandpa I don''t want to repeat the things that only brought me pain. Grandpa, I will pay it back by selling a lot of paintings.okay. "haha. okay. But you don''t have to pay it back. you can live by drawing all the pictures you like. Thats the best thing that grandpa needs. "no, I want to. I will pay you back. When we get home, please tell me how much the paint, canvas, and brush are. I wont." "why?" Which grandfather gets his grandsons money? Dont say useless things. Just eat. Its not useless. Its important. Stop it. Grandpa will get angry if you keep repeating this. Then I will stop drawing. Look at this guy.? Why.? Because I cant lend money from Grandpa forever. No, its not like borrowing and paying back with grandpa and grandson. If grandpa said he would take money, I could drawfortably. Dont worry! No. It worries me. Huh who does this guy resembles to be this stubborn? I think maybe his grandfather. Mirae added the words while listening to our conversation, with a smile on her face. Huh. Grandpa drank the water as if in awe. "Ok. Little Hun, you know that once a person made a promise, he must keep it, right? "Yes." Dont give some excusester. The price you should pay back is 1 Billion won. Is that okay.? Haaaaaa How much is a billion.. How much zeros does it have I opened my fingers one by one to count..but I couldnt. I looked at Grandpa with teary eyes, who wasughing as if he had won. It looks like hes trying to make it impossible for me to pay it back. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 The man who left the Zebra Gallery nervously, got into a car. I cant believe it. I..Im sorry. "I don''t think you understand.. why I''m here. Listen carefully. I, Henry Marceau came here to buy art, not to see all these piles of junk. Do you understand? But currently there is no ce thats exhibiting the works of Ko Sooyeol and Jang Mirae..so we cant. Then why dont you just go to them in person! Why do we keep all these contact information fordammit? that." What..say dammit.? Both of them refused. " What.?" Henri Marceau, who had inherited a fortune from his parents, could not believe what his secretary is saying. Any painter would want to add their work to Henry Marceau''s collection. But they refused. Impossible "Are you sure? Did you tell its me Henry Marceau who contacted them? "Yes. Ko Sooyeol turned it down because he had to attend his grandsons exhibition, and so did Jang Mirae. Henry Marceau pinched his brow. I, Henry Marceau was rejected just because of some yhouse exhibition of his grandchild.? They want me to actually believed that.? Theyre just trying to get some penny more. Acting smarthuh.? That Henry Marceau opened a wooden box and took out a cigar. He rubbed the end of the cigar to control his anger. Go to the exhibition hall. Tell them I shall meet and talk in person? Yes. I will contact immediately Secretary Arsene made calls to Ko Sooyeol and Jang Mirae in turn, but neither of them took the call. Henry Marceau said angrily. "Thats it dammit. Lets go. The secretary started driving the car. How dare they ignore me, Henry Marceau, the genius artist of the century.? Henri Marceau nervously cut off the end of the cigar. He lighted the cigar lowly and savoured long smoke before excitement subsidizing his anger. NoNo its Alright. Besides there must be a reason. Henri Marceau, who highly valued Ko Sooyeol and Jang Mirae, thought that as an artist they should have at least that much level of pride. But are you worthy of that? We''ll find out when we meet.'' Henri Marceau smiled leisurely. After a while, Henri Marceau arrived at the Seoul Museum of Art and he headed for Exhibition Hall 1. El patron! At the call of his secretary calling him, Henry Marceau turned around with an irritated expression on his face. What.? Sorry. El patron. Secretary Arsene bowed his head to apologize and said. It seems that the exhibition is over there. Henri Marceau looked in the direction the secretary was pointing. He could see a panel leading to an exhibition of emerging artists. Exhibition room 3? "Yes. It is on the second floor. Henry Marceau, grinned his teeth and searched for an elevator. I think we have to go by stairs. What kind of rundown building is this. Are they still living in the stone age..dammit. Henry Marceau red at his secretary as he climbed the stairs and reached the third exhibition room where the exhibition of new artists was held. You go look for them. If you find them, bring them here immediately. "Yes." Henry Marceau slowly looked at the exhibited works and started to walk. It''s good that there are few people. The only good thing is that there is no one to interfere with me viewing the work. The things that were actually hanging were below the standard. asionally, there were works that showed small potential, but they were all pile of junks based on Henri Marceau''s standards. It''s a waste of time.'' Rather, the paintingshanging at the Zebra Gallery pretended to be a work of art. Henry Marceau shook his head and stood in front of the exhibition hall and started walking. Suddenly There was a brilliance that washed away his stained eyes. Sunflowers overflowing with colours that seemed like melting of gold. A delicate touch and boldly stretched stems as if it was alive with wounded leaves. As if this single sunflower was enough, the background was just painted white. Henry Marceau''s heart was set aze with desire. ______________ Grandpa and Jang Mirae left me in the exhibition hall to discuss the price of the painting with the museum. There were a lot more people than in the morning, so I was sitting in a chair and watching other works, but the reporter whom I saw the other day came to visit again. I think his name was Kim Jiwoo. HeyHun. "Hello." Did you see my article.? It got 3,000 views. I didnt see it. "Why? Aren''t you curious? Thements were also very good. I dont have a smartphone. Ah." Kim Jiwoo showed his smartphone and when I looked at it, I saw my painting in it. You are really a journalist. Why? Did you not believe it? Don''t I look like a journalist?" You said you will make sure to sell the painting. But its still here. How can I believe such a guy who tell lies.? Uh that.. Anyway, read it. I think my grandpa pushed the surface like this with his hand.'' I doubted whether it was the right way to do it, and after following along, I could see below. The more I look at it, the more strange it bes. Is it good?? It''s good, but isnt it a bit overkill.? It''s because he''s the grandson of Ko Sooyeol. You have to see this for yourself?. Seeing the real work and seeing it in photos are different.Stop spreading hatred.? I really like it?. The atmosphere is really good. It feels bit lonely, but it''s powerful, and the colour is amazing?????. How do he use this colour???? I went to see this yesterday and it''s crazy. I felt like the picture is shining. Now, They even advertising paintings.??? How much did the reporter get for this????? Ah, I was a little depressed today, but looking at this picture, I feel relieved. ???????????. How long is this exhibition? for one week! I honestly don''t believe it?.Did a ten-year-old really draw this???? There were many things I didn''t understand, so I wondered if the response is really good. Mr.Kim Jiwoo, Do you advertise paintings?. What does it mean by how much did you get for this? No, dont look at that, look here. Some say that the atmosphere is good, and some say that they saw it in person and said it was very good. I felt thankful for them. Leave it to me. I''ll make you famous, Then more people wille to buy your paintings, so its no different than selling your paintings. As always, the price of a painting seems to be determined by the publicity it makes. Will I really be famous just for drawing a single painting? I think its impossible I dont have money. "What money?" Isnt you did this because you want money? What money..? Do you know that I can get paid with real money if I write advertisements? But I''ve never written one like that. its a provocative, boy. I don''t know why he helps me without asking for anything. I had nothing else to give, so I took out a candy that Mirae gave me to eat when I was bored. Heretake this. candy?" "it is delicious." Kim Jiwoo hesitated a bit, but took it and put it in his mouth. Its been a long time since I ate a candy. If you bite it, it disappears quickly. There were no more spectators. Grandpa and Jang Mirae weren''t here, so we were chatting to clear our minds. At that moment an arrogant looking man stopped in front of the [sunflower]. He had dark brown curly hair, Deep eyes and big nose. Is he a French? I was paying attention because his features looked familiar, but he didn''t even look at the exhibited works. He seems to be a rude person. But he seems to like [Sunflower]. It seems like I know that face. Where did I see him before.? Kim Jiwoo tilted his head and looks at the man. As he was watching, a man approached him and spoke to him. El patron, they seem to be talking with organizers. So it might take a while It''s French The man concentrating on the picture doesn''t seem to be able to hear the words, so he didn''t show any reaction. El Patron!! "Shut up. Dammit. I don''t know what kind of rtionship those two have, but seeing him treat the man so harshly makes me feel ufortable. I lost my interest in exining the painting to him, and sat down on the chair, while the arrogant man opened his mouth. Hey, does anyone know who drew this? While he was turning his head left and right, I shouted lifting my hand while sitting on the chair with my legs crossed. I drew it. The arrogant man came near me, raised his chin and looked down at me. Then scanned me up and down ufortably. My head started hurting because of looking up at him, but I didnt drop my head down. After staring at me for a while, he spoke. Are you Ko Sooyeols grandson? Yes. He turned his head to look at [Sunflower] , and then turned towards me. One side of lips started going upwards. Je vois.. It was like that. He pulled out a bundle of checks from his jacket pocket. Kid, do you know me? "I dont." You.You are Henry Marceau..! I was startled. When I turned my head, Kim Jiwoo hurriedly took out his camera. That persons right. You should remember it, if you want to step into art industry. The man named Henry Marceau gestured to the unlucky man standing next to him. He took out a card and handed it over to me. Is this your first exhibition? Yes. I will buy your first painting. You should know its honour for you and your painting. Kim Jiwoo trembled as he looked at the business card in my hand. Hun! what? Why did he give you his business card? He wants to buy my painting. eeeeeeeereally! I thought about itst time, but this person''s voice is too high. "Really? The real Henry Marceau wants to buy your painting? why? Why? did he like it so much? How much does he want pay? Did he came after seeing my article? Who is this noisy guy.? Ahhhhhh. I.Im a journalist. Ah. journaliste" Henry Marceau looked at the unlucky man next to him and moved his eyes. Soon the man came to Kim Jiwoo and said. Sir, would you mind giving space for the two of them to talk? I will exin the situation to you. He spoke Korean with a slurred pronunciation and an awkward ent. No. I want him to be here. I spoke firmly, and the unlucky man whispered it to Henri Marceau, then he treated Kim Jiwoo as if there was not there. He then looked at [sunflower] and started speaking. Theposition and technique is outdated, but the use of colour is worth looking at. You seems be used to drawing with a brush. After giving hisment, he turned his head towards me. How much do you want.? Say the number. I looked at his suits and shoes. I didnt know where they are made, but they show the essence of a craftsman. Looks like someone with money. He has an employer, and he has an arrogant personality and asks how much I want. Its a confidence thates from his financial ability to pay any amount. Im not selling it to you. Henry Marceau furrowed his eyebrows. Que? I want to sell my paintings to people who know the value of them. Henri Marceau looks at me. What? Hun.? What are you talking about?" Let''s ignore Kim Ji-woo for a moment. Henri Marceau closed his eyes and raised one eyebrow. Do you mean that I dont have eye for paintings.? "Yes." This cheeky little brat. Henry Marceau came closer. My neck hurt even more, but I didn''t avert my gaze. Hahahahaha.. He startedughing. I will give you 100,000 euros. sell it. It''s time for Kim Ji-woo. Uncle, how much is 100,000 euros? WhatUncle? Im just 29 No, doesnt matter now, Did he say he will give you 100,000 euros? Yes. Hurry up. Uh about 140 million won? Amazing, Great. Are you getting that for your first painting? If you divide it 50/50 with this exhibition hall, it is 70 million won. Look. As I said, You don''t know the value of a painting. When I provoked, he took hands to his chin, and with a smile asked. "en ralit? Then can you tell me what is the real value of this painting? I stood up from the chair and looked at him in his eyes and said. Its the first painting of someone who will one day surpass Pablo Picasso. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Henri Marceauughed as if his voice could be heard throughout the exhibition hall. I can feel gazes of everyone in the exhibition hall looking at us. He nced at the sunflower and spoke again. Ouais Ouais..When they are young everyone says like that. But once they enter the art world, they will know that it cant be done. Dreaming big is good, kid. but it shouldnt be this big quel gueur. I will do it. I starred at him without blinking my eyes. The smile disappeared from Henri Marceau''s lips. He got away from me and went towards [Sunflower]. He ced his hand in the wall next to [Sunflower], then looked at it up and down, and after which turned his head towards me. Look at that absurd confidence of someone who just started holding a brush. bravo vous. I like it. Call the amount. Henry Marceau looked up at the unlucky man and soon the man took a pen and ced it on a book. Without taking my eyes away from Henry Marceau, I said. Two million euros. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Lee Junho, Director of the Seoul Museum of Art had a big smile on his face. Its because he was expecting the arrival of two painters who represented the Republic of Korea to Seoul Museum of art. Sir, they have arrived. Director Lee Junho hurriedly got up and opened the door. Oh, Wee. It''s an honour to meet you like this. I am the director of this Museum Lee Junho. Professor Jang Mirae, how have you been? Ko Sooyeol shook hands with Lee Junho. Although he was ufortable with the excessive hospitality, he was a person introduced by Jang Mirae, the one who gave his grandson a chance to exhibit his first work. Jang Mirae also smiled and greeted Director Lee Junho. " I am fine. How are you doing, Director Lee.?" "Hahaha! I''m the same as always. Oh, sit down. How about a drink Just water. Director Lee Junho gave his secretary a nce. Then the three of them took their seats and sat down. Your grandson''s work has already been the main attraction of the exhibition. "Really?" "Yes. The response was good and the number of people looking for it increased more than usual. Ko Sooyeol nodded his head. The atmosphere subsided for a moment. Director Lee Junho, who was anxious, carefully opened the conversation. By the way, what brings you here? We came here to talk regarding Huns painting. Director Lee Junho tilted his head at Jang Mirae''s answer. What is there to talk about with me.? "Yes. As you can see, it is a very good piece of art. Offers wille from all over the ce. "It will." So we would like you to adjust the profit ratio. Director Lee Junho, who was expecting an offer for an exhibition by Ko sooyeol, was greatly disappointed. However, he opened his mouth by managing his expression due to his long experience in the field. Well, as you know, it is a contract that has already been signed, so it is difficult to adjust the ratio. It may also cause problems in equity with other painters. Director Lee Junho looked at Ko Sooyeol, who was silently listening to his words. He also had predicted the price at which Ko Huns Sunflowers'' would be sold. It should be around 10 million won.'' Director Lee Junho thought that Ko Sooyeol signed the contract hoping to sell his grandson Ko Huns painting for 10 million won. 50 percent is 5 million won. It''s not a small amount of money, but he didn''t want to have a bad rtionship with Ko Sooyeol to get just that much profit. But it doesnt mean that there is no room for adjustment, there are cases of adjustment depending on the situation. In the case of popr painters, there were such adjustments. Jang Mirae smiled brightly at Director Lee Junho''s words. I know. So, I thought, how about maintaining the existing ratio up to 10 million won, and setting it as a fixed amount when it sells more than that?" 10 million won? "Yes." Although it is rare for a new artist''s work to sell for 10 million won, it was not an impossible figure. Director Lee Junho, who had been working on paintings for a long time, thought Ko Hun''s paintings is worth more than 10 million won. Indeed, the name of Ko Sooyeol''s grandson was notcking in the slightest. He is the grandson of a famous painter Ko sooyeol, who represents Korea and is a world-renowned painter. Director Lee Junho, who entered the calction mode with a smile, carefully suggested. There are no inquiries about sunflowers yet, but I think the artwork will sell well. On the contrary, I am thinking that the amount youre hoping for is too small. Jang Mirae raised her eyebrows at Director Lee Junho''s words. Ko Huns [Sunflowers] was great and their intention was to bring the ratio condition to a slightly more favourable side. He is like a serpent. Jang Mi-rae was about to step out, but Ko Sooyeol, who was watching the situation, opened his mouth. Im relieved that you saw through it . "haha. PleaseI do this for a living. So how about paying 10 million won if the painting fetches any amount greater than 20 million won? I do not wish for more than that. This meant that if [Sunflower] was sold at 20 million won, 10 million won would be charged as amission, and even if the selling price of the painting was higher than 20million won, they would not be charged more than 10 million won. Jang Mirae was concerned about Ko Huns [Sunflower], but decided that it would not be possible to sell it for a higher price because this was not an auction house. They can show their intention not to sell it throughout the exhibition and sell itter. Even then, rumours would start to circte that the painting was not sold because of themissions in the narrow Korean art market, so nothing good will happen to ko Hun. What if?'' The case that Jang Mirae was worried about, is that Ko Sooyeol epted that it will sell more that 20 million won. How about doing it in 100 million? Jang Mirae turned her head in surprise. Director Lee Junho was also surprised. Up to 100 million won, you divide 50% by the same as the existing contract, and if it exceeds 100 million won, you take 10%. Director Lee Junho could not understand Ko Sooyeol''s suggestion. Although [Sunflower] is a masterpiece, it was the first exhibition, a drawing of a 10-year-old who had not yet received any verification. It will be a topic of discussion because he is the grandson of Ko Sooyeol, but he wondered if anyone would buy his first work for 100 million won. Moreover, it is an exhibition, not an auction house. In the case of auction houses, there were cases where paintings by new artists sold for more than 100 million won, but an exhibition was different. In an exhibition environment where there was no pricepetition, the 100 million won suggested by Ko Sooyeol was an impossible figure. Are you blinded by the love for your grandson? Or did someone already promised to buy the painting. Director Lee Jun-ho swallowed his saliva. They had already prepared someone to buy the painting at a higher price.'' Director Lee Junho thought that, if he went along with their act , he might be able to have a good rtionship with Ko Sooyeol. If someone has already decided to buy the painting, we get 10%, which will anyway be 10 million won Expected earnings will not decrease. He had nothing to lose in the conditions they had put forward. Director Lee Junho smiled and started to speak. I also want to meet the expectations of the dean as much as possible. If so are you sure you want to adjust the profit ratio like that?" Jang Mirae wanted to stop Ko Sooyeol, but restrained when she thought her teacher wouldnt do anything without thinking. A new contract was signed, with Director Lee Junho representing the Seoul Museum of Art and Ko Sooyeol acting as Ko Huns agent. Then, the door to the directors office was opened hurriedly. Director! Director Lee Junho was puzzled by the surprised employee''s call. "What''s happened?" I think you shoulde down and see yourself. Director Lee Junho clicked his tongue and med the staff. Cant you see were having a meeting? Apologize and leave. Ah, sorry. But there are people who want to buy a painting "Who''s painting?" The painting by Ko Hun. Director Lee Junho nodded inwardly at the words of the staff. There were people who wanted to buy the painting as I expected, so thats why he confidently called for an amount of 100 million won. It''s unfortunate, but if I could continue the rtionship with Ko Sooyeol, it wasn''t a bad deal. Director Lee Junho turned his head toward Ko sooyeol with a smile Congrattions, dean. Someone has alreadye to buy your grandsons painting. Ko Sooyeol''s expression did not change. As if it was a normal thing, he just sat there calmly. "Take care of the deal ording to the contract ratio here. I''ll finish the meeting ande down. "that." As the staff hesitated even though he had instructed him to do things that he would do normally, Director Lee Junho, who was about to talk about the next exhibition with Ko Sooyeol, asked in frustration. "What?" The amount is a bitrge. I think you shoulde down and see. How much is it? He asked, but Lee Junho was expecting it to some extent. He thought it wouldn''t have hit 100 million won exactly, but an amount that is a little higher than that. Its 2.8 billion won. "What?" Director Lee Junho suddenly made a loud noise. He couldn''t help but be surprised at the amount of money that would never appear once in a few years, even in the exhibition of famous artists. Director Lee Junho turned his head. Ko Sooyeol, who had been speaking calmly until now, was surprised with his eyes wide open. what. Wasn''t that what you expected?'' He couldn''t think that it was acting. There was no need for a high-ranking person to pretend not to know in this ce. "Who was it?" Jang Mirae asked the museum staff. She wondered who the hell offered such arge sum of money to buy a painting of a child who was only ten years old. Its Henry Marceau. The faces of Lee Junho, Ko Sooyeol, and Jang Mirae were coloured with astonishment. ______________ Two million euros? Kim Jiwoo''s voice resounded in the Exhibition Hall 3 of the Seoul Museum of Art. His voice had drawn the attention of the surroundings. Isnt that Henry Marceau? "Oh my gosh. What''s wrong with that rich man?" Did I just hear 2 million euros? Is he buying that painting? Crazy. How much is it in Korean won?" Everyone seems to recognise the man named Henry Marceau. Judging by his arrogant attitude and appearance, I assumed that he is a wealthy man, but it seems that he is also well-known. Henry Marceau looked down at me, not paying any attention to the changes around him. "kid. I have no idea how you priced the painting with that amount. You will be buying the paintings that most people in the world want. Dont you think 2 million euros is a bit cheap. In fact, the price of a painting is not formed only by the painter or how beautiful the picture was. There are many factors that determine the price, such as how good materials are used, but most of them depend on how famous and popr the artist who painted them is. And, the painter has to present himself up as much as he presents his paintings. What is in that painting for all the people in the world to want to have it.? Talk about the present value, not things like someone surpassing Picasso. People all over the world will want it, because it is the first work of a painter that Henry Marceau took notice of. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Henry Marceauughed coldly enough to sound like a savage. He smiled like that for a while and then swept his hair to the side. When he smiled like that, he looked just like the boss of a loanpany. Yeah. As you said, if I buy this painting for 2 million euros, you will be famous at once. The value of the painting will also shoot up. That''s right. If people recognises him here, even though he isnt a Korean, then he must be a great person in his own country or abroad. And if I sell the painting to him, my art and Sunflowers will naturally be known. "Oser Are you trying to use me? This Henry Marceau? "Yes." The smile disappeared from his lips. Dont get me wrong, you cheeky kid. If I don''t buy it, your picture is of no use. Why should I buy your painting like that? You cant live without it. " What?" You like my painting. I''ve met a lot of this type of person. This person, who has excellent knowledge about painting and has an abundance of wealth, is faithful to his desires. There is no reason for restraint, and the ability to fulfil desires. They take pleasure in satisfying their own desires. Just like the British aristocrats did, and he will also be no different. He, who had never looked at other works, stood silently in front of my painting for several minutes. He is a man who must have what he wants. Henry Marceau put his hand in his pocket. Raising his chin, he approached the opposite wall and sat down on his chair. Arsene. Yes, El Patrn. Tell them I havee to buy a painting. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Henry Marceau stared at Ko Hun while waiting for the exhibition staff. He thought of him as a child who didn''t know anything about the outside world. However, after a short conversation, the little boy who seemed to have no sense of reality looked a little different. Ko Hun did not say how great his painting was. He did not exin at all what it meant and with what technique he made it and what materials he used. He said recognizing it was up to Henry Marceaus insight and he also said that the true value of [Sunflowers] entirely depends on Henry himself. It wasn''t the selfishness nor arrogance of new painters. This means hes here to sell.'' The picture of the kid was worth it. A single sunflower that shines as if it has swallowed the sun. Henry Marceau couldn''t even take his eyes off the painting. He used ssical techniques, but the resulting painting waspletely a unique piece of art that was out of this world. It''s just a simple still picture that rarely appears in the market, but he felt the vitality and the will of the sunflower, which shone within the nk background. Director Lee Junho, who could not hide his excitement entered the Exhibition Hall 3. Good evening Sir, My name is Lee Junho, the director of the Seoul Art Exhibition. Henry Marceau saw Ko Sooyeol and Jang Mirae walking slowly behind the Director without looking at Lee Junho. Henry Marceau, who wrote and signed the check for 2 million euros, gave it to Director Lee Junho and went all the way to Ko Sooyeol. Its hard to meet you Sir. Marceau. What are you doing here?" Ko Sooyeol looked at Henry Marceau and he nced at the ce where [sunflower] was ced. I came to buy a painting of Ko Sooyeol, but came across a masterpiece I never expected. You seem to have educated your grandson very well. I am looking forward to his work in the future. Henry Marceau looked at Director Lee Junho who was surprised and said. I wille and pick it up on thest day of the exhibition. Take good care of it. "Excuse me.? What were you saying.? Director Lee Junho, who could not understand French, so he was confused, but Henry Marceau did not pay any attention to him. He simply nced at Ko Hun, who was sitting next to [Sunflower] for a moment, and then left the exhibition hall. After getting into the car, he waited for his secretary while puffing a cigar. Arsene, the secretary, who returned from dealing with the painting transaction with the Seoul Art Museum, asked. We came all the way here to meet Mr Ko Sooyeol, then wouldnt it be better to buy his painting rather than buying the [sunflower]? " I have lost interest in Ko Sooyeols painting." Henry Marceau rubbed the tip of his nose, while blowing out smoke through the window of the car, thinking only of Ko Hun and the sunflower. __________ Sold I. I sold the painting.'' I can''t exin it other than being lucky, but luck is also good. Excluding props, back then I sold only one painting in 10 years, but now I have sold my first painting within weeks of painting it. To meet someone who recognizes me and my paintings. I don''t know what to do with this overwhelming feeling. But grandpa''s expression is not good. Whats wrong grandpa? "nothing. There seems to be something bothering him. Arent you happy? Perhaps.. Grandpa, a noble painter, might misunderstand me when I say that I paint to sell. If you can''t sell your paintings, you live a miserable life, and the act of selling paintings is also a proof ofmunication. I am still young, so he may want me to pursue art more purely than pursuing money. While I was thinking like this and wondering how to persuade him. Grandpa clenched his fists and murmured. That money spitting punk Jang Miraeughed seeing Grandpa. While I was bewildered by the reaction of the two, Jang Mirae whispered into my ear. Your Grandpa said he wanted to buy your first painting. Hah.There is no degree to the extreme love for his grandson. Someone who said you shouldnt use money between family members, seems to have wanted to buy my painting with the money. He seems to be quite upset. His facial expression is grim. If grandpa had bought it, no one would have approved my art. Whats wrong with buying a painting that I like with my own money? In spite of being in a high position, the person who has always been polite and rational, suddenly does weird things when ites to me. And why must it be him? "Yeah. Still, he offered 2 million euros, I think he really liked Huns paintings. No. Hun suggested the amount. Reporter Kim Jiwoo intervened. Grandpa and Jang Mirae stared at Kim Jiwoo and widened their eyes. He said 100,000 euros at first. The eyes of the two of them seemed to pop out at any moment. I didnt know what they were talking about because it was French, but the two of them talked for some time. It was a very intense conversation. Jang Mirae cut reporter Kim Jiwoo''s words and pushed her face towards me. What were you thinking? What if he said he wont buy it.? I thought he was going to buy it no matter what. "Huh?" Its the best [sunflower] he has ever seen. "yes he was just staring at it for a while. Kim Jiwoo muttered. Hun, Did you know how much 2 million euros is? I tried to get 1 billion won because 100,000 euros was 140 million won. They said 50 percent should be given to the museum. Grandpa blinked. Can I pay grandpa back now? "no." Grandpa stuttered as if he was bewildered. You promised. You will take it if I pay back a billion won." Are you sure he paid 2 million euros because of your words? "Yes." This boy! This grandpa told you not to worry about money, so what if you can earn it or not.! Wouldnt it be nice to sell it at a high price? Who told you to make money? It''s the first time I''ve ever seen him grumpy like this. If you want one, Ill draw another one. There is only one! Your first work on your first exhibition! Do you think it will be [sunflower] if you draw it the same way? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Little Hun, Dont you feel sorry for your Grandpa. How about this.? Lets just return the money. "Waitfor a moment! What does it mean? Please tell me in detail. What do you mean by paying back?" I became mentally tired because of dealing with Grandfather and Kim Jiwoo rather than dealing with Henry Marceau. [Henry Marceau, collectible added. Ko Sooyeol''s grandson''s painting was purchased for 2 million euros] Henry Marceau, a world-ss painter and art collector, bought Ko Hun''s [Sunflower] for 2 million euros at the Seoul Museum of Art on the 15th. The transaction between the two happened in the exhibition hall. Koh Hun rejected Henry Marceau''s first offer of 100,000 euros and asked for 2 million euros. Henry Marceau epted it and the deal was made. The amount of more than 2.8 billion won is thergest for any painting traded in South Korea this year. [Sunflower] will be disyed in the Exhibition Hall 3 of the Seoul Art Museum until the 20th of this month and will be delivered to Henry Marceau. The Seoul Museum of Art has announced that it will deploy security guards throughout the exhibition period to protect the highly priced [Sunflower]. Meanwhile, Ko Hun, who painted [Sunflower], is the grandson of the painter Ko Sooyeol, and sold his first artwork at his first exhibition. Link to Ko Huns interview Kim Jiwoo (Yehwa) ___________ The art world was taken aback by the news that celebrity Henry Marceau, whose personal wealth is estimated to be over $1 billion, had bought a painting from Korea. Showing off his outstanding skills and enormous wealth, he was famous for being strict about art and also known for his arrogance. Just buying a painting of a 10-year-old child is newsworthy, but it is a surprise to hear that he spent 2 million euros. Articles uploaded to the monthly Yehwa SNS ount was copied and distributed countless times by journalists. The news was delivered not only to people in the art world, but also to generalmunity sites. -Crazy ?????? A 10-year-old boy sold his painting for 2.8 billion? Who is he? -Ko Soo-yeol. Who is he? I think I''ve heard the name. -He is a little known in Korea, but is very popr abroad. -He is the son of Ko Hae and Lee Soojin the directors of Max Art Studio. -werent those two dead? -They passed away in a car ident while they were on vacation in Korea this summer. ????? It''s unfortunate. -I feel sorry for him -No. but is it real? No matter how famous his grandfather is, how can he get 2.8 billion? -Henry Marceau said that he bought it on the spot as soon as he saw it. -??? How do you make 2.8 billion won from one painting? -I don''t know if the picture is good. Aren''t the painters are people who put a dot and say its a billion won???????? -[Link] Click here to see the picture. -This is the painting of the ten-year-old kid over there. ?????Dont say anything just because you want to say something. Stop being an irresponsible adult. People who were not interested in art were surprised to learn that a 10-year-old child sold his painting for 2.8 billion won. Among the top painters, some were envious and some were jealous, but most of them reacted negatively. It was because of their skepticism about modern art works that refused tomunicate. -I really don''t lie, for a painting without any background, It is very expensive????????????? -wooow. We have a victim here.??????? I don''t know much about painting, but it was really well drawn.? -If you are not knowledgeable at painting, how can you say that.?? People who encountered Ko Huns [sunflowers] were bewildered. It wasn''t the iprehensible picture they had in mind. The moment they saw it, they felt some kind of warmth in their heart. Although it looked lonely, the noble and shining sunflower was conveyed in aplex way that could not be exined. As the [sunflower] became known, the number of people who were interested in Ko Hun, who painted [Sunflower], naturally began to increase. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 I made a bank ount. I directly put in the proceeds from the sale of [Sunflower], which grandpa had received instead, and showed me how to use the ATM. The number 2,436,840,000 is written on the screen. It seems to be an amount that I received after some kind of transaction charges. Why didnt you take it? No. When I talk about paying back money, hes always acting like this. There is nothing I can do about it since he keeps refusing every time I talk about money. "Now, you have to press here like this and set the amount you want to withdraw." When I pressed 30,000 won and entered the password, a voice prompted me to take out the card. After I took out the card, money came out from the machine. How convenient.. to manage money like this. The world has be so much better. Heh heh heh.Alright little guy, Did you got it? Grandpa messed up my hair. He gave me a small box for keeping the money. It is called a wallet, with a yellow sponge character painted on it. When I was in the hospital, I kept watching at this strange guy in pants painting moving on the TV, and it seems like Grandpa misunderstood that, I like this guy. "thank you." There is a single 10,000 won bill in the wallet. What is this? There is a saying in our Korean culture, that, if you give someone a wallet with 10,000 bill then they will earn more money." They did something things like this in my previous life too. Even in such a developed age, such superstitious behaviours still exists. Even though a lot of things have changed, some things don''t seem to change easily. I got into grandpa''s car. The didnt go in the way to home. Where are we going? Tax office. You made money, so you have state your business and pay taxes. I understand that I have to pay taxes, but there are a lot of words that I don''t know about tax offices or businesses. I dont know what it is. Its okay if you dont know now. Grandpa will do it for you. But you definitely need to study. Selling your paintings is important, but how you manage the money is also equally important. "Yes." You made a lot of money right now, but if you dont manage it well, it will disappear quickly. that''s what money in todays world, lets learn how to set up a corporation with Grandpa and manage money. There are a lot of words that I didn''t understand because he used a lot of unfamiliar words, but I''ve seen a lot of people who made a lot of money all of a sudden get ruined. What is a corporation? You can think of it as apany recognized by the government. "..what?" You will be creating apany. Your profits are the profits of thepany. You get paid by thepany you built. I don''t know why I have to build apany. Apany made for me? yes." Then the money I earned goes into thepany, and thepany pays me? Good. You understood. I dont understand anything. Why do I have to make apany its soplicated?" The higher your ie, the higher the tax you have to pay. Usually, the tax rate is set based on a certain amount. Corporations can bring that tax rate to their advantage, and state the benefits of the business so that it can grow. Then if I dont create that corporation, will I pay a lot of tax? Yes. Youre just like your mom, can understand anything quickly. I just Admitted that I don''t understand anything you just said. I felt this life won''t be easy in the future. I didnt understand anything of what he said. I know its not that important, but still Im frustrated because I couldnt understand anything, but grandpa just kept smiling. You have to take it slow. Its not like you can understand everything from the beginning. "Yes." Unlike in the past, when all you had to do was paint well, modern painters seem to have a lot to worry about. Together with grandpa, I created a corporation. I didn''t know what it was, and I kept thinking about how to name thepany, but eventually just wrote Ko Hun. Now then, lets go buy a cell phone. What is a cell phone? A telephone. What is a telephone? This.. Grandpa took out his smartphone. Isnt this a smartphone? yeah yeah. Smartphone is a phone and telephone." A lot of things that I dont understand keep happening. After thinking about it a few more times, I found out that all three names seem to be synonyms denoting the device. Otherwise, there is no way to understand Grandpa''s words. I don''t understand why one object has three names. Soon the car stopped and we entered a ce called department store. "wee." We are here to buy a cell phone for this kid to use. The employee asked with a pretentious smile. Is there anything else you want to buy? No. Show me the best one. Yes. This way. The employee showed us a smartphone. This is a new product from WH, released justst month. The screen isrge and the camera quality is 200 mega pixels. The disy is also 244Hz, so the students can see the video well while studying. Would you like to touch it? I don''t understand what he was talking about, but it''s too big. I don''t even know how it would work. At least, I want to get the same phone that grandpa uses, which I have handled a few times. I like to buy one like grandpas. Like mine? When Grandpa took the smartphone out of his pocket, the employee''s expression suddenly hardened. Even if it was pretentious, there is something wrong with his smiling face. These days, there are a lot of applications out there, so you have to buy one with good specifications. It will good when youre studying. Really?" Grandpa nodded his head. Little Hun, these smartphones are like that, so why dont you buy something good? Grandpa knows a lot, but he seems ignorant about these type of things. Grandpa, can I only buy these smartphone here? Its not. Why? Is there anything you like? No. I will think about it slowly. "Hmm. okay. What do you want? It is reckless to buy an item worth more than 1 million won without any information. The salesperson lowered his head, met with my eye line and said Kid you should have these kind of cellphones. These days, all the kids at school have smartphones, so if you dont have one then they will ignore you." ButI dont go to school. I grabbed grandpa and dragged him. Hold on. I think its better to buy one. You can make friendster It is the basic skill of a merchant to make it look like it is necessary to buy, saying that everyone else has it. The skills of the merchants are not any different from the past to till now. Ill buy itter. "what''s wrong Hun? Grandpa wanted to give this to you as a congrattory gift. The face of the staff instantly brightened. I have no intention of doing this, but I have to make a false threat. If we dont go now, Ill lie down here and start to cry. WhatWhy are you like this? Whats wrong with you today.? I will do it for real. I was deliberately pretending to be crazy, but it''s not unusual to just lie down and pretend to be fussy. "Sir. I''m sorry. I wille again next time. Ah. yes." I left the sad staff behind and took grandpa out. Hun. Do you hate it so much that your grandfather bought it for you? Ill ask Aunt Mirae whether buying grandpa''s phone is going to cause a lot of trouble and then I will think about buying itter. Whyeter. Didn''t they say the discount is until today? So isnt it better to buy something at a discount anyway. They will put that discount once again. How do you know that? Everyone in business is like that. Who does this guy resemble to be so stubborn? Aunt Mirae says that I have taken after you grandpa. We had dinner at a restaurant before returning home. It was a dish called Samgyeopsal, which is made by cutting thickly sliced bacon and grilling it on a stone te. Along with potato pizza and jajangjang, this might be the best food in the world. The rich texture of meat, the savoury vour and juices that are spewed out like a burst everything made it very delicious. Kimchi, which was hard to eat, was fried in pork oil and eaten together. It was such a wonderful evening at the end of a long day. What did I do today? I made a passbook, established a corporation, created a corporate ount, created a corporate passbook, and created a stock ount. I wonder if I can even remember everything. Tomorrow, Aunt Mirae said she will take me to buy a new cell phone, but I don''t know how smart she is. HeyIs it tiring?" I think I dont know anything. "At first, it''s like that. Grandpa will do everything for you now, but someday you''ll have to do it yourself." Grandpa stroked my hair as if he felt sorry for me. Thats why your grandfather keeps your big money. You can''t just spend money just because you have enough money. If you manage it well and save it, you can live without worrying about money until you die, but if you go wrong, your life may be difficult. Grandpa seems to want to instil the idea of economics on me. I assure you, not only children but also adults know a very little about economics. We have been wandering around for a long time, so it must have been hard for grandpa too. Nevertheless, the reason for doing this is to prepare me for the day when I can stand on my own feet. I didn''t know because he looked young for his age, but it seems grandpa turned sixty-four. It was a shock. In my previous life, it was not strange for people to die at this age. I pulled down the sleeves of Grandpa. He turned his head towards me and asked. Whats wrong Hun.? Live long Grandpa. Hey boy, what are you talking. Your Grandpa is still in full swing. Im just sixty-four. "When I retire next year, I will be able to make time for traveling. Then we can go and see the paintings all over the world." My heart felt heavy You say it casually, but it seems as if you are preparing for a final trip. I knew it He tries to buy me a smartphone that contains the knowledge of this world. He treats me with such a delicious grilled pork dish. After showing me all the fun things, then he will try to say the sad news. Whenever my painting doesnt sell or wasnt weed by exhibition staffs my brother Theo always does this. I hugged Grandpas legs and said. I will do it grandpa. I wille with grandpa wherever he wants. Wha? Grandpa scratched his chin and looked at my face. Hun, what happened why are you crying? Huh?" I am not crying. We have been together only for a while. But in that time, you showered me with parental love, which I never received in my life. Even my real parents treated me as a freak. But you always treated me sincerely. You made me realize the warmth of a family. Even though Im not your grandson, you will always remain as my only grandpa. Boy..why are you in tears.? what''s wrong.? Do you not want to travel.? You want to hide it until the end. Dont you? You might be thinking I, Ko Hun, is still young to learn about this. how much days do you have.? "what?" You dont have to pretend, I know that your days are counted. What does you mean by days counted all of a sudden? It''s hard to speak with a sore throat. Say.. the day. What!!? You do not have much days leftright? Who is left with not much days? I will live well until I am a hundred years old! I wish you did. But there is no way a person can live for a hundred years. You lived a long life just by living a healthy life up to sixty four. Lets make a lot of good memories. Lets travel and see a lot of sceneries." Hey! If I prepare to die at 64, people will curse me.! They won''t even ept me if I go to the old age home.! Dont lie. What is there to lie? What happened to our Little Hun today.? Why, who said I was going to die? Then why did you create a corporation? So you wont have to pay high taxes? Suddenly you wanted to buy me a smartphone. There are no children without smartphone these days! You also bought me high-quality dishes like the grilled pork belly. Wha? I dont need any luxurious dishes. I dont want potato pizzas or smartphones. I only want grandpa to be healthy." Dont say nonsense, go quickly, wash your hands and brush your teethI think you ate too much of samgyeopsal. Guess its too early for you to eat grilled pork belly.! Then.then, you are not dying.right. If you are not satisfied, tomorrow lets go and do a health checkup. There seems to be some misunderstanding. But I will not believe until I see that health checkup Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Bahahhaaaaaa. ???? Aunt Miraeughed till herst breath when I told her what happened yesterday. Ah, my stomach hurts Its.. really funny. Aunt Mirae wiped her tears and ced both of her hands on my cheeks. Was our Hun scared? You thought your grandpa was dying just because he bought you some delicious food and a new smartphone? HAHAHAH. It was strangely annoying when I heard the word ha. Aunt Mirae pressed my chin gracefully. Yeah, I know how you felt. When I was young, if my mom suddenly bought me something expensive then it meant something was going on in our house. " It. was just a misunderstanding. Who would have known that the medical technology in this world would have improved so much that it is easy for people to live till 100 years old At my time just living till 60 or 70 years old means they lived a long life. By the way, what do you want to buy? Anything. "Why? Isnt it better to buy a good one if possible.There are so many designs. I dont know why I should buy it. Well. when Hun goes somewhere, and if you wish to talk to your grandpa or to your Aunt Mirae or to contact your friends this will be useful. If I need something to say something, I can just send a letter, and if it is urgent, I can just use a telegram. But why do they want me to buy a million won smartphone? I''d rather buy paint with that money. What do you wantLets check what are thetest models avable. Aunt Mirae pulled out something the size of a small canvas from her bag. When she tapped the side section, a screen appeared. What is this? "Tablet, is this your first time seeing one.?" Is it like a smartphone? "Yes." Whats different? "Uhwell, the screen is big?" Phones, cellphones, smartphones, tablets. It''s hard to remember. Why did they give several names even though only the shape is different? It is convenient to have arge screen for simple tasks. You can y games and draw pictures. "pictures?" Want to see? Aunt Mirae manipted the tablet. You can draw with this. She took out something like a pen Here. try it." I was skeptical whether I could draw with this, but the world is full of things that I don''t understand. So pretending to be deceived, I moved the pen on the thing called tablet. "Huh?" "Whawhat is this?" You can make corrections. If you press the white square picture and move the pen, you can erase the part you dont want. It''s so clean, it''s white as if there was nothing from the beginning. It''s creepy. Can I keep drawing? "Yes. As much as you want. When Aunt Mirae pressed something with her hand, the lines she had just erased returned. How is this possible. Words stoppeding out of my mouth. I think Hae raised you very sternly. Kids these days get used to these things even before they can walk. What kind of magic device is this? How can you draw whatever you want? and can erase as many times as you like, and you can restore what you identally erased. This is a miracle invention. I became curious, so I touched this and that, but I don''t know what it is. Now, from here to here, if you select it like this then copy and paste it.w. Ha.How.? There were two pictures just like what I had just drawn. Perfectly the same, without a single error. "Is..is this ck magic.? When I turned my head towards Aunt Mirae in shock. Sheughed. HAHAHAH our Huns reaction is really cute. So what about this?" Aunt Mirae brought up a picture, and when she clicked something, it became an oil painting in an instant. I got goosebumps all over my body. Looking at the tablet I rose up from my seat. But this time it changed into ck and white., As if It''s not enough, the picture itself changed to blue colour. I was so surprised that I shook my head in astonishment. "AhhhWhat should I do? Our Hun is so cute. Aunt Mirae suddenly hugged me. Since I was in a state of shock, I couldn''t react. Soon after, she released me, showed the tablet thing and asked. Are you curious?" " YesWhat''s this?" "It''s an application feature called Filter. "filter?" Are you saying its filtering something? I cant understand it, but I must have this. Aunt Mirae.I want this. If I don''t buy this now, then I will regret it for the rest of your life. If I had this, I would be able to paint without holding back since there was no material cost. If there is anything that needs to be fixed, there will be no need to paint the painting all over again. "Well. In the long run, it costs less money than it does on the canvas. it doesn''t even consume that much paint. The work time will be much shorter, and I will be able to take care of tasks that you never thought of until now. I can''t wait to see what I''m going to draw with a multi-colored pencil. This is a blessing from God. An item from a different dimension. Aunt Mirae..Lets go quickly. Its going to be sold out. "It''s okay. You can buy them at any time. What the hell happened to this world? What has happened in the past 130 years. How they treat this miracle device as if its a normal thing. "Lets see These days, WH and pineapple products are the finest. For Hun, maybe the WH tablet will be easier to handle." It''s great to be able to use a variety of paints. "Yeah. you can use it all. I wish they had multiple brushes. "Some apps don''t feelfortable because they don''t have many brushes? But the problem is, the working environment is different." Once again. People these days don''t know how to exin things to someone, who doesnt know anything about it. It is understandable why the children''s keep repeating the question why?'' Seeing my confused expression, Aunt Mirae kept thinking for a while and opened her mouth. Hun, Do you know a painting like this is a little different from painting on a canvas. "Why?" For example, no matter how talented a person is, your [sunflower] can be distinguished from a fake one, right? "Yes." However, if you draw in a file like this, anyone can easily copy it. like before. AhThat could be a problem. You mean you dont know which picture is real? "Yes. But it''s not such a simple matter. The direction of Huns painting will change. "direction?" Some people, like Henry Marceau, are willing to buy the painting even if its expensive because it has an intrinsic value when painted on canvas. I hope there will be many such people in the future who buy my paintings. But if you paint here, would anyone really need to buy such paintings? They can just copy a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand? "Huh. So the picture you drew with this ispletely different from the painting you sold. If Hun is really popr, then you can earn more money or else you can''t earn at all. I don''t want to live the life of the poor just because I don''t have enough money again. There are also advantages. What advantage? Once you draw, you can keep it forever, and when you take a picture of the canvas it doesnt convey the subtle feeling. right I nodded. But if you draw here from the beginning, there is no such difference. So many people can see Huns paintings as they are. Also, there are a lot of things that are difficult to see directly on canvas. But, if you post it on the Inte, anyone from any country in the world can see Hun''s drawings. To sum it up, a picture drawn on a canvas has an intrinsic value, and a picture drawn on this tablet has the ability to be shown to too many people. However, I have no intention of giving up oil painting or ink painting, even if it does not make a lot of money. Nor do I want to give up on this mysterious new magical device. Can I do both? When asked in a confused face, aunt Mirae blinked her eyes a few times. Once again, she hugged me. I dont know why people in this age like hugging that much. Ko SooYeol wished to show his grandson Ko Hun the masterpieces of several masters all around the world. He felt like there would be something for his grandson to feel and learn. Also felt that it would be great if he could get new inspiration from it. Next year winter will be a very good time to go back to school. Since It would take a long time to go to many ces around the world.'' In the case ofrge museums, even a few days was not enough to see all the paintings. Two months. No, it should be atleast for three months. Koh Sooyeol''s worries deepened as he had to decide on whether to send his grandson to a school in Korea or to stay and live abroad. Shall we move to Paris? London is fine, Venice and Berlin are also good options New York or Santa Fe isn''t bad either.'' He couldn''t decide on which city to choose because he wanted to create a good environment for his grandson to develop his art. The big city is a good ce to experience various cultures and exhibit paintings. On the other hand, considering Ko Hun''s sensibility, he wondered if a quiet vige with nice scenery would be suitable. He wondered if his daughter and his son-inw had taken Ko Hun to various ces because of these concerns. While he was in deep thought his grandson Ko Hun, who had gone out to buy a smartphone, returned home with Mirae. "GrandpaGrandpa!" The grandson for some reason ran towards him with an excited expression. Ko Sooyeol smiled and weed him. Hahahah. What makes our Little Hun feel so happy? "This one! See this one Grandpa. Do you know with this I can draw, but I can also do synthesis. Do you know the synthesis? What is it? As he pretended not to know, his grandson, who exined everything without knowing it properly, looked adorable. Jang Mirae came behind his grandson with a smile on her face. Sorry teacher. It''s a littlete because we''ve been looking at this and that." Thank you and sorry for the trouble. "What trouble teacher.? Thanks to Hun I had fun after a long time." Jang Mirae smiled and turned her head towards theputer monitor illuminating pictures of various cities. Ko Sooyeol, who saw that exined. I am thinking of going on a European tour with Hun. "Ahhh. so envious. Where are you nning on going?" Im thinking about it here and there. Ko Sooyeol thought for a moment. He then looked at Ko Hun, who was engrossed in the tablet and was touching several things. Hun. Where do you want to live? Ko Hun tilted his head and turned towards Ko Sooyeol. I dont know what that means. Do you like living here? Or do you like Europe, where you lived for a long time.? Ko Hun blinked his eyes. For example, how about London. I hate there, because it rains a lot, the air is bad, and there are a lot of murders. Then what about Paris? I hate the smell. There are a lot of mice." Jang Mirae, who stood behind Ko Hun also nodded her head. When she was a college student, she recalled an experience of going to Paris to study with bloated dreams, and she was greatly disappointed. "then?" I like it here. Grandpa, look at this. You can also find pictures with this. Pa. Pa.. bu. Lo. Picas. So. Ko Hun searched for pictures of Pablo Picasso on the web and showed it to Ko Sooyeol as if bragging. Ko Sooyeol smiled as he stroked his grandsons head. He also studied in the US, France and London, but he never thought it was good to live in a big city. However, it did not change the fact that he was able to gain knowledge and experience that could not be obtained in Korea. Are you really okay? No problem. I can draw anywhere as long as I have a canvas and brush.and also this tablet. Ko Sooyeol smiled at the matured words from his grandson, who said while focusing his entire attention on the Tablet. "okay. It''s not urgent, so let''s go on a trip and think about it slowly." "Okay." Then, where do you want to go? Ko Hun stopped his hands which were working on the Tablet. He Thought for a moment before opening his mouth. Is there really a ce called the Van Gogh Museum? "Hohoho. So, do you want to go there? "Yes." Okay, then lets go to Nethends, thend where the greatest painter in the history Vincent Van Gogh was born. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 ording to Jules Verne''s novel Around the world in 80 days", 80 days is enough to go around the world. Humanity has entered the era of magic, making things like tablets and televisions. They might have even made a very fast moving ship. So if my guess is right it might take less than a month to get to Europe. Since grandpa said that the duration of this trip is about two months, then probably, we won''t be spending much time in Europe. In any case, just being able to check out the Van Gogh Museum'' is enough. I need to pack my bags. After packing underwear, socks, and clothes to wear for two months, the size of the bag is about my height. But I am still worried since I haven''t added any drawing tools yet. It''s not bad to get acquainted with the tablet this time, but I dont know how long I canst without holding a brush and paints? I can wash my clothes and wear them. With the intention of washing once every three days, I only brought three pairs of socks, three pieces of underwear, two sets of pajamas, and two sets of outdoor clothes. When I put the brush box and paint set in, It couldn''t fit into the bag. It seems like If I put them into the bag, then they will be crumpled. I had no choice but to put three sketchbooks in it. The tablet was well wrapped in a box so that it wouldn''t be damaged. When I looked at the bag, I became filled with satisfaction. Grandpa, who was moving things here and there came to my room. Hun, have you packed all your things? Yes, Grandpa." Grandpa came into the room and looked at my luggage. Lets see. Even Grandpa will be amazed at this reasonable packing. Hey. You packed a lot. What did you put in this? I put only what I needed. Grandpa opened the bag and looked inside with bewilderment. There seems to be something missing. Am I missing anything? This guy, where did you put all your clothes, and why have you put only brushes and paints in them? Are you moving somewhere?" Clothes are at the bottom. Grandpa checked the inside of the bag and asked. So you are going to spend two months in Europe with three dresses.?" Well, its better than not being able to paint. Hah Who packs up like this for a trip? Can you even carry this?" I tried to pick the bag on my shoulder, but I couldn''t pick it up. "Heh heh heh. Okay, look here, If you feel sorry to leave your drawing tools, then you can just take a sketchbook and colored pencil. I forced myself to take out the drawing tool with my hand that refused to move. As Ko hun was troubled with the preparation for a trip to Europe. The crowds at Seoul Art Museum started increasing day by day since the news about Henry Marceau buying [Sunflower] came out. Thanks to the unusual price with which it was bought, peoples interest towards [Sunflower] grew exponentially as the media kept buzzing about it day by day. The Exhibition Hall 3, which normally receives about 20-30 visitors a day, found more than 500 people every day, making Director Lee Junho very happy. Security guards were always in ce to ensure that the painting is not damaged or stolen, and the new artist''s exhibition was also uncharacteristically advertised. However, the advertisements did not go into the ears of those who came to see the sunflowers. It received apletely different reception from how normal paintings were received. The moment the audience faced [Sunflower], they were overwhelmed by its brilliant colors. They didnt think about the techniques used or the colours used or the deep meaning within it. They were just mesmerized by a beautiful image that had touched their heart. It was an experience they had never experienced. After watching such a painting, the students of Korea University and the students of American University sat in a nearby cafe, still intoxicated by the afterglow left by [Sunflower]. Only when one of the students cell phone started ringing, they coulde back to their senses and started talking. We must have gone crazy.Right." Me too. I didnt really think about anything and just looked at it. How can someone use colour in such a way.? It looks so pure, and yet it''s sad, and it''s so sad, and it''s just about. Aaaak. What should I say.? I dont have any words to exin it. I think it contrasts more with the hazy looking Sun because of the bright yellow colour. The technique was just like an ink painting. "That''s right. There is no background and the lines are very rough, but it is strangely detailed, isn''t it?" A student who was listening to his friends, opened his mouth. Doesnt it feel like Van Gogh? The group thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. A little." If Van Gogh had seen ink paintings, he might have painted like that. A student fell on the table. "Haaah. I want to draw like that too. Didn''t they say it was drawn by a 10 years old boy?" "Yes. Professor Sooyeols grandson." Just 10 years old? The students were shocked deeply that a 10-year-old child had drawn the picture that overwhelmed them. They sighed. "I envied him. At first I thought how can he get 2 billion wonfor just a painting, but after seeing it with my eyes, I can feel it, its really worth it. 2.8 billion won. Yeah that. After all, it''s money we can''t even look at in our lifetime." I dont think this is the end.? In the future, the paintings that Ko Hun paints will sell like hot cakes. Henry Marceau bought the first one. Next, even if the price goes down, it wouldnt sell for a small amount.? It was very important for an artist to have their works to be bought by celebrities. This is because arge publicity effect can be expected by the celebrities name. Should we just give up? "What?" "Painting. To be honest, I don''t have the confidence to paint like that, and I don''t even know what to paint. Its so hard to paint and I dont know what I am even doing. Everyone couldnt retort anything to their friend''s remarks. When preparing for college entrance exams, they spent 14 hours a day in front of the canvas to get admitted to the best art college in Korea. They repeated the same thing to the extent of memorising the ster statue as it is and painting it. As a result, when they entered college, they were exhausted both physically and mentally. They killed their individuality and adapted to the art of the entrance exam that forced them to answer the questions. It was so hard to attend the college ss now, which tells them to find their lost individuality. It was the absurdity of college entrance exams and art colleges that all art students go through. While trying to understand and sympathise with their friend''s concerns, they became concerned about their own concerns. Then a student opened his mouth. But.After seeing [sunflower] Im feeling a little energised today." The eyes of the friends were focused on the one spoke. It might seem like a bit of an oversight. The student carefully analysed his thoughts. That [sunflower] looked so lonely. There were also scars on the stems and leaves, and it didn''t seem like it could live that much. Still, it gave its everything to look at the sun Oh, what I am trying to say is.? "What." I thought it was an expression of sunflowers desire to not give up no matter how many hurdles were ced in its path. I felt like I shouldnt give up on my art easily. When their friends didn''t say anything, the student chuckled. "he he he. Maybe I read too much into it. "No. There''s nothing wrong with thinking. It''s your opinion." That student became relieved at his friend''s words. "Yeah. That. I think you are right. Maybe it really was intended in that way. ReallyYou thing a 10-year-old boy.. thought of that.? Maybe.. He drew this while thinking of Ko Hae and Lee Soojin. Ah." "It was too big of an incident for a ten-year-old boy to handle. Perhaps that dazzling yellow colour in [Sunflower] was an expression of his will to not yield to the pain symbolised by the damaged stems and leaves. He probably wouldnt have thought about it like that, but wouldn''t it be really something if there be such a feeling inside him?" "Yes." The students drank coffee and gathered their thoughts for a while. Thinking of the [sunflower] in each of their memories, made their weary heart motivated . They stood up I going to draw a painting. "me too." Yeah, lets go together. The app called Infinity Drawing installed by Aunt Mirae is truly a wonderful tool. I can choose any colour I want, just by cing the pen on the screen and it produces an unexpected result. Even the thickness, shape, and texture of the lines can be varied, so a few days passed just by learning how to use them. I got used to it to some extent, and I wanted to draw a picture with this today, so I got down, then suddenly I heard a loud noise from the front door. I went out of my room to see the source of the sound. There I saw someoneing up, it was Aunt Mirae and a man I had never seen before. "Hi?" "Hello." Both Aunt Mirae and the unknown person were carrying something in their hands. what is it?" A gift for the teacher. Its his birthday today. I thought it was strange because there were dozens of people who delivered parcels all day, but I didn''t know that was the case. Is it a painting.? "Yes. He said he liked it before. So I wanted to give it to him this time. Can I take a look too? Ill let you see when the teacherester. Hun, wait a minute. Get away from her its heavy. Ill help you. "No. It''s heavy, Jin, just put it here in the front . Yes, Professor. The two put down the canvas with difficulty. Hey. Good job. thanks." Its not a big deal. Dont forget your promise professor? "Ugh. Okay. Ille with you for a dinner." YesYes.Thank you professor. I will make it a best dinner.Then I will take my leave professor. Bye. Hun. Who is he and how did he know my name After waiting for the front door to close, Aunt Mirae turned around keeping her hand in her face and sat down on the sofa. I dont want to..go on a dinner with someone younger than me.Ahhh..why did I make such a promise. Aunt Mirae kept murmuring about something I didnt understand. I slowly tried to leave the room without making a noise. But Aunt Mirae found me trying to leave. HunWhere are you going. Im going out to buy something. Huh..What? At this time?" Grandpas birthday gift. Are you going to buy a present now? "Yes." Hun, Your Grandpa wille soon and you cant go anywhere alone. I wish I had known sooner. While thinking about what to do, Aunt Mirae said as if she read my mind. Isnt it the greatest gift for Grandpa is to have Hun grow up healthily? Thats is that, and a celebration is a celebration. Then how about drawing him a picture. He really wanted the [sunflower]. A painting. Hmmm maybe a portrait would be good. It''s a good idea because it''s good for character practice and it''s meaningful to my grandfather. Soon I headed to the studio to bring a chair and easel to the living room. At that moment I heard grandpa''s voice. Little Hun, Grandpa is here. Come here Grandpa. "okay. Ho ho ho. what do we have here.? He is surprised to see the paper boxes and canvases piled up around the front door. Its a birthday present. Aunt Mi-rae poked her face out. AhProfessor Jang, you were here. What birthday? What is the big canvas you are holding?" Last time, teacher said you liked it. So I wanted to give it to you as a present. Jang Mi-rae tore the paper that wrapped the canvas. Whenever the picture is revealed, the neat figure of the peony flower that seems to bloom became visible. A painting as realistic as Grandpa''s potato pizza. The fresh petals seem toe out of the canvas. However, it is not simply a still life, it is only the purest beauty of its inner world in a canvas How can someone draw a picture like this? I don''t know who it is, but it must be the work of a master who built his own idea in the canvas. With the help of Grandpa''s paintings, I have realised many things about this realistic yet ideal style of painting. Seeing through the essence of things and ideally put them on the canvas. The figure is clearly a trace of the noble painter Jean-Franois Millet. "Oh oh." Grandpa also looked very happy. I don''t know if its fine with me to ept Professor Jang''s painting." It''s nothingpared what you taught me teacher. Do you like it?" What do you think about the painting little Hun.? The painting of your Aunt Mirae.?. I stood confused for a while Did aunt Mirae draw this? Yes..So how is it.? Aunt Mirae squatted and asked. How could this person who I only thought as a weird person who always hugged me create such a masterpiece? I can not believe it. I can assure that this painting will continue to be talked about among people along with many masterpieces. Aunt Miraes painting is so cool and awesome." "really?" I couldn''t take my eyes off the picture. I replied with nodding my head. Then suddenly Aunt Mirae hugged me tightly. Thank youHun. Not again.. Even though she is a great painter, she is still a weird person. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 What.? No. I tried to paint a portrait to Grandpa as a birthday present, but he keeps rejecting it. It wont take long. No means NO. Think about it teacher. Youll be Huns first portrait model. Isnt that great.? Well. When I persuaded him, he just refused saying its not okay, but when Aunt Mirae said that, he epted it without refusing. I really cant understand this person. Soon the three of us went to Grandpas reading room. Grandpa sat on the chair and said. Im ready little Hun. I observed Grandpa calmly. I don''t know how other people sees him, but at least to me, he is a kind and fun person. Even though I knew him only for two or three months. I was able to understand what it means to have a family from him. To my father, I was just a shame. My older brother and older sister treated me like a nuisance and worthless person. My mother just felt sorry for me. Theo loved me more as a pitiful artist rather than a brother. I always envied the way Theo treated his son and his wife. All throughout my life, I felt lonely. Without painting I would have just been an empty person. But everything changed when I met this person. At first I was hesitant to call him Grandpa, but now those are the words thate most in a day from my mouth. He taught me the warmth of family. He understands my drawings more deeply than anyone else, and treats them with no pretence. When those bubbly eyes are directed at me, all I can feel was nothing but affection. There is nothing as cozy as his strong body embracing me. Even though I feel guilty for that love, which I know want directed to me. I wish that this person was my grandfather and I was his real grandson. I picked up a colour pencil. Grandfather and Aunt Mirae captures the shape of things urately in their paintings. Unlike Pablo Picasso, it is expressed in as much detail as possible without any exaggeration or omission. There is a difference in the way of expression in their paintings, but neither of them can be said to be wrong. On the contrary, both are so good that I want to say that they are correct. Picasso draws out the essence of things and expresses them simply, while Grandpa and Aunt Mirae portray aesthetics that do not exist in reality as if they were real. However, there is something inmon between their works and the works of Picasso. It was the active use of colour to dress the work. In particr, Grandpa and Aunt Mirae''s understanding of colours far exceeded my expectations. I have never seen any other artist who handles the colour more clearly than them. I too want to paint like them. I too want to use colours like them. I looked intensely at grandpa without taking my eyes off from him. The wrinkly eyes showed the traces of time and the experience he gained from them. I want to express them in bright colour showing his warmth. The wrinkles were oveid with beige and peach colours to capture the overall bright atmosphere. Wrinkles are deep and take away the darkness under the forehead and under the eyes. sixty four. Although we haven''t been together for long, I can tell just by the way he treats me, and the way a young disciplees to say hello to him and the way he respects such a disciple. Gifts piled up in front of the door. The numerous works that fill the studio all tell what kind of life he has led. He would have treated the people around him with love, and respect from the bottom of his heart. I would like to capture every character of his in the canvas. I respect this guy as a painter and love this guy as a Grandfather . With light dark brown colour, I created a boundary for shadows such as pupils and nostrils without shaking. Then when I touched the forehead part. I hesitated for a moment. The white hairs that are glimmering between the dark hairs do not speak of ageing and senility, they were the traces of time. It tells the artist''s values of Ko Sooyeol and how long they have taken root. His battle with the world as an artist. A battle in which he had won, and a battle in which I had lost miserably. I painted with light grey rather than white. I tried to add a light red colour around the cheeks, nose, and eyes to give a sense of passion that still boils in him along with a little yellow and blue colour. It would be nice to increase the density to make it look more realistic. It was inspired from Aunt Miraes painting. Now that I know that this type of expression is possible and enjoyable, drawing will be more fun in the future. I took the pencil away from the canvas and looked at the canvas. I am not satisfied with the picture in the canvas. I tried to capture a strong yet gentle grandfather in the canvas, but it was not capturedpletely. Its done." I approached Grandpa with the picture, and I would be d if he refused. Lets see. Aunt Mirae, who was touching the tablet while I drawing, also approached me. Its badright.? "No. It''s not. it''s really great. you drew really well. I thought you were weak at drawing picture as it is, but when did you grow so much. You really are my pride. Grandpa gently stroked my hair. Even though I hated my ability to be not able to draw the Grandpa I see with my eyes, his words and the gently touch made me happy. Someday I''ll draw it again. That portrait will show all the greatness of grandpa..my Grandpa. next day. I overslept while drawing on my tablet all night. When I woke up, it was lunchtime and no one was at home. I opened the refrigerator, humanitys another Blessing, which can keep the milk fresh for an entire day. While I was drinking milk grandpa returned. Where did you go grandpa.? What happened. Grandpa''s hairs is ck. There is not even a single strand of white hair. It looks like it had been painted with paint. What happened to your hair grandpa.? I dyed it. Do I look young?" The white one looked nice This makes me look healthy, doesnt it? It''s a bit hard to say with my own mouth, but everyone at the salon said that I look 10 years younger. hahahah!" There are still parts that I dont understand about this grandpa. I have to leave for Europe tomorrow, so I''m busy checking things out, while grandpa was speaking to someone who came to visit him. I was thinking about which coloured pencil to bring without paying attention. But suddenly Grandpa called me. Little Hun,e over here. When I went out, there stood a man, whom I saw for the first time, smiled warmly at me. Modern people seem to try to look younger than their age, so I think he might be in his early 40s. Nice to meet you, Hun. I don''t know how the person who came with Aunt Mirae teaches nor this person know my name. "Hello." My name is Bang Tae, the curator of the WH Art Museum. If it is WH museum, it was the first museum I visited with grandpa. If curator from such a ce came to visit, is it regarding an exhibition? Actually, I saw sunflowers at the Seoul Art Museum. It was marvellous. Really.? "Yes. I can''t exin it, but it was a lively work. The golden colour of a wounded sunflower seems to be telling me that I can do it too. My intention wasmunicated properly. "Thank you." Bang Tae smiled brightly. So, I came here because I wanted to exhibit Huns paintings. Can you show me the pictures you drew?" Grandpa gently nodded his head. Okay,e this way. Grandfather would never introduce me to a bad person, and he is a person who understood my painting, so I can trust him. I led him to my studio that my grandfather had decorated. All this time, I have only been practicing with colour pencils and ink paintings, so there are very few works that he might like. Here it is. Thank you Hun." Bang Tae looked around the studio slowly. He stopped in front of some works, and most of them, he didn''t pay much attention. He caresses his chin as if he was confused. You did a lot of ink painting. "Yes. I am practicing. Are there no watercolours or oil paintings? Im not drawing right now. There is a strong expression of regret. Although I drew one work a day, it is also true that I did not have a satisfactory picture because I had only recently encountered ink painting. I don''t really like coloured pencil drawings, except for my grandpa''s portrait. It is not the painting of Ko Hun that he needed, he wanted the painting of Ko Hun who sold [Sunflower] for 2.8 billion won. Pleasee back in three months. "Huh?" I am practicing ink painting right now, so there is no oil painting. I''ll draw a few things after Ie from Europe." Even if I travel for two months, one month will be enough. If I draw diligently, I can prepare more than 20 paintings. Okay. Then I look forward to it." Bang Tae bowed his head to grandpa, and prepared to leave. While going out to the living room to see him off, Bang Tae asked about our travel. Are you going to Europe to study? "No. To see an art gallery." Oh, where? The Van Gogh Museum. Okay, good. You seemed to like Van Gogh. Your [Sunflower] somehow like Van Gogh''s oriental paintings." I looked at him with amazement, wondering whether he was praising me or criticizing me. Oh, thats not a bad thing at all. I mean that''s great. I really liked the yellow. To borrow Van Goghs expression, like that. Although we met for only 20 minutes, he seems to be a person with a good heart. "Thank you." Heughed softly. Then I look forward to it. Have fun traveling. I nodded my head. Sir, Thank you today. See you next time. "Yes. See you next time." As soon as Bang Tae stepped out and the door closed, grandpa asked. Why did you tell him toe back in three months? I dont like the picture I have now. Grandpa nodded his head and asked again. Why did you show him a picture that you didnt like? It is also my painting. Do I need to hide it just because I didnt draw it well.? Grandpa patted my back. I don''t know why, but he seems to be happy with something. Bang Tae looked around at Ko Hun''s paintings and smiled in disappointment. There were so many good pictures, but he couldn''t find a picture that moved his heart like [sunflower] He is worried about what to do with a regretful heart, but Ko Hun came out first. Come back in three months. I didn''t intend to exhibit it from the beginning. He did''t have any works worth exhibiting yet, so asking me toe back. Anyone can say that. If the other person was the curator of the WH Museum, the story was different . WH museum is the most visited ce among domestic art museums, and an artist bes hot topic just for getting invited by WH Art Museum. In particr, if it is possible to work with Curator Bang Tae, many artists have tried to present their work somehow. But the ten-year-old boy was different. He may not know how great and honorable it is to be invited to the WH Art Museum, but it is surprising that he could decide that he currently have no works that are worth exhibiting. Furthermore. He said he was practicing. He did not hesitate to show his study. Is it because he is still young and innocent? There was no shame in his eyes, while showing his own immaturity. Ko Hun showed him all the messed up pictures and the slightly awkward ones. Among them, there were works of such high quality that Bang Tae thought, would be okay to disy them, but Bang Tae believed in Ko Hun, who told him toe back three monthster. Bang Tae recalled [Sunflower], which he saw few day back with his own eyes. It reminded him of a painting he saw when he was young. A painting that made him walk on the path of Art. The painting of Vincent Van Gogh''s Starry Night. Bang Tae turned towards the house from where he came out and murmured, while taking his hat off. Bon Voyage, Little Van Gogh. Trivia Curator: A person that collects and manages works in museums and art galleries, and ns exhibitions. Derived from the Latin curare (to care for) Chapter 21 Chapter 21 We were heading to Amsterdam, Nethends in order to visit the Van Gogh Museum. I came to a ce called the airport with grandpa, and I couldn''t see the sea, let alone a ship. Where is the ship? ship?" Grandpa narrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head. It doesn''t look like we were going by boat. Are we going in a car? Thinking back on it, no matter how fast a boat is, it probably won''t be as fast as a car. We are going by airne. what is an airne? I don''t understand what grandpa meant by saying airne. It sounds like a mixture of words of air and ne, but I don''t understand what it meant. Anyway, Hun, you must wear that ne with you when you are in Europe. You should not lose it. Grandpa told me not to lose the ne that Aunt Mirae specially made for me. It is a ne with my grandfather''s name, phone number, and Korean address written in differentnguages. It''s embarrassing.'' Me getting lost in the Nethends. Thats just impossible. Even if I get lost, you don''t have to worry because I know thenguage. Come on, lets go. While crossing the long passage, huge cars came into view through the ss window. It''s very different from the cars I''ve seen so far. It doesn''t seem that efficient because there are wings on both sides and the wheels were very small. Why did they make such a small wheel for such a big car?'' It has a huge front and back and has a considerable height, so it seems that it must have wings to achieve bnce. However, if a lot of people want to ride it, I think it would be much more efficient to use a car called bus. Ah.'' But once I stepped inside, I understood why people are riding in this inefficient car. Although my body is small right now, there is still a lot of space left even when I lie down with my legs outstretched. A wide curtain was used to block my view. Even a tablet is attached to the front, it can alleviate the boredom of a long journey. This gigantic car must be a luxury for the wealthy. The only people in this spacious room are me, my grandpa, and the person who appears to be an employee. I enjoyed this luxury thanks to grandpa. Grandpa is going to sleep. How about getting some sleep, Hun? I want to read this. I wanted to read the Amsterdam tourist guide book that grandpa gave me. I will be able to see it with my own eyes in a few weeks, but still I would like to know in advance just how it has changed. "okay. It will take a long time to reach, so read in moderation and sleep when you feel sleepy. "Yes." He seemed tired of waking up early in the morning. The breathing quickly became quiet. The first thing I checked when I opened the book was the Van Gogh Museum, which was introduced as one of the important tourist attraction. It is said to be the museum with thergest number of works in the world by Vincent van Gogh. In fact, I can''t believe it even after reading this book. I couldn''t grow enough to be satisfied about myself, and I had no choice but to see my end because of the paralysis and seizures, which came when I started to draw a decent picture. The only paintings I''ve sold up to that point was [The Red Vineyard] and a few essories. There were a few people who cheered me like Theo and Lautrec, but I was just an unknown painter in a small town. But now there was an art museum for me. I cant believe it. The Van Gogh Museum have over 200 oil paintings and 500 drawings, his letters, and collectibles, as well as Van Gogh''s masterpieces such as [Wheat field with Crows] and [Sunflowers]. In addition, the works of several artists who lived at the same time are exhibited together. I decided to live as a painter and painted around 900 pieces in 10 years. On the verge of death, my body gradually stiffened. I felt my death was approaching, so I drew one painting a day. I was hasty. I wanted to paint a little more. Was there anyone who recognized my earnestness at that time? I had lot of doubts for now, but when I arrive at the Van Gogh Museum, I will know the secret of the Van Gogh Museum''. By the way. Why the hell did they even collect my letters? I don''t understand. There were many contents that are embarrassing to be shown to others. I''m sure there are people who read it all.'' It is useless to worry now. As I sighed to myself, the ne/car, started to move. This era has advanced to the extent whererge-scale roads areid for suchrge cars. Just as so many things have changed, am I being epted differently at this time? Even though I doubt that such a thing is possible, I still had small expectations for it. Well?'' The view through the window has changed. It started to elerate rapidly and my field of vision kept increasing little by little. "Huh?!" Oh My God. If my heart were to be weak, then it would have stopped right now. The car kept moving away from the ground. Grandpa ! Grandpa !Wake up In a hurry, I swung my left hand to wake grandpa. Uh-huh? This is not the time to sleep! It''s floating! It''s floating! Grandpa seemed to be unaware of the dire situation and rubbed his eyes in peace. He looked at the window and smiled nkly. "Yeah. It''s floating." Then he goes back to sleep again. There is a degree to being carefree in this serious situation. Grandpa Grandpa! "okay. okay. Are you that excited?" I tried to wake him up again, but Grandpa didn''t even open his eyes. I looked out the window and tried to understand the situation, soon I realized that we were too far from the ground. I have never been so afraid? I can no longer see the ground. I felt like my heart is going to explode Still, it''s the first time I''ve seen a scene like this. I felt the numbness in my hips, but ignored it because I''m curious about what the ground will look like from the sky. I took out my sketchbook and colour pencils. But I can''t draw properly because it shakes so much. Ko Sooyeol, who woke up from his deep sleep, raised his hand and asked a cup of water. He yawned profusely and turned to see what his grandson was doing on the ne. Ko Hun was crouching down, stood up and drew something, then nced out the window and repeated the same action. "What are you doing?" Ko Sooyeol asked, stroking Ho Hun. Then Ko Hun looked back with a sad face. Why is our Hun so upset? He couldn''t understand why his grandpa is sleepingfortably while he tried hard to understand the current situation. Ko Hun showed him the sketch he had drawn. It was my first time seeing andscape from the sky, so I tried to draw it. I''ve only imagined how it looks like, but this was the first time I''ve seen it in person. Did you know that the sea is so wide?" He slept for two to three hours, but when he woke up, he was surprised to see that his grandson had drawn eight sketches in such a short time. You drew a lot. Ko Hun nced out the window again. He was so scared that he even forgot they had been traveling. The flight attendant who had just brought water asked for the menu. Hun, what would you like to eat? What kind of food is there.? Ko Hun blinked his big eyes waiting for the answer. You can choose between Baeksuk or Saengseon . Ko Hun became confused after hearing flight attendant''s rmendation. What is Baeksuk and what is Saengseon? Baeksuk is boiled chicken and Saengseon is steamed seafood. Then lets eat boiled chicken. Please get us baeksuk. "all right. Please wait." When the flight attendant left the seat, Ko Hun asked. Can you give me a small amount of food? "Wont you start to feel hungry after sometime.? Ko Hun nodded his head sideways again and again. Ko Sooyeol curiously looked at his cute grandson. Are you are saving food so that it willst until our voyage? "Yes." Thats why its so big. Ko Sooyeol, suddenly understood the reason why his grandson is acting like this. Eat some rice and sleep. It will take only about eight or nine hours. Ko Hun blinked his eyes. Eight or nine hours? Is it too long? Ko Sooyeol thought that it would be frustrating for his young grandson to spend half a day in a small space. Isnt it a month? A month? Arent we going to Amsterdam? The other side of the world. "yes." Its moving so slow, how do we get there so quickly? His grandson said while pointing out the window. "hahahah. We are too far away so it looks slow. Didn''t I tell the car to go slow because we can only run at 60 km/h?" How fast are we now? Ko Sooyeol said, pointing to the screen opposite. Isnt it written there? It was written as a ground speed of 900 km/h. His grandson tilted his head and looked at the screen suspiciously. Ko Sooyeol smiled and wiped his grandsons face. There was a sense of tension in the office of newspaper daily The Korean Express. A week ago, the world-famous painter Henry Marceau bought a painting of a 10-year-old boy for 2 million euros. The Korean Express also reported extensively like other media outlets, but there was a problem with the article. Editor-in-chief Kim Junyong called senior reporters and shouted at them. "What happened? I told you to get a follow up interview with Ko Hun. Editor-in-chief Kim Junyong took off his sses and his eyes swept everyone''s face. When no one answered, he pointed towards Lee Inho, a senior reporter at The Korean Express. Lee Inho, please exin. That. I asked for an interview, but painter Ko Sooyeol refused" So, you mean that the monthly magazine Yehwa could do an interview but you couldnt.? So you started copying and writing like ancient times? Editor-in-chief Kim Junyong''s voice grew louder. "That. Besides that we "Say that? Are you sane? Why did you copy and process the work that the editor directly ordered without seeing it?" Im sorry." Im sorry? Can your sorry take away all the criticizing articles about us out there? Are you crazy!" No one raised their head until Kim Junyong had finished. If Is this the number of views? Then thepany cant make money, and you cant get your sry? Kim Junyong took a deep breath. Lee Inho. "Yes." I will give you onest chance. Bring the follow-up article to Ko Hun, and take charge of Ko Hun. Do you understand? I "What." I dont know anything about art Did you just get out of college? Is that it? Or Do you want to quit being a journalist ? Does anyone here know about painting? Is that even a reason!" Reporter Lee Inho wanted toin that he is too tight with other things, but when he made an eye contact with editor-in-chief Kim Junyong, he lost the will to resist. We should get Ko Hun. Dont lose it to someone else, and take care of it by yourself. "Okay." Lee Inho had no choice but to answer. Kim Jun-yong looked around at other reporters and said. Remember everyone. In theing days only when the title is usible, then the number of views will be plentiful. Write articles you can''t find anywhere else. If you want money to eat, now go! "Yes!" "Get out!" Reporters left the editor-in-chief''s office at themand of editor-in-chief Kim Junyong. Hah.'' Lee Inho, who came out of the midst of them sighed heavily. Ko Hun.Where should I go to find him. Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Ko Hun''s first solo exhibition {Sweet Happiness} attracted attention from artists around the world. Praise from the media and critics continued. [Happiness] maximized the texture that can be expressed in oil paint, creating an effect as if chocte was flowing down, and [Ravoux Lodger] created a cozy yet lonely atmosphere with intentionally copsed perspective, bold omission, and simple expressions. Among the many works, the most eye-catching work was the [Frost wheat field]. There were a lot of spection about who would take it and how much it would be sold, and art lovers saw [Frost Wheat Field] throughout the exhibition, regardless of the rtionship between Henry Marceau and Ko Hun. However, the amount came out was something that no one had expected. $14 million. Although influential art figures such as Caroline Streak, Jang Mirae, and Pierre Malo praised it, no one thought that the work of a new artist, who had his first solo exhibition would sell for $14 million. WH Art Museum judged various factors generously and estimated the appropriate price between 4 billion won and 5 billion won. Even that figure was close to the highest price for a work sold in WH Art museum. [Frost Wheat Field] was sold for about 16.3 billion won, an amount that would be possible only for historical masterpiece representing a country. Moreover, the price was formed after a fierce battle between director Christine Nn and painter Henry Marceau. Who participated in the auction and who owned it was also an important factor in shaping the price of the artwork. [Frost Wheat Field] would be appreciated even more in the future. In this fact, not only the Korean media, but also Asia Europe and North American artmunity was in a frenzy. Onmunity sites and forums, articles about Ko Hun''s [Frost Wheat Field] were posted. Its really crazy. Henry seems to have made up his mind. It is said that he visited every day of the exhibition . Nana wants to see it, but she can''t go because it''s too far. Will it be exhibited at the Marceau Gallery? Wouldn''t it be exhibited. Collectors don''t disy it to generate profits. Most people hang it in their own living room or building. Henry Marceau never disyed [Sunflower] that he bought. Nooooo. So if Henry doesn''t want to exhibit it, does it mean, we can''t see it anymore? There''s a photograph. You can look at the picture. There is a difference between seeing Art in person and seeing it in photo. What a shame. Such a painting should be disyed while moving to a different areas of the world. It was sold too early. Art lovers were very sorry that Ko Hun''s work was exhibited for only two weeks. Since it became privately owned, they became hugely disappointed since it was unknown when and where it would be disclosed in the future. Meanwhile, many people criticized the sale of [Frost Wheat field] for $14 million. In 2007, the bubble that invaded the Korean art market, headed for an endless abyss. As of 2016, the total winning bid for the Korean art auction market was 172.031 billion won. Among that, painter Kim Hyunki''s works ounted for 24% of the total amount ranking first, while the then rookie artist Jang Mirae ranked second with 6%. Two people ounted for 30% of the total auction price. It was a thorough monopoly. The number of transactions for works has increased day by day, and the total amount of transactions has not changed much. But everything changedst year and this year. A single 10 year old kids works upied 8% of the Korean art auction market, which was worth 200 billion won. Art critic Jin Sungil said, "This incident is not a revival of the art market, but a concentration of wealth, which is a negative factor for the art market." He sharply criticized foreign rich people such as Henry Marceau and Christine Nn for destroying the Korean art market. On the other hand, some weed it with the logic that the total transaction amount in the Korean art market increases only when foreign capital flows in. There were also a group of people who criticized contemporary art forcking in understanding. At the center of amazement, which was intertwined with enthusiastic weers, those who showed a cautious attitude, and those who showed extreme rejection was the 10 year old boy named Ko Hun. No way. I''ve been feeling a bit uneasy since before. The emotion that I had tried to ignore in the hope that I could draw without worrying about money crept up. Something''s wrong. I''m happy that my painting received such an amount, but I still have doubts whether it was worth 16.3 billion won. No matter how hard I try, I can''t understand. I remembered the conversation I had with my grandpa at the Marceau Gallery. The price at the auction should not be considered the value of the painting. The price of a painting was not one''s own value as a painter. I, myself want to draw painting that can sell, but right now, this situation obviously feels wrong. Grandpa.. As I was about to speak, the reporters surrounded us and made a fuss. "You''ve reached an all-time high How do you feel right now?" "Your grandson broke the Korean record! Say something!" [Frost wheat field] is in the hands of Henry Marceau, following the [Sunflower]. What is your take on it?" It was not a situation to continue the conversation. I was forced to flee home as I was about to go to the venue of the celebration party promised with the staff of the WH Art Museum. Surfing through the Inte, while waiting for food delivery, it is full of stories about [Frost wheat field]. I didn''t expect so many people to be interested in my painting. Different. I used to believe that exhibitions should be held in congested areas, but now I see how simple my idea was. "Come out to the bigger world." At first, I thought Henry Marceau''s words simply meant exhibiting in big cities such as Paris and New York. However, looking at the variousnguages posted in the WH Art Museum''s New Tube, it seemed that people from all over the world gathered there. Unlike in the past, essibility is not limited to one city or country now. You can quickly ess information through the Inte, and if you decide to travel, there is airne you can go to the other side of the globe in half a day. Therefore, ces where people gather are iparably more crowded than before. The Whitney Biennale, which Kim Jiwoo, Uncle Bang and Henry Marceau said, seems to be such a ce. "Whitney" Uncle Bang who heard my murmur inquired. What Hun. Did you say something. Uncle Bang. How many people visit the Whitney Biennale.? "Since it''s free of charge, the tally is not urate. Still, ording to a press release." Uncle Bang showed an article about the Whitney Biennale on his smartphone. 3.1 million people.? I was surprised by the number I saw . "That''s how much visitedst time." I looked at the article that summarized one or another of Whitney Biennale''s records in 2026. From May 15th to September 17th, it seems to be held for about four months. There will be 212 artists who participated. It cannot even bepared to 130,000 people in two weeks of {sweet happiness} which is evaluated as an unusually sessful exhibition in Korea. "The Whitney Biennale itself is great, but the Whitney Museum periodically shifts ces. Not only in the United States, but also held exhibition in major European cities such as Paris, London, and Berlin, and in Seoul. " Not only organizing an exhibition that many people visit, they are also touring many countries. It was something I never thought of while preparing for {sweet happiness}. Uncle Bang, who is well aware of this, must have not told this since he belonged to the WH Art Museum at that time. "This year it will be held a month in April 21st. So less than a month is left." If Iplete the painting within today or tomorrow, I might be able to disy in the opening day, but the painting I drew like that wont be satisfactory. For this reason, Uncle Bang also rmended participating in this way. "It''s a littlete, but you can disy it by May. So you don''t have to be impatient." Would I get a good spot.? "It must be hard since the exhibition space is fixed from the opening day." After saying that uncle Bang grinned. "It''s possible. Since it''s a painting by our Hun," Uncle Bang said with a smile. While we were talking grandpa came from the inside and asked uncle Bang Mr. Bang, what are you going to do with your job? Have you resigned already. "I have told that I''d quit after this month. I want to hurry a little more when I think about Huns future schedule, but there''s still somethings to organize on the museum side." I understand. Dont be in a hurry and organize it well." "Yes. I want to quit as smoothly as possible since there will be asions where I have see them in the future." Grandpa nodded. When exhibitions are held in Korea, they will often be with the WH Art Museum, so uncle Bang seems to be trying to quit nicely. The more I see uncle Bang, the more I trust him. "Well, and, Uncle Bang hurriedly brought up another story. "I don''t know if it''s early, but I''d like to get the calls for Hun. Since the contact information was not disclosed, there were a lot of contact inquiries to the WH Art Museum." "Hmm." "I didn''t sign a contract, but I want to start work as soon as possible." "That''s fine with me uncle Bang. How should I do it.? "First of all, I''d like you to send an e-mail to the museum, asking them give my contact details if anyone inquired..We''ll also release reports." "Like a stopgap measure." "That''s right.. I''ll talk to the people around me, too." We decide on what to do until next month, when uncle Bang opens apany and officially signs a contract. "Then I will take my leave." Whats the rush Mr. Bang. Have lunch and go." No. Im fine. My wife will be waiting at home. Good-bye Hun. Once again Congrattions on the Korean record." Thank you and Goodbye Uncle Bang." "Drive home safely Mr. Bang. When I turned around after seeing Uncle Bang off, grandpa didn''t move in front of the entrance. "Oh no" Groaned grandpa lifting his chin. He seems to be worried about something. I dont know whether its about anything that has to do with Whitney Biennale or Uncle Bang. What grandpa?" "Isn''t 5 meters too small?" "What?" "Banner." Well, fortunately, he was worried about something else. "What are you talking about grandpa.? "My grandson set a Korean record, so of course I''m going to brag about it. Let me see. Should I need permission from the district office to ce banner in front of the house.? What.? No grandpa? Its embarrassing. Stop it" What is there to be embarrassed about? I''m proud of you. It''s a Korean record. Arent we having a celebration party tomorrow.? That''s enough grandpa." Thats right. Let''s take a picture there. Then we should buy new suits." He doesnt seems to be listening to me. In his heart, he seems to have alreadypleted a gate-sized signboard. When I tried to stop my grandfather, the doorbell rang. When I raised the golf club and saw who rang the doorbell, it was Uncle Bang, who had just left. "Did you leave something behind uncle Bang? What''s so urgent. Why are you breathing so heavily. "No. Huh. Huh.Im fine" I looked up to ask my grandpa if he knew what was going on. But grandpa also seems to be lost at what was happening.. Hunits Nn. Christine Nn contacted the museum." It''s the name of the movie director who tried to buy [Frost wheat field]. Why did he contact?" Uncle Bang after breathing for a while, opened his mouth. He asked if he could meet you tomorrow.? Chapter 66 Chapter 66 I dont know what he want to do by meeting with me. Why did he want to meet me uncle Bang.? He seems to have said that he has a favor to ask you, so he would like to talk to you about that in detail tomorrow." Uncle Bang showed an e-mail on his smartphone. Director Christine Nn''s letter to the WH Art Museum ount was quite polite and cultured. Grandpa, who saw it with me, breathed out a small sigh. Mr. Bang. Schedule a meeting at tomorrow afternoon. Hun wille to the WH Art museum on his way from school." Yes.and Of course, you should also take part in the meeting." Uncle Bang nodded at grandpa''s words. Uncle Bang left the house again, and soon the potato pizza arrived. I washed my hands and took a big bite with reverence. "Grandpa." What little Hun.? "What do you think about today grandpa.? Grandpa hesitated for a while. Good. What do you feel Hun.? Grandpa said without expressing his true feelings. Maybe he doesnt want to ruin my mood. I am confused grandpa. Grandpa squeezed garlic sauce on the pizza. Where should I start? Grandpa brought out my honest feelings. Keep going. "I''m d that my painting got sold at a high price. I don''t have to worry about eating and living." I put down the pizza I was holding. But at the same time, I also wish that more people could look at my paintings. I want to prove that nothing is wrong with paintings that canmunicate and empathize with the audience. I want to talk to more people through my paintings," Grandpa nodded and I continued. Doesnt this feels Wrong. One painting of an elementary school kid costs 16.3 billion won, while 100 million won is enough to hire an outstanding person for a year. Is my work really worth the amount of money that a person should earn by working and saving for 163 years.? Grandpa also put down his pizza. After a brief moment of pause, grandpa started talking with a soft voice. Little Hun is really smart." .. "Let''s talk about one thing first." I nodded. "Some Artists are mistaken. It''s a case where they deceive themselves by believing that they''re doing art." I''ll have to listen a little more to understand. I have never thought I was doing art. I''m a painter not an artist." A painter. I think I know what my grandfather wants to say little by little. "Who do you think makes art?" "The audience." Grandfather opened his eyes wide andughed quietly. "That''s what Grandpa also thinks. Art is not decided by an artist or critic, but by the person who feels it." At the same time as my grandfather, I also took a bite of pizza. "Do you remember the time when I refused selling my painting to Henry Marceau.? Yes grandpa." At first, I thought he didn''t want to sell it, but grandpa didn''t sell a single painting in the past nine months,pared to his reputation. Not only to Henry Marceau, but also to others who wanted his paintings. "I hate that jerk, but that''s not the only reason." Grandpa moistened his throat with coke. "When I was young, I was just happy when I saw rich people going crazy about my paintings and buying them for millions and billions of dors. But, you know what? I couldn''t find where the painting I had drawn at that time went." Maybe, Collectors are hiding it in their homes. Or, as in the past, paintings may have been used as a means of spection or tax evasion. For those who have power and money, painting is just a small amount of money. "My reputation has grown, and people who want to buy my paintings are ready to give me more money. But none of them have actually seen my paintings. People didn''t talk about my paintings, they just wondered how much my paintings were sold and who bought them. I felt something was wrong." Grandpa put down the pizza. I closed my eyes and shook my head. I felt remorse from that appearance. "Hun, Grandpa thinks there are great paintings, but there are no great painters." There is no great painter. "Since the subject of art lies with the audience. Art is not about doing it. It works." As soon as I heard the long agony that grandpa expressed, I couldn''t say anything. "It''s only when the person who sees the painting recognizes it as art, it bes valuable." I forgot to nod my head, and just looked at grandpa. Of course, you have to make money. Since we have to make a living. But we are painters. A person who tells a story with his painting and stories doesnt beplete with out a listener It wouldnt have been yesterday or today. Grandpa must have agonized over this dilemma all his life. While being delighted by the soaring reputation and price of paintings, his paintings disappear somewhere. People praise him without even knowing what he had drawn. Grandpa must have struggled with all these thoughts. But a question popped in my head. If he was going through all this, then why did he allow me to auction my paintings for the past few months. "Why didn''t you tell me grandpa?" When I asked grandpa, he took slice of pizza and brought it to my mouth. "It''s easy to simply convey experience and knowledge in words. But it''s hard to feel from the perspective unless you experience it yourself." This is the case with the teachings of parents, teachers, and seniors. I know it''s right and good, but it wouldnt have reached me. "You have to experience it. I don''t know what''s going to happen, but Hun might give a different answer than his grandpa." Grandpa wiped my mouth with a cloth after I ate the pizza he gave me and continued. "If you want to sell your paintings at a high price, you can. Tens of thousands of painters can''t do that, so they live hungry. No one will say anything to you." I drank the water grandpa handed to me. "But if If you just like to draw and enjoy painting, I hope you experience many things in the future. I''ll show you everything that this grandpa had seen, and I''ll tell you all the things that this grandpa had heard, but you have to look for it yourself, you have to find it yourself A way for you to enjoy drawing." Enjoy. The word which has so many meanings. Draw what I want to draw, and to be able tomunicate with people and not kneel. That also means not to sell the painting at a high price to those who visit the auction house. In fact, I''ve earned an unimaginable amount of money now, but thanks to this, I don''t have any work to disy at the Whitney Biennale. I don''t know where my painting is disyed, from [Sunflower] to [Guest] to [Frost Wheat Field] sold today. I drank c all the way and cooled my head and chest with a tingling sense of freshness. His personality is a mess, but Henry Marceau, an outstanding painter and sculptor, wouldnt treat my painting as money. But there is definitely a problem with the auction house now. Some people purely love paintings, like Henry, grandpa Martin and Richard Phillips, but there may be people who participate for other purposes, then my paintings would also have disappeared just like grandpa''s paintings. "Actually," Grandpa opened his mouth when I was thinking. "What happened today was really surprising. I don''t know if you understand the value of the money." "I don''t know grandpa." I know its a big amount, but I couldnt feel how big it is. The amount of money I spent on snacks worth 1,000 won and 2,000 won and potato pizza worth 28,000 won. So billion won cannot be felt realistically. "Yes, I suppose so. It''s different from the conversation we had a while ago, but it doesn''t make sense. You know how much grandpa loves Hun''s paintings, right?" "Yes." "It doesn''t make sense to such grandpa either. You shouldn''t like it, you should think about what''s wrong. Do you understand what grandpa means?" Yes grandpa." I don''t know why Henry is so obsessed with me. He has already bought two of my paintings. Perhaps this will continue to be the case in the future. Hell keep buying my paintings at a high price. Can the artist''s painting, which only Henri Marceau wants to own, approach others? No. That''s not what I want. I don''t want to be a Painter who sells paintings only to Henry Marceau. I don''t want to rely on him. But if I want to earn money, I have to sell my paintings. Let''s experience more. I''m sure the painter won''t just hold an exhibition to sell his work. Like grandpa said, the priority should be to find and experience things. As grandpa said, there might be no great painters. But I''m sure. A great teacher is in front of me. The next day, reporters camped in front of the school. Thanks to this, I was exhausted just by going to and from school. I took out a box of Mon cheri, which I had put in my bag to eat when I was hungry to gain vitality. It''s all crushed. While trembling with anger, Kim Jiwoo''s words suddenly came to mind. "Grandpa, I want to watch a movie." "Movie? What movie?" "Anything." "Well, that''s good. We don''t have time today, so Lets see one tomorrow. Is there anything you want to see?" "No, I just want to see how it is." Grandpa tilted his head for a while and soon understood. I think he thought I forgot about the movie because of my amnesia. "Do you want to see my grandpa''s favorite movie?" "What''s the name of the movie grandpa.? The worlds fastest Indian. Its a movie about an old man. How can an old man be described as the fastest in the world? Just hearing the title makes me wonder what it is about. "All right." "That''s the way it should be. Let''s fry popcorn, too." "Popcorn?" As I learned how to watch a movie from grandpa, I arrived at the WH Art museum. Uncle Bang greeted me warmly. "Professor, Hun. Come this way. Is he here already Mr.Bang? "Yes, he''s in the waiting room." There is five minutes left until the appointed time, and it seems that he was waiting. When I opened the door, a middle-aged man and two men turned their heads. The middle-aged man was Christine Nn, whom I saw at the auction. "Hello, Nice to meet you. His voice and tone showed off his dignity. Nn greeted my grandpa, too. "It''s the first time I''ve seen you in person. Im Christine Nn." "It''s Ko Sooyeol. Nice to meet you." I sat down and thankfully, the staff at the museum brought me a drink. Seeing the coke in ss with five ice cubes makes me feel better even before I drink it. After a sip, Christine Nn spoke. "You must have been surprised at my sudden request, weren''t you?" "I wasn''t surprised. I was just wondering whats going on." At my honest answer, Nn grinned. With a rxed smile, his eyes are straightforward. I can feel wisdom and pride. "Actually, I wished to see you in person since I was a big fan of your work. I want to relieve my regret that I couldn''t buy [Frost wheat field]. "Oh." "I heard you drew it in a day. How was it actually?" "It took about half a day to put it on the canvas, but I''ve been thinking about [Frost Wheat field] for quite a while." At first I wanted to draw Golden Wheat Field, but I changed my mind as I spend my days with grandpa. "I''ve thought about it for almost a year," Christine Nn raised his eyebrows and tilted his upper body forward a little. "I tried quite hard to express the [Frost wheat field], and it took me a long time to express the windy winter night sky." Christine Nn nodded and looked at the man standing next to him. He handed Nn a thick bunch of paper. Nn put the thick paper on the table. "Do you like movies?" "No." He opened his eyes wide. Even if he looked rxed, he made an expression that seems to be surprised. "I haven''t seen it, I''ll seeing one tomorrow. I''ll let you know when I see it." "Oh," Nnughed and pushed a bunch of paper. "This is the script for my next year movie. If you''re interested, please read it." On the cover, the title L''Aiguille creuse catches my eye. Hollow needle? I can''t get a sense of what the title alone is about. "And if." I looked up at Christine Nns words. If.after reading reading the script, if you wish to draw a picture, please contact me." As I turned my head since I couldn''t understand what he meant by drawing a picture after reading, I saw Uncle Bang with his eyes wide open as if they would pop out any moment. Trivia
  1. The world''s fastest Indian
2. The Hollow needle Chapter 67 Chapter 67 "Are you asking Hun to do concept art?" Uncle Bang couldn''t hide his surprise and asked. It is my first time hearing the word concept art, but if I infer it from the meaning of the word, I can think of it as a conceptual picture or an idea picture. "I''ve been looking at Ko Hun''s paintings so far," Christine Nn continued the story without affirmation or denial to Uncle Bang''s question. "I felt sophisticated at the atmosphere that felt reminiscent of the end of the 19th century in Huns work. I thought it would go well with this work." Nn interlocked his fingers lightly. "Have you read Arsene Lupin?" "No." "It''s a novel written in 1909 by Maurice Lenc. This is a script based on a work called The Hollow needle in the series." It is a novel that came out about 20 years after I died. The names Maurice Lenc and Arsene Lupin means that the story was set in France. "When I read this work, I think of ude M. Lupin''s area of activity in this work was Rouen." ud M, who promoted impressionism starting with sunrise. I have seen Rouen Cathedral, which he painted at the Muse d''Orsay. Since I didn''t have time, I mainly watched Lautreck, but I couldn''t miss M''s work, so I saw it for a while. Nn unfolded his smartphone and disyed a picture. It is a coastal cliff when the sun rises. Seeing the light that was captured with the wind and waves, its definitely ude M''s work. no.'' Considering that time has passed, it is impossible to ignore the possibility that discoloration has urred like my painting. In addition, the red paint used at this time was easy to lose its color like the one happened to my Red Vineyard. If there was originally much more red remaining on the sea level, it might be a sight of the sun setting not rising. Looking closely, that seems to be the case with the shape of clouds and the flow of wind. It should be seen as a sunset that is expressed darkly around the sun. As expected of ude M. I can feel the strangeness on the ckened coastal cliff. "It''s a picture of the sunset on the cliffs of tretat. It''s the background of The Hollow needle." I haven''t read it, but I think I know what the atmosphere is just by looking at this picture. Even those who have not been to the cliffs of tretat will be able to understand the novel deeply through this painting. However, I don''t know why this picture is needed in a movie that deals with video. When I was about to ask. Christine Nn kindly exined, "Concept art is like a guideline before making a movie. It''s a reference for filming with a clear image." I think it can be understood as asking me to bring literature out into the world. "Wait a minute," Uncle Bang interrupted the conversation. "Hun''s paintings give off the feeling of a painter of that time, but Hun has never drawn concept art." It is true. "Moreover, historical evidence is an important task, but Hun is still young." Well.. historical evidence is the area Im most confident about, among those who live in the present. I''m the only one who lived in those days the problem is that I''ve never done this before and I still don''t know exactly what they want. Christine Nn opened his mouth and changed the atmosphere of the room. "Is curator Bang Tae also acting as Ko Hun''s spokesperson?" "No. Not yet." "Not yet?" "I''ll be in the future. Uncle Bang replied with in a firm tone. There was something strange in Nn''s question, so I thought it would be faster to talk myself, rather than inting this atmosphere. "You''re asking me to read this and draw a picture, aren''t you?" Yes. The historical evidence can be reflected as much as you want. If you''re not good enough, we will provide you with the materials." Nn said while nodding lightly. "But I don''t understand why you need this. The director too must have an image in his mind. If you decided to make a movie of the novel, you would have your own shape What the main character will look like and what the background will look like. "Yes, I''m looking for someone to express what''s in my head. To show it to the production team and actors. There is a limit to what can be exined in words." Concept artists work to shape the director''s image," Grandpa exined supplementing Nns words. Hmm. It''s something I''ve never done, and it''s my first time receiving a painting request, so I''m also interested. I don''t think it''ll be very difficult since it''s set in an era and ce where I can fully utilize my experience. I want to try as much as possible. "I''ve never done it before, so I can''t answer it. Mr. Directors vision and my vision might not be the same. Nn grinned. "That''s right. So I want you to read the script and proceed if you like it and you could see my vision." "If that''s the case, there''s no reason to reject. I''ll read." I readily epted it. When the conversation was over to some extent, grandpa, who had not expressed his opinion, stepped up. "It would be burdensome to entrust such a work to a 10 year old child. Despite that why did youe to Hun?" I was also curious. Even if he liked my painting, it''s amazing that he can make a decision to leave a request to your 10 year old child, whom he doesnt know whether would meet his set schedule and demands. "Does age matter? All that matters is ability. If one has it, I can work with anyone." Nn''s voice and gaze were firm. It is an attitude that cannote out without confidence in one''s eyes and senses. "He may not be able to go abroad for a long time due to his school and other schedules, but if Hun wants to do it, well think about it." "Yes. I''ll only need a few days at first,ter I''ll be able to do it on the phone," Grandpa nodded. It seems like grandpa really wanted to confirm his intentions. "Then I''ll read and get back to you Mr. Director. "You''ll like it." Christine Nn''s face showed confidence. The words are not strong, but it seemed as if he was convinced that I will definitely like it. I''m sure you thought of making a movie because you have something to believe in, but it''s not ordinary confidence. Was it said that he was the one of the greatest Director of the 21st century? Even the nce and a gesture showed confidence and was strangely reliable. He certainly doesn''t look like a normal person. He held out his hand and shook it lightly. I had dinner with the people of the WH Art Museum and went home. I washed with hot water and sat on the sofa in the living room. I was going to read The Hollow needle given by Nn, when grandpa brought me warm milk. "Do you want to read it?" "Yes." "You''ll make a lot more money if you paint and sell it during that time." He says something he doesn''t mean. "The reason for painting is not because of money." I need money to draw, not the other way around. Grandpa sat down with a big smile. "Well, you have past the time to be obsessed with money, so do what you want." This exhibition really helped me a lot. Three of the five works put up for auction were auctioned off. Of the 14 works priced, 12 out of 14 were sold, and themission amounted to 11.4 billion won. If I pay 20 percent of the tax, the remaining money in the corporation will be about 9.12 billion won. Whenbined withst year''s ie, it easily exceeds 10 billion won. My wish was to draw without worrying about money for the rest of my life. There is no reason to dwell on money now that it has been achieved. Lending unsold paintings to the WH Art Museum will also generate ie. "Grandpa will go to bed. You have to go to school tomorrow, so don''t go to bed toote." Okay grandpa. Good night." Grandpa entered the room and I turned the first page. Two women Ray and Susanne, surprised by a sudden noisete at night, carefully examined the mansion. Then they ran into a man, and behind him, Susanne''s father, Count Jesb Le, and his secretary Jean Bouquet were knocked down. The count was alive, but the secretary died horribly. It seems to be a movie not for the children to see," I shrugged my shoulders and continued reading. Ray took out the rifle and shot the fleeing man. If she is a woman who could handle long guns well at that time, then she would have been very active beyond the wealth of the family." "It''s a novel, though." However, the man who was shot disappeared, and all that was left was a hat worn by a carriage-man. The story began in earnest in a situation where it was not murder due to resentment, and what he stole was unknown. It''s interesting. It''s not a novel, it''s just a script with contextual texts, simple exnations, and lines, but it''s a little different from the literature I read. From the beginning, a murder case urred, and the only clue was a hat without knowing the criminal''s motive. It was questionable how the story would be solved, but the characters in the novel investigated in various ways, including who bought the hat at the hat store and where the criminal could have escaped. It was something I have never read, so I gradually fell into the story. Sometimes I was sad, sometimes angry with Arsene Lupin, and as I cheered and sympathized with a genius boy named Isidore Beautrele, the day broke. Interesting. "A novel like this came out." Literature seems to have changed a lot. I can''t believe they''ve dealt with such an interesting material in the era I lived. It''s quite different from the usual novels that deals with life, death, honor, and sin. It''s a story that''s easy to approach and heart-fluttering. The setting was simr to the time I lived, so there are many things I could sympathize with, but in the case of electronic bells, I was surprised. It seems that the nobles had already used it at this time. I can draw an image in my head, but I don''t think I can draw it without research and study. Nevertheless, I''m very excited to do this. I''m excited. If this bes a movie and really appears in front of me, how much fun will it be. I should imagine about this story after school today. I was going to get up with that thought, but at that time grandpa came out to the living room. "Oh, dear. Did you stay up all night?" HeheGood morning grandpa." Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Christine Nn was on his way to Berlin to work on the music for his uing movie. In order to make the most of the given time, he was checking the edited version of the movie on the ne. "Nn" Art director Nathan Evans called Nn. "Huh?" "I''ve always supported you, but I can''t agree with you this time." Nathan Evans'' words made Nn wince. Cant agree.? "Yes. Ko Hun still too young. Also, he didn''t seem to know what concept art is." "It looked like that." Nn did not deny it. Yesterday, Ko Hun did not seem to be able to keep up with the conversation, so he had to add one or two additional exnation. "You know very well that not all paintings are the same. It was a hasty decision to choose him just because you liked his style of painting. I wonder if the child can express the atmosphere of The Hollow needle well." Maybe." Nn did not deny it again. Art director Nathan Evans couldn''t understand Nn, who agreed with him but reached out to Ko Hun. Nn folded hisptop. "If the result is not good, it can''t be helped. I''m going to find someone else, and I was just wondering what kind of shade he would bring to the story. Nathan Evans listened to Nn with his arms folded. You know it too, dont you.? We need a perfect image to bring the atmosphere of that time." Perfectionist Christine Nn was nning to create a whole vige for the movie, which is scheduled to be filmed next year. In order to revive the French atmosphere in the early 20th century, a clear image was needed, and preliminary work for thorough examination and research was gradually being prepared. However, it was difficult to express the modern France in Christine Nn''s head. Since he was in charge of production, direction, and script, he didn''t have time to exin them one by one, and he had limitations in delivering the information in words. Christine Nn needed someone to express the imaginary world, and just in time he got to know an artist named Ko Hun. "What I want from him is a milestone. If we know the direction, we can tweak it as much as we want." The important thing in concept art of The Hollow needle was the atmosphere. The historical evidence and details could have been coordinated with experts, but the destion and vanity of France at the time of industrialization was needed. "We have to persuade the audience with just one scene. To do so, a clear image like a [Frost wheat field] is needed." Ko Hun''s [Frost Wheat Field] was special. Hope and courage were felt even in the desperate atmosphere of a frozen wheat field on a windy winter night. There was no realistic description, and he could feel the narrative in just one painting. In order for all scenes in the movie to act as an element, an implicit and clear image was needed, such as [Frost wheat field]. In particr, there were several double tracks prepared for The hollow needle, which emphasized more on reasoning elements than the original novel. It was more important because it had a "hidden meaning" to convey the scene, not just by lines, actions, and props. "Hmm," Nathan Evans nodded his head as if he understood Nn''s words. I could see clearly what you are expecting. I hope Ko Hun can read the script properly. If he isnt interested, there''s nothing we can do." Nn grinned. "My scripts can never be boring." My eyelids are very heavy since I couldn''t sleepst night. I managed to hold out until the fourth period, but now I''m at my limit. "Today, let''s find out what to think about when designating urban development zones." Yes." In addition to general subjects such as Korean, English, and mathematics, there are five special discussion sses a week. It is so difficult that I wonder if it is something that children aged 10 or 11 should be learning. I don''t know why children should study about urban development. It is too much to fight sleepiness among children who actively participate in the ss. What is he doing all the time? I looked at the child in front of me. It has been some time I started attending the sses, but I have never seen his face. He was always doing something on his tablet. Was his name Cha Sihyeon? "Then shall we ask what Sihyeon thinks about it.? I don''t know what the teacher was talking about, and I think, the child who was doing something else also can''t answer properly. We need to minimize conflicts of interest and economic value byprehensively judgingndponents, surrounding buildings, housing and living conditions, demand, and residents'' needs. My guess was wrong. Cha Sihyeon, who stood up with a sulky look, answered clearly. How on earth did the children whoe to this school live and be like that? They must have been educated close to abuse. "Yes, we have to consider a lot of things when we''re developing a city. In particr, the process of listening to what residents think is essential. The teacher added to Cha Sihyeons answer. I looked at the tablet in Cha sihyeon''s table. It''s a drawing of a blue tree that grew by the frozenke. The lonely background gives off a strange atmosphere thanks to the tree that cannot be found in this world. I was wondering what he was doing, but it seems that he has been drawing. Theposition and shape are simple, but the impression of the blue tree is very fresh. It seems to be expressed by tapping the brush, and I wonder what application he is using. I''m not used to drawing on a tablet, so I have a lot of questions. I was looking at it with the intention of speaking to him after ss. "Then should we ask Hun, what he thinks.? When I suddenly came to my senses at the teacher''s call, my ssmates and teachers eyes were shining, while looking in my direction. Everyone seems to be expecting a great answer from me. But unfortunately, I''ve never thought of urban development since I love nature as it is. I''m in a position to oppose it. "It''s better to do it without ruining the nature." The children tilted their heads when they heard my honest answer, that was not as knowledgeable as Cha Sihyeon''s and other students. Hun said something very nice. Development is important, but it''s also important not to harm nature." When the teacher supported my answer, a child stood up and asked with a surprised face. "Why? Isnt much more beneficial to build an apartment?" The teacher cited New York City''s Central Park as an example. This is the venue for the Whitney Biennale. "Building more apartments will have an economic effect, but developing parks will improve the quality of life. Recently, there are many research that shows how these factors affect the economy." The teacher also added how much the resting ce provided by nature affects people. I can keep up with General subjects, but each special ss is really hard work. The gap is enormous to hear about the economy and development while learning four operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Then lets end today''s ss here. "Thank you teacher. Cha Sihyeon still drew even after the useful but boring and confusing ss. He didn''t even care about other children heading to the cafeteria for lunch. It''s a good concentration. I have a lot of questions to ask, but I didn''t want to disturb him, so I just watched him. How long has it been? After a while, Cha Sihyeon lifted his head and looked at the picture to see how it ispleted. A slight smile formed around his mouth. He seems to be satisfied. There is no high quality skills, but the use of color and brush strokes are impressive. Some of the most borate parts stand out. There are many exceptional children in this school, but in general, it is notmon toplete something like this alone at this age. You can''t paint such a picture without liking it very much. The child''s happy smile looks good. "?" His expression suddenly goes bad. He twitched his lips and erased the picture he had just finished. Did he not like it? No. He made such a happy face, so it can''t be. "Why are you erasing it?" When I asked him, Cha Sihyeon flinched. He slowly turned his head and looked at me with a poisonous expression. "Why are you looking at me.? He stood up with a very angry face, putting his tablet in the drawer and stormed out of the ssroom. I followed him. "Don''t follow me." "The picture is pretty, so I saw it. I didn''t do it on purpose." Cha Sihyeon stopped. "okay." He seem a little relieved. Cha Sihyeon, who was heading to the cafeteria, suddenly turned around. "Why do you keep following me?" I''m also going to cafeteria to eat." HIs face turned red. He started walking again, and the gap between us widened. I arrived at the restaurant. I was having a hard time choosing between Korean, Chinese, and special dish today. Chinese food is a dish that I have eaten once. If I don''t challenge myself, I won''t be able to enjoy new things. It''s better to choose between Korean food and special dish that I''ve never seen before. For Korean food, I can eat various foods together, including beef bulgogi, japchae, pumpkin pancakes, seasoned mushrooms, cabbage kimchi, and soybean paste stew. I wonder what the special dish called curry udon tastes like. In the end I chose Korean food. I go to school for this taste. I started to going to school with the pleasure of building knowledge, but now I go to school for the pleasure of eating this meal. The food grandpa cooks for me is salty, so this side is more ptable. Yum Yum "I''m quite used to using chopsticks now. I put my mouth full of dishes made with unusual noodles, vegetables, and meat. It''s an interesting texture. The crunchiness of the meat and vegetables harmonizes with the unique noodles. "It''s not flour." I wonder what this noodles is made of. Chomp Chomp As I was eating, I suddenly remembered that I was going to ask Cha Sihyeon what application he was using. The type of brush I use is not satisfactory, but at first nce, the brush he used had a quite unique feeling. Not only it had various in size, but it also seem to have various shapes, so I really want to know. Did he go back already? I can''t see him even if I look around. After lunch, there is only an hour of private ss, and then we leave school immediately. Maybe I''ll have to ask him tomorrow. With that in mind, I was going to try the soothing jangjigae this time. At that time Cha Sihyeon came into sight. I looked into his eyes, but he turned away. I wonder if he is still angry. "What did you eat?" When I asked, he turned and said, faltering and pulling his chin. "curry udon." He doesn''t look angry, but rather embarrassed, and he happened to have eaten the dish I was curious about. "Is it good?" "Normal." Normal? Just like any curry udon." I don''t know what normal curry udon taste like. I wish he could tell me more details, but he doest seem to want to talk to me. As Cha Sihyeon was about to leave, I hurriedly called him. "What''s the application you were using?" "what?" The drawing." He put down the tray and covered my mouth. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 He seems to be very shy. No one could have heard it, but I nodded to reassure Cha Sihyeon, who was embarrassed. He pouted his lips and sat opposite. "Don''t tell anyone. I nodded again. "You really shouldn''t say it." "Yeah." There must be some kind of situation for the child, and there is no reason for me to ask about it. But this child doesn''t seem to trust me. "What do you want?" "What?" "If you promise not to tell anyone, you have to give me a written document." Stop it. I won''t tell anyone." "Lies." Seeing him this much suspicious, he maybe want to hide the drawing or he don''t trust others. "Really," He held out his little finger. I just stared at me and didn''t do anything, so he waved and urged me, and I hung my finger in his finger and pinky promised him, hiding my embarrassment. I want to ask again what application he used, but even that seems to be a difficult question for this child, so I held up the spoon. It''s time to feel what this mysterious-smelling soup tastes like. I put the soothing soybean paste stew in my mouth. Under the lively pungent taste, I can feel the unknown heaviness. The soybean paste stew I tasted for the first time in my life was very pleasant. I felt the soup trying to clean my mouth with beef, and when I looked up, there was Cha Sihyeon, who looked at me with a sulky face. He''s really a strange child. "Don''t worry. I promised." I relieved him once again and picked up another spoon of soup. "I used the art education app." I heard that there was an application for art ss, but I haven''t used it because I haven''t taken the sses. "I haven''t tried it, but I guess it has a lot of functions," Cha Sihyeon shook his head. "What''s the name of the brush you used to draw the blue tree?" "Just normal. Normal..?" I thought he had set up a special setting or used an effective brush, but it seems like he didn''t. It felt like he had painted it with a round and pointed brush, and it would have taken a lot of time and work if he had drawn it with a basic brush. I can''t believe he deleted the drawing without saving it. "Why did you ask that?" "Because the technique you used felt interesting. I thought I''d try to copy it." Cha Sihyeon blinked. "Do you draw with a tablet?" I nodded, and the guy suddenly leaned forward. "Why? You can draw on a canvas." Because it''s different from drawing on a canvas." If I want to feel the paper texture and the density of paint directly, I draw on a canvas, and if I want to use various effects, I draw on a tablet. Cha Sihyeon fixed his posture and moved his lips. He seems to be holding back what he wants to say. Finally, he asked carefully, lowering his voice as if no one could hear it. "How do you feel when you draw on the canvas?"" He is such a strange child, who erases a carefully drawn picture and who has never used a canvas, even though he likes drawing. "You can draw it yourself and find it out." "" Cha Sihyeons head went down. I felt sorry looking that little boy''s drooping shoulders. I wondered if he could not afford to paint since his family was poor, but soon I remembered the school''s one-year tuition. It can''t be. I''m sure there''s something else going on. "Do you want to draw it? I''ll lend you mine." Hearing my suggestion, the guy looked up with a happy face. The happy face soon cooled down. "No." "Why? Don''t you want to draw in it?" "my father doesn''t like it." Maybe it was a matter of educational policy. In the past and now, people who pursue Painting face a lot of opposition from their parents. Parents want their children to live well, but painters rarely live well. I fully understand the feelings of the parents since I also lived my life with the help of Theo. But what can we do with the love that starts sprouting in our hearts.? "Come to our house. Your father won''t know if you draw it at my grandpa''s house." Really? Can I?" "Yes. I''ll ask my grandpa today." His eyes glistened. Now he looked like a 10 year old child. Hi grandpa. "How are you holding after staying up all night?" Im really at my limit now grandpa." Ko Sooyeol smiled when he saw his grandson wearing the seat belt with his eyes half closed. "Let''s go home and have a good night''s sleep." Yes grandpa." Ko Sooyeol, who started driving, turned his head while stopping at the signal. Ko Hun, who had been dozing off, suddenly opened his eyes. "Oh, Grandpa." "Hmm?" "Can I ask someone toe over tomorrow?" "Friend? Did you make friends?" "Yes, Hes in the same ss as me. His name is Cha Sihyeon?" "Sihyeon? Is it a girl?" "Boy. Hes really a strange kid. "Sure. You don''t have to ask Grandpa for that." "Really." So. How did you guys be friends.? "We''re not close. I talked to him for the first time today." "But if you decided to y together, didn''t you guys get to know each other well.? Koh Hun rubbed his eyes to ovee his sleepiness. "He seem to like drawing, but his parents doesnt seem to let him draw at home. I called him toe over because he said he had never painted on canvas." Hmm..It seems to be a strict family. Well, it would be nice if they let him draw as a hobby. "I know right." "If he want to paint, ask him toe by any time he want." "I will grandpa. Ko Hun yawned. "Haha. Was the script that interesting.? "Yes, it was the first time I read a story like that." Ko Hun got immersed in the story because he felt like he lived in an era simr to the background of The hollow needle just a year ago. "Wasn''t it difficult?" Ko Sooyeol thought that although the Arsene Lupin series was a famous novel unlike orthodox mystery novels, it would be difficult for a child to understand. "Yes, theposition was interesting. I was so curious about who would catch Lupin Isidore, Ganimard, or Herlock Sholmes." Ko Soo-yeol recalled the original novel he read a long time ago. To catch the thief Lupin. It was a story in which genius amateur detective Isidore Beautrelet, Inspector Justin Ganimard, and British detective Herlock Sholmespeted. "All three of them were exceptional. In the end, Isidore was ahead, but without Ganimard and Herlock Sholmes, he wouldn''t have found Lupin. Ko Hun''s exnation made Ko Sooyeol wonder. "Did Herlock Sholmes y a big role?" "Yes. Eventually, it turns out that his reasoning was right." Maurice Len is especially loved for the Arsene Lupin series and at the same time many felt that his work was also an insult to Sherlock Holmes fans. This was due to the character Herlock Sholmes which is a motif of Sherlock Holmes, the greatest detective in history created by British novelist Conan Doyle, who was portrayed as a mass of nuisance. Because to this, those who read the original novel until the end were surprised by thest twist, while still feeling ufortable. "Director Nn seems to have paid a lot of attention to it." "What?" "In the original novel, Herlock Sholmes is portrayed as an ipetent." As soon as Herlock Sholmes came to France to catch Lupin, he gets kidnapped by him. Later, in order to capture Lupin, he took his old nanny hostage, and eventually killed Lupin''s lover Ray. Before discussing good and evil in the work, he was portrayed as a ridiculous, ipetent, and unjust person. Really. However, in Director Nn''s script, Herlock Sholmes was depicted as a clear and attractive sociopath, simr to Sherlock Holmes. It was an adaptation for Sherlock Holmes'' fans while filling in the thick storyline, twist, and regret of the movie. "I must watch it when the moviees out," Ko Hun nodded inwardly at Ko Soo-yeol''s words. He was sure that it would be a very enjoyable experience if he could see such an interesting story alive. "I want to try this concept Art grandpa. Said Ko Hun smiling, "Yes, do whatever you want to do. That evening, as soon as they got home, Ko Hun opened his eyes wide at the smell of pizza. Ko Hun, who staggered out to the living room, was weed by Jang Mirae and pizza. "You''re here Aunt Mirae." "Did you sleep in the car.? "Yes." Ko Hun put the pizza given to him on the living room table. "Teacher, heres your share." "Oh, thank you," Three people sat around. Ko Hun ate the pizza while drooping since he didn''t have enough sleep. Jang Mirae asked Ko Hun with a smile. "Didn''t you sleep well at night?" "Yes. I was reading the script." "Script?" Jang Mirae tilted her head. "Director Nn requested Hun for concept art." Jang Mirae was greatly surprised by Ko Sooyeol''s exnation. It was surprising that Christine Nn, who achieved $1 billion in the World Wide Box Office, wanted to work with Ko Hun, and she couldn''t believe that Ko Sooyeol epted it. "Did you decide to do it?" "Hun wants to do it, so we were talking about it now." What.really.?? The teacher who was waking Ko Hun who was sleeping while sitting, felt different in Jang Miraes eyes. The decisive reason that her teacher fought with his daughter was because of her career. Ko Hae, who chose a career in digital art, worked in multimedia fields such as Max Studio, movies, and games, while Ko Sooyeol, who wanted his daughter to revive the stagnant painting world, did not like it. The emotional gap that began like that deepened, and in the end, they did not contact each other. "Grandpa, eat something, too." "I''m eating. Here, have some kimchi." "I don''t think kimchi on pizza is good for your health." "Pizza itself is not good for your health Little Hun." WhyIt has bell peppers, onions, and a lot of vegetable. So its good. "You should eat bnced food. If you eat pizza all the time, you will fall sick." Jang Mirae was relieved to see Ko Sooyeol and Ko Hun talking to each other, which was more like arguing. Teacher. Youve changed. Ko Sooyeol, who was endlessly kind to his colleagues and students, was especially strict with his daughter. The desire to share the dream and trying to achieve it so firm created a crack in the father daughter rtionship. Do he regret it? But he changed little by little while living with Ko Hun. It allowed Ko Sooyeol to have more diverse experiences, and he actively helped his grandson in whatever areas he was interested in. "It''s too salty grandpa. Of course kimchi is salty, its not a sweet. Jang Mirae thought that Ko Sooyeol''s change was due to the regret and remorse after he became estranged from his daughter. If normal Kimchi is salty, the kimchi that grandpa makes is way more salty." Then, would you like to eat the fresh kimchi I bought yesterday? No. I dont want to eat Kimchi grandpa. I want potato pizza. Jang Miraeughed looking at the two arguing over eating Kimchi. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 After eating, Ko Hun, who couldn''t ovee fatigue and satiety, eventually copsed and fell asleep. "So, no movie today." Ko Sooyeol, who was expecting to watch a movie with his grandson, hugged his grandson in regret. He shook his head as he came out afterying Ko Hun in his bed. "Did you see his stubbornness?" "Hehe. Yes, he looked exactly like teacher." "Ugh." Jang Mirae asked, organizing the table. "It will be hard for Hun to draw concept art. Is that okay teacher?" Drawing your favorite picture and drawing what others wanted are two different things. Moreover, drawing concept art requires realistic description based on historical evidence, which was different from the pictures drawn by Ko Hun so far. Jang Mirae confessed her innermost thoughts. "I know you were against it when Hae wanted to do it." Ko Sooyeol sighed. He thought about his one and only daughter, who was his life after he lost his wife early. Ko Sooyeol, who excelled himself as an Artist,cked in many ways as a single father of a child. He thought everything would be fine as long as he was able to show good things, feed delicious foods, and buy expensive clothes for his daughter. But he forgot tomunicate with his daughter. As Hae established herself in digital Art, the conflict between the two only intensified. "I wasn''t against Hae doing digital Art." For Ko Sooyeol, everything rted to art was equal. He thought each of them had their own needs and values, such as painting, craft, visual design, industrial design, animation, and calligraphy. He just wanted his talented daughter to take over his will as an Artist. "It was just my greed." Korean art has been fixed in abstraction and stoppedmunicating with the public for many years. There was a time when only works that could be understood only after listening to the Artists exnation poured out. Apart from the value and significance of the work, such a trend resulted in art bing distant from the public, and Ko Sooyeol developed his dream of taking Art to the public, as a painter while watching the process. He entered University as a professor in the 1980s. At that time the world of Art started revolving around Modern Art, which could be understood only by a certain elite section of the society. Ko Sooyeol, who criticized the elite-centered way of thinking of modernism and made great efforts to break down the boundary between pure art and popr art. Thanks to Ko Sooyeol and many other like minded artists, the Korean art world was able to abandon modernism, which was already an old thing in the Western Art world, which started their own style of new art. Jang Mirae, who was well aware of her teacher''s achievements, nodded. "I know." Ko Sooyeol and Ko Hae just had different ways of thinking about Art. Ko Sooyeol thought pure art should be poprized, and the elitist-centered popr art shouldnt be recognized as art. Ko Sooyeol wanted his daughter to help him for the future of the Art world. "Looking back, we never had a proper conversation. I just pushed my views, without thinking how she felt." The two, who were not friendly, were not good at conveying their feelings to the other person. Still, Koo Sooyeol thought nothing would go wrong since they were a family, but the crack formed in the rtionship of the father and daughter kept increasing over the years, and Ko Sooyeol realized this only after the big fight with his daughter. He regretted not being able to talk things out only after he lost his daughter. "Hun looks really happy." Jang Mirae asked sincerely. "What about teacher.?" Jang Mirae, who came to visit from time to time worrying about her teacher, was relieved to see the two having fun. Ko Sooyeol, who was aware of that feeling, smiled softly. " I am happy every day, watching Little Hun grow. Guess what Hun has made a friend recently." "Really?" "Yes. He asked me if it was okay to bring him home. Hahahah." Ko Sooyeol was so happy that he wanted to brag about his grandson making a friend. Lunch time. I was going to try curry udon, but I gave up for today. Todays battle was whether to eat Japanese food consisting of omurice, chicken karaage, and radish pickles or Korean food consisting of Neungi Mushroom Samgyetang, chicken porridge, and mixed gourds "Why didn''t you choose yet?" Cha Sihyeon asked an inconsiderate question. "I have to be careful. It''s an important choice that decides how I would feel today." What does Neungi Mushroom Samgyetang taste like? I have tried regr samgyetang, but Neungi mushroom is a food ingredient I have never seen before. Would it be good? Looking at the name and picture alone, I''m very attracted to omurice. "I''ll go first. Cha Sihyeon chose the special menu. "Oh." That''s an unexpected choice. Certainly, I''m curious about thebination of hot dogs, wedge potatoes, and chicken sd. "What does it taste like?" Like a normal hot dog." This guy is useless when ites to choosing food. After a long thought, I chose samgyetang. At first nce, it looks like a boring food, but I don''t know it unless I try it. When I took my seat after receiving the food, Cha Sihyeon sat across from me. "Are you sure you''re okay?" "Without courage, you can''t experience anything new." I never thought they''d give me a whole chicken. There are also a lot of mushrooms. I wonder where to start eating this big one. Although I have gotten used to using chopsticks, this will be a very difficult meal. "Okay," Cha Sihyeon nodded quite grimly and agreed with me. First, I took some flesh of the chicken and put it in my mouth. "" As expected. It is not much different from samgyetang that I ate before. The chicken meat is quite soft, but it tastes boringpared to the way it is cooked or fried. That''s too bad. This time I reached for chicken porridge. I didn''t want it to be salty like my grandfather''s food, so I carefully put it in my mouth hoping it was seasoned properly. I was disappointed when I moved my tongue the first time. When I moved the second time, I opened my eyes to an unexpected deep taste. After moving the third time, the tip of my tongue was filled with a subtle vor of unknown origin. Is this a mushroom samgyetang? After swallowing, my body subsides calmly and bes warm. Let''s see. Now it''s time to try the soup. When I blew the hot steam and took it to my mouth carefully, my mother''s warmth came to mind. Behind the heavy scent of unknown identity, the greasy and seasoned broth wraps around my mouth. What kind of dish is this? My tired body seems to melt down as I take a sip again and again. "I want to try." Cha Sihyeon showed a firm determination when I was thrilled with the blessing of Neungi Mushroom Samgyetang. It seems that he is also challenging the food he has never tried before. He took a big bite and chewed it vigorously. "Is it good?" "It''s normal." I''m d I chose samgyetang. "Don''t be disappointed if you fail once or twice. If you don''t give up and try, you''ll definitely get something." "Yeah. I don''t think I''ll draw well from the beginning." "" Why is the story suddenly about drawing? "But yesterday," Cha Sihyeon mentioned yesterday''s conversation while I was eating the chicken porridge with an awkward mind. "You said you''d copy my drawing." "Yes." "Aren''t you really good at drawing?Why are you copying mine?" "Because it looked good." Cha Sihyeon blinked. He doesn''t seem to understand what I meant by copying. "I just wanted to learn because I liked your blue tree." "I don''t understand." "I mean, drawing well doesn''t matter. If you draw what you like and copy cool techniques, your skills will naturally improve." "You can''t copy it, can you?" "I can''t draw it in the same way." Cha Sihyeon shone in the eyes and asked. "But I''m not good at drawing. I don''t know what you''re trying to learn by copying my drawing." He needs an example. "I like paintings of Jo Sok, Picasso, Lautrec, and Grandpa," Cha Sihyeon tilts his head. "Did you copy their drawings?" "Of course." I continued my story, wiping around my sticky mouth. "Jo Sok drew a picture of Sukjodo, and until I saw it, I didn''t know that the bird sitting on the branch would be so cute. I felt an emotion that I didn''t feel." Cha Sihyeon unfolded his smartphone and searched Sukjodo. "So is your blue tree. I didn''t think about it at all until I saw your painting. It was a refreshing experience. I saw something that wasn''t in my head. After I saw your painting, I thought, Oh, I like blue trees." "Hmmm." "Looking at the painting is taking a glimpse at the artist''s own world. On the contrary, drawing is expressing oneself. There''s nothing great orcking about it." How can there be high and low in thought and emotion? Painting is just a conversation that shares different thoughts, perspectives, emotions, and experiences. Another way of talking that deals with areas that cannot be done with letters. "That''s why I have something to learn from your painting," I said, swallowing the soup. When I heated my body with chicken porridge and chewed the mixed gourd, my mouth was full of life with a crunching sound. "That''s the perfectbination," It has a subtle and deep vor, but it is so much fun to have a somewhat boring taste with mixed gourds. The person who made thisbination of food should be awarded a prize. When I left the ssroom after the special ss in the afternoon, Cha Sihyeon was waiting while holding his both bag straps. He came as soon as the ss was finished. I guess he was in a hurry. "Let''s go." "Yes." We went out of the building. The man I saw for the first time walked in, bowed his head and said. "Young Master" I thought the ss system had disappeared, but he acted like a person who was employed by the former aristocratic family. "Hello" I bowed to him with silent courtesy. "That''s the boy I told you about yesterday." "Yes. The CEO asked me to say hello." "Hun" Grandpa came up to me when he found me. The man bowed to my grandpa. "Good morning, Dean. I''m Jeong Jinho, secretary to the CEO of EI Party. The CEO sent me to say thank you for the invitation." Jeong Jinho gave grandpa a paper bag. Grandpa smiled and shook his head. "No, I''m hanging out with my grandsons friend. Don''t need to thank me for that.". "Please ept it." Jeong Jinho said politely one more time, and grandpa reached out as if he couldn''t help it. "You don''t have to do this again. Oh, you''re Hun''s friend." "Hello, I''m Cha Sihyeon." Cha Sihyeon greeted grandpa politely. He is a strange child, but he knows a lot and has good manners, perhaps because of his strict family education. "Yes. Yes. Thank you for being friendly with Hun." Grandpa too seems to like him. "I''ll pick up by 5 o''clock." "yes." Cha Sihyeon answered sullenly, perhaps because he thought he could only y with me for three hours. "Why, why don''t you let him y a little longer? I have prepared dinner, so don''t worry." My grandpa''s words quickly brightened Sihyeons face. Jung Jinho agonized and bowed his head when he saw Sihyeon''s desperate expression. "Then I will convey it to the CEO. We look forward to your kind cooperation." Grandpa smiled and nodded his head. I thought he was a mature child with dull emotions, but seeing his eyes shining while looking at me, I''m sure he is still a normal 10 year old child. This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 71 Chapter 71 On our way home, Sihyeon could not hide his excitement. I wonder what kind of picture he''s drawing in that little head. "Show me the paintings." Sihyeon quickly became sullen when I asked him what kind of picture he had drawn. There is no painting. On the tablet.? I didn''t save it. None? Yes. Unbelievable. Sihyeon had a good sense of handling colors for a young child. I can''t believe that he doesn''t have any paintings. It doesn''t make sense. Suddenly, I remembered that he deleted thepleted painting without saving it yesterday. "Why?" He didn''t answer. Even if he doesn''t answer, I can roughly infer that its because his father opposes it. He seems to be much stricter than I thought. "Why does your father hate painting so much?" Sihyeon looked at grandpa. He seems to be worried that grandpa might say what he said to his father. Looking at his nervous expression grandpa said. "Don''t worry. Your father won''t know what happens here today." Sihyeon wiggled his fingers, hesitated and swallowed his words a few times. I didn''t want to push him, so I patted him on the shoulder. "Let''s draw a lot. I''ve got your brush ready." "thank you." The blunt child has a pretty cute side. However, it is a pity that I can feel the sadness he has in his heart. "We''re almost there." Thinking about it, We arrived home before I knew it. I led him to the studio. "It''s cool, right?" Sihyeon didn''t answer. He opened his mouth slightly and looked at the studio. His eyes were sparkling. "Now, this is your seat." I pointed to the easel and chair that my grandpa prepared separately yesterday. When I gave him a pencil, eraser, brush, palette, paint, and knife, he held it very carefully and examined it. I took out the 40F canvas for him to draw as much as he wanted. "Draw as much as you want." I gave him a big canvas to relieve his pent-up heart, but I know that he will probably be at a loss. In most cases, when you try to draw, you don''t know what to draw. I turned on the faucet thinking that the progress will not be fast for the time being. The water rises with a pleasant sound. When I turned around with the water bottle, the impatient guy already squeezed the paint. They are ivory ck, ultra-marine, and titanium white. He nodded his head as if asking me whether he could really use it. I want to tell him how to use a brush, how tobine colors, and what he needs to prepare before drawing on the canvas. But right now, I just want him to enjoy it. "Ultra Marine would be good to save itter. Sihyeon dipped ivory ck with arge brush and painted it on the canvas. He intended to paint it all ck. If he paints ck first, it will be hard to paint, since it will take time for it to dry. It is a bold action that can happen if you dont have proper knowledge, but the process of realizing it by himself is important. I was watching him with my chin on my hand. This time he touched the ultramarine color with the used brush. He didn''t care much whether the colors are mixed or not. He felt confused as if something was wrong after he took the brush to the canvas. He looked at the canvas, the brush, and the palette and finally turned his head. " Hun.What should I do?" Iughed because he looked like he was about to cry. I stopped theugh from escaping my mouth by holding it with my hands. don''tugh. I barely stoppedughing. "It''s better to use bright colors first. It''s better to wash if you don''t want the paint to get mixed." " It was okay on the tablet." Sihyeon, who drew only on the tablet, may not have anymon sense. "It''s okay because you can paint over it when it''s a little dry." Sihyeon looked at the canvas and pouted his mouth. " Did I do it wrong" "No." It''s time to encourage him not to lose interest. He should know that no matter how wonderful an artist paints, he would be really bad at first. There''s no right or wrong in painting. Really? Unlike his first impression, he''s really a very emotional child. His face brightens up in no time. "Yes. You just drew it badly." Sihyeon began to cry. Yes. He said he''d take care of dinner. "Okay. Good job." Cha Jaewoo, CEO of EI Party, was briefed by his secretary about his son. I hope nothing happens. However, concerns remained. Cha Jaewoo was first told that he wanted to y with his friend, and he dly epted it because of the social position of Artist Ko Sooyeol, but he was worried if his son would start drawing paintings under the influence of Ko Hun. Cha Jaewoo hated the species called Painters, who turn a blind eye to reality. His father Cha Sangchul, was a nameless painter, who paid no attention to his family. Whether his wife washed the dishes for 14 hours a day or whether his son ate or not, he drew only trees. The reason he was not recognized was because of his vested interests. He expressed his sense of regret and inferiority to his family, saying, "Because I don''t have money, don''t look down on me." Drinking alcohol andmitting violence became a daily life. Cha Jaewoo, who grew up watching his mother Kim Mikyung make money alone and take care of the housework, hated his father. He decided to seed for his mother who had suffered for him. Is it because of that deep resentment? Cha Jaewoo was able to be the CEO of the nation''srgest food and beverage manufacturer and led a happy family with his mother, wife and son. The only blemish was the father, whom he couldnt cut off due to the curse of being blood rtives. Cha Sangchul did not use violence like he used to, but he tried to project his dream on his grandson Cha Sihyeon. Cha Jaewoo didn''t want his trash father to be with his son. Sihyeon, you''re talented. Grandpa will teach you how to draw. "What do you think of the tree that your grandfather drew?" You can''t use the line like that. Do it again." The moment Cha Jaewoo saw his son being brainwashed by his father, he was filled with desire to kill his father. After that day, Cha Jaewoo thoroughly made sure that his trash father was away from his son. If his son wanted to paint on his own, he wanted him to have the ability to make a living on his own at least with his own will. Although he had enough ability to create the best environment for his son, Cha Jaewoo did not want his son to lean on his property and live irresponsibly. But the son was too young to judge it. He was at an age where he didn''t even know what he wanted to do or what he had to prepare for the future, and above all, Cha Jaewoo judged that the influence Cha Sihyeon received from his grandfather remained. He judged that it was too early for his son to make a decision about his future. Until then, Cha Jaewoo didn''t want to force anything on his son. He wanted Cha Sihyeon to be free to think and judge. The day his grandson brought his friend. Ko Sooyeol decided to show off his cooking skills. He checked the jjimdak recipe on Inte. Ko Sooyeol, who was checking the ingredients, narrowed his eyes. "Who puts coke in the jjimdak?" Thinking that he found the wrong recipe, he searched how to make jjimdak . This time also it was rmended to add coke to create sweetness and color. "Are they out of their mind?" Ko Sooyeol put a lot of fruit and vegetables along with thetro, which he thought would be enough, then added pears, jujubes, and onions for sweetness. He thought it would be good for his grandson''s health. "Let''s see. How much water do I need to put in?" He turned on the gas stove after pouring water so that all the ingredients could be submerged. "Is it done now?" Tired of cooking, he sat on the sofa in the living room. The meat will be softened and the bones will be well coated only when boiled. Ko Sooyeol turned on the TV leisurely. It''s been about 10 minutes. A delicious smell began to enter his nose. Let me taste it. Ko Sooyeol headed to the kitchen. He was surprised by the heat of opening the pot. "Why is there so much water?" Ko Sooyeol, who did not expect water toe out, tasted the soup. It was so nd. There was no sweetness. "Should I really need to put in real coke?" He put in soy sauce, but the color he ate at the store didn''te out. He tried adding vored salt and soy sauce little by little, but it didn''t get better. Jjajang ramen came into Ko Sooyeol''s eyes, who was wondering if he should order delivery since he can''t feed his grandson''s friend with tasteless food. After a while, Ko Sooyeol, who tasted the jjimdak soup boiled with ck bean ramen powder, nodded satisfactorily. The color faded well to dark brown, the seasoning was appropriate, and the savory taste was excellent. Contrary to the original idea, it became a soup, but it was not a big problem. "Guys, let''s eat." Ko Sooyeol called the children, taking out the food. He was surprised when he saw Ko Hun and Cha Sihyeoning out of the studio. "Oh, my God." He thought they painted on their body instead of the canvas, as their clothes, face, hands, were covered in paint. But the two children''s expressions were bright. "What did you do? Why did you do this? Hun?" "He couldn''t use a brush, so I asked him to draw it with his hands. It was fun, wasn''t it?" Yes. Oh, take it off quickly. Take it off.? Ko Hun urged Cha Sihyeon, while taking off his shirt and packing salt. Huh? We have to wash it. Cha Sihyeon hesitated in confusion. He was reluctant to take off his clothes in front of his friends grandfather, whom he met for the first time. "If you go home like that, you father will know that you drew something"" Cha Sihyeon, who had so much fun, didn''t think he would be caught by his father, took off his clothes quickly. Will this get erased? Yes. It will be gone if you put it in salt water and wash it with vinegar. Ko Hun put salt and water in the bathtub and put their clothes in it. He then sprayed water with the shower nozzle on Cha Sihyeon to soothe him, who was anxious because he was not reliable. What are you doing! Don''t worry. It''s okay. When Cha Sihyeon saw Ko Hun''s smiling face, his nervous heart calmed down. Cha Sihyeon took the shower nozzle and sprayed water on Ko Hun. This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Ko Sooyeol smiled while hearing theughter from the shower. At one time, he was worried about his grandsons unchildlike appearance, but after traveling to Europe, he started expressing his feelings more often and now heughed and yed with his friend. Ko Sooyeol was relieved that his grandson was slowly forgetting the trauma of the time of the ident. Guys, Are you done showering? Yes, hey, hey Sihyeon ! Wait!" "Hehehe!" Ko Sooyeol, who thought he couldn''t stop the excited kids, set the table leisurely. The children opened the door and came out. The water dripped from their body since they didn''t wipe properly. "You''ll catch a cold," Ko Hun said maturely, drying his friend''s hair with a towel. Sit down. I can do it. It will be faster if I do it. We can quickly have dinner. It was cute andmendable to see Ko Hun drying his friend''s hair. "Oh yeah. The clothes to change" Ko Sooyeol brought a change of clothes for Cha Sihyeon. Ko Hun''s clothes fit Cha Sihyeon perfectly. "Come on,e on. Let''s eat now." Ko Sooyeol brought the children and seated them down at the table. Ko Hun and Cha Sihyeon opened their eyes wide and looked at duck ck bean soup. "What is this?" Ko Hun questioned his grandfather''s masterpiece with suspicious eyes. "What do you mean, its duck soup. Try it. Sihyeon, too." The two children looked at each other. The smell was good, but the brown duck soup, which was close to ck, could not look delicious to the children''s eyes. Ko Hun, who had been hit by his grandfather''s food a few times, tasted it first. "Uh." The soup was sweet and savory. Thanks to the deep boiling, the water seeped out and he could feel the unique concentration of duck meat. Ko Hun recalled the taste of samgyetang that he had yesterday. "It''s better than samgyetang at school." "Really?" "Yes. Try it." Cha Sihyeon also took courage because of what his friend said. He put some soup into his mouth. For Cha Sihyeon, who had never tried instant food, the powder of ck bean noodles was too stimting. Cha Sihyeon, impressed by the taste, took another sip of the soup. "Is it that good?" "Yes!" Ko Sooyeol smiled satisfactorily as he looked at Ko Hun and Cha Sihyeon eating the soup he made vigorously. Cha Sihyeon was a good son. He took what his mother and father said without a bit of doubt. He studied hard as they said. He was brilliant, so he easily managed his studies on his own, and never asked for help or said it was difficult. He didn''t ask for toys and he didn''t watch any animated films or y games that children his age would like to do. It was because of the words passed by his father that he had to study hard. But he wanted to draw pictures and y with friends in his heart. And at some point, he couldn''t control that anymore. Because of his outstanding performance, school sses became boring, and in the resulting leisure time, he spent on tablet, and art education applications. The pure heart that opened the door to the world of Art once grew out of control. However, the smart child hid his feelings thoroughly because he knew his father hated drawing. Paintings were drawn only on tablets and not saved. Sometimes he wanted to keep his favorite painting, but he was willing to give up that happiness because he knew that his father would be sad if he knew it. He was satisfied with just painting. When he wanted to see the picture he drew, he took it out from the picture shop in his head. Although he couldn''t show it to others, he was able to soothe his regret because he had a blessed talent that he never forgets what he saw once. Cha Sihyeon, who had been dreaming in a world of his own with no one, could no longer hide himself. It was because of Ko Hun. "I just wanted to learn it because I liked your blue tree." When Ko Hun said he liked his painting, Cha Sihyeon wanted to show the countless blue trees he had in his head. He didn''t feel like it suddenly. It was because the desperate heart that tried to turn a blind eye swelled to the point where it could no longer be hidden. When he first picked up the brush, squeezed the paint himself and painted it on the canvas, the emotion he was suppressing exploded. It was fun. It was the first time a child who controlled his emotions expressed himself. The boy''s heart was overwhelmed by the world on the canvas, which got changed by his gesture. Fortunately, Ko Hun didn''t tell Cha Sihyeon how to draw. Because of that, Cha Sihyeon enjoyed painting to his heart''s content. Ko Hun just watched it so that he could realize it himself and improve it. "If it''s hard to use a brush, you can draw it with your hands." "How?" "Like this." Ko Hun stretched out his palm and held the paint. The action was a shock to Cha Sihyeon. He couldn''t believe he was touching the paint with his bare hands. He wondered if he could do such a radical thing. However, the boy, who had already lost control of himself, followed his friend with paint in his hand and boldly applied it to the canvas. He moved as much as he wanted while collecting and spreading paints in his fingers. As he was only obsessed with painting, the paints on the canvas could not be recognized. "It''s weird." Cha Sihyeon couldn''t understand the picture he drew. It was a meaningless form. However, the act of painting it itself was so enjoyable that he didn''t know what to do. His heart sank when he realized that there was paint on his clothes. The food he had for the first time in his life was delicious and he was relieved to see the neat clothes even though it was wet when he went back. Only one worry left. "Can Ie again?" Will today''s happiness end like this? He was scared of being left lonely again. "Sure," Ko Hun grinned. "It was fun." Cha Sihyeon felt like his heart was going to explode as soon as he confirmed that he was not the only one who had fun. A single reading is not enough to fully understand the script. In order to fully express director Christine Nn''s screeny, I read each sentence carefully. As a result, the speed was a little slow, but there will be no big problem. It''s not something to deal with in a hurry and there''s a lot of time left. Moreover, preparations for the Whitney Biennalee first now, so let''s not be impatient. I want to draw andscape. Seoul is a hard ce to find nature like Arles and Auvers. I want to draw everything around the area we live in, so I wanted to ask grandpa to take me on a pic this weekend. The chilly weather has warmed up a lot, so it will be a very pleasant pic. While thinking about it I was drawing various snacks to develop my depictive power. "Oh," As I turned my head, Sihyeon was looking at the still life painting that I had drawn as a practice. Why isn''t this on disy? It''s practice. Even though you drew this well?" "There are many people who draw this much." "Lie." "Really." This era is so full of geniuses. There are people who shine especially among them, such as grandpa, Aunt Mirae, and Henri Marceau. The students that Grandpa and Jang Mirae teach have really excellent skills. I was surprised when I went to the exhibition of college students. The standards of college students are not low by any means. Rather, they are notcking at all than those who have made their names in the past. I showed the impressive painting among the paintings I had seen at the Korean university student exhibition. "Wow," Sihyeon admired. Is this a painting drawn by a student? Yes, it was painted by a Korean Art university student. It was like a photographic expression. I thought only grandpa, Aunt Mirae, and Henri Marceau could express this much with oil paint. This was no longer an exceptional ability in this era. Hyperrealism. ording to grandpa, it was a style of painting that was popr in the 1960s in America. Precision used to be an area that only a very few people who were blessed by God could do. Now, even college students can imitate it. "This must be very expensive, right?" "No. Its not." From what I heard from Uncle Bang, there are many cases where they don''t even get paid the cost of paints. "Why? Even though it was drawn so well?" "I know, right?" You can''t even make a living with such excellent skills. "Oh. Is it because there''s a lot of supply?" Sihyeon said something I couldnt understand. "What does that mean?" "There are a lot of people who supply these kind of paintings, so the price has to go down since the demand can''t keep up." "..?" It took me a while to understand. In short, there are a lot of well-drawn life-like paintings all over the ce. But, there are only a limited number of people who buy paintings, so if they are not exceptional among them, they will not be sold. "You can''t sell them just because you drew well," Sihyeon nodded. "Drawing well doesn''t necessarily include drawing realistically. "Then?" " Old paintings are valuable as a feed, while famous paintings are meaningful as collections. The standards for drawing well, vary from person to person." I showed Sihyeon Willem de Kooning''s Women III. "What''s this?" Sihyeon narrowed his eyebrows and closed his mouth with his hands. Should I say it''s a concept that''s close to abstract painting. Words cannot describe this painting. "It''s a painting by a man named Willem de Kooning. What do you think? Scary. It''s not a picture where either an adult nor a child can feel pleasant emotions. I can''t draw it. I don''t fully understand the concept of abstract painting. It''s called abstract expressionism. " Is this painting expensive?" "Yeah, it''s over 100 million dors." I looked up an article and found that a Starbucks man bought it for more than 144.3 billion won in 2006. It''s an iprehensible price. I can not yet adapt to modern art since I only feel the weirdness of this painting. We may never understand each other, but that''s not bad either. No matter how hard we try, there are people who we can never understand. But at least you have to talk before making a decision, so I''m going to get to know about it gradually. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 The hard math ss is over. I looked for pictures on the Inte to soothe my devastated mind. I usually found it by the artist''s name, but as a result, I could only see the works of people I knew. "What should I search for?" I didn''t know what to search for, so I searched for famous paintings. Search results showed, my [starry night] at the beginning. "What are you looking at andughing?" Sihyeon talked to me. The guy who used to draw on the tablet without raising his head all the time at school approaches first as if he had be quite used to me. "Starry Night." I turn the tablet around and showed it, and his eyes shine looking at it. "Cool." Sihyeon tilted his head. Is this a tree? Yes. Cypress tree. It looks strange. It''s huge." Seeing Sihyeon interested in my painting made me happy Sihyeon blinks. "Isn''t the Cypress tree associated with death?" " Its an indication of a journey to the stars. Vincent believed that if you diefortably in old age, the journey to the stars begins." It''s awkward to tell my story as a third person. It''s sad that he wanted to die. So did he kill himself?" "No, never. I denied it again because I was afraid that it might create some strange thoughts in the innocent child. "Vincent painted a lot of symbols of death when he was alive. Vincent believed that life is nothing but a journey towards death." Sihyeon made an expression as if what I said was iprehensible. "It means everyone will leave one day, so stay true to life. And Vincent thought that if he did his best and lived a satisfying life, the end wouldn''t be a bad thing." "I hope his journey in the stars was satisfying." Sihyeon shook his head as if he had lost interest since he didn''t understand half of what I said. "In the past, the atmosphere was clear, so he could have seen the stars well." Instead, he brings up a story he knows. It''s a childlike reaction. But what he said was true. [Starry Night] was painted when I was staying at Saint-Remy''s nursing home. At that time, I was very confused mentally, so my life was irregr, such as waking up until dawn or sleeping until sunset. And then, one day. Before sunrise, I found a group of stars filling my window. I leaned against the window until I could not see it, drunk on the dazzling new star above the tranquil hospital room and the panoramic view of Saint-Remy. It was yearning or maybe it was longing. "What''s this pointed building?" Sihyeon broke my thoughts. Sihyeon pointed to the church spire that stood out among the other buildings. "Vincent''s father was a pastor. So whenever he saws a church, his hometown came to his mind," Sihyeon thought hard with a hmm sound. Did he want to go home? Maybe he did. It reminded him of his happy days." As Sihyeon said, I may have identified my hometown with the stars in the sky. Precisely, the happy times. I may have wanted to go back to the days when I was with my family without any worries. At that time, I was tired enough to get admitted to the mental hospital. "Hun." While talking about painting with Sihyeon, a student approached. His name was Park Hyunwoo. Hes a smart kid who was kind of a leader-like figure in the ss. Sihyeon, who was talking to me suddenly turned his head sullenly and returned to his seat as soon as Park Hyunwoo came. Park Hyunwoo didn''t look at Sihyeon, came straight to me, and asked. "Do you want to join our investment club?" "Investment?" "Yes, we only deal with stocks, and were focusing on KOSPI and NASDAQ." Grandpa once said that it was something that I should know. When I said I wanted to only draw, grandpa said he would introduce me to a professional investor he knew. I was nning on leaving it to a professional. That''s fine, but it''s a lot of fun if you try it yourself. There''s a lot to learn, right?" Park Hyunwoo turned his head and asked the other ssmates for consent. Other children nod their heads. I don''t really intend to learn, but I felt bad to refuse his offer without any reason. Friendship is important and it will not be bad if it does not interfere with my drawing. "When are you going to do it?" "An hour after school, there''s a club room." I dont understand the consideration of Korean elementary schools, which give separate rooms to 10-year-old children''s club activities. Is this the power of tuition fees.? Okay, I''ll give it a try. Really? Then do you want toe tomorrow?" "Okay, fine with me." The sweet break soon passed and the harsh science time came. Fortunately, I was relieved to hear the words I knew solids, liquids, and gasses. But that didntst long, soon, the iprehensible words began to strike me liquid crystal, supercritical fluid, sma, fermion aggregation, superconductor, and superfluid. After a long battle with sleepiness, the frustrating Science ss came to an end, and soon it was my favorite lunchtime. "Thank you !" Lunchtime began with the children''s cheerful voices. I didn''t have the energy to move right away, so I fell on my desk. When I turned my head, Sihyeon, who usuallyes and asks me to go to eat together, was also lying down on his desk. When I went to his desk and tried to raise his head slightly to see if he was drawing, he shrunk even more. "Sihyeon. Let''s go to eat." There was no response. "Aren''t you hungry? Today there will be Chocte milk." I shook him because I was worried that he might be sick and was lying down. "Aren''t you feeling well?" When I lifted up his head, tears welled up in his eyes. "What''s wrong Sihyeon? Huh? Is it painful somewhere? Let''s go to the nurse''s office. It doesn''t hurt anywhere. Then why are you crying? I''m not crying! I dont know what''s wrong with this guy. I patted him on the back. "I don''t know what it is, but you have to tell me. Tell me everything since Im older than you." "who''s older?" "I''m 10 years old. You''re 9 years old, aren''t you?" Korea is a country that has a culture where you have to respect the person who is older than you, even if the person is older by one year. Its something I can''t understand, but it''s very useful at times like this. Lie. No, its not. I searched my article on the Inte and showed it to him. Kim Jiwoo''s first article about me states when I was born. Right? You should call me brother. No. I wont. Then tell me since Im your friend. There''s nothing you can''t say to your friend," Sihyeon muttered after looking sullen. You said you were going to y with them. Yeah. Uuuuuu. Sihyeon fell on his desk again. He cried sadly, so I patted him on the back. I don''t know what''s wrong with him. "What''s wrong? Don''t you want me to y with them?" Sihyeon nodded his head. "Why?" No answer again. I''m going crazy with frustration. If you keep crying like this, I won''t y with you. wont y.Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Sihyeon started to cry out loud and tears started rushing out of his eyes. "Okay. Okay. Im just joking. I will y with you. You will yHik hik. As Sihyeon calmed down, I realized what was happening. I''m his first friend and the only friend with whom he can paint. He may be sad because he thinks that if I y with other ssmates I wont be hanging out with him. I brought up a joke to make him feel better. Sihyeon. Do you like me that much? I hate you. Sihyeon fell t on his desk again. The joke doesn''t work. "Then you cane with me. It''s good to have a lot of friends." "they hate me." Maybe that''s why. When we two are together, he is such a bright child, but during the ss, he stays as if he doesnt exist. When Park Hyunwoo approached a while ago, he slowly returned to his seat. I''m worried that he might be bullied. "It''s okay. You have me." "You''ll hate me if you y with them." "Don''t worry because it wont happen. Is Hyunwoo bothering you?" Sihyeon hesitated for a while and then nodded his head. "How?" "Ignore it because it''s frustrating." He''s a sensitive child, though he''s frustrated. In particr, it is an age when there are many emotional changes, so it should be treated carefully. Okay. Don''t worry. What are you going to do? "If you deal with love, everything works out." Sihyeon''s face was colored with worry. "Its said in the book Gospel of Matthew If anyone hits your right cheek, show them your left cheek and love our enemies & pray for those who persecute us." "No!" Bang Taeho, who opened an office in the Yongsan district, looked around. He couldn''t afford the high monthly rent, so he spent the money he had saved to buy a small office. With a desk, table, and a few bookshelves, there was no ce to hang pictures. But it was Bang Taeho''s first office. Whoa. He exhaled, strengthening his will. Congrattions, boss. His wife Lee Hanna congratted him with a bump on his shoulder. The poor office didn''t matter a bit. Rather, her husband, who quit his stable job and courageously took a step towards his dream, looked cool. She believed that the man she chose would seed no matter how many hurdlese his way. "Here" Lee Hanna took her bankbook and card and handed them to her husband. Bang Taeho opened his eyes wide. "What''s this?" "You''re going to need money to do business." Lee Hanna pushed the bankbook and card into the confused Bang Tahos chest. Bang Taeho carefully opened the bankbook. After looking at it his eyes alternated between the bankbook and his wife. 221.89 million won. "Wait. What is this?" It was a huge amount that he didn''t think of. He knew his wife was a fairly popr web novel writer, but he was surprised because respecting each other they managed their own ie. "If you don''t pay me backter, I''ll sue you, so pay me back no matter what. "No, it''s not. This isn''t" Bang Taeho shook his head. How can I take this? Why? Aren''t you sure you''ll pay me back? That''s not what I''m saying. I know exactly how hard you work, so how can I take this?" Bang Taeho returned the bankbook and card in Lee Hanna''s hand. "Thank you. I''m really encouraged." Then, he expressed his gratitude to his wife for willingly handing over the money she had saved and cheering for him. Lee Hanna nced at her husband. How are you going to do business like this? Ah? You should be polite if an investores. What are you nning on doing when an investores in to invest in yourpany? " "Well. That''s." Do it again. Right now you are meeting the first investor of yourpany, novelist Lee Hanna," Lee Hanna raised her head with her arms folded. The figure was quite serious. Bang Taeho held back hisughter and opened his mouth. "Thank you for visiting, novelist Lee Hanna." "Nice to meet you. I heard you''re running an artist managementpany." "Yes. Right now were managing the works of Artist Ko Hun, the painter of [Frost Wheat Field] which was recently sold for a record price of $14 million." "Really? What are the next ns?" "Artist Ko Hun will be attending the Whitney Biennale, the world''srgest art festival. Ko Hun''s reputation will increase." " HmmKo Hun is still young, so he can develop more. At the same time, being young isn''t always good, is it? What are you going to do if he loses interest in Art? Yourpany doesnt have other artists, right? Even if he doesnt give up on Art, he could get into a slump. What are you nning on doing during that time." "I dont think such a thing will ever happen? For Some Artists, Art is like oxygen, they cant live without it. Ko Hun is one such Artist. " "You mean there''s no countermeasure?" "It''s my job to make sure it doesn''t happen." "Really? I do know what a great person you are." "Hahaha." The couple ended upughing. Bang Taeho lifted his wife around her waist. "Thank you very much, Darling." I''ll kill you if you lose my money. Uh but. It may sound brazen, but can you keep it?" Why? We need to have some insurance if I screw up. Do you want to die? Hahahaha. I''m kidding, I actually got a ce to invest. I wasn''t telling you because I was adjusting the terms. Really? Where?" Lee Hanna asked with delight. "Ximinke." Bang Taeho, who expected his wife to be very surprised, was confused by Lee Hanna''s reaction, who only blinked her eyes. "No. You don''t know? It''s a very famous paint brand." Huh? You really don''t know? Ah. My husband is wonderful." No, that''s not the way it should be. You should be more surprised. " Wow..Really? Awesome. My husband is the best." "Yes, Thats how it should be." Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Sihyeon, who had been anxious all day, grumbled at lunch time. "I don''t want to do it." I suggested speaking with ssmates, but it seems scary to Sihyeon. After listening to Sihyeon yesterday, I looked carefully at my ssmates. They tended to ignore Sihyeon, even though they did not openly shun him. "Were still in the same ss, so it is okay to stay like this?" I shook my head. "Still." It''s still hard, but he seems to be worried about the rtionship getting worse due to unnecessary behavior. In this situation, I think forcing him to do something could make the situation worse. Is there any good way? The best thing is for the ss children to approach Sihyeon first, which is not easy. There should be amon thing or something. When I was thinking about what to do. I found something strange sticking out of Park Hyunwoo''s desk drawer. What is that? It looks like an arm, but it fell off. It''s a toy in human form. "It''s Gand." Sihyeon seems to know what it is. What is this? You don''t know? Its Super robot Gand." Is it a cartoon? Yes. What''s it about? I don''t know. I only saw it once." Park Hyunwoo was standing in front of the ssroom door with his face getting red. "Isn''t this yours? I picked up the toy called Gand, and took it to him. "It''s not mine. Park Hyunwoo took it from my hand and threw it in the trash can. He stammered and I watched him in bewilderment. "I wouldn''t.wont y with a toy like that. I''m 10 years old." I don''t know how the kids at this school were educated at home. I don''t know how great is the family of these kids thats making them behave this way. Grandpa sometimes asked if Ko Hun''s father and mother bullied him. I wanted to ask the same to these children, "Who cares. Whats wrong with ying with a toy." "It''s not mine." I didn''t know what else to say, so I took Cha Sihyeon to the restaurant. Today''s lunch, I challenged Japanese food. Thanks to the popr ukiyoe in Europe, it is a country that Im very interested in, and I ordered it because I was looking forward to their food culture. Miso soup, ohidashi (nched greens), tsukemono (salted vegetables), karaage (fried chicken), mentaiko (salted eggs), and tamagoyaki (egg rolls) were served together. When I received the food, there were more familiar foods than I thought. As expected, it''s a neighboring country, so the way of cooking and eating seems to be simr. I could eat miso soup morefortably than soybean paste stew. Ah. Crispy. What kind of texture is this? Under the soft fried cover, the juicy chicken leg with dense meat was hidden. Isn''t this the most idealbination of fat and protein? Isn''t this karaage the ultimate goal of fried food? The tongue was quickly conquered with a slight pepper scent in the mouth. "Is it good?" Sihyeon looks at me curiously. "Try it." He shakes his head when I rmend him eating karaage. How can I eat with that look on your face? Don''t regret it and eat it when I give it to you. This is the most delicious fried chicken." Sihyeon picked up one and ate it. "It just tastes like normal karaage." "Do you smoke?" "What are you talking about?" What''s wrong with your taste buds when you don''t smoke? It''s a dish that will make you fall in love with the cook." I liked the duck soup your grandfather made. Oh, that was good, too. My grandpa''s food usually tastes weird, but it was good. What''s that?" Spanakopita and Souki. What? Greek food. This is pork. Do you want to try it?" Sihyeon tried to give half his share when I nodded quickly before he would change his mind. "Hey, what are you going to eat if you give me everything?" "I don''t eat a lot." "You have to eat well when you''re young so that you can grow like me." One bite is enough.You''re a year older than me." When I returned to the ssroom after a pleasant meal, a child pointed at Sihyeon and shouted loudly. "He''s here!" He said pointing to the trash can. "You brought your toys to school, didn''t you? We''ve seen it all! Ah, no. Who else would be ying with that stuff? I''m going to tell the teacher!" I don''t believe there''s any malice in these children, but that doesn''t mean I can allow this cruelty. "No. Its not mine" Sihyeon was crying. Park Hyunwoo was pretending as if he doesnt know anything, maybe because he is worried that he will be teased. "It''s mine." The two children who were teasing Sihyeon are confused. "It''s great to love something." Cha Sihyeon, Park Hyunwoo, and all the ssmates were just blinking their eyes. I feel bad that these kids arepressing the feeling of expressing something they love. It''s wrong. "It makes me happy when I y with it. What''s bad and sad is hiding my feelings of love." Even if it''s a robot, a cartoon, whatever it is, theres nothing wrong with liking something. I said, hoping Park Hyunwoo would understand. "You can fool the rest, but you can''t fool yourself. Lying to yourself will only make you sadder." If you do this repeatedly, you will end up hating yourself. Your self-esteem goes down and eventually youll start hating yourself. The image of my young days as Van Gogh shed in front of my eyes. The children who wereughing a few minutes ago got annoyed. "What? I''m not going to speak with you!" Cha Sihyeon was amazed. Cha Sihyeon, who has a lot of knowledge about this and that, is still only a child and could not understand why Ko Hun covered for Park Hyunwoo. But only one thing he could understand a little Love could solve anything. He could deeply sympathize with Ko Huns words that it is great to like something, and its really sad and bad to deny it. Cha Sihyeon, who likes to draw, lived by looking at his father who hated his grandfather. The child was sensible. He hid his feelings for painting so that his father would not be sad. The more he thought that his father would hate him, he hid his feelings more thoroughly. The clever child left no trace. The picture was drawn only on the tablet so that it would not affect his grades, and he didn''t save it so that he wouldnt get caught. That''s What Cha Sihyeon was. But everything changed when he heard Ko Hun''s words. I want to go home today. Cha Sihyeon told Ko Hun, who was preparing to leave school. "Why?" Cha Sihyeon mustered his courage by swallowing the saliva. I''m going to talk to my father. Ko Hun blinked. "I want to draw, I''ll ask him to allow me to draw because I''ll study hard." He said like a man. Ko Hun smiled and hugged Cha Sihyeon. "No matter how scary your father is, you just need to remember that he loves you." "Does he love me?" "Yeah. You can''t walk around with these neat and beautiful clothes if he doesn''t love you." Ko Hun recalled his immature days as Van Gogh when he decided to be a painter. Why his father was so angry and opposed to him at the time. He now understood that his father was worried about him "Yes." Cha Sihyeon nodded his head. See you tomorrow! The boy who said goodbye to his friend and got into the car was scared. Rather than his father getting angry, he was scared that he would be disappointed and hate him. No. Cha Sihyeon, who recalled Ko Hun''s words, said to secretary Jung Jinho, barely holding his bursting heart. Uncle, please go to my father''s office. Okay. Cha Sihyeon recalled the past few days when he was painting with Ko Hun in his head. Recalling that happy memory, he repeatedly thought that it would be okay and that he didn''t want to give up on that. When he reached the EI Party office and arrived in front of the CEO''s office, Cha Sihyeon could not control his fluctuating emotions. Jung Jinho rmended going inside. Cha Sihyeon opened the door with a firm determination to speak clearly. "Sihy." However, as soon as he saw his father''s face, such determination disappeared and only tears came out. "Dadddddddddddddddddy." CEO Cha Jaewoo was surprised when his son, who suddenly came and began to cry. "What? Why are you crying Sihy? What happened at school? Huh?" The father approached his son and wrapped his face. He looked everywhere in his body to see if he got hit. ''What''s going on Sihy? Why?" "Ill study." "Huh?" "I''ll study hard." Cha Jaewoo smirked while watching his son. "Why? Did you get a bad grade in your test ?" He wondered when he heard that a child on his way home woulde, but as soon as he came, he cried and said he would study hard. His son, who cried because he didn''t do well on the test once, was both cute and sad. "It''s okay, I know my son is studying hard. Even if it''s not a perfect score, it''s enough if you work hard." Cha Jaewoo tapped his son''s shoulder. "Huh." But the son didn''t stop crying. He has never seen him cry this sadly. Cha Jaewoo''s blue shirt was wet with Cha Sihyeon''s tears. "What really happened, Sihy? Why? Did your friend bother you? Did the teacher hit you?" Cha Sihyeon shook his head. "Ill Study hard. Ill eat green vegetables and clean my room well. I''ll go to bed early." Cha Jaewoo narrowed his eyebrows at his son''s abnormal behavior. "Ill do everything. Everything. Please let me draw daddy." draw? Cha Jaewook opened his eyes wide. Cha Sihyeon, who was in a hurry, urgently poured out the words that came into his head. "I want to draw. I''m sorry. I want to draw with Hun. I lied. I lied because I wanted to y with Hun so badly." "Wait, Sihy." "Don''t hate me daddy." Cha Sihyeon hugged his father desperately. This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Cha Jaewoo swept the back of his sobbing son. He was confused because it was so sudden. "WhyWhy would I hate Sihy?" "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" Cha Jaewoo wiped the tears from his sons eyes, which kepting Did you want to draw? Why didn''t you tell me that?" ButHik..daddy.. Hik. don''t paint. Cha Jaewoo looked back at the events in the past. He didn''t remember telling his son not to paint directly. However, he didn''t want to give unnecessary stimtion to his son, so he removed the traces of his father who remained at home. Then, suddenly, he remembered the day when hepletely cut off the ties with his father. The day when he and his wife came back from a short trip. The couple was surprised by the gloomy atmosphere of the house, where not even a single light was turned on. There was no sign of eating, and when he entered his father''s room, his son was crying and drawing. No, I told you to draw it straight with your wrists. It''s not fun. Haaah. You should do it even if it''s not fun. The anger that cha jaewoo had suppressed over the past few decades exploded as he saw his son being pressured to do something he didn''t want to do. Even though he put up with the violence of his father, he couldn''t stand watching his son getting hurt. Stop it, Father! "Wh.What? Why? Im doing this for Sihyeon? He''s talented. We need to make him do art." "Please stop Father, do you think I don''t know why you''re doing this? You''re trying to make my son do what you couldnt do! Yes! What''s wrong with wanting my grandson to fulfill my unfinished dreams! It''s wrong! It''s a big mistake! Sihyeon, won''t draw! He doesn''t have to! What do you think he knows? You have been holding him up all day and making him draw?'' Dont you know about early education? I heard everyone does that these days. We have to train him from when he is young to make him achieve big things. It''s abuse, Father! How much do you n on torturing my child for your greed? Arent you satisfied with what you did to me and mother? YouYou During the conversation, he did say that Sihyeon wouldnt draw. "Sihy, I told you wont draw." "I''m sorry, I''m sorry daddy." "No Sihy. Sihy didn''t do anything wrong. It''s okay." Cha Jaewoo hugged his son tightly. He never imagined that his nine-year-old had been carrying this big wound in his heart. He didn''t know that the child who had neverined about anything in his life had been carrying this big burden all alone. As a child, he treated his son with utmost sincerity because he was hurt by his parents'' words and actions. In fact, he did know how much the words of parents can affect the children. "Daddy supports whatever Sihy wants to do." Cha Jaewoo reassured his son. "Dad told you not to draw because Sihy seemed to be having a hard time. Do you remember that time?" Cha Sihyeon shook his head. The reason why the boy remembered what happened that day was because his kind father shouted and got angry for the first time. He couldn''t understand the situation. His kind father was angry because he was drawing, which was the only thing that got imprinted. Cha Jaewoo said, sweeping the back of his sons head. "You can draw as much as you want if you like it. It''s the same with other things besides paintings." "Really?" "Yes. But you should make a promise with your dad." Cha Sihyeon wiped away his tears and nodded his head quickly. "Dad will help you with anything you want to study, so when Sihy grows up one day, you should be a brave man, and should never bully the weak." He didn''t want to give responsibility to his young son yet. However, he had to teach his son to be a responsible adult for a day that woulde one day. He wanted to love and protect his son till hisst breath, but he couldn''t be with him forever. Cha Jaewoo thought it was his duty as a parent, to make his son walk on the right path. "You can promise me that, right?" When Cha Jaewoo showed his pinky, Cha Sihyeon smiled and hung his finger in his fathers. "Promise." I''ve never had so much fun on my way to school. Grandpa asked with a smile. " What''s the matter, Little Hun? You seem to be very happy. You are even humming." "It''s art ss grandpa. Four hours." The allocation of ss time in Korean elementary schools is both extreme and reasonable. Art sses only after studying general subjects for two weeks. I thought an hour was not enough, so they assigned a whole day. "Haha, I didn''t know that you''re looking forward to it this much. What do they teach in elementary school these days?" "It''s not important grandpa." Anything rted to art is fine. I am learning this and that from the Inte, grandpa, and Aunt Mirae, but I am not satisfied no matter how much I learn. I''m just grateful for modern-day art, which is applied to a vast range of things. I arrived in front of the school. "Do you remember that We decided to go to Mr.Bang''s house today?" "Yes, grandpa!" I can''t forget that we decided to write a formal contract with Uncle Bang today. Today is the best day ever. "Goodbye, grandpa!" I got out of the car and headed to the ssroom. When I opened the door and entered, the children looked at me and avoided making eye contact with me. It must be because of what happened yesterday. Without paying attention to them I looked at Sihyeon, who was smiling looking at me from his seat. "Good morning Hun." He also seems to be very happy because of the art ss. He greeted me first. Then he showed off several brushes. I think the talk with his father went well yesterday. What'' Daddy said I could draw. Sihyeons bright smile made me feel good. "I got everything wrong. He gave me a hug. "See? I told you he loves you." "Yes." The conversation is important. The way we talk is important, but without conversation, it''s useless. If we have a little courage to express our honest feelings to each other, we can avoid a lot of conflicts. "I''ll tell you how to take care of your brushester. Do you have oil?" "No Why?" "If the brush hardens while using it, you have to wash it with oil. There is also a cleaner, but I prefer the natural oil that my grandpa uses." Sihyeon kept blinking. After I became Ko Hun, I only heard exnations from others, so I was happy to be in a position to teach someone. I am satisfied in many ways today. As we talked about brushes, it was almost ss time. There was no talk about the supplies, so I went to the art room with the things I bought. "Oh." The art room was toorge. It was enough to amodate 40 to 50 people. There are ster casts that were once used for educational purposes by the Royal French Academy of Art. Even after a century-long efforts of many Artists, its presence could still be felt, that too on the other side of the globe. Since its good for improving descriptive skills. If it is for the education of beginners, there is no need to look at it badly. Park Hyunwoo and the other children sat together, while Sihyeon and I sat side by side. The art teacher came in. He was a young man, but for some reason, he seems to be nervous. He came in while sweating profusely. Good morning everyone. Good morning teacher. I greeted the teacher. "Do you all like art?" "Yes." Only me and Sihyeon answered. "Okay, when we say art, everyone usually thinks of paintings, sculptures, structures, architecture, etc. But the truth is art is everywhere around us. For example, the tablet you use as a textbook, its design is also an area of art." That''s right. In this era, there are many things in day-to-day life where arts presence could be felt. I''m not interested in the education of the academy that makes me draw a uniform picture, but I''m looking forward to knowing about the art of this era and its applications in various fields. " Okay. Let''s get to know each other step by step. Well, since today is the first day. It''s the first day, right?" The teacher stutters since he is so nervous. It felt like he was avoiding my gaze. "Today, let''s draw freely on the paper." The teacher handed out two sheets of paper. He also gave a set of erasers, 6B, 4B, 2B pencils, and colored pencils. Sihyeon holds a pencil and takes turns looking at me and asks. "Which pencil should I use?" I usually use 4B a lot, but I prefer 2B because of its unique softness and hardness to erase. Sihyeon, who is new to pencils, will use a lot of erasers, so 2B will be easier to use. But it''s just my idea. "Try them all out. You can try whatever you like." Sihyeon started drawing lines with each pencil on the drawing paper. What should I draw? I drew a lot of still life drawings to improve my drawing skills, so I''ll draw the same as a practice today." The best object is a person. There is nothing better than drawing the human body to develop the ability to describe. " Hun, What are you going to draw?" Sihyeon asked. It''s good to see him holding a 2B pencil. You. Me? Sihyeon tilts his head. "Why me?" "It''s harder to draw people than things. I''m practicing." I don''t think it will be fun. It''s surprisingly fun. What are you going to draw?" "Secret. Hehe. You''ll know soon enough. You shouldn''t look until I finish drawing." Sihyeon got up and sat opposite me with the drawing paper and materials. Then he started drawing without hesitation. Usually, there are many people who don''t know what to draw when you give them white paper. But this child''s heart is full of what he wants to paint. I grabbed a pencil while observing his baby face. I soon forgot that the art teacher and Park Hyunwoo had been ncing at me. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Although I did not have a professional education, I was good at drawing even when I lived in France. This is because I thought that the way to express an object well was not to copy it as it is but to bring out its characteristics. Even now, that idea remains unchanged, but there is a difference between what can and cannot be described delicately. At that time, only a few people drew realistic paintings, but in this era, even high school students are doing it. The reason is probably that it is the basis for various expressions. If you look at the works of grandpa, Aunt Mirae, and Henry Marceau, you can see the exact image of objects. And they add meaning to it. Even though its not the only way to express things, it''s also true that it moves my heart. I''ve been practicing steadily for the past few months, and I''m not satisfied with the result even today. If I want to draw the concept art I should prepare diligently. After putting aside the drawing paper, I looked at Cha Sihyeon, who was working hard to draw something. His face was filled with joy. Feeling the happiness on his face the corners of my mouth went up. The process of wiggling, thinking, fixing, and drawing again looked cute. Blue. The color of the clear sky would suit his innocence. If the brightness and saturation are lowered, it may look depressed, so I should be careful about colorbinations. Can I express it with a colored pencil? I turned over the paper I drew practice drawing and painted light blue and Prussian blue. It is important to double-check light blue and Prussian blue or adjust the ratio by adjusting the pen pressure. "Are you looking for a color?" It was the art teacher. "Yes, it doesn''t look like drawing with paint." I thought I was familiar with colored pencils, but Im not since I can''t mix colors efficiently. "Then, do you want to try oil pastels?" "Oil pastels?" Pastels were popr in Europe as tools that even M and Degas liked, but with the word oil in front of them, I think it''s something that''s improved. "Yes, I think Hun will use it well when he draws with it. Wait a minute." As I waited excitedly for the drawing tool I heard for the first time. The art teacher brought me a small paper box. There are 36 pastels arranged neatly. Although it is small in size, it was only wrapped in thin paper, and it is all pigment. "Oh." I can see the difference. Unlike pastels, which have been powdered and hardened, these are viscous. Maybe it''s because of the oil mix. "Can I try it?" "Sure." I drew it all over the paper with the teacher''s permission. It''s incredibly soft and vivid. In particr, the color density is high, so it can be used like oil paint. When I rub it with my finger, it spreads like pastel. However, when painted over, the color is covered rather than mixed, so it is not suitable for making new colors. The teacher brought a dryer and heated the oil pastel. Then, the hardened oil pastel melted and became like paint. The color mixes very well as it bes liquid. "What do you think?" Oh, my God. If I had known this earlier, [sweet happiness] would have been richer. I had a hard time expressing the melted chocte with paint. If this is used well, the unique surface would have been effectively drawn. As expected, he is an art teacher. "I didn''t know this existed." It''s different from regr crayons. It''s for professionals." I''ll have to find out what these crayons areter, but I''m happy to know about the unexpected tool. "It''s thick." It cant be used for delicate works because of its thickness, but it''s perfect to draw with arge canvas of color and texture, and it can rece oil paint as a tool that goes very well with the painting I''m aiming for. It sticks well to the drawing paper, so I think it will be enough without applying a fixer like pastels. Teacher, can it be applied on canvas? Paper''s fine, but you have to cover it with parchment paper when you apply it or paint it on the canvas." It''s a shame, but at least it doesn''t have to be dried like paint. It is no exaggeration to say that this is really a revolution. I didn''t have enough time to dry my work for the Whitney Biennale, but it would be much easier if I drew it with oil pastels. I should tell grandpa and buy it today. "How much is this?" "40,000 won? Good things range from 100,000 won to 200,000 won." Although the price is high, it feels cheaperpared to this performance. As I was thinking about oil pastels, Sihyeon picked up the drawing paper. He smiled brightly as he turned his head. Did you finish? Yes. He showed the drawing paper to the teacher. I was curious about what he drew, so I stuck my head out. It is the super robot called Gand that I saw yesterday. "You did a good job. Is it a cartoon character?" Yes. Sihyeon replied with a smile. I should give it to him, since he picked up the features of the character very well. Features such as facial contours and ss beads on the chest that look like French helmets were perfectly picked. This shows that he has good observation and memory since he drew it without seeing, he drew only relying on his memory. This child has a gift. Since he likes painting and has good observation, it''s not hard to learn drawing techniques. As I learned the texture of oil pastels and mixed colors, it was already lunchtime. Sihyeon called Park Hyunwoo as I was washing my hands thinking about the lunch that will be served today. "Hey, Hyunwoo." What?" "This is for you." Cha Sihyeon handed the Gand picture he drew to Park Hyunwoo. I dont know why he is giving it to the guy who hated it so much. Park Hyunwoo also frowned. "Why are you giving me this?" "You like Gand. right?" "I said I don''t like childish things." Sihyeon stared at Park Hyunwoo. When he avoided eye contact, Sihyeon took the super robot out of his bag. "This. I came this morning and washed it clean." "It''s not mine! Why do you keep bringing it to me!" Park Hyunwoo pushed Sihyeon. I tried to stop them, but Sihyeon did not back down. "You like it. You should have kept thinking about it yesterday, didn''t you?" The timid child, who avoided Park Hyunwoo until yesterday, was speaking while looking at Park Hyunwoos eyes. Park Hyunwoo avoided making eye contact with Sihyeon. "I told my father yesterday that I like painting. I was so happy after that. What? Don''t hide what you like. It''s sad. You brought Gand to school because you like him so much and couldnt leave him at home, right?" "No." "If you keep avoiding it because you''re scared, nothing will change. You can change it if you take a step without fearing it." Sihyeon forced the Gand toy and painting to Park Hyunwoo. Park Hyunwoo looks down at the toy and the painting in silence. Sihyeon quickly packed his bag. "Hun. Lets go." Sihyeon went out of the door first. I followed along, and I could see Park Hyunwoo wiping away his tears through the closing door. I hope that child will be honest with himself and be happy. "It was cool." I said tapping on Sihyeon''s shoulders with admiration. His shoulders were stiff. I could see how nervous he was. Hehehe." Sihyeon smiled while lifting his fist. We bumped our fists whileughing. On the way to Uncle Bang''s office, Iughed as I told grandpa what happened yesterday and today. "Hun and Sihyun became best buddies. Well done." There''s nothing love can''t solve. "Ah, grandpa. I''d like to buy some oil pastels. "Sounds good. We can stop by the studio on our way back. Did you use it in your art ss?" "Yes. The teacher rmended it to me and it felt good to apply it. Just like applying paint." "It''s fun to use. right? Yes. Im going to paint an oil pastel for the Whitney Biennale." Grandpa nodded his head. "Youre not used to it. Will it be okay?" I had a good idea." "What?" "When you heat the oil pastel, it melts, right?" As my art teacher showed, it melts easily because it''s hardened by mixing oil and pigments. "Yes, Ill use it like that." "Youre going to paint with oil pastels using a brush." "Yes. Ill use melted oil pastels like paint?" "Okay." Grandpa continued to exin how to use oil pastels. I''m looking forward to what effect I can get out of the new area of knowledge I received. As I searched for ways to use oil pastels in a tab, I arrived at Uncle Bang''s office. The corridor was lined with congrattory messages and gifts. He seems to have received a lot of congrattory gifts. Yes. He did a good job in social life." It is natural that so many people congratted him on the opening of his new business. Grandpa also called him the best curator in Korea, so he must have been a reliable ally to many people with both reputation and skills. Someday, I''ll definitely have a better exhibition than the Marceau Gallery. Let''s go in. Yes, grandpa. I opened the door. I couldn''t think of anything. It was filled with only one round table and a work desk. Documents and books were piled up here and there as tall towers. "Is Hun here?" Uncle Bang''s voice could be heard but his figure was nowhere to be seen. Uncle Bang popped his face out to the side of the pile of papers. "I guess there was no traffic on your way here. Haha. It''s a little crazy, isn''t it?" It''s twice as big as the attic I stayed in Auvers. "What do you think about Uncle''s office?" I can''t look at Uncle Bang who asked with a bright smile. I can''t believe he started his business in such a small ce, giving up on his high-sry job for me. But I know that it cannot be grand from the start. It''s narrow Uncle Bang. Is it narrow? Haha. Weughed together. Make sure you make it big, Uncle Bang. Of course, I will. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Uncle Bang put out the contract and started exining. "First, I''ll focus on the exhibition, but I''m not just going to do that." I nodded and listened. "I''m sure you feel the same way, but it''s not good to have exhibitions often." Grandpa once said that its not good to put all the paintings in the exhibition. He said it was effective to create enough works and disy them with carefully selected ones. "So for a few years, we will be going to go to the side of submitting good works every time to the exhibitions like the Whitney Biennale." Okay. The important thing is that you should constantly get exposed. Interviews are a given, and I''m thinking about appearing on TV or a big Newtube channel." "What am I going to do there?" "Youll be talking. Whats your view of art is, what you seek. Youll be revealing yourself." "Not painting?" In the first ce, the act of conceiving a work itself is an act to reveal what I want to draw and what I want to say. I''m repulsed to say it. "Yes, Artists should think of themselves as entertainers in this age. Some people work in a ssical way, but in the end, how they are exposed to the media is really important." When Uncle Bang finished, grandpa stroked my head. "It''s a parallel job. If you want your work to be recognized its unavoidable, as you gain recognition as an Artist you can gradually reduce it." It seems I can''t just be stubborn. Listening to grandpa and Uncle Bang, I understood that the media seems to be an inseparable element in the current Art world. That''s right. Even when you sell an apple in the market, you have to promote it to the world. Like grandpa said, even if I don''t like it, I should be a person who can do it. I nodded my head. "And actually, I didn''t think about Nn. If you''re going to be active in that direction, there''s so much you can do." I want to try as many things as possible. Okay. Uncle Bang wrote something at the end of the contract. How was the script? It''s fun. I''d like to try. Then I''ll tell him in advance that we will meet right after the Whitney Biennale. It''s convenient to handle it together when you go to America." "Yes." Uncle Bang wrote something on his tablet this time. I think he recorded the schedule so that he won''t forget. "Thening back to the contract. If it''s in the form of participating in other ces, I''ll have to leave it to them, but I will take care of your solo exhibitions." "Thank you." I''ve checked his skills enough while preparing for [Sweet Happiness], so I can trust him. The contract is three years. Three years? That''s too short. "You may change your mind, so we will talk about it after three years." Uncle Bang seems to be thinking that I, who is still 11 years old in Korean age, can change my mind on the way. I thought we would be together without thinking, but Uncle Bang''s proposal is certainly reasonable. Not bad. Grandpa agreed. This contract is strictly regarded as a contract between me and Uncle Bang, and grandpa can only give advice. "Okay." Uncle Bang nodded when grandpa hinted that he agreed. And I would like to receive 30 percent of the ie settlement if I supervise the exhibition myself, and 5 percent of the revenue from outside activities. The exhibition we do ourselves, I have to do all the venues, promotions, and nning, so I hope you understand." The WH Museum took 40 percent with [Sweet Happiness]. From nning to renting an exhibition room to getting publicity and sponsors tomentary, 30 percent was regardless of understanding is a satisfactory percentage. "How do you intend to maintain thepany until when the exhibition will be held? You should have an ie, too." Grandpa asked. Uncle Bang smiled. "I have good news," Uncle Bang confidently brought up good news as grandpa raised his eyebrows and wondered. "In fact, there was a person who was interested when I told him that I was going to be Huns manager." "Who?" "Robert Meyer, head of the marketing team of Ximinke." This is the paint I used when I drew [Sunflower]. It applied smoothly and I liked the color, but I was surprised to hear that the ce where the paint was made contacted Uncle Bang. Grandpa seems to be happy. "How''s it going?" They asked Hun to draw a work with Ximinke paints so that they could use the content for publicity purposes. "Hmm. They like Hun, so I don''t think there''s any problem." Yes." I nodded and turned my head, as grandpa confirmed. "One thing that bothers me is that they want you to visit the headquarters in Dsseldorf." "As expected. They want him to work as a promotional model." I think they will be taking pictures. "From Ximinke''s side, they want Hun to paint with Ximinke paint for the next year and shoot amercial video announcing the excellence of Ximinke paint. Of course, it''s only for oil painting." "What do you think, Hun?" "I don''t think it''ll be a big problem if its for one year. There is no condition to paint with only oil paintings, right Uncle Bang.?" Uncle Bang nodded. "How much will they give me if I do that?" The conditions are not bad, so the most important of the remaining problems is money. "He said he would try to match it up to 400,000 euros." When Uncle Bang said 400,000 euros, I didn''t know it well yet, so I searched it on my smartphone and found that it was a little over 500 million won. For me, it feels too big to do just that and gain. Grandpa groaned as if he was lost in thought and opened his mouth. "It''s an outside activity, so it should be 5 percent." "Yes." "Would that be 25 million won?" "Hahaha. It''s my first ie. If I want to earn more, I have to bring more jobs. Actually, I haven''t signed an official contract with Hun yet, so I can''t move actively. The conversation with Ximinke is still in the discussion stage." "I think so." Grandpa turned his head. "What do you think, Hun? Can you understand?" "Yes, the ratio on the contract is good. Above all, I didn''t think of anyone else besides Uncle Bang as my manager." I looked at Uncle Bang and said, Also, as you just said, I''ll have to do well so that you can do well. Yes. Trust me, I nodded faithfully. "I have a condition I want to add." Uncle Bang blinked at my words. Grandpa is also wondering what I would be saying. "You said Sunflower is the name of thepany, right.?" "Yeah." "I want to invest in Sunflower." "Huh?" Uncle Bang''s reliable face became nk for a moment. Why? I think it''s a safety device for me. If my money is in it, I''ll have a say in running Sunflower." It''s not that I don''t trust Uncle Bang. It is to check that Uncle Bang doesnt have any difficulty managing funds in the early stages. Furthermore, if my capital is invested in Sunflower, I will receive a profit allocation as a corporate shareholder, so I can get a certain part of the money back from Uncle Bang. "You''re smart." Sihyeon told me this and that when I said I will be signing a contract with Uncle Bang today. The contract states that the capital is 200 million won. I''ll put in 200 million won. I''m going to get an ie distribution. But let''s increase the ratio a little more. The exhibition will remain at 30 percent, and 10 percent for outside activities." Uncle Bang scratched his chin. Bang Taeho, CEO of Sunflower, was somewhat confused. He highly appreciated Ko Hun''s painting and wanted to work with him, but he didn''t think this kind of thinking would be possible. When Ko Hun invested 200 million won, Sunflower actually moved with Ko Hun''s will. Ko Hun was the only contracted Artist, source of ie, and also has the same stake as Bang Taeho. As corporate profits were distributed, it became a perfect condition for the veteran. However, Bang Taeho was not without merit. It would be helpful in the early days of the business when it is difficult to estimate the expected return, although he boasted not to worry to his wife, Lee Hanna. The more funds, the better. Even if things went well with Ximinke and he earned 25 million won, it could have been a year''s total ie. If the exhibition were to be held in that state, Sunflower would have to take out a loan. If Ko Hun invested 200 million won in capital, he could run thepany quite leisurely. If the distribution rate of profits from the contract with Ko Hun does not change, it may be a loss in the long run. Considering the interest on the loan, it was a proposal worth considering. Furthermore, when Ko Hun asked to adjust the distribution rate himself, Bang Taeho was surprised. It was to recognize that the profit that will return to him increases when the sunflower runs smoothly. Did Hun think of this alone? Ko Sooyeol also looked surprised to hear the suggestion. In fact, Bang Taeho carefully prepared for the contract with Ko Hun and had created good conditions that Ko Sooyeol and Ko Hun would not refuse, and he had no doubt that it would be signed as it is. Ko Hun also nodded while listening to the exnation and didn''t bring up anything special. At the end of the day, he offered good terms for both sides. "I was a little surprised. I didn''t think that way." I had a good advisor. A consultant? A friend. Bang Taehoughed quietly, thinking it might be Jang Mirae or Henry Marceau. "Okay, then Bang Taeho revised the revenue allocation area and the special agreement. It was shown to Ko Sooyeol and Ko Hun, and Ko Soo-yeol nodded after much consideration, and Ko Hun signed it. "Ill be in your care, Artist Ko Hun." "I look forward to working with you Uncle Bang. Two people shook hands. Ko Sooyeol, who looked at the scene happily, opened his mouth. "We should eat something delicious on a day like this. Hun, what do you want to eat?" "Professor, it''ll be my treat today. I''m in a good mood. Hun, what do you want to eat? Shall we eat beef? "Do you eat beef on such a good day?" Bang Taeho was confused by Ko Hun''s response. Bang Taeho didn''t know what rich families eat on amemorative day. "You should at least eat jajangmyeon." " Bang Taeho blinked. He didn''t know whether Hun really likes jajangmyeon over beef or was he considerate to him looking at his crooked office. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 [Ko Hun signed a management contract with Sunflower!] [Curator Bang Taeho established an artist managementpany] [What''s Ko Huns next move?] In March, Artist Ko Hun, who caused a stir with [Frost Wheatfield] winning $14 million, signed a managerial contract with fledgling managementpany Sunflower. Sunflower is an Artist managementpany founded by Bang Taeho (39 years old), one of the best curators in Korea. Ko Hun reportedly invested directly in Sunflower. Experts see why Ko Hun did not sign a contract with proven domestic management such as Legion Academy or famous overseas management as an advantage to lead the profit allocation. In the future, Ko Hun will receive support for exhibition schedule management and promotion, tax issues, copyright protection, and domestic and foreign activities through Sunflower. There are voices of concern about the management business challenge for Bang Taeho, former chief curator of the WH Art Museum. Some of the artmunity and some of Ko Hun''s fans are pointing out that they have no management experience, questioning whether Bang Taeho''s nning ability will work overseas. On April 5, however, Sunflower officially announced that it has signed a public rtions model contract worth 600,000 euros (about 800 million won) with German paint maker Schmincke. It also announced that Ko Hun has been invited to the Whitney Biennale, an international art festival that will be held from the 21st, signaling a cruise. Attention is focused on how Ko Hun, who is building a global reputation, will meet a new partner and act. Lee Inho (The Korean Express) The fact that Ko Hun, who made a fuss in Koreast month, received full support from a strong paintpany and news that he will participate in the Whitney Biennale, an art festival attended by people around the world, was widely reported. Artists, art lovers, andizens who were watching Ko Hun closely responded in various ways. Do Painters have a manager? Usually, they do everything by themselves, but when ites to Ko Hun, he needs someone to help him. It''s absolutely necessary for Ko Hun. You can belong to a gallery, but if there are dozens or hundreds of people together, it bes difficult to schedule an exhibition at will. It''s better to walk around with the management. It''s interesting that he didn''t go to Legion Academy. Did he have to invest directly? Why cant he just leave it to Bang Taeho? ording to the article written by Lee In-ho, it seems that it is because of the profit distribution ratio. Bang Taeho is doing well in outside activities. Since Ko Hun is so popr, Im sure he will get a lot of advertisements and invitations. For a one-year contract of 600,000 euros, that''s a great deal. He almost missed the Whitney Biennale this year. Ko Hun has created an Instagram ount. He''s posting up his workspace. His friend is also cute. I went in to look if there were pictures of paintings, but there were only pictures of food. It''s so cute that he looks happy with his plump cheeks. I think he''s a made-up artist. It doesn''t make sense that a painting of a 10-year-old or 11-year-old is worth 16.3 billion won. Every painter is made. They can''t do anything without someone who likes them. Art is normally like that, but this is a bit too much. Honestly, I don''t even know if Ko Hun''s drawing is good. I know that people who like Ko Huns paintings will deny it. Freedom of thought is different from denying others'' thoughts are different. No, Im not denying it. I don''t like his drawings. Can''t I say anything? Don''t you have to ept criticism when you do something like that? I''m saying this because you touch my feelings. Why do you react so sensitively, when others react to what you said? Isn''t it because your thoughts are being denied? When I looked up an Inte article, my image seems to have hardened to some extent. There are so many modern expressions calling me young Van Gogh, perhaps because of [Sunflowers], [guests], and [frost wheat fields]. For this reason, some criticize me as a child who imitates Van Gogh, others cheer me on, and others thank me saying it''s a "life work." Either way, I feel happy as if I feel the "Vincent" inside me, but I feel a long way to go. Thanks to modern culture, Koreanization, and various knowledge and emotions that I felt while traveling around Europe, I thought I had changed and developed a lot, but there is still a long way to go. I want to show a different side of me at this Whitney Biennale. The use of oil pastels is based on that will. The oil pastel was also a new thing I learned. I colored it and rubbed it like I was painting an oil painting. I can express it in a lump with my fingers, and when I use a brush, I get a different texture from oil paint. What I like the most is that I don''t have to wait until it dries. If I apply a colored pencil after applying a suitable background color, the paint will peel off and color it well. Mixing colors is no match for paint, but if I use melted oil pastels like paint, it is also unique. It is less viscous than oil paint, so the detailed expression is smooth. I tried melting it with a dryer, but it was most convenient to microwave it. While getting used to the oil pastel, I envisioned a work to be submitted to the Whitney Biennale. This weekend, I was thinking about using a feature that is scratched more easily than oil paints. I watched Newtube to cool down for a while. As I searched for what to eat for tomorrow''s snack, the video of baking pancakes stood out. I wondered what it was because it was a video with more than 1 million views, and it was a video of drawing with pancake batter. "What is this?" While I was impressed with the video, Sihyeon''s voice was heard. Hello! Haha. Wee, Sihyeon. Hun is in the studio." I heard Grandpa and Sihyeon''s voices from the living room. When I turned my head, Sihyeon came in with a cheerful face as bright as his voice. "Hi, Hun!" He cleared up the misunderstanding with his father, and when Park Hyunwoo apologized, he became energetic, unlike his first impression. Hi. Look at this! Sihyeon took two boxes out of his bag. When I approached to see what it was, they were oil pastels. "There are sixty colors!" "Oh." He squatted down and opened the stic box to show off. This is something to brag about. The oil pastel, lying neatly like a rainbow, also had a unique color called gold and silver. "Here. Take this !" Sihyeon held out a box simr to the box he was holding. What is this? Gift! It''s the same thing as mine. I got a precious gift out of the blue. I had nothing to return, so I took out the chocte pie I bought this morning. I haven''t eaten it yet, but I can''t just take the give and sit back without giving anything. "Do you want some?" I tried to press down on my sorrow and offered a chocte pie. "I ate a lot of it, so let''s eat something else. Daddy said I should eat only one sweet a day." "Did he say your teeth will rot?" "Yes. He said I should brush my teeth well." Grandpa and Sihyeon''s father feels the same way about snacks. Sihyeon was looking through the bag and flipped it over. A pile of cookies fell. You''re supposed to eat only one a day. right.? Hehehe. Sihyeonughed yfully and ced his index finger on his mouth. It means a secret. "Daddy makes snacks at thepany. I can get a lot if I ask them. It''s a secret." "This! This looks delicious!" Sihyeon showed a small paper box. The name of the snack was Whale Chip. Whale? Yes, I wanted to try it. Sihyeon tore the box open and spilled the cookies. It is a snack shaped like a shark, crab, whale, and starfish. "Does this taste like a shark?" "Uh It says bulgogi(Korean BBQ Beef). I painted all morning and wanted to eat snacks that exceeded the daily limit, so I washed my hands and sat down. It is said to taste like bulgogi, but it has a much stronger scent than the actual bulgogi taste. What were you doing Hun? I was preparing for the Whitney Biennale. What''s Whitney Biennale? "An art festival held every two years in New York. It starts on April 21." Is it an exhibition? NOD "This is tasty. The crunchy texture is good, and how did they make this decadent taste?" It must be popr since it''s in various shapes. Sihyeon was searching for what the Whitney Biennale is. I decided to go on May 1st. Huh? Sihyeon was surprised. "How long will you be away?" "About two weeks?" While I''m at it, I''m going to meet director Christine Nn." Since America is far away, it is better to take care of everything as much as possible when I go there. "Then.Can''t we see each other for two weeks?" "No." Sihyeon''s sullen face brightened. "Then?" "I''ll y until today. I have to draw a picture to submit. I''m busy starting tomorrow." Sihyeon doesn''t bother me. However, I want to concentrate as much as I can because Ill be submitting to the world''s best art festival. Sihyeon murmured with his droopy shoulders. "Yeah It must be hard. Good luck." He folded his fingers and counted the days, and as if he was shocked that he couldn''t see me for four weeks, he didn''t even eat the whale chips. "We can see each other at school." "Un." Sihyeons eyes shone brightly while looking up an English article about the Whitney Biennale. Three million? Yes. Four months, but it''s certainly a huge number. Sihyeon, who was looking at the photo rted to "the world''srgest art festival" looked up. "I want to go too. " "It''s a waste to just see it for a day." "But I''m curious." Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Wow.. Sihyeon made a fuss while watching a Newtube video. Youre 10th out of 254. It doesn''t matter. Then, why are youughing? Even though its not important. I''m happy to hear that there are a lot of people who like me. You can just say it''s good, honestly. That''s true. All right. Its good. Hahahah.. Sihyeonughed and once again yed the video. Ko Hun, who had an individual exhibition in Korea, cannot participate in the opening day and will join on May 1. I think hes going to bring out a new work, but I''m also worried about how far the work has beenpleted. I really have a tight schedule for the next 2 months. After participating in the Whitney Biennale, I have to go to California. I decided to meet Christine Nn there. I don''t know if I can fully express his imagination, but I''d like to give it a try. After that, I have to stop by Germany, so I am very busy next month. The video on the channel Alex Factory has since referred to several authors. There are many people whom I don''t know. It wasn''t until Alex Factory''s second-ranked Artist was announced. No 2. Henry Marceau (France, Age 32) Next is Henry Marceau. Does he need an introduction? He is the most-earned Artist for two consecutive yearsst year and the year before. "I know this guy. He bought your paintingst time, too, right?" "Yeah." "Are you close?" "No." "Why? Isn''t the statue outside, is this Uncle?" it''s something we have to clean up?" We put Henrys statue in the garden, but if it rains, it''ll corrode again, so we had to put an umbre and a raincoat. At Uncle Bang''s earnest request, my grandpa and I have given up the idea of throwing it in the garbage. Henrys obsession with coveting himself is amazing. I look forward to what kind of work he will create and surprise me this time. "Even though this uncle made the most money. Why is he in 2nd ce?" I don''t know. It''s unclear what the criteria are. Although he is the most famous and outstanding Artist since he made a lot of money, I wonder if there is an Artist who goes beyond Henry Marceau in a video that seems to be based on poprity. Grandpa and Aunt Mirae are not participating, so I dont think its them. No. 1 Ferdinando Gonzlez (USA, Age 39) "Ferdinando Gonzlez?" Its a name Im hearing for the first time. He looks Spanish by name, but hes an American. The long-awaited first ce is Ferdinando Gonzalez. Is there an Artist who makes better use of things and images around us? He is one of the greatest Artists of this Era. I can''t understand the meaning of using surrounding things and images. Sihyeon also seems to be on the same page as me. When I searched, it said hes a Conceptual Artist. "Hun, What''s conceptual art?" "I don''t know." I have visited several art galleries in Europe, but I have little knowledge of modern art since I spent most of the time enjoying the works of the past Era. Thetest Artist I know is Pablo Picasso, even though he was born in 1881 and died in 1973. His paintings are ssified into modern art. Modern art, called contemporary art, is still unknown territory to me. That distinction doesn''t matter. The art performed by people living in this era is also modern art in that sense. It''s not an unknown territory. Grandpa, Aunt Mirae, and Henry Marceau are all part of contemporary art. So is my painting. "Huh?" Sihyeon tilted his head, then shook his head. "I''ve never seen this person before." I wonder what kind of work he will be making if he is introduced as No. 1 by beating Henry Marceau. "Guys, Its time for lunch?" At that moment grandpa came into the studio. He looked at me, Sihyeon, and our surroundings and opened his eyes wide. We got caught with a bunch of snacks all over the ce. "Oh, my God. What''s all this? How can you eat so many snacks? Huh? Are you setting up a snack shop? Is this why you guys didnte down for Lunch?" "Try this. It''s good, grandpa Ko." Sihyeon rmended whale chips to grandpa. Grandpa can''t get angry when he smiles and treats him politely. "Okay, I''ll eatter. Sihyeon, you should eat veggies for lunch? Snacks are so bad for your health." Grandpa''s words shocked the son of a snack maker. I whispered to grandpa. "His father is the president of a snackpany." Grandpa pped his hands in embarrassment. "Sihyeon, what I mean is it''s not good to eat too much. Huh? Your father who makes delicious food is doing such a great job. Sihyeon, don''t you think so, too? "Yes. Daddy also said I shouldn''t eat too much. I''ll stop eating." "Okay, okay." Sihyeon nodded, and grandpa breathed a sigh of relief. It was a little funny looking at the scene. "Oh, grandpa. Do you know this guy?" I showed grandpa the face of Ferdinando Gonzalez. Of course. Who wouldn''t know him? What kind of work does he do? Hmm. It will be very different from the work you''ve seen so far. Oh, I guess hes too going to the Whitney Biennale,." Yes, he is. Then you''d rather see it in person than I exin it to you. Art should be seen, not listened to." I agree with my grandpa. I''m curious, but I can feel the joy only when I see the work as it is. Henry Marceau and Ferdinando Gonzalez. I''m looking forward to the Whitney Biennale even more. The work for the Whitney Biennale was decided as a self-portrait. I want to break away from the image that has hardened and show a new self. I want to take off the paint and express a figure with another painting below it. I got the sketch. I can hardly think of a way to effectively express this. I believed that oil pastels would be easy to use, but they are not. Even though I spread it out thicker than usual and carefully scraped it with a knife but it fell down helplessly. Furthermore, as grandpa said, when I applied it to the canvas, it did not stick like drawing paper, so I had to spray the fixing liquid. At this rate, I have to start from scratch. "I''m having a headache." It''s already been five days since I went to school. There''s not much progress even if I keep challenging myself until I fall asleep. It is the first feeling of hopelessness since I opened my eyes in the hospital. The work is not progressing, and the date of going to New York is just around the corner. Even if I try to soothe my nervousness, it doesn''t work out as I wish. Once again. This time I found a wider knife. The oil pastel should be peeled off like paper, but it is a failure again. With this, even if I draw a work, it is obvious that it will be ruined in the middle. ". a little more." It''s a little better toy down the de a little more and carefully put strength on it. However, even that was not satisfactory. "Hun, why don''t you go to bed early today?" Grandpa came in. He stretched and sighed deeply. "I''ll do a little more and go to sleep grandpa." He patted my head regretfully and looked around. "You''re practicing scraping the crayon." "Yes." I don''t know anyone else, but I can tell grandpa knew what Im trying to draw and how Im trying to express it. "I''m drawing a self-portrait. I want to scrape my face." "Hmm." "I hope ites off like an apple peel, but it''s not as good as I thought." Grandpa looked at the oil pastel and shook his head. "It''s going to be hard. You''re going to have to apply a lot of it to do that. Plus, you''ll have to peel it off before it driespletely, and you''ll have to scrape it off before it dries properly." "That''s right." It''s not easy enough to think about it again. I''m not sure if it''s possible now. Grandpa never mentioned why I wanted to express this and why not draw something else. There was a small smile at the corners of my grandpa''s face. "I''m sure you can do it. Don''t worry too much." He encourages me by hugging me. Perhaps grandpa knew the answer, but the reason he isn''t telling me is because he recognizes me as an Artist. I would also have shook my head if grandpa tried to tell me the answer. This is my job. This is a ce to show myself fully to the world by getting rid of myself as Vincent van Gogh and getting away from the situation where I''m still introduced as Ko Hun, grandson of Ko Sooyeol. "Is there a good way?" My worries deepen. As the night grew and even the sound of grass bugs became more frequent, I rubbed my heavy eyelids. I scratched the hard oil pastel on the palette with the intention of finishing it today. The ovepping colors are revealed from the top after repeating a few times due tock of strength. It is a technique called Sgraffito. It is a method of partially revealing the paint underneath by scratching the surface, and it is also the principle of this work. However, I was unable to touch the peeled part because of the desire to maintain the shape as part of the painting without dropping it from the work. Oh, ites off pretty much the way I want it to. It is also important how moderately oil pastels dry. However, it will take time to scratch out the entire painting, and as a result, there will be some dys. I need to pay attention to the deformation caused by the time difference, so I need to reduce the number of scratches and expand the area. I Peeled the paint like an apple, to maintain its shape. "Ah." Early in the morning, the sixth day since I started working. A good way shed in my mind. I don''t know if it''s possible, but it''s much better than not trying. Trivia Felix Gonzlez-Torres. Cuban-born American visual artist. Gonzlez-Torres''s openly gay sexual orientation was influential in his work as an artist. Gonzlez-Torres was known for his minimal instations and sculptures in which he used materials such as strings of lightbulbs, clocks, stacks of paper, or packaged hard candies. To be continued on May2(MON) Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Day seven. I failed again. No matter how quickly I draw it, the oil pastel dries up due to the time difference. It doesn''t matter whether the draft is drawn without melting, but there is no way to control the melted, over-painted paintings to revive the texture of peeling. If it hardenspletely, the texture will not be there, so I wonder if there is any other good way. "Hun, let''s go to eat," Grandpa called while I was worried about how to proceed with the work. "Do you go out and eat? You''ve been staying at home the whole time. You need to go out and refresh yourself." Grandpa does have a point. Sometimes you need to ventte yourself and look for a different perspective. I went outside with grandpa. It''s been a week since I went out, so it was pretty bright when I came out. Flowers bloom here and there, and the snow is pleasant. It is especially good because there are many flowers and insects that I don''t know. I entered the restaurant with grandpa. It''s full of food that I''ve never seen before. "Gyukatsu?" It''s called gyukatsu because it''s fried with beef sirloin. No matter how delicious it may be, it was a very expensive food that cost 15,000 won per serving. It''s my first time eating it, but Aunt Mirae said it''s delicious. Aunt Mirae tells me a lot of interesting things, and her information is worth trusting. I''d like to order. Grandpa called the staff. A young man, who looked like he was in his early 30s, approached with a smile. "Yes." He looked at grandpa and me alternately. "Give me two of these gyukatsu, Hun, do you want to drink fruit cider?" Even just cider is delicious, but fruit-vored cider is my favorite. Yes, grandpa. Which one do you want Melon, peach, and apple? "Apple." "Two apple cider, please." "Yes, thank you. Please let me know if you need anything or if there''s any inconvenience." The man headed to the kitchen. While waiting for food, I told grandpa about my worries. Can I take a break from school tomorrow? Yeah, Its only two weeks away, so youll have to concentrate. Instead, you have to study hard with grandpa when you''re done with the preparations." "Yes, grandpa." Time doesn''t solve everything, but nothing happens without enough time. No matter how talented a person is. "Drinks Sir." This time a young woman brought the drink. The bubbles are bubbling. This must be delicious. When I drank it with a straw, the freshness washed away the stuffy mind in an instant. The smell of fresh apples spreads through the nose and passes through the throat. The sweetness in the mouth is also excellent. It''s the perfect drink to refresh yourself. It''s delicious. Right grandpa ? Ahhh Very Sweet. It doesn''t seem to suit grandpa''s taste. He frowned a little and thenughed. Ill put it on the fire. The staff who brought the drink brought a small stone stove this time. With a long stick, she set fire in an instant. "What''s this grandpa ?" When the foodes out, you can cook it here a little more depending on your taste. I guess it''s like pork belly meat. Soon after, the food came out. A bright reddish-red beef was wrapped in a tempura coat. It was so red that I wonder if I can eat it as it is. It is better to cook it more on a stove. I put some gyukatsu on the stove with grandpa. "You can eat warm, without getting cold." "I know. right." Grandpa and I tend to eat slowly, and this is very good. As the small furnace continues to heat up, the meat on top of it not only cooks but also smells good. We dont have to worry about the food getting cold. When I took one piece and put it in my mouth, the juice full of fat flowed down. It''s hot, but you can never spit it out. How can the meat be this soft? Did they beat up the cow? I ate another piece in haste. How is it? Is it good? It''s good grandpa. I was observing when I should eat the meat again. Suddenly a question arose in my head. If I can keep the temperature constant, I can draw with oil pastels on it. It will keep the liquid state, and it will be able to prevent the degree of hardening from changing with time. It would be much easier to peel it off if the exact time was known. "Grandpa, can I get a bigger one like this?" "Do you want more? Shall I order extra meat? "Not meat, but stove. A heat-controlled one.- "I can get it if you want. What are you going to use it for?" " The oil pastel was so stiff that it was hard to take it off. I think it would be great if I could keep melting and harden it all at once." Grandpa kept blinking. It''s okay as long as it doesn''t harden, so it''s not dangerous. What are you going to do? It''ll ovep and Ill peel it off with a knife." Hmm? Grandpa tilts his head. Ko Hun seemed to have found a way atst, but Ko Sooyeol thought he hade to a different conclusion than his. Yeah. Let''s find out." Ko Sooyeol was confused by his grandson''s extraordinary request. Ko Hun said he wanted to ovep the paintings, so he had to find a te with an even surface, and as a result, he got an iron te, used for cooking. Is this all you have? Is this fine Little Hun? It''s fine, grandpa. With Ko Sooyeol watching. Ko Hun raised the frame to fit the size of the canvas. If the temperature was high, the melted oil pastel would boil, and if the heat was concentrated on one side, there was no meaning in getting an iron te. Fortunately, a skilled technician was found, and the temperature was adjusted by cing warm wires under the iron te. When it reached the right temperature, Ko Hun took out the oil pastel that had been melted in advance and made a color. Ko Hun began to paint on the iron te. It was his first time dealing with paint that did not harden, so he had to be careful. The image of the self-portrait that he had thought about hundreds of times in his head was projected onto the iron te, but even for him, who had painted thousands of oil paintings, this task was not easy since he had to reverse the image in his head. But soon, an unexpected problem urred. The melted oil pastel lost its shape with a slight shake. Although he believed in his skills, the process was not easy. Ko Hun, who decided that this would not work, turned off the power. Even if he didn''t think he would seed in the first attempt, it was worse than his prediction. Ko Sooyeol approached Ko Hun It''s not easy. huh? Yes. Ko Sooyeol, who had only listened to Ko Hun''s request all this time, asked his grandson for the first time. "Why did you think of drawing it like this?" When I saw the gyukatsu, it reminded me of the person who made pancake art on Newtube. Pancake art? Yes, he painted with dough. Ko Hun showed a video of a person painting with pancake dough on New Tube. The person in the video separated different colored dough and spread it on the pan as if stacking it up and upon turning it over it revealed a cute character. Ko Sooyeol was impressed by the Pancake art. "Oh, that''s amazing. Still, I think it would be difficult to describe in detail. "I thought I could." Ko Hun had been practicing various things for the past few days, but there was no actual result, so he had no choice but to be frustrated. Ko Sooyeol patted his grandson on the head. "All works arepleted after failure." Ko Sooyeol, who thought that his grandson, who had been sessful until now, had met a wall and was disappointed,forted him. Do you want to challenge your goals or do you want topromise with reality? I don''t think there''s anything wrong with either choice." Ko Hun didn''t answer, just listened to his grandfather. "Compromise doesn''t mean failure. It''s about setting a new goal." Ko Sooyeol ced significance on the fact that his young grandson made such an attempt. Even if it was a difficult goal to achieve, he thought he could reach the ce through trial and error. "I want to try again." Ko Hun turned on the power and scratched the oil pastel on the iron te. He cleaned out the melted oil pastel and picked up the brush again. He carefully painted even one brush stroke with the No. 2 round brush. It doesn''t have to be exactly the same. Ko Hun thought constantly. It was to get rid of the known image, the given image, and the self, connected with the past. The face to be removed did not have to be the same as the face to be exposed. Rather, he thought that the intention would be clearlymunicated if there was a difference. Let''s give up on small things. Ko Hun recalled that the pancake craftsman drew a simplified character while allowing delicate work. A bold omission The amazing sense of color which expresses the impression of the object was his strength. This time the work has been going on for quite some time. Ko Sooyeol stood by his grandson just in case of an ident. After about half an hour, Ko Hun finally began to cover his face, which upies thergest area. The light and shade were bound to be simple. Ko Hun, who divided the darkness and brightness into three stages, mixed melted oil pastels to create skin colors. Then, Ko Hun turned off the power. Assuming that it was heated one more time anyway, it was judged that it would be stable to apply skin color paint after hardening once. While waiting for the oil pastel to harden, Ko Hun did not stop thinking. If it''s going to harden again, I can paint it from the ground up. It''s easy to paint over the surface. If I divide it step by step, cool it down, repeat it, and then melt it againter, will the shape be maintained?'' How long has it been? Ko Hun, who confirmed that the oil pastel was hardened, filled the skin color. Waiting for it to harden again, the night was already deep. Oil Pastel had to harden enough topletely separate from the iron te, so Ko Hun finished the ninth day and went to sleep. The next day. Ko Hun, who woke up early in the morning, went to the studio as soon as he washed his face. He carefully took a thin te to remove the oil pastel that had hardened on the iron te overnight. With a little bit of strength, the oil pastel fell off easily. Ko Hun, who carefully moved it to the te and turned the picture upside down, bit his lips. Thanks to the abandonment of detailed descriptions, the form was maintained to a certain extent, but that''s all. There were mixed and deviated ces. Once again the boy pulled himself together and cleared the iron te. I can draw it like it''s torn from the beginning. Ko Hun came up with several methods. He did not need to express the torn part conspicuously, but it was possible only with the pictorial expression However, the peeling feeling could not be the same as the real thing. Even if it gave a three-dimensional effect, it could not be the same as a three-dimensional work. Ko Hun wanted to express something that was torn and peeled off somehow. So he thought about it again. "Ah." Suddenly a sh of thought crossed his mind. (To be Continued) Trivia stove Pancake Art This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 81 Chapter 81 "Yes." In the first ce, the purpose of the new work was to shed the image of the past self, created by Henry Marceau, the media, and others. Then, by meeting the oil pastel, Ko Hun tried to take advantage of the peeling off feature. It was just a means. It''s a shame. Ko Hun couldn''t figure out how to use oil pastels right away. Even if he found it, he couldn''t master it. Ko Hun couldn''t hang his immature work in the world''srgest art exhibition. Ko Hun erased everything he had done over the past 10 days while sleeping less. It couldn''t have been a waste. He didn''t think the idea was bad. However, for creating a better work, it was natural to overturn the work several times To get to the essence. Although effective, he boldly put himself down without being obsessed with the expression itself. The reason why it was possible was simple. Ko Hun has always thought he wascking. Even though his past name remained in history and people praised his works [Sunflower], [Guest], and [Frost Wheat Field], while being sold at shocking prices, he was still, always thirsty for knowledge. The various expression techniques and many ideas of modern art that developed brilliantly made him excited, and the boy humbly epted the knowledge. It''s not enough. He thought he had to go further. Ko Sooyeol, Jang Mirae, and Henry Marceau''s works gave him a sweet and sour experience like plum, as he was thirsty for knowledge. To know one''s shorings The boy was able to muster up the courage to abandon himself because he believed he could go further. For being better than yesterday. Ko Hun scratched the canvas with a knife. He tore it with his hands. It was what the boy was hoping for. He hoped that there would be a picture in the tore off ce. As intact as a butterfly that ripped a chrysalis toe out of the pupa, Ko Hun hoped to reveal himself. April 20, 9 p.m. New York time. April 21st, 10 a.m. in Seoul. The opening of the Whitney Biennale was just around the corner. Reporter Kim Jiwoo''s phone rang loudly, who was eagerly waiting for Ko Hun to contact him. He urgently answered the phone after checking the caller. "Hun!" Hello. "How''s the work? Can you meet the deadline? Oil painting? I don''t think it''ll dry properly." Kim Jiwoo, who had been waiting so that Ko Hun could focus on his work due to his tight schedule, poured out what he had wanted to ask. -Yes, I finished it today. I don''t think I can make time because I have a lot to prepare. Are you okay with lunch? "Of course. I''lle to your house. Or should Ie to your school?" Pleasee home. "Yes, I''ll be there by 12." Yes. Kim Jiwoo, who finished the call, checked the time on his smartphone. It was a little after 10 a.m. Since he said he finished work today, he must have stayed up all night or worked from early morning. You''re still young, aren''t you overdoing it? Kim Jiwoo was concerned about Ko Hun''s health. Although the Whitney Biennale is said to be the biggest event, it is held every two years and Ko Hun was still young. If he continued to do art in the future, he could have had many opportunities to participate. Kim Jiwoo touched his lips, recalling a genius musician born in Korea, who lost his sight due to the aftermath of the ident and overwork. He was worried about the pressure that the children who are called geniuses and gifted would feel due to the expectations around them. He sincerely hoped that Ko Hun would stay healthy for a long time. Kim Jiwoo got up with his bag. Editor, I''m going to interview Ko Hun.'' Okay, get something when you are going. Use thepany card." "I''m going to do that anyway. I think he has been working with less sleep." I guess so. And he will be participating as soon as after finishing his individual exhibition." Lee Sangchul, the editor of Yehwa, a monthly magazine, wondered if Ko Hun could draw a masterpiece work like [Sunflower], [Guest], and [Frost Wheat Field] in that short amount of time. He thought that young Ko Hun might not be able to meet great expectations and the wishes around him because good works tend to take enough time toe out. Usually, the end product of something that was made in a hurry will always be not good, so he was more worried. People who treated Ko Hun sincerely, like Kim Jiwoo and Lee Sangchul, all felt the same way. "Nutritional supplements are good for him. You know what the kids are eating these days. right?" Yes, I''ll take care of it. Okay, good. With no energy, hey down on his back with his arms and legs outstretched, and his grandfather clicked his tongue. "Tsk tsk. Do you know how anxious I was because of you?" "Hehehe." I couldn''t even get up, so Iughed with my face buried on the sofa. Its not aughing matter. You have to be healthy to draw. Don''t you know how Van Gogh died?" I got up and sat down right away. "But I''m d it went well." After several attempts, I found out that theposition, which I believed would be enough for oil pastels, was unreasonable. It will be difficult unless it is a newbination that increases the wax ratio to be suitable for scratching. So when I returned to the starting point and focused on tearing. I came up with an unexpectedly easy method. It turned out that Grandpa felt the same way in the first ce. Experience and knowledge are also important. I''ll take a break from today, grandpa. "Yeah, I''ll have to tell them not to push the schedules like this from now on." Yes. Grandpa must have known that it''s hard to control the workload. When the progress is going well, you do not have the desire to stop, and when you do not have a good idea, it does not go as you will. However, if that happens repeatedly, my body will be damaged. I thought I would fall asleep if I stayed like this, so I took out the coloring notebook I bought at the stationery store. It''s a notebook with characters like sponge bob, ss penguin, and super robot Gand. If I paint without thinking, I can rx my mind and try colorbinations that I have never done before. As I was doing it for a while, the doorbell rang. -Hello! It''s Kim Jiwoo! When grandpa pressed the inte, Kim Jiwoo''s lively voice rang loudly even beyond the speaker. Grandpa who opened the door smiled. He''s always lively. I know he''s in his 30s, but it''s not easy to do that at that age. It means that his mind is healthy. I got up and went to the front door. Hello, Reporter Kim. Hi! Oh, my God. look at the dark circle around your eyes. Did you have a meal? You didn''t sleep, did you? You''re going to faint. If you''re sick, I''ll go crazy. Your grandpa will be so sad. Oh, Professor. Hello. How are you? The shirt looks so good on you. I guess you''ve been doing great at home. Is it because of Hun?" The problem is that it''s a little noisy, but when I''m with Kim Jiwoo, my ears won''t get bored. If it was someone else they would have finished with two or three words. Haha. Come on in, Reporter Kim. Thank you. Oh, can I take a picture? Are you not going to take a picture? I''ll do it. Sit down. When I rmended sitting on the sofa, reporter Kim said thank you and sat down. "The house is really nice." Yes. The sofa is soft, too. Oh my. It feels good, too. What do you call this? I don''t think it''s just fabric." I don''t know. What should I say? I thought if its the Professor, he would have decorated the house in a traditional Korean style. It''s very sophisticated. As expected, his aesthetic sense. Oh, right." Kim Jiwoo held out a paper bag. What''s this? It''s a vitamins. Eating well and sleeping well is the best thing, but I don''t think you can do that. Take one a day." I don''t know what vitamins are, but they must be good for health. "Thank you." I''m d I got an unexpected gift. "What''s that?" Kim Jiwoo showed interest in the coloring sketchbook I had in my hand. "Healing." "Can I take a look?" Kim Jiwoo opened the sketchbook when I nodded. His eyes became round like a fish. Wasn''t this a practice sketchbook? It''s fun to do when I get bored. It calms me down. "You y like this in your free time." Can I take a picture of this and attach it to the article?" Go ahead. Grandpa brought juice and coffee. "I never thought you wouldnt have any helpers, Professor. It would be hard for you to do the housework alone, right? You also have arge garden." "It''s housework. I''m doing it for fun. Because of it, I wont feel lonely." I wondered why there was no one working in this big house, but I didn''t know there was a reason. Seeing that there is no trace of grandma at home, it seems that it has been a while since she passed away, so grandpa seems to have lived alone ever since he had the big fight with his daughter. Jang Mirae and his disciples sometimes visited him, and it seems like he soothed the loneliness of living alone with housework. "Well, then," Kim Jiwoo took out a recorder and a notebook. "As expected, I''m most curious about what happened after the auction. How have you been?" "I went to school. I couldnt go out for a week or so because I was working.." "How''s school? Did you make any friends?" "Yes, I have a unique friend. His name is Cha Sihyeon. We draw and y together at home." "Cha Sihyeon? Is he good at drawing, too?" "Hes good. He also likes paintings. "Huh? What''s good about school?" "Good about school..I like the meals and art sses." "Art sses? Is there anything to learn?" "Of course, I learned how to use oil pastels and origami. I know how to fold, and I can even make birds and fold roses." Kim Jiwoo blinked. What? No, I didn''t expect that. Other than your paintings, you''re surprisingly ordinary. It feels like you got used to oil paintings before you used crayons." Kim Jiwoo wrote something. "I''m looking forward to the Whitney Biennale. Some people are worried about whether a good painting wille out because of the tight time." Grandpa, Aunt Mirae, and Uncle Bang were also worried, saying simr things. "I feel it a lot now. I decided to adjust my schedule with Uncle Bang." "That''s a relief. I''m d the picture came out well though. Oh, you''re confident Is it oil painting again?" "Yes, but it''s going to be a little different." "What''s the difference?" "I did it in a way I''ve never done before. I''ve failed a lot, but I''ve found a good way. Failure. I don''t think it looks good on you. How hard was it? "I hardly slept for thest two weeks or so. I even reversed the idea several times. "What a shame." "It''s a waste. But I couldn''t have done it without that process." Reporter Kim nodded as he wrote something with his pen. "That''s cool. Failure is the mother of sess, right?" Yes. You announced that you are going to participate in person on May 1st. There''s about a week left. What''s the schedule like?" The work was done earlier than I thought, so I''m going to go straight away tomorrow. Oh? Then you''ll be able to make it to the opening ceremony, right? There will be a day difference." Kim Jiwoo asked, checking his watch. "Yes, I can''t wait to see it. It''s good to disy the painting as early as possible." Good, good. Oh, Henry Marceau is going to take part. As apetitor. what are you expecting?" "Hmm, I think hes a jerk, but sometimes he says the right thing, and he is good at his work. I hope he surprises me this time, too." "Hmm. I''ll take out the word jerk out of the article." Grandpa breathed out with relief when Reporter Kim said it. "So, your most anticipated Artist for this Whitney Biennale is Henry Marceau, right?" "No." "No?" "Yes. I wonder what kind of work Ferdinando Gonzalez will create." "Oh, that''s good. Are you interested in conceptual art?" "I don''t know. I''m interested because I don''t know?" "Okay, tell me about being Schmincke''s promotional model. What are you going to do for them?" "I''m going to do a work with the paint they made there. Their paint is soft, so I used to use it a lot." "So you used Schmincke paint this time, too?" "That''s a secret." (To be Continued) This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 82 Chapter 82 [Genius painter Ko Hun enters New York] Ko Hun, who announced his bted participation on May 1, is scheduled to depart for New York on April 21. Regarding his work Ko Hun said, "I have a satisfactory result. Please look forward to it." Dispelling concerns that there is not enough time to prepare for the work after the first individual exhibition. The Whitney Biennale, where Ko Hun participates, is an art exhibition held by the Whitney Museum of Art in New York City and is known as one of the world''s top three biennials. The Venice Biennale and the Sao Paulo Biennale are now the world''srgest exhibitions only in name. The Artists who have been invited from Korea and received great attention for the previous editions of the Whitney Biennale were Kim Hyunki, Cheon Kyung, Baek Dong, Ko Sooyeol, Seo Sangwook, and Jang Mirae. Big names stand out this year as well. Ferdinand Gonzalez (39), a Cuban-American who created a link between conceptual art and the public. There is Henry Marceau(32), a Frenchman who is gaining huge poprity bybining realism and individualistic aesthetics. Olivia Gray, the chief curator of the Whitney Biennale, invited 300 artists who made impressive works regardless of whether they were established or new, and 254 artists responded. [List of participants] Like this, a young Korean Artist is joining the leading writers who are excited just by their name. Ko Hun, who appeared like aetst year, used orientalposition and de-impressionistic expression techniques. He talked about how he prepared for this Whitney Biennale. Q. Hows your life after the individual exhibition Hun? A. I''m working on my work while attending school. It''s hard to study at school, but I''m enjoying learning. Q. The schedule is tight. How is the finished work? A. I''m satisfied. I''m sure it''ll be fun. Please look forward to it. Q. Did you have any difficulties? A. It was hard. I had the idea before, but I couldn''t find a way to express it. It took about three weeks, and I barely slept for two weeks. Q. It seems that the genius painter Ko Hun also has difficulties. A. I don''t think Im a genius. If I really was one, I would have finished the work without breaking a sweat. Q. Was it the same when you prepared for the Sweet Happiness Exhibition? A. Yes, I drew about 60 paintings. There were times when I drew two works a day, but I could only disy 19 of them. Q. Didn''t you like it? A. You can''t always draw good pictures. When I think about making a work, I get scared of the canvas. Q. You get scared of the canvas? A. It''s always scary. But I don''t hesitate. I have to fight back even if its scary. And there''s no answer other than drawing. Q. I thought you enjoyed drawing. A. Its tiring. It''s painful, but I think I really like it because there''s something I want to draw? Q. Who do you look forward to the most at the Whitney Biennale? A. Ferdinando Gonzalez. I don''t know much about conceptual art, so I''m looking forward to what kind of art he''ll exhibit. The boy said painting was hard and painful while smiling. The boy was coloring with cartoon characters while waiting for the appointment, even though he looked tired. [Attached photo] During the interview with Ko Hun, I found out that what we love doesnt always be pleasant and enjoyable. As he said, he really likes to paint even though he feels tired and scared. I wish him good luck on the world stage after sessfully finishing his first individualpetition. -Kim Jiwoo (Yehwa) The Whitney Museum, which is interested in the Korean art market, started with artist Kim Hyunki, and invited leading artists such as Chun Kyung, Ko Sooyeol, Sangwook, and Jang Mirae. There has been a gap for quite a while since Jang Mirae. It was good news for Korean art lovers as the Whitney Museum actively expressed its intention to invite Ko Hun. Is he coloring sponge bob?? How much would he have got if he drew something else while doing that? Its said that he''s doing it to heal. So cute.???? It''s obvious, but hes also good at coloring. It also looks like a work of art. Even if you go into NewTube, there are a lot of people who are better than that.???? Let''s see the colors. He only uses three colors, and it''s not easy to paint in such a clear and harmonious way. It looks good because he''s unique. Its healing for adults too, so I bought one like that. For adults? Isn''t it weird if you buy a color book for a 10year-old as an adult? Are you able to live your daily life?? What are you thinking? It''s not like that.??? Why isn''t Henry Marceau the most anticipated Artist? Henry Marceau is again squeamish. Really crazy Red He put a raincoat on Marceau''s jewel.???? But looking at the picture, he must be really tired. Where''s the bright Hun?? He must have been working for two weeks without sleeping. The schedule was too tight. I hope he doesnt hurt his body. He has to eat well and sleep well because hes growing up. Overrated for his skills. I don''t think that''s the case if Whitney''s museum invited him. But it''s really unfortunate. Can''t we really see the [Frost wheat field] again? Wouldn''t Henry have a collection exhibition someday? He did it a few years ago. Do we have to wait that long? There''s nothing we can do. Art lovers regretted that it might be difficult to see Ko Hun''s [Frost Wheat Field] in person in the future. It''s not just a problem for Korean fans, but also the fans in Europe and North America, where the Whitney Biennale will be held. Moreover, it features thergest number of artists in the history of the exhibition, including Ferdinando Gonzalez and Henry Marceau. The 2028 Whitney Biennale recorded exceptional visitors on its opening day, continuing its reputation as the world''srgest art exhibition. Grandpa usually sleeps on the ne, so a boring journey from Incheon to New York was expected. Uncle Bang was also busy looking at something. I thought I wouldn''t be bored because Sihyeon was with me, but it wasn''t either. "No, I said it''s too much to write down as a fraction." In my opinion, a Korean elementary school that teaches these things to 10-year-old children is going too far. Obviously, the PDF file says middle school math. If its middle school, it would be for the children in the age group of 16 years old in Korean age, and to teach the math of those children to these young students, the world has be very harsh and difficult to live in. If so, I dont know what a 16-year-old would be learning. Let''s do itter. No, You didn''te to school, so you have to learn it all, this time. I heard you''ll be staying in the U.S. for another two weeks. Then, how will you do the test?" Half the time I was on the ne, I had to take Sihyeon''s math ss. It would have been better to be bored. I arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport. What brings you here? The immigration inspector asked the question with an expressionless face. "I''m here to participate in the Whitney Biennale." "The Whitney Biennale? Hmm. You''re not old enough to look like an artist." In Korea, I get noticed everywhere I go, but it seems like Im less well known in the United States. I''ve heard that Caroline Streak made me famous, but that doesn''t seem to be the case either. There is an invitation letter sent from the Whitney Museum of Art in the sponge bob bag, but I have kept it in the cargopartment so I was wondering if there was a way to prove that Im an artist without showing it. Suddenly a notebook and a pen caught my eye. "Can I borrow your notebook and pen?" "What are you going to do?" "I want to prove that I''m a painter." "It''s fun, I can''t wait long." I got a notebook and a pen and sketched his face. One-minute croquis and three-minute croquis. I have repeated it for many years as training to catch the characteristics of the object well. If I draw it more realistically than usual, I''ll probably draw it well. "Oh. You really are a painter." The immigration officer who checked his face in the paper spoke with admiration. How long are you going to stay? A couple of weeks. I hope you have a wonderful trip. The immigration officer tore up the notebook and returned my drawing. "It''s a present. Take it." "I''m not interested in paintings. I''ll forget even if I keep it" Uncle Bang, who followed,ughed as he shrugged his shoulders and passed. What''s funny Uncle Bang? ''I was wondering what I should do if you gave it to him and how I should get it back?" "It''s just a sketch, Uncle Bang." "It''s a problem because you drew it. I''m sorry for him, but I''m d." After waiting a little longer, grandpa, Sihyeon, and the secretary who followed him as Sihyeon''s guardian gathered. I went out to pack my things. The staff from the Whitney Museum weed us. He was a man with a brightplexion. "Wee. Mr. Ko Hun, Im John Carter from the Whitney Museum''s public rtions team." "Nice to meet you. Thank you for inviting me." I shook hands with John Carter. " Hello Sir Ko Sooyeol, its a pleasure meeting you." Nice to meet you. John Carter bowed while greeting grandpa. It seems grandpa is respected in the U.S. as well. He shook hands with Uncle Bang happily. It seems like they have been conversing through mail and phone conversations. When I went outside under John Carters guidance, there was an abnormally long car waiting for us. I was surprised looking at the interior which looked as if a small room had been moved into the car. "Then, shall we go to the amodation." "I want to stop by the museum right away. I have to hand over the painting." From Seoul to Incheon International Airport and back to here, I had spent enough of the whole day. I can''t wait any longer. John Carter raised his eyebrows and asked Uncle Bang and grandpa for consent. "Is Sihyeon fine with it?" "Yes." Grandpa worried that Sihyeon would be tired, so he asked, and Sihyeon nodded his head. Please go right away. Uncle Bang told John Carter of our intentions:. "It will take about 30 minutes. Let''s go." The driver moved the car. It''s as quiet as grandpa''s car. I drank the drink John Carter rmended and listened to his story. "People have been gathering since day one. Thank you for providing a great piece of art." "Thank you for having me." I haven''t even hung [Mask] yet, but it''s too much praise, so I changed the subject of the conversation. "I heard that the museum only deals with contemporary American art." "That''s right. we respected the founder''s will, but we had doubts about dealing only with artists in the United States." John Carter exined that when the Whitney Museum of Art opened, a unique American culture was prevalent, and that was the reason the founder Van Whitney made such a will. "As time went by, the boundaries between countries were broken. Coboration with Artist Baek Dong in 1993 was part of that. The Whitney Museum now respects all contemporary artists." Even with the direction of the founder. The flexible eptance of the times seems to be in line with the spirit of the Whitney Biennale, which deals with various artworks. "Wow." Sihyeon looked out the window and admired the view. As I turned my head, I saw a huge building in a form that I had never thought of before. Chelsea, Manhattan, NYC The wall faces at various angles, so the light shines differently, and each wall feels a different color ordingly. Thanks to the rows of trapezoidal windows, I feel three-dimensional even though I am looking at the real thing. "It''s the Whitney Museum of Art." Even after getting out of the car, I looked at the building with Sihyeon. "Amazing." "Yeah. So cool." The WH Art Museum is great, but the Whitney Museum was really jaw-dropping. My heart beats at the thought of my work hanging in a ce like this. "Ko Sooyeol? It''s Ko Sooyeol." "It''s Ko Hun." Suddenly, when I was in front of the Whitney Museum, the surroundings became chaotic. I think they recognized grandpa and me, so suddenly they pushed the microphone and camera while pouring out questions. "Please say something about the work!" What kind of conversation did you have with Henry Marceau?" "Do you have any ns for the exhibition? " I let my guard down thanks to the immigration inspector. It''s not easy here either. (To be Continued) This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 83 Chapter 83 "The interview will be held at a press conference the day after tomorrow." Uncle Bang stepped up and blocked the reporters. By the way, I dont know why they are asking about what conversation I had with Henry Marceau. It''s just amazing that I get involved with him everywhere. Let''s go in. John Carter beckoned people. Security guards at the Whitney Museum stopped the flood of journalists, so we were able to enter the lobby. Sihyeon could be seen shaking in the hands of the secretary. Sihyeon. Are you alright? What''s wrong with everyone out there? I got scared." He''s like a nt grown in a greenhouse, so he seems to be surprised by the sudden rush of Americans. "This is the lobby gallery." Hearing John Carters voice we moved our heads. The Whitney Museum of Art seems to be exhibiting works from the lobby. The area of the building wasrge and the height is considerable, and if they are exhibiting works from the lobby, I have no idea how many works they will be having. "Don''t we have to buy tickets?" John carter replied to Sihyeon''s question with a smile. "During the biennial period, the admission is free." We went and checked the entrance fee on the board disyed. $30 for an adult. $20 for students. Free for those under 18 years of age. On Fridays from 710 pm, Museum admission is Pay-What-You-Wish. Advance timed tickets are strongly rmended as avability is limited. It also operates a system called Pay-What-you-wish tickets. We can buy tickets at whatever price we want, so we can enjoy it as much as we want in Friday evening. This seems to be the reason why this ce is so loved. "You can see the lobby gallery for free on any day." It''s nice to hear John Carter''s additional exnation. It''s amazing that such arge art museum is maintained even if it is operated in this way. "It''s maintained thanks to corporate sponsorship and publicity. Especially during the biennale, we get inquiries from various ces." Come to think of it, corporate logos stand out here and there. The WH logo, which I saw in the WH Art Museum could be seen, and there was also a logo of the EI party, for which Sihyeon''s father is the CEO. The logo of pineapple, thepany that makes the tablet I use could also be seen. John Carter added that four years ago, only during the biennial period, they would not ept admission fees except for the top floor. "The poprization of art is the motto of the Whitney Museum of Art." With that philosophy, the exhibition is run, and so many people seem to have gathered. It''s a great ce. Hun." I turned my head to the voice of grandpa. "It''s the work you wanted to see." When I moved my eyes in the direction grandpa pointed, two clocks were hanging side by side. Below it there was the name of Ferdinando Gonzalez. I heard that the exhibition ce is fair, so I didn''t expect his work would be in the lobby gallery. No, its not a bad ce either. Maybe its the best ce in a sense since people can see it as soon as they enter the museum. "Is it the Ferdinando Gonzalez that Alexa Factory Newtube channel ranked number one?" Sihyeon came close to me and asked. "Yeah. It seems so." It is close to the entrance, so many visitors see it, but they pass it after just giving a nce. Looking closely, it is not only the same design clock, but the time in both clocks is also the same. Both the minute hand and the second hand move together. Looking at it Sihyeon tilted his head and asked. "Did he make this clock?" "I don''t know." It''s in, and it''s an ordinary design that we can see anywhere. Above all, there''s no title. "I don''t think he made it himself." Grandpa came forward and answered Sihyeons questions, but questions kept popping one after another. Can industrial products that are not made by the Artist be called works? I looked at the clocks that were moving in a simr manner, but I couldnt understand what Ferdinando Gonzalez wanted to say. Two clocks Two times. I can only guess that he wants to talk about the concept of living the same time. I looked at grandpa and Uncle Bang, but it seems the two also don''t seem to have found anything either. "It''s strange." Sihyeon''s words might be the most honest appreciation that represents the current mood. During my stay here, I don''t know if I can understand the meaning of these two title-less wall clocks or talk to Ferdinando Gonzalez. "There are so many people." Sihyeon said while looking around. I couldn''t look at the exhibition room since I was distracted by the wall clock, but surely this huge room is constantly filled with people. Ferdinando Gonzalez''s work is rxing because people don''t stay long, but other works are seen properly. While looking around, I found something strange. "There''s no pir?" "Yes. There are no pirs in the Whitney Museum to distract the audience from viewing the works." John Carter added an exnation. How advanced is architecture to build a wide and high building without a single pir? In terms of functioning as well as appearance, the museum is amazing. "It''s cool Hun. Are you disying your work in this ce?" Sihyeon asked with his sparkling eyes. I am also excited. I can''t disy it right now, but I want to disy [Mask] as soon as possible. Yes. I wish you could hang your other paintings too. As Sihyeon said, it''s a shame. [Sunflower], [Guest], and [Frost Wheat Field] are already out of my hands, but there is still a new painting, so there is no need to be discouraged. I looked at [Mask] Uncle Bang was holding and urged John Carter. Can we go? "Yes. This way please." I followed John Carter while looking at the exhibits. I couldn''t look closely since they were crowded. Maybe I should take a look around slowly after presenting the [Mask]. I''ll be watching the works here. OK. I''ll call you, once everything is over. Okay. I entered the room leaving Sihyeon with the secretary. As I entered the guided office room, a man greeted me warmly. Michael Ping, a Chinese-American curator. He seems to be not a member of the Whitney Museum. It is said that the Biennale is conducted by inviting external curators from the year 2000 to avoid customized exhibitions. It wouldn''t have been an easy decision. The more I get to know about the museum, the more I admire it. "I was really looking forward to it. Then, can I see your work?" "Yes." Uncle Bang ced the tightly wrapped [Mask] on the table. It would have been convenient if we had asked a professional deliverypany, but it was faster to bring it this way since it waspleted the day before yesterday. I ripped off theyers of wrapping. John Carter and Michael Ping, who saw [Mask] moaned quietly. "It''s a self-portrait. Is it oil pastel?" That''s right. They are quick to notice that it''s painted with oil pastel. They have a good eye, perhaps because they have been dealing with paintings for a long time. John Carter smiled. "It''s a painting that suits the expression young Van Gogh." It is an ambiguousment, but it is certainly a negative review. He said it in a way that wouldn''t make me feel bad. On the other hand, Michael Ping, who was staring at [Mask] said honestly. "Its not bad." He did not hide his difort. "Expressive techniques are no different from Van Goghs. Color, too. It''s a little more detailed, but this one." Michael Ping shook his head. Then he sighed and suggested it in a sincere voice. "I''ll give you some more time. If it''s still not possible, it''s good to aim for the next biennial. I think exhibiting this painting will have a bad effect on Ko Hun." "Michael." John Carter stepped up to dissuade Michael Ping. "John, this is for him. I know. Ko Hun is really talented. But this time he was running out of time." While listening to Michael Ping, grandpaughed. Uncle Bang and I couldn''t hold back anymore and burst intoughter. Michael Ping looked at us with his eyes wide open in disbelief. "It''s not something tough about." He came forward and looked straight at Uncle Bang. "I heard you worked as a curator Mr. Bang. Would you hang this picture? All I can say is he copied Van Gogh. It''s not good for his future either." I can trust this guy. No artist can make all paintings a good work. Michael Ping doesnt seem to be a person who looks only at the artist''s name while exhibiting works but also judges it as a work. I was relieved by his unshakable, determined voice. It''s not done yet. Michael Ping and John Carter blinked as if they couldnt understand what was happening. I asked you for a presentation, right? It''ll be finished then. Please decide whether to exhibit it or not after the presentation." It would beplicated if curator Michael Ping stopped me. But Uncle Bangspany Sunflower and the Whitney Museum already have a written contract. In the first ce, it is an event that freely disys various works, the exhibition itself will be possible unless there was a natural disaster or damage to the work. Michael Ping sighed as he looked at me. Mr. Ko, I hope my judgment is wrong. Thank you. He shook his head and sat down. "Then the presentation ceremony." Uncle Bang stepped up. "It''s possible at any time. The seats are already set, so we''ll contact the media if you want. As you can see, it''s not that hard to find a reporter." As John Carter said, the museum was full of reporters inside and outside, so it won''t be a big problem. Is it possible tomorrow? I can''t wait anymore, so I asked bluntly. Michael Ping wrapped the painting in cloth. Another employee came in and took [Mask]. Of course. Michael Ping reached out his hand. Mr. Ko, don''t be impatient. Yes, I know. I happily epted his warm advice by holding hands. Michael Ping and the staff went outside with [Mask]. "Then I''ll show you around." I thought it would be over once I gave the painting, so I tried to go back to sleep, but it seems like they have something prepared. John Carter guided us. While going out grandpa smiled satisfactorily and asked, "What do you think?" "I''m looking forward to it. They''re a lot more capable than I thought." With serious and reasonable people like John Carter and Michael Ping, I think the Whitney Biennale was able to grow into the biggest exhibition in the world. "I want to participate as often as possible. "Haha. It''s not that easy." If I had known that there was such a good event, I would have prepared for it in advance. It''s a shame that all I can do now is only bet on one work that I have. I sent a message to Sihyeon on my Smartphone and asked him where he was. "Hmm?" Grandpa and Uncle Bang suddenly stopped walking. I raised my head and looked at them. Both of them look perplexed. "What''s wrong?" "No. its.." Uncle Bang lifted me up so that I could see. Maybe because he thought he couldn''t exin it. At the end of my sight, my paintings [Sunflower] [Guest] and [Frost wheat field] were hung side by side on one side of the wall where there are many people. "uh?" (To be Continued) This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 84 Chapter 84 I don''t know why [Sunflower] and [Frost wheat field] that Henry Marceau bought were hanging here. Moreover, there is also [Guest] which was bought by the man wearing a mask at the Marceau Gallery auction. Above all, they are hanging in a pretty good ce. Uncle Bang dropped me off. How did this happen? Yeah. What happened? Grandpa and I asked John Carter. Didn''t you know? John Carter asked Uncle Bang. It seems that even Uncle Bang didn''t know about this. If he had known, he would have let me know, and I wouldn''t have forced myself to be deprived of sleep for two weeks to hang my work at the Whitney Biennale. John Carter spoke with a smile. It came as a request from the Marceau Gallery a month ago. They wanted to disy Mr. Marceau''s collection at this biennale. I, Uncle Bang, and grandpa listened to John Carters story with our eyebrows frowned and our mouths slightly open. We would normally refuse, but we epted it after discussing it with the curator because it was painted by Ko Hun. There were many people in the U.S. who wanted to see Ko Hun''s works in person, especially [Frost wheat field]. There are many questions. It was requested a month ago, right? Yes. I can understand if it''s [Sunflower] but [Frost wheat field] wasnt even auctioned during that time. No matter how reckless Henry Marceau was, he would not reverse his promise to the Whitney Museum without thinking, so he was nning to buy it from the beginning. It must be. I can understand a little why he bought [Frost Wheat Field] at a ridiculous price, but that doesnt exin the reason why he hung my painting at the Whitney Biennale. There is a ce for every work. Is this his way of saying that this is where the [Frost wheat field] belongs? I remembered what Henry Marceau said to me abouting out into the wider world. Is this because of Goodwill? Can you do this simply because of Goodwill? What about [Guest]? Did Marceau give this painting? Yes. Neither I nor grandpa nor Uncle Bang could understand what was happening. Mr. Marceau. John Carter started turning his head while speaking. We also turned our heads after him. I can''t see anything because of the people. When I looked up at Uncle Bang, he lifted me again. On the wall opposite my painting. Two emerald eyes were shining. The horizontally ced canvas was sorge that it looked 150F (227.3cm x 181.8cm). Thatrge area of the canvas was devoted only to representing the forehead part, the eyes, and the tip of the nose. Oh, My God. Uncle Bang groaned in disbelief. Even grandpa, who was disgusted with Henry Marceau, narrowed his eyes and looked at the painting. Two emerald eyes as if they were looking at my painting hanging on the other side. I think he must have been inspired by you. John Carter continued his words. I think he prepared it with this kind ofposition in mind from the beginning. Michelle tini asked me to hang it face-to-face. That means he must have been thinking about it since a month ago, no, maybe even before that. I want to see it up close. I got off of Uncle Bangs arms and headed forward. Thankfully people recognized me and cleared the way. The moment I faced the painting without any obstacles, I could understand why he was a loved Artist of this century. Even when looking at it so closely, I can''t find a gap or mistakes. He thoroughly expresses the skin texture, eyebrows, and wrinkles. The most surprising thing is the eyes. The eyes were drawn sorge that the diameter of the pupil looks at least 30 cm, and they feel as if they are alive. Is this how you feel when you meet a creature beyond imagination? I felt a chilling sensation when I saw my painting getting reflected in the eyes at the same time as the bizarre experience of facing an overwhelming-sized eye. The title [Shadow] caught my eye. I don''t understand why he named it like that, but I can feel his strong will in both of his eyes that contain my painting. It''s neither good nor bad. When did he draw this? My paintings were urately reflected in those eyes. It would have been possible if it was just [Sunflower] and [Guest] if you take a long time and effort, however, [Frost Wheat Field] has only been released two months ago. Is this why he has been visiting every single day since the first day of Sweet Happiness. It seems like he took the title from psychology. Grandpa opened his mouth. When I raised my head, he exhaled heavily through his nose and started exining. Psychologist Carl Jung named Shadow as the role that society expects from an individual''s persona. Persona refers to a mask used in a y. Unlike the original self, the personality given by society is bound to be different. Like a good student, a sincere employee." Schools want students to study hard, but not all students can. They might like drawing or music. To some extent, we will ept the demands of school, teachers, and parents and live as sincere students, but there will be a time when we will be exhausted. The same goes for rtionships between people. We want to be seen as a good person, so we help out with things we don''t want to do, and weugh when we don''t want tough, and suddenly, when we are alone, we hate ourselves. Carl Jung called Shadow the gap between the persona and the self. Marceau has given such a word as the title of this work. As the mask gets thicker, the more the suppressed self tries toe out. I have sometimes seen a person who lived up to the expectations of the people around him go crazy at some point. He couldn''t live his true self and would have deceived himself. It''s like aplex. That''s right. When Uncle Bang asked, grandpa, nodded his head. I don''t know what the wordplex means. However, I suffered from being expected to be an obedient son by my father and being asked by my uncle to simply sell paintings at a high price. At the age when I decided to live as a painter, I was able to escape from those expectations. I know exactly what that desperation is. Did I awaken the Shadow of Henry Marceau? Or does he think of me as his ownplex? Either way, it doesn''t matter. What is clear is that Henry Marceau did not turn a blind eye to his feelings. Rather, it got revealed by expressing it on such arge canvas. Emerald eyes shining like jewels show his will. I once again admired his skill in expressing emotions only with his eyes. Its not the same Henry Marceau who hesitated because he couldn''t carve his eyes. Jung insisted that one should ept his shadow as it is. Grandfather wrapped his arms around my shoulder, and said, You can only discover true individuality when you acknowledge both his own personality and the one that society asks him to be. The process of finding your Individuality is called self-realization. It seems like Marceau has changed a lot. Grandpa said something positive about Henry Marceau for the first time. I feel the same way. The Artists who drew the most attention at the Whitney Biennale, which attracted 40,000 people on the opening day alone, were Henry Marceau and Ko Hun. Those who saw [Sunflower] [Guest] and [Frost Wheat Field] which were soldst year and this year with record auction prices, were amazed and could not take their feet off in front of [Shadow] disyed facing it. It was enjoyed by not only the people who went there in person but also by the people who essed the virtual exhibition room that the Whitney Museum has ambitiously prepared so that everyone in the world can enjoy the Whitney Biennale. Both people who had experience and have not yet experienced started spreading stories about the two Artists. I finally saw [Frost Wheat Field]! It was amazing.Only a handful of people would have got a chance to see [Sunflower], but now a lot more can view it at the Whitney Biennale. How was it? If you really didn''t go, make sure to go. Dont miss it It''s a great experience just getting a chance to look at the work of Ko Hun and Henry Marceau ??? I know. Howe the paintings of Ko Hun be there? It''s all sold out, right.? The Whitney Museum replied that Henry Marceau provided it. No way, did he buy it to hang it over there? ? If it''s really like that, isn''t it true love?? Even the work he submitted this time was crazy because it getspleted only when ced opposite Ko Hun''s painting. No matter how close you are, is that possible? Its like a crazy fan. Of course, hes a crazy fan, he bought [Frost wheat field] for $14 million What''s more significant is that Henry''s painting is on disy across from Ko Hun''s painting. I got goosebumps.???? Im watching you? I think that''s what it meant. His shadow is also crazy. The painting was so big. Even if his character is the worst, his skills are the best. The narcissistic man can''t draw his face in vain. If it''s a masterpiece like that, he should have been preparing it for a long time. Why is the title [Shadow]? I heard that its found in Carl Jung''s works. Is it some kind of Sci-fi novel? Nope. It''s a psychological term, and shadow is a kind ofplex. It''s like a rejection when social personality and ego collide? Actually, I don''t understand anything. It''s tooplicated. I''m just gonna look at the picture. It''s better to look deep. No matter how you understand it, it''s up to you. No ill-feeling. The painting of Henry is easy to understand. It''s fun just to watch. Ko Hun''s drawing is easy to understand. There''s nothing to understand. All you have to do is feel it. I like that kind of picture. Everyone''s talking about only Henry and Ko Hun, and there''s no Ferdinando Gonzalez? I think it''s because it''s kind of hard to understand. It looked like two clocks hanging side by side. Thats it and there''s no title. Art is really hard these days. There are so many things I can''t understand without listening to the docent''s exnation. Artists are mistaken because ordinary people can''t afford to see, study, and observe things in-depth, and they only talk about difficult things. That''s why they are getting separated from the Public. Its also the reason why Henry and Jang Mirae are popr these days. While art lovers shared their opinions with each other about Ko Hun and Henry Marceau, Let''s Talk'', a liberal arts program nned and produced by the Whitney Museum to narrow the distance between the public and Art, dealt with Ko Hun and Henry Marceau as the first theme. "Hello, viewers. I''m Woojin, the host of Let''s Talk. Woojin, who hosted several TV programs, greeted the audience. Modern art, it''s hard to understand. But do you know that many artists who live at the same time as us are constantly trying tomunicate? Woojin smiled as she stared at the camera. From today, we''re going to look around the Whitney Biennale and learn about such artists. Today we have Dr. Caroline Streak here to help us. Hello, Ms.Streak. Hello. The Whitney Biennale opened yesterday. This time, it''s the highest ever. 254 people participated. Yes, the Whitney Museum has tried to introduce as many artists as possible. There were particrly two prominent artists. Yesterday and today, the two people who made headlines on the Inte. It''s Henry Marceau and Ko Hun. The picture of the two people was projected on the screen. Trivia Shadow Inanalytical psychology, theshadow(also known asid,shadow aspect, orshadow archetype) is either anunconscious aspectof thepersonalitythat the consciousegodoes not identify in itself, or the entirety of the unconscious; that is, everything of which a person is not fully conscious. In short, the shadow is the unknown side. Read more Complex Ais a core pattern ofemotions, memories, perceptions, and wishes in the personal unconscious organized around amon theme, such aspowerorstatus.[1]Primarily apsychoanalyticterm, it is found extensively in the works ofCarl JungandSigmund Freud. Read more (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 85 Chapter 85 The two people havepletely different looks, personalities, and art styles. Do they have any simrities? Yes. There are many ways to understand an Artist, but the best way is to look at their life. Life. Caroline Streak nodded. The Artist''s experience and mental state have an absolute impact on their work. Can you give us an example of the Artist we know? Vincent van Gogh, Gustav Klimt, and Edvard Munch are all good examples. All right. So let''s talk about the two Artists, Henry Marceau and Ko Hun. Can we look at Henry Marceau first?" With host Woojin''s words, Henry Marceau''s profile was introduced. Woojin read the script. Born in 1995. He''s 32 years old now. Born as an heir of the prestigious Marceau family in France, he lost his parents as soon as he was born. Yes, his grandfather Guiume Marceau was alive when he was very young, but he too died when Henry was 10 years old. Caroline Streak cleared her throat. Henry Marceau has shown extraordinary talent since he was young. When he went to Rhode Ind School, he had already gained global recognition. Listening to it, I definitely saw something simr to Ko Hun. Ko Hun also had an unfortunate identst year and built a great reputation at an early age. Yes. Both of them were from a rich environment, but they felt great sadness and loss at a young age. In particr, Henry Marceau constantly searched for who he was. A self-portrait of Henry Marceau was projected on the screen. His work was only about finding his ego. Since he lost his parents so early, he had no chance to be loved, no guide to what to do and how to live. Didn''t he have his grandfather, Guiume Marceau? I heard that he became bedridden at the loss of his son and Henry was actually raised by a nanny. Yes. And so it makes sense a little bit of Henry Marceau''s view. The process of painting a self-portrait was for him to get to know himself. That''s what I see. He really looks at himself in many different ways and reveals himself. I think his narcissistic tendencies represent human aspirations rather than pure affection. But there''s been a big change in the Whitney Biennale. Yes, he drew something else that wasn''t him. When Woojin gestured, the screen shifted and illuminated Henry Marceaus [Shadow]. Wow. Woojin admired. It''s an incredible masterpiece. How big is this? It''s a 150F canvas. The long side is more than two meters. Caroline Streak shook her head. It is not easy to fill such arge canvas with only the eyes. It''s easy to see the ws because you can zoom in. But, the perfectionist Henry Marceau didn''t tolerate that. Yes. If it weren''t for that intense gaze, anguished eyebrows, and Ko Hun''s work, I''d wonder if it was painted by a person. I''ll tell you right away because of the story of Ko Hun''s work. And that''s the three pieces that we talked about earlier, right? Yes, [Sunflower], [Guest], [Frost wheat field]. It''s really unique. Henry Marceau even asked the Whitney Museum for an exhibitionyout, while he was working hard to buy Ko Hun''s work by himself. Why? It''s a wild guess Professor Caroline Streak cautiously said. There was no one equal to Henry Marceau. He had hundreds of millions of dors in assets since he was born, and his artistic talent, his tenacity, his effort, his age, had no rival. Do you mean as apetitor? Well, I think so. Hmm. I have one question. Take for example Jang Mirae. Henry Marceau loved her works, but he never showed such behavior towards her. It''s too much to see the rtionship between Henry Marceau and Ko Hun as just a merepetitor. I think he''s projecting his childhood on Ko Hun. Is it because the family environment is simr to that of his childhood? Yes. Caroline Streak mentioned an article at the time when Henry Marceau fought with Ko Hun because of Marceau''s jewel. Caroline Streack exined the rtionship between Ko Hun and Henry Marceau, and while substituting it with histest work [Shadow] Henry Marceau, who was watching Let''s Talk at the vi of 220 Central Park South in New York, turned off the tablet obnoxiously. Who dares judge who. Henri Marceau looked down on Caroline Streak, who only tried to exin him by background. She did not mention the process of transferring the deep anguish and reflection he went through until thepletion of [Shadow] on a vast canvas. Arrogant painter Henry Marceau did not acknowledge any connection between the exhibition visitor and himself. For him, the exhibition was a disy of himself and a presence to entertain visitors. He thought about how to express himself and move the audience''s heart at the same time. Critics, docents, historians, etc. saw nothing but his fame and poprity. Henry Marceau gritted his teeth and applied nail polish to Michelle tini''s nails. While applying glossy gray pink on the thumb, middle finger, and little finger. The index finger was gradated in two colors. The small cut sponge was slightly ovepped with pearl-colored manicure and gray-pink, simr to skin color. Henry carefully tapped Michelle''s index fingernails with a sponge after removing the manicure from the palette. After removing the sponge mark by applying transparent pearls, the pure gold powder was sprayed on it like a star, expressing it like the boundary between day and night. Then, a remover was applied to the tissue to remove the nail polish. Michelle smirked looking at Henry, who used her fingernails like canvas. She said it, too. There are many ways to understand the artist. You don''t have to tell me. Henry Marceau trusted art lovers and fans indefinitely. Because he expressed himself honestly. He was confident that he didn''t need anything between those who cheered him and himself. Huh. Michelle watched Henry rub her ring finger in dull gray-pink color. Michelle felt that from some point Henry was definitely changing. Henry Marceau denied it, but as Caroline Streak said, he changed slightly as he met Ko Hun. Youre jealous, right? Michelle said, recalling Henry, who has been upset ever since Ko Hun mentioned Ferdinando Gonzalez as the most anticipated Artist in the interview. Henry raised his head, frowning heavily. What are you talking about? Hun. Why don''t you be honest? You like him, right? What''s wrong with being close?" Henry Marceau snorted. Me liking that damn little punk? Yes. Henrys lips twitched at Michelle''s prompt answer. Admitting is one thing and liking is another. I admit he''s a talented artist, but he''s not my cup of tea. Never. Huh. Michelle wanted to tease him by mentioning the 14 million dors he spent for whats not his cup of tea, but she stopped because she liked the nail art he did. By the way, when is Little Hun''s presentation? Tomorrow at 2 o''clock. Henry Marceau opened his mouth as Michelle tried to look for it in the cell phone with her right hand. Michelle stared at Henry. What? Look, you don''t like him, but you know his schedule very well. You dont even know your schedule. Youre being noisy. You''re actually looking forward to it, aren''t you? No expectations. What can he do in this short time? Henry Marceauy on the bed with his hands behind his head. That''s true. The time was so short. .I won''t let him off the hook if he presents something boring. Henry Marceau admitted that Ko Hun didn''t have much time, but he couldn''t allow the artist he recognized to present a poor work. Rather he felt that it was better to pass the Whitney Biennale this year. Dont say it in front of Little Hun. Your nose will bleed again. Henry jumped to his feet as Michelle smiled and teased him. The Whitney Museum was paralyzed by the attention of Ko Hun''s three works and Henry Marceau''s [Shadow]. Gainsborough Street, Washington Street, and Jane Street have reached a point where vehicles are not moving, and the museum was crowded with reporters and visitors. The number of visitors to the virtual art museum easily exceeded 1 million within 50 hours of its opening. In the beginning, the artist who drew the most attention was none other than Henry Marceau. Critics, media, and fans continued to praise his technique andposition which was beyondputers and machines. The more that happened, the more the expectation for Ko Hun''s new work also soared. With the help of the Whitney Museum, and the active request of CEO Bang Taeho of Ko Hun''s Management firm Sunflower, a presentation for Ko Huns new work was nned. Leading daily newspapers and broadcasters such as The New York Times, Post, and USA Today have stepped up to cover the presentation of Ko Hun''s new work. "Wow" Kim Jiwoo, a reporter from Yehwa, a Korean art magazine, looked around and made a sound of disbelief. It was apletely different scene from the Whitney Biennale, which he visited with the money he saved for two years as a college student. In 2020, Kim Jiwoo, who fell in love with art after seeing the Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibition along with his friend, decided to take a job rted to art two yearster through the 2022 Whitney Biennale. And six years have passed. The 2028 Whitney Biennale, which he visited, was visited by unprecedented numbers of people. It was growing. He couldn''t help but admit that he had been a frog in a well. He knew from his knowledge. As new main characters who shouldered the new age of Art emerged such as Jang Mirae and Henry Marceau emerged, the world artmunity was also starting to grow little by little. Looking at the people filling the streets and the excitement in their faces reminded him of the time when he saw Edward Hopper''s painting on a huge water curtain installed on the Hudson River. His heart leaped. As the forgotten feelings sprang up, Kim Jiwoo once again hoped that this day woulde in Korea. There''s an artist that so many people are looking for. Oh, can this fit? Kim Jiwoo turned his head in surprise. It was because he didn''t know he would hear Korean in the middle of New York. Lee Inho, a reporter from the The Korean express was delighted as he recognized him. YEHWA, you''re reporter Kim Jiwoo, right? Yes, reporter Lee Inho? Hahaha! Nice to meet you. I came here somehow, but I never thought I would see someone from Korea. Did you get a pass? Reporter Lee Inho asked, showing his journalist pass to the Whitney Biennale. Yes, Reporter must be here to cover Hun. I''m not the only one. NBC and CBS all came. Kim Jiwoo looked around. In the distance, there were several cameras with the logos of the three terrestrial broadcasters. He knew that the Korean media was paying attention to Ko Hun, but Kim Jiwoo''s expression brightened up, knowing that so many mediapanies hade. Lee Inho found Kim Jiwoos expression strange. It couldn''t be a good thing for Kim Jiwoo, who monopolized Ko Huns interview, now had morepetitors. You look happy? Of course. It means they''re interested in Hun. Lee Inho smiled and opened his mouth while looking at Kim Jiwoo, who was purely happy. There are a lot of people who worry about Hun. There was too little time to prepare. That''s true. But he''ll never disappoint. Kim Jiwoo found another attention-grabbing artist, Ferdinando Gonzalez, and immediately moved his feet. See you next time! Good luck! Lee Inho, who was watching Kim Jiwoo moving away, came to his senses and began to move his feet into the presentation hall. (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 86 Chapter 86 At 1 p.m., an hour before the presentation ceremony, we arrived at the Whitney Museum. John Carter provided the route in advance and fortunately we avoided the congestion. All the other arrangements have been made and there is only one thing I have to do. Uncle Bang went to greet people and grandpa was talking to his friends. I had nothing to do, so I went to see [Shadow]. There were a lot of people who recognized me, but they didn''t rush in like outside because they were in the exhibition room. Anyway, I think there are more people who came to see [Shadow] than yesterday. I can''t see it. Sihyeon inted his cheeks. He jumped because he wanted to see it somehow, but it was useless. I want to feel the wonder again, but I wonder if I can see it properly before I leave here. Let''s go see something else. Okay. While walking around the exhibition room with Sihyeon, I suddenly noticed Ferdinando Gonzalez''s work. Unlike other works that are hard to see, the two wall clocks were considered objects that had been here since the beginning. What the hell does this mean? Yesterday, I didn''t think enough because I was busy, but now that I think about it I don''t know if it can be called art just by cing ready-made products. I don''t understand what that action means, and I don''t understand his thinking of showing factory-produced goods as his work. By the way, I wonder what the two wall clocks that move together mean. Hmm? Unlike yesterday, when it moved perfectly together, now the left clock is slightlyte. The difference is less than a second at most, but the difference is clear. And there is a subtitle that didn''t exist yesterday. [Perfect lovers] I dont understand the act of having no title and only a subtitle, but these two clocks seem to symbolize lovers. Does he want to talk about a lover who spends time together? Curiously, there was no docent to exin this work. Sihyeon, who was thinking with me, got bored and headed to another work. I don''t think I can deduce anything out of this work anymore. As I was about to step aside. A man came near and stood in front of two untitled wall clocks. He was so tall that my neck hurts when I look up at him. Its Ferdinando Gonzalez? Ferdinando Gonzalez, who was introduced by the NewTube channel Alex Factory. He was wearing a white mask and his hands were deeply inserted into his pocket. He turned his head and grinned. He crouched down to meet my eye level. Therge thick nose, deep eyes, and strong muscles surrounding arge skeleton showed off his masculinity. Hello? I nodded my head. I tried to shake hands with pleasure, but he didn''t take his hand out of his pocket. He seems to be a person who cares a lot about hygiene. Nice to meet you. It''s Ko Hun, right? I can''t exactly see his expression because he was wearing a mask, but his eyes indicated that he was definitely smiling. Nice to meet you, too. It was very cool. What? I asked him if he had seen my painting at the Whitney Museum, but he answered with a serious voice. Damn. I never thought I''d see Marceau bleeding. It was a very strong image. Heughed looking at me. He''s really a unique guy. The slight difference between the two clocks bothered me, so I turned my head towards the work. Does it bother you? Ferdinando Gonzalez asked me while looking at the clocks along with me. I think there''s a slight difference in seconds. Is it intentional? Ferdinand Gonzalez nodded his head to my question. I thought his intention was to point at the same time perfectly, but if even the difference between clocks is a concept, what does the subtitle [Perfect Lovers] mean? Does he want to talk about a rtionship that he wants to be with but can''t help but go against? I still don''t understand why he chose this method. Hun, look here. Ferdinando Gonzalez stood up as I turned to Sihyeon''s voice. Your friend must be looking for you. I''ll look forward to the presentation. Thank you. At 1:50 p.m., the third floor of the Whitney Museum of Art was packed with leading figures, media, and visitors. This was because Ko Hun''s work to be exhibited at the biennale will be released. With the consideration of the Whitney Museum, the scene was being broadcast live through the Whitney Museum''s virtual exhibition hall and the NewTube channel. Reporter Kim Jiwoo, who missed an interview with Ferdinando Gonzalez, managed to get the front seat after a fiercepetition. It''s gonna be okay this time, too, right. Kim Jiwoo clenched his fist. Ko Hun''stest work was as much of a concern as it was highly anticipated. Ko Hun, who held his first individual exhibition earlier this year,cked time, and questions were constantly raised about whether he should have avoided participating in the Biennale this year. It was an undeniable opinion not only among those who blindly criticized Ko Hun but also from those who sincerely cared for him. The same was true for Henry Marceau, who sat with his legs crossed in the front row. He red at Ko Hun''s work, which was covered with a cloth on the pedestal, and said, Don''t let me down, brat. Henry Marceau didn''t want the young artist he recognized to disappoint him. It was uneptable. At 2 o''clock sharp, Michael Ping grabbed the microphone. Hello, everyone. I''m Michael Ping, curator of the Whitney Biennale. The visitors weed him with apuse. Here we go. I hope it''s revealed soon. What''s the number of viewers? It''s 370,000. I can''t understand it because it''s all in English. It doesn''t matter. Were all here just to look at the painting. I hope it''s revealed soon. Ko Hun ising out. Michael Ping introduced Ko Hun. I''m going to show you the work of the most anticipated painter of the year, Ko Hun. Michael Ping turned his head and signaled toward Ko Hun. Ko Hun, who was waiting, turned his head and looked up at the stage. A ce where the whole world was watching. There was no guarantee that the new work would be loved just because the previous works were loved so far. Understandably, he was nervous. Ko Hun only smiled with a flushed face. Ko Sooyeol nodded in support of his grandson''s new challenge and pushed him on his back. Ko Hun stepped forward bravely. There was a flood of camera shes. Hello, I''m Ko Hun. Thank you foring. Some reporters asked urgently as soon as Ko Hun finished his greeting. What do you think of the concern about running out of time! How long did it take to make the painting? What do you think about the [Shadow] of Henry Marceau? Ko Hun spoke before Michael Ping and the Whitney Museum staff stopped them. I''ll answer after I show you the painting. I''ve been holding it in for too long. Visitors and viewers who were tired of the long wait responded dly. Ko Hun grabbed the cloth, took a breath, and removed the cloth vigorously. The painting of a strong-faced child appeared. Anxiety felt from determined eyes and slightly frowned eyebrows. A heavy stroke of brushwork, use of vividplementary colors. It was reminiscent of the paintings of Vincent van Gogh. "" The tension in the hall cooled down. Obviously, it was an incredible painting that looked like Vincent van Gogh painted himself. It was a good work with a unique texture created by melting oil pastels and painting them like paint. Whether in a good or bad sense, Ko Hun, who was always associated with Van Gogh, drew it himself, so neither reporters nor visitors nor art workers didnt know how to react. Van Gogh? Can he do that? The venue began to stir, and dark clouds hung over the faces of Michael Ping, John Carter, and Whitney Museum officials. Henry Marceau''s face was twisted. His lips twitched and a fit of unbearable anger flowed out. What the f*ck is this? Henry Marceau also saw a side of Vincent van Gogh in Ko Hun. Nevertheless, the reason why he loved his paintings was that, unlike theposition that left an oriental margin that was not easily seen, the way in which the brush was usedrger and more freely, and the use of brilliant color expression andplementary colors. Ko Hun''s painting,pleted in this way, was so intense that he could feel it without trying to understand the work. Just like the masters of the 19th century. However, this was just a hoax. The moment Henry Marceau couldn''t resist the anger, he kicked the chair and stood up with his eyes shaking It''s a method that I found through many failures, but I don''t know if it''s really okay. Will my voice be delivered to them? Is it possible to approach it as Ko Hun, not Vincent anymore? I thought and thought about what was the most efficient way to express those thoughts. I tried to peel off the paint and make a new painting appear underneath it, but it was impossible, and I just didn''t want to express it pictorially. A more dramatic effect was needed to peel off the image created in the past. So, I chose the best I can do now. I took out the knife I had put in my pocket. Huh?" Someone''s eximed voice came from the audience. This is an expression of will. I shouldn''t hesitate. I held the knife and cut the upper part of the painting. SLASH I threw away the knife and held the paper that was cut open. It can''t be torn easily with the canvas that I usually use, but this thick drawing paper ripped when I put strength on it. Through the space where the old self-portrait was peeled off like a rag, the second painting that was hidden under the self-portrait a sunflower, appeared. As I turned around choosing rough breathing, people with wide eyes and mouths wide open came into view. Henry Marceau, who was standing at the forefront, had an expression that he had never been shown before. Perhaps he was surprised, he just stood up and stared at [Mask]. John Carter, Michael Ping, and Ferdinando Gonzalez, who was sitting on the left side of the stage, opened their mouths in unison Awesome! The entire hall got filled with the sound of ps. (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Henry Marceau was unable to do anything from the moment Ko Hun took out the knife and he tore off the self-portrait imitating Van Gogh exposing the sunflower. He was stunned as the scene unfolded in front of his eyes. The tear of the drawing paper rang was like a sharp violin. The cutting edge of the string cut his mind. The sunflower that appeared from behind the drawing paper was dazzling as if it had swallowed the sun. It reminded him of the day he first met Ko Hun and his [Sunflower]. Henry Marceau shifted his attention to the title [Mask]. Ko Hun was clearly speaking through his painting. Don''t think of me as a young Van Gogh anymore. It was as if he was shouting that his sunflower was the most brilliant one. The clear voice touched Henry Marceau''s heart. Cool. On the other hand, for Cha Sihyeon, who had lived as a good son and a model student, Ko Hun''s deviant behavior was a big shock. The cover picture of the [Mask] looked like a very good picture for the boy. He couldn''t understand the meaning cutting and tearing it with a knife, but the boy''s heart was filled with unknown joy. Pretty. The golden sunflower shone in a color that Cha Sihyeon had never seen before. His heart fluttered. Emotions that he had never experienced before started filling his heart. That smile of the friend standing in the midst of the pouring apuse looked so cool in his eyes. Young master, Hun is amazing, right!?" That''s right. My Best friend is the best. Cha Sihyeon stamped his feet and boasted his words to Secretary Jeong Jinho, who didn''t know how to express the joy, and it was the same for everyone who saw the astonishing sight. It''s torn. It''s amazing. It''s amazing. I''m sure it''s a real performance. I didn''t even think about it. I can definitely tell what Ko Hun is thinking right now. It means he doesn''t want his works to be looked upon as the work of the grandchild of great artists, or son of great Art studio owners, or as little Van Gogh. He wants his paintings to be looked at as Ko Huns works. I guess it was kind of stressful. I feel more positive than that negative image, the willingness to ovee it? Hun seems to be different from the most modern artists who are hung up on the tags that stick with them. Theposition of Ko Hun, who ripped the mask that was cast on him, and Henry Marceau, who admitted to the mask and tried to reconcile, would be the highlights of this years Biennale. I know. How did the two submit the same topic? Did they talk with each other before? People watching the live broadcast were amused by the boy''s actions. Even those who were not particrly interested in art and were just curious about what kind of work a young genius would be presenting, could also clearly understand what Ko Hun was trying to say with his painting. Michael Ping, one of the curators who organized the Whitney Biennale, was dumbstruck by the intense image. I didn''t expect this. He thought Ko Sooyeol and Bang Taeho were out of their minds a while ago. The presentation ceremony was carried out only because of the works that Ko Sooyeol and Ko Hun have shown so far. The performance itself was not new to the Art world. Some Artists have cut the canvas, and some artists have even shredded the auctioned works. But [Mask] waspletely different from them. It was meant to break the image given and proudly show what his Art is. The torn outer cover also served as a work. How did hee up with this idea?'' Michael Ping realized for a moment that his question was foolish. It couldn''t have been possible if it was to find something different from others. After tearing up his self-portrait, Ko Hun showed a work reminiscent of his first work, [Sunflower]. He appealed for his work to be seen, not his appearance. The honest act must have been the driving force behind thepletion of the noblest work. Michael Ping shook his head and sighed. "It was an amazing piece of work. I will take questions from the reporter who has been staring at me for a while." Kim Jiwoo''s face bloomed like the sunflower in [Mask] as soon as pointed out by Curator Michael Ping. I''m Kim Jiwoo from Yehwa, I''m Korean. There was pride on his face when he called himself Korean. I was impressed by thest exhibition that marked the beginning of the painter Ko Hun. But I think, today, you''ve announced what kind of art the painter Ko Hun will pursue. What is the goal of the painter Ko Hun? Ko Hun grabbed the mic and gave Henry Marceau a look. Then, he looked at Kim Jiwoo again and answered. I still have so much to learn. The boy''s voice was calm. I haven''t looked around, but the Whitney Biennale is full of amazing pieces of art. I wonder, how did theye up with such an idea, and how hard it must have been to express it. Particrly [Shadow] of Henry Marceau was really impressive. It was really wonderful. The audience made a smallmotion. Michelle tini had to struggle to hold back herughter because Henry, who was staring at Ko Hun, turned his head. Today, I told the world what art I would do, but I don''t know what I''m going to draw. I''m inspired by so many people. Reporters showed interest in Ko Hun''s words. They prepared to write down the name of the artist which he would mention as the Artist that influenced him. There are so many artists that influence me, including grandpa, Aunt Mirae, Henry Marceau, and the person who paints with pancakes. Pancake? Ko Hun ignored someone''s question and took a breath. Maybe it''s the same with all the works on disy at the Whitney Biennale. No one can definitely answer what kind of art they''ll be doing in the future." The boy answered after looking at each person in the audience. I want to draw pictures that can talk to people living in this era. Ko Hun''s words meant Contemporary Art, not Modern Art. It was a word that epasses the modern art world, where forms, hierarchies, and mainstream ideas no longer exist. Every painter regarded himself as a contemporary artist. Ko Hun only added a word to it that he wanted to speak with pictures. Kim Jiwoo, whomented that the current art world was buried under thepulsion for the Artist to create a work that is not done by others, a special work, and a work that draws attention, had lost the power tomunicate and ended up creating works that even critics and docents could not understand. Many prominent Artists apuded Ko Hun''s answer. Ko Hun bowed and ended the presentation. [ Words of Young genius Artist I couldn''t be happier because the repeated failures and worries until the [Mask] waspleted were not in vain.] [Shocking Cutting Ceremony at the Whitney Museum] [The Mask Ripped and Completed] [700,000 viewers at the ceremony] [Ferrinando Gonzalez, It''s a wonderful work. It also has a perfection that doesn''t end with a performance."] [Young genius who raised rm over contemporary art] April 23 Ko Hun unveiled his new work on the third floor of the Whitney Museum of Art in New York, where the Whitney Biennale is taking ce. Titled [Mask], this unique painting was published by ovepping a paper on canvas. The moment a 10-year-old boy pulled off the cloth, people at the ceremony were left baffled. This is because it revealed a self-portrait that could be called the painter Vincent van Gogh''s painting. The delicate and intense impasto technique, the use ofplementary colors, and the clear image were enough to feel Ko Hun''s respect for Vincent van Gogh. If he were an art restorer, he would have beenmissioned by numerous collectors and art galleries to restore Van Gogh''s work, but it was not a painting that a single artist could submit to the Whitney Biennale. The technique that perfectly reproduced the painting style of a master in the past was excellent, but no personality could be found there. The people who watched the presentation ceremony with anticipation could not hide their disappointment, and the boy, no, painter Ko Hun, held a knife as if to show his will. Ko Hun, who cut the self-portrait with a knife, finally showed his original work by tearing apart the drawing paper with both hands. Ko Hun''s second sunflower, which was painted with melted oil pastels, shone brighter than his first work. Only the shape was a sunflower, and I couldn''t help but admire the brilliant yellow color reminiscent of the sun. Asked what his goal as an artist was, Ko Hun replied that he wanted to talk with people living in this era through his paintings. For him, who was inspired by the person who made pancakes, it seems that this era itself is an artistic object tomunicate with. Art historian Caroline Streakmented that Ko Hun sharply criticized the tendency of some artists to pursue only unique, different, and unusual works. Caroline Streak exined, " With this work Artist Ko Hun is saying that he wontply with the mask that has been cast on him, but he will stick to his own way in line with the times. This is another self-realization simr to Henry Marceaus work which recognizes the social and personal gap through the shadows and sublimates it into the realm of individualization. Both Artists who gave different answers showed the ability to recognize and ept others, and Professor Caroline Streak ims that this is truly the contemporary art that is supported by academia. Art critic Pierre Curtion, meanwhile, praised by quoting philosopher Jill Deleuze all painters summarize the history of painting in their own way, saying that Henry Marceau and Ko Hun are representative of the contemporary and a connection to the disconnected history of painting. Lim Speranza (The Times) Jang Mirae drank coffee while reading an article in the Times. She was pleased to watch Ko Hun rify himself. It was onlyst year when she was anxious about whether Ko Hun could ovee the rough Art world or endure it, but now he was evaluated like Henry Marceau. Good.'' Jang Mirae praised Ko Hun rather than giving a critical evaluation. One would have been on a high horse if they sold a piece for $14 million, but Ko Hun never forgot his rtionship with the public and contemporary artists. It''s time to get over it. Jang Mirae felt it was time for the art world to get out of the wounds of self-examination and self-destruction. In the early 20th century, during the two world wars, artists realized the helplessness of their beloved art. In the face of the madness and violence of war, music, art, and literature were simply used as a means of propaganda. The artists were in despair. As industrialization began, they, who were subordinated to power, gradually became independent of the aristocracy and were able to perform art in the form they wantedpletely for the masses. But there was nothing they could do in the face of great violence. Artists at the time, who considered the history of painting meaningless from the time when mankind first left murals, destroyed all previous forms. Instead of destroying the form and creating new things, only the act of destruction remained before despair. That self-criticism was postmodernism. It was anti-rationalism. History has been cut off, and only an unknown scream has eroded the 20th century. Destroyed form, so there was no medium. The artists didn''t want to be understood by themselves, and that''s how art drifted away from the public. Postmodernism, which hadpletely isted itself historically and socially, still had an impact throughout the art world. Jang Mirae as an artist thought that the Art world should get out of that trauma now. Although it has escaped from the elite-centered art of modernism, it has been judged that another change is needed in postmodernism, which ispletely excluded from the public and history. Even if it seemed meaningless in the face of physical power, she believed that it functions byforting, enjoying, and empathizing with people. She tried to approach the essence of art, which is a means ofmunication to express herself and understand others. For her, the old motto was the only reliablerade. I should have gone with them'' Jang Mirae folded her smartphone and stretched. She put down the still-steaming coffee and stood in front of the canvas that she was working on. TRIVIA (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Fan signing event? [Mask] was released and the jetg was adjusted, so I was going to take it easy today. But suddenly John Carter suggested a strange job. He asked me to sign for the spectators. Yes, I''m sorry to tell you all of a sudden. ording to the exnation, the visitors made a request to the Whitney Museum of Art. The original agreement was to gather visitors and hold public interview, but why don''t we change the contents of the event for fans who want a closer experience? What exactly do I need to do? It''s a greeting and signing event with the fans. It will be a good experience for Mr. Ko because there are few opportunities to say hello in person to the fans." As John Carter said, it will be a good experience because there are not many opportunities to greet them directly. What I''m curious about is why I have to sign. But why''s the signature? It''s like amemoration of the meeting. Do I have to just write my name? I wondered if my sign would be useful for them. I can understand if it''s a painting. Yes. Oh, it''s good to write down simple phrases as a fan service. Uncle Bang showed the signatures of other famous personalities. I saw a lot of clichs such as Be happy with someone. It bothers me that I only have to do this much for those who came to see my painting, but I don''t think it''s bad to thank them. When I turned my head, grandpa nodded his head. I''ll give it a try. John Carter was delighted by my words. Is the schedule for the day after tomorrow okay? Yes, it''s okay, right Uncle Bang? Yes its fine, Mr. Carter, is the time the same as before? Originally, the scheduled time for the public interview was one hour. "That''s right. However, since the number that can be invited for a one-hour program is small, I would like to ask for a little more. Uncle Bang frowned and turned his head towards me. Hun, do you think 90 minutes will be okay? Yes, Uncle. I''m not doing it all day, so I can dly give 90 minutes to those who like my paintings. Let''s make it 90 minutes. Thank you. Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. By the way, Henry Marceau has also epted the signing event. You two will be together. And here I go.Once again getting involved with him. Is it just me and Marceau? No, it''s not. Starting with you two, we''re going to invite two people every day. Since his work was simr to yours, we thought it would be better to have a joint event. If you feel burdened to do it together, it''s okay to change it. Uncle Bang stepped up. No, it''s fine. There''s no reason to avoid him since he also seems to have changed. I also want to ask him something about [Shadow]. Is there a Ferdinando Gonzalez signing event? Of course, we asked, but he refused because of his health. Gonzalez? Is he ill? Grandpa asked anxiously. I think he was anxious because he seems to be his good friend. He was wearing a mask yesterday and I think he might have caught a cold. I don''t know for sure, Sir. Ko Sooyeol. Hmm, there is no way that friend would refuse to do such an event. Grandpa took out his smartphone. It seems like he is sending a message to Ferdinando Gonzalez. John Carter continued to talk about the signing event. We''re going to control the number of people. If you sign about 100 people, it will be less burdensome. If I meet 100 people in only 90 minutes, I will be able to greet each person for about a minute. I wonder if I can properly say hello. I want them to leave with a good memory. I''m worried about what I can do in a short time. Well, I look forward to your kind cooperation. Yes. I asked grandpa after breaking up with John Carter. He put his smartphone in his pocket as if he had just sent a message. What did Grandpa do at the signing event? I greet them and give them a signature. Do they really like it? I don''t know what they thought on the inside, but they looked happy." Grandpa seems to have read my mind. Why? Is it weird for you? They came to see me. It''s just that I dont like to just write down my name and send them. Well Grandpa thought for a while by sweeping his chin and then said. Then why don''t you pack some snacks as you did in thest individual exhibition? That''s a good idea. Uncle Bang smiled and nodded his head. We''ll have to hurry if it''s for 100 people. I''ll get it ready. Thank you, Uncle Bang. Thanks to Uncle Bang, I saved time to watch the Biennale. "Oh." Uncle Bang asked with a puzzled expression. Can''t you draw something simple? Like at the immigration." Uh It''s not impossible, but it''s hard. Why? For fans, there''s no better gift than that, but there are 100 people. How can I draw 100 pictures in 90 minutes? Then, what about something simple. If I draw a sunflower that projects my image in a simple form, one minute would be enough. As I told my idea to Uncle Bang, grandpa asked with a worried expression. The idea itself is good, but won''t the rest of the people be disappointed if you get tired and can''t draw itter? Grandpa is right. Then I''ll practice and decide. Uncle Bang prepared a set of elegantly wrapped choctes. They said only 100 people woulde, but he prepared a few more and gave me a box to try. Noir Lindt is written in gold letters on a white background. The old man in the picture is probably the person who made this chocte. I sat on the terrace bench on the second floor of the Whitney Museum of Art and shared it with Sihyeon. There are 18 choctes in 6 shapes. BITE Delicious! Sihyeon''s eyes lit up. This chocte called Noir Lindt must have been made by the devil I thought the boxes were luxurious and the packaging was luxurious, but when I tasted it, it wasn''t as luxurious aspared to this taste. You can''t just put a fine piece of art in here. It melts gently while feeling the unique bitter taste of cacao, teasing the tongue. I fell into the temptation that I could not survive without eating one more, and I ate another one. Indeed, it is worth $30 for 18 pieces. This is enough to thank the people who came to see me. Umm. Sihyeon happily took one more and ate. After eating one by one, we quickly emptied a box. . The moment I met Sihyeon''s eyes, I could read his mind. We ran to the chocte kept in the waiting room. We arrived at the waiting room in a hurry, and I was about to pick up a box and open it. Wait. I finally came to my senses. When I counted the boxes in the waiting room, there were exactly 100 boxes. If we eat this, there will be people who can''t get it and would have to go back empty-handed. I shook my head. Not this one. I have to give it to the people whoe to the fan signing event. It''s so delicious. Cant we have one?" If it had been for some other reason, I wouldn''t have hesitated. At that time Sihyeons fathers secretary who came as his guardian entered the waiting room Uncle, can you get me one of these? Sorry Young Master. The CEO said, only one snack per day." Sihyeon was very depressed by the guardian''s words. I sat next to him and looked at the box of choctes. It was delicious, wasn''t it? It was very soft. It wasn''t very sweet, but it was thick. Oh, it''s delicious even while thinking about it. Sihyeon moved his tongue as if he had tasted the chocte left in his mouth. After some time Uncle Bang came into the waiting room. He put the oil pastel he brought on the table and said, I brought it, but are you sure you''re okay? As the professor said, you can''t continuously draw for a long time. It''s only about a minute for each person. It''s okay, Uncle Bang. I thought it would be okay to prepare a short note, but I gave up because I didn''t know who wasing and didn''t know anything about them. As expected, drawing a sunflower is the best. It would be more meaningful for me and for my fans than signing it. Do you have any chocte left, Uncle Bang? Yes. I have some in the car, why? I checked my watch and there was no time to go to the parking lot. I want to hurry up and eat one, but I have to hold it in. I think I know a little bit about why people are addicted to drugs. Whats the matter, Hun? I.. I have never had such delicious chocte Hahahaha. Okay. I''ll bring it to you during the signing. Let''s slowly go out. Uncle Bang smiled as I raised my head with joy. Sihyeon, who was in despair, also got delighted and his eyes lit up once again. Is Grandpa not here yet? I think so. I guess grandpa who said he would go and meet Ferdinando Gonzalez has not returned yet. I couldn''t dy any longer, so I stood up and prepared to leave for the signing event. This is unlikely, but knowing how stupid and unconscionable people who are addicted to drugs are, I advised Sihyeon. You have to leave it alone. Lets eat together. Sihyeon nodded quickly. He is a good guy, so I decided to trust him this time. Sihyeon''s guardian Jung Jinho stepped up. Only one Snack per day, Young Master. The words castigated his happiness, hope, and will to live like a guillotine. After following Uncle Bang out of the waiting room, I texted Sihyeon saying I would secretly give him chocteter. When I reached the venue, I could see people already standing in line. People I saw for the first time in my life, waved their hands as soon as they saw me. I''m d. I sat on the desk with my name on it. Uncle Bang put chocte and oil pastels next to me and patted me on my shoulder. Then do well. It''s okay not to draw if it''s too much. Since it''s a signing event. Okay. Thank you, Uncle Bang. If I give up because it''s hard to draw, the person who didn''t get the picture will be sad, so I''m going to draw it for all of them. As I opened the oil pastel and was thinking about Noir Lint chocte, Henry Marceau arrived. Michelle tini and his secretary also came with him. The people standing in line to get a sign from Henry Marceau are happy, jumping, and not making a sound. Hello. Hmph. I greeted him with joy, while Henry Marceau sat down with a snort. How have you been Hun? The presentation was great. Michelle tini greeted me gently. Thank you. As we shook hands, Michelle tini opened her eyes wide. Oil pastel? I''m going to draw for the fans. Draw? Michelle tini was startled. Henry Marceau, who turned his head in my direction,ughed looking at the oil pastels. Didn''t you hear how many people wereing? How do you n on drawing 100 pictures in 90 minutes? I can. Yesterday, I simplified the sunflower shape using only two colors. I didn''t draw much because I only got oil pastels this morning, but there are some that I drew in advance. It will be possible if I work hard. Stop talking nonsense. Fan signing event is not a joke? What will happen to the remaining people if you can''t draw themter because you got tired? I thought he has changed a little, but his dog-like attitude hasn''t changed a bit. Don''t think I can''t do it because you can''t. .What? Henry Marceau growled when I turned my head because I didn''t want to deal with him anymore. What did you just say? What? What you can do, I can''t do it? So you are picking a fight, huh? Henry Marceau''s eyebrows are bizarrely twisted and veins popped up in his temples of the forehead. Arsene. Yes, El Patrn. Bring me more sign pens! TRIVIA Does Van Gogh know the word "fan"? The form of modern fandom began in 1893 as a public protest in mourning for Conan Doyle''s mystery novel, Sherlock Holmes, when Holmes died. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary traces the exact use of the word fandom to around 1903. As fandom is abination of Fan and suffix dom, the word Fan was likely used long before. (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 89 Chapter 89 "Thank you for the wait." As the clock struck 2, John Carter announced the start of the signing event. Reporters like Kim Jiwoo and Lee Inho took pictures of their surroundings with arge cameras. We have two people who decorated the Whitney Biennale beautifully this year. Do they need an introduction? Fans of Henry Marceau waved their hands in joy. Some people shouted his name, but I think they didn''t want to shout loudly because we were inside the museum. Mr. Marceau, please say something to your fans." Henry Marceau opened his mouth with a look of displeasure. You''re lucky. Michelle tini shook her head and touched her forehead, while John Carter looked flustered, so I wondered if that''s something that should be said to the fans. Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! But contrary to my expectation, the people standing in line for Marceau were happy. I don''t have time, so think about what you want me to draw. If you don''t tell me in a second, I''ll pass to the next one. Henry Marceau threatened, snatching the marker handed by his secretary. Yayyyyyyyyy Really? Wow? He said it was nonsense to me, but now he is trying to do bigger nonsense than me. I thought a lot about what to draw in one minute beforeing here. Even that was hard for me, so it was impossible for me to draw ording to the taste of 100 people. Reporters take pictures excitedly, and Michelle tini sits far away on a couch looking at her smartphone, apparently familiar with Henry Marceau''s stern attitude. John Carter, the host, shook his head in confusion. Mr. Marceau seems to have prepared a big present for the fans. Then, lets wee the other Artist, the young sensational Mr. Ko Hun." After looking at John Carter, I turned my head to look at my fans, who seem to be envious of Marceaus fans at a nce I don''t think I can draw a picture of your request because I don''t have any great skills like Marceau. Instead, Im going to give you a hand-drawn painting and chocte. Will it be all right?" It''s all right! The open-minded fans were happy as if they understood my situation. Hmph. I turned my head to a familiar snort, there Henry Marceau could be seen with a triumphant look. John Carter warned everyone that they should not touch my body without consent. The first person approached under the guidance of security staff. Hello. Nice to meet you. Your paintings were amazing. Thank you. I want to talk by looking at his eyes, but I don''t have time for that. I took out lemon yellow and golden yellow oil pastels and drew them as I practiced and asked. What''s your name? Joshua Miller. J o s h u a M i l l e r. He spelled his name for me step by step. Leaves were drawn with lemon yellow and the center was filled with golden yellow. Then, I spread out the golden yellow with my hand to add shade and wrote To Joshua Miller below it. Thank you, Is this your own drawing? Yes, I prepared it this morning. And this one is drawn only for you. I''ll guarantee it with this signature." "Ahh.Thank youThank you! Joshua Miller hugged the sunflower tightly. Looking at his overwhelming expression, I felt d that I prepared it. Thank you foring. Thank you. Thank you! I will definitelye when you open an exhibition in the U.S. I smiled and saw him off, and looking to the side, I saw Henry Marceau drawing with his pen like crazy. Whether it''s the self-portrait I saw in Paris or the [Shadow] exhibited at the Whitney Museum, I can''t help but acknowledge his skills. The precise and detailed description that feels alive is beyond my reach. His hands are fast. He sent off a man just like me. Hello. Hi. When I greeted the second person, Marceau also seemed to be speaking to the next person. I''m, uh. Say it quickly! Me, me. Please draw my face. Damn it, don''t move. Yes! Don''t open your mouth. Seeing the absurd scene taking ce in the next row, I turned my head and made eye contact with the second fan, and smiled. What''s your name? Anthony White. That''s a nice name. I drew it the same way I practiced, and this time I asked a question. Did you enjoy the Biennale? Yes. I''ve been seeing the works since yesterday and it''s really great. Is that so.? I haven''t seen many works yet. Where do you think I should see first? Third floor. By the terrace. That''s where my painting hangs. That''s right. Anthony White smiled brightly as I looked up at him afterpleting the sunflower. It was ridiculous and Iughed because he seemed to say that my painting was the best. Thank you foring. Really. I''ll cherish it so much. Promise." While I made a pinky promise with Anthony White, suddenly I heard Henry Marceaus burst out. What do you mean by draw my dog! How am I supposed to know your dog? Here. An angry Henry Marceau closed his mouth after observing the picture when the fan opened his smartphone and showed it to him. cute. Yes! Two years old! Noisy. Don''t talk. I think hes doing well in his own way. An hour has passed since the beginning of the signing event. Ko Hun felt tired and loosened his hands for a while. Even though it was a simple drawing, it was not easy to repeat the same behavior in a hurry. Ko Hun turned his neck, shook his wrist, and soothed his tired body. Meanwhile, Henry Marceau was gradually running out of gas. It has been a long time since he felt the limitations, although he observed things sharply with a sh of intuition andpleted more than 50 croquis with hands that were close to novelty, it has been a long time since he felt the limit. There were often days when he only held on to paintings all day long. However, most of the time he was devoted to devising, and rarely did he move the pen like a machine. Henry Marceau managed to grasp the fading spirit for more than an hour and received the next person. What? Me. Please draw my face. Henry Marceau gnashed his teeth. From some point on, everyone asked him to draw their faces. Since his fans loved him so much, they didn''t pay much attention to drawing, they were fine with anything. But it was just too hard for Henry Marceau to continue drawing. Triangle. What? You want a triangle, don''t you? Triangle? Then, Do you want me to draw a square? Yes. I was, uh His fan choked up as Henry Marceau, facing the limitations, became irritable. The fans lips came forward, but he was forced to nod with tearful eyes. Don''t cry. Henry Marceau began to draw his face with his hands. Thank you! Of course, you should be. Do you know how much my sketch is? No. Dont even think of selling it. If I find it getting sold, I''m gonna track you down and sue you. Yes! The fans responded vigorously to Henry Marceau''s threats. They look happy. Ko Hun, who saw Henry Marceau bing impoverished amid enthusiastic fans'' support, received the next fan. After the promised time passed, and when the scheduled event was about to be wrapped up, Henry Marceau twitched his lips looking at the 38 people in front of him. When he turned his head, Ko Hun was greeting thest person leisurely. Damn it. I said I''d hurry as much as I could, but I couldn''t draw it roughly. Even if it was a short croquis between one and two minutes, he couldn''t draw an imperfect picture. The hand holding the pen had been stiff for a long time. Compared to the beginning, the speed ofpleting one sketch has also be noticeably slower. Should I say I''ll draw it for themter? Fans came into Henry Marceau''s view, who thought ofpromising momentarily. As time ran out, he looked nervous. Well, Mr. Marceau, time is up. John Carter took the mic. Shut up. Can''t you see them? Henry Marceau pointed to his fans with a marker in his hand. He quickly lowered his head again and moved his pen. Fans who were anxious about not receiving the painting from him shouted Henry Marceau''s name. Henry! Henry! Henry! Henry! Henry! Henry! SHUT UP! Its distracting !" Fansughed at Henry Marceau''s cry and quit the chanting. Thank you. Have fun watching the Biennale. On the other hand, Ko Hun, who gave everyone a sunflower painting and chocte, stood up. He greeted the fans who stayed until the signing event was over and went to the next table. Henry Marceau got a fit of nerves. Get out of the way. You''re doing great. Ko Hun admired Henry Marceau. His body and mind must have been exhausted from drawing for 90 minutes without a break, but his form was clear. Ah.. Henry Marceau, whose strength and mind had reached its limit, was excited by Ko Hun''s words. That caused a mistake in the drawing. He couldn''t even modify it because it was drawn in a marker. Henry Marceau, who had endured well so far, hardened. Oh no. Ko Hun patted Henry Marceau on the shoulder. Even if it started because of an uninterestingpetition, Ko Hun didn''t hate him as he saw him working hard for his fans until the end. Ko Hun knew how hard it is for him. Ko Hun cheered for him with all his heart. Cheer up a little bit more. Everyone''s rooting for you. Henry Marceau wanted to grab Ko Hun by the cor right away. He wanted to ask who made me do this, but there were so many people waiting. If it were only Whitney Museum employees, he would have quit right away, but he couldn''t do that to his fans. The only way is to take a rest today and ask them toe again tomorrow. His pride was hurt, but he was going to endure it because it was the only way to keep his promise to the fans. At that moment, Ko Hun told Henry Marceau''s fans. It''s not easy to do this for 90 minutes. His hands are shaking, too. Ko Hun knew why Henry Marceau was able to show superhuman strength. It''s all thanks to you. Please cheer for him. If you cheer for him, Marceau will cheer up, too. Henry''s fans, who were listening to Ko Hun, began to chant the word Henry. Cheer up Henry! Come on! Henry! Henry! Henry! Henry! Henry Marceau, who wanted to ask them toe again tomorrow, couldn''t say anything in this atmosphere. This damn little brat again. He gritted his teeth as he watched Ko Hun, who instigated them. Okay, NEXT! I came from LA to see Henry! I''m from Korea! Henri Marceau drew the spectacles and drew a line that went wrong and changed it into a mask Oh, then the face The fan who asked for his portrait was confused because his face was covered. Wear a mask while showing it to others! NEXT! [Henry Marceau, Ko Hun''s surprise event!] [Henry Marceau who drew 100 sketches in 211 minutes! Will it be listed in the Guinness Book of World Records?] [200 people received painting gifts from the world''s best artists!] [Presents for fans] [Henry Marceau, who copsed after 211 minutes] 2 p.m. today. Artists Henry Marceau and Ko Hun held a signing event at the Whitney Museum, where the Whitney Biennale is underway. The two artists, who are currently drawing the most attention, were not able to stay still this time either. Henry Marceau, who was stimted by Ko Hun''s preparation of a high-quality chocte set and cute sunflower painting for fans,mitted to painting on the spot. 100 participants came for the 90-minute signing event. Although many officials, including Ko Hun, judged it impossible, Henry Marceau showed his indomitable will and drew a picture for all the fans, even after the end of the event. Fans cheered enthusiastically for Henry Marceau, who did his best until the end. Ko Hun, who had a signing event with him, cheered for Henry Marceau with his fans even after the signing event, creating a heartwarming scene. Is it just me? Isnt this crazy? Why do you have to do that? He wanted to prove that he can do what Ko Hun does. Isnt he always like this? You have to watch the video.If you look at the picture of Henry lying down, there is oil pastel on his back. Ko Hun nailed it.??? Did he get it when Hun tried tofort him? ? Henry is rude to other people, but he''s good to his fans. Im so jealous. I also want Hun''s sunflower. Isn''t it amazing? If the person who gets it sells it, wont they get billions????? Do you think any of the people over there will sell it? If they did, they should quit being a fan. It''s not that expensive. Even if there are only 100 pieces of the miniature sunflower, it is not drawn like a painting, it is only a symbol to draw quickly, so it will not be very expensive even if you try to sell it. Henry''s paintings are all different. I think hes really crazy. How can he draw so well in 1 or 2 minutes? No wonder he''s a genius. I thought his painting could be a little expensive, but he threatened everyone. He said if they sell it, he''ll find them and sue them. Is that legally possible? If thew doesn''t work, he''ll bury them in an illegal way.? (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Henry Marceau, who had a pleasant meeting with his fans,y down on the hospital bed. Even during the glucose injection, he gritted his teeth and recalled the memories of the afternoon. Damn it. Michelle tini spoke while drinking orange juice. Why did you promise such a thing? I knew this would happen. Henry Marceau turned his head. ..He''s ignoring me. Well, isn''t that just your imagination? Didn''t you see him cheer for me, even though he knew I was having a hard time? He did it on purpose. Youre overthinking it. Hes just a child. It''s because you don''t know. He did the same thing when I visited him at the Van Gogh gallery in Amsterdam. Hes screwing me on purpose." Michelle tini shook her head. She knew from her years of experience that his stubbornness could not be easily changed, and she knew how to deal with it. "It''s been a while, though. Look it''s an article about you." Michelle tini switched on the TV in the hospital room and showed her smartphone. The news items on the portal site were full of stories about Henry Marceau and Ko Hun. Henry Marceau, who was very angry, regained stability reading the articles andments praising him. I''m really curious. Michelle tini asked while packing her bag. Why are you so obsessed? What? Ko Hun. Is what Caroline Streak said true? Michelle tini wondered if Henry Marceau was really ovepping him on Ko Hun, as Art historian Caroline Streak said. It''s a load of crap. No matter how the academicians judge him, at least Henry Marceau didn''t think so. The only time when he missed his parents and his grandfather, whose face he could not remember unless he looked at pictures or videos, was when he was young. Then why Henry Marceau agonized at Michelle tini''s urging. That Then, for the first time, he told someone his innermost thoughts. Because it''s unreasonable. Huh? Michelle couldn''t make out what he was saying. Everyone has a starting stage. It started only after I entered high school, and Ko Sooyeol was recognized from his undergraduate days. Its the same for even Pablo Picasso. Henry Marceau wasn''t loved from the start. Although it drew attention to the fact that the child of the richest family was drawing paintings, it did notst long. It was only during his high school days, that he began to build his reputation as a genius painter. No one recognized his skills, so in anger, he stered the billboards at Paris station with his own self-portraits at his own expense, and then slowly people began to recognize him. The reasons for bing famous are different, but there was a time of obscurity for any artist. There was a time like that even for the famous Picasso, who shared spoiled sausages brought by the cats to soothe his hunger during his rough days. But it wasn''t like that for Ko Hun. Ko Hun''s first painting, [Sunflower] at an ordinary art museum in Seoul, Korea, showed off a master Artist''s dignity. The reason why many artists are not famous was not necessarily because of their poor work. In many cases, it was because they couldn''t meet people who recognized their work. However, Ko Hun clearly knew how to be recognized and provoked Henry. Henry, who shared a few words with Ko Hun, was confident that the boy would be on the world stage in a short period of time. The pressure of being the grandson of the great Artist Ko Sooyeol didn''t matter at all to him. His paintings moved peoples minds and he knew exactly the psychology of the art world. As Henry Marceau predicted, Ko Hun rose rapidly, making many anecdotes. I did some research. What? On Hun? Uh. Henry Marceau recalled what he had learned about Ko Hun through his secretary, Arsene. He lived in Korea until he was four years old and followed his parents to America. Stayed there for a year and then three years in Paris. Two years in Germany. You''re a little creepy. Did you do a background check on a 10-year-old kid? Michelle tini frowned at Henry Marceaus actions. Henry Marceau didn''t care about Michelles reaction. He held his numb hand and repeatedly opened and closed it, as he continued the story. The strangest thing is there was no evidence of him drawing during those days with his parents. Michelle opened her eyes wide. Ko Hun was an ordinary kid who loved cartoons, and he turned a blind eye to studies because of the frequent moving. His grades were at the bottom. He couldn''t even speak in English properly, let alone Korean. Wait. It doesn''t make sense. Michelle couldn''t believe Henrys words. The Ko Hun she knew was so fluent in French and English and the way he spoke was simr to those used by the upper ss. Yeah, it doesn''t make sense. Henry Marceau clenched his numb hands. Like Michelle, Henry also couldn''t believe his secretary Arsene''s report. It was judged that there was a mistake since it was information collected from the neighbors near the houses where the couples lived. However, even after checking it repeatedly, the same result kepting, so he had no choice but to ept the facts. What doesn''t make any sense is that he drew such a painting three to four months after he woke up from an ident. Henry thought of Ko Huns first work [Sunflower]. And now he''s being treated like me. Henry Marceau didn''t care how Ko Hun could speak multiplenguages in a short time. He didn''t want to waste his time doubting the iprehensible supernatural powers. However, he didn''t like the fact that a 9-year-old boy''s painting moved his heart. Henry Marceau fervently longed for Ko Hun''s work, but at the same time, he couldnt ept it. He had been running around the world and looking at paintings since he was young, so he could not admit that such a thing was possible without effort. If he really woke up and just started painting, then he must be a natural genius. I can''t be pushed back by his natural talent. Michelle could understand why Henry was so obsessed with him. Henry gave his everything to paintings, even before he was started being called a genius Even now, when he was considered one of the most influential painters of the current era, he still worked hard and focused more than anyone else. That''s why he didn''t want to admit that someone who just woke up and became a great Artist. No, he couldn''t admit it. The contradictory situation, in which his heart was moved by Ko Hun''s work but at the same time he couldnt recognize the work because of his pride, created his abnormal behavior. Thats why..'' Michelle seemed to have finally got the answer to the question that had been bothering her for a while. She understood why Henry, who was not obsessed with Jang Mirae or Ferdinando Gonzalez, was obsessed with Ko Hun and why he was hostile to him. A few hours ago. When Ko Hun and Henry Marceau were showing off their friendship again at a signing event,Ko Sooyeol visited an old friend. Ferdinando. Ferdinando Gonzalez weed Ko Sooyeol who hade to his hotel room. Wee. An artificial smile to reassure Ko Sooyeol only made him more worried. What happened? I''m just not feeling well. Sit down. Ferdinando bought a chair for Ko Sooyeol. Its just a normal body ache after a few days of hard work preparing for the individual event. Ko Sooyeol judged that it was not an easy matter to think about if Ferdinando, who cares very much about fans, refused the signing event. You shouldn''t be like this, you should go to the hospital. That''s alright. Really, I''m just a little tired these days. I''m going to take a break for a while. Ferdinando rmended a bottled drink, reassuring Ko Sooyeol. Are you sure you''re alright? Yes, by the way, it was great. [Mask] it was a perfect performance." Ferdinando recalled the sunflower that appeared when Ko Hun tore off the painting. Ko Hun painted sunflower petals in monochrome, and the shading was expressed only by rubbing oil pastels. The sunflowers surrounded by green leaves were dazzling. It was a shock to rip off a self-portrait that was simr to Van Goghs work and reveal such a painting. Somemented that Ko Hun boldly insisted on the distinction between him and Van Gogh, while others criticized it as an arrogant act that he was trying to say he was better than the legendary painter of the past. He had a hard time. At first, instead of tearing it, he tried to peel it off by painting over it. Ferdinando opened his eyes wide and tilted his upper body forward. He wondered what process he went through from the scrapito technique to tearing the drawing paper. He tried it a few times and realized it wasn''t working. He wanted the peeled paint to harden. It''s hard. So he found another way in about two weeks. He ovepped the canvas, and it was hard to tear, so he reced the front with drawing paper. The more he heard the exnation, the more fascinating it was to Ferdinando Gonzalez. It would have been easier to ept if he thought Ko Hun had a natural talent and made [Mask] with the spirit given by God. However, Ko Hun''s work process was thoroughly textbook-style of how Master Artists work. With a clear heart that wants to remove the image cast on him. He repeatedly tried to achieve it by setting the goal of showing a painting below another painting. In other words, Ko Hun was simply an ideal artist, not just simply a genius. Hepleted his work by partially modifying his methods and goals through failures. That''s amazing. Ferdinando Gonzalez was really impressed. Many people treat the artist''s work as very special, but in fact, such cases were extremely rare. He thought that it was harder to have such a natural talent, and the only way to create such true work was to have passion. To think about the work not only when he was awake but also in sleep. The process is long and difficult, and the work will beplete only when he finally finds the answer he wants. These efforts and thoughts were way above the realm of talent. Talent was considered unparalleled, noble, and valuable. Therefore, it felt much more than just that in the case of Ko Hun, who was willing to enjoy such a hard process. You taught him well. Ko Sooyeolughed in vain at Ferdinando Gonzalez''s words. By the way, are you preparing for an individual exhibition? Ferdinando. Yes. I submitted it this time for the Whitney Biennale, so I was going to put it on hold for a little longer, but as I looked around the Whitney Biennale, I couldnt stay put." I agree with you. There are a lot of great works this year. Shouldn''t you also start preparing for an exhibition? How long are you going to make me wait? Hahaha! I came here to take you to the hospital, but now you are giving me an idea to make me lie on the hospital bed. The two friends, who are 25 years apart,ughed loudly. (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 91 Chapter 91 I went to the Whitney Museum and looked at the disyed works leisurely. Sihyeon and I were not familiar with contemporary art, so there were only a few works that we could understand. The important thing is I tried to experience the unknown works at least once. Maybe I might be able to understand it a little bit when I see it for the second time. But unfortunately, today is thest day I can enjoy the Whitney Biennale since I have to appear on a TV program called Let''s Talk tomorrow. I visited the Whitney Museum of Art to soothe my regret. Ferdinand Gonzalez''s wall clock caught my eyes. Now there is a fairlyrge time difference between the two clocks, so they don''t look simr. If this continues, one clock will stop first one day before the other. Judging by the subtitle of [Perfect Lovers], I wondered if it was an expression of the fact that they are spending the same time together Then what will happen when one stops before the other? I still cantpletely understand the work. When I scratched my head, looking at the two clocks, grandpa came close to me, looked at the clocks, and said. Grandpa feels sad when I look at this work. How does Little Hun feel? It''s simr. When I answered, grandpa, asked Sihyeon who was standing next to me. What do you think about it Sihyeon? The boy thought about it hard and opened his mouth after a while. I think it''s saying that if two people want to spend time together, they have to put in the effort. It''s an unexpected direction. It seems that he was able to see that aspect because he recognized that his recent rtionship with his father had arisen from the absence of conversation. That''s a possibility. Rtionships work out only when the two people involved put in efforts and try to understand the other. Yes. Grandfather patted Sihyeon''s head. Grandpa teaches through experience, not words, that it is up to each person to ept a work. Then one more. Can you call this piece as work of Art? If I reject it because it''s a work I''ve never experienced, it''s no different from the jerks who criticized M''s [Sunrise]. It is not toote to judge after understanding what it is. Sihyeon, who kept thinking with his head tilted, asked grandpa. It''s made in a factory, isn''t it? Yes. Is it not Art if its not made by an Artist? It''s the area I''ve been thinking a lot. I looked up dictionaries from various countries. In Ennd, Art is called the product of human creativity. ording to Korea''s standard dictionary, Art is exined as human activities and works to express the beauty that is the subject of appreciation with special materials, techniques, and styles. In simple terms, it refers to an activity'' or result that expresses Aesthetics''. The controversial part is probably not about Aesthetics'', but about Activity'' or How far that activity is done by the Artist''. Aesthetics cannot be the basis for judgment because every person has different aesthetic standards. Depending on the point of view, the action of naming two wall clocks side by side can be viewed as an "activity" or as a "product." There is no answer. I listened to the words of grandpa. A clock is an object of time, but those two clocks have different meanings like Little Hun and Little Sihyeon said. It gives meaning. There was a man named Marcel Duchamp about a hundred years ago. He wanted to discover a new meaning in things around us." Grandpa opened his smartphone and showed me a work called Marcel Duchamp''s [Fountain]. It''s a urinal. "This." I think I shouldn''t, but as a human being, I feel repulsed. It''s still controversial, so you don''t have to think of it as a work of Art. Thoughts are free..and the answer varies depending upon the one who sees it and how they perceives it," Grandpa looked at us and continued. Duchamp was not the first one to do it, there were Artists who created works that are based on the essence of how the audience looks at it. Picasso''s attempt to put multiple perspectives on the canvas to give a new meaning based on how the audience looks at it is one such example." The same can be true of people like me who are now called impressionists. I tried not to copy things, but to bring out their essence. How I perceived a thing. That idea came to Duchamp, and he chose something that was Readymade." Grandpa used the word Ready-made, not Industrial products. Okay, heres the thing. Can you think of anything that looks simr, made simr but different? What. What kind of question is this? Is this some kind of puzzle? As I was thinking about the meaning behind the question, Sihyeon asked grandpa. Is it like a twin? Sihyeon asked as if checking. That''s right. Thats a great example. Just because identical twins look alike doesn''t mean they''re the same. Sihyeon, who was praised by grandpa, blushed and lowered his head. As grandpa said, twins with the same voice, height, and face cannot be the same. Did Marcel Duchamp try to say that peoples interpretation of a thing can be changed by making the urinary, a work of Art. It''s different from Ferdinand Gonzalezs work. Yes, it''s definitely different. Grandpa agreed with my response. At least Ferdinand Gonzalez''s wall clock has a point of contact. He didn''t give it a title, but the sub-title [Perfect Lovers] can be somewhat interpreted by each and everyone looking at it from their own experience. Diversity of interpretation is left open, and the process moves freely through each one''s experiences and thoughts, so it is different from giving personal meaning that is difficult to empathize with, like this [Fountain] [Fountain] may be valuable as part of Art history, but I don''t think of [Fountain] as a good work since I couldnt understand it without any context. However, I want to know more about this untitled wall clock. The production team of Let''s Talk , a broadcast program to promote the Whitney Biennale, had high expectations for today''s broadcast. This is because Ko Hun, a genius boy who caused a big sensation, with every work that he released, like [Sunflower], [Guest], [Frost Wheat Field], and [Mask] will be attending the talk show. ording to the own survey conducted by Let''s Talk , he was ranked second in poprity next to Henry Marceau. The interview with Henry Marceau got postponed after he got hospitalized after the signing event. Thus Ko Hun became the first guest to appear in Let''s Talk. Host Woojin stared at the camera. Hello, viewers of NewTube, Premium, JH Cinema. This is Woojin." The number of viewers gathered through the three OTT tforms reached 170,000. It was a very satisfying start for the production team of Let''s Talk. Let me introduce our guest today. Its Ko Hun, a painter who conveys happiness through his many works. The camera moved along with the host''s introduction. Ko Hun walked in looking around. The set, filled with objects he had never seen before, was a good stimulus for him. Ko Hun observed the shape and color of the stage that was made like a stage with lights, microphones, and cameras. Hahaha. I guess it''s fascinating. Is this your first time on a live show? Yes. What''s that? It''s lighting. Its needed to make my skin look good." Ko Hun nodded in wonder. Why are there so many cameras? Woojin got flustered. She faced a number of people, including arrogant pop stars, sensitive movie stars, and a straightforward schr, but it was the first time experiencing a character like Ko Hun. First of all, please say hello to the viewers. Where do I look? Look at the red-lighted camera. I can''t see because it''s too bright. Hey?" Veteran host Woojin yelled at the production team. Our Hun says his eyes hurt! Hurry up and turn off the lights! Viewers were delighted by the host''s remarks. A~The baby is so cute ???? This kid is so interesting on set. Even if hes a prodigy, hes only 10 years old, so there''s nothing you can do about it. Geniuses don''t know anything other than their field. Isn''t this really a liberal arts show? When the lighting was adjusted appropriately, Ko Hun got up from his seat and bowed to the lighting director. Thank you. The embarrassed lighting director took off his hat and received a greeting from Ko Hun. No, first to the viewers. Woojin pointed to the camera in a hurry. The set was already grinning. Ko Hun couldn''t understand Woojin''s bewilderment in a good mood, but he epted her request. Hello, I''m Ko Hun. I''m 11 years old. 11 years old, is it because of the way you count your age in Korea? Yes. Ko Hun asked after staring at Woojin. Are you Korean? Yes. Nice to meet you. You speak English well. I can speak some German, too. How did you get here? Did you originally work in the US? What is this? Why are we watching the interview of the host? ????? Why is he curious about so many things?? Hun is the host of this show.? Wow, this show is crazy ???? The viewers were having fun. Ko Sooyeol and Bang Taeho, who came to the set with Ko Hun, sighed. Wait. Hun, I''ll be asking the questions here. I''m curious about you, too. Didn''t you call me to talk to you? That''s true. Woojin recalled one of the most difficult people she had ever faced. Berliner Philharmoniker, who was updating the history of ssical music in real-time, was always heartbroken, so it was burdensome to interview him. Because of that, She didn''t want to deal with picky people. But the friendly boy in front of her was even more difficult to proceed with. Woojin, who thought it would be difficult to broadcast as it is, put her arms on the table with her arms folded. She tilted her upper body slightly and made eye contact with Ko Hun. There are 170,000 people watching right now. That many? Yes. So, shouldn''t we show something cool? That way, you''ll be invited to other shows and earn money. Okay. Ko Hun was convinced by Woojin''s words. Viewers who logged on to know about Artist Ko Hun were bewildered by the two''s skits. What are you teaching him? Get rid of the host ?????????????????? She''s doing that to be funny. Are you serious?? Hahahahahits crazy fun ??????? Okay. Then let''s start with something very easy." Ko Hun nodded. Host Woojin put the script down and brought out a question that could be answered briefly. It started with the question of his age, and also brought up questions that were requested by fans due to theck of basic informationpared to what is known. When is your birthday? This time, Ko Hun got flustered. He didn''t know what to answer because he hadn''t thought about when his birthday was. Woojin, who could not have imagined that he would not know his birthday, tilted her head to induce an answer. Ko Hun answered honestly. I don''t know. I don''t remember. Confused, Woojin checked the chat window with the PD (Program Director). There were a lot ofments asking her to apologize immediately to the child who lost his memory in the ident. No. I''m sorry. I''m terribly sorry. I didn''t mean to. Woojin, who apologized to Ko Hun repeatedly, looked at the response in the chat window. There werements asking her to resign. There were even calls asking to cut the host and some were saying her to die. Woojin, who thought her image would go down, snapped. Hey.You told me to ask this! I thought you were curious! Look! Look at this script! What is the audience most curious about Ko Hun? Birthday! Favorite food! Hobby! How did you start drawing? Hun, it''s really not my fault. I''m sorry. I''m so sorry. When Woo-jinined of injustice and was at a loss, the chatroom was filled withughter. It''s alright. It''s alright. I''m sure they''re all joking. No one would have asked you to die seriously." Ko Hun took Woojin''s hand andforted her. (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 92 Chapter 92 The job of hosting a program seems like a difficult job to make ends meet. It was an awkward question, but words that are hard to say in front of a persons face just keep popping in the chat window because she asked me about my birthday. The title of the program was Let''s Talk, so I thought I needed to have a conversation, but it seemed like an interview. The host, flustered, apologized repeatedly, got angry a while ago, and now smiles as if nothing had happened. She is really professional. When we looked at your SNS ount, there were a lot of pictures of food. Come to think of it, in your first individual exhibition, the theme was desserts, right? Yes. What kind of food do you like? Potato pizza, jajangmyeon, tangsuyuk, fried chicken, chocte. Hes such a foodie.???? What is jajangmyeon? tangsuyuk?? Call the trantor.??????? I can''t understand even if you make fun of me in Korean. The chat window was going up so fast that I couldn''t really read what everyone was saying. At least, it was possible to recognize the words Jjajangmyeon or Tangsuyuk repeatedly. Strangely, the delicious dish is not known in Europe and the United States. Host Woojin exined "jajangmyeon" and "tangsuyuk" in English to the viewers. She said jajangmyeon as ck bean sauce noodle and tangsuyuk as sweet and sour pork, even though it was not an urate expression. ck bean sauce noodles are also sweet and sour. I can''t admit it. Then what food do you hate? A dish made by my grandpa. Grandpa, who was watching next to the camera, flinched. Perhaps because of the broadcast, he didn''t say anything, but he waved his fists and protested. Hahaha. I guess the great Artist Ko Sooyeol is not good with his cooking skills. What kind of food does he usually cook?" Ochazuke, mushroom mayonnaise sd, cold beef soup. Oh, salty kimchi. But the pork jjajang bokkeum, duck jjajang bokkeum he makes are delicious." The host''s expression was not good. The chat window was full of question marks. Hahaha.It''s a menu that shows off a sense of challenge. The host quickly changed the subject in a hurry. I wonder if broadcasting is supposed to be this chaotic. After about two hours of various questions, the show came to an end. Thank you foring to our show. Thank you for having me today! It was much harder than I thought, but the production team was happy, saying that there were up to 200,000 viewers. That''s why I''m scared of them. Meanwhile, host Woojin looked exhausted. I shook hands and went away as she was muttering to herself. I approached grandpa and uncle Bang. Did I do a good job?'' Oh, it was the best. Uncle Bang raised his fist and I bumped my fist into his. Let''s go. Grandpa''s voice had no power. I thought something was wrong, so I looked at uncle Bang and he smiled quietly. He must be hurt. Is it because of the cooking? I asked Grandpa, cing my hand on his back. No. Grandpa said as if he was sulking. I mentioned the delicious food that he makes because I knew this would happen, but it doesn''t seem to have worked. Duck jjajang tang was really delicious. Really.? Yes. Uncle Bang will like it, too, if he eats one bite. Uncle Bang panicked at my words. It''s good. It was cooked well, the duck was seasoned well, and the soup was really thick. I looked it up and found that they don''t sell such dishes anywhere. Only grandpa can make it. Grandpa''s ears flinched. It seemed to have a response, so I continued a little more. Uncle Bang, do you know how much effort it takes for the meat to be so tender? You can''t eat anywhere else even if I give you a lot of money. Don''t regret it ande to eat itter. When I saw that grandpa who was turning around slightly turned his head, I winked at Uncle Bang. Oh, really? Man, I really want to try that. Sir, can I ask you a favor? It looks so delicious that I really want to try it. Uncle Bang''s awkward acting seems to have worked. Grandpa coughed. You must be hungry. Come on, let''s go. This time, I bumped my fist in the air with Uncle Bang''s fist so that there was no sound. I came back to the hotel after having dinner. Soon I saw Sihyeon sitting with his cheeks puffed. What''s wrong, Sihyeon? I have to go back tomorrow. Uncle, can I stay with Hun a little longer? No, you can''t, Young Master. Yes, Sihyeon. I have work to do starting tomorrow. When secretary Jung Jinho and I answered one after another, his mouth puffed even more. Maybe he doesn''t want to go to school alone. There were kids who secretly ignored and isted him. It''s okay. Dont mind what they say to you. He must be hurt, but he can ovee it as long as he remembers how much he is loved by his parents. You''re smarter than them. It''s not because of that. Then? Sihyeon turned and sat down. I want to draw, too. Of course, you can. Didnt your father allow you? No, not like that. I want to be like Hun. I want to be a Artist. Theres no difference between me and you. All you have to do is practice what you like, find things that you want to draw and things you want to show to others. It''s nothing special. I really regretted a lot of things I did. The one thing that I regretted the most was the decision to put everything down and just draw. Out of a burning thirst for Art and the obsession with the desire to paint, I rushed blindly. But I faced reality only after the money I had saved hit rock bottom. If I had been painting with a constant ie, I would have painted far fewer works in the same period. At least I could have been healthy and active. I think that life is not about sprinting with all your might, but about running at your own pace for a long time. You like drawing. So drawfortably. If you improve your skills and know more, you can go and decide then. It is a great blessing that Sihyeon doesn''t have to worry about starving as I did back then since he is a rich young master. Okay. Siheyon replied sullenly. I''ll wake you up at eight tomorrow, Young Master. Okay. Good night, Uncle. Uncle went out. I turned off the light andy down on the bed, but I couldn''t sleep. The Whitney Biennale was much stranger than I thought. It was strange that there was no admission fee and all the works on disy were strange. Still, Hun''s drawings of [Sunflower] and [Mask] were really good. In Particr, [Mask] was as pretty as the Euler equation. In both paintings, the yellow color was so pretty, so I wanted to know what color woulde if I mixed it like it. Hun taught me how to melt and mix oil pastels, but it didn''t work out no matter how much I did it. Hun said I could do it one day if I keep doing it, but I don''t know when it is. Teachers teach me how to solve problems well, but Hun and his grandfather don''t. They always tell me after I fail first. Why? Isn''t it good to seed from the beginning and learn quickly? Whenever I asked the reason, Hun says strange things like I can do it right, only when I know what is wrong.'' He said something simr today. I want to draw a nice blue tree quickly, so I want to focus on drawing, but Hun said it''s not a good way. Why is that? Hun hasn''t slept for more than two weeks while drawing [Mask]. How can he not be afraid of failure when it was so hard? I don''t know. I couldn''t sleep because I was thinking about it until 8 o''clock, so I keep getting sleepy while brushing my teeth. I was surprised when someone knocked on the door suddenly. I spit out the toothpaste and asked. Uncle Jung? It''s me. It was Hun. He told me to have a safe journey yesterday, so I thought I wouldn''t be able to see him, but he came just in time for the departure. I rinsed my mouth in a hurry. When I opened the door, Hun was wearing a sponge bob T-shirt while holding a sketchbook. What''s this? You don''t know? It''s called a coloring book. Hun opened the coloring book and showed the inside. There were so many pictures without color. There was also a Van Gogh painting that Hun exined. Are you giving it to me?" Yes, do this one a day. If you do it up to here, I''ll be back. Hun pointed to page 12. Even if there is no picture in front of it, 10 pages have passed. You said you''d be back in a week, didn''t you? Yes, It will be a week when youplete up to here. I''m not stupid! You''re the one who''s worse at math! I screamed because I hated Hun, who didn''t know how much I wanted to y with him and kept teasing me. What if Hun hates me because I screamed at him. What if Hun gets angry? I said harsh things because he keeps smiling like that even though he knows I''ll be lonely without him. You will be even more lonely when I go to work. Thats why I asked you to leave first, So dont do this, Sihy. Hun called me with a nickname for the first time Don''t cry because I''ll not be with you for a while. I''m not crying! Hic. Hun patted my head. He''s a year older than me, but he always acts like an old man. Oh, right. This. I solved it all. Huh? Hun returned the Math workbook I gave him. It''s only been a week and I never thought he could solve it this quickly. It''s too early to learn this stuff. It was super hard. No way. He really solved it all. There were wrong answers, but there are many correct answers. Thanks to you, I don''t have to worry about the math test. Then get home safely. Don''t keep saying it''s not fun." How can Hun do that? Huns drawings are pretty. Hun is brave in front of adults and understands difficult things well. Hun also solved the advanced Math problems that I taught him as a way to show off that I had learned them. I want to do everything in a cool way like Hun. I''m upset and jealous that I couldn''t. Hun opened the door, went out, and said. Goodbye Sihy! Have a safe trip! Okay. I know how cool Hun is, and I know how hard he tries. One day, I want to be like him and walk on a path along with him. I want to be like my first friend and my Best Friend. (To be Continued on May 30 {MON}) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Director Christine Nn did not take his hands off his uing film Year One even after thepletion of post-production. He watched the film several times a day and worked hard on editing. Meanwhile, the date promised to Ko Hun approached. Nn, who was heading to Los Angeles from Berlin, where he visited for music work, sighed at the news from prop manager Emily Lever. They say they can''t rent out the original. Christine Nn sighed as he rubbed his nose. "Okay, keep the casting on schedule and keep reporting." Yes. Christine Nn, who finished the phone call, slightly turned his head. He buried his back in the chair and was lost in agony. The setting of the movie The Strange Castle was the hideout of the legendary thief Arsene Lupin. Lupin''s gallery includes four works by Peter Paul Rubens, [The Marriage of the Virgin], Andrea del Sarto''s [Portrait of Lucrezia del Fede], Titans [Salome], William-Adolphe Bouguereau''s [The Virgin with Angels], works of Carpio, Rembrandt, and Velzquez. Even Leonardo da Vinci''s [Mona Lisa] was also introduced in the story. The process of casting the work was not smooth because the author of the original novel Maurice Lenc wrote down all the masterpieces that he could think of in his day. If it was made as a movie by some other person, they would have used a fake copy. But it was out of the question for perfectionist Christine Nn. For thepleteness of the movie, he has actually filmed a scene in his movie, by creating a set for corridors that could rotate 360 degrees to represent the scenes of the hotel corridors moving around. In order to express the rainy scene realistically, he covered the sky with a ckout screen, and then water was sprayed. Even a single strand of hair or even a drop of water had to get his permission to get captured on the camera. The same was true for his next project The Strange Castle. The production team attempted to hire the artworks from art galleries, museums, and galleries that owned them. However, despite quite a long preparation, they were unable to persuade the museum, who were concerned about the damage to the work. Nn soothed his headache by pressing down on his temples. Art director Nathan spoke to Nn. "Shouldn''t we at least get a copy? I don''t know about other works, but I don''t think the Louvre Museum will lend you [Mona Lisa]." "I know." Nn swept his face. He was a person who was willing to take on challenges even if there was a small possibility, but he was not a person who recklessly jumped into impossible things. Above all, the production cost of the film was significantly different just by increasing the production period by one day. Nn opened his eyes wide. "No copy." Art director Nathan Evans sighed deeply at the director''s determination. What works canpare to [Mona Lisa]? As of the early 20th century." "Hmm. [Salvator Mundi]?" Nn turned his wrist and urged him to continue. "It''s Da Vinci''s work. Was it 2017? It was sold for $450 million." Christine Nn raised his eyebrows. He couldn''t believe the amount of money that could be used to make two or three blockbusters. However, it means that it is a masterpiece that is recognized for its value, and the ripple effect of the name Leonardo da Vinci could not be ignored. There was no reason not to try to recruit. Where is it? The Louvre Museum. Christine Nn rubbed his forehead. There was no time to argue about meaningless negotiations with the Louvre, which did not suggest any room for negotiation. Anything else? Hmm. There''s a piece thates to mind right away, but it won''t be easy. Anything''s fine. It might not be a good idea now, but I need as many opinions as I can. "[Girl with a Pearl Earring]. It''s called the Dutch Mona Lisa." It was a familiar title. It was also produced as a novel and film of the same name, so he didn''t dig deep into the painting, but Nn, who was having a hobby to some extent, remembered seeing a [Girl with a pearl earring]. He opened his cell phone. When he searched for [Girl with a Pearl Earring], he could see that it was owned by the Mauritz-Hawis Museum of Art. Nn sent a message to prop manager Emily Lever, adding items to offer. Art director Nathan Evans, who was watching the situation, spoke carefully. If the painting is not avable. Nn looked up. Why don''t you go to production? Go on. There are a lot of talented artists. How about Commissioning them to make a work in pre-modernist style." Christine Nn shook his head. Nathan Evans'' opinion was reasonable, but the intrinsic meaning of the famous painting was important. That''s not the point. It''s much more effective to show a perfect picture [Mona Lisa], rather than showing a hundred paintings that are better drawn. That''s right. [Mona Lisa] would not have had much weight in the movie. It might be exposed in 10 frames. The film had to end a story in a short time based on a carefully crafted script. Unless it was a very special case, an Artwork could not be shown for a long time. Therefore, Nathan Evans suggested a different opinion because Nn needed a masterpiece like [Mona Lisa], which could exin how great Arsene Lupin was, even though it would appear in the movie for less than a second. Then it would be better to aim for a private collector than a museum. Just by appearing in our movie, they can put a premium on that picture. Nn nodded. Many collectors regarded paintings as investment objects and hoped that the value of their works would increase. Any work introduced in Christine Nn''s film was sufficient to create a higher price. It wasn''t a very pleasant way, but if you can get a work like that, Nn was fine with it. It was something he could endure. We should consider that, too. Nn once again sent instructions to prop manager Emily Lever. I arrived in Los Angeles where we had promised to meet with Nn. Even though it is one country, I have no idea how wide the U.S. is because I spent more than four hours on a ne. Nn sent someone to the airport so I could travel to the amodationfortably. As the time difference changed again in a week, I was tired and quickly fell asleep. The next day, I visited Nn with grandpa and Uncle Bang. I wondered where the world''s best film director would work, but it was a ce where there were several small buildings in an area that was slightlyrger than my school. There are huge trucks for unknown purposes and there are even armors like the ones that were used in the Middle Ages. Everything I see is amazing, so my eyes are pleasant. "Huh. It''s spectacr," Grandpa also admired it. Do you need all that when you make a movie? It''s about making another world. They have no choice but to work hard. My heart beats when I hear that they will create another world. Beyond expressing it with paints, brushes, and canvases, it is said that such objects are made by themselves and even a vige is created to be captured on camera. It''s surprising how great the culture of cinema is. The guide knocked and opened the door. Christine Nn showed his face from a pile of papers on his desk. "Wee." The dark circle around his eyes shows hes very tired. I don''t know, but I think hes busy with work rted to movies. "Hello," I shook hands with Nn and sat face to face. "Did your music work go well?" When I saw himst time, I heard he was going to Berlin to work on the song. "It''s a great song. Do you know Franz Peter?" I shook my head. "Oh, the Berlin Philharmonic." Uncle Bang seems to know. Probably aposer of a band called the Berlin Philharmonic. Director Christine Nn smiled and nodded. "He was a talented and hard-working friend, and the result came out well," Nn nodded satisfactorily. "I saw the articles about the Biennale. It seems like you had another fight with Henry Marceau." Nnughed and brought up the story of the signing event. A reporter wrote an article about me training Henry Marceau. Thanks to that, the act of sincerely trying to help him became something that bothered Henry Marceau. "There was a misunderstanding." Come to think of it, I couldn''t even thank him properly. I can''t tell what I want to say because he picks a fight every time he sees me. I think I''ll have to thank him next time. [Sunflower], [Guest], and [Frost Wheat Field] could be disyed at the Whitney Biennale because of him. "Your new work was great, too. It was really impressive" Actually, I think there''s still a long way to go, but I''m satisfied that I''ve done my best, at least for now. Next time, Ill draw something even better. I took out the sketchbook I prepared from my bag. I did a sketch. Nn took a serious look at the sketch. To work with him, I have to prove that I can do concept art. The reason why I prepared sketches in advance is so that I have to talk a lot with and understand each other since it is a job that expresses the world of another person, unlike the painting I have done so far, which expresses my world. "This carriage here has its spokes slightly inward?" "Yes." As I recall, most of the wheels during that time were slightly recessed. I don''t know if it''s to strengthen durability or simply to look cool, but it was in that form at least until just before I died. Nn looked at two more pages and said, There''s a wide variety of wagons. "Although it''s trendy, most of them are hansom cab,ndau, and bloom type wagons." Landau wagons with folding overhead ps were in vogue in the early 19th century. Then, like a car now, it was covered on all sides and Bloom wagons with windows came out, and it gradually withered. Because it was so expensive, Landau was still in use rather than Bloom or the Hansom Cab that came out afterward. The background of the era of The Strange Castle is in the early 20th century, so even those who could buy a car would not have abandoned the carriage. In addition, most of them could not afford a car, so the wagon should have probably been the main means of transportation. Nn nodded. "It''s very nice. The wagon is especially detailed. There''s a lot of data on the exterior, but we had less about inside. Did you research and draw it separately? "Yes, I didn''t know what you wanted, so I prepared as many as I could find. Remaining, I imagined it." Nn put down the sketchbook. Agonized with his index finger between the eyebrows and raised his head after a while. "It''s much better than I expected. We were able to discover things that we didn''t think of. I think the carriage could be used when making blueprints." "Do you make your own wagons?" " Yeah, since we can only find them in museums now." How wide should the field of knowledge a film director need? Knowledge of art, music, and screenys seems to be essential for making a single film. There may be experts in each field, but as grandpa said, it sounds like he is really trying to create another world. After thinking for a while, Nn looked me in the eye and asked. "Do you want to do it together?" (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Is there anything more exciting than this? There is no way to turn down the proposal to bring impressive literature into a reality. "Alright." I shook hands with Nn. He held my hand with enough force to give me confidence. Now that it has decided to join, it is time to entrust Uncle Bang to negotiate. Nn''s man came in with the papers ready. Since Ko Hun has shown interest in The Strange Castle, Bang Tae learned about concept art designer in the movie. He has identified how concept art designers are treated, what they do, and how it is advantageous for Ko Hun to set the details. It was apletely different area from what he always did, so he couldn''t neglect preparation. "Nice to meet you. Im Bang Tae from Sunflower." "Im Daniel Port." The negotiators shook hands. Daniel Port of Nn''s production division pushed out the contract they have been using. There was no contract period, and the price per concept Art was set. Five hundred dors per work. Bang Tae, who confirmed the amount that was less than the industry average, narrowed his eyebrows. "Can you exin how you calcted the pay?" Bang Tae didn''t care that his opponent was from Christine Nns production team, who had dominated the film industry for decades. Without showing any unnecessary gaps, he first stepped up carefully to persuade them. "It''s a condition for rookies. It''s the first time he''s in charge of concept art, right?" Daniel Port, who was confident that the negotiations would not be difficult, replied to Bang Taes question. The Asian in front of him was so serious. It means he''s nervous. Daniel Port went on generously. "This contract is just a copy of how we treat neers. Look at this." The new contract was promising $1,000 for each painting. " I don''t have any intention of undermining Ko Hun. I was also impressed by his [Frost Wheat field]." Daniel Port smiled. Look at this. Bang Tae narrowed his eyes. However, his feelings never surfaced. You''re going toe out like this. Bang Tae knew the intentions of Daniel Port. He was also in a position to somehow reduce the amount to be paid to the staff and frencers here, so he was only faithful to his duties. Bang Tae spected that Daniel Port has been reasonably signing the contract from their point of view as Nn took charge of the negotiations. Also, he must have perfected the legal basis so that there would be no problems in the future. Seeing that rxed and experienced attitude, he thought it would be difficult to persuade with logic. Hes a picky person. It made no sense to appeal to a performance-oriented person with a conscience, a sense of duty, or emotion. Bang Tae smiled at Daniel Port. Mr. Port seems to have misunderstood Mr. Nn''s intentions. Misunderstood? "Yes, if you''re just looking for a good painter, you''ve offered me very good conditions." Then I turned his head and smiled looking at Christine Nn. "There are plenty of people who are good at drawing. Hun can''t do graphic Art, so considering that, wouldn''t it be better for the production team to approach someone else?" Bang Tae believed that there was a separate way to deal with people like Daniel Port. He knew what faithful employees who wanted to gain recognition in the workce by building trust from employers while bringing benefits to thepany were most reluctant about. "I don''t know what you''re talking about. If you don''t like the terms. Yes, it''s very unpleasant. Bang Tae kept his eyes on Nn. His heart was about to burst when he faced a world-renowned virtuoso and wealthy man, but he couldn''t back down. "It''s not a bad condition. It''s great for a first-time concept artist." "Then." "I''m telling you that it''s better to find another Artist if you only want a person to express what you instruct him to do. Bang Tae tightened his neck to hide his nervousness. "Director Nn, Mr. Daniel Port doesn''t seem to know what you want from Hun. Can I give you some time?" Bang Tae knew that Christine Nn didnt want to buy Ko Hun''s painting skills. Ko Hun is really good at using colors and using the brush, but there were many people with excellent skills like that. Furthermore, since Ko Hun cant do digital Art, there was no reason to choose Ko Hun if he needed someone for their painting skill." What Christine Nn saw in Ko Hun was the emotion and imagination of thete 19th and early 20th centuries when industrialization gained momentum Bang Tae was clearly aware that Ko Hun was chosen because he was able to recreate the era of change in which all lifestyles, thoughts, and even concepts were changed. Nn opened his mouth. Daniel. Yes. I couldn''t tell you in advance. I''m sorry, but can you get a new contract? Daniel Port asked in wonder. Which contract should I prepare? Concept art manager sounds good. Empty the conditions and bring them. Daniel Port opened his eyes wide. The concept art designer was passive in fulfilling the demands. It was only a means for the production team to make a movie. However, when a manager position was offered, it meant that he would actively work with Director Nn, the Art Director, Production Designer, and VFX Designer. Daniel Port bowed his head and left the room. Christine Nn said with his hands on his knees. "It''s my mistake for not exining things properly to Daniel in advance. I was into sketches. I''m sorry." Haha. No. Its fine. Bang Tae wanted to wipe off his sweat. Although he tried to ensure that Ko Hun was treated fairly, he did not expect Nn to attribute Daniel Port''s offer as his own fault. Many people wouldy the me on their employees to avoid future problems. Bang Tae hoped that the conditions would be revised but he never expected Nn to apologize, causing a cold sweat. Bang Tae put on a forced smile. Ko Sooyeol, who was watching the scene, smiled inwardly. In the first ce, even if Bang Tae hadn''t corrected it, Christine Nn would have taken the lead. It was just a misunderstanding because Nn and Ko Hun were talking about sketches. But that didn''t mean that the process wasn''t important. Bang Tae knew his position and opponent urately and knew how to lead negotiations to an advantage. With his outstanding ability as a curator, he seemed to be able to y well as a manager of his grandson. "Paying is the problem, right?" Then Ko Hun stepped up. The somewhat tense atmosphere was relieved by Nn''sughter. " HahahaYeah, I don''t really know how much I should pay. What shall we do?" Nn asked Ko Hun. He wanted to know how much Ko Hun expected. He had no intention of giving special treatment without grounds, but at least there is a role expected from Ko Hun, so he wanted to guarantee as much as possible within that scope. "It''s a sensitive issue." Ko Hun was well aware of the weight of the situation. He believed in Bang Tae, so he endured Daniel Port''s ridiculous suggestion, but he couldn''t sell all the paintings at the same price. I can''t ept the way you pay for each painting Christine Nn took Ko Hun''s opinion seriously. "Then why don''t we pay you on a weekly basis?" Ko Hun shook his head. "As Uncle Bang said, I want to be a part of The Strange Castle that the director is making. It isnt fun if I just do what you ask me to do for a fixed time." Nn liked the boy who was active and motivated. Even a person with qualifications could not have had good results if the purpose was only money. "How about this?" Nn smiled and made eye contact with Ko Hun. "We can''t price Ko Hun''s paintings collectively, and it''s a problem to pay them on a weekly basis, so why don''t you take running guarantees?" "Running guarantees?" It''s a way to distribute a certain portion of the movie''s box office profits to the cast and production crew. "And all the rights of concept art are taken by Ko Hun." It was rather a wee suggestion for Ko Hun. The act of doing concept art was to make a movie called The Strange Castle. Profits were determined ording to the value of the movie, and the authority of the work that urred in the process, so there was no devaluation. "However, we have to agree on the license. You have to publish a concept art book and well use it as promotional material." "I think its better to write a separate contract." Bang Tae stepped up. Although there is more to negotiate, it was judged that a separate contract is needed to clearly distinguishplex rights such as copyright, license, and reproduction rights of paintings. "Huh." Ko Sooyeol smiled inwardly as he saw the three peoplee to an agreement. Ko Hun clearly expressed what he wanted, and Bang Tae was helping well by his side. Ko Sooyeol was disturbed because he felt like the things he could do for his grandson were getting less. In New York and here in Los Angeles, Ko Sooyeol was only on the sidelines. It felt like his grandson was getting out of his arms too quickly. The image of his grandson lying in the hospital room was still vivid in his eyes. Even though its my greed, I wish, you grow up slowly. Daniel Port came in with a new contract. What''s this amount? It''s a minimum wage. If we don''t pay that, we''ll have a problem. "I want Hun to specify the rights and obligations guaranteed as the concept art manager for this film." "Yes, Daniel, call Nathan and ask him toe up for a second." Once the conversation was heated. Ko Sooyeol looked at his grandson with admiration, who shone his eyes among adults and gave his opinion. As soon as Ko Hun entered the amodation, he fell onto the bed, tired of the long negotiations with the movie staff. Hun, are you tired? Yes, grandpa. My head is about to explode. Ko Sooyeolughed and tangled Ko Hun''s hair. Then he went into the bathroom to wash up. Ko Sooyeol, who found arge bathtub, asked his grandson, who was still lying down. "Hun, there''s a bathtub. Shall we take a bath?" Ko Hun nodded, with his face still buried in the bed. At first, Ko Hun was reluctant, but as time passed, he started enjoying bathing with his grandfather while rubbing each others'' backs. Although he brought an Italian towel, Ko Hun led his tired body to the bathroom because he had never been soaked in hot water since he came to the United States. "Whew." "Wow" The grandfather and grandson eximed while sitting face to face in the bathtub. The grandson, who sometimes wipes his face with his eyes closed, looked cute in Ko Sooyeols eyes. "Little Hun, you spoke well today. Its nice to be able to say your thoughts straight up like that wherever you are. "Yes. Ugh. That''s good." Ko Hun groaned while enjoying the hot water. "You can do well without this grandfather since youre all grown up now." Ko Hun jumped up before Ko Sooyeol finished speaking. Surprised Ko Sooyeol opened his eyes wide. Why? What''s wrong? Are you dying..grandpa? What nonsense are you talking about again? "Are you sure you''re not going to die? Isn''t it real this time?" I won''t die! Then why are you saying stuff like Ill do well without grandpa? People say stuff like that when they are about to die! So dont ever say that grandpa. Ko Sooyeol recalled a few months ago when his grandson cried because he thought he would die just for eating delicious food. Seeing his grandson cry out of fear of death, made him think that even though hes matured, hes still a child. He was worried that his grandson might have trauma about death since he lost his parents in early age "Didnt I tell you already? Grandpa won''t die." "How can people not die? Everyone will die one day. But grandpa should be with me for thissssss many years." Ko Sooyeol smiled as he saw his grandson extending his hands as hard as he could. His grandson who''s talking seriously about his death looked both cute and absurd. Yeah, yeah. I will be with Little Hun as long as you want. (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 95 Chapter 95 The two days spent in Los Angeles focused on sharing thoughts with Nn. His mind-picture of The Strange Castle was surprisingly specific. Today, we decided to check out the costumes, so not only Nn but also a prop designer and two advisors were together. Emily Lever, the prop manager, has not only prepared books and photographs but also prepared clothes that people actually wore at the time. There are six hangers full of antique dresses that made me wonder how they got them. I couldn''t speak because I''m dumbfounded. "Where did you get them?" "There are a lot of people who collect things like this. I swept all the Antique market." Emily Lever smiled proudly. I think she can show off a little more. Even if the market is formed, it is not easy to get clothes from 130 years ago in such good condition. Thanks to this,munication with Nn became easier and drawing concept art itself became much easier. Nn exined, showing a picture from the 1900s. "In the court scene, Ray is wearing a blouse and a long skirt. The ribbon is straight and the hat is slightly tilted." Nn circled the coat and hat. It means it needs to be corrected. "Shes an active person. Born into an aristocratic family, she thinks modernly and is good at shooting and horseback riding. She likes practical clothes, and prefers shoes without heels." Nn exined the character Ray as if he had seen her. It means that Nn''s head is already filled with The Strange Castle. "If she was a person who values practicality, I think it would be better to have a low heel rather thanpletely getting rid of it." Nn and Lever raised their heads at my words. "The streets were dirty during that time. If she wore a long skirt and shoes without heels, then the dirt might get on her body." When I was very young, I was reluctant to even wash. After growing up, I gradually developed a sense of hygiene, but I never thought of washing my hands several times a day like now. Walking on the streets of Paris, poop flew through the windows of the building. The French have treated filth that way for quite some time, and that''s why umbres and high-heeled shoes were born. I know that because I myself have peed a lot on the street. When I was in Paris, the government madews to ban the dumping of excrement, but citizens staged protests against thew. People don''t change easily. What do you think? Nn asked the two people present as advisors. They nodded. "In order for flush toilets to be widespread, there must first be a sewer system. It wasn''t until 1860 that Britain, the fastest in Europe, built a sewer system. In the 1900s, Paris wouldn''t have been much different." "Okay." As the agreement gradually builds up, the script that feels like a monochrome drawing is being colored. In the afternoon, Ipleted the drawing of Ray''s outfit, while Nn and his advisors double-checked it. When Nn finally confirms, prop manager Emily Lever prepares clothes as simr as possible and makes them herself if they are not avable. I don''t know how many prop design teams there are, but it''s a great job. Even after preparing for half a year like this, they say that they do not take a break, even during the actual filming, so it is difficult to estimate how many people are rushing to make one movie. As I started working a lot, I quickly realized how short the week I had initially considered was. The actual work was unthinkable, and I was busy setting up and understanding the worldview of The Strange Castle. At this rate, I think we will have to work together for the next month or so before we can start working. On my way to Korea town for dinner with grandpa and Uncle Bang, I brought up my worries. "What shall I do with school? " I know that if you fail to meet the minimum attendance, you will fail and you will have to attend the same grade again. "I know. Things are taking longer than I thought." Uncle Bang nodded his head. "I need to talk to Director Nn. Before the vacation, we exchange online and meet again during the vacation." "Do you really need to do that?" Grandpa turned his head from the front seat. "Youre a student, but Youre also a Concept art manager now. You have to keep your promise." I think so too, but the time.. It''s okay. You can go to school anytime. You can get a diploma any time you want, but there wont be any second chance for this experience." . Neither I nor Uncle Bang could say anything. Grandpa solved a serious concern too easily. On second thought, it was as grandpa said. I can go to school at any time and this is the only time I can experience this. Furthermore, it is much more enjoyable to work on the movie together. Then I''ll continue with concept art. Sure. Grandpa thought it would be like that when you signed the contract. Promises are important. not that. Uncle Bang shook his head while trying to say something. We parked my car in the parking lot and entered the restaurant. I think Ill be eating soft tofu stew for dinner tonight. It is a restaurant that grandpa, who was tired of greasy food, wanted to visit, saying he wanted to eat something spicy. I sat down. I looked at the outfits of the staff and they were all red. "Is there anything that''s not spicy?" "It won''t be spicy unless you ask them to make it spicy." Uncle Bang says it''s not spicy, but I wont get fooled. Korean people are quite generous when ites to the degree of spiciness. They say it is spicy only when the tongue burns and the hole in the ear be as spicy as a sore throat. " Little Hun can eat peri." When I looked up the menu rmended by grandpa, there was no red. "Un, Okay, grandpa." Grandpa and Uncle Bang ordered seafood soft tofu stew. "By the way, it takes longer than I thought. They''re still working on the settings, aren''t they?" "Yes." "If you had signed as a concept art designer, you would have gotten the guidelines and revised them." Theres a point in what grandpa said. It is natural that the work improves because Im not drawing ording to their needs after listening to basic exnations, but Im participating in the process directly. It''s definitely worth it, and I like doing it. "Well, what''s the schedule like? When are you going to visit Germany, Little Hun?" Come to think of it, there was also a promotional contract with paint manufacturer Schminke. It makes no sense to take the money but not do what was requested, so I should draw a few paintings while preparing for The Strange Castle. "Don''t you have a Site survey scheduled for the week after next? Ennd and Germany are nearby, so why don''t we stop by while we''re on our way?" "Since I can''t waste my time. I''d like to do it that way. "Yes, it won''t be that long." Grandpa nodded his head and suddenly smiled, looking at me. Are you looking forward to the Site survey? Yes. I''m looking forward to it the most. Nn was thinking about where to film Arsene Lupin''s hideout in the movie The Strange Castle. There are three locations, one of which is the beach of Etretat in France, which is also the setting for the actual work. The second is Dover Beach in Ennd. Finally, around Mcway Falls in California. I asked him to let me explore the area around McWay Falls and see the image. Since spring this year, I have been away from nature since I have only been in the cities, so I am looking forward to breathing good air and the sudden inspiration. Dover looks great. Have you been there, Uncle Bang? I went there when I was young. I think it''s a white cliff. Is the cliff white? Well, it''s green above the cliff, but the sides are white. It''s a strange cliff. The sea is soft and nice, and I think it''ll be nice around Old Harry Rocks." I searched Old Harry Rocks because I was curious about the ce, and it''s definitely a rare sight. I was doubtful whether the colors of green areas and white cliffs can be created naturally. On the Inte, it is said that erosion took ce and fell from the ground, but looking at the picture taken from the sky after turning the page, there is a magnificent view. I liked it before I even looked around the site. "But I don''t think it''s normal." Uncle Bang said while eating anchovies as a side dish. Eating that cute little baby fish as a whole was a huge shock at first, but the anchovies given here are a little bigger. I think theyre in their adolescence. "Mostly, Concept Art managers have nothing to do with selecting locations, but Nn has asked your opinion in the selection of the filming location." "Maybe Nn wants ideas from different perspectives. Also, Little Hun doesn''t make a decision unconditionally just because he likes it." Nn''s outstanding point is not an obsession or enormous knowledge that looks obsessive. The fact that he is so excellent and listens to the voices around him may have led him to the best position in the world. I was told to draw concept art once they got the setting. "Hmm." The production team said, it''s faster to look at it than to talk about it. They said, as long as I dont deviate from the setting, its better to keep my style as much as possible. "I''m sure you''re free to do what you want. Is the work fun?" Yes, grandpa. It''s meaningful to even the smallest things. And every scene has a story, and it''s different from painting." So far, all I did was get the emotions right. But the work The Strange Castle is storytelling. It ispletely different from my previous method because I have to select a target and think of a narrative while drawing on a page. In this way, I canplete a longer narrative by drawing several pages and it''s also a fun. I always thought about how to express Charles Dickens'' novels, but I didn''t get a satisfactory result. The amazing thing is to draw a picture that captures the impression and the detailed description together and tells a story. Its a super crazy thing and also a Super fun thing to do. (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 96 Chapter 96 It''s already been two weeks since I''ve been with the production team for the movie The Strange Castle. Through setting, I studied everything about what kind of house people live in and what they eat. Actually, I thought it would be easy to reminisce about the past, but it wasn''t as easy as I expected. Only 10 years have passed since my death, but unlike housing and food culture, the clothing style has changed a lot. Only the costumes of the main characters have been determined, so I think I will have a lot of trouble in the future with respect to other characters. I have to show the character design soon. Since the character settings and costumes have been decided, it is time to draw the character. I still have a lot of worries. The canvas is even more burdensome because I think that a single painting should express the characteristics of the character. I continued to ponder in front of the canvas where I was at a loss because there were no instructions. I didnt know how much time had passed. It''s dark outside the window. I turned on the TV to cool my head for a while. The "Let''s Talk" show was broadcasting. Henry Marceau was on the show today. -Many people are also curious about your rtionship with Artist Ko Hun. Didn''t you do some great fan service together recently?. -Yes. -The fans'' reactions are hot. By the way, it is said that there are fans who had their pictures drawn by Marceau posted them on social media. -Good for them. -Lets take a look at another article. There are people whopare themselves to their faces, and there are people who think of it as a family heirloom. Henry Marceau on TV nods satisfactorily. -There are other responses. This person seems to be a fan of Ko Hun. Mr. A, an office worker in Boston, said, "I should have asked Hun to draw on my shirt as Henry did." There were people who wanted to buy that outfit. -What? That damn kid wiped off the oil pastel on my clothes. Damn it. -Hahahaha. Artist Ko Hun''s fans are jealous. Do you have any thoughts on putting it up for auction? -Why would I sell it? -As expected, it seems like Marceau has no intention of selling it because it''s painted over by Ko Hun. This is the person who has the most works of Ko Hun. -Its just my favorite dress, damn it! He didn''t paint on it, he stained my favorite clothes! Damn it. -Im sorry fans, but it''s a precious collection for Marceau, a fan of Ko Hun, so please give up on the shirt. -Are you crazy? Can''t you hear me? I was going to watch it for a change, but it''s too loud. I turned off the TV. I replied to the blue tree picture sent by Sihyeon and sat down in front of the canvas again. Let''s start again. I organized the knowledge I had umted over the past two weeks in my head. Isidore Beautrele. He is a high school student who ys a leading role with Arsene Lupin in the movie The Strange Castle. Beautrele is a confident boy who said he would arrest Arsene Lupin, and presses Lupin with amazing reasoning power. The sh of intuition and indomitable sense of challenge were the driving forces behind his work. On the other hand, he is a three-dimensional character who gets flustered around women. It looks like a finished character, but as the work continues, he grows more and more. I don''t like any of the sketches I''ve been thinking about. I just tried this and that because I couldn''t just sit around until I had a good idea. This is not the best way to show Isidore Beautrele. After thinking about it for a while, grandpa came in. "How is it going, Little Hun? Looking at the canvas and the sketches around me, grandpa unbuttoned his coat. "Seems like youre working hard." "Yes. I didn''t know it was this difficult to tell a story." It''s hard to express the pure and confident aspirations of the boy who tries to arrest Arsene Lupin, along with his delicate side as a youngster. Grandpa entered the shower room. As I continued to worry in front of the canvas, grandpa approached me and stood next to me. He often does this, so I was only thinking about Isidore Beautrele. Grandpa talked to me. "Hun, Are you interested in looking at a painting with your grandfather? It''s a big deal. Grandpa doesnt ask anything when Im working unless there''s anything special, but that grandpa suddenly wants me to see a painting with him. I nodded my head because there was no progress. Grandpa connected the TV to his smartphone. It is interesting whenever I look at it because the length and width of the screen can be adjusted. When he essed the website of the National Museum of Ancient Art in Italy, he stammered and searched Portrait of Beatrice Cenci. "Oh." I made a noise without realizing it. There is a flood of indescribable sadness. How can a face without wrinkles be so sad? There is sadness, happiness, hope, and despair in the girl''s eyes. She just epts everything. The emptiness seems to say goodbye through the white clothes she wears and her posture of looking back. Who could it be? Who is this sad woman who seems to be saying her final goodbye before moving on to the other side of the abyss? Led by an unknown force, I headed to the front of the TV. I know this expression. It''s a face one makes by hiding everything on the inside. It is a smile that puts herself down for those who will grieve before leaving for a long journey. This girl who epted death cheats herself and smiles for others. I can''t bear to raise the corners of my mouth. What wrong did this young child do for her to make such a face? "[Beatrice Cenci]. It was painted by an artist named Elisabetta Sirani." From the name of Elisabetta, it seems like a woman. It is written below that the painting was painted in 1662. I think I''ve never heard that name. I was surprised that there was such an artist at that time. "what did this girl do wrong, grandpa?" I asked grandpa about Beatrice Cenci. "No, before that. Let me hear what you felt when you saw the painting." I organized my thoughts at grandpa''s words and opened my mouth. "Maybe breaking up with someone. It also feels like shes going to die soon or maybe going to a ce from where she cannot return." Grandfather responded with a nod. "She looks back, neither crying nor angry, and it seems that she loves someone very much. She is desperately trying to protect that someone so that they do not drown in her sorrow." Like me in my previous life when I couldn''t cry out loud that I wanted to live. "The fabric and clothes around her head really stand out. The light and shadow were perfectly contrasted. A dark background that contrasts her white skin." There''s more than one thing to point out. "Posture is important, too. If you look at the shoulder angle, she is looking back, but I don''t think shell turn backpletely. I can tell the situation of parting just by the posture." Grandpa, who was listening to my exnation, stood up from the couch and approached me. He hugged me and brought up the story about Beatrice Cenci. "Her father was so mean to her." I think grandpa is toning down the seriousness of the story considering my age. Below the picture, it says in English that she was sexually abused by her biological father. "She tried to resist, but he locked her in a remote castle where no one could look for her. It happened when Beatrice was only 15 years old." Her father is worse than a beast. How can a person imprison someone and do disgusting things that cant be said? not to mention to his own daughter. "But the stepmother and her brother were on Beatrice''s side." If even the stepmother felt sorry for her, I can see the seriousness without hearing the details. "Her stepmother and brother used her father of the atrocities. But Beatrice''s father was rich and powerful." That means he was in power. Thementary below also states that he was used by the Vatican but was not punished. As I continued to read, it said that her stepmother, her biological brother, and her half-brother were also abused to a serious level. "They wanted to live. And there was only one way for them to survive. So." Grandpa couldnt continue the story. It''s alright, grandpa. Hmm? What? I''ve read everything below. They tried to kill the father. I think I would have done the same. Don''t worry, I know it''s wrong to kill people. "Hmm." Grandpa warmed up his voice and went on. "They gave him poison, but he didn''t die. So the family harmed him and disguised it as an ident." As I told grandpa, no matter what the cause is murder cant be justified. However, I fully sympathize with Beatrice Cenci and her family. In the violence and sexual abuse that had continued since childhood, the ego copsedpletely, and no one helped even though she barely took the courage to report it. Perhaps, I suspect that retaliatory violence had intensified since the usation. He was so powerful that he even moved the Vatican which normal people could never dream of. They had no choice. Then that picture I thought the story was over, but my grandfather brought up the back story. If it had ended like that, at least that girl and her family would have been able to livefortably, but they didn''t. Why? The Pope investigated. He tortured Beatrice''s Lover who was involved in the crime and killed him. Torturing him to death means he didn''t tell them about the crime. But how did you know? Well, there is a story that the servant confessed, but nothing is told exactly. All the people who killed her father, Francesco Cenci, were sentenced to death. That''s too much, grandpa. Roman citizens insisted on self-defense for Beatrice and her family, but the pope did not reverse the ruling at the time. Her brother died first, followed by her step-mother. Even though it happened many centuries ago, a lot of things seem to have changed, and still, some things don''t change. Some people were heartbroken by that sad story and had argued for self-defense, there also existed people who were nothing but garbage. And just before she was executed, she looked back at her only half-brother who was exempted from the death penalty. No words came out. She didn''t covet much either. She just wanted to get away from the wounds umted throughout her life, so she struggled because she thought she would die if she didn''t. I can''t believe it''s the death penalty that came back. I can''t really bear this. Once again, looking at Elisabetta Sirani''s [Portrait of Beatrice Cenci], the sad expression of unknown reason came to me even more sorrowfully. TRIVIA The Vatican was going to kill all those who had the right to inherit, but public protests intensified. To appease public opinion, the Vatican spared young youngest member Bernardo Cenci but made him watch his mother, brother and sister executed, confiscated all his property, and imprisoned him. Given this, there was spection that the reason why the Vatican killed all of the Cenci family was because of their huge wealth. (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 97 Chapter 97 "This painting [Portrait of Beatrice] gave us the word Stendhal''s syndrome." "Stendhal?" "It''s a phenomenon where you experience heart pain and hallucinations while you''re looking at a work of art. A writer named Stendhal coined the term from what he experienced when he saw this painting in Florence. "Ah." Is it Stendhal, who wrote the novel "Red and ck?" It seemed to have been a name that I had never heard of, but when I thought about it, it was often mentioned even before Stendhal''s anecdote. Although I had never been to Italy before and never actually saw it, the [Portrait of Beatrice Cenci] was talked about for quite some time in my previous life. I didn''t expect to see it like this. Looking at the portrait of Beatrice Cenci once again makes my heartbreak. Just the head shape from the head to the shoulder conveys the character''s emotions and stories so clearly. I can roughly predict how Stendhal felt. "And there are two more paintings like this," I turned and looked at grandpa in surprise. "Let''s see the original first." I was surprised. "Is this a fake?" I was surprised to hear that this masterpiece that shook my heart was not the original. "Well, it cant be called fake, since it''s an agreed-upon imitation. This painting is a copy of the work of Elisabetta Sirani''s teacher, Guido Reni." "Oh." She was the disciple of the famous Guido Reni. I''ve never actually seen his work, but I''ve heard of a genius Italian painter named Guido Reni. I wondered how she painted such a masterpiece at a time when women''s social status was suppressed. Maybe it was because Guido Reni was impressed with Elisabetta''s talent and dly epted her as a disciple Grandpa found the Portrait of Beatrice Cenci painted by Guido Reni, Elisabetta Sirani''s teacher. They are indeed a teacher and disciple. Elisabetta, the student who values Beatrice''s inner self, while Guido Reni, the teacher emphasized her emaciation and focused on the tragedy Beatrice experienced. Elisabetta came up with a new interpretation, not just a simple imitation of her teacher''s work. It''s a wonderful rtionship. However, the teacher''s work was not in good condition. "Reni expressed Beatrice''s experience." "Yeah, he did a good job." I can''t think which one did better. It''s because they have different perspectives. However, I am attracted to the painting of Elisabetta Sirani, the student. Ironically, the imitation was more well-received than the original. So some people even argue that Elisabettas painting was done by Reni. Maybe it''s because Elisabettas painting easily conveys the feelings of Beatrice Cenci. "Then let''s look at the next painting." Grandpa looked for another painting and exined that many artists were influenced by Beatrice Cenci''s portrait. "Here it is." "It''s a Beatrice painted by an artist who lived in the 19th century called Achille Leonardi." The name Achille Leonardi tells that hes an Italian painter. The title says [Reni, who sketches Beatrice Cenci''s portrait]. What does it mean by Reni sketching portrait? "Didn''t Elisabettas painting be more known than Renis?" Grandpa just said that the student''s work was more famous than the teachers, and Achille Leonardi, who painted this, drew the teacher Reni. "Because everyone thought Elisabettas work was done by her teacher." I don''t understand what it means. When I tilted my head to ask for an exnation, grandpa said, smacking his lips. "It''s not known exactly why, but there was such a misunderstanding." Did they mistake the Beatrice drawn by the disciple, Elisabetta, as her teachers? How could that be? Did they happen to think that a woman couldnt paint a picture like that? At that time, there was a bad trend of not looking at women equally. If it''s true, thats so sad. In the 19th century, women were excluded from many fields. What''s more, it was a century ago. Elisabetta Sirani. I will remember that name. Once again looking at Achille Leonardis painting, I can tell who Guido Reni is, just at a nce. Hes wearing a garment worn by Italian painters in the 17th century. Achille Leonardi expressed other people''s clothes in detail. Beatrice Cenci is beautiful. Unlike Beatrice, which was painted by the two artists earlier, the appearance of shining softly under the light seems to describe a saint. The body is expressed in a virtuous manner, which must also mean abundance and charity. "It''s a symbol." This is not a painting of Beatrice Cenci, nor is it a painting for Reni, who draws her. "Yes, Beatrice Cenci was seen by many artists as a symbol of resistance to power after her death. This painting depicts Beatrice as resistance to power rather than an individual." It''s not a heart-throbbing painting. Obviously, this work was also meaningful in its own way. While I was thinking about the painting, I suddenly realized why grandpa wanted me to see a painting rted to Beatrice Cenci. He wanted to tell me what I should value when painting the character design of The Strange Castle. Achille Leonardi''s work is problem-conscious and well-proven, but it did not express the person named Beatrice Cenci more deeply than the work of its predecessor, Elisabetta Sirani. The painting that can clearly answer the question of who Beatrice Cenci is can be found only in the paintings of Guido Reni and Elisabetta Sirani. I looked up at grandpa and smiled. It was a great lecture, grandpa. That''s a relief. Grandpa yfully disheveled my hair. I wanted to know more about the artist Elisabetta Sirani, so I picked up the remote control. Do you want to see more? Yes, grandpa. I wonder why such a wonderful artist was unknown. What do you mean unknown? Grandpa looked at me as if I was saying something incredulous. "You all said everyone thought Sirani''s work was painted by her teacher?" "That''s true, but Elisabetta Sirani was well received at that time. Though she was badly abused by her father, Giovanni Andrea Sirani. He thought of Elisabetta as a money-making machine." Today, I think I heard a lot of stories about father-daughter issues. "Giovanni used the money Elisabetta earned from selling her paintings to drink, and Elisabetta couldn''t rest a little. Hearing that I turned my head and looked at Elisabettas [Portrait of Beatrice Cenci]." "Ah," I can see why Elisabetta''s [Portrait of Beatrice Cenci] was so sad. She ovepped herself with Beatrice Cenci, who was abused by her father and faced tragedy. Wouldn''t that deep resonance lead to the creation of this great work called [Portrait of Beatrice Cenci]? I want to calmly appreciate her work today. While historical evidence is important. Thanks to grandpa, I was able to recall what I really had to aim for. Arsene Lupin was a great thief who could not be caught even when the whole of France rushed in, because of his excellent disguising skills as well as voice modtion. The courageous boy who went out to catch him was Isidore Beautrele. In fact, until now, most of the sketches I drew only depicted his head or half-body figures. Drawing a dynamic full body is a big challenge for me, but grandpa gave me a good lecture, so I have no choice but to draw. The eyes shining full of conviction is important. Where should I put the light? Upper right. If I express it from behind the character, the atmosphere is alive, but there will be a shadow on the face. No, that''s not good, either. Emphasizing only the eyes on a shady face is also not a bad choice. I drew the line roughly and then drew it more closely. The dress should be expressed as agreed with the production team. As an honor student, he wears a checkered vest neatly over a white shirt and locks all buttons. I wondered how to express the pocket watch, which symbolizes a meticulous personality, but assumed it was put in his pocket and filled the waistband with only the watch strap. Nn told me to put in a magnifying ss, which is an essential element of a detective, so I drew in a way he would hold it in his hand. "Whoa." I have to draw a lot of pictures. Because I repeatedly thought about it and corrected it to show Isidore Beautrele. This work is more enjoyable than I thought. As the vague characters of The Strange Castle are drawn in my head, I understand Nn. I can see why he asked for neat and short hair and why sleeves should be neat. Thinking that the fictional character I drew will move in the world of The Strange Castle, I can hardly standstill. I want to show Nn right away and ask if this was the character he was thinking of. I checked the time and it was 11:48 p.m. I took a picture of my favorite Isidore Beautrele and sent it to Nn, and he replied immediately. {Thats my Isidore Beautrele} 11:49 I can''t believe what''s in his head can be shared perfectly through constant conversation. I want to show the rest of the picture tomorrow, which was a product of such conversations. (To be Continued on June 6{MON}) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Ko Hun gave Nn a character painting. Nn, who couldn''t calm down after receiving the character design from Ko Hunst night, hurriedly looked at the painting. There lived and breathed the brilliant detective he had pictured in his head. From his bright eyes, he could feel a firm will. From the posture of turning around, he could see that he realized something. He turned over a page. The expression of the angry genius boy grinding his teeth, the face of shouting loudly, the appearance of embarrassment, and the scene of tears. Nn really admired it. It was a very satisfactory result for him, who has worked on several works and has all been with the best concept art designers. It even made him doubt whether it was Ko Huns first time drawing concept art. It''s the best. Nn said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Do you know why concept art is important?" Ko Hun, who was tired from working all day, sighed deeply and replied. "I got it when I worked on it. This painting is the beginning of The Strange Castle." Nn could tell that the boy was happy by the slightly raised corners of his lips. "That''s right." Nn thought that Ko Hun''s character design would be a great help for the casting scheduled for next month. It wasn''t just that. Everything from a very small prop to a room, street, town, or city, and even the weather was delivered through concept art. It was the link between the script, the actor, and the production team and became the basis for everything. That''s why Ko Hun was also involved in selecting the location for the filming. Nn grinned thinking about the young genius, who knew exactly his role and importance, and who looked more reliable. Take care of yourself. Yes. While preparing for the pre-production of The Strange Castle Nn, who was also working on this year''s release, Year One, while suffering from ack of sleep. Director Nathan Evans came in. Director. Nn raised his head and smiled as he saw the designs created by the concept art designers with the help of concept art paintings from Ko Hun in art director Nathan''s hands. What do you think? Nathan Evans sighed as he tried to say something. He raised his hands and shrugged his shoulders. In words, please. Nn pointed to Nathan and waved his pen as if pointing out how he was against the casting of Ko Hun. "Yes, Youre right again. It''s crazy, we can go straight to 3D." Nathan Evans admired several designs that Ko Hun and the designers had designed over the past two days. Nathan Evans, who worked with Nn on several works, never imagined that Nn would say okay to a design on a first attempt. Nnughed absurdly at Nathan Evans'' change of attitude. "If thats the case, then this time we can get started quickly." "Leave it to me." Nathan Evans, who finished reporting that he was going to model 3D, opened the door. Julia McCarthy, who was about to knock, was startled. Nathan raised his hand and apologized to her and left the room. Julia McCarthy, marketing manager for the Nn division, calmed her surprised heart and came inside. Nn asked with a smile. What''s the matter? I''m here for approval. I think we can start the press release. Julia McCarthypiled a press release on The Strange Castle and showed it to Nn. It has already been disclosed that The Strange Castle is based on Maurice Lenc''s Arsene Lupin series. The newly added content was that the casting will soon take ce, the actual filming will take ce in 2029, and that famous painter Ko Hun will be the concept art manager. Nn pressed the inte button. -Yes, director. "Please make an appointment with Sunflower CEO Bang Tae. Hun too." -Ill report it to you in 30 minutes. "Thank you," Nn, who instructed his secretary to set up a meeting with Sunflower, nced at Julia McCarthy. Julia McCarthy, who was watching the situation, nodded and said anxiously. "It''s always like that, but I think you''re going through a lot. Have some of this." Julia McCarthy brought fresh fruit juice to the table. "Thank you. Make it caffeine next time." "I won''t." The two people who joked while they were busy greeted each other lightly. After Julia McCarthy went out, Nn took a breather and focused on editing Year One'' again. He couldn''t postpone it a bit because he was going to explore the shooting locations from tomorrow. [Christine Nn''s new movie] [Master Maurice Lenc''s original novel, "The hollow needle"] [Director Nn is secretly looking for a location] [Artist Ko Hun joins as a concept art manager for the movie] On the 16th, Christine Nn, a world-renowned film director, announced a new film ahead of his new release. It is the first information since the news that he started writing a scriptst year circted. Nn''s new work was cited to be a movie based on the series Arsene Lupin by French mystery writer Maurice Lenc. The production cost was not announced, but a spokesperson from the Nn team said, "You will be able to appreciate the visuals you have never seen before." The Strange Castle will hold auditions for selected people next month. Meanwhile, young genius painter Ko Hun, who drew attention by exhibiting [Mask] at the Whitney Biennale, has joined as a concept art manager. Director Christine Nn said, "Ko Hun fully understands whats needed for the script. The Strange Castle will bepleted in the form I want," while cing his utmost trust in Ko Hun. It will be possible to see the oue of the crossover between a genius filmmaker and a genius artist in 2030. -Stretzeman (Times) Director Christine Nn''s new film, which was gaining the absolute confidence of the fans, went viral. Fans of the Arsene Lupin series cheered loudly at the news that production work was going smoothly. Unlike the Sherlock Holmes series, which has been adapted several times, including TV series and movies, Arsene Lupin was attributed to being rtively non-mainstream. -I''m not sure if it''s any other director, but if its Christine Nn I can trust him?. -Although the Arsene Lupin seriescked overall perfection, character arcs were great. -If its Nn, you can trust him. -I''m going crazy when I read the article. There''s a year and a half left until the movie is released in 2030. -Who is Ko Hun? -He is a young genius artist drawing attention in the art world. -I heard that he''s the grandson of artist Ko Sooyeol. I looked it up and found out that he was 10 years old. -A 10-year-old kid is a concept art designer., he''s a manager, right?????? -Does it make sense?? -I know. Hes good at drawing.? -Even if it''s possible to draw, you need to know the content to draw concept art?. -Research is important. It''s like a base for making a movie, so it''s a stagnant market. Not often done by people whock experience ?. -There''s a reason why Nn wanted to use Ko Hun, I think he came to Ko Hun''s individual exhibition and decided then. -Oooohhh, is he the kid who sold the painting for $14 million???? -There must be no one looking at the painting here. Hun is really good. Hes the best among contemporary artists. -Look at our Hun [Picture] He''s cute, right? He''s good at drawing, but he''s really smart, he''s good at English and French. -He even found Van Gogh''sst work earlier this year. -It''s a penguin?. -It''s a penguin?. -Right now, there''s the biggest art exhibition in the world called the Whitney Biennale, where he has hung four of his works, and the time when he yed with Henry Marceau was really really cute.. -I know Henry Marceau. Isnt he the mean business tycoon? -If you know Henry Marceau, you must have heard of Ko Hun. They''ve been working together sincest year, and I think Ko Hun is training Henry. -You should really look it up. He''s so cute and his drawings are so cool! I rmend [Frost Wheat Field]. -Still, isnt he too young to be a concept art manager? -Christine Nn is not a slob and wouldn''t have picked someone for poprity. -That''s true. Ko Hun''s name began to be known little by little among those who were not very interested in art along with the news that he is coborating with director Christine Nn. Meanwhile, in the art world, Ko Hun''s new move came as a big shock. "What?" Henry Marceau, who was lying in bed watching TV set up on the ceiling, frowned. He jumped up and opened his smartphone. When he searched for Christine Nn and Ko Hun, there were many rted articles. The news that he was in charge of the concept art of the film was announced through a prominent channel. Henry Marceau, who thought Ko Hun would have returned to Korea, was greatly shocked when he heard that Ko Hun moved to a movie theater, not an art museum. No matter how big the investment was, the amount that the film crew could allocate to concept art was limited. It was not evenparable to the economic value of Ko Hun''s works. "What are you thinking, brat?" Aside from money. Henry Marceau was a man who could not do art under the direction of others. Henry Marceau was confused because he thought Ko Hun was his kind. For a moment, he remembered that Ko Hun''s parents were famous movie art directors. If he grew up watching what his parents did when he was young, he thought Ko Hun could set his career path there. But that didn''t happen. After [Marceau''s Jewel], Henry Marceau, who thought Ko Hun as his rival, wanted topete with him. Thepetition at Whitney Biennale ended in a draw, so he wanted to continuepeting with him until he was satisfied. Ko Hun had to stay at the art museum until he was convinced that he had definitely surpassed Ko Hun. Thinking Ko Hun was running away, he pressed the call button as soon as he unfolded his smartphone. He was connected to Michelle tini, whom he had most recently contacted. She answered the phone in an urgent voice. -I''m busy. Do I have to talk on the phone now? "Send Ko Hun''s contact information." -What? You can''t leave him for a second. What happened now? "I have to meet him." (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Henry Marceau visited Christine Nn''s studio. Located between the South Weddington Park and the Los Angeles River in Los Angeles, California, the United States. It was a filming location where Nn bought all of Windsor Lofts Universal City and nearby houses and sites in 2024 and began operating in 2027. The security of Nn Studios, which would handle everything rted to film production and distribution, was tight, and Henry Marceau was no exception. Security staff approached Henry''s vehicle and asked for a visitor''s card. Secretary Arsene lowered the window and politely told him that he was here to have a meeting with Nn. Security staff nodded as they checked the man with his arms crossed in the back seat. When he was about to send a signal to raise the barrier, the head of the security team, who received a report that Henry Marceau had visited, came forward to greet him. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Marceau. Paul Adams from the security team. Director Nn asked me to bring you." Paul Adams, the Security team leader, guided Henry Marceau. Shortly after, Henry Marceau reached Nn''s office. Wee, Nn weed Henry Marceau. Henry Marceau also took off his sunsses and showed the least courtesy. Nn, who sat down, immediately asked the purpose of his visit. He had nned to visit McWay Falls today, so he wanted to avoid the meeting if it wasn''t rted to movies. What''s the matter? I heard Ko Hun is working here. Nn nodded. "I need to take a look." He couldn''t understand Henry Marceaus purpose for the visit. If he wanted to meet Ko Hun, it would have been faster if he contacted him in person. He didn''t know why he had to visit him through thepany. May I know why? He''s not answering. Nn was at a loss for words. His attitude was so imposing and determined that Nn questioned his ownmon sense. But still, he pressed the inte because he was tired from the field trip today. "Please check if Hun is still in the studio." He is. May I connect you with him? After a while, the call was connected to Ko Hun. Hello? "Hun, Mr. Marceau is here. What should I do?" Marceau? Is it Henry Marceau?.. Grandpa, Marceau''s here. Why? I don''t know why? Nn raised his eyebrows and asked Henry Marceau for an answer. "He left the Biennale, so I came to see what he was doing.." He says he came to check what you are doing. -What is he talking about? What does it matter to him what I do? I know. Right? Nn turned his head slightly this time. "It matters to me," Henry Marceau''s attitude showed no signs of faltering. Ko Hun exchanged conversations with Ko Sooyeol and took the inte again. -I will meet him. Where is he now? "Office, yeah, yeah, okay." Nn, who finished the call, observed Henry Marceau. The man in front of him was the heir to the Marceau family and one of the most popr Artists. Although his usual image was not good, he could not understand why he was particrly obsessed with Ko Hun. He wondered if he came here because he felt it was not good for Ko Hun to start a movie-rted job. After a while, Ko Sooyeol and Ko Hun visited Nn''s office. Henry Marceau bowed to Ko Sooyeol and was courteous. "Nice to meet you, Sir Ko Sooyeol." "What are you doing here?" Henry Marceau gazed at Ko Hun and then turned his eyes back to Ko Sooyeol. " Shouldnt he be at the museum?" Whatever he does, it''s Hun''s choice. Exactly. Henry Marceau looked down at Ko Hun. "Isnt it up to his choice to draw what he wants to? Don''t you think so?" ording to Henry Marceau''smon sense, Ko Hun had to be a director if he wanted to participate in the film production. Films such as Dorota Kobi and Hugh Welchman''s Loving Vincent, which was released 10 years ago, were eptable. But this situation was different. Ko Hun was trying to express Christine Nn''s world, which means in his paintings, his world will be reced by the world that others thought. Henry Marceau could not understand why Ko Hun, who had already secured independence in the Art world, had to do such a thing. So he came to check it out. "Why?" "I''m doing it because I want to." Ko Hun opened his mouth. Ko Hun couldn''t tell if Henry, who was in New York, had toe all this way to Los Angeles to say something obvious. Are you here to say that? No, I''m here to check what youre doing with my own eyes. Ko Sooyeol and Nn couldnt understand what Henry Marceau was trying to do. But they knew that Henry Marceau was worried about Ko Hun''s painting. Still, it didnt answer all the questions because they werent in such a friendly rtionship. Rather, the rtionship was so bad that it was confusing to call it even an acquaintance. Ko Hun stepped up. Do you like me that much? What? Henry opened his eyes wide. Christine Nn struggled to contain the burst ofughter. "You know. You are always so interested in my work? Are you afraid that the price of my painting will drop if I work on a movie?" Do you think I care about that kind of money? Then why? Say something. Because it''s frustrating. Ko Hun and Ko Sooyeol were serious and pressured Henry. They wanted to clear up this strange rtionship that started at the Seoul Art Museum and continued for the past six months. Confused Henry Marceau opened his mouth. No. What.? Is it because you don''t want to talk about it, or is it because you don''t like me." "Both." "Then why are you here?" "I''m here to see what you''re drawing." "Thats why Im asking? Why do you want to see it? Ah, it''s frustrating." Nn, who was watching the situation, quietly smiled. Hes a fan. You can''t buy three paintings of the same person if you don''t like that person. Henry is said to be a multi-billionaire, but the sum he spent to buy Ko Hun''s work was more than $21 million. Henry Marceau''s annual ie was unknown, but still, the amount he spent on buying Ko Huns work cant be treated as a dime. Is he embarrassed?'' Nn came up with a good idea while watching Ko Hun and Henry who started bickering. Cant you just show it, if you are that confident in what youre doing? Why should I show it to you? And, what are you going to do by seeing it?" I''m not going to let you do it if it''s a boring piece of work. "Why do you care about that? My grandpa is cheering for me." "If you''re confident, show it to me!" "No!" Impatient Ko Sooyeol thought about kicking Henry Marceau away, but before that Nn opened his mouth and said, "I''d like to make a suggestion to Mr. Marceau," The two people who were arguing turned their heads at the same time. Nn shrugged his shoulders and leaned his back on the sofa. "The concept art of The Strange Castle is confidential. It''s not a situation where Hun can just show it because he wants to." Ko Sooyeol and Ko Hun nodded and sympathized with the argument. "But it''s not like Mr. Marceau has no way of looking," Henry narrowed his eyes and urged Nn. "Invest in The Strange Castle. Then, as we be a family, you have the right to request it, what do you say? "No." Ko Hun opposed. "I can''t stand this guy telling me what to do. No. Henry Marceau also felt the proposal was very unpleasant. "I think you''ve looked down on me a lot, Nn. Do you thinkthis Henry Marceau will pay for the damn production just to see a little picture?" He used rtively decent words because he was speaking to a person who was at the top of a field, but the way he spoke was very aggressive. Nn shrugged his shoulders. [Billionaire Henry Marceau invests a small amount in Nn''s new movie] [Rumor says its because of Ko Hun, but the Marceau foundation rejected the rumors saying " Its an investment for the Revival of French Literature,"] [Henry Marceau, who invested $1 million in the movie The Strange Castle''] Last Thursday, a picture of director Christine Nn, Ko Hun, and Henri Marceau was captured, when they were seen together at the Chalk cliff of the Etretat Beach in France. A report from Nn Studios revealed that billionaire Henry Marceau had invested $1 million in the movie The Strange Castle. ording to an expert, Henry Marceau, who was usually interested in French literature, got interested in The Strange Castle and invested after watching the script, saying Henry Marceau''s investment was a very cautious choice. Although Christine Nn is a director who guarantees box office sess, analysts say that the current project was shaky since it deals with the Arsene Lupin Series, which is somewhat less recognizable. Meanwhile, Nn, who had already prepared enough budget, epted Henry Marceau''s willingness to invest because he believed that his investment would have a great impact on the promotion of the movie. They are currently exploring the filming location of The Strange Castle -Strezeman (TIMES) The fans were surprised by the news of the investment by Henry Marceau Henry Marceau, who had no rtionship with the movie, suddenly invested in The Strange Castle. The Fans who saw articles from the Times and various other media outlets showed various reactions. -The revival of French literature?. -It''s really good?. -I dont think hes the type that reads books?. -No. Henry is so smart. Hes really profound when you look at his portfolio??. -I like Henrys academic background. -I don''t know if he reads a book or not, but I dont think his intellectual level is at the top. If so he wouldn''t have invested there??? -I''m curious about that, too. -Is it because he wants to train Ko Hun? -To be honest, that does make sense. -No, that doesn''t make sense either. Investors can intervene to some extent, but Nn is not the someone who would be swayed by a few investors. -If he tries to overpower him, he''ll chase him out, since there are so many people who want to invest in Nn. -Then, what is it? -I''ve been a fan of Henry for 6 years. Don''t try to understand him. Hes not a human being who can be understood????. -Right. You shouldn''t look at him as a person. You should watch him as if you are watching a cartoon or a movie. -Are you really a fan? Its like youre badmouthing him. I guess it''s fun. -Henry''s not funny. -I think Henry invested to get a chance to look at Ko Huns paintings before anyone. -??????? -What the hell is that? -Ive never heard of a guy who pays a million dors just because he wants to see the painting quickly. -Henrys not normal, but he''s not a pushover. Dont spread fake news. TRIVIA Trailer of movie "Loving Vincent" ? (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 100 Chapter 100 I visited the Strait of Dover in Ennd to select a filming location. This is thest ce after visiting McWay Falls in the U.S. and Etretat Beach in France. Henry Marceau is facing the wind at the end of the White Cliff with sunsses on. I wish I could push him into the deep sea. I don''t know why he''s doing this to me. We are working together because he invested in The Strange Castle. At first, I thought he liked my paintings, but now hes acting increasingly iprehensible. It''s frustrating that he doesn''t answer properly even if I ask. "Oh, I want to push that punk into the deep sea." Grandpa who was standing next to me sighed deeply as he watched Henry Marceau. He felt the same way as I did. I didn''t care about what had already happened anyway and just looked around. Its said that many Artists have put this ce on the canvas, and like them, Im also amazed by the White cliffs carved by waves in a really picturesque ce over the years. I want to take a closer look at the unique white fault surface, but I can''t even imagine how steep the slope is. You can feel the wonder of this ce properly only when you go out to the coast by boat. Director Nn approached. What do you think? It''s like a different world. It''s like a scene that can be found only in someone''s imagination. "How can a cliff be this color?" I asked grandpa. "I don''t know the details, but they said it was made by umting microbial corpses." "Here?" Grandpa nodded. In school, I learned that a microorganism is a very small creature. And this huge cliff seems to have been formed by the umtion of such creatures. I don''t know how long it took to be like this. The world is really full of iprehensible things. But what about the inside of the hideout if you shoot here? I can''t see the cave. "We have to go in from the bottom by boat, do you want to go?" I have to see it in person to draw a picture based on it, so of course, I have to go. After a while, we went to the cave on the White Cliff by boat. The passage was fairly wide. It is high enough for an adult man to walk around without bending his back. The width doesn''t matter much if two people walk side by side. It is by no means a cave that can ur naturally. "Is it man-made?" Henry Marceau''s voice rang inside the cave. Yes, Nn began exining the secret of the cave on the White Cliff. "This has long been Britain''s symbolic line of defense. The high cliffs made it easier to stop the enemy''s offensive." Certainly not high enough for people to climb up. "Then World War II broke out and we had to stop the Nazi offensive. Winston Churchill, then prime minister, ordered the establishment of a strategic defense base here." I didnt understand most of the words uttered by Nn. Others, however, seem greatly surprised. "It was a military secret base, wasn''t it?" Uncle Bang asked. "Yes, it was to stop the German ship passing through Dover Beach here. They used the shell as a storage space. It''s like hearing a huge secret of history. It goes down to about 23 meters below the coastline and has a total area of 1,066 sq.m. There were 185 soldiers living here." Are we 23 meters below the sea? " If it copses, everyone here would die. Nn smiles carelessly when I ask in surprise. "You don''t have to worry. The British government has finished renovating and opened it to the public. Let''s go further in." I took grandpas hand. Its a precautionary measure to run away with grandpa if I had to. Hahaha. Is Little Hun scared? I''m not scared, I''m being careful. Huh, you are scared Henry Marceau snorted. I went inside, determined to tten his nose someday. After passing the long passage, the road got divided. Arge space is connected to the left, and another passage is curved to the right. Surely this ce could be decorated as Arsene Lupin''s hideout. It was used as a military secret base in the first ce. Everyone looked around in admiration. With fiverge rooms, including a room used as a hospital room and amodation. On one corner of the room which seemed to be a bedroom was inscribed with the phrase . Britain ncos? nco is a white paint used for leather, and it felt impossible to grasp the meaning of the sentence. What does this mean? Probably means it''s under check. At that time, they used a paint called nco to censor the equipment." Nn exined. It seems to be ng used in the military at that time. After looking around for about 30 minutes and taking pictures, Nn and all the crew decided to film The Strange Castle here I''m so excited. We gathered in Christine Nn''s room to discuss the future schedule. Hun, you will be going to Germany tomorrow, right? Yes, Nn looked up as he circled the scheduler. Jane, are you ready for the shooting? No problem. "I need at least four days. Emily will go back tomorrow and pick up the size." Props manager Emily Lever nodded. It looks like they''re trying to measure the interior of the White cliff cave. In a situation where you don''t have permission to shoot, preparing in advance is to speed up the time as much as possible. I''m confident that we''ll get permission, so we''ll start. "But" Emily Lever cautiously opened her mouth. "It was rejected this time as well. The Louvre, the Muse d''Orsay, and the British Museum." It seems that they have not been able to procure art for Arsene Lupin''s collection. In fact, from the perspective of the museum, it makes no sense to hand over the original product to film. Many people suggested using imitations, but Christine Nn never broke his stubbornness. There are times when he is reliable and on the other hand, it is difficult to make a movie with him. Nn, who was agonizing with his eyes closed, asked for the next measure. The private collector''s side? We''re in touch, but they''re asking for ridiculous amounts so far. "How much?" "Ivan Morozov called in $10 million to rent out [Portrait of Jean Renoir] and the [cafe terrace on the ce du forum]. It''s my painting and Renoir''s work. I wondered where it was because it was not in the Van Gogh Museum, but it seems that a Russian had it. Ten million dors. It doesn''t make sense to ask for that much money to lend it for just one day. Nn bit his lip. "What''s the negotiating table? You said they''d take out insurance. "No, they asked for it together with insurance .." The production team was depressed. I tried to figure out another way somehow, but it''s actually difficult for me. At that time, Henry Marceau, who attended the meeting as an investor, spoke. "What are you looking for?" "Were looking for a collection of Arsene Lupin. Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, Da Vinci, and so on. Or an equivalent work before the 20th century." Art director Nathan Evans replied. Henry Marceau frowned upon hearing the exnation. It is ridiculous to list a country''s national treasure-ss works not only for the value of the work itself but also for historical significance. Henry opened his mouth. "There''s one Raphael." Me, Nn, and everyone in the room looked up at the same time. Raphael''s work was already considered a historical work even in my previous life. I can''t believe he has one piece of that genius. I knew he was a collector, but this was on an unexpected scale. What is it? Small Cowper Madonna. 1505. Nonsense. Nathan Evans reacted as if he had heard something outrageous. "Should I show you?" Everyone joined me when I nodded. Henry Marceau, who raised one corner of his mouth, opened his smartphone. When he called somewhere, a middle-aged woman showed her face. -Ho-ho Henry, how are you doing? Are you eating well? When will youe home? Oh, you''re with other people. "." Everyone stared nkly without saying anything. Henry Marceaus face turned red. Hello, I greeted her with a warm wee. -Oh, you''re Ko Hun, right? I hear a lot of stories about you. Ho-ho are you two together? "Noisy! Stop talking nonsense and go to Exhibition 2 and take a picture and send it to me! My-my. You called me after a long time and now you are acting temperamental. You never change Master Henry. Everyone, he''s never been like this. Please take good care of our Little Hen. Henry Marceau turned off the phone and sent a message saying something. She''s a friendly person, I think she''s Henry Marceau''s mother. No, Caroline Streak said in Let''s Talk that he grew up without parents, so maybe she''s his nanny. No one said anything. The people who participated passionately in the meeting are acting differently by looking at their smartphones for no reason. After a while, Henry Marceau''s smartphone rang. Henry checked the message and opened his smartphone and put it in front of people. "Oh, my God." It''s my first time seeing Raphael''s work. It would be nice to see it in person, but I am happy just to capture the image of a benevolent saint with my eyes. This will surely be a symbol of how great Arsene Lupin is as a thief. Nn stepped up. Can you lend me this piece? I refuse unless it''s on the condition that there wont be any damage. "I will definitely do that. Whatever happens," Henry Marceau shrugged his shoulders and suggested that we tune in. At times like this, he may look normal, but I don''t know why he usually act like that. Do you have anything else besides this? I asked, curious about his collection. Henry raised his head triumphantly. It is very annoying to see him raise one corner of his mouth. Do you want to see it? Yes. Then ask me. Politely, Henry Marceau said whileughing. (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Christine Nn blinked at the two geniuses who suddenly started fighting, "I would rather eat 10 bowls of grandpas salty kimchi than speak politely to you! AhhhIm getting goosebumps just thinking about it." "What do you mean by goosebumps, you damn brat?" When he met them separately, Henry Marceau and Ko Hun, were unexpectedly normal. Of course, he understood that Henry Marceau wanted to brag about Raphael''s work, but asking a 10-year-old boy to request politely to him, was a bit out of line. It was beyond ridiculous. On the other hand, the same was true of Ko Hun. After spending nearly three weeks together, he could see the blessings of the boy in addition to the talents given by heaven. Curiosity and the desire to fill it were purely exceptional. He was considerate of the people around him and followed the teamwork fairly well. He couldn''t understand because such a child growled when he met Henry Marceau. "Wait. Both of you calm down, and this isn''t something to fight about," Art Director Nathan Evans stopped them. The two people, who looked around, turned their backs against each other. Nn sighed and opened his mouth. Can I continue? The two did not answer. Nn, who took it as a sign that he could proceed with the meeting, continued the agenda. "Maybe I''d like to look around Mr. Marceau''s collection. Emily, how much time do you need to measure?" It''ll be done in three days. Emily Lever, prop manager, answered clearly. Emily and her team members were absolutely necessary while seeing Henry Marceau''s private exhibition room. Nn sorted things out. "Okay. Jane stays and gets permission to film, Hoyte, let''s take a look," Nn asked cinematographer Hoyte Van Werkel. "Of course. I''d like them to use equipment if possible. A boat and a drone." Sure. Bring your team members ande back after finishing the schedule. Me, Emily, Evans, three days, no. I''ll stop by Paris in four days with Mr. Marceau." All right. Mr. Marceau, are you okay with this? I don''t mind. When Henry Marceau did not disagree, he asked Ko Hun this time. Hun can stop by Germany tomorrow ande straight to Paris. Is the schedule okay? It''s okay, Nn pped his hands. "Now, the meeting is over. Let''s all do our best." Ko Hun and Henry Marceau, who came out of Nn''s room, stared at each other. Then Ko Hun sighed. Let''s talk for a minute. What. are you talking about? Ko Hun beckoned impatiently. There were no people in the cafe on the second floor of the hotel, so he thought they could talk quietly. Ko Hun, who sat down, spoke first. I don''t hate Marceau, Ko Hun said, recalling when he saw Henry Marceau standing up on the pedestal. At first, I thought you were crazy. What? Listen, Ko Hun continued, appeasing Henry. "But it turns out you''re really a hard-working person. When I saw [Marceau''s jewel], I understood that it was more beautiful because you''re so serious about art. I don''t hate that kind of person." Ko Hun took out his true feelings. Ko Hun felt that Henry Marceau seemed a little crazy, but he knew that most Artists are like that. It may be because of the psychological pressure thates from doing art, so everyone was broken somewhere. Ko Hun himself was the same. He couldn''t understand Henry Marceau, but he didn''t hate him. I like your works. The 766th self-portrait and the [shadow] you disyed this time were very impressive. I felt jealous. You jealous of me? Henry Marceau doubted his ears. He couldn''t believe that someone who gave him an inferiorityplex envied him. "Yes," Ko Hun nodded. "I''m not a genius like you. I don''t have skills, I don''t know anything about Jung''s psychology. I didn''t have time." Ko Hun was truly envious of Henry Marceau and contemporary artists. Born and raised in this era, they naturally shared the knowledge and emotions enjoyed in the 21st century. Even the changes in Art that have continued from before were acquired with that knowledge. But Ko Hun didn''t have that time. He thought he could work much harder than them to get to the same starting line. But a year was too short for that. Meanwhile, for Henry Marceau, it sounded as if Ko Hun was saying that he had not been able to study as much as the time spent by established Artists because he was still young. He can''t believe it would be upsetting. It was an unexpected thought for Henry Marceau, although he was angry at the difference in natural talent. Strictly speaking, the difference was definitely the difference in how much longer they lived. "However," Ko Hun opened his mouth. "I don''t think it''s unfair. It''s knowledge, I can fill it up as I can learn it." Henry Marceau stared at the young genius who looked directly at him and said it. The kid, who, how much he tried to scare, never budged. "I''m really jealous of your skills the skills that you''ve earned from your hard work. But one day I''ll definitely paint a great picture like you." Ko Hun finished. Henry Marceau''s head wasplicated. He was disturbed by the words that Ko Hun was envious of him and that he would catch up to his skills one day. After a long pause, Henry Marceau opened his mouth. My first It was a very low voice. "Fame as an artist came when I exhibited my work by buying all the billboards at Paris Station," Ko Hun tilted his head. "I did it out of anger because no one recognized me. It cost me about 4 million euros to maintain it for a month?" Henry Marceau raised his eyes. "I''m not a genius." Henry Marceau expressed his pains to someone for the first time. "I wanted to find me. I wanted to be recognized for who I am. So I painted without rest like a machine, and chiseled until my palms became hard." Ko Hun calmly listened to Henry Marceau. People said whatever they wanted. They said I was ying with money like a fool. They said I was an attention seeker. They said even a dog would be famous if it got promoted like that. Henry Marceau''s voice was calmer than ever. " But it never mattered. It wasn''t enough to stop me from pouring out everything I had and felt. If I stopped because of those remarks, I felt like I couldn''t be who I am." The property handed over by his parents was so much that no one could ever dream of. He was able to do Artistic activities much morefortably than others, and he did not hesitate to use the only talent'' given to him. He poured out everything he could to be recognized as an artist, "But you appeared." Henry Marceau''s voice was somewhat rising. "As you said, you moved me with a brush you held for less than a year. Right now, youre in the biggest exhibition in the world alongside my painting." "That''s because of you." "." "Thank you very much. I wanted to say it early, but I couldnt. And when did you buy [Guest]? Ah.Was it Marceau who wore the mask at the auction? I think Pierre Malo was the one who made the frame..Oh, I''m sorry. Go on." Henry Marceau exhaled for a while to calm himself. Henry, who closed his eyes and organized his thoughts, continued. "I don''t believe in talent. Nothing can be achieved in the Art world without putting everything you got time, effort, money, and even health. Even after putting in all this, many couldnt achieve what they wanted. But you''re denying all that." When did I? Your existence itself is. Henry Marceau''s eyes lit up. I have to check it out myself How do you draw a picture? What do you think and what process do you go through before painting a picture? I have to check it with my own two eyes Henry Marceau stood up. "Only then will it prove that I''m not wrong." While the production crew obtained permission to film from the British government, I was scheduled to briefly visit Germany. This is to proceed with the contract with paint manufacturer Schmincke. "Why did youe inte yesterday?" Grandpa questioned me on the ne about what happened yesterday. "It wasn''t a big deal." "Do you know how worried grandpa was? Nn said the meeting was over an hour ago, but I couldn''t get in touch with you." "I talked to Henry Marceau." "What? Why with him?" "Just." Looking at grandpa''s expression, I couldn''t hide it any longer, so I told him what happened yesterday, and when I told him that we were envious of each other, he turned his head slightly. Is that all? Yes. Grandpa leaned on his back, apparently relieved. "I didn''t expect there would be such a side to him, since he was so narcissistic." Neither did I. The clearer you know what youck, the more you try to perfect it. I think maybe Henry was the same. Did you guys make up then? No. Somehow it''s gotten more awkward since yesterday. When I ran into him for a second this morning, I avoided looking at him without realizing it. In the future, we will often face each other while working on movies, but I don''t know how to treat him. While I was struggling to find an answer, we arrived in arge city called Dsseldorf, where Schmincke''s headquarters was located. Robert Meyer, an acquaintance of Uncle Bang, weed us warmly. (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Robert Meyer He had dark blonde hair and was quite tall. He was about one or two feet taller than the tallest and most muscr person I have ever seen grandpa. He shook hands with Uncle Bang and greeted me with a big smile. "Wee, Sir Ko Sooyeol. Mr. Ko Hun." "Nice to meet you. I''m Ko Sooyeol." "Hello." After greeting each other, Robert Meyer immediately showed us to the amodation. I was briefly introduced to tomorrow''s schedule on the way. "As I told you, we will exin the guidelines tomorrow morning. In the afternoon, we shoot after a simple rehearsal." Uncle Bang told me in advance, but I wonder if it''s okay to just draw in front of the camera. Ist es in Ordnung, nichts weiter zu sagen (Is it okay not to say anything else?) Robert Meyer was stunned by my question. "I didn''t know you could speak German." A little, Robert Meyer said with a smile. "They might ask you tomorrow, but you don''t have to overdo it. It''s better to be natural." I was thinking about showing off my painting skills after a long time. I guess I don''t have to do that. "The shoot.. Isn''t it too short? I was told it was until 4 o''clock." Uncle Bang asked to confirm. "Haha. If we runpanies here for the same amount of time you guys work in Korea, ourpany would be closed by the government." "I envy you guys." Uncle Bang nodded with a few ps on his knees. "What does it mean, Uncle Bang? "Oh, there''s a work hour set by the country called legal working hours." I wonder what''s going on with the work hours set by the country. "Can''t you do your job as you please?" "Hahaha. It''s not like that, it''s made to protect the working people so that thepanies dont overwork their employees.'' Oh. My thoughts were short. Certainly, the life of mine workers was disastrous, and they had to spend 16 hours a day in a narrow mine shaft. There were often people who died working beyond losing their health. If you set aside time to work in the country to prevent such a thing, at least there will be no such tragedy. Was Germany 35 hours a week? Its changed to 28 hours. Well, at first it was only the manufacturing sector, but now it''s applicable to all sectors. "28 hours?" Uncle Bang was surprised. I didn''t make a sound, but grandpa and I opened our eyes wide and faced each other. I think 35 hours a week itself is too little, but they seem to have shortened it to 28. "Can you keep thepany running even if you work like that?" Robert Meyer answered by looking at me in the rearview mirror. "Most of the processes are automated. Since machines are working, we''re trying toe up with ideas to make better paint, or we''re looking for ways for more people to use paint." Automatisierung? I heard an unfamiliar word. "What''s automation?" "It''s literally a machine that moves on its own without people moving it. After going through the transition period, maintenance is now possible with only a few administrators." People can create things without having to work. It''s an amazing world indeed. It seems that you can spend the time saved like that for leisure. After a while, we arrived at the hotel. It seems that Robert Meyer has been scheduled in advance to stay in Dsseldorf. I went straight to the room. "Then I''ll pick you up tomorrow morning." "Thank you." I send off Robert Meyer. After unpacking and washing, I felt tired. It''s because I''ve been to many ces. I was lying on the bed face down when grandpa asked me to get ready to go to eat. I couldn''t skip a meal, so I barely got up. Are you tired? Yes. Then shall we eat here instead of going out? Can we? Why not? Let''s see. Grandpa opened the menu next to the phone. You can order sandwiches, steaks, sds, pizzas, and more. "I''ll have sandwiches, salmon steaks, potato pizza, and sd." "That much?" "We have Uncle Bang." "Oh, I heard hell be eating with Meyer. There must be a lot to talk about since they haven''t met in a long time." It must be a lot to eat with grandpa without Uncle Bang. Then I''ll just have pizza and steak. You don''t eat any vegetablestely? Let''s eat pizza and sd. Huh?" I don''t want to give up salmon steak, but I can''t throw away potato pizza. I must try German potato pizza. Germany is the first country to eat potatoes in Europe, so it must be special. I nodded my head. Shortly after grandpa ordered food, the hotel staff brought a pizza and sd with sausages, potatoes, and cheese. I''ve eaten abination of potatoes and bacon so far, and I wonder what kind of ensemble it will make. "Thank you for the meal," I took out a piece. The cheese sprinkled by the generous chef stretched and drooped. The potatoes and sausages cut and put on them look delicious at a nce. When I opened my mouth wide and filled my mouth, I felt like I was in my mother''s arms. The juice from the sausage fills the mouth and soon mixes gently with the fluffy potatoes to add vor. What a benevolent taste this is. Just one bite is as dense as it will make your stomach full. What about the mayonnaise that goes with it? He is simply the best ally. The admiring tea''s unique scent pierces the nasal cavity. The potato pizza, which was soft and warm like wool, felt different. Mustard? It tastes simr, but it''s not the mustard sauce I know. The pungent smell is much stronger. It''s like seeing the other side of a potato pizza that''s so perfect that it can be monotonous. I think I can eat more thanks to this sauce. The person who made this pizza must be a craftsman. "Let''s eat sd together." I was forced to pick up my fork at grandpa''s words. Eating a sd made of potatoes, red onions, carrots, and celery definitely refreshes my mouth. Suddenly, I remembered what I heard from Robert Meyer a while ago. "I think automation will make people feelfortable. They don''t have to work." Grandpa nodded. "I heard that this pizza store is also automated in the United States." "How?" "The pizza truck goes around the town. And then when the orderes in, they take it right away." Pizza truck. What a thrilling word it is? Is that also called automation? They analyze consumption patterns. For example, we eat potato pizza on Monday night, right?" "Yes." "If you repeat that, AI will remember it, so we''ll have a potato pizza ready for Monday evening. It wille near our house. Pizza is also made by a machine in the truck." "What?" Grandpa said something strange. "What''s AI?"" "I don''t know exactly. Let''s find it." Grandpa searched for AI on his smartphone. It is said to be an artificially created system that enables learning, reasoning, adaptation, and argumentation. I don''t know even if I look at it. What if I don''t want to eat on Monday? Well, that''s a loss which is lesspared to the cost of paying sry to a person." This means that the price of pizza thrown away is less than the remuneration paid to the worker. Any merchant who seeks profit will naturally choose thetter. What about the pizza maker? They will lose their jobs. Automation is convenient, but it''s limited to those who can enjoy it. It''s not good for everyone." I thought the workers who were overworked in the mine would be able to livefortably now. But I never thought that with the current situation even the right to work is being in jeopardy. "And what will happen to them, grandpa? What would they do to eat?" They''ll find another job. This wouldn''t have happened overnight. However, even those who have not adapted to the changes of the times should maintain their livelihood. Its not right for dismissing them solely for theirck of ability to adapt to the changing times. London, Ennd, 1876. It''s been a while since my uncle expanded his business to London. In the meantime, the number of visitors has increased considerably, and I was able to sell a piece to regr customers today. "Thank you." "Okay, I''ll be back." As I exhaled at the thought of doing one thing, Nick Park, who works with me, put out his tongue. "Who is he? Hees here once a week? How much money does he have?" I smirked. "Roger Scott. He''s running a wool factory.- "Wow. Hes the factory manager? Next time try to snap up the sales." Dont say nonsense, go and sweep the floor. Nick Park shrugged and raised the broom. I looked on the desk to organize the documents and found Roger Scott''s watch. I hurriedly packed it and went outside, but Scott''s carriage was already going far away. Nick, I''m going out for a second. Where? Mr. Scott left his watch behind. I''ll go to his ce and give it to him." "Why? Wont hee next time anyway?" "Everything like this is customer care. Anyway, I''ll be back." "Yeah." It was quite chilly, so I packed my coat and hat. If I walk diligently, it will take about 30 minutes to get to Roger Scott''s factory. I hurried my steps. The wind was colder than I thought, so my face seems to be freezing. When I arrived in front of the factory, the security guard put a grim look on his face. Who are you? Im Vincent van Gogh. TRIVIA The mustard sauce wemonly knowes from Dijon mustard, invented by Jean Naigeon in 1865. Unlike previous mustard, Dijon Mustard, which had a pungent taste, was greatly loved andter developed into various forms. (To be Continued on June 13 {MON}) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Vincent van Gogh from the Old Pilgrimage London branch. Boss left his watch behind, so I came to return it. The security guard looked me up and down and then nodded and pointed toward the entrance. Go in straight and the Boss will be in thest room.'' Thank you. I felt suffocated when I stepped inside. The wool was flying here and there. Since there was no venttion, it got tangled with all kinds of dust. "Why is it so dark?" In a room with dull light, people with tired faces could be seen. Among them, some were children around the age of ten. What the hell is this? Men, women, and children had dark circles around their eyes. They repeat the same thing with empty eyes. "Oh, Vincent, what''s going on? It was the voice of Roger Scott. When I turned my head, he came up to me with his chin slightly raised. I took out the watch in my pocket. "I brought something that you forgot." He smiled and took his watch from my hands. I was wondering where it went, it seems like I left it in your ce. Thank you. Don''t mention it. Let''s have a cup of tea while we''re at it. Are you busy? Then, I will dly ept your offer. Jin! Bring me two cups of tea! Yes, sir. I followed Roger Scott and went into the factory. Among the people who sat in a crowded ce, there was a pregnant woman who was in herte 30s. I was worried about whether it was alright for her to stay in a ce like this. When I sat down, a worker brought me ck tea. After a walk for 30 minutes in the cold weather, I felt relieved after seeing the hot tea. Roger Scott spoke as he took the tea in his hand. "I like you very much, Vincent. Its very rare to see honest guys like you. I''m ttered. "No, I really mean it. No one will return this 20-pound watch." I didn''t know it was that expensive. "Compared to you, those buggers out there are thieves. They just think of how to do less work and take my property." I didnt know whether it was the right thing to say about the people who are working with a dying faces in that poor environment. I nodded my head moderately, while Roger Scott continued his words. Yesterday I found a guy who was working while hiding the fact that one of his fingers got cut off. Finger? Can you believe it? I paid the wage of a normal worker to a fingerless as*hole. I''m going to get my wages worth work from that guy who siphoned off my money. Even after drinking the hot tea, my body didnt heat up, instead, it felt colder than when I was outside. In the 19th century, Ennd was hell. Britain, which secured a market by inventing spinning machines and increasing colonies, sold cloth all over the world. Wool was needed to weave cloth, and naturally, wool prices soared. Landlords removed arablend and raised sheep on it to increase profits. The peasants who lost their means of livelihood overnight starved to death or became robbers. The British government and the church tried to take care of them, but that led to a bigger tragedy. They gathered tramps and forced them to work in a wool factory, and cut off their ears when they tried to run away because of the harsh treatment. They couldn''t resist the factory managers because of the backing of the state and religion. Adult men spend 18 hours a day. Women were abused for 15 hours and children for 12 hours. Pregnant women were also no exception. The farmers quickly became ves to the state and capitalists, who only thought of filling their pockets. Numerous lives got lost under the name of development. I couldn''t bear to continue working in such a ce when I realized that the people who bought the paintings from me were pigs who eat the life of people. "But not everyone can find another job." I seemed to have been immersed in my thoughts. I came to my senses at grandpa''s words. "What will happen to people like that, grandpa?" "Well, that''s why they''re talking about this and that, not arriving at a conclusion. Laws and institutions cannot keep up with the pace at which society changes." What choice will I make when I face a simr situation as this? What can I do? I don''t know yet. The next day. Led by Robert Meyer, we arrived at Schmincke''s office building. There was a sculpture at the entrance that looked like a color tag. The surface of the symbol that resembles "X" is painted in the shape of a concentric circle and is painted in the order of red, yellow, green, and blue from the inside to the outside. "Why is there always a sculpture in front of a building?" Something was always installed in front of therge building in this way. "It''s set byw," Uncle Bang stepped up and exined. If we want to build a buildingrger than the size set by the country, we have to spend a certain percentage of the construction cost on installing art. Robert, what''s the percentage in Germany? Public art." "I think it''s one percent. It means that one percent of the building''s price should be spent on disying art. Why did they make such aw? Its aw for artists. If it''s set byw, things happen, right? The view of the city is also getting better." It''s a little strange to say that it''s forced, not voluntary. In addition, the wordw for artists felt like a bad word. "Famous people make a lot of money, don''t they? If the client is going to request it, he will ask a famous person." "That''s right." Uncle Bang nodded. So we changed thew in our country. Instead of installing art, they should give the 1% to the Artists association. "Can you really believe in the association?" Uncle Bang said while sighing deeply. "Youre right, we cant. In fact, there are still a lot of voices saying thew should be abolished, but the government is careful because the decision might have a huge impact on the Art World." Grandpa added words to Uncle Bangs question. The world is tooplicated and difficult to understand, with things like automation, andw for artists, along with what Im learning in elementary school. I wonder how people of this era are living in thisplicated world. Thinking that I followed Robert Meyer and soon many people weed us warmly. Robert Meyer said that they were the staff in charge of Schmincke''s public rtions. We briefly greeted each other and they exined about the shooting in the afternoon. Do you mean I can draw what I want for two hours? Yes, anything''s fine. Don''t worry about the camera, just draw with the tools we prepared. I was ying with my tablet or using a coloring notebook to soothe my disappointment. But hearing the news from Robert Meyer, I felt d. "And sometimes you have to look at the chatroom andmunicate with the fans." I guess it''s like Let''s talk. At that time, it was regrettable that I was talking only to the host. At the fan signing event, I was busy drawing pictures, so I couldn''t talk leisurely. "You don''t have to keep talking. You don''t have to feel pressured. "I don''t feel pressured." I like to talk, so I used to stay up all night with Theo and discuss art. What should I talk about? Its better to choose a good Bible verse in advance. Some of the sermons I gave to the workers were good. Or maybe it would be good to tell them about the amazing insects in France and the Nethends. I asked for grandpa''s opinion. Grandpa. Yes, Little Hun? Is it better to recite a Bible verse, or should I talk about insects? Hmm Grandpa thinks its better to talk about paintings. Really? Grandpa nodded. When I turned my eyes to ask Uncle Bang for his opinion, he moved his head very hard and agreed with grandpas opinion. "Then, shall we go eat?" I ate at Schmincke''s staff restaurant with the staff. Most of the foods were rtively familiar, and the dishes like pickled pork had a unique vor and were very delicious. After finishing the meal, I took a walk around for a while and thought about what to draw, and soon the filming time came. When I posed with a palette and a brush, photographers took promotional photos. There were a lot of demands and it was boring, but it was bearable because I could talk to fans right afterward. Mr. Hun, you cane this way. Yes. Do you see the camera over there? And the one over there." The staff briefly exined to me which direction the camera was. They also told me how to look at the chat window. After a while, I was looking at the chat window and people started toe in. In an instant, 3,000 people came in. There are somenguages that cannot be recognized, but most of them were in English, French, and Korean, so it will not be a big problem. Its Ko Hun. Wow! It''s live! You''re so cute. Is it really Ko Hun? It isDid you think Schmincke would try to pull such a tasteless prank? "Hello, I''m Ko Hun." I picked up the palette. I read the sentence that a Schmincke employee was holding. "I''m at Schmincke''s headquarters. I''m going to do a live broadcast while drawing with paint." -I guess he is nervous. It''s like hes reading from something. Is he in Germany? What''s your rtionship with Henry? You''re such a baby. Oh, cuteeeeeee Baby. "How did you know? There is a person holding it over there, so I saw it and read it." There''s no camera filming the person holding the board, but I pointed out how I knew and read it. When I finished my words, the chat window began to get filled with words that didn''t make any sense such as LOL, LMAO, ROTFL, mdr, 555 Are there really such words in English? Thements go up so fast that I can''t see them properly. I''ll talk while drawing." I applied liquid white to the wide canvas. When I look at the chat window while applying it on the canvas, I see a lot of question mark. -Hoonie, Are you really going to draw? -Why are you painting white on the paper? It''s not paper, it''s called canvas. -Is it different? -???? It''s different. Canvas is made from cotton or linen. -What are you doing? -Why are you applying something in white? "Oh, this. If you put it on beforehand, it bes soft andfortable." Thement is going up so fast that my eyes hurt. Someone asked me what I was going to draw. "I haven''t decided yet, but I''m going to decide on the go." -Draw me a sunflower. -Do you still fight with Henry Marceau? -Sunflower Sunflower -Have you ever tried to eat Sunflower? -Wow its already 20,000 viewers. Is this for real? We can''t talk like this. I looked at the chat window and said, "I can''t do it like this. Say it one by one. Do you want me to draw a sunflower?" It was like having a conversation with 20,000 people in a single room. -Cute. -Hes so cute when he gets angry -I can''tIm dying because of the worldly cuteness. No, I have to chat. -I want sunflower! -What do you usually do with Henry Marceau? -Why is the Donation blocked? Release it -Me me me. How about drawing cats? I love Cats. -What do you usually do? (This message has been deleted by the administrator) The guy above. Are you crazy? That a**hole, how can he ask such a question to the cute little baby? Administrator, block that guy off before Hun sees it. There are always people who cross the line like that. Hun, don''t look at things like that. Don''t look. "Oh, it''s chaotic." I lowered my brush and palette, saw the chat window, and read it slowly. "What do you usually do with Marceau? I don''t do anything with him. Donation? When I watch TV, they ask for donations to help poor kids. I think you can do it there. Cat? Hmm.Someone asked me to draw a sunflower. Message deleted by the administrator? What''s this?" "You don''t have to know!" Uncle Bang shouted from a distance. It bothers me that I can''t see what my precious fan said, but I should draw a picture because thats the promise I made with Schmincke. "Then I''ll draw a cat and a sunflower. Since 50,000 people say what they want to say in the chat room, nothing is working properly. Wait I said looking at the camera. "Don''t talk, everyone. Shhhhh. -Wow we have a cute little dictator in Germany! -I vote for this dictatorship -This cutenessI cant.I feel like my grandma is waving her hands from heaven. -Ahhhh. How can he soooo bubbly I want to bite the cute little pie -Hi, I''m the one who got your autograph at the signing event! Anthony White! -Draw what you want to draw. You don''t have to force yourself to draw a sunflower and a cat. -Ahhh. I want to donate to Hun to buy snacks. -Hurry up and release the sponsorship. -Hey, he told you to do it to UNICEF. -What do you usually do with Henry? -Didn''t they say you were working on a movie? Aren''t you working too much? -Do you like chocte or candy? I thought nothing would go on like this, so I put my index finger on my lips once again. "Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh They are really unstoppable. (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 104 Chapter 104 I don''t think they''re the ones who would do it if asked to be quiet. I''ll just draw a picture without paying attention. A cat and a sunflower. I applied light brown paint to the tip of the brush and spread it evenly at the bottom of the canvas. "Cats have cute tabby prints.." On the top, I roughly positioned a cat with yellow paint. "I''m going to draw a sleeping cat here. This is the face, and the protruding part is the tail. I''ll draw more." I imagined a cat lying on the left, a cat lying on its back, a cat yawning while stretching, and a cat lying in a bread loaf position, then I looked at the chat window to see what everyone was saying. Cat? Cat and Sunflower?. "And you know," when I point at the cats with a brush, people write down a question mark again this time. "Wait a minute," One of the questions caught my eye. -A friend of mine asked me to go to an art museum, so I went along, but it was very difficult. How should I study art? I answered by mixing light brown and yellow that I had used in advance. "It''s not fun if you try to study. Don''t do it." I drew the skin markings of the cats. -Shocking statement. Hun said dont study art. -Stop it,ment after hearing itpletely. "Not just painting, everything, if you arent interested you cant understand no matter how you try or study. If you have a favorite painting, find out about it. It''ll be fun when you try to know about the thing you like. I added a little more yellow to the paint on which I drew the skin markings. "If that''s not enough, find another work by the same artist. Over time, you may wonder about the Artist himself. You can find something inmon with the paintings, and you can understand how the Artist used to paint, and how his art evolved over time." I added dark brown color topletely capture the shadows. I drew a mustache using the color exactly as it is. "Don''t try to read what it means or how great the work is. If you like it, you will naturally understand what it is, and even if you don''t understand, its fine as long as you like it." I drew the cat who lies face down like a bread loaf, a little thicker. " You won''t be able to understand or fall in love with art if you read a book in which the author exins about great masterpiece works or how he feels about them. Empathy isn''t knowledge." This time, I mixed a little bit of gray. It will make the cat''s fur look very realistic. "And no matter how great a work is, it can''t be loved by everyone." Now that I''ve drawn the shadow, it''s time to draw the bright part. I changed my brush. "Go to the museum and take a look around. Then at some point, there will be a work that will speak to you. You can cherish that encounter." I turned my head away from the canvas and looked at the chat window. There were manyments. -Oh! It''s amazing. Do you like cats? -sunflower? -AThe baby is talking so well? -Then there''s no reason to go to the museum. -Does Henry Marceau always call you damn brat? -I totally agree. How can you study something if you don''t even like it? Its the same for work or hobbies. "The reason for going to an art museum is the same as going to a bar. Looking forward to a great encounter, or maybe because you wanted to beforted by the bartender on a tiring day." -What? What did I just hear? -Going to a bar for a great encounter LOL. -What kind of 10-year-old kid says that? -The one speaking is not 10 years old. I think someone is dubbing this video while Ko Hun is drawing. -I''ve never actually heard of the word "great encounter". Its like someone from the 80s or 90s. "It''s burdensome if you try to know everything from the beginning, whether it''s Art or a person. So, as you get used to each other, you can have a normal conversation. Taking your feet to the museum, that small courage is enough. Dont be in a hurry, just try to have a great time, everything will work out somehow." I tapped on the bright part and the side where reflected light is generated. This time, I picked up a t brush. I drew a darker color at the top and a brighter color at the bottom. In order to give a fur-like texture, the brush was pushed considering the direction of the fur while tapping. -Who do you like the most? -What''s your favorite picture? -Do you eat together with Henry Marceau? -I got goosebumps because it doesn''t sound like the words of a kid. Do you go to school? -Wow there are four cats. I was deeply moved by Rembrandt van Reign, Johannes Vermeer, and Jean-Franois Millet, and the Japanese ukiyo-e was truly a shock. After encountering impressionism and ukiyo-e, which were prevalent in Paris at that time, I studied how to handle colors. But if I say that, it''s like confessing that I''m Vincent van Gogh. "I was impressed by the painting of sleeping bird by Jo Sok. It tells how one can paint such a wonderful picture without the colorful colors and detailed descriptions." I draw the eyes and mouths of the cats. "I like grandpas painting. The potato pizza painting grandpa painted for me was great." I refined the boundaries of the painting. "There''s also a picture of peony that Aunt Mirae gave to grandpa. I don''t think there''s any prettier peony in the world than that." Pablo Picasso''s painting. The paintings that Toulouse Lautrec painted after my death were all very impressive. -What about Henry Marceau? -What about Henry? -I think Henry will be waiting for you to mention his name. Ah right. Henry Marceau is great, too. Did you see [Shadow] exhibited at the Whitney Biennale?" I drew the tail of the cats lying in four directions. "I never thought about making a work while considering how to disy it. He''s an amazing person." I added a little more speckle to the side where the cats were sitting together, and it was about half done. -I was wondering when you would draw sunflowers, but now I see cats lying down like flowers. -All the poses were like flower petals. -Ahhhits so healing just by see the painting. -Did you really n to draw aftering here? There are people who are saying a lot of strange things and are persistent, but it''s more fun to paint while talking and working with people. When the painting takes shape to some extent, I can see happy and surprised reactions. I want to try doing something like this to kill some time, maybe I should ask Uncle Bangter how to do it. I checked the time and there is still quite a lot left. I went a little away from the canvas, checked the overallposition, and sat down again. "I didn''t draw the most important thing." I squeeze the red. I took cadmium red out of a wooden barrel and squeezed it a little. The white was smeared little by little and mixed. I concentrated because I wanted to finish the picture and watch the chat calmly. Let''s make the texture better and fill in the gaps. It''s beautiful. I felt proud hearing the small admiration from the film crew. People who watched the broadcast also liked it. -It''s so pretty. -It''s so cool. -How can he draw like that? -Have you ever held Henry''s hand? -Why do you like sunflowers? -The cat is so cute. I want to put that on my desktop. Can''t you upload it? What do you usually y? Since the beginning of the broadcast, people have been asking about Henry. I don''t know why they were curious about it, but I answered because I felt sorry to ignore it continuously. "I never held his hand, but I have made him nosebleed once. My wallpaper? I usually color it. Something other than drawing? What else is fun? Oh, I like reading books. Do you know Robinson Crusoe? Written by Daniel Defoe. Do you know? It''s fun, right?" Schmincke''s staff was amazed by the process of Ko Hunpleting the painting. The cats lying like sunflowers were all in different positions, stretching their bodies. They were dozing off with their legs together. The appearance of sleeping with the mostfortable face looked like a flower petal, and thanks to the hair and tail that stretched out in between, it was like a small and full flower petal of a sunflower. The speckles on the hips of the four cats, cleverly touching, matched like a normal painting in the middle of a sunflower. They couldn''t think of it as a straight-up drawing after seeing what the viewers wanted to draw. They understood why Ko Hun was called a genius painter. "What do I do when I work on a movie?" Ko Hun thought for a while after seeing the question in the chat room. "Understanding the characters, the background, and the storyes first. The next one is historical evidence. Now I''m drawing a character design based on that." Seeing him speak without hesitation, they wondered if all the geniuses are like that. The broadcast, which started with 3,000 people, was already exceeding 44,000 people. It was more than the number of subscribers on Schmincke''s official channel, which had fewer than 30,000. Although they promoted it by publishing an article that Ko Hun will be doing a live broadcast, they did not expect it to be this effective as it was his first broadcast. "Team leader," The staff showed Robert Meyer his cell phone. Search words rted to Schmincke and Ko Hun were at the top of the search ranking. As it was watched in various countries, it seemed that good response could be expected from countries other than Germany. Robert Meyer pushed Bang Tae with his elbow. His old friend turned his head and smiled softly. Bang Tae also sighed deeply. When one of the viewers asked what color Ko Huns underwear was today, he got scared that Ko Hun would be shocked. Thanks to Bang Tae, who was closely monitoring the chat window was able to block it in time. It was a question that has been a meme for a long time on Korea''s Twitter and New Tube, but it was not appropriate for children. Robert Meyer said. "Amazing. What, are you getting him ready to stream? Why is he so good?" "I know, right. I think we should check it out too. It seems like hes enjoying it." The two looked at Ko Hun with satisfaction. "I have a lot of time left, so I''ll tell you a fun story." Ko Hun did not get nervous even though he was in front of the camera and made a good topic on his own. "There will be more crickets around August. There are a lot of them in the wheat field, and they eat bad insects, so many people deliberately release them. When I''m around the wheat field and hear crickets crying at night, it feels great when I can''t sleep." Viewers were confused by the sudden cricket story that Ko Hun brought up. -Why did you suddenly mention crickets? -He''s so cute. But I can''t stand crickets. -At that age, kids like insects. -Do you know there is a cookie made from crickets? "Cricket snack? Do you eat them?" Ko Hun was surprised to see thements in the chatroom. In the Nethends and other ces, people eat it as an alternative food. It was also eaten in Korea, where they used to fry it before eating. -Why don''t you fry it? -Isn''t that a grasshopper? -If its a snack the insects cant be visible. -It''s savory and delicious. Also important as a source of protein. Ko Hun''s eyes were shaken greatly. It was shocking to hear that people are eating the cute and lovely crickets that brought peace to his heart. (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Schmincke''s promotional broadcast starring Ko Hun drew a lot of attention. It was the moment when the affection and expectations for the genius boy, who recently gained global recognition by unveiling [Mask] at the Whitney Biennale, were clearly revealed. Art lovers admired Ko Hun''s [Cat flower] which was requested by viewers in real-time. [Cat flower], in which four sleeping cats got arranged like sunflowers, seemed to heal the hearts of the audience with the cat''s coy figure and warm color. Fans posted the video link on various bulletin boards with subtitles in variousnguages. The picture is amazing. When Hun saw thements saying, its good to eat crickets, his face gotpletely distorted like sayingWhy are you eating that cute thing? I hope he makes his own channel. There are a lot of broadcasts where artistsmunicate while drawing. I know. Artists use New Tube and other social media tforms. Really? Is there a reason for them to do it? Everyone''s trying to raise awareness. It''s for publicity. Name value = Art value. It''s really important for artists. If you don''t promote yourself, you get forgotten by the people quickly. Thats why even if they didnt exhibit anything, articles about them keeping up. Arent they a bit entric? Most famous people do it. There''s also Henry Marceau, Ferdinando Gonzalez who uses SNS. Hun does SNS, too. Hun''s SNS is not to promote his pictures but to brag about what he ate. Artists must pull the Agro well to stay in the field. What are you talking about? It''s not a negative meaning. They have to do something that makes them famous, which in turn increases the value of their work. Look at Henry Marceau. He has been doing crazy things and now hes the best in the Art world no matter what anyone says. What about Jang Mirae? When she lost the Excellence Award at a National Competition, she sprayed red paint on the faces of the judges. Yeah, I knew. It headlined many Art forums 10 years ago. Yes, Mirae had a bad temper when she was young. She rose to fame after she tore up the certificate given by a famous exhibition. If it weren''t for Ko Sooyeol and Lee Soojin, she would have got buried in the Art world. Cha Sihyeon, who was looking at the Inte response while eating lunch, smiled. It felt good because many people praised and liked his best friend. It was sad that his friend couldnte back on the day promised, but he was proud that his friend was giving his best to the movie and broadcast. Cha Sihyeon spent time alone at school like before, but he was not lonely because of the expectation of being able to draw after school and the news of his friend which could be seen during every break. Cha Sihyeon, who ate lunch in a hurry, took his sketchbook and a set of colored pencils. He went to the garden behind campus and sat on the bench. It was a ce where he often spent time because the surroundings were covered by bushes. "There''s only one page left," Cha Sihyeon looked at the picture before opening thest page. Blue-leaved trees in different forms could be seen. It wasn''t taught by anyone, he just drew it over and over again, so it didn''t improve noticeably. However, Cha Sihyeon enjoyed the act of drawing and was happy to see what he drew again. Cha Sihyeon, who took out a ck pencil, drew a crooked line. Then he drew another crooked line under it. Cha Sihyeon, who took out a noticeably shorter blue pencil, drew small leaves near the point where the two lines meet. He drew each leaf in a slightly different form. He drew one by one and colored one by one. Cha Sihyeon, who has realized through the past few experiences, had learned that different types of lines could be drawn by controlling his strength. The outline of the leaves was drawn with force, and the inside of the leaves was drawn with ease. "Ah." Cha Sihyeon recalled what Ko Hun said in his message when he sent him a picture. {Look at the leaves. Even though it looks green, it''s not the same green color.} 20:11 { I like the blue color. Do I have to use a different color?} 20:12 {Theres no right or wrong answer in art. There are many different colors in blue, so try it one by one} 20:14 {Ok! When are youing?} 20:15 { I don''t know. Maybe a month..} 20:16 {A month :O ?} 20:17 {What is :O ?} 20:18 {Surprised face} 20:20 {Cute} 20:21 "But I only have blue and sky blue," Cha Sihyeon looked at sky blue and blue pencils. He didn''t like sky blue. On the tablet, he was able to change the color at will, but there were few kinds of colored pencils. In 60-color crayons, there was more blue color, but they were too bulky to carry around. Are there any other blue colored pencils?" Cha Sihyeon searched for blue colored pencils on the Inte. His eyes glistened at the organized color chart. There were so many shades of blue such as cyan, navy, turquoise, aqua, midnight blue, sky blue, royal blue, and aquamarine. "If I get 100 points on the next test, I''ll ask daddy for a new sketchbook and a different blue color pencils." Cha Sihyeon put down his smartphone and started painting the picture. Before going to France. I decided to take a day off in Germany. I was worried about the broadcast, but I was relieved that the employees'' expressions were bright. "What are you talking about? You did a great job." Uncle Bang also praised me. I like it so much, but I''m d the result is good. "So, Hun. How about doing it when you are free?" "Broadcast?" "Yes, youmunicate with my fans while drawing." It was definitely morefortable than when I went on the talk show Let''s Talk. A crazy person asked me what color my underwear was, but most of them seemed to be nice to me. When the painting took shape to some extent, I felt surprised and happy that they liked it. "Everyone does it these days." Grandpa added to Uncle Bangs words. Does grandpa also do it? "Huh. No. Grandpa can''t do things like that. Aunt Mirae was good at things like this. Do you call it a subscription?" Yes. That''s right." Aunt Mirae said that she has 900,000 subscribers, who watch her show? I was surprised to hear an unexpected number. I don''t know how many people can watch the live stream. "Hahaha. Not all subscribers watch the show Live. There are also times when only 5,000 people watch it." "Don''t feel pressured and do it when you''re bored. If it''s fun, I''ll get an editor and upload the video." It''s better not to focus on it because it''s so distracting. But as Uncle Bang said, I think it''s suitable to soothe the loneliness thates from time to time. "I will. But do I have to buy a camera? I dont know how to do it." "Don''t worry. I''ll get it ready." As expected, Uncle Bang is reliable. Hun, we have some time left. Shall we go to a museum?" "Is there an art museum, grandpa? Of course. There''s a lot." "There''s Kunstpst and Dsseldorf''s modern art museum K20, and there''s a quiet and atmospheric ce called kunstsammlung nordrhein-westfalen." I have to go to Paris tomorrow, so I have to choose well since Ive only one day. How about Kunstpst? They are exhibiting Nam Jun''s work in Kunstpst. Uncle Bang tilted his head at my confused reaction. "Does Hun not know about Nam Jun?" "I don''t know. Is he a painter?" "Artist is the correct word. He pioneered the genre of video art, and he also held the Whitney Biennale in Korea. Based on that, he also made the Gwangju Biennale." "How did he open the Whitney Biennale?" I don''t understand why the Whitney Biennale, hosted by the Whitney Museum of Art, was held in Korea. "At that time, the Whitney Museum of Art was an American-centered exhibition." Grandpa answered my question. "At that time, Whitney Museum of Art was preparing for an overseas exhibition, and Nam Jun suggested they do it in Seoul. Since the theme was penins divided by the truce line, they decided to do it in our country." "Does our country have border problems?" Grandpa and Uncle Bang nodded their heads. I cant believe the dazzling city we live in was the capital of a warring country. Seems like Nam Jun is an amazing guy. "I used to be a professor here," Grandpa said, recalling the past. He seems to have had a personal acquaintance since he seemed to have worked here. "In addition to Nam Jun''s work, there are also works of Peter Paul Rubens." Rubens is the Artist that France had supported. All the artists at the Royal Academy of Art had to follow Rubens'' paintings. "Then what else?" "There are K20 and K21?" When I tilted my head, Uncle Bang said that the K20 State Museum of Art exhibited 20th-century art, while the K21 Museum of Modern Art has literally collected works from the 21st century. K20 would be nice. There''s post-impressionism, there''s cubism, there''s Kandinsky and Mondrian. I heard too many unfamiliar words today. I might have a headache. There will be a chance toe again next time, so today I want to know about Nam Jun, who is praised so much by grandpa and Uncle Bang. "I just want to see Nam Jun''s work. We don''t have much time." "Okay. Maybe Little Hun might get an answer to what you were worried about earlier." Grandpa said while patting my head. (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 106 Chapter 106 I was going to go to the K20 State Museum of Art, but I turned around because I heard that a special exhibition is being held at the K21 Museum of Modern Art. From the map, it is nearby, but the museum building is not visible because tall trees block the view. "I guess we''re almost there." As I followed grandpa''s voice and walked, a nice art museum soon appeared through the branches. A bicycle rider could be seen cycling around the K21 Museum of Art, where yellowish-brown bricks and marble are piled up gracefully. On the terrace next to the building, people who appear to be family members share drinks. The man pulling the stroller greeted us with a smile, and the child also waved his hands. It may be meaningless, but it felt good because it seemed like they greeted us warmly even though there was no reason to do it. "It''s not crowded, is it?" I thought there would be a lot of people because it was holding a special exhibition. Maybe not. Its crowded outside because its being used as a park." Grandpa looked around and said. Like Louvre and Orsay, it feels like it''s being epted as a part of daily life by the people, not like going to an art museum, seeing that my heart felt warm again. For the people here, the art museum is not a special ce, but a resting ce where they can rx with their families. It''s no wonder there''s such a wonderfulke. "Grandpa, it''s a duck." Yes, they are walking in a row." The duck family was walking around theke, and the baby ducks that were waddling along their mother duck were so cute. When a baby duck looks away, the baby duck behind him pushes his head in and prevents the baby duck from going elsewhere. I was pleased to see the mature baby duck taking care of his brother. I watched the surrounding scenery thinking that I shouldn''t bother the ducklings. Looking at the trees on the gently shaking surface, I felt like I should just spend time here rather than going inside the art museum. The scenery and daily life here are already calming me "What is this?" Uncle Bangs surprised voice was heard from in front of a poster. When I got close, there was a phrase, What can I do? In the background, a human face is drawn quite crudely. It looks like abstract art, but unlike the work of Willem de Kooning, the intention could not be read. If you look at the strokes, it seems to have been drawn by an unusual person, and it is unclear. "What''s this?" "I don''t know." "This is a special event, right?" "Yes. It says that Nam Jun''s works and various collections are on disy." While Uncle Bang and I were thinking about it for a long time in front of the poster, grandpa came. "Grandpa, do you know about this?" Grandpa came closer, and calmly looked at the picture. Grandpa maybe be able to find something. "I don''t know." Maybe not. Who drew it? It says, Andrea. Uncle Bang said, pointing to a small letter at the bottom of the poster. Just Andrea? Not Andrea Arroyo." 1) "Yes, the style ispletely different." "Signatures also seem to be different." It seems like it was not painted by the Italian painter Andrea Mantegna of the 15th century. "Let''s go in." When we tried to buy a ticket, the employee looked at grandpa and me alternately and opened his eyes wide. "Hello." I greeted him first because he seemed happy to see us. The museum staff called the person next to him by tapping on his shoulder. The person who turned around looked at grandpa and covered his mouth. "Sir Ko Sooyeol, it''s an honor. Oh, you must havee with your grandson." As expected, there are people who recognize grandpa everywhere. Grandpa greeted them with a gentle smile, like always. "I really loved [Guest]. The person I greeted earlier mentioned [Guest] which was on disy at the Marceau Gallery. "Thank you." "How would you like your ticket? You can get a discount if you buy it with the K20 State Museum ticket." "We don''t have time. We came to see the exhibition." Thats unfortunate." "It''s 26.5 euros, right?" Uncle Bang stepped up. "It''s 24 euros." Uncle wondered at the staff''s reply. I asked after checking the admission fee. Is it free for children?" Yes. It came into effectst year so that children cane and have fun without any burden." The Whitney Museum of Art seems to be not the only one thinking about the rtionship between Art and the public. The K21 Museum of Modern Art is also considerate of children and makes them ustomed to art from an early age. Certainly, it is a good direction because the things you experience when you are young have a greater influence when you grow up. While Uncle Bang was buying the ticket, the poster we saw at the entrance came into view. "Who is this Andrea who drew this poster?" I asked the staff and the staff smiled. Then he looked at the person next to him andughed aloud. I wondered what''s funny about it. They shook their heads and answered. "It''s an artificial intelligences name. What do you think?" Uncle Bang stepped up while I was so confused that I couldn''t respond. "Did artificial intelligence draw this?" "Yes, we told Andrea about the concept of the exhibition, and she drew this picture and we used it as a poster." I thought I was the only one who was surprised, but grandpa and Uncle Bang were also quite surprised. The way the brush and paint were used was so sensuous that it could never be thought that a machine did it. "hmmm," Grandpa groaned, looking carefully at the poster once again. The text keeps getting caught in my eyes. Is that a word that represents artificial intelligence can do anything, or is it our word that points to the beginning of an era where artificial intelligence paints pictures? "Let''s go up." I felt my footsteps heavy as I moved at Uncle Bang''s words. We took the elevator to the top floor of the special exhibition. When Ie to the art museum, I always admire the surrounding scenery and the building itself. The same was true this time. The dome-shaped top floor was all made of ss, making me feel as if I were outside. Thanks to this sense of openness, I feel like I''m staying in Dsseldorf, not inside the museum. The first thing that wees us is the monitor. It is an instation that is shaped like a tree by attaching a square frame and has a monitor in each frame. ording to the title, it is [Apple tree] created by Nam Jun in 1995. Unlike what I know, the monitor illuminates a fairly thick and symbolic image. "Hun, you asked what would happen to the rest of us if it was automated yesterday, right? "This work started with that question." Grandpa said, looking at [Apple tree]. "Some people lose their livelihoods due to the advances in technology, while others struggle to survive." Certainly. Since the invention of the camera, many artists have stopped copying things. The invention of TV turned the world in apletely different way from the one before that. People who are far apart were able to see the same thing at the same time." There are definitely limited people who can ess it if it''s a physical ce. But on TV or smartphone, you can watch it from anywhere. The artists were worried about this TV. Because people will no longer visit museums like they used to. There''s a big difference between seeing Art in person and watching it on TV, but TV isn''t just bad. It''s easy to look at an art museum that is not essible to many because of various reasons. It also gives you a different pleasure while looking at Art. When many people were worried andining, Nam Jun used this TV as an art tool. Its his way of saying that artists should also think differently since the world has changed." As I was looking at [Apple tree] while listening to grandpa, images swaying in the old monitors felt as if they were performing. "He actively participated not only in TV but also in inventing and improving these electronic devices yourself." Uncle Bang also said while looking at [Apple tree]. My thoughts getplicated. As Automation takes ce, marginalized workers should never be neglected. There are good and wonderful people like Nam Jun, who tried to adapt to the changing world, but we should not forget those who could not. The theme of the special exhibition is something that everyone will ponder at least once in their lifetime. What can I do? When the works of masters such as Ferdinando Gonzalez and Willem de Kooning are loved, I dont understand them yet. The discourse they form doesn''t touch me. This is probably because I''m an old man'' and I can''t share the same culture as them. Maybe it''s a rtionship that can''t be narrowed from the beginning. What can I do? There is only one answer. I shouldnt give up and keep talking with the people I live with. If you just put up a wall in front of you withoutmunicating, you will someday be isted from the changing world. When I looked at [Apple tree] with that thought, I suddenly realized something. "I think I know why it''s hard." Grandpa and Uncle Bang look down. "If it was made in 1995, it would have been 33 years ago. Right? Yes. I knew it was TV because grandpa told me. Since the present-day TV is different from the one 33 years ago. I felt this while preparing concept art, human life does not change so quickly. Except for certain things, most of the things like the wagons and streets did not change much from what I remembered even at the end of the turbulent times of the 19th century. But it''s different now. In just 130-140 years, the world haspletely changed as if it''s another world. The TV used in [Apple tree] would have been high-tech 33 years ago, but it''s very unfamiliar to me now. The pace of change in the world has elerated. The pace of change in the 20th century was faster than the pace of change in the 19th century The pace of change in the 21st century is faster than the one in the 20th century. "I think it''s changing too fast. People don''t even have time to think about what they can do." Yes," Grandpa patted on my head. "It is also a concern that humans are bing increasingly alienated." The moment I understood the life of Nam Jun, who created [Apple tree], and Andrea, who drew the poster for this exhibition, I could understand a little bit of how people who worked at the paint factory and made pizza felt at the face of automation. TRIVIA 1)Andrea Arroyo: Born in 1962, an artist from Mexico. (To be Continued on June 20{MON}) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 107 Chapter 107 The next day, as promised, I headed to Paris, France. Thest time I came, I couldn''t see the Muse d''Orsay properly, so I wanted to stop by again, but first, I wanted to see Henry Marceau''s collection. Raphael''s [Small Cowper Madonna] is in Henry Marceau''s personal collection, so it will be hard to see it if I miss this opportunity. "Do you really have to go?" Grandpa didn''t sleep on the ne for some reason and showed signs of displeasure. How about we go to Orsay? You werent able to properly see itst time, right? Grandpa doesnt seem to want to go to Henry Marceaus ce. "It''s important to get movie props, grandpa. Then will grandpa note with me. Don''t you want to see Raphael''s painting?" "," Even grandpa cant say anything when Raphaels name was bought. Grandpa coughs and feigns ignorance. About an hourter, there was an announcement that we would arrive in Paris soon. I wrapped the snack given by the airne staff and filled it into my mouth. When I came out of the airport, Arsene Musso, Marceau''s secretary, was waiting for us at the airport. Wee to Paris." "Hello," The car Arsene brought was light brown and looked like it was made of wood, unlike the other cars. "Oh," Grandpa and Uncle Bang also looked at the car curiously. When I touched it, it felt like it was not wood. It''s not like general paint, while the color and color pattern are excellent no matter what type of paint is used. The pattern, texture, and workmanship of this wide range of paintings are also great. "I''ve never seen a model like this before." "The vehicle was painted by El patron himself." Arsene answered Uncle Bang''s question with a smile. He''s a really great Artist. "Did Director Nn arrive?" "I was informed that he will arrive tomorrow evening." It seems that things in Ennd have not been solved yet. Nn and his staff, who are working together on a number of things rted to this year''s release and The Strange Castle, also felt great. And this, Arsene handed over an envelope. The envelope, embroidered with gold leaf, was sealed with wax. Seeing the wax hardened like a lily, seemed like the symbol Marceau family "Was he from a royal family?" The lily is a crest used by the French royal family for a long time. "That''s right." I wondered why Henry Marceau''s personality was like that, but now I found the answer. It seems to be an inherited personality. Arsene opened the envelope with a knife. It was an invitation that begins with the elegant phrase, "We invite you to see Marceau street." I don''t think Marceau wrote it. There is a postscript attached in thest line. I think he wrote this himself. Come if you don''t have anywhere to go. I nodded and put the invitation in the envelope. "Where can I take you? There''s an amodation Director Nn booked for us. we''ll go there." Okay." Uncle Bang opened his smartphone and told me the hotel address that Nn Productions booked. The car sent by Henry Marceau was veryfortable because it canceled all the outside noise and it did not shake even on a small bump. "Then I''ll pick you up tomorrow morning." "Thank you." At what time shall Ie to pick you up?" When I looked at grandpa and uncle Bang alternately asking for answers, Uncle Bang stepped up and answered instead. "It would be rude to go too early. Can I ask you to pick us up around ten? "I will." "Please give my greetings to Marceau, too. Yes. Henry Marceau looked around the VIP room and nodded. Henry Marceau arranged the cor and moved his feet in a rxed manner. As he walked down the central staircase through the hallway on the second floor, his secretary Arsene entered the mansion. Henry wriggled his eyebrows. He couldn''t see who he was supposed to see. "I''m back El Patron." Arsene bowed his head. "What about Sir Ko Sooyeol?" When Henry Marceau looked for Ko Sooyeol, Arsene lowered his hat to the side and replied, I took them to the amodation that Director Nn booked for them." What about the invitation? I gave it to Mr. Ko Hun. He didn''te after reading it? Yes. I''m going to pick them up at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Mr. Ko Hun sent his thanks for sending a car." Henry''s lips twitched. In order to show off his collection, he personally supervised and waited after preparing the exhibition room and the VIP room from the morning. Moreover, even though he wrote and sent an invitation, Ko Hun made him wait one more day, which made him feel very ufortable. He regretted that he had a deep conversation once and opened his heart a little to him. Henry Marceaus clothes fluttered as he turned around. Henry Marceau''s nanny Sherry, who was preparing for the meal, saw Arsene going out and asked. Are you here alone? What about the guests? What? Arsene asked back, raising his eyebrows. Henry told me to prepare some food for the guests. I gave the invitation, but he said he woulde tomorrow. "Oh, my. I thought they''de right away. It''s his first time bringing friends to the house, you know. It''s been a mess since morning." "Haha." Arsene thought that the atmosphere felt different from when he left the mansion. The carpet was new and the flowerpots were ced everywhere. "Henry, Henry!" Sherry Gado called Henry Marceau as she climbed the central stairs. Sherry, who entered the study, saw Henry looking out the window and hit him on the back. "How can you tell me to prepare food even before you made a promise? Who''s going to eat all that stuff?" Is there one or two people in the house? How can we eat it all? Sherry Gado, who wasining to Henry Marceau, covered her mouth when she saw Henry Marceau from the side. Oh my, are you sulking because your friend didn''te? "What are you talking about?" "Oh, my God. Our Henry also gets upset. It''s okay dear. He said helle tomorrow." Shut up! If you don''t have anything to do, lie down and watch TV!" Hey, did you think Im cking around here? Even today I''ve been cooking for your friend since morning, to the point I feel like I broke my waist. Why would you do all that? I told you not to work! How can I not do anything when everyone is working? Didnt you say your back hurts!? "But still Ive to be in the kitchen. Who''s going to cater to your picky taste, if it isnt me? Henry Marceau was at a loss for words. Dont be noisy and don''t work from now on. Ive already warned you." "It''s okay for now. If I don''t work, I''ll be bored." Sherry Gado checked Henry Marceau''s face and smiled and tapped his shoulder. "Henry, you''re all grown up. Ive nothing to worry about now." "Don''t worry. If you''re bored, go out and shop. Why don''t you use a spa where you get a massage. why don''t you take the card and not use it? Oh, its fine. So? Are you sure theyreing tomorrow?" I don''t know! I tossed and turned at the thought of seeing Raphael''s work. I fell asleep at the dawn of the morning and barely woke up to the sound of grandpa waking me up. I ate bread and sd that the employee brought me, but my eyelids keep closing. Grandpaughed as I was eating with my eyes closed because I thought I would regret not eating it since it smelled like high-quality butter. Hey, little guy. If you eat like that, you will put the food into the nose instead of the mouth. What can I do grandpa, Im sleepy?'' Didn''t you sleep? I shook my head to get rid of sleep. "I couldn''t sleep thinking about looking at Raphael''s paintings, so I kept looking it up on my smartphone." "It''s not good to look at your phone before you go to bed." "That''s right." If I look it up, I be curious about that. Time flies when you surf the inte without any objective. The Inte is really scary. I did find one thing though. "What?" "Why was Vincent sick?" Yesterday, I searched for a famous painting and found a post called "Some Things That made life of Vincent Van Gogh hard." I knew from grandpa that I got lead poisoning and got sick. When I read the article, it was definitely painful. They said the epilepsy drug caused more damage. "What do you mean?" "Digoxin? It contained a substance that suppresses seizures, which made his heart beat violently and increased his anxiety." "Hmm. Certainly, considering the medical level at that time, they could have prescribed it wrong." In the early 20th century, my grandfather gave morphine to a person who caught a cold. What''s morphine, grandpa?" It''s a drug. Do they give drugs to someone who''s sick? I think so. Its said that it calms them. It is a prescription that does not make patientsfortable but makes people around themfortable. "And you said it was because of wine, right grandpa? A story about lead poisoning. "I did." "I think it was because of absinthe." In fact, when I drank absinthe, my mind became clear for no apparent reason. I drank a lot even though I knew it was not good for my body because I felt strange when I drank it continuously. "In fact, if you drink absinthe, the color around you feels brighter. Maybe because of that,. Grandpa looked at me with a happy smile on his face. "It was revealed in 1990, that long-term use of terpene and tuzon substances in absinthe can destroy the optic nerve." "Then Vincent should have suffered from absinthe. I shook my head. Terpene is not a substance thatsts long. If you''re going to have a problem with terpene in absinthe, you have to eat more than 2g to get a side effect. 2g is a very small amount? "Yes. But 1 liter of absinthe contained 6 milligrams of terpene." I have to drink 333 liters to have a problem in my body due to absinthe. It is not a substance that remains in the body for a long time, so you should drink it in a short period of time. Maybe my stomach will burst before that. The hallucinations I felt were the stimnt effect of Absinthe. Now, it contains a very small amount of stimnt ingredientspared to the ingredients in coffee. For me and others, who were less exposed to stimnts at that time, it had a tremendous effect. "So epilepsy that he inherited from his family lineage got worse because of eating lead-based sweeteners and paints along with the wrong medicine and alcohol." Grandpa nodded his head. I see. Theres another story about him like that." Grandpa pretended as if he didnt know about it, but I think he already knew it. He went with me as if he didnt know so that I could talk. What is it? Actually, the image of absinthe is inted. It contains drug substances, so it cannot be imported, and now there are rumors that the drug substance has been removed. Absinthe seems to be popr alcohol even in modern times. Most of the bad rumors about absinthe spread in the 19th and 20th centuries were spread by winemakers." Why grandpa?" "The wine didn''t sell well because people drank cheap and easy liquor to get drunk." Certainly, I drank Absinthe because it was cheap and easy to get. I found a drink that can easily get me drunk because I didnt have money. Really. I feel again how much effort and time it takes to know the hidden truth. With what was revealed in 1990, even now, doubts about absinthe have notpletely disappeared. (To be Continued ) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters This trantion is made by fans and while the chapters on our website are free, they cost money and time to produce. Thus, anydonationswould be much appreciated. Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 108 Chapter 108 By the way, I feel more sleepy after eating. I need to change my clothes, but I end up dropping my head without realizing it. I thought I should sleep for at least 10 minutes, so when Iy down on the bed, grandpa called me. "Hun, you have to brush your teeth." " Yes." I have to get up. I promised toe at 10. But is it really necessary to get up? No, I have to go see Raphael. I have to get up. Wouldn''t it be okay to contact him now and ask him to dy the appointment for about an hour? " You punk." I must have fallen asleep again. Grandpa lifted me up and woke me up. Grandpa put toothpaste on my toothbrush, so I had to bite it with my mouth. The spiciness makes me feel a little drowsy. Grandpa looks sadly at me. What grandpa? It''s because youre tired. You have to take a few days off after this, Okay? "Yes." Definitely, I won''t be this tired after a day of tossing and turning. I ran nonstop for a month with a young body and traveled around the world, so I think I''ve umted fatigue without realizing it. As grandpa said, I''d better take a few days off. "We have to go out now," Grandpa squeezed the lotion and spread it on my face. Uncle Bang knocked on the door as I put on the socks while my face was crumbling. When I left the hotel, Henry''s secretary Arsene was waiting. I came down two minutes earlier than the promised time, but I think he was here even before that. I would have felt sorry for him if I had fallen asleep. "Hello," Arsene bowed slightly. It''s an equal world for everyone, but it''s a little ufortable to see him treat me like this. You look tired. "Yes, I didn''t sleep well." Arsene looked at me anxiously. First, I got into the car through the door he opened for me. The warm-hearted man began to drive. "If you don''t mind, why don''t you use the recovery room?" "Recovery room? Yes. You''ll be much better in about two hours. And then you''d have lunch and I think soon Director Nn will join you." Since I was so tired that I wanted to do it, so I replied first. Yes, I''d like to take it. How about Uncle Bang and grandpa? "No, I''m fine. Just the Professor and Hun enjoy it." "I''m fine, too." Uncle Bang and grandpa refused. Both of them have a good physique and are healthy, so they will be less tired than me, but the two of them have also traveled together with me everywhere, so they also should be tired. Uncle Bang did a lot of things for me. I don''t know exactly what the recovery room is for, but it will be better than not receiving it. "Let''s do it together, Grandpa and Uncle Bang. You must be tired too. "Yes, don''t feel pressured. El Patron told me to serve you with all my heart." "Marceau?" Grandpa tilts his head. Arsene tapped his left ear and asked someone to prepare a recovery room. I thought he was talking to himself. It seems like you can make a call by not even taking out your smartphone. What a strange world it is. "Oh," I forgot. Even though I am just visiting Henry Marceau, I have to keep my manners. "Can you stop by the flower shop on the way?" "Flower shop?" Uncle Bang tilts his head. "Haha. It''s okay. El Patron doesn''t care about such formalities." But as a guest, we must thank the host. I looked up at grandpa and he nodded. Where did you learn this? I learned it on NewTube. After knowing the Inte and New Tube, I find answers to all my questions. On the way, I bought a small flower pot and a card at a flower shop. "Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." Whoooooo." Ughhhhh." The three people, who received a massage for 30 minutes and took a paraffin bath in a recovery capsule where high-pressure oxygen was maintained, were drunk on the subtle scent of jasmine. Violin sonatas, which were effective in inducing sleep, flowed from noise-canceling earphones worn to reduce external noise. The three, who werepletely cut off from the world and tastedfort, quickly fell asleep. Ko Hun, who woke up after sleeping deeply for about an hour, admired his light body. He felt like he could do anything because he was clear-headed. As soon as the capsule opened, he turned his head and found his grandfather. "Grandpa, I''m not tired at all." "I know," Ko Sooyeol was also quite surprised, just like Ko Hun. He felt chronic fatigue because the neck muscles were always tight, but it was amazing that it disappeared with just a simple massage and sleeping for about an hour. "This way," said the manager of the recovery room at the Marceau residence, apanied by the staff. When the paraffin attached to the body was removed and massaged once again, Ko Sooyeol, Ko Hun, and Bang Tae felt like their bodies were melting. A Marceau staff brought special kale apple juice to three people, who were in gowns after a shower. Ko Hun opened his eyes wide, drinking the sweet and refreshing drink. "Wow, this is really good. How do you feel, sir?" "It''s certainly amazing, I feel light." Ko Hun, who washed away his sleepiness and fatigue in an instant, made a big decision. He thought he should live frugally except for the cost for his work, but he decided that the recovery capsule was worth purchasing. He wanted to buy one because he could feel refreshed in just an hour or two even if he stayed up all night painting. "Grandpa, let''s buy that capsule." "Well," Ko Sooyeol was conflicted. Maintaining a muscr body even at the age of 60s, he thought exercise was the best for his health. He thought most health-rted products were false or exaggerated, but after experiencing this, he thought it would be okay to have one at home. "If we buy it, I can draw all night," Ko Hun persuaded his conflicted grandfather once more. "The umtion of fatigue might reduce the effect. You''ll be disappointed if you buy it for that purpose." Ko Hun was disappointed by the words of the recovery room manager. "But this would be good for asional use. How much is it?" Its 30,000 euros at the time of purchase." Bang Tae opened his eyes wide at the recovery capsule price told by the manager. He gave up wanting to buy it at a price higher than his car. Ko Hun was also worried about the amount being bigger than he expected. "Since the corporation pays 2.2 million won a month, 19 months" It was too much even for Ko Hun, who is earning 2.2 million won a month. Ko Hun fiddled with the Kale juice cup while thinking that he should stop eating snacks for 19 months. Grandpa, can''t I use the money in the corporation?" "Why not? You can use it." You said I shouldn''t use it for anything that didn''t have anything to do with painting. So, can I buy the capsule?" It depends on how you deal with it. You can say that you bought it for employee welfare. Why? Do you want to buy it so much?" Ko Hun nodded furiously. "Okay, let''s think about it." Ko Sooyeol thought Ko Hun shouldn''t overdo it by trusting only the recovery capsule, but he thought it would be okay to buy it if Ko Hun could sometimes relieve his umted fatigue. His grandson wants to spend the money tied to his corporate ount, so he thought it would be fine as a birthday gift that will being on the 1st of the next month. Ko Sooyeol nodded his head. If youre finished taking a break, I''ll show you to the dining room. Yes, thank you." Thank you. Yes, Please. Ko Hun looked around. He thought about it when he first entered the Marceau mansion, everything was more antique than any other building he had ever seen. A huge castle built in the Rococo style, which briefly flourished in France in the 18th century, waspletely renovated outside. Blue exterior walls and white pirs. The delicately carved decorations were ted and luxurious. When he entered, the marble floor, which was shiny enough to reflect things, continued endlessly. In a ce like this, Ko Hun could not imagine how Henry Marceau, who became the owner of a great mansion at a young age, spent his childhood. "The meal is ready," Ko Hun and his party headed to the dining hall under the guidance of the staff. Meanwhile, Henry Marceau, who had to wait for another two hours even after waiting for a full day, waited for Ko Hun while grinding his teeth. Ko Hun''s dy was very unpleasant because he was anxious to show off his collection, including [Small Copper and Madonna]. Besides, the food that his nanny Sherry Gado cooked with all her heart yesterday went into the refrigerator. Henry Marceau was just waiting for Ko Hun to do another rude thing. Just in time, Ko Hun entered the dining hall. It was irritating for Henry Marceau to look at Ko Hun who looked around with a bright smile after making him wait twice. Henri Marceau greeted him like an adult. "Wee, Sir Ko Sooyeol. CEO Bang Tae." "Thank you for inviting me." "Thanks to you, I had a good rest." Ko Sooyeol and Bang Tae exchanged greetings with Henry Marceau. Henry Marceau was generous enough to forgive Ko Hun, who did not greet him if he realized his mistake and apologized even now. "Thank you for inviting me," But Ko Hun greeted him casually and sat down. "" Henry, who expected him to be embarrassed because he did not greet him, was somewhat perplexed. Well, at least hes grateful,''beckoned Henry Marceau. Secretary Arsene rang the bell and signaled to bring in the dishes. Momentster, the employees of Marceau''s mansion came in with ss. Ko Huns attention got drawn to the subtle yellow color in the ss and the orange showing off its coveted flesh. Lille nc, served as an aperitif, was ced in front of everyone. However, there was only unsweetened orange juice in front of Ko Hun. "Let''s eat," Henry raised his ss. Bang Tae, who was not familiar with France''s food and wine culture, smelled the alcohol and carefully moistened his mouth. "Wow, this is good." Bang Tae''s honest appreciation shook Ko Hun. He was a heavy drinker, and he decided not to touch the liquor that had troubled him in his past life. He thought it would be okay to drink if it was without lead looking at the beautiful liquor put in front of him. "Can I drink that?" Ko Hun asked Ko Sooyeol. Hmm? Is there lead in it, grandpa? Haha. Its alright. There''s no lead in alcohol these days. Do you wonder what it tastes like?" Yes! No. .. When Go Hun drank orange juice with disappointment, Henry raised one corner of his mouth satisfactorily. However, it was only a small sense of victory, and the crime of making him wait and putting the food carefully prepared by the nanny into the refrigerator cannot be washed away with just that. Sherry Gado, the housekeeper of the Marceau mansion and the nanny of Henry Marceau, served food. She and the chefs prepared the amuse-bouche (appetizer), prepared for abalone cooked in butter and wine, salmon tartare, foie graterin for the Korean guests. "Nice to meet you. My name is Sherry. I baked tofu because I heard you were from Korea, but I don''t know if it will suit your taste." Ko Hun made a fuss after taking one bite of tofu. "It''s good. It''s crispy on the outside, but it smells savory when you chew it. Is this Espaol sauce?" "Oh, you know it well. Yes, we made it with our own butter and beef broth." "It''s great. I''ve never had such a delicious Espaol sauce. It goes so well with tofu." Ho-ho-ho. How can you speak so beautifully? Do you want some more? "Yes. Please, madam." "Oh, my God. He''s very polite. Yeah, I''ll get it for you right away." Oh, and this. Thank you for inviting me to a wonderful meal. Ko Hun took out a small pot that he had put in a paper bag. Three purple irises were blooming fresh. "What a polite child. I don''t know why Henry bothered such a baby so much." Henry Marceau furrowed his eyebrows. (To be Continued ) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 109 Chapter 109 After finishing the work in Ennd, Nn and his party headed straight to France. When they arrived at the Marceau mansion in Paris Snart Forest, it was three hours after lunch, which began at 12:30 p.m. Even after finishing all the meals, Ko Hun was into various foods that he had never eaten before. For that boy, Sherry Gado constantly brought dessert. Thanks to this, Henry Marceau, Ko Sooyeol, and Bang Tae had to stay in their seats for a long time even after finishing their meal. MUNCH How is it? "It''s so good. I''ve never had such a delicious blueberry tart. How is it so crispy? Grandpa, you should try it, too." Ko Hun praised Sherry Gado''s blueberry tart. Custard cream burst open in his mouth after a crumbly texture like a well-baked cookie. The sweetness had a fresh blueberry scent, and thebination of pulp and pie made the texture different every time he chewed it and made it enjoyable. Damn it. Is this your first time eating? Did you starve? Are you a ghost who starved to death for a few days? Henry Marceau, who had to watch Ko Hun eat for about an hour even after finishing his meal, barely suppressed the rising curse. He didn''t care about the formalities, but as the host, he couldn''t interrupt the precious meal time of the guest. He couldn''tin about food that went into the refrigerator yesterday due to the worry that Ko Hun might even wish to eat that. MUNCH MUNCH When Ko Hun put the blueberry tart in his mouth, Henry Marceau, Ko Sooyeol, and Bang Tae sighed at the same time. The end was in sight after the long meal. "What do you think? Do you want more? There''s also mango sherbet." Sherry Gado asked, looking lovingly at Ko Hun, who was eating deliciously. "Yes." "No, Hun. Stop eating." Ko Sooyeol, who was lovingly watching the scene of his grandchild eating well at first, stepped up and stopped him. "I''ll only eat sherbet, grandpa. "No, if you eat more, your stomach will burst." When Ko Hun was disappointed by his grandfather''s dissuasion, secretary Arsene entered the dining hall. El Patron, director Nn''s party has arrived." At the news that Nn came, Ko Hun finally put down the spoon. Henry Marceau, Ko Sooyeol, and Bang Tae were delighted only when the boy started wiping his mouth with a napkin. Ko Sooyeol, who was worried about his grandson who ate too much, stroked the belly of his grandson, which was protruding. "Hmm," Henry Marceau coughed and drew attention. "Let''s go to the exhibition room," Henry gave Arsene a look and instructed him to guide the people. I couldn''t finish the meal because the movie staff arrived, but it was a great day. I found an unexpected way to rest and Sherry Gado''s food was so delicious, that it made me wonder whether I can taste it again. Grandpa keeps rubbing my stomach and asks if I''m okay. I''m really fine, grandpa. Tell me if you''re sick. Okay? Usually, I would get full after eating arge slice of pizza, but now I eat a lot. I don''t know whether Im gluttonous. It seems like I have an obsession with delicious food. The growth phase of this body also seems to be one cause. We followed Henry Marceau out of the house. We drove in a very small car for two to three minutes and reached another building. It seems to be an annex, and it was big. I could see Nn''s party. Hello, Director Nn. How have you been? You look good? Nn looked at me and weed me when I greeted him warmly. The party also greeted each other by talking about things that had happened. "I enjoyed your broadcast. You did a great job. It was like Bob Ross." 1) Bob Ross? Nn mentioned a name I heard for the first time. Uncle Bang exined to me when I tilted my head. "He''s an American painter and he''s a great contributor to the poprization of art. Probably as famous as Picasso and Van Gogh in Korea." Seeing my grandfather nod, I guess he is a great person. It''s great to hear that such an Artist came to mind after watching my broadcast. I wonder what the person named Bob Ross, who Nn and Uncle Bang are praising so much did. Is he still working as Artist? No, he''s dead. But there are still art galleries and broadcasts, so you''ll be able to find them." It''s amazing that there''s a record of him left in the video. We can listen to the voices of past masters and see their expressions and work processes. Don''t get me wrong, Henry Marceau stepped up with a straight face. "Bob Ross is a great man who made it easy for people to draw. How do ordinary people copy the [cat sunflower] you drew?" "Did you watch my show?" I asked Henry Marceau, "You watched it even though you were busy," Henry Marceau flinched. Let''s go in." He went inside the annex without answering. When we entered the colorful door, unlike the slightly hot outside, the interior was pleasant. Humidity and temperature are reasonable, and the smart LEDs that I saw in various art galleries caught my eye. It seemed like the ce was well-maintained. "Oh, my God," Uncle Bang''s excited voice was heard. Not only Uncle Bang, Nn, and his crew also opened their mouths wide looking at the artworks. "The first exhibition hall here is a collection of works from the Renaissance period," Secretary Arsene exined on behalf of Henry Marceau. "Huh," Grandpas eximed voice was heard from the corner. I wondered which work shook grandpa, so I rushed to the ce where grandpa was, and when I saw it I was also surprised. "No way," It was Hieronymus Bosch''s [The Garden of Earthly Delights]. In a painting where heaven, earth, and hell are separated, there was both human desire and sin. In particr, the way he expressed hell was horrifying. Beelzebub in the shape of a fly that eats humans in the lower right corner, and a sinner hanging from a harp embedded in a mandolin on the left. A demon who tries to shoot and kill those who try to escape from the top with a bow. I dont know how one canplete a work with this density. Wherever I look at this masterpiece, which is roughly 4 meters horizontally and 2 meters long, my mind gets flooded with questions. Even I, who lived in this era, am speechless looking at it. There is no way to exin this work except for the word "genius idea." It is also absurd how an individual can draw such a huge masterpiece. "Oh, my God," Art director Nathan Evans was also surprised. "Mr. Marceau, how on earth did you get this?" Henry Marceau shrugged. Then secretary Arsene exined it instead. "We don''t know exactly how, but it has been kept by the Marceau family since the 18th century." It means that he inherited it. It is absurd to say that he inherited a national treasure-ss work, but it felt usible since he was from a royal family lineage. When he bought [Frost Wheat Field] for 14 million dors, I thought he was crazy rich, but now it felt like he was richer than I imagined. This ce is not a mansion, a castle. "Where is Raphael?" "The other side of the hall." When Henry Marceau turned his head in the direction he pointed, I forgot everything about [The Garden of Earthly Delights] due to the expectations for Raphaels [Small Copper and Madonna]. Crazy sh*t. A foul word crept out of my mouth before I knew it. Even grandpa, who repeatedly told me to not use foul words, didnt bother to correct me. "Are we at a Museum?" I deeply sympathize with what Uncle Bang said. It can be believed if someone said this ce is a part of the Louvre or Orsay Museum. Jean-Franois Millet''s [Shepherdess with her flock] was in front of my eyes. That sunset. That holy light that fills the endless field. Millet''s excellence is revealed in the way he expressed the horizon. It is not apletely straight line, but a slightly curved surface and the roads below it turn little by little, making it look vast even though the sheep upy most of the field area. How noble is the girl in the hood praying? The gentle sheep which eat grass peacefully under the light of holy grace and the submissive dog are together. Millet found God in the sun and light, clouds and fields, sheep and girls. I was attracted to his work and picked up the brush. "" Everyone looked at the picture in silence. We gathered one by one in front of [Shepherdess with her flock], and for some time we couldn''t say anything and just looked at the scenery that Mills saw. At that moment, we felt like we were connected with him. What a great thing it is to share the feelings and the things sawn by a great artist who lived a century or two ago. What a heartbreaking thing this is. "Oh." Grandpa supported me when my legs were loosened and I faltered. "What do you think?"asked Henry Marceau with a triumphant look. I envy you, I said frankly. I envy him, who can see this picture whenever he wants. "You should''vee yesterday, right?" "What? What are you talking about? "It''s so cool, right? Look at that field. One dandelion and one grass leaf are perfect. What about those sheep? They all look different. What about the clouds?" "The girl''s expression is also great." "Yeah, how can he express that childish face and humility in that small space?" "The light is exquisite. Have you seen anyone else describe light like that?" "No, theres no one in this world who will be like him. I''m sure he was able to move each and every strand of brush hairs one by one. How else would someone draw that?" Look how realistic is the skin of the sheep. There''s no ce where there''s no light in the whole picture. He''s a person who even paints a formless thing." Although he has a twisted personality, he knows a little about Master Millet. Henry Marceau and I were in sync for the first time. TRIVIA [1) Bob Ross, real name Robert Nn Ross, (1942-1995) was an American painter, art instructor, and television host. He was the creator and host of The Joy of Painting, an instructional television program that aired from 1983 to 1994 on PBS in the United States, CBC in Canada, and simr channels in Latin America, Europe, and elsewhere. Ross would subsequently be widely known through his posthumous inte presence. He was famous for his closingment, "What do you think? It''s easy, right?" (To be Continued ) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 110 Chapter 110 The movie crew was taken aback. It was well known that Henry Marceau was one of the world''s best collectors, but no one thought there would be works that are considered a national treasure of a country, or works that the entire human race would consider a treasure. In particr, the price of the works such as [The Garden of Earthly Delights], [Small Copper and Madonna], and [Shepherdess with her flock] could not be calcted. French mystery writer Maurice Lencs imagination of the most ideally decorated private gallery by the world''s best thief was iparable to Henry Marceau''s exhibition room. "Millet is the best. You know what? At that time, drawing a farmer was unimaginable. He saw God in the daily lives of the most despicable people of that time." Ko Hun began to praise Jean-Francois Millet. Henry Marceau responded by shaking his head with his arms folded. "Of course, he was ignored by the people at that time. But he never gave up his belief until the end." For Vincent van Gogh, Jean-Francois Millet was not simply a senior or a master of the previous generation, Millet was a milestone for Vincent van Gogh, a devout Christian who witnessed the miserable lives of London workers. Millet saw God in the life of a worker who no one cared about. Millets work illuminated the dark life of Vincent van Gogh, who in turn wanted to be an illumination for someone. Van Goghs first work, [Potato Eaters], was his tribute to Millet''s spirit in his own way. "Not only that," Henry Marceau took over Ko Hun''s words. "It''s meaningful that he didn''t give up on portraying the farmer''s life until the end." Henry Marceau respected Jean-Francois Millet. Millet suffered from the hardships most of his life because no one bought a picture depicting a farmer''s life. He had to make a living, so he was left with no choice but to paint nude paintings that were in demand to cover the cost of materials. "If he had painted the paintings that the nobles wanted at that time, at least he wouldn''t have had to paint nude pictures." But Jean-Franois Millet couldn''t give up the countryside he wanted to paint. He gradually drifted away from the mainstream, and people treated Millet as a vulgar painter Millet did not give up. "This work is proof that Millet protected his [self] from all kinds of stigma and suffering. A man who clearly knows who he is and loves himself more than anyone else." Henry Marceau deeply admired the man who protected his [Self] and gave up living afortable life. "And it was because of Theodore Russo that he was able to continue his work." "That''s right," Ko Hun nodded. Ko Hun, excited by the story of Jean-Francois Millet, unraveled the anecdote of Millet and Rousseau by mixing gestures and footsteps. "Isn''t that the story of Millet, who moved to Barbizon, and sold [Grafting farmer]? "Yes." Millet, who moved to Barbizon near Paris, was an unknown person who had to worry about living expenses, let alone material costs. No one was willing to buy the genre paintings of the nameless artist, and Millet became so thin because of poverty. And then, one day. His friend Theodore Rousseau handed him 300 francs. "Actually, when I said about you to a gallery, they showed interest, and they asked me to pick out the best picture and bring it to them. Take out a good piece." My drawing? Who the hell wanted my paintings? Is that important now? Can''t you see this money? Millet turned over and took [Grafting farmer] with great delight. Although it wasn''t a lot of money, Millet, who wasnt even able to fill his stomach, was able to ease his worries about living for a while. It gave hope that more of his paintings could be sold in the future. After a few years, Millet, who began to be recognized little by little, took the time to visit his friend Theodore Rousseau''s house. There, he was shocked to see [Grafting farmer] in the living room of his friend. "It''s all thanks to Theodore Russo that Millet was so sessful that heter won the Legion of Honor," said Henry Marceau, breathing heavily. Ko Hun opened his mouth after staring at Henry Marceau. I used this man. Knowing that he was famous, I tried to capitalize on the reputation of this rich and immature man. I could recognize at a nce that he fell in love with [Sunflower], and I said a huge number when he wanted to buy my painting. I tried to grab attention to my paintings using his name. I nned to use the fact of me asking a huge amount for my painting as a small topic of conversation, and I was going to make my name known gradually. I knew there would be bacsh for my actions. I knew people might say that I''m a child whos thirsty for money or a rookie who doesn''t know his ce. But I decided to put up with it because I knew how difficult it was to live as a painter who cant sell his pictures. Indifference is scarier than negative words. Even if I was teased for being cowardly, I was determined to do anything to survive and continue painting. Like Jean-Franois Millet. I was willing to walk on the path of the Artist, even if it was a thorny path. But, Henry Marceau gave me a stable environment faster than expected by really buying [Sunflower] for 2 million euros. Although I was disappointed and fed up with him many times, I really did build my reputation with his help, from [Sunflower] to [Frost Wheat Field]. People were interested in Ko Hun whose work was collected by Henry Marceau with a huge sum of money and finally, they recognized me. No matter how good I draw, it''s no use if I cant make people look at it. It is thanks to this man that I became such a hot topic even at the Whitney Biennale. I was able to hang four paintings, and my paintings gained more attention thanks to my grandpa, Aunt Mirae, Uncle Bang, and Kim Jiwoo. More than that. I wouldn''t have been able to get this position this quickly without Henry Marceau. Looking at Henry Marceau referring to Millet''s friend Theodore Rousseau. I realized that I hadn''t thanked him properly yet. Thank you, Henry frowned. "What?" "You bought my painting and hung it up at the Whitney Museum of Art. Are you really the one who bought [Guest]? What are you talking about? Henry Marceau headed to the next room once again avoiding my question. Secretary Arsene led the party to the second exhibition room, while Uncle Bang smiled and said. The atmosphere between you two is different from before. Did something happen? Yes. Something happened, but it''s hard to put it into words. An hour will not be enough to exin why he bought my painting, what he thought of me and how I saw him. After answering moderately to uncle Bangs question I moved to the next room. As soon as I entered the room I saw the painting of a person I knew very well. Two willow trees with a pond in the background stand on an incredibly long canvas. It was my first time seeing it, but at a nce, I could say that it was by ude M. No wonder it is so big that only one piece upies one side of this room. "How long is this horizontally" "It''s 12.75m." It''s 12.75m wide and about 2m high, so it''s like a fairy tale in a painting. The willow shadows that are reflected on the pond, fallen leaves, and beautifully blooming water lilies are cute. "I think we should open this ce," Art Director Nathan Evans said, shaking his head. I feel the same way. Isn''t it a waste to watch such a big work alone? Secretary Arsene grinned. "We''re nning to put it on permanent disy at the Henry Marceau Museum, which is scheduled to bepleted in 2031. Are you building an art museum?" "Yes. We will use part of the Vincennes Forest, owned by the Marceau family, as a site." "Vincennes Forest? Was it privately owned?" Uncle Bang was surprised. I''m surprised, but I''m not impressed because I don''t have a clue how rich he is now, I was just looking around at the works. After looking around for a while we came to thest room. It was thergest room among the rooms I have visited, and it seems to be a collection of modern works. It seems that the rooms were divided in chronological order and organized by the name of the artists. It''s Grandpa. Huh? I found grandpa''s name. The title of the work was [Honor]. Seeing that it was dated 1986, it looks like a work that grandpa painted when he was in his 20s. It''s my first time seeing grandpa''s old painting, and the style of painting is very different from now. I can feel the spirit by looking at the thick brush used without hesitation. It is an ink painting, but the appearance of a soldier pulling a bow was so intense. The twisted and exaggeratedposition and powerful strokes are different from the paintings I have seen so far. The hands and arrowheads that extend forward are enormous, but in fact, in perspective, they cannot look this big. This symbolizes the spirit of the warring people and how terrifying they will look from the other side. "I didn''t know grandpa painted this kind of painting." "Why is this here?" People flock in front of the painting and they look amazed. "It''s my first time seeing a work of Sir. Ko Sooyeol in person." "What a rare painting. I''ve never felt this way before, though I''ve been quite familiar with oriental painting." I''m also studying ink painting, but grandpa''s ink painting is definitely different. Unlike traditional images that emphasize elegance, and depth, grandpa''s ink painting is quite radical. We tried in many ways to collect the works of Sir Ko Sooyeol, but still we could collect only four works so far. Secretary Arsene exined on behalf of Henry, who was standing far away. Four works? Grandpa blinked heavily. In the past, I heard that grandpa''s work became a subject of spection since most of his works are owned by various collectors and had no history of being released. Grandpa said it was to increase the scarcity. That means collecting four works is really great. We are trying to buy as many works as possible since we are going to set up a separate exhibition room to ce Sir. Ko Sooyeols work at the Henry Marceau Museum." "you''re going to disy my painting?"" "Yes," The astonished Grandpa turned his head and looked at Henry. Stop talking nonsense," Henry scolded Arsene. Grandpa''s eyes shook. Grandpa who felt selling his work to Henry as a bothersome thing must be conflicted now. "Is what Mr. Arsene Musso said true?" Grandpa asked Henry. "I was going to do that, but the supply and demand are not smooth." It seems like he can''t predict how much of grandpa''s work will be on the market now. Auctioning grandpas work has been suspended for more than 20 years, and publication of works is very rare as grandpa gets older. The reason the damn collectors are not selling is that they want the Artist to die. Not all collectors are like that, but some collectors who are interested in money want the Artist to die, which increases the value of the work. It''s not produced anymore, so it''s more scarce. Therefore, works by influential artists who are older are often traded at high prices. Perhaps that''s why it''s hard for even a collector as big as Henry to get his hands on grandpa''s work. "Why don''t you sell some?" Henry spoke as arrogant as usual. But the figure was not what it used to be. Grandpa made a long groan and turned his eyes away without giving an answer. (To be Continued ) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 111 Chapter 111 "This?" I turned to Uncle Bang''s voice. A work in which human silhouettes are ovepped in various colors was on disy. The silhouette has different directions, heights, and shapes, but it is so full that there is no gap on the 40F canvas. Below the work, the title [Earth] and the name of the Artist named Matthias Jordo were written. The color sense is very unique. For the person underneath he uses color with high saturation, and the closer the person is, the darker it gets and creating a strange feeling. By cing bright colors on the other side of the people who bring negative images, one can guess how the Artist Matthias Jordo feels about the people around him. Who is this Matthias? What kind of work has he done? If Marceau puts it in such a great frame and hangs it in his favorite exhibition room, he must be a great Artist. "What kind of work does this person have done, Uncle Bang? I asked Uncle Bang. "I don''t know." It''s strange to hear that there is an Artist who is unknown to Uncle Bang who is more knowledgeable than anyone I know. What do you think, Henry asked as he approached. I like it. Not only is it unique, but the Artist has also captured his point of view well. The colors are good. I see." "Mr. Marceau." Uncle Bang called Henry, who was about to go back after asking a question. "I''ve never seen this work before. How did you find it? It''s the first time I''ve heard of this artist, was it released by an artist after changing his name?" Henry shook his head when asked by Uncle Bang. "I bought it at Florence Signoria Square." The square? He used to draw portraits with some paintings. Arsene, how much did you pay for this?" "I remember 1,200 euros. He was a boy who couldn''t go to school. He must be an adult by now." Henry shrugged his shoulders and turned around with an odd expression, Hieronymus Bosch, Raphael, Jean-Franois Millet, ude M and grandpa. Henry Marceau, who has collected works that will be recorded in history beyond the present time, is also keeping the works of an unknown artist. "What about this?" Uncle Bang pointed to the picture next to [Earth]. This is the first time I''ve seen this work. It is a splendidly decorated red clock tower, with the top painted green and stars attached. It''s a building like a Christmas tree. The title [Spasskaya Tower] and the unfamiliar name Natalya Ivanov were written below it. "I bought this in Moscowst year. He''s an art student, and he can''t work during the semester, so hees out to the streets and paints." Arsene kindly exined this time again. Most of the works disyed on the left wall of the third exhibition hall are said to be works by unknown artists. "There are many works that we keep in the warehouse, but the works that piqued the interest of El patron are selected and disyed here." This man really loves art, even though the dog-like personality is a problem, but at least thanks to this person, I think the art world has endured so far. Buying works gave new artists the courage to make a living and challenge their next work. Like Rousseau, who bought Millet''s work I can''t take my eyes off Matthias Jordo''s [Earth] and Natalya Ivanov''s [Spasskaya Tower], which I got to see thanks to Henry Marceau. Even if you look at it again, it''s a work worth buying. There are traces of deep thought about how to look independent. I can''t believe that such talented artists are still continuing their dreams in the streets and small rooms without being recognized by the world. What a pity. "What''s that? It''s empty," Arsene replied with a smile as I pointed to the empty space. "It was a ce where we hung [Sunflower] and [Frost wheat field]. Now, as you know, it''s on disy at the Whitney Museum." "Oh." As I nodded thinking that he had also hung my picture, a question arose. "What about [Guest]? So far, I have seen the works ssified ording to the chronological order and the artist''s name, but, strangely, the ce my work [Guest] was missing. I''m sure Henry bought it, considering he hung it up at the Whitney Biennale. I wonder what happened. Did he put it in the storage? [Guest] was hung on the opposite wall. There." "Oh." When I turned my head, the ce facing the sunflower was also empty. El patron''s [Shadow] is a work that he nned after thinking about how to hang the [Sunflower] and [Guest] here." I wondered how he came up with that idea, but unexpectedly, I found out how he conceived the idea for [Shadow]. Grandpa, who was thinking of something called Henry. When I turned my head to wonder what was going on, everyone turned in the same direction as my head as if they felt the same way as me. Grandpa said something unexpected. "I think I was mistaken about you," Henry tilted his head slightly. "Stop by once after this. I''ll pick and give a few works." Henry opened his eyes wide. Everyone in the third exhibition room was surprised, but I was not surprised because I thought the same as grandpa. Grandpa thought Henry Marceau vulgar. Grandpa thought that he had another purpose in contacting him when he wanted to buy his artworks because he always acted to attract attention. However, Henry in front of us looks different, a person who finds nameless artists and sponsors them by buying their works. Maybe grandpa thinks the same as me. "I don''t need money. You run an art gallery, so thats good enough for me. Consider this as a donation to your gallery. Henry Marceau didnt respond, the person who did not care about others and did what he wanted to do and say. After a long pause, he said "Okay," It was unfortunate that grandpa''s work was only at home, now I am also happy that he got to disy it at this opportunity. "That''s amazing. They built art galleries as well as Museums." When Emily Lever, the prop manager, admired, everyone thought the same without saying a word. Nn also stepped up and asked Marceau, who pretended not to know anything with his arms folded. Are you nning to disy the work of an unknown artist in the museum? "It''s worth hanging," Nn smiled slightly. "It must be quiterge. There are works that are dated. From the Middle Ages to the present day. The purpose of collecting artworks was to build an art museum, right?" Henry Marceau did not deny it. Is this what Henry Marceau thinks of as his Noblesse Oblige. He seems to value numerous artworks, from historical masterpieces to pearls buried in mud. Arsene stepped up. El patron took the words of Gilles Deleuze to heart." It is a famous saying that all painters summarize the history of painting in their own way. I also deeply agree with that statement. Perhaps the Henry Marceau Museum of Art is a business to bring the words of Gilles Deleuze alive. "We tried to prove El patron''s position by exhibiting artworks from the past to the present and even the future." Suddenly, unexpected words popped up and I didn''t understand them. "What do you mean?" When Uncle Bang asked, Henry, spoke on behalf of Arsen. "The purpose is to disy the works that influenced me and the works that were baptized by me in one ce." It is the first time I heard a person other than a priest use the expression baptism. Everything that''s on disy at the Henry Marceau Museum is what makes me." "Uh So are you thinking of the museum itself as a piece of work?" asked Emily Lever, the prop manager. "You understand quickly," I, Uncle Bang, Director Nn, and the production team were bewildered and couldn''t say anything when he answered that he considered the museum, like another self-portrait of himself. He could have said To invigorate the art world. Or To give hope and courage to an unknown artist. Or For historical significance and so on. But Henry Marceau brought up an unexpected story. The idea that all the history of painting is centered on him is beyond arrogant its absurd. I think Henry Marceau, who I''ve seen so far, is a person who can think like that. Seriously, he can think that way. When I think about it, it''s scary, but at the same time, it looks amazing. Lets pretend we didnt hear what he just said! Shouted grandpa in a loud voice. When Nn was working on a contract with Henry Marceau to rent a collection, I was eating a snack prepared by Sherry Gado with grandpa and Uncle Bang. I''m a little full, but I can''t give up the sweetness of Crme Brulee. "He was a lot more amazing than I imagined." Grandpa was furious hearing Uncle Bang''s words. With great effort, I stopped grandpa who kept saying he would go back right away, because he was in a bad mood, and now it started again. "How can a person be so arrogant? Bang, are you okay with that? What? Baptism? Works? I can''t give my painting to such a ce!" Uncle Bang calmed Grandpa. "The intentions are strange, but what he intends to do is good, right? At least because of him, many artists can continue their work." "I''m just saying it because his intentions are impure!" Grandpa doesn''t seem to be able to ept Henry Marceau. Obviously, he didn''t want his painting to be part of the Henry Marceau Museum of Art, but my painting would be part of the Marceau Museum. And when I think about it, I don''t feel so bad. "It means that Marceau was influenced by my work, right? Even grandpas work." "Yeah." "I thought he was a man who didn''t approve of anyone except himself. But he is rather honest, so I think thats the kind of person he is. It is absurd to say that the artists who influenced him were baptized into his world, but I do not want to deny him. On the contrary, it is strange to think like that. He ispletely self-centered. The one who influenced him, the one who got influenced by him, he thinks they are all expressing him. Its as if he thinks that the whole world revolves around him." It''s weird when I say it out loud. "It''s strange, isn''t it?" I nodded to my grandfathers question. He really is a strange guy. (To be Continued on June 27{MON} ) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 112 Chapter 112 [Henry Marceau''s collection was given to the Nn crew!] [Christine Nn, "The Marceau family''s exhibition room embraces the history and future of art.] [Words of Art connoisseurs who checked Henry Marceau''s collection, "A level that cannot be owned by an individual.] [Collector Henry Marceaus potential revealed for the first time] Yesterday, the famous French painter, Henry Marceau agreed to lend his collection to the film, in which he invested. Recently, Nn Productions was struggling with the supply and demand of artworks to be used in the movie The strange Castle. It was because perfectionist Christine Nn wanted to decorate Arsene Lupin''s gallery with authenticity. In response, Henry Marceau was willing to open his exhibition room. The Nn production team said Henry Marceau lent Raphael''s [Small Cowper and Madonna] and Millet''s [Shepherdess with her flock]. Meanwhile, the art world turned upside down when the list of works in Marceaus collection was released. "These are works that require national scale management," said Kevin McCauley, director of the Van Gogh Museum of Art, while Han Eeseul, a member of the European Art Critics Association, and a renowned cultural critic said, "The lost World Heritage Site was found in Marceau''s mansion. Although appraisers said that the work Henry Marceau had agreed to lend to Norman Productions was priceless, they expected it to cost at least 100 million a piece at auction. Henry Marceau''s collection will be on disy at the Marceau Museum, which is scheduled to bepleted in 2031. The art world turned upside down when Henry Marceau''s personal collection was released. The status of collector Henry Marceau soared as masterpieces that had been unknown until now, as well as works that had existed only in the literature, were released. Ivan Morozov, Russia''s richest man is known to own the most expensive exhibition room to date. Steven Cowell, a hedge fund investor, and a 21st-century art market leader have total assets of $40 billion. There was spection that Henry Marceau might have more valuable works than Henry Brown, a Jewish American considered one of the world''s top 100 richest men. The media couldn''t just let go of the questions of art lovers. Journalists rushed at Henry Marceau when he came out. "Mr. Marceau! Do you have any ns to reveal all your collections?" "Are you still with Nn? What''s going on with The Strange Castle''?" It has been guessed that Mr. Marceau has as many works as Ivan Morozov. How many pieces do you have in your collection?" "The Guardian has nominated Willie Rupert, Mr. Marceau, and Eric Dower for the top contenders in the art market today. How do you feel!" One of the reporters'' questions made Henry Marceau irritated. Henry wriggled his eyebrows and pulled down the slightly open car window. Contender? the reporter nodded. Henry Marceauughed and sneered at him. "I''m speechless because I''m so full." Neither Willy Rupert, chairman of Sotheby''s, the world''srgest art auctionpany, nor Eric Dower, director of the Whitney Museum, who hosts the world''srgest biennial, cant bepared with Henry Marceau. Listen, Henry Marceau said in a threatening tone. "Everyone except me is just a supporting actor." Reporters were speechless as they barely came to their senses. "That means" "If I had made up my mind, I would have made an auction that Sotheby''s wouldn''t have been able to afford." Henry Marceau looked around at the reporters. When the Henry Marceau Museum ispleted, will Parisians go to the Louvre? Orsay? no. They will find me first. His voice was unshakable with conviction. "It''s meaningful for me to carve and paint. Do you understand what I mean?" No one replied. They wanted to argue against the arrogant artist''s words, but there was nothing that came to their mind. Unpredictable wealth, numerous collections, and poprity as an artist. They didn''t know who to put forward if he wasn''t the best. A reporter turned on a question. Whe. where are you going now? To buy pizza. Henry Marceau lifted the window. Reporters tried to continue the question, but the vehicle began to move. Reporters watched Henry Marceau''s moving vehicle in vain. When Henry Marceau''s interview was reported, some criticized him. They criticized Henry Marceau''s arrogance, who regarded this era as his own. They also argued that Henry Marceau should return the collection to the state, as it is not good for works that can be designated as a national treasure or a world heritage in an individual''s possession. Although the Marceau Foundation said it would establish an art museum and disy the collection in the future, those who had always hated him rushed to nitpick him. I''m really nauseous. Isn''t that disgusting to think as if everything exists for him? Don''t curse Henry. He''s not that crazy when you get to know him. Less disgusting than you guys who abuse someone on the Inte. Does that make sense? Isn''t it right to give it back? The Marceau family must have taken it after piging it anyway, right? What are you talking about? Who knows that? Maybe the French bandits fell into the Marceau family? Lol, lol. It''s not even certain. It didn''t even make sense to be suspicious. There are even a lot of things that aren''t at the auction. You might wonder how they got it. I''m curious about that, but it''s also amazing that you can collect works like that. [Link] [Henry Marceau answered, "Art exists for me"] I guess it''s because he thinks like that. ording to the article, all the works to be disyed in the art museum are the elements that makeup Henry Marceau himself. Is he crazy? LOL, He acts and speaks like a crazy person. Come to think of it, I don''t think it''s wrong. He is disying the works that influenced him with his own work at an art gallery in his name The Museum of Art is also considered a work of art. I know. Why are they attacking him like this? Honestly, did Henry do anything wrong? Doesn''t everyone live like they are the protagonist of their life? Is it normal to treat all the other artists like that even if he is the protagonist? If he thought other people were insignificant, he would only disy his work. Thats right, Henry is not that kind of person. He is a person who knows how to ept others. Is disrespecting others his way of epting others? There are many people who like Henry, and I think that''s why there are clear preferences among artists. I support him for being a person who respects him. Am I the only one who thinks Henrys actions are cute? Isnt it like the kindergarten students who think that everything is centered around them? Cute, cute, LOL. To be honest, he can do anything if he wants. I envy him for living without caring about others. He has a lot of money. He''s handsome. He''s tall. He dresses well. He''s popr. He''s so talented. If I was like that, I would have thought Im the GOD. That''s why he doesn''t give a sh*t about what others got to say. "Cute?" Henry Marceau, who was searching for his article, frowned. Ko Hun observed Henry Marceau by opening the pizza box that Henry Marceau bought. Ko Hun felt Henry Marceau was amazing that he was getting angry at someone who said he was cute while not paying any attention to thements criticizing him. Where''s Sherry Gaddo? Vacation. And dinner? I bought you pizza!" Henry Marceau pointed to the pizza that he had personally bought because of the sudden visit of Ko Hun while most of the employees were on vacation. Mozzare cheese from the Apennine Mountains. The dough was made by hand, by mixing only flour, water, yeast, and salt. It was a perfect pizza that strictly adhered to tomato sauce, basil, and rules to be baked in the oven. Ko Hun looked down at Margherita and raised his head. "Thank you for the meal." The boy, who got used to pizza full of toppings and sauces, was disappointed with Margherita. Moreover, he was looking forward to Sherry Gado''s wonderful cooking, so he was very disappointed. What''s wrong with your expression? Nothing. "What do you mean nothing?" Ko Hun changed the subject. "It''s a big deal. So are you alone with Mr. Arsene today?" "Once a month, Arsene will leave work soon, and you should eat quickly and go back home." "I see." Unlike yesterday, Henry Marceau was very ufortable with Ko Hun, who was eating as if he was ufortable. what are you doing here? I''m just. What are you talking about? Did youe to see the exhibition room?" "I''ll say yes." Ko Hun ate Margherita pizza, hiding his disappointment. Obviously, the cheese was a good match between fragrant and light bread and tomato sauce, but it was not his taste. If he had known Sherry Gado wasn''t there, he wouldn''t have politely refused the invitation of Pierre Malo, the frame maker. Thank you for the meal. Eat more. I''m full. He couldn''t say that the pizza he bought was not delicious, because of the sincerity of Henry Marceau who went all the way to Montmartre. He just wondered how to ask if there was any food left among the ones that Sherry Gado had prepared yesterday. When Ko Hun stared at him, Henry Marceau''s thin patience eventually ran out. What!" Nothing. I don''t think so because you have something to say! If you want to see it, go and see it!" I saw it all yesterday. You said you came to see the exhibition room earlier! "Oh, I see. Did I? Henry Marceau scratched his head. He had to send Ko Hun back because of an important appointment scheduled today, but the conversation kept wandering to a dead end. Ko Hun, who was watching the scene closely, secretly showed his true feelings. have you been with Sherry Gado since you were a child? It has nothing to do with you! Why did youe!" Henry was only thinking of doing what Ko Hun wanted and letting him go quickly. Marceau, aren''t you going to eat? I''m going to eatter! What? It''s good to eat properly when you''re alone." Why are you nagging?! I can do it on my own!" "It''s not good for your health if you just get angry like that. How about healthy blueberries?" Ahhhhhhhhh" Henry Marceau was about to go crazy because of the sudden visit of Ko Hun. Ko Hun said he shouldn''t drink too much. He asked strange questions, such as whether you shouldn''t eat paint, don''t you like insects, and why aren''t penguins a fish? Not only that, Henry Marceau was distracted by the constant chatter of Ko Hun that he had to eat healthy food regrly. "You don''t like me! Why are you meddling all of a sudden? Are you here to bully me?" I don''t hate you anymore." Henry Marceau froze. What? I don''t like it. I think it''s a little strange, but when I think about it, why should I hate you, it''s not like youre hurting someone. Ko Hun said, poking at Margherita pizza in regret. Marceau is the one who hates me. Do you think anyone can draw overnight without trying?" Henry Marceau doubted his ears. Ko Hun jumped down from the chair. "Call me a taxi, please. I''m going. "Wait a minute. What did you just say?" Henry Marceau felt as if he heard something ridiculous. Henry Marceau wanted to listen to why he came up with that thought when he said he really didn''t like it "Why does it smell like pizza? I told you I''d do it.. At that moment Michelle tini stepped inside, holding a paper bag full of food ingredients. She was surprised to see Ko Hun. Henry Marceau was also surprised. Because Ko Hun suddenly said something, he forgot the fact that today was the day when he sent everyone in the mansion out on a vacation and dated Michelle tini. Michelle stared at Henry and questioned what had happened. Confused, Henry Marceau opened his mouth to hide the situation somehow. "Arsene has already left the office. Didnt he say anything to you, Michelle tini ? Michelle narrowed her eyebrows. She wanted to shoot back if that was all he could think of. "Oh, really? I guess I didn''t get a call. Excuse me, BOSS. Michelle smiled awkwardly and greeted Ko Hun. "Hun, hello. I heard you''re really busy these days. Is it fun to work on the movie?" Ko Hoon opened his mouth after watching Michelle tini and Henry Marceau alternately. "Oh, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to interrupt." TRIVIA Noblesse Oblige The obligation of honorable, generous, and responsible behavior associated with high rank or birth (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Michelle tini''s eyes shook like a broken washing machine. "What do you mean? You didn''t disturb anything?" Ko Hun relieved Michelle, who desperately kept her smile. It''s okay. Is it a secret? Huh? What? Ko Hun alternated between Michelle and Henry. Michelle wriggled her face at the pure gaze. She tried to manage her facial expression and tilted her head. You two. Its Work? I. I don''t know what Hun is talking about. Michelle tini turned her head toward Henry Marceau. Henry Marceau opened his mouth at the signal to do something and not stay still. Hey, brat. Ko Hun turned his head. I don''t know what you''re thinking, but shut up. Are you two dating? No! cried Henry and Michelle at the same time. "What''s wrong with it?" Ko Hun couldn''t understand Henry Marceau and Michelle tini, who reacted like it was a sin for two adults to be dating. Also, he didn''t want to forcefully dig into the circumstances that others wanted to hide. "Don''t worry. I won''t tell anyone." I told you there is nothing like that! cried Henry Marceau. Henry Marceau wanted to convince the other side about the situation somehow. She''s just here to cook dinner for me since there''s no one. Do you understand? Why? If you were going to give the employees a vacation, shouldnt you have given it by dividing them into alternate days? There was no reason to give more than 20 employees a vacation on the same day. Henry Marceau was taken aback by Ko Hun''s question. The boy raised his palm as he realized that the more the conversation continued, the more it felt like he pressed them. "Calm down for now. You don''t have to lie. I won''t tell anyone if you want to hide it." No! Henry Marceau desperately sought a reason. He had to send all the employees out and create a situation in which Michelle tini had no choice but to visit alone. Henry Marceau approached KoHun. Holding the boy''s arms, he spoke more seriously than ever. keep it a secret. Yes, don''t worry. Henry Marceau calmly began to recite what came to his mind. "Michelle owes me a debt. Shes paying back by preparing dinner because she feels sorry that there are so many things to pay me back." Michelle looked at her lover like a bug. Ko Hun, who thought the two were meeting, was confused by Henry Marceau''s attitude, which was so serious. Debt? Henry Marceau nodded. "Yes." After thinking deeply for a while, Henry Marceau opened his mouth. "She was addicted to gambling. Lost the money she saved, sold her house, slept in the streets, and lost her mind!" Michelle tini hit Henry Marceau on the back of his head. Momentster, Ko Hun, Henry Marceau, and Michelle tini sat at a table in the reception room of Marceau''s mansion. After a while of silence. Henry Marceau once again attempted to deceive Ko Hun. "Did you see her hitting me earlier? That''s how much she wants to hide it. So you, too." Shut up. Michelle tini interrupted Henry Marceau. She pressed down her throbbing forehead to organize her thoughts and told Ko Hun the truth. "Yeah, Were seeing each other. Were keeping it a secret for some reason." "Okay, don''t worry. Everyone has a secret." Michelle sighed deeply. "Yes, thank you." Henry Marceau and Michelle tini were left alone in the mansion after Arsene came and took Ko Hun. They were speechless for a while. "I can''t believe it. What the hell were you thinking? It wouldn''t have happened if you had contacted me in advance." I was going to. Henry''s lips twitched. He justpletely forgot the idea of contacting her because he heard something unexpected from Ko Hun. "What are you going to do? How would you exin if Hun says to someone by mistake?" Michelle was about to pour out her disappointment, but at that moment her cell phone rang. The name on the screen was mother. Michelle took the index finger to her lips and warned Henry as she answered the phone. "Yes, ma." Where are you? "Work." You''re always busy every time I have a day off. Did you eat? Blueberry tart is delicious. "I''m going to eat now." Are you very busy? "Why?" I met the boy yesterday. The boy you told aboutst time, right? I heard that he draws well like Henry. "Oh? Yes, he does." Howe there''s such a kid? Do you know how cute that little kid was when he exined how delicious everything he eats was? It''s like seeing Henry when he was young. "Really?" Yeah. By the way, I saw articles about Henry and there were a lot of curses. There are really a lot of people who don''t have much to do? "I know." Please protect him. Is there anyone who Henry can depend on like you? Even if he talks a little roughly, you must look after him like a sister. "What, sister?" Then, like a family, right? If you think about it, its rare for a family like this, isnt it? "Yes. Its not like a normal family." Hey, don''t be so mean to him. Since we''re a family to Henry, he''ll be disappointed if he hears you, he''s rather soft. Michelle red at Henry. She was upset with her mom. Her mom always says this, and hopes for her not to upset Henry, whom she thinks of as her own son. Oh, my God. Look at me. I guess I''ve been holding on too long. Then my dear daughter, work hard. I love you. "Yes." I love you "I love you" Michelle covered her face after talking to Sherry Gado on the phone. When Michelle was in her adolescence, she was upset because her mother seemed to love Henry Marceau more than her own daughter. Whenever her mom asked her to y with Henry, she was annoyed for no reason. It wasn''t until she entered the same high school and faced Henry Marceau. After spending time in high school and university with a grudge, they recognized each other''s abilities and became a business partner, and they started dating for four years. Michelle, who was agonizing, looked up. I can''t. It was something that would happen one day. She thought she couldn''t shoulder the guilt if she hid it anymore. She wanted to tell her mother, but she didn''t really have the courage to think about how her mother would react, who thought of Henry as her own son. "I don''t like it" Henry murmured then. Michelle turned her head. What do you mean? I was told it''s strange, but I don''t hate you''. Michelle blinked. Did you tell ? Obviously, it wasn''t a normal rtionship. Henry cared about his nanny Sherry Gado, who had raised him since he was a child, as did Sherry Gado. But strictly speaking, there was no rtionship other than master and servant. The only thing that feels strange was the years they''ve spent so far. Michelle thought that if she went and talked to her mom Sherry, she might take this situation well. She was relieved to hear that Henry came forward and spoke. What was the reply?. I think its strange, but I dont hate you. Really! Michelle jumped from her seat. Michelle remembered the words her mother used to say always be like a sister, be like a family, poor child, good boy. She never imagined that her mother, who said that to the point of beingbeled as Henrys mother, woulde out like that. There was no better news for Michelle, who was carrying the burden in her heart. "Why didn''t you tell me? Then I wouldn''t have hid it while Im on the phone." What? Henry looked up. "What do you mean," The two of them just looked at each other. You told Mom about us. I didn''t. Michelle frowned. "Then what about the thing you said earlier? It''s strange, but I don''t hate you." "Oh." Henry Marceau came to his senses. "I was told earlier, It''s a little strange, but it''s not like I hate you. He doesn''t hate me. He finally started to see me. What? Ko Hun. Die! Michelle threw a cushion in Henry Marceau''s face. At the airport, I greeted the production team. ''Then I look forward to your kind cooperation. Leave it to me. Holding my hands, Nn grinned and shook them. Thanks to the time spent, we have decided on the direction of the concept art of The Strange Castle, so we don''t have to stay in the U.S. We can video call and can talk about what we need at any time, so we decided to work in our respective locations. I wonder what props they will make and what kind of set they will make for The Strange Castle with the concept art I drew, but I decided to endure it a little more because I can meet them when the movie ispleted. "Oh, and," Nn pped his hands as if he remembered something. "Can you take a video of when you are working on concept art?" "A video?" "Yes, preferably from various angles. If you''re busy, you don''t have to. "What are you going to use it for?" "Well, it''s just a rough idea," Nathan said, "Hun, dont you think the video of you working will be good publicity for the movie?" "Is that good?" "It''s going to be very interesting." CEO Bang Tae, can you do it as a favor?" "Yes. It''s not that difficult. It''s not going to be hard because I was going to prepare it for Huns broadcast anyway." Nn bowed down and faced me at eye level. I don''t know what was going on, but he just stared at me without saying anything. In the past.. Yes. I''ve worked with a young child. There must have been a separate reason for not looking at a young child like me with strange eyes. It wouldn''t be easy to do something like that thinking about my age. Who is it? Bae Dobin, maybe a little younger than you. It''s a name I''ve never heard of. "Hes the conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, and I was really surprised when I worked with him." Nn stroked my head. "But when I look at you, I''m surprised in a different way. We''ve only been together for a month and I can see that you''re growing. You have to. You still have a lot to learn. I had a great time. Nice meeting you, Little Van Gogh," Nn shook his head. "Artist Ko Hun." His smile is always wonderful. "Nice meeting you, too. Director Nn." 1) The exnation for those with questions about why thest name of Michelle and Sherry was different. The French government prohibits the addition of a husband''sst name when renewing a woman''s ID. The French government website exins that women can legally retain theirst names and must use their originalst names in all official documents. In addition, women who are married are said they could use either theirst name or their husband''sst name, and men can also add their wife''sst names. It also informs that the custom of taking the husband''sst name remains. (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Grandpa and Uncle Bang both fell asleep. I was bored because I finished coloring the color book, so I opened my smartphone because I was curious about the conductor named Bae Dobin, who Christine Nn said. He seems to be running a band called the Berlin Philharmonic. What''s interesting is that he was only 22 years old and did his first concert in 2009. This is 2028, so it''s been 19 years since his first concert. Wow, he has been doing music since he was three years old. I wondered if this was possible. Of course, no one has built a reputation from a very young age like Mozart and Beethoven. The gift from heaven is truly mysterious. I wondered what kind of music he did, so I yed a video that he conducted on the official stage. I''ve only encountered orchestra performances a few times thanks to Toulouse Lautrec, but the Berlin Philharmonic is very different from the orchestra I knew. Their movements are restrained and their expression is serious, so just looking at the video I could feel their dignity. After a while, a very small child went on stage. Seeing the members stand up from their seats and greet the young conductor, it seems that the Berlin Philharmonic also recognizes him. He said he was about 6 years old in Korean age, but he looks one or two years younger than what he said in the video. However, the eyes that were seen through the screen were unusual. With confidence and solemnity hanging around, it is quite a contrast to the young face. The child named Bae Dobin greeted the audience. There was no noise in the concert hall. As the little boy raised his arms and waved, the sound of the wind instrument spread like a mist hanging over theke at night. The song is called Antonn Dvok''s Symphony No 9, "From the New World". Conductor Bae Dobin extended his fist in front of him. The performance, which had continued like fog, suddenly became heavy. The sound of a horn as if to signal a crisis and the sound of a drum beating as if the heart was beating are alternately heard. The closer the gap, the more disturbing it bes. When something was about to burst, the conductor caressed the orchestra. The seriousness of the contrast reces the big crisis that has been anxiously awaited. I thought the woodwind instrument was shining beautifully like the moonlight shining through the clouds, but this time, all the instruments begin to sing passionately. It''s a melody that rxes your chest. It makes you very anxious, then gives you a beautiful voice in the world, and if you are relieved, it shows dignity more than any other power. Emotions seemed to be vited as the conductor led them. "What is this?" For me, who doesn''t know much about music, this overwhelming mental performance is not due to theposer named Dvorak who wrote a good song. It is not known whether the conductor is excellent or thanks to the orchestra''s ability. I couldn''t do anything for the 44 minutes and 3 seconds and had no choice but to listen to the conductor Bae Dobin and the Berlin Philharmonic. Great. Any expression is meaningless except for the word great. As the title suggests, the great step of facing dawn after a dark night came into my head. Thinking like that, I automatically moved on to the next video. It is said that it is the first interview of conductor Bae Dobin after the screening to join the Berlin Philharmonic. I heard you had a problem joining the Berlin Philharmonic. The German, who appeared to be a reporter, asked conductor Bae Dobin. -Yes, it''s a legal matter, and I don''t know the exact details. I just believe that the Band will take care of it well. The German he spoke was not the normal German that the children spoke. It''s not that I don''t understand it, but Bae Dobin used a word that doesn''t seem to be used now. When asked by a reporter that his German is unique, Bae Dobin said he learned German by watching old German movies. Intonation and pronunciation are the best as if they were the words of 19th-century German. Is this possible? As a person with musical talent, he may be sensitive to intonation or pronunciation, but it is very strange to use a dead word. Even an old movie would have been released in the 20th century. When I was thinking about it, suddenly a question came to mind. What about me? I wonder why I canmunicate with people without difficulty now. I definitely used ''19th-centurynguage'' when I just woke up. Communication for two months in the hospital room was difficult. What was difficult was not just thenguage I spoke, but it was a foreignnguage for the people in Korea. But at some point. I didn''t study separately, but naturally, I came up with words that I didn''t use previously. Aftering home, I had no difficulty talking to grandpa in French. Why is it? I was distracted by the joy of painting again, the strange objects I''d never seen before, and a healthy body. Is it his memory? Maybe it''s the memory of Ko Hun''. Other than that, I can''t think of any reason why I can speak modern French and English naturally. There is no other exnation other than that. " " Is it really true? While I was pondering, the unknown New Tube AI showed SpongeBob in the next video. Unconsciously my finger moved on its own. Its fine, Ill take you. No, you don''t have to. It must be hard for you, too. You should also get home soon." "That''s right. I can take a taxi with grandpa." We stopped Uncle Bang, who said he would take us home from the airport. A man with a wife and children has not been able to go to his house for five weeks, and I wonder how he feels. Uncle Bang, who kept saying that he would take us home, epted defeat as if he thought he could not win in the end. "Then let''s take a good rest this week and work again from next week. I''ll get in touch with you soon. "Yes." "If you have anything to send to director Nn, send it to me. It''s easy to share files, but it''s cumbersome to send them in person." "I will." I shook hands with Uncle Bang. "Then, please go home safely. Thank you, Uncle Bang. Thanks to you, I went aroundfortably." We greeted each other and got into the taxi. "Whew." It''s been a long journey, and I''m really tired. "Huh. You''re tired, aren''t you?" "Yes. I need to buy the Marceau Recovery Capsule right away." "Let''s take it slow and find out more." "Okay." It''s an expensive item, so it''s natural to find out a lot of information. Unlike when I bought a cell phone, I nodded at the careful suggestion of grandpa. "If the reporters hade from here, I would have really copsed." "Bang announced that we would enter the country the day after tomorrow. Thats why there is no crowd at the airport." That''s a very nice trick. You will be going to school only tomorrow, so how about taking a nice bath with grandpa today? Yes, grandpa. Also, I can''t miss the banana milkshake that I drink after taking a bath. Ah, grandpa. What happens to the Whitney Biennale? Don''t I have to go?" You''ll hear from themter. It''s okay to go once before the closing, and you don''t have to overdo it." There will be no special schedule after drawing the concept art as of now. There is nothing happier than being able to paint calmly with grandpa as soon as I return to my daily life. "After the work for the movie, let''s go to various museums like before." "That''s great. Let''s go like on the previous vacation. I want to see the pictures I haven''t seen. I want to go to the Muse d''Orsay." "That''s right. You went to Paris a few times, but you didn''t see it properly." After talking about this and that with grandpa, we arrived home. I couldn''t be happier. I only traveled for five weeks, but seeing grandpa''s house felt so cozy, and I felt like I was finally home. I unpacked and took a bath with grandpa. "Hun, you have to put on lotion." I hate the slippery feeling, but I took a little out because grandpa always emphasized it along with brushing my teeth. "Where are you going to put that small amount of lotion? Come here." I was forced to get a face massage from grandpa again. "Oh, I''m tired. Hun, Shall we order food today?" "Okay. I want jajangmyeon, grandpa." "Jjajangmyeon?" "I haven''t had it for a while." The onlyint while traveling was that I couldn''t eat great Korean food like jjajangmyeon. People in Korea need to spread their food culture. "Are you feeling okay, grandpa? You''ve been eating greasy food." Grandpa had stomach upsets a lot since the food culture is different. He didnt even like the spicy soft tofu stew he ate. Okay, today Ill eat what grandpa likes. Let''s postpone jajangmyeon until tomorrow for grandpa. "Really? Then shall we eat kimchi stew?" "Not spicy." "Yeah, yeah." Grandpa ordered food on his smartphone with joy. As I was watching TV, my eyes closed due to the rush of sleep, and at that moment I heard the doorbell. I woke up in surprise and when I turned my head I saw grandpa was asleep. Without waking grandpa I opened the door with a golf club. When I came after picking up the delivery, grandpa woke up. Did ite? Yes. I took the dinner to the table while lifting it up to my face. Oh, it''s heavy. You''ll get hurt. I can lift this much. I couldnt ce it on the table, so grandpa took it from me. I wish the table was a little smaller. While grandpa was preparing the table in the living room, I ran to the kitchen before grandpa left. The spoon and te were high, so when I dragged the chair, grandpa smiled and reached out. "Hun, you''re all grown up. Youre even helping your grandfather." "I have to grow taller." Life will be tough if I stop growing here. The easy-going and generous Toulouse Lautrecined about his body whenever he drank. " " "???" Hahaha. Of course, you''ll. Grandpa said it in French since I couldn''t understand it the first time when he said it in Korean. I thought I''d gotten quite used to Korean, but there are so many idiomatic expressions that I don''t understand yet. When grandpa opened the package, the steaming kimchi stew appeared. Softly cooked kimchi, neatly ced tofu, and bluntly sliced pork go well together. Grandpa put kimchi stew in a bowl. "It looks delicious, right? Grandpa wanted to eat this so much." I scoop up the soup, pork, and kimchi together with a spoon. It seems quite hot looking at the steam rising. "It''s hot, blow it." After listening to my grandpa, I blew it and put it in my mouth. "Hoo, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho." It''s hot and spicy. It''s salty, sour, and savory. It is a reminder that ripe kimchi is chewed up and the pork in it shows off its texture. I felt like I finally returned to Korea. TRIVIA The character Bae Dobin is the protagonist of the authors previous work Beethoven Reborn, which shares the same universe as this work. Antonn Dvok''s Symphony No 9, "From the New World" (To be Continued) To read ahead ?Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 115 Chapter 115 I went to school after a long time. "Goodbye, grandpa." After waving my hand to grandpa, I headed to the ssroom. I missed a lot of sses, so I dont know whether I will be able to follow the ss. I can keep up with the general subjects somehow, but the content of the afternoon one hour ss will be very difficult. Furthermore, it is impossible to understand because I did not take sses for seven weeks from the time I started preparing for the Whitney Biennale. It will be hard to follow even with Sihyeon''s notes I received in between. Standing in front of the ssroom door, the door opened. This automatic door was also a real eye-opener when I first experienced it, and I still wonder how it works. Is there any instation art that moves when a person approaches? As soon as I entered the room I saw Sihyeon lying face down on his table. It''s the same posture as when I first saw him. I don''t think the other children are here yet. He doesn''t seem to have any intention of getting up, so I poked him and soon he flinched. The boy lifted his head gently with a frightened face. Iughed with pleasure, but he was already tearing up. It breaks my heart to think that he has been alone. Hic Hic." Don''t cry. Why are you crying? Sihyeon took a notebook out of his bag. It''s the coloring book that I gave him as a present. "I did everything. The end. I did it all, but you." "Should I have given you one more?" "Uuuu, I hate you." I crouched down in front of Sihyeon''s desk. I carefully looked at his coloring book one by one. Roses are only red, Penguins are only navy, spongeBob is yellow, and they are all painted thick without adjusting the pencil pressure, but it shows that he has worked hard not to cross the line. The color sense when I saw him draw [blue tree] was not revealed, maybe because of his habit of searching for the correct answer. You worked hard. Un. Why did you paint the roses red?" "Because it''s red, isn''t it?" "There''s pink and white, too. There are yellow roses, too." Sihyeon wiped away his tears. You''re right. You can paint it blue or green. Nothing is decided. Like your blue tree." "Un." "But you did a good job in keeping the color within the line." "Really?" "Really." Sihyeon smiles broadly. I try to teach him from my experience, and I dont know if Im doing it right. If he found peace in his mind by focusing on coloring, I guess that''s enough. "Why didn''t you call me as soon as you came?" "Since I was going to see you today anyway, so. ouch?" Sihyeon punched me with his hand, which felt softer than cotton. "Here." I took out the workbook that Sihyeon gave me. I worked hard to solve it, but it was so hard that I don''t know how much I got right. "Did you do all this?" Sihyeon asked as he turned the page. I have to do it if I want to do well on the test, right? That.I lied. What? It won''te out on the test. This is Middle school math." I was dumbfounded as I was looking at the clever guy, whoughed and said. "Daddy said that studying hard makes you a great person." He seems to have lied to me. Didn''t he tell you that you shouldn''t lie?'' He told me that a while ago. I got in trouble for lying about eating two snacks in a day." It''s cute, but it''s weirdly upsetting, so I poke his face with my finger and heughed. It''s a relief that he brightened up quickly. So, you will be in Korea, right? Yes, for now. Once I finish the work for the movie, Ill go on a trip with grandpa to study and draw pictures. Okay. What did you do? Was it fun?" It was a lot of fun. Do you know the White Cliff? "I don''t know. Where is it?" "Britain." I took out my smartphone and showed the picture, and Sihyeon opened his mouth wide and said, "Wow. Is there a ce like this? Isn''t that a graphic?" "Yeah, isn''t it amazing? There are even painters who drew a lot of pictures of this ce. I couldn''t do it because of work, but I''m going to draw it while looking for a ce like this during vacation." That sounds fun. Sihyeon''s eyes were shining. He must be very envious since he doesn''t hide the signs of wanting to go. Tell your parents. It hasn''t been long since I''ve been to America. Will they let me?" "We can go during vacation." Ah,. Sihyeon lowered his head sullenly. "My mother told me that well be going on a trip to Europe during vacation. With family." "It''s nice. Traveling with family." "Yeah But there''s no grandpa." "Did he die?" Sihyeon shook his head. "I think he had a fight with Daddy. Daddy hates grandpa very much." Everything has to be judged by listening to both sides, but from what I heard from Sihyeon, his father is a very practical person. If such a person hates his father, then there must be a reason. Sihyeon does not seem to know the exact situation, maybe he wants to protect his young son. "I see. The important thing is that your father and mother love you. Oh, my grandpa asked me to bring you over." "Really?" Im even curious about why he was that happy while asking Sihyeon toe over. "Yes, this Thursday evening. Do you want toe?" "I''ll go. I bought some paint." "Paint?" "Yes. I told my father I wanted another color pencil, and he told me to tell him everything I wanted. Daddys cool." Great. Hehe. But it didn''t work out like you did. Not like me. Hey, do you know how long it took me to do that? How long? 10? No, 11 years? Lie. How can you practice for 11 years, when youre 11 years old." "Well.that''s how hard I tried." Sihyeon shook his head and took out his smartphone. He went into the photo album and showed off the paint set he got from his father. Wow..so many colors." Thirty-two 15ml tubes are arranged in two rows. I think it''s too much for a child to use, but a good one is a good one. "Watercolor?" "Watercolor?" "Yeah, you mix it with water while adjusting the concentration. Like I''m grinding ink. Can''t I just apply it on? There''s nothing you can''t do. Then there''s no reason to use watercolor paint." What''s the difference? It''s different to adjust the concentration. Watercolors can be expressed transparently and paint can be used to smudge on purpose. Oil painting can use a brush touch to make use of the texture, and it can be drawn differently with watercolors." I have not used watercolors much. It was a hassle to carry water outdoors, and I had to use oil paint for the painting I wanted. However, because of its unique atmosphere, I will try to deal with it properly someday. "Can''t you use both?" "Both? I haven''t thought about it. There''s nothing you can''t do in art, right? Everything''s fine if you draw it well." There''s nothing you can''t do. Heres the thing. If you really want to find an answer, look for as many answers as possible, not one." "Oh." It seems like saying that there are more answers might make sense for him than saying that nothing is wrong in art. What a strange fellow. Then let''s y with this. Okay. What snacks should I bring? Whale chip?" "I''ve already tried it before. Whale chips are good, but I want to try a new one." Huh, then how about Turtle cookies? "Why do all the names of snacks in yourpany go like that?" "It''s cute." A whale chip and a turtle cookie. I would regret it if I had filtered it out just by looking at the name, but I feel sorry for the sense of naming. Thursday. With Sihyeon, I was drawing an apple in the studio, when the light suddenly went out. It was a ce with ckout curtains, so it suddenly became dark in front of me. Sihyeon, who was flustered, turned on the light, and suddenly grandpa, Aunt Mirae, Uncle Bang Tae, and Sihyeon started singing. "Happy birthday to you." "Happy birthday to you." Aunt Mirae was holding a cake with candles. "Happy birthday dear Little Hun." "Congrattions." What is it? Well, it''s Hun''s birthday.'' What''s the date today? Was it June 1? POP! "Argh!" Uncle Bang pulled something and there was a popping sound. "You were surprised!" Sihyeon and Aunt Miraeughed as I screamed in surprise. It''s somewhat unfair, but I can''t help butugh when I see them smiling. I think June 1st was my birthday. "Hun, Blow out the candles and make a wish." I blew out the candles, praying for my grandpa to live a long and healthy life. Uncle Bang handed out a gift wrapped in stic. "Congrattions, Hun." It''s quite heavy. It is also rtivelyrge as a 20F canvas. "Thank you. Can I untie it?" "Sure." When I opened the package, I saw a part of the Starry Night I drew. [Vincent van Gogh''s masterpiece book] "Hahaha. I don''t know if you''ll like it. I bought it because I thought you might want to see it often because you like Van Gogh. The exnation is well written." It''s an unexpected gift. Oh my God. My paintings are so fine. My drawing. My drawing that I''ve seen all my life. "Don''t you like it? Shall I change it to some other painter''s?" "No, it''s really.. really good. I''ve really wanted to have it all my life." The author of this book knows how to look at my paintings. Sometimes, I can use it to recall memories. (To be Continued) To read 7 Chapters ahead ?Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 116 Chapter 116 "Ta-da!" Aunt Mirae also gave me a present. It''s a horizontally long hexahedral box, and I don''t know what it is. "Thank you." "Untie it," Aunt Mirae shines her eyes more excited than me. This situation is a little strange because most of my birthdays were only Theo and me, before I left for Arles. When I opened the package, a blue electronic device appeared. "Isn''t it a ybox?" It seems like Uncle Bang knows about it. "What''s this?" "A game console. I heard it''s very popr these days?" It seems to be an electronic device for ying. I look around at the box, but I don''t know how to y. It''s a portable game console that ybox released 10 years after its visual appearance. It''s an ambitious work that Uni made with great effort. It must have been hard to get it because it''s out of stock everywhere." "I know." Listening to Uncle Bang''s exnation, it seems to be a very valuable item. Aunt Mirae smiled as she pressed the tip of my nose. "Studying is good and drawing is good, but ying is also important." Shes right. Arles'' natural scenery inspired me, but there was no exchange as it was in the countryside. At that time, it was impossible to know how the art world worked. Although I did not regret living there, I overlooked the importance of information andmunication. Although I heard the big news through Theo, I had no understanding of what masterpieces were born at the time and who painted what paintings. It is also true that it protected my individuality and made mepletely independent, but I had fewer opportunities to encounter good works. Since there was ack of conversation with others and only one-sided conversation, it is natural that I was not recognized in my lifetime. Vincent van Gogh could not have existed if it wasnt for my brother Theo and my sister-inw Johanna. Without Theo and Johanna, who connected me with the world, Vincent van Gogh would have been forgotten. In order to get information and form a consensus, there must be at least a story to enjoy together. That is the culture. As I started to experience the culture of paintings, I realized so many things I didn''t know, so I think I need to experience the y culture of this era. Aunt Mirae is also giving advice with that thought. "It will be helpful," Aunt Mirae said seriously as she conveyed her thoughts. "It''s kind of like you to think only about painting, but there are times in life when you shoulde out of your world." "When?" "When you''re tired from working hard. There are times when you want to rest for no reason, and sometimes you just don''t want to work." ".." "Everyone needs to rest, thats why hobbies exist, but your hobby and job are painting, so you might not know what to do when you want to rest." I drew even if I was sick, and when I wanted to rest, I got angry at myself for beingzy. If I couldn''t finish the work I was supposed toplete that day, I took off my clothes on a cold day and poured cold water on my body as a punishment. I just sat in front of the canvas if I could not conceive any idea. What aunt Mirae is saying is somethingpletely different to what I have done so far. "You must rest to work healthy. For the sake of your body and mind, it''s important to eat good food and sleep well, and it''s good to forget the painting for a while to cool off your head." "As your aunt said, you can do good work only if you rest well." Grandpa asserted Aunt Miraes words. "You have to concentrate when you work, but you can''t live long if you just push yourself like that." The concept of resting is not a crime, that Grandpa and Aunt Mirae said felt a little unfamiliar. I was nothing without painting. I existed without meaning if it wasnt for painting. Because of that thought, I felt anxious if I didn''t work, and no matter how painful and difficult I was, I couldn''t let go of the brush. I thought I should take a rest, and I wanted to take a rest, but I didn''t dare to take a rest because I didnt want to waste the living expense given to me by my younger brother by taking a rest. I thought that I could not rest and and should not rest because the workers who were oppressed by a heartless society and peasants who were losing their homes were not resting. Jang Mirae felt proud and sad looking at Ko Hun. When preparing for [Mask] Ko Hun was stuck in front of the canvas for hours without taking a break for weeks. At first, she thought it was like an obsession thatsmon among geniuses, but Ko Hun was a little different. The boy sitting in front of the canvas was fierce. It looked precarious. She wondered whether it was normal for an 11-year-old child to be that obsessive without eating or sleeping. It was never a bad thing to concentrate and try. It wasmendable to see him appreciate and study various works, and Ko Hun seemed to enjoy the process. But that enjoyment disappears when creating a work. The fanatical obsession may be the driving force behind painting works such as [Sunflower] and [Frost Wheat Field] but Jang Mirae judged that it was not very good for Ko Hun. It was a knowledge she gained from experience. Jang Mirae, who has been running nonstop to draw great pictures since she became an art graduate, was broken at some point. She concentrated only on her work activities and obtained serious sleep and gastrointestinal disorders due to an improper lifestyle. Jang Mirae couldn''t free herself from being worried about the art world, which felt like it was slowly getting forgotten by themon people. Jang Mirae, who began to draw attention at the time, participated in various artpetitions curiously, but the judges'' sons and disciples swept away all the grand prize and the best prize. At one suchpetition, she poured paint on the judges face to vent out that anger. Because of the incident many Art Critics associated with the association mocked and ndered Jang Mirae''s work which she drew by putting her soul, under the name of criticism. Still, she didn''t give in. The genius who worked tirelessly eventually made her name known to the world as the most beloved painter despite various checks of the association and the media. Some critics still sarcastically criticized her work and the people who agreed with them cursed Jang Mirae, but she continued to move forward thinking that there are still her friends who support her. She happily hid the bruises and wounds while smiling in front of her friends. But one day everything shattered, when she found out that the ount that cursed her continuously on SNS was actually her best friend from college the friend who cheered andforted her when she was having a hard time because she wasn''t recognized. At that moment Jang Mirae lost faith in people. She suffered from the panic disorder due to the unbearable mental stress. She cut off all contact with people because she thought she would only get hurt when she gets involved with them. She couldnt hold on to the brush and paint, which she loved more than anything. When she was left alone like that, she suddenly didn''t know what to do. She only lived for drawing, and when she put down the brush, she didn''t know what to do. She didn''t know what to do alone. After great efforts, she started cleaning up the mess and found other things to do when she finished organizing. However, anxiety did not disappear. At that time, Ko Sooyeol, who was her teacher, reached out his hand. "What''s the big deal if you don''t draw?" Jang Mirae asked Ko Hun. When the boy couldn''t answer, she smiled and opened the box containing the game console. "You might like working hard now. But one day, when you look back and see who Hun is, I don''t want our Little Hun to be lonely. You should experience many things, make many friends and try many hobbies. Your life should be as colorful as your paintings. Do you understand?" Ko Hun nodded as he stared at Jang Mirae. I don''t know, but I''ll try. Okay. You''d better try everything. "How do I y this?" "Uh Well?" Jang Mirae smiled broadly as Ko Hun narrowed his eyes. "I don''t know because I don''t y games. I bought it because kids like it these days." "Don''t worry, Hun. I''ll set everything up for you." Bang Tae, who loves ybox, stepped up and promised to help Ko Hun. Cha Sihyeon, who was watching the scene, wiggled his fingers. "I don''t have a gift" He resented Ko Hun for not telling him that it was his birthday, thus he came to Ko Huns house with the intention of drawing as usual. If he knew it was his Best friends birthday, he wanted to give the best gift even by using all his allowance. Ko Hun smirked. "You can give me the picture you drew today." "Can I?" Cha Sihyeon asked his friend who received a famous painting book and a game console from his uncle and aunt earlier. "I''m not good at drawing." Ko Hun nodded. It''s all right. I like your picture. Really? Where? What do you like?" Ko Hun hesitated for a moment. Sihyeon''s paintings were honest and unpretentious. Although stereotypes remain, it was good that Cha Sihyeon had his own style of using colors. While watching many difficult and serious works, Ko Hun suddenly felt good when he encountered the freshness in Sihyeons drawing. Ko Hun after a small pause spoke. "I like the crayons you use" "Thats just saying I''m bad at drawing!" Cha Sihyeon yelled. Ko Hunughed and soothed his friend, while Ko Sooyeol, Bang Tae, and Jang Mirae burst intoughter. "Come on,e on. Let''s eat." Ko Sooyeol stopped the two children, who were arguing. In the kitchen, there was a birthday table prepared by Ko Sooyeol. Soybean paste stew carefully boiled with coriander, Korean beef, and garlic leek, sd, and water kimchi bought with beef are prepared together. "Oh, my. Did you prepare all this by yourself?" "I just bought the ones they sell." But this is not good enough. Hun, it''s Korean beef. Korean beef." "Korean beef?" Ko Hun blinked. "It''s been a while since I''ve had beef. Professor, I''ll grill it. "That''s all right Bang. You''re a guest, so please take a seat. "How can I do that? Give it to me." "Oh, Teacher. You''re calling Mr. Bang casually, when did this happen?" Jang Mirae interrupted the conversation. "That happened after a while." "Then why do you keep using honorifics while calling me?" Ko Sooyeol looked at Bang Tae for a while and then opened his mouth. Because I''m close with Bang. What? Hahaha! It''s not something tough about. How can you say that you''re closer to Mr. Bang than me, who you have known for more than 10 years. I''m really upset." Jang Mirae became sulky hearing Ko Sooyeol''s joke. It was disappointing to see Ko Sooyeol, who had been her teacher since she was a freshman in college, called her with honorifics just because they worked at the same university. "Lets talk about thatter. Sit down now. I can''t! "Professor, I''ll grill it." "Mr. Bang, get out of here!" "Hahaha. Professor Jang sometimes gets angry like this. Dont mind it Bang. "Teacher!" While the adults quarreled, Ko Hun only looked at the wrapped Korean beef. "It looks delicious." Ko Hun turned his head at Cha Sihyeon''s words. "Is this good? Isn''t it beef?" "Yeah, beef. Beefs are really good." "more than pizza and jajangmyeon?" "Maybe?" Ko Hun was even more troubled by his friend''s words. (To be Continued) To read 8 Chapters ahead ?Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 117 Chapter 117 I don''t know how delicious this meat is, but about 30,000 won (23 USD) for 100g is too much. Therge potato pizza, which weighs about 1kg, costs 28,000 won, and the tray jajangmyeon for two people is 16,000 won. This doesn''t make sense. Uncle Bang lit the iron te on the table. As I was observing the meat because I was suspicious, grandpa dered his surrender to Aunt Mirae "Do you get it now, teacher?" Aunt Mirae showed off her victory by stretching her shoulders. "If you treat me like this, someday your students will also do the same. Dont forget, you are a teacher now. "Just because I treat them equally like friends that dont mean they will lose their respect for me. Words are not needed to show respect to others." "Just as thoughts follow actions, words and actions affect thoughts." Look. You''re already teaching." "Of course, before being your colleague, Im your teacher." Come on, teacher! Uncle Bang checked the temperature of the iron te by hand and finally opened the beef package named shrimp meat. "Shrimp meat?" "It''s called that because it looks like a shrimp." It''s even more suspicious. I didn''t enjoy eating beef, since it wasn''t a food ingredient that was hard to ess. When the cow in the vige got old and died, it was ughtered and shared, and other than that, it was not a very expensive ingredient, so it used to be used as a stew ingredient. I know what it tastes like because I have cut it and grilled it before. I know the taste, so I don''t understand the irrationality of receiving 30,000 won per 100g of beef under the name of shrimp meat. SHRILLLL Uncle Bang put beef on the heated grill. A savory smelles up with the sound of the meat being cooked. "Come to think of it, when is the professors retirement ceremony?" "What do you mean retirement ceremony? I dont want to disturb the schedules of my busy students. "What do you mean by that, teacher? Everyone is saying that your retirement ceremony is a reunion. So you have to do it." If you want to have a reunion, you can do it separately. Dont even dream about it, teacher. No one will miss the teacher''s retirement ceremony. Most of the graduates will probablye?" I think there will be many people seeing how popr grandpa is. Uncle Bang flipped over the beef. The appearance is not very different, but it does not smell like meat I have tasted before, so I wonder if it is special. "Isn''t that okay? The exhibition will also be held at the time of the retirement ceremony, right? It''s been a long time since you had an exhibition. "Hmm." "Consider it, teacher! There is a lot of works, too. We''ll make room for it. "Let''s think about it. "No, you can''t think about it. You have to do it. "If you tell me, I''ll look into it. I have always wanted to take charge of Professor''s exhibition." I think my grandfather is hesitating. "I also want to see grandpas exhibition." When I helped Uncle Bang and Aunt Mirae, grandpa agreed after exhaling a long breath. As Aunt Mirae said, I want him to let go of the burden he had as an educator and now want him to live his second life as an Artist. It would not be a bad idea for the retirement ceremony to be the return of Artist Ko Sooyeol. Uncle Bang held up the scissors. I wondered what he was doing with that, but suddenly he started to cut the meat. I was so surprised that I looked at the people around me, but no one thinks it was weird. I can''t believe hes cutting the meat with scissors. It''s an unexpected idea. I didn''t know when I ate pork meat because it was cut into small-sized pieces. Now that I think about it, that should have been also cut with scissors. "Its ready." Uncle Bang ced the meat on the te and put it on the table. Grandpa and Aunt Mirae took one piece each. "It''s delicious." Aunt Mirae made a fuss and picked up another piece and dipped it in the sauce. "Hun, go ahead and eat," Uncle Bang urged me to pick up. I dipped some sauce in it like Aunt Mirae and put it in my mouth. Is this really beef? Unlike the tough meat I ate in my previous life, this meat is juicy and the flesh is tender. The rich vor of the juicy meat fills the mouth. There is no bad odor in it. The intenseness of the sticky juice of the melted fat is as noble as a Baroque pce. "It''s delicious, right?" I couldn''t answer Sihyeon''s question easily. How can I conclude this great food with a simple word like delicious? This meat has the same taste as Rembrandt''s light and shadow. The meat that melts on the tongue functions like a shadow that emphasizes his delicate strokes, and the juice that bursts out like his light. Oh, let''s be thankful. Let''s thank the cow for being such great meat and decorating the dinner table. Cow works in the fields, cow gives milk to humans, and after dying, they be such wonderful food. I don''t know your name, but thank you very much. Thank you for allowing me to eat the fine flesh you''ve grown all your life. "Why are you crying, Hun?" Sihyeon asked in a surprised voice. "What, why are you crying? Hun," Grandpa asks in a confused voice while wiping my tears. "It''s because of joy." Forgive me for eating you. Forgive me for being happy while eating you. Indeed, I am happy to eat you. "You''re touched, aren''t you?" Yes. Im touched at this moment, at the meat of this holy creature. When Ko Hun, who was celebrating his birthday, cried, the hearts of those watching him ached. For Ko Hun, who lost his memory after an unfortunate ident, today will be like his first birthday. It was a pity that they were so happy just to get together and have dinner together. "It''s so delicious," said Ko Hun, and the people who looked at the boy pitifully froze for a moment. "How can it be so delicious? The texture, aroma, and juice are so delicious." "Pft." Jang Mirae burst intoughter. "You really made my heart stop for a moment. Did you think about the beef?" What? You scared me, Little punk. Ko Sooyeolughed one more time, jokingly scolding his grandson. Bang Tae quickly took some meat and said, "It''s good, right? Its an improved breed." "What''s an improved breed?" Ko Hun tilted his head at a word he heard for the first time. "It''s a repetition of mating cows whose meat is delicious. They are not used in farming or they are milked. They are grown to eat them deliciously." Ko Hun opened his eyes wide. The idea of artificially breeding a life just to eat delicious meat was shocking. However, such worries became trivial when the beef was put into the mouth once more. The boy thought that all he could do was thank the cow. After a touching dinner, Ko Hun went into the living room and was greatly surprised to find the recovery capsule he had experienced at Henry Marceau''s mansion was installed. "Grandpa." "Don''t use it too often" As Aunt Mirae said, resting is also important. Trusting this, if you try to stay up all night, I''ll throw it away." Hun, good for you. Isn''t this very expensive?" "What is this?" Jang Mirae and Cha Sihyeon looked at the recovery capsule up and down. Ko Hun looked up at his smiling grandfather and felt emotional. After being disowned by his father and uncle in his previous life, he was always treated as a problem child of the family, and he was ignored by all his siblings other than his brother Theodore. He felt lonely throughout his life. The only thing that soothed his loneliness during hisst days was the letter from his younger brother. But now it was different. He was surrounded by people who really loved him Thank you. Michelle tini, who was workingte, stretched. She was nning a tour of Europe by collecting Henry Marceau''s representative works, in addition to running the Marceau Gallery. Since she was in charge of the entire exhibition from decorating the exhibition hall to finding sponsors, she felt like it wouldn''t be possible even if she possessed 12 bodies. However, looking at Henry Marceau''s self-portrait made herugh for no reason. "Shall we do the rest tomorrow?" Michelle turned off the lights in the office. Employees have long since left work, so only the indicator lights inside the gallery should be on, but a light leaked from Henry Marceau''s office on the other side. Michelle opened the door in wonder. Henry was making a serious face in front of theputer. What are you doing? Michelle shrugged and headed toward him. On the monitor, 766 Self-portraits of Henry Marceau, which had been digitized, were disyed as files. Looking at his portfolio, she wondered if he wanted to add a piece to the tour. What? Are you going to add more? Choose one. Michelle chose [Henry Marceau 285] while sweeping down the screen. Like an Egyptian mural, it was a unique self-portrait painted with only eyes facing the front. "This one," Henry nodded after thinking one more time. All right. What are you going to do? Present for that little brat''s birthday. Little brat? Hun? Who else? So you want to give this as a gift? Henry nodded and Michelle frowned. Hun hated him sending a series of [Marceau''s Jewel], so she was confused when she heard that he would send a self-portrait as a birthday present. I think he''ll hate it. Michelle shrugged and sat on the sofa. "How about something normal?" Henry turned to Michelle''s suggestion. He folded his arms as if asking her to continue talking. He seems to like coloring books. Anybody can give that as a gift. He''ll like it more than your self-portrait. No way. Michelle shook her head. She knew very well that he would never change his decision. So, when is his birthday? June 23rd. (To be Continued) To read 9 Chapters ahead ?Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Michelle grinned as she counted the days. Henry, who was preparing a gift 15 days ahead of the birthday, felt cute. Michelle, who asked, "But how did you know his birthday?" soon regretted why she asked it. With the intelligence power of the Marceau family, finding the birthday of a 10-year-old boy wouldnt be hard. "Why do you ask if you know?" Henry searched where he kept his 285th self-portrait. Soon it was indicated on the monitor that it was in the fifth column of the Marceau Gallery storage room 2. Are you okay by the way? What? The strange investment. Didnt you invest to look at Huns work process?" Henry Marceau paused at Michelle tini''s words. No. No? Michelle asked in surprise. It was an investment to directly check Ko Hun''s work, which was not understandable bymon sense. Somehow, he looked around the filming site immediately, while Ko Hun stayed in Germany for a while due to his personal schedule. When he came to Paris, he couldn''t check the work process because he was distracted by the idea of showing off his collection. I just invested because the movie looked good. Hmm. Michelle squinted at Henry. It''s true. Yeah, it''s better than investing to sneak on a little boy. Okay, I''ll get going." Henry Marceau left alone in the office, twitched his lips. This time, he thought he would reveal the secret of Ko Hun, but he failed. The boy cleverly avoided the situation by praising Sherry Gado''s cooking skills, in addition to praising Millet and his other collections. Im weak. He vowed to definitely check the process of the work, but the boy got away while ttering him. Henry Marceau, who thought that the brash little boy had be quite cute, gave up trying to give him his 285th self-portrait as a gift. Coloring book, huh. Henry searched a coloring notebook for children with cartoon characters. When I came back from school, Uncle Bang and an unknown person were doing something in an empty room. They put in something that I hadn''t seen before. When I greeted Uncle Bang, he looked proud. "What do you think?" I don''t know what to say when I dont know what he was doing. "Are you done?" asked the grandpa, who came in after me. "Yes, I think we just need to test it." Uncle Bang sat in front of a small TV and did something, and soon his face got reflected. Its interesting because there''s nothing that looks like a camera. "Where''s the camera?" "Here." I couldn''t believe I could film it like I was in a broadcasting station with a cute lens on a small TV, and I was surprised when grandpa said that I could even do it with my smartphone. I thought it could only take pictures. It can really film a video. Come to think of it, it could make a video call, then why didn''t I think it could record? I wonder if my brain is getting sloppy. "If you press this, the microphone turns on and this is the button to turn on the cam." "What''s cam?" "Short for a camcorder." "Camcorder?" The person who came with Uncle Bang exined this and that, but there were so many things I didn''t know, so Uncle Bang decided to help me for the time being. "I''ll be with you on the show anyway. I have to manage the chat window and fix it if there''s any problem." Uncle Bang is reliable. Then do I have to draw in this ce from now on? You don''t have to. When preparing for an exhibition or The Strange Castle, it can''t be revealed in advance, so it''s right not to do it then. You can use this ce when you want tomunicate with your fansfortably." Uncle Bang helped me join a site called Goggles. I don''t have to draw every time I use this, right? Yes, you can do anything you want. You can do it in earnestter if it''s fun." For now, Ill do it just for fun. I''m looking forward to doing something like Schmincke''s promotional broadcast since it felt pretty fun at that time. "Then I''ll do itter. I have to finish The Strange Castle concept art and I also have a test." "Test?" Uncle Bang asked with a doubtful expression. "What, Uncle Bang?" "Elementary school doesn''t have exams. Is Berk elementary school different?" He looked up at grandpa in surprise and grandpa smiled awkwardly. "Isn''t it such a strange ce?" I thought it was unusual because they always teach something I couldn''t understand. The tuition is also too expensive and I feel cheated. I was right when I said I would go to a Public school. Then you wouldn''t have met Sihyeon? You couldnt have eaten the delicious food. Come to think of it, it''s not like everything was bad. It is a great fortune to be able to eat new and delicious food every lunch, even if it''s worth 100 million won a year. "And it''s okay if you don''t study for the exam. It doesn''t matter if you get zero points. You just have to work hard on what you like. "It''ll be upsetting."" "It''s okay. School is just for making friends." If that''s the only reason, I don''t think I should have gone to this expensive school. Grandpa''s love is really iprehensible. After a while, Uncle Bang and the installer returned and we had a snack time. I was able to focus on today''s work because I felt good eating the ice cream that I bought with grandpa whileing from school. Since all the Character designs have been drawn, all that remains is to draw the scene based on the background settings created by the team members. There are two scenes I''m in charge of. One is the scene where Isidore Beautrelet turns over the invitation. Its a scene that takes ce before Arsene Lupin''s appearance, and can be said to be the most important scene in the movie The strange Castle. The second scene was Arsene Lupin''s lover Ray dying. In the original, it is said that Herlock Sholmes shot her to death, but in Nn''s screeny, it was changed to a police officer trying to capture Arsene Lupin and make a name. The heartbreaking final moments of Ray, who jumps to protect her lover, and the expressions of Isidore and Herlock Sholmes, who are in shock, should also be expressed starkly. Because I was young, grandpa, Nn, and the movie staff tried to leave the scene to someone else. I was stubborn because I could not be said as the Concept Art manager if I didnt draw the best moment in the movie. I thought about various ways to draw the first scene with Isidore, but I haven''t decided anything on the second scene yet. The biggest problem isposition. I thought I should avoid unrealisticpositions because they had to shoot, but Nn said, I can draw however I want. I don''t know how that''s possible, but I believe it can be done if its Nn. There''s no restriction. It is up to me how the five people Lupin, Isidore, Ray, Sholmes, and the police officer can be put in one scene. "M was good at this." Another genius, Edouard M, surprised the world through his work [A Bar at the Folies-Bergre ] at least for those who can understand what he meant. To cool off my head, I searched [A Bar at the Folies-Bergre ] on the tablet. It is a work that I can''t help but admire Eduard M''s excellence. Several people are seen in the mirror behind the woman looking forward. The viewer of the painting looks at the woman from the gentleman''s perspective in the right mirror, but the reflection of the mirror is very distorted. If you drew it realistically, the back of the woman in front of you shoulde to the center of the picture, and the man wearing the hat should only show his hat, ears, and shoulders. Critics at the time used Eduard M of being a moron who could not even understand the reflection of light while looking at the foreground of Folies-Bergre. It was done intentionally to show a wide view that simultaneously expresses a depressed individual ced in that colorful ce. What a bold and extraordinary idea. KNOCK KNOCK. "Hun, are you still drawing?" Grandpa knocked on the door. Looking at the clock, it''s already time for dinner. "No,e in, grandpa." As soon as Grandpaes in, he sees [A Bar at the Folies-Bergre] and smiles. Oh, it''s M. Yes, I''m trying to figure out the concept artposition. Good. Good. Grandpa sat next to me. "People who saw the painting for the first time cursed M for being an idiot who didn''t even know the basics." It seems that it is still a famous anecdote that fools who do not know the basics insulted M while ignoring the intention of the Artist. But it turned out that thisposition was possible. What? I was surprised. I only guessed Edouard M''s intention, but I didn''t think it was actually possible. "Dr. Malcolm and a photographer named Greg Can actually took it. If the perspective is not from the front, but from the right side of this woman, this is the structure." I couldn''t understand what grandpa was saying. However, when I saw a Photograph titled "M''s Bar at the Folies-Bergere: One Schr''s Perspective" that grandpa searched for, it showed a way that I hadn''t thought of. The woman in the picture is looking straight ahead, so I thought she would be in parallel with the table. The Woman was also slightly turning her head, making it possible to have the sameposition as M''s [A Bar at the Folies-Bergre]. Probably not the scene Edouard M himself saw and drew. If he did, it would have been easy to exin just by reproducing the situation when he was criticized at the time. However, it was surprising that such a fact was not revealed until 2000. After the invention of the camera, there was a tendency to deliberately ignore perspective, light and shade because they thought it was meaningless. Perhaps Edouard M was a painter who mastered perspective more than anyone else. What do you think, it''s amazing, right? Yes, I''ve never thought about it like this. I should reflect on myself. "No one knows if M knew this and painted it, or if it coincidentally oveps with his intentions. But at least we shouldn''t downy M''s work for the reasons critics put forward at the time." As grandpa said. Whether M identally painted a realistic picture while trying to make it a wide view of the bar, or capturing the moment doesn''t matter. "It is important that [A Bar at the Folies-Bergre] perfectly expresses the section of the most colorful cafe in Paris at the time. What should I do? How can I put the five characters in one scene? I don''t think it''ll be easy as there are many perspectives. After seeing M''s work, I feel motivated. (To be Continued) To read 10 Chapters ahead ?Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 119 Chapter 119 After dinner, I sat on the workbench again. Even if it is not Edouard M''s [A Bar at the Folies-Bergre], the point of view is a concern for all artists. What to show the audience What aspects of things will be revealed. What I want to talk about. All intentions are determined by how the point of view is taken. But what I''m trying to draw right now is the concept art of the movie. I must fully show the tragedy of Rays sacrifice of giving her life to save her lover I must also express the emotions of Lupin, Ray, Isidore, and Sholmes. If this were my own work, I would have drawn it from the point of view of Lupin embracing Ray. Lupin''s view of Ray looking up at him with eyes filled with love and tears. But that doesn''t reveal the emotions of Isidore and Sholmes. Let''s think. How can I draw a satisfactory picture while epting the demands of the film crew? I picked up the pencil. There will be no progress just by thinking. The reason why I am afraid of the canvas is because of its vagueness. You must not stop the flow of thought and hands. A single sketch is better than shredding hundreds of images in your head. Let''s draw. The easiest way to do it is to turn the angle slightly. It is easier to show facial expressions than to draw from the side, and the person can be ced rtively freely. "No." This can convey the situation, but it is not effective. The painting should be dramatically expressed while clearly showing the characteristics of several characters, such as Rembrandt''s [Night Watch]. It is also not easy as it is the most effective method for a scene with multiple portraits. But Rembrandt and M couldn''t have painted such a painting overnight. The work can only bepleted by repeating thinking, drawing, erasing, and redrawing. I''m not a genius. There is no reason to be impatient, as it has been like that from the beginning. This time, Lupin, who was surprised when his lover was shot by a bullet, and Ray, who was in pain, should be ced in front of him. Isidore and Sholmes should be on the opposite side, which forces me to draw only their faces. It''s not uneptable, but it''s very unnatural. Thisposition cannot move people''s hearts. Should I turn it on a bit more? Let''s guide the view from the bottom left to the top right. It looks more dynamic if I draw arge Isidore and Sholmes on the left and ce Lupin and Ray at the vanishing point. The situation can be conveyed well by fully revealing the expression and posture of the astonished Isidore and Sholmes. Thisposition is worth a trim. Its still not satisfactory. There might be a way to express it more dramatically. If I think about disying this, it would be okay to frame it and then break the ss part of the frame close to Ray''s chest. Like a bullet passed by. But it''s concept art. It should be expressed only by pictures. As the time neared midnight Ko Sooyeol was worried about his grandson, so he wandered around the studio. He remembered the figure of his grandson when he prepared for [Mask], which is now exhibited at the Whitney Biennale. He was worried about Ko Hun, who once immersed in something, didn''t care about what was going on around him. He could fully understand what he was going through as an artist, but as a grandfather of an 11-year-old, he felt like his grandson was overdoing it. Ko Sooyeol hesitatingly opened the door. Inside he could see his grandson picking out about five or six pieces of drawing paper. It was like organizing the studio. "You didn''t sleep, grandpa?" asked Ko Hun. "Yes. Im going to bed now?" "Okay. That''s all, I''m also done for today." It waste, but Ko Sooyeol felt it was better than working all night. As Ko Hun tried to do it in moderation on his own, Ko Sooyeols worries were somewhat relieved. "You''ve drawn a lot already," Ko Sooyeol said while looking at Ko Hun''s sketch. It was only about five hours after dinner, but there were six sketches. "I''m drawing whateveres to mind. I don''t like anything." Ko Sooyeol nodded happily. No matter how good an artist is, he couldn''t make good work every time he drew it. The attitude ofpleting the work at the 100th time while repeating 99 failures is the virtue that Ko Sooyeol thought an Artist should have. Ko Sooyeol wondered whether his grandson had this attitude because of his young age or was it because of his fearlessness. Ko Hun was not afraid of the process of failing 99 times. He didn''t give up thinking even if he did have a good idea. Just as he looked up at Edouard M''s work, he tried to create another new work by voluntarily looking for references. "Okay. Go to bed." "Yes, grandpa." "Don''t forget to brush and put on lotion." "Yes, grandpa." As if he was already sleepy, his grandson walked out of the room with droopy eyes and shoulders. Ko Sooyeol smiled and patted Ko Hun''s head. After confirming that his grandson entered the bathroom, Ko Sooyeol turned off the light in the studio. Ko Sooyeol sighed as he entered the study. He felt like sorting the things of his daughter and his son-inw, in Burbank, California, cannot be postponed anymore. "Should I take Hun with me?" Ko Sooyeol looked at the paper box. It was a collection of items from the ident vehicle of his daughter and son-inw. After thinking for a while, he opened the box. He thought there would be no more tears to pour out, but when he saw the traces of his daughter, he was overwhelmed with emotion. Ko Sooyeol calmed his rising emotions and took out his daughter''s notebook. It was quite arge notebook as it was also used for sketching. It was full of sketches, diaries, family photos, and paintings Ko Hun presented to his parents. Ko Sooyeol, who suddenly started raising his grandson, had several times checked his daughter''s records to see what Ko Hun liked when he grew up and if he had any diseases. Hun is starting to talk in French. Today, I talked to Mr. Bardo next door about what Hun learned in French. Is it because he learned it from someone who''s older, he uses words I never heard of in between. When I asked Mr. Bardo, he said he never taught him such words. Did he learn it from TV? The only show he watches is SpongeBob. Did he learn from SpongeBob? . Among several symptoms of memory loss, Ko Sooyeol heard that even if they lose their memory, there are cases where theirnguage ability is not greatly affected. The strange thing is that it was only three years ago when his daughter recorded this. Upon waking up a year ago, Ko Hun who had only learned French for three years spoke French like a native. No matter how fast he learned it, it is too much to say that a child who stuttered and started speaking three years ago became so proficient in thenguage. One more thing that felt strange was Ko Hun, who liked the animation SpongeBob since he was young, seems to have not much interest in it now. Ko Sooyeol often showed SpongeBob to Ko Hun because he thought it would help him regain his memory since it was something he enjoyed, but Ko Hun doesnt seem to have much attachment to it. Does a persons taste change if they lose their memory? Ko Sooyeol flips through the page. This time, it was a record he read once before. It was two years ago. I met Huns teacher. She said Hun seems to have a mental problem because he asks a lot of questions in ss. I should have ripped off the crazy b*tch''s hair. Sometimes Hun does say weird things in English, French, or German, but I know he is more warm-hearted than anyone else. Hun hasn''t eaten muchtely, maybe it''s because of the stress he gets at school. Why didnt I notice it until now? If even the teacher came forward and treated Hun like a weird child, I dont know how the ssmates would have treated him? It breaks my heart to think that the tender child suffered alone without being able to speak. Ko Sooyeol flipped the pages of his daughter''s notebook. I went to school to see how Hun was doing, and they were giving him a piece of potato pizza and a ss of coke for lunch. I threw the te on the nutritionist''s face. The diet consisted of pizza and coke for a whole week. When I asked Hun, he said he didn''t eat it because it wasn''t delicious. Why didnt they give an alternative food to the child who eats so small? Iined to the principal and decided to sue the school. I can''t send Hun to that school anymore. I should stay with Hun even if I should take a break from work for a while. It was like that when Ko Sooyeol lived in America. He knew very well that the food service environment in the United States was not that good, but he couldn''t help but resent the fact that the target was his grandson. His daughter was considering returning to Korea because his grandson seemed to be suffering too much in an environment that considered him as a mentally challenged child just because he asked a lot of questions. After seeing his daughter''s record, Ko Sooyeol decided to give the best environment for his grandson. However, when Ko Sooyeol looked at it again, he noticed something strange. Potato pizza is one of Ko Hun''s favorite foods, but previously he didn''t eat it because it wasn''t delicious. It may not have tasted good because it might not have cooked properly, but Ko Sooyeol wondered whether Ko Hun was really a child who eats less. At first, the amount of food he ate was small, but at least he did not hesitate to eat. The strange things were not only potato pizza, appetite, SpongeBob, andnguage proficiency. The picture Ko Hun drew for his mom and dad could not be said to be well-drawn from an Artists point of view. Although Ko Hae kept it thinking of it as precious since it was a picture given by her beloved son. The constant suspicion of Ko Huns behavior made Ko Sooyeols mindplicated. At first, things that he thought were just because of memory loss became more suspicious as he looked at his daughter''s records. His drawing skills, which he understood as a result of inheriting his talent and receiving a good education from his parents, were also questionable. The strangest things don''t end there. The strangest thing was Ko Hun never said a word about wanting to see his parents and it never felt like he missed his parents. When he went to Europe, he discovered the secrets surrounding Vincent van Gogh''s death. Is it really because of memory loss?'' No.'' Is it really possible if you don''t remember?'' "Uh-huh" Ko Sooyeol no longer denied the suspicion that he had built up half a year ago. He admitted that something had happened to his grandson since the ident, even though he could not exin it exactly. Ko Sooyeol was convinced that the grandson before the ident and the present grandson were different. (To be Continued) To read 11 Chapters ahead ?Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 120 Chapter 120 There is nothing more regrettable than when you have to give up your favorite idea. As I was hooked on the image of pierced ss, I can''t easily rte to other ideas. However, I shouldnt allow myself to get stuck in the first idea and not be able to think of other possibilities. I should think of other possibilities whileforting myself that one day I would use it. Hun, you have to chew it well." "Yes." I picked up another egg roll from the breakfast table. I put the egg rolls on grandpa''s te because he seemed to be giving away his egg rolls for ridiculous reasons saying he was full just by watching me eat. Dont worry about me. Grandpa''s eating. You''re not. By the way, how about I put the perspective on the floor in a very new attempt? If the figure is standing on a transparent ss and if the view is from bottom to top, I can emphasize people''s expressions. Hun, eat a lot. I''m eating, grandpa. Im not sure if its worth trying. Its the role of Director Nn and actors to decide how the characters facial expressions will be. I don''t want topromise on this new challenge since Nn also asked me not to care about my role and limitations as a concept art designer. It''s fun to think about goals that arepletely different from the way I had drawn paintings before. I want to go back soon to the studio because I''m looking forward to what thepleted picture will be like as soon as I get rid of this concern. I continue to eat with that thought, but grandpa didn''t touch the egg rolls once again. I brought the egg rolls to grandpas mouth this time. "Huh, its fine. Grandpa is eating." "No, youre not. It''s good to eat together, grandpa" Anyway, I don''t have time to rx. The date promised with Nn is approaching, and other concept art designers kept uploading theirpleted scenes one after another. On my way to school, I wondered what the other people had drawn, so I looked at it on my tablet. When I looked at everyones paintings I found the reason why they are called experts in this field. Each scene was portrayed in an effective and impressive manner. There was a reason why the meticulous and experienced Nn was working with them for a long time. "Little Hun, let''s go to America with grandpa during summer vacation." "America?" "Yes, we have to clean up the house where you lived with your mom and dad." "Un" Parents of this bodys owner.. Soon we arrived at school, and grandpa said, "Okay, have fun with your friends." Goodbye, grandpa. Grandpa doesn''t tell me to study hard every time he drops me at school but says to have fun. He really is weird. I feel nervous little by little as I pass through the hallway while looking at other concept art designers'' works. I need to wrap up, too. I stopped by the canteen and bought a can of coke to rx my mind. Took a sip and organized my thoughts. French police want to arrest Lupin, the Phantom thief who caused a stir in France. The police, who have always been beaten by Lupin, end up with a golden opportunity. The police, who seeded in driving Lupin to the end, are vignt. They pointed their gun at Lupin because they didn''t know what kind of magic Lupin would pull to run away. Lupin was at ease, but he was surrounded by the police, the boy detective Isidore Beautrelet, and his archrival Herlock Sholmes. He took advantage of an argument between the French police and a British detective and tried to escape with his lover Ray. At that moment an officer pulled the trigger. Ray''s chest, which threw itself to protect her lover, turns red, and Lupin, who had been perfect throughout the series of events, copses for the first time. When I put things together again, I realized that I had a fixed idea. Do I have to paint after Ray gets shot? The reason why Elisabetta Sirani''s Portrait of Beatrice Chenchi was so sad was not because she painted the scene of her death. This is thanks to the affectionate and mournful expression that made the viewer guess the situation. Let''s stimte the imagination. I need to find aposition where people can immerse themselves in the story and wonder. It would be right to avoid extremepositions in order not to feel different when director Nn puts them into a scene in the movie. "What are you doing here?" It was Sihyeon. I''m thinking. What? I offered a Coke to the guy who tilted his head wondering what I was doing. "I don''t like it and I''m not thirsty." It''s strange that he doesn''t like this precious drink. Should I draw the surroundings in a circle and draw it as a view from the muzzle of the gun? No. When I touch the tablet application, there is a function that inverts colors, should I use it? No. If it''s a built-in effect of the application, it''s probably already been used a lot. It will only have a fresh effect on me, and it has nothing to do with theposition. Finding an easy way doesn''t solve it. Looking down from the vertical direction, the character andposition feel so boring, while looking up from the vertical direction is very fresh, but it seems difficult to blend into the drawing naturally. It''s best to put the characters sideways, but there must be a better way than that. It seems okay to follow Lupin''s perspective, but.there are a lot of questions How did Lupin try to cope? What did Ray see? What did Isidore and Sholmes think? What might be the thoughts of the officer who missed the shot? "Then shall we ask Hun about what he thinks of this story?" "Oh!" I got it. While thinking of all the characters, I came up with aposition that stimted my imagination and forced me to immerse myself at that moment. . The teacher and the children were staring at me. "I''m sorry. I thought about something else." As soon as I got back from school, I sat in front of the canvas. A symbolic object that marks the beginning of a tragedy and the end of an event I wanted to draw arge bullet in the middle of the canvas. I dont have a superior sense like Edouard M, so it is hard to imagine how people will be reflected in the bullet. I searched the house, wondering if I could find a cylindrical object with a mirror-like surface. It is hard to know why they didn''t make a mirror that bends while making a monitor that stretches and unfolds. "What are you looking for, Hun?" "Curved mirror. It would be nice if it had a cylindrical shape." "Huh?" I exined the situation to grandpa, who thought about it for a while and then went into the warehouse. Is this okay? Yes! It''s certainly a cylindrical mirror, though not what I''m looking for. With this, I can refer to how surrounding things are distorted. Let''s put the characters side by side. On the left, starting with Isidore, then Herlock Sholmes, and on the right, the determined Ray and Lupin, who have not yet grasped the situation. People should be reflected on the surface of the bullet, so I should think carefully about where the lightes in, how to express the surface of the bullet, and how people''s posture is distorted. Since it is a cylinder, the further away it is from the center, the more severe the deformation is, and I think it can be used to give more urgency by using the distortion of the face and posture of the character. How do I position the bullets? If it is right before the shooting, Isidore and Herlock should be drawn rtively far away. The middle between theunch site and Ray seems to be appropriate. Certainly, it was hard for me to express the texture of the bullet. Even though I tried to follow grandpa''s painting style, it is quite overwhelming to express the smoothness of the bullet surface. Still, I cannot give up because I know the joy that wille when Iplete the tragedy reflected in this bullet. Paint and peel and contemte. I wasted the canvas by repeatedly mixing and remixing the paints and washing the brush. Still, after failing a few times, I''m starting to get a sense of what color and how to paint. I like the surface of the bullet I drew this time. "Hun, let''s eat." Grandpa just came in. I turned my head in delight. Grandpa, how about this? Oh. Grandpa admired the bullet I had barely drawn. I seeded since grandpa nodded his head and acknowledged it. "You can draw like this now, huh." "Because I practiced a lot." Grandpa, who was watching with satisfaction, suddenly burst intoughter. I tilted my head in wonder and he patted my head pitifully. Didn''t the French police use pistols at this time? Yes. Isn''t that too long for a pistol bullet? It should be a little shorter and blunt since its out of the shell. I couldn''t think of it because I was too busy drawing. I can adjust the appearance andyout of the bullets, but I have to redraw the bullet that I''ve drawn so well. I''m angry at myself for being careless because of the joy. "Come on,e on. Let''s eat pizza." But with potato pizza, I can quickly forget about hours of hard work. I sat at the living room table watching TV and eating pizza. Now I can eat two or three pieces of Pizza and can enjoy this wonderful food. Grandpa kept staring at me. "Hurry up and eat, grandpa. It''s getting cold." He looked into my eyes as if there was something he wanted to say. After a while, grandpa asked me with a serious look on his face. "Hun, do you remember anything before the ident?" I remembered the words he said in the morning, about going to the parents'' house. He seems to want to check something, but I can''t think of anything. "No." Grandpa nodded with a small sigh. I''m worried about his unusual appearance. I don''t know what he''s trying to say, but I''ve never seen him hesitate like that when trying to say something. "No, let''s eat," Grandpa shook his head and picked up the pizza. He rmended garlic sauce for no reason and asked me if he should bring kimchi. It''s only been a year since I started living with grandpa, but this is my first time seeing him hesitating like this, so I''m a little flustered. I''m worried about grandpa. When I look back, it was so much fun to learn new things, and I was so moved that I could draw, so I was in a rush to do many things. Maybe Grandpa feels something strange. If so, how should I behave? My mind suddenly getsplicated. When I put down the pizza slice since the feeling of eating potato pizza is gone, grandpa asks anxiously. What happened Hun? Are you already full? No. I''m eating. It''s only been a year if I think about it. Wouldn''t it have been too much for a 10-year-old child who lost his memory to do this or that? A year? Come to think of it, the first time I woke up here was around this timest year. It should be around June 1st, and it''s amazing how it fits so well with the birthday. Chew it many times before you eat. okay? Grandpa should also eat. What should I do if he finds out my secret? What should I answer if asked? Can I say Im your grandson? I want to say I love you more than anyone else in the world, but do I deserve it? My heart felt heavy thinking about it. (To be Continued) To read 10 Chapters ahead ?Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 121 Chapter 121 I tried to ignore the difort and finished the work. Instead of drawing the sides of a long cylindrical bullet, I highlighted Ray and Lupin by drawing the front of the bullet. Isidore and Herlock were ced on the side of a half-visible bullet to express their emotions in their distorted faces and postures. Unlike when painting [Sunflower], [Guest], [Happiness], [Frost Wheat Field], and [Mask], it was not easy to express the smooth texture of the bullet and the reflection on it realistically. Thanks to this, I had to redraw several times even afterpleting the idea and managed to meet the promised date. Before sending the canvas, I took a picture and sent it to Nn, and I got a call right away. I guess he''s been waiting for it. "Yes, Director Nn." You really are a genius. I felt confused by the suddenpliment, but I''m d since it was the words of Nn, not anyone else. He seems to have liked it. "No, it wasnt easy, it gave me a hard time." I''m sure it would have. If someone can make this kind of work right away, I dont think he will be a human being? Nn''s giving me a load of leeway! "I did it this way because Director Nn said it''s okay as long as I draw it. Can you film this?" Of course. Didnt I tell you? I can film anything. I don''t know how he will film a flying bullet, but I can believe it if it''s Nn. I left it to you just in case, but that was the correct choice. I''ll go with your image. Great job. It''s such an important scene that not only I, but also the entire concept art design team and art director Nathan Evans, put forward various proposals, but Nn seems to have chosen my painting. I wonder if there is anything more pleasant than being recognized for your hard work and efforts. "I''ll send the original through Uncle Bang." Okay. Good night. I''ll get in touch again. I finished the call. The happy mood is also filled with emptiness as I look at the quiet studio for a while. To forget the cluttered mind, I started cleaning up the messy studio. From tomorrow, I will have to pay attention to my school work and I will try to do the broadcast little by little. What else should I do? If I have nothing to do, I''m so worried that I can''t stand it. Concerns that had barely been suppressed by working on the concept art of The Strange Castle rose gradually. If Grandpa ever asks me. Can I lie if he asks me if I''m really his grandson? I can''t bear to say that I''m not your grandson and I''m a Dutchman who died a hundred years ago. Will he believe me? Will it be eptable? If. What should I do if he wants me to return his grandson? If he doesn''t ept me, what should I do, I, who already loves him more than anyone else? The world is full of unknown and iprehensible things, but it''s not harder than this question. What should I do? I don''t know at this point. I will just do my best not to leave any regrets. "Professor." "Huh?" Lee Nari, an assistant Professor at the Graduate School of Fine Arts at Korean University, stared at Professor Jang Mirae. It was surprising that she wore a suit that she didn''t usually wear and put on makeup that she didn''t usually put. "Who are you meeting today, Professor?" "Why? Am I pretty today?" Jang Mirae smiled and put her hand on her waist. "No, it''s weird." Assistant Nari frowned. "I''ve been thinking about it since before, but why do you do makeup like that when you''re so good at drawing?" Jang Mirae opened her eyes and mouth wide. For her, who was quite confident in her aesthetic sense, the shock was inevitable. Is it that weird? Yes. I think its like a middle school girl, who imitated her mother''s makeup." Jang Mirae breathed heavily at Lee Nari''s coldment while looking at the mirror hanging at the entrance of the office. Whats wrong with this? Who makes the eyes this dark these days. The underline is also too dark. The eysh curling is severe as if you want to brag about your hard makeup." "I did my best" Lee Nari sighed deeply at Jang Mirae''s words. It''s been 10 years since she has been close to Jang Mirae, a senior from the same college. She felt like she had to say for sure today. "Tell me. Who are you meeting?" "An interview with The Korean Express. Is it really that weird? Lee Nari shook her head. She didnt want to reveal the senior she respects and likes to the media like that. "Lets get rid of it quickly. Let me see your bag." Lee Nari opened Jang Mirae''s bag. When she took out the pouch, Wet & Soft''s highlighter, blusher, eye shadow palette, foundation, and lip color were gathered in a cute way. Everything was from a famous brand thats known for offering high-quality products for their high price. Jang Mirae looked down at Lee Nari, looking down at the cosmetics pouch. What? Is it strange? Did you buy everything at one ce because you werezy? Jang Mirae nodded. Why? Is this not good? No problem with cosmetics. Then? Professor is the problem. Lee Nari handed her cleansing foam to Jang Mirae, who was shocked and hardened and pushed her. Jang Mirae had no choice but to remove her makeup. Lee Nari pushed Jang Mirae on a chair and took out her own cosmetics. After applying toner and lotion to Jang Mirae''s face one after another, she squeezed out the cream. "What''s that?" "Tone-up cream. You have clear features, so you are fine by just applying this." I don''t want to look gentle. Then just put on some lipstick. Can''t I use mine? If you like it that much, why dont you use it for drawing." Lee Nari responded like that because she couldn''t ask Jang Mirae to throw away what she bought. Right. Why didn''t I think about drawing with lipstick? There is also an artist who draws with lipstick and kisses. 1) Lee Nari smiled in vain. It was just fascinating to see her senior who gets excited about anything rted to painting. "Its over." Jang Mirae examined her face with a hand mirror handed over by Inari. I feel empty. No. It''s a lot better now. Isnt it just a difference of taste? No. Why are you so determined today? "Honestly, you looked like a Peking Opera actor with the powder you put on your face."2) Jang Mirae, who continued her useless resistance, eventually burst intoughter. "Ok, I have to go. Thank you." "If you want to thank me, buy me a meal." "Okay. Tomorrow lunch? What should we eat?" "Chogye-guksu (Chilled Chicken Soup)!" "Alright. Jang Mi-rae, who was getting up with her bag, suddenly remembered Ko Sooyeol''s retirement ceremony. "Ah, yes. How''s the retirement ceremony preparations going? Will a lot of studentse?" It''s crazy. I texted everyone, and everyone said they will definitely be there, so I don''t know where to set up the ce." Jang Mirae tapped Lee''s shoulder as ifforting her. I''ll look for it, too. Why are you looking for it? I''m also his student. There''s no such thing as your favorite teacher''s retirement ceremony." Jang Mirae smiled at Lee Nari and left the office. On her way to the meeting ce, she greeted the Korean Daily reporter Lee Inho, who was waiting for her. Hello. Oh! Hello, Lee Inho greeted Jang Mirae with a smile. "Thank you for the other day. Thanks to you, I was able to get an interview with Ko Hun. Im sorry for thanking you veryte." Lee Inho, who started covering the art world under the direction of his boss, made eye contact with Jang Mirae, recalling what happenedst year. When he first saw her, he was surprised to hear that she was a professor at a major Art university, but as he learned little by little about the situation in the art world, he learned how great a painter named Jang Mirae was. Born in 1997, Jang Mirae, who is 31 years old, was one of the most popr young artists in the world, along with Ferdinando Gonzalez and Henry Marceau. "What? Its fine, it''s for my Little Hun anyway. The article was also well written." Jang Mirae touched the sensor and opened the door to her studio.. "Come on in. There are some works that haven''t been released, so please be careful with the pictures." "Yes." Lee Inho, who entered Jang Mirae''s studio, looked around. He felt suffocated by the smell of paint. On one side, an unknown air balloon was randomly scattered, and red paint like blood was sshed all over the studio. A lot of fadeds were scattered on the ceiling andrge paint cans rolled around randomly. At first nce, it looked like a bizarre crime scene, so he couldn''t think of it as a studio of a young artist who looked younger than him in age. "Oh," Lee Inho was distracted by arge canvas hanging across the entrance. It overwhelmed Inho even though it was notpleted because the width was over 3m. "It''s amazing. Cool, right? Cool, Lee Inho nodded. "Sit down. Coffee''s good, right?" "Yes, thank you." Jang Mirae took out the cold brew coffee she bought yesterday from the refrigerator in the studio. She filled the ss with ice, poured coffee, and rmended it to reporter Lee Inho. The climate was getting hot, and Lee Inho, who sweated while walking, was grateful for the drink. "It''s my first timeing to an artist''s studio, and it''s very different from what I thought." It''s very messy, right?ughed Jang Mirae. "No. How should I put it? Elegant? I thought it would be an elegant ce. But when I look around, it looks pretty fierce. Its like a war zone." Reporter Lee Inho answered honestly. Jang Mirae observed Lee Inho while drinking her coffee. It didn''t feel like he was lying. Jang Mirae said with a sneer. You are saying it''s messy in a roundabout way. Oh! No? I didn''t mean it like that. Really, I swear." Lee Inho smiled awkwardly. Jang Mirae, who confirmed what kind of person Lee Inho was in her own way, changed her posture with the intention of answering the interview, and reporter Lee Inho read the atmosphere and started asking questions. You said you were going to hold an exhibitionter this year, what are you nning? I''m going to hold it in Seoul, New York, London, Paris, and Sao Paulo. Then it''ll be a tour? Well, Jang Mirae shrugged yfully. Lee Inho narrowed his eyebrows. "You answered in a vague way, is it a difficult question to answer? Like an exhibition concept." Yes. I''ll just tell you that I''ve been preparing for it a long time." Lee Inho wrote the ce and time and a question mark in his notebook. When he first stepped into the art world, he repeatedly felt confused by the works of modern artists, but after realizing that it was a world wheremon sense was denied, he tried to ept it as it is. If even the most basic exhibition schedule could not be said, he thought that there would be something to do with the intention of Jang Mirae. "It''s been a year since you started teaching at the University. How do you feel? "It''s a mess. It''s hard to teach students and its my first time teaching." "Okay, But isn''t the act of teaching someone really scary? Are you careful about anything? Yes, its really scary. My answer may not be the answer for some students," Lee Inho nodded. "So I try to listen to the students as much as I can. Student presentations are more frequent than my lectures. Almost every day there will be a presentation by a student." "Everyday!" Reporter Lee Inhoughed and continued the question thinking that Jang Mirae was an honest person. "When I was looking around at the bamboo forest at Korean University, I heard that your ss is very popr. Does that kind of pressure affect your lecture?" "I don''t know. Maybe they like it because it''s a ss where you can take a test without studying?" "Hahaha!" Jang Mirae added afterughing once. "That''s how Professor Ko Sooyeol gave us a lecture." "Then, when you heard Professor Ko Sooyeols lecture, did you decide to teach like him?" "At that time, I didn''t know I was going to be a professor, and it was just good. It was the first time I had listened to a lecture for so long. It was a three-hour lecture, and I think he spoke for two hours. We took a break in the middle and kept talking until the next break." Lee Inho asked, putting strength in his hand and holding the pen. What was the topic for two hours? It was Richard Serra. 1) Alexis Fraser, known as Lipstick Lex, has been inspiring positivity through her unique medium. Armed with tubes of lipstick and an assortment of makeup brushes, Sarasota resident Alexis Fraser, more poprly known as Lipstick Lex on social media, has been spreading positivity with her unconventional art since 2012. Fraser said that a former clientmissioned a painting of Marilyn Monroe, and challenged her "to create it in a nontraditional way that still corrted with Marilyn Monroe." That request led the artist to the idea of creating her paintings with lipstick and "kiss prints," an homage to pointillism in which she repeatedly kisses the canvas. To know more / 2) Penking Opera actor (To be Continued) To read 11 Chapters ahead Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Lee Inho fumbled his memory. After covering Ko Hoon, he was able to remember the names of artists quickly thanks to his steady digestion of news about the art world. "Isnt he the one who made [Tilted arc]?" 1) Jang Mirae was surprised when Lee Inho, who did not even recognize herst year, mentioned Richard Serra''s representative work. That''s right, She told the story, recalling the past. "I think it was when I was a sophomore in college. There was a lot of talk about [Shoes Tree] disyed in Seoul Station Square." "Oh, I remember." Lee Inho responded. In 2017, a work called [Shoes Tree] was on disy at Seoul Station Square in Seoul came to his mind.2) "Teacher took the students there for the lecture and watched it together." Lee Inho reacted moderately and induced Jang Mirae to continue the story. "In the next ss, he asked us to talk about Richard Serra''s [Tilted arc]. We wondered why he showed us [Shoes Tree] for this ss and why asking us to talk about some other work." Lee Inho tilted his head. "What''s the connection between the two?" "It''s probably the most controversial work when talking about public art." Lee Inho nodded and responded, "He talked for about two hours in that ss." Jang Mirae, who recalled the incident, burst intoughter. "It wasn''t an easy problem and now I look at it differently,pared to the immature me at that time." "Hmmm" "Richard Serra''s [Tilter arc] was really controversial when it was first installed. It was ufortable because the people couldn''t cross the square and went back." "That''s right," Lee Inho nodded. Anyone would feel ufortable when one day suddenly a 37m wide wall was created on the road they used tomute. "People even cursed looking at the artwork. As if its not enough to buy scrap metal for $170,000 using their taxes, they ced it in a ce that disturbs their daily life. " Lee Inho bit his lip. [Tilter arc] he knew was a 1980s work. At that time, $170,000 was never a small amount. As of 2028, the value of money will be six to seven times. Reporter Lee Inho didn''t understand why they had to spend so much money to install scrap barriers. However, he thought Jang Mirae, an artist would know the meaning, and he only nodded because he thought there was no need to deliberately reveal his insufficient knowledge. "The first student who raised his hand said, the reason why the citizensined is reasonable since it was their money which was taken as taxes were spent on useless things." It was hard to think that it was the remarks of a college student at the art school. "It was a free discussion, so the counterargument followed immediately saying that there sure would be some people who paid the taxes liked the work and don''t they have the right to enjoy the work?" "Well." As the story seemed to be long, Lee Inho put down his pen and listened to Jang Mirae''s words. The recorder was working silently. "Another student stepped up and said that since the jury at the hearing gave judgment in favor of the citizens and [Tilter arc] was removed, hence it was a failure of Richard Serra, who was not chosen by the public." Lee Inho was surprised. "An art student said that." "Yes, since each one had various thoughts." Jang Mirae drank a sip of coffee and continued the story. "Someone said that it wasn''t made for understanding in the first ce, and what prevents an artist from making and installing a work is violence." Lee Inho narrowed his eyes and fell into thought. It wasn''t wrong. He thought it was the artist''s freedom to install artworks when asked to work. "It was disgusting." "What?" "I mean, the words its not made for understanding in the first ce." Jang Mirae shrugged calmly. "I''ll tell you first that I''m not talking about Richard Serra or [Shoes Tree]." She said that ahead since she didnt want the article to be written in a distorted manner. Yes, don''t worry. Did you know that there''s a rule, where in front of arge building that requires a certain amount of construction cost, some cost should be spent on installing works of art? I''ve heard of it. "The same goes for $170,000 in the [Tilted arc]. The Federal Procurement Servicemissioned Richard Serra "Oh." "At that time for me, it sounded like they were thinking of the fence that thew had secured as their home. I thought they were out of their minds." Jang Mirae tilted her head as she saw Lee Inho lost in thought. "Oh, I thought you''d talk about whether the [Tilted arc] is right or the public''s view is right." Jang Mirae nodded as if she understood. " I thought the citizens'' opinions were right at the time, but now I don''t know what the answer is." "Keep talking," Lee Inho picked up his pen. "At that time, I just shot back how an artist doesn''t think about capturing the public and just thinking about eating the set amount of money." Lee Inho rubbed his chin and asked a question. "In fact, modern art, that is, contemporary art is difficult for most people. It''s kind of like their own world." "That''s right." "So I think it''s more fascinating to see a professor who thinks about capturing the public? Whats your view on this?" Jang Mirae answered without hesitation. It''s true that contemporary art has that image and actually functions like that. They think they are doing Pure art, but well, I don''t think the art of this era is that simple. "It''s about livelihood, right?" "Yes, because you have to sell your work to live as a full-time artist, while understanding and empathy are natural, it''s a far cry from what they call Pure art." "So you don''t think you''re a contemporary artist? Maybe, amercial artist." Jang Mirae smiled and shook her head. "As I said earlier, I think that the art of this era is not that simple. The distinction betweenmercial art when selling works and contemporary art when pursuing Pure art is not correct. To put it bluntly, contemporary art is a constant reciprocating phenomenon between novelty, criticality andmercial exhaustion. Lee Inho clenched his chin and organized his thoughts. "You mean, contemporary art doesn''t mean that all works are pure. Commercial art is also contemporary art." "Yes." Jang Mirae emptied her ss. "Coming back. I think it''s important how the creator acts. To illustrate the [Tilted arc] for example, his logic was not wrong. Jang Mirae quoted Richard Serra. The audience recognizes themselves and their movements across the square. The sculpture changes as the audience moves. The contraction and expansion of the sculpture is the result of the audience''s movement. "It was a wonderful attempt. He turned the square into a new space. He tried to give a new impression to the people who use it. By the way, would people want that?" "If they did, it wouldn''t have been demolished." "That''s what I wanted to say. Richard Serra only did his art, but at the same time vited the freedom of those who used the Square." Hmm. There are a lot of people who stands up for him and support him. Especially among the people who work here. They say they dont want the understanding of people. The same goes for the student who said Artists should not create art by lowering it to match peoples understanding." Hmm. They im that their freedom of expression has been suppressed, and they even point to public ignorance. "That''s" "They say that the public is uneducated, they''re not patient, and they''re going to ept this artistic sense one day while adding that the former impressionists were not recognized and were loved only inter generations." Lee Inho''s head becameplicated. Certainly, it was because great geniuses who were a step ahead of their time came to mind. "Theyre saying that while cleverly removing certain parts from the facts. It is said that the Impressionists wereter loved, but in the end, M and M were greatly loved for their artistic qualities in their lifetime." "What''s the difference?" Impressionists were against the establishment, and they treated the masses. Jang Mirae said after a small pause. "People who ask the public to wait and think they are ahead of time arepletely misunderstanding one thing. It''s the public whopletes art." Lee Inho tried not to miss any of Jang Miraes words. "The esoteric way of expression that even docents and curators can''t really exin it unless the author speaks. Can we say that the discourse that takes ce only when the artistes forward is like the Impressionists who fought against the great power? They drew new values from people''s lives against the mainstream by painting traditional folk paintings. Eventually, the public recognized them." Jang Mirae took her breath while pouring out her words. Lee Inho checked the LCD, hoping that the recorder was performing properly. "I don''t know if you know, but there were several irregrities in the current art world." "I have read it in articles." Jang Mirae smiled bitterly. After shooting back at the student who said art was not an act of wanting to understand, Jang Mirae btedly realized that the student was the daughter of the president of the art association. Jang Mirae said that the art world''s leading artists, associations, and critics now form another cartel. They were wary of receiving national budgets by doing their own art, but they were angry when a student at an art university agreed to it. "That''s what I thought at the time." "What?" "What?" "Oh, no. continue." Lee Inho, who was dizzy because he heard so much, managed to get his head together. "I changed my mind a little after listening to Teacher''s story." Jang Mirae smiled and continued the story. "I came to know that the Art world is not filled with only those people, and there were a lot of hard-working artists out there." "Can you name some?" "If I pick from famous people, there''s Ferdinando Gonzalez or Henry Marceau. And, there are many people in our country who are trying tomunicate in their own way. The problem is the associations, critics, and people who were parasitic on them. They''re going to have a monopoly on the cultural promotion budget." "Haha." "I was talking about the [Shoes tree], but as far as I know, the person who installed it worked without pay. She spent her own money for instations." "Oh." "You can criticize that and you can express your difort. But at least I''ve been thinking about it since I found out that the [Tilted arc] and [Shoes Tree] are far from the absurdity I thought they would be. I wondered if there could be a public art that would satisfy everyone." "Is there?" "I don''t know." Jang Mirae pondered. "There may be, but I think it''s a matter of freedom. And right now, I can''t fully answer the concept of freedom. This made me scared to teach students." "Haha." Lee Inhoughed at Jang Mirae''s honest answer. Rather than hastily concluding a problem that no one knows the answer to, it felt more amazing that she thought about it for 10 years. Do you know a book called On Liberty? No. This book was written by a man named John Stuart Mill, and he was very concerned about freedom. He made no conclusions in the book, but he said that at least there are freedoms that must not be infringed upon. Lee Inho showed interest by tilting his upper body. "He said that freedom of thought, freedom of taste, freedom of association should not be vited by anyone." "That''s true." "Yes, the problem is that this is also possible as long as it doesn''t vite someone''s freedom. You can think of it, but as soon as you express it as a work of art, words, or writing, there''s a conflict of interest. Like a [Tilted arc]." . "It''s hard for a reporter to hear, right?" "I don''t think I can write it in an article. It might infringe on someone''s freedom." The twoughed quietly. TRIVIA 1)[Tilted arc] It is arge art piece installed at Manhattan Federal za in New York City between 1981 and 1989. It was about 37 meters wide, 3.7 meters long, and 6.4 centimeters thick. Separating the square raised a new awareness of the familiar space. It cost $175,000 to produce. 2)[Shoes Tree], Hwang Ji-hae, 2017 Exhibited from May 20 to 28, 2017, is an instation and sculpture art with a length of about 100m, a height of about 17m, and a thickness of about 2.5m. (To be Continued) To read 10 Chapters ahead Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 123 Chapter 123 "Jokes apart, will you be okay if I write what you said?" Lee Inho asked as he turned his pen. As Jang Mirae said, associations, critics, and some artists were forming great power. If they influence the media, then, it wouldnt be good for Jang Mirae if what she said got published. Jang Mirae smiled. "I''m fine." The young artist, who was only 31 years old, and looked less than 160 cm. tall said in a firm tone. "You have to fight even if it''s hard." Lee Inho swallowed his saliva and saw Jang Mirae. "There are still many people who can''t eat a meal because of their livelihood. Some of my acquaintances starved to death. Can you believe that there were people who starved to death in 2028? You might think, Wouldn''t it be okay to work part-time?'' But you know what, it''s not easy for someone who''s only been doing art all his life to get a normal job," Lee Inho nodded. "Still, it might be possible to get one or two part-time jobs when you are in your 20s. But once you reach your 30s, it''s not easy to find a part-time job. In the end, you have to work in jobs that involve manualbor, which will naturally break your body, and eventually, you have to give up on being an artist." Lee Inho nodded. "We have to fight because the opportunities like the funds and national concessions that the country has set up for such artists go to people who don''t even need them." Jang Mirae''s voice was not shaken at all. "In the past, I was deprived of the opportunity and I was so angry that I couldn''t do anything about it." Lee Inho raised his eyebrows. " But now Im in a position where I have to take a stand, a stand for my fellow artist friends and the students who I teach." Jang Mirae, who grinned after finishing her speech, looked bigger in the eyes of Lee Inho. "Oh, my God." Bang Tae, who visited Ko Sooyeol''s house to receive concept art, opened his mouth wide. There were two works prepared by Ko Hun, each with the titles [Trap] and [Bullet]. Bang Tae was speechless in front of [Bullet]. The characters'' feelings on the surface of the golden bullet that was rushing forward got conveyed. Ray''s determination, Lupin''s confusion, Isidore''s astonishment, and Herlock''s despair were revealed. It wasn''t the concept art he knew. [Bullet] had an aura of an artist''s soul. What was even more surprising was, Ko Hun''s style of painting had changed once again. Last year''s [Sunflower] created a unique atmosphere that incorporated the traditional Korean painting style, while [Frost Wheat Field] had a rich post-impressionism feel. [Mask] looked new by adding action, but the basis of Ko-Huns work of oil painting that emphasized texture and color remained. But now, it feels simr to Ko Sooyeols work. It was a method of giving a new meaning by adding distortion to the realistic expression. Bang Tae wondered how Ko Hun came up with this idea. From [Frost Wheat Field] to [Mask] to [Bullet] Ko Hun surprised him with every work. Bang Tae was sure. ording to a contract with Nn Productions, the art world will be turned upside down once again when the concept art exhibition of The Strange Castle will be held in line with the film screening. "You did it again," Bang Tae congratted with joy. "You must have had a hard time this time, too. This is truly great. You didn''t stay up all night, did you?" "No." Bang Tae turned his head curiously. Even after drawing such a work, the figure of Ko Hun, felt emotionally down, with his shoulders drooping. "What''s wrong Hun? Do you have any worries?" Ko Hun shook his head. "Please. Please send it, Uncle Bang. "Oh, yeah. Don''t worry," Ko Hun sat down in front of the canvas with a small sigh. The canvas was filled with sunflowers that Ko Hun liked to draw. Bang Tae, who was worried about the boy, sat down. Hun. Yes, replied Ko Hun while holding a brush. "There are times when you think about a problem alone, you might not be able to find a solution, but the same problem can be solved unexpectedly if you speak to someone." "That doesn''t mean you shouldn''t worry about it. I just wanted to tell you that I''d like to help you anytime. "Thank you, Uncle." "Yeah, you can tell your Grandpa if it''s not me. He loves you the most." Ko Hun closed his eyes. Bang Tae didnt know what Ko Hun was worried about, but he knew well that the child was more thoughtful than anyone else. Bang Tae decided to leave as he thought Ko Hun needed some space. "Uncle," Ko Hun called him when he just woke up. "Yes, Hun." replied Bang Tae dly. The calling voice seemed to be trying to confide in his worries. If Ko Hun believed in him, Bang Tae was ready to roll up his sleeves and go to any extent to solve Huns problem. Is it a concern about work? Or is it rted to his career path? Or is it because of school grades or friendship? Bang Tae guessed about the worries that the boy might have and waited for Ko Hun to open his mouth. Uncle, what should I do to buynd? huh? It wasn''t all the trouble Bang Tae expected. Bang Tae was briefly confused by the unexpected question. "Land?" "Yes. I hope it''s a ce not far from grandpa''s house and it would be nice if it had mountains or fields, and it''s better to be near a city or a river." Bang Tae sat down. "I wish there was a small field, too. I can grow sunflowers." Ko Hun sighed long. Bang Tae, who didn''t expect an 11-year-old boy to worry about buyingnd, could notice that Hun was not joking. "If you look it up, you can find it. Buying can''t be a problem." Ko Hun''s personal assets would be difficult, but it couldn''t be a problem if a corporation with more than 10 billion won in cash purchasing it. But Bang Tae couldnt understand the sudden necessity to buynd. "You can grow sunflowers in your grandpa''s garden if you want," Ko Hun began spreading paint on the palette with a knife. "Because I won''t be able to live at grandpa''s house forever." Bang Tae narrowed his eyebrows. At first, Bang Tae thought that Ko Hun saying "my house" and "grandpa''s house" was the influence of growing up in a foreign country. But hearing what Hun said, he could see that the situation was more serious than he thought. It felt like Ko Hun didn''t seem to think of Ko Sooyeol as a familypletely yet. "What do you mean? Why can''t you live together?" Ko Hun couldn''t answer Bang''s question honestly. "If I get older, I have to be independent. Everyone says that." That''s true. For some reason, Bang Tae couldnt open his mouth, thinking about whether Ko Hun is being mature or immature. Okay, Ill look into it. Yes, thank you, Uncle Bang. I saw off Uncle Bang. After grandpa noticed something strange, I didn''te out of the studio under the pretext of painting. I forced myself to work because I thought he''d ask me something if we were together. It''s time for him toe home soon. When I was trying to get back to the studio quickly, I saw the trash lying on the living room table. Grandpa is either too busy to even think about cleaning up, or he doesn''t even care about it. I checked the clock, there is still about half an hour left for grandpa toe from work. I brought a trash can and organized the living room table. I thought it would be the same in other ces, so I went to the kitchen and there were a lot of dishes to wash. I got on a chair, roughly rinsed off the food from the bowl with water, and poured the hot water into the sink. I squeezed out the detergent into it and then entered grandpa''s study while letting the hardened food in the dishes loosen in the immersed water. As expected, it''s a mess. I think hes still eating because we''re eating together, and this makes me frustrated. There was nothing to throw away in particr, and I started to pick up a mess of books and documents with the intention of organizing them. A phrase caught my eye as I tried to close arge notebook. Hun likes SpongeBob. I''ve never seen this handwriting before. He loves it so much that when hes crying if I y a video of SpongeBob, he looks at the monitor without even blinking. This is. I looked back and forth in a hurry. It''s probably a diary written by Ko Hae, grandpas daughter, and Ko Huns mother It was written while raising Ko Hun, and it seems that he liked the yellow sponge that lives under the sea. "" By any chance, did grandpa show me SpongeBob when I woke up in the hospital room because of this? I think he bought me a bag, pencil case, umbre, raincoat, and T-shirt with SpongeBob on it for this reason. Grandpa deserves to be suspicious. I passed a few more pages. Maybe because of school, Hun doesn''t eat pizza or chicken. I feel sorry for him even though I wonder if it''s good because he said kimchi and vegetables are better. Post-it is attached to the record of Ko Huns mother, Ko Hae. This is what grandpa added. If I had seen this earlier, I wouldn''t have fed him pizza. It breaks my heart to think that he has been enjoying what he doesn''t like because I bought it for him. The ink is as clear as it was recently written. Come to think of it, grandpa has never ordered potato pizza that much since our return. I thought he missed Korean food because we''ve been abroad for a long time. I think he read this record after returning home. " " Little Hun, I''m back. I was surprised by grandpa''s voice and put down the notebook. I was in a hurry to leave the room, but grandpa was standing in front of me. "Huh?" I looked up at grandpa''s surprised face and couldn''t say anything. I just wanted to run away. Thinking that this person is suspecting me that Im not his grandson, made me feel angry at myself for deceiving this person for my own greed. Above all, it breaks my heart when I think that the happy time I spent with grandpa for the past year can''t continue. I was afraid that the happiest year of my life would be regarded as something that I gained by deceiving grandpa. I was so afraid that I couldn''t lift my face. "Hun, what''s wrong with you? Why are you crying?" Grandpa''s tough hands gently wrapped around my cheeks. "No," I replied while twisting my body to avoid his touch. "What''s wrong, Hun?" When I tried to run away to the studio. Grandpa held my hands and wouldn''t let go. (To be Continued) To read 11 Chapters ahead Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Hun looked strange when I went into my study. Even if I hold onto him and ask him what''s going on, he doesn''t say anything. "Hun, what''s wrong? Huh?" I hugged him, but he tried to push me away with his little hands. He was very anxious and I don''t know what happened, but it felt heartbreaking because Hun was shaking in my arms. I patted his back and looked around. The room, which was messy because there were many things to think about, is quite organized. That. Hae''s diary was on the floor. I think he found it while he was organizing the room. Hun looked at his mom''s diary because I neglected to clean the house. Did it remind him of the shock at the time of the ident? Did the memorye back a little? Is that why he''s having such a hard time? The guy who was trying to push me away until a while ago hugged me tightly. "It''s okay. It''s okay." First of all, I have to reassure him. " I''m sorry, grandpa" Hun kept repeating the word sorry. I wish he could cry out all the sorrow stacked in his heart. If I can, I will be happy to drown in those tears. "What are you sorry about? There''s nothing for you to be sorry about." I held Hun, who started to wail. We stayed like that for a while How long has it been? I made Hun sit on myp and hugged him from behind. He is now embarrassed that he cried so much. Let go of me now, grandpa. No, I won''t cry. I wont run away. No. He sits still and tries to turn around. When I loosen my hands, he looks at me and then bows his head. After a while, he once again raised his head. His eyes were trembling with anxiety and fear. I don''t know what''s wrong with the child who usually does everything so smart. "Hun," I said, holding his hand. "You don''t have to say it if you don''t want to," Hun shakes his head. "If you have something to say, you don''t have to worry. Grandpa will always be on your side." He bows his head. Covering his face, he suddenly rushed in. He tightly hugged me with his shaking body, as if he was going somewhere soon. I felt confused with his behavior of some kind of farewell. "I love you, grandpa" Hun''s voice that had reached my ear faded away. He sat apart and spoke with a still anxious expression on his face. "I''m notKo Hun." I don''t know what hes talking about. "Hun?" Tears kept dropping down from his eyes. "I''m not who you think I am, Grandpa." Hun, who started saying something mysterious, swallows his saliva as if his throat was hoarse. "IIm. not your grandson." I couldn''t think of anything for a moment. I just watched the little guy with eyes full of tears. "What are you talking about? How can you say that!" I tried not to get angry in front of Hun as much as possible, but I don''t care about such a resolution. "Who said that? Huh? What kind of guy says that? Did any reporter say that?" He just bowed and shook his heads. My heart feels tight. Tell me, what happened? I feel like Ill die looking at you like this!!" I''m afraid I''ll die looking at the little guy crying like that. I spat out what I shouldn''t have said in front of Hun, who is afraid of being left alone in the world. I know it in my head, but what Hun said was so shocking that my brain doesnt seem to have control of my words. "You know," Hun opened his mouth with his fist tightly clenched. I can''t understand what hes trying to say. What do I know? Huh? I don''t like SpongeBob, I like potato pizza, I''m good at drawing. .huh? Did he eat something wrong? I couldn''t understand what he was talking about, but suddenly I remembered Hae''s diary, and I think he saw the diary entry that said he likes SpongeBob and doesn''t eat potato pizza. I''m sure he must have seen drawings from his childhood. I think he is doing this because he feels hes so different from himself before the ident. Little Hun, Wiping away his tears, Iforted him. "Do you remember when we came back from the trip to Europe?" NOD "Didnt I say whether you have the memory or not it doesnt change the fact youre my grandson?" "That''s not it." "Hun." I don''t know what this child is worried about. I don''t even know why such a thought came to him. But it''s something that I need to listen to gradually. The first thing to do is to ease Hun, who trembles with anxiety and fear. "How can you be the same when you don''t remember? What you like and dislike can change as much as you grow. Grandpa also used to like greasy food when I was young." Hun shakes his head vigorously. "Such things dont change the fact that youre my grandson and Im your grandfather" He tried to talk, but swallowed the words again and again. I think he had something to say, so I waited, and he barely opened my mouth. I''m not Hun. Who are you then? I''m prepared. Grandpa hugged me tightly without letting me go, and his arms were so warm that I couldn''t fool him anymore. So I made up my mind, but when he asked who I am, I couldn''t say anything. It''s not easy to abandon the greatest happiness in my life, even if I got it by chance. I can''t lie to grandpa. "Vincent Im Vincent van Gogh." I couldn''t bear to see grandpa, so I lowered my head. He can''t believe it. Even I can''t understand this miraculous situation, I think he might think I''m crazy. After being so silent for a while, grandpa covered his cheek. I''ve been imagining for the past few days how grandpa woulde out when I said who I am. I don''t think he''ll take me to a mental hospital like in my previous life. They''ll hit me andugh. I''m sure they''ll treat me like crap. I thought he might get angry, but grandpa looked as usual. "Hun." "." "Grandpa doesn''t understand what you''re talking about." Of course. Who would have imagined that a man who died a hundred years ago was in the body of a dead grandson? Grandpa could have lived happily with his beloved grandson if I hadn''te into this body. I should have kept it a secret. Im just hurting grandpa because of my desire to not live with the guilt. "But I''m trying to understand what Hun is saying." "Yes." Grandfather exhaled long. "Grandpa knows that Hun is different from before he lost his memory. Youre different from you in your mom''s diary." At a nce, it sounded like he was thinking of me and Ko Hun separately. But from grandpas point of view, he can''t think of Ko Hun and me separately. He thinks Im different because I''ve lost my memory "It doesnt matter. It doesnt matter even if it''s someone else, as you said." I raised my head to grandpa''s words. "Wasn''t it you who woke up in the hospital, ate with grandpa, slept, drew, traveled, and read books together?" That''s me. It''s definitely me. When I nodded, grandpa once again took a deep breath. He is trying to understand this ridiculous situation. "You lived with this grandpa, right?" That''s true, but I don''t know where to start exining. "You''ve to talk. We cant find a solution if you don''t say anything." Grandpa is right. I forgot for a while because I was afraid of losing grandpa, but there is no way to understand each other withoutmunicating. I gave advice to Sihyeon like a bigshot, but in reality, I''m actually worse than him. But there''s no way to prove I''m Vincent. Can he believe it even if I tell the story rationally? Something that even I couldn''t ept? A normal person was possessed by a ghost. "I lived with grandpa ever since I woke up in the hospital. I was so happy. If I could live like now, I would do anything. But, I''m not grandpa''s grandson." That''s all I can exin to him in amon-sense line. I''ll get angry if you keep repeating that nonsense! I was startled by grandpa''s anger. Grandpa shook his arm before I could speak. "Hun, who am I?" Grandpa''s face is so desperate and he''s so sad that he can''t keep his mouth shut. Who am I to you? Grandpa. Yes! Im your grandpa. Were a family. Whats real or fake about a family? Yeah, let''s say you''re not Hun. Does that change the time you and I spent together?" No. "Its not the blood that makes people a family, its the time spent together that makes a family. I really don''t know why Hun thinks like this." Grandpa is breathing heavily and I''m worried that he might faint. "Didnt I tell you not to cling to the past you cant remember? Lets build fun and happy things. Thats what family is. I couldnt build it with my daughter, that''s why we drifted apart." I didn''t know about the Ko Hun before, but I do know the Ko Hun who spends every day with me what he likes and what he doesn''t. Thats my grandson. I like that grandson who sometimes does crazy things. I like that grandson who worries when Im not eating. I''m so proud of that grandson and I LOVE THAT GRANDSONI love you more today and I will love you even more tomorrow." Grandpa. Yes! He''s really trying to understand me. He does not ignore or deny my words or my ridiculous stories. He speaks on the assumption that were not rted by blood. "I''m your Grandfather. So now tell me, who are you?" "I." Im. Grandpass GRANDSON. (To be Continued) To read 10 Chapters ahead Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Grandpa exhaled in relief. After doing that for a long time, he shook his head. He must have thought something was strange reading his daughter Ko Hae''s diary, but I don''t think his feelings for me have changed. "Grandpa," I said anxiously, raising his exhausted face. He seemed to have taken a shock when I said Im not his grandson. "Little Hun, If you say those words again, you''ll be in big trouble, okay?" "Yes." As grandpa said, even if there''s no blood, I look up to him more than my own grandfather and feel closer to him than my own father. All the misunderstandings have not been resolved yet, but that mindset will not change. Grandpa got up with a groan. "Let''s eat." Grandpa headed to the sink and took out his smartphone after looking at the dishes I had soaked in detergent. "I should order. Do you want to eat potato pizza?" It''s just a question of whether I''ll eat my usual pizza. However, it is something he would never say to Ko Hun'', who hates potato pizza, so I keep giving it a meaning. "Yes," Grandpa ordered pizza and stretched on the couch in the living room with a groan. Then suddenly grandpa stands up and stares at me. He put his hand on my forehead to check if I had a fever. Where do you think you''re sick? Huh. I said I was a painter who died 100 years ago, so it''s no wonder he thinks Im sick. "Let''s talk now. What made you think that? What do you mean Van Gogh? What are you talking about? What the hell." I don''t know how to exin it. I wonder if I need to let grandpa know who I am. "Is it because of the news articles?" Grandpa referred to the media and critics who described me as [Vincent van Gogh''s descendant] or [Little Van Gogh]. It wasn''t just them, but also those around me who thought like that. I drew [Mask] to remove such an image, so he seems to think it is because of that mental burden. No. Then? I''m not sure if I should tell him the whole story, or should I cover it up here and there. Or is it better to move on with Grandpa''s suspicions? I don''t know what is the right answer. However, grandpa gave me confidence that I would not lose him even if I was honest. "I remember. How Van Gogh lived." Grandpa narrowed his eyes. "I told everyone how he died in Auvers-sur-Oise?" I brought up the story of Auvers-sur-Oise, where we wentst winter. I think it could be exined to some extent if grandpa recalls how I told grandpa Martin and the Van Gogh Institute staff about the location of the thicket they were looking for. Grandpa was in agony. There are probably quite a few instances that grandpa can think of. I can''t speak Korean properly, but I''m good at Dutch, and I''m good at drawing all of a sudden. "It''s interesting, but something doesnt add up." Grandpa said something unexpected. "From grandpa''s perspective, I think Hun has good observation skills. It''s like a habit." Maybe he means by me looking around wherever I go. Do you remember going to the psychiatrist when you were in the hospital? Yes. You drew the exact room. Simrly, you found the ce by looking at the tree bushes and postcards." I didn''t know the ce that was covered by the building until I saw the postcard, so grandpas argument does make sense. I speak othernguages well. Hae said in her diary that you have been learning French for three years. It''s fast, but it''s not impossible. Ive also heard of a 4-year-old kid speaking 7nguages. And I dont think the words that Vincent van Gogh used would still be used even today." "" Come to think of it, I also had doubts about it. I haven''t had much trouble talking to grandpa or others since I woke up. Obviously, thenguage is different from 138 years ago, and even though it is difficult to understand, I naturally use thenguage now. "I don''t know about that." "Even if your painting has a Van Gogh feel, it''s not exactly the same." "It''s because I''m learning from other paintings." Grandpa nodded this time. Then what will you say about the mind? What? Van Gogh had a mental illness. Hun doesn''t seem to have one." "Didn''t I feel better because I was healthy?" "Is the body and the mind the same?" Grandpa shook his head. "People who have suffered from mental illness all their lives can''t just return to normal just because they became healthy. Don''t you think so?" I can''t answer. Listening to grandpa, I also started having doubts. It was really hard right before I died and I felt like I was broken since I even had auditory hallucinations. Is it possible to have no hallucinations, anxiety, and uncontroble emotional changes just because I woke up in a different body? Even if I''m cured, is it something that can be cured in an instant? There is no way for me and grandpa to know without professional knowledge. I cannot refute the question raised by grandpa. It''s so hard to prove that I''m me. "Do you really think you''re Vincent van Gogh? Does it matter? What''s important is that Im your grandpa and youre my grandson. Really? Really. Nothing matters other than that." The next day, Ko Sooyeol visited Kim Heewon, a psychiatrist who treated Ko Hun. He visited alone out of the fear of bad rumors spreading about his grandson, who has already be a celebrity. Kim Heewon greeted happily when he saw Ko Sooyeol. "Professor," Ko Sooyeol greeted politely and sat face to face with Kim Heewon. "Do you have something to consult with?" "Yes." Ko Sooyeol breathed out a long breath and opened his mouth. "It''s about Hun." "Yes,." Kim Heewon was in charge of Ko Hun for two months and formed a personal rtionship, and as a doctor, he had to protect the patient''s identity. "I think Hun is very confused." Ko Sooyeol carefully unraveled the story. The facts about his grandson Ko Hun being different from him in the past and also told details of the conversations he had with Ko Hun yesterday. Kim Heewon listened while asking questions to Ko Sooyeol sometimes. "First of all, you should know that Hun has no choice but to think like that. Hes shocked because hes so different from himself in his mother''s diary." Ko Sooyeol nodded. "It''s rare to lose your memorypletely like Hun. Also, the socialization process is notmon." Ko Sooyeol narrowed the eyebrows and tilted the upper body. "As you know, Hun has an adult level of intelligence and reasoning skills. Such a child was suddenly ced in a state of exclusion of knowledge. It''s bound to be confusing. He''ll try to understand why hes like this, and he''ll try to understand what''s happening all of a sudden." Kim Heewon turned the pen around. "Did he hear anything saying Hun is Van Gogh?" There were a lot of articles like that. People around him also said simr things, "Has Hun read a lot about Van Gogh?" "Yes. It''s not only Van Gogh, but he also looks for other artists'' stories and watches them." Kim Heewon, who was lost in thought, tapped on the desk with his pen. Through his rational and reasonable mindset and long experience as a psychiatrist, he guessed Ko Hun''s condition. "There are times when you collect information from people around you, make a usible story, and believe it." "Is that really possible?" Ko Sooyeol asked as if confirming. "It sounds absurd, but you should consider Hun''s special situation. He has a high level of intelligence, but suddenly he''s in a situation where he doesn''t even remember who he is. What he can do is guess from the information around him, and as it repeats, he will believe it without even realizing it..But I don''t think you need to worry about it too much." "How can I not worry?" Kim Heewon smiled leisurely and reassured Ko Sooyeol. "I think you handled it well. You didn''t deny what he thought and continued the conversation, right? Hun doesn''t deny the professor either." Yes. Hun has only one to prove himself. Yesterday''s conversation might have made him realize that hell be his grandfather''s grandson no matter who he is. So he''ll get better." Ko Sooyeol was relieved but couldn''tpletely ease his worries. "If you''re worried, let''s take a test. I don''t think there''s much of a problem because Hun can talk to the professor normally." "What kind of test Arent you worried that he might have a mental illness? A delusional disorder or something. I don''t know, Ko Sooyeol sighed. "I don''t think Hun is mentally weird. However, I thought it might be a problem with the environment or something." Ko Sooyeol found the cause of the problem in himself. Kim Heewon smiled at him. He watched the two of them treat each otherst year, so he didn''t think there would be a big problem. I don''t think so. Thank you. Ko Sooyeol asked, sighing. Is delusion a disease? Yes, it''s categorized as a disease. There''s nothing wrong with anything else, right? There will be no problems in daily life. Most of them are convinced that their thoughts are right, so if they dont realize it and it gets worse, problems can arise.." Kim Heewon reassured Ko Sooyeol, who was anxious, once again. "Don''t worry too much. We need to do the test, but I don''t think there''s a big problem with Hun. Think of it as a test that proves that it''s a problem that will be solved naturally over time." Ko Sooyeol closed his eyes. He didnt know how to ask his grandson to meet with the psychiatrist. Many parents felt the same way, so Kim Heewonforted Ko Sooyeol. "It''s best to choose the right words and be honest. Sometimes they feel betrayed when they are lied to. Ko Sooyeol nodded. When will it be convenient for you? Please visit at your convenience. Don''t worry too much." TRIVIA On November 3, 2020, a team of researchers at the University of Groningen Medical Center in the Nethends imed Vincent van Gogh''s suicide was an act of acute organic brain syndrome. A research team at the University of Groningen in the Nethends found Van Gogh suffered from acute organic brain syndrome twice. They refuted the existing theory that he suffered from borderline personality disorder and schizophrenia. It is a syndrome in which brain dysfunction urs due to malnutrition, excessive drinking,ck of sleep, and mental exhaustion. (To be Continued) To read 11 Chapters ahead Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Grandpa is weird. He repeats the action of opening and closing his mouth without eating. I''m waiting because I think he has something to say, but it''s already been a minute. I asked in frustration. "What''s wrong with you, grandpa?" "No." "I don''t hide anything from grandpa, so grandpa shouldnt hide anything from me." Grandpa asks carefully. "Do you remember the hospital you were in before?" "Yes." "Do you remember the Doctor with whom you had counseling?" It''s only been less than a year, so there''s no way I can forget I nodded and finally, grandpa got to the point. "I think Hun is under a lot of stress because of grandpa." He seems to be worried about what happened yesterday. "Do you want to have a check-upnot because I think Hun might be sick or be affected badly?" "Okay." He must have been troubled with something that wasn''t a big deal. I answered quickly and ate the radish kimchi. Unlike red kimchi, radish kimchi is neither spicy nor too salty. I think it''s the best kimchi because my mouth and stomach feel refreshed. When I looked up, grandpa looked surprised. Will youreally? Yeah. What''s wrong with being examined? Grandpa thought for a moment and nodded. I put beef Jangjorim (Soy Braised Beef) on my spoon. I can easily eat two bowls of beef jangjorim and radish kimchi. Beef with a moderate amount of soy sauce is slightly tough, but the radish kimchi adds a crisp, cool texture, and when eaten with warm white rice, it is heaven. I also put beef jangjorim on grandpas te. I''m trying to think from his point of view as much as possible. I think it''s hard for him to believe me. In fact, it doesn''t make sense even if I think about it, so it''s not unreasonable to ask me to go to the hospital. As I confirmed my bond with grandpa, I will not try to run away in the future. The question is how to deal with this situation, which is already too far to be dismissed as a joke. I''m sure it''ll work out. Even if everyone in the whole world told me Im crazy, there is no problem if I can draw and be with grandpa. The next day, as soon as I finished school, I went to the WH hospital with grandpa. It''s nice to see the ce again because it''s the ce I first opened my eyes and where I stayed for two months. "Hun, you don''t have to go if you don''t want to." Grandpa hesitates even aftering to the hospital parking lot. "It''s all right, grandpa. We''re just checking to see if Im sick, right. "That''s true." Thanks to the strong belief that I''m not crazy like I used to be in my previous life, I was not confused like grandpa. Theo was like that in the past, he told me not to go to a mental hospital, so I went in on my own, but he often sent me letters to see if there were any inconveniences or bad people. That''s how much Theodore and Grandpa love me. In the past few days, Kim Heewon has identified Ko Hun''s psychological state. Through in-depth conversations, it was confirmed that Ko Hun spoke neat and luxurious conversations, spoke variousnguages, and had no anxiety behavior. Ko Hun responded very positively to words such as potato pizza, jjajangmyeon, beef, crickets, butterflies, sunflowers, sky, and to topics such as contemporary art, SpongeBob, and Henry Marceau. In addition, words such as octopus and fencing showed extreme rejection. Kim Heewon smiled looking at Ko Sooyeol and Ko Hun, who was somewhat nervous. "There''s nothing much to worry about." Ko Sooyeol breathed a long sigh of relief. "Hun, are you happy now?" "Yes," Kim Heewon nodded and showed the test results. Ko Sooyeol tilted his head. Are you not satisfied with everything? There is never a perfect score. Usually, it''s very dangerous, and in the case of Hun, he knows how to deal with stress. Moderate stress is helpful for functional improvement and motivation.Don''t worry too much." "Look. Hun is worried about the professor." "Yes." "Everything is normal in other tests." Kim Heewon looked at the monitor and saw Hun. "It''s clear what he likes and dislikes, and there''s a lot of mixed thoughts. This also means that hes emotionally stable. Usually, when you have a mental illness, you be mentally dull or sensitive." Ko Sooyeol nodded. "He speaks logically and hes faithful to his desires. What Hun wants the most now is his grandfather." Ko Sooyeol stroked Ko Hun''s head. Do you need anything else, Hun? Delicious food. Kim Heewonughed at Ko Hun''s answer. "Right, hes very interested in food. Still, eating too much is not good for your health, so you should eat in moderation, okay? "Yes." "Next is about Vincent van Gogh, but when I heard Hun''s story, he seemed a little unsure right now." Ko Hun nodded at Kim Heewon''s words. "Now Hun is clearly aware that his situation can not be exined rationally. It won''t be a big problem." "Then why" Ko Sooyeol wanted to know why his grandson thought he was Vincent van Gogh. Kim Heewon, who noticed his mind, gave an example. "The concept of Who am I is formed through learning." Ko Sooyeol and Ko Hun tilted their heads in the same direction at the same time. Kim Heewon smiled quietly because their expressions looked so simr. "I have a 3-year-old kid named Chulsoo. When I ask Chulsoo, does she like blue or red color? Do you know how she answers?" The two shook their heads at the same time since they couldn''t tell if Chulsoo liked blue or red. "Sometimes she chooses blue and other times she chooses red" Ko Sooyeol and Ko Hun frowned and opened their mouths slightly. "Chulsoo has no concept of Who she is What she likes or Why she likes it yet. So Chulsoo instead of choosing what she likes, always chooses what the people near her tell her to." Ko Sooyeol, who had been thinking about it, nodded slowly, and Ko Hun blinked. "People say that humans are social animals, right? Considering Hun''s special situation, it can be influenced because people around him talk a lot about Van Gogh. The results suggest that Hun do not recognizes himself as his grandfather''s grandson because of the people around him, which means that his rtionship with his grandfather is more important and precious than anything else. I think it''s a problem that will be solved naturally if Hun''s socialization progresses a little more over time. In fact, even now, Hun is not seriously iming to be Vincent van Gogh." Ko Sooyeol asked the remaining question. "Do you think other people''s words have a bad effect on Hun?" "I can''t say no. He seems to take that kind of stress well, but just in case "Then, what should we do about it?" "There''s a way to get used to it by repeated exposure to the same situation, but it can also have an opposite effect. There are also stresses that you can''t get used to." Ko Sooyeol nodded. "The other way is to move away from the source of stress. You can''t change Hun, so instead, you can try changing the environment," Kim Heewon said, looking at Ko Hun, who is worried about his grandfather. "Hun knows who he is now. If it were another child, they wouldn''t have let themself get counseled like this." "Hmm." "Hun doesn''t deny that he''s Ko Hun and he is grandfather''s grandson. Hun will naturally solve your worries as he grows up. Kim Heewon judged Ko Hun''s condition as a temporary phenomenon of a sensitive child. "Don''t worry too much," Ko Hun patted Ko Sooyeol on the back. Contrary to the worries of Ko Sooyeol, Ko Hun was very happy and did not pay much attention to external stress. On the contrary, he was worried about his grandfather. Look grandpa, even the Doctor said I''m not crazy. Stop it. Don''t say that. Who said youre crazy?" "If you think you''re a dead artist, you''re crazy." "If you say the word Crazy one more time, you''ll be grounded and there will be no snacks for one week!" Ko Sooyeol and Ko Hun began to argue. Kim Heewon recalled the past few days and decided that Ko Hun''s confusion would soon calm down if he had such a healthy family environment. "Actually, Hun''s condition is so good that I don''t think you need to worry about it. If you are still worried, you may go to a quiet ce for a while during vacation." "Hmm. Okay." Ko Sooyeol and Ko Hun thanked Kim Heewon and left the hospital. After a while, Ko Hun''s cell phone rang on their way home. It was a phone call from Bang Tae. "Yes, Uncle." Yeah. Hun, its about thend we talked aboutst time. I''ming home because I need to tell the professor about thend. "Were on our way home now. Grandpa, how long does it take?" About 20 minutes? Is it Bang?" "Yes. Uncle, it''ll take about 20 minutes." Okay. I''ll see youter. "Okay," Ko Hun finished the call. "What''s going on? Is it rted to the broadcast?" "I said I wanted to buynd, so he''sing to talk to grandpa about it." Ko Sooyeol blinked. "Land?" "Yes." "Whatnd?" Ko Hun opened his mouth and paused for a moment. He couldn''t say that he was looking fornd to live alone when he was kicked out by his grandfather. The thought of not wanting to hide anything from his grandpa came to an end too quickly. "Why aren''t you talking?" Ko Hun desperately rolled his head at Ko Sooyeol''s urging. "Grandpa''s retirement present." "Huh?" "If you retire, we can go to a ce with good air and paint with me and live quietly." Ko Sooyeol narrowed his forehead and tilted his head. Although he heard from his friends that they received a handwritten letter, a massage coupon, or a flower made of paper folding from their grandchildren, but, he had never heard of anyone saying they receivednd as a gift. "Why did you buy it? Where''s the money?" "I have a lot of money." "That''s true, but no, which grandson buysnd because his grandfather is retiring?" Ko Hun had to convince Ko Sooyeol because he couldn''t say he was nning to live alone. "The Doctor also said the same thing. Didnt he? It''s good to spend time in a quiet ce." Ko Sooyeol blinked. The Doctor said it was okay, but he thought that his grandson, who came to his senses from thea, has experienced a lot in the past year. As Kim Heewon said, over the past year, Ko Hun has been exposed to so much information and has been confused for a while. Since vacation wasing up soon, Ko Sooyeol thought it would be okay to stay quiet. Let''s do that for now. Grandpa will look at thend." It wont be a present if grandpa buys it. "Hahahahaha." Ko Sooyeolughed in bewilderment. (To be Continued) To read 10 Chapters ahead Paid Chapters Like this:LikeLoading... Chapter 127 Chapter 127 The ce Uncle Bang took was a quiet vige called Joan-myeon, in Gyeonggi-do province, and it took about an hour from home. I like it because the bushes are thick, there are fields, and the Bukhangang River flows nearby. It is also fun to find insects that are difficult to see in the city. There are many insects and other species in Korea that I havent seen when I lived in the Nethends or France, so I don''t know the exact name. "Grandpa." "Huh?" I think its a scarab beetle. It''s pretty, isn''t it?" When I showed Uncle Bang and grandpa, who were talking about various things, the insect that looked like a beetle that I had just caught, they were shocked. I hesitated to bring it to Uncle Bang because I thought he didn''t like insects. Hun, throw it away quickly. That''s too much, grandpa. How can I abandon such a cute kid?" "It''s dirty. It hurts when you get bitten?" "Its cute, grandpa. How can this cute little thing hurt someone, grandpa? Look" Grandpa is scared even if I put it on my palm and show it in detail. "Oh, let it go quickly and wash your hands." Grandpa even took out wet wipes, so there''s nothing I can do. It''s hard to find such a pretty green gloss, but unfortunately, I let it go. Uncle Bang showed us thend while I was cleaning my hands with the wet wipes that grandpa gave me. "It looks good to use as a vi. It''s not too far from the professor''s house and it''s quiet. "It seems so. How much sq ft is this?" "Thend is 22000 sq ft. If you only care about the total floor area of the building, it won''t be ssified as a luxury house." "Is it a big deal to pay a lot of taxes? It''s important to livefortably. "I want to raise sunflowers, grandpa. "Sunflower?" I gave it to grandpa as a gift, but I can''t give up the sunflower field. "Yes, it''s going to be hard this year because it''s past the time." "If you hurry, it won''t be toote." It is exined on the Inte that sunflowers need to be sown around May to grow properly, but it is already mid-June. I''m not an expert, but I know that it''s hard to grow crops if you miss the right time. On the Inte, it was written that we should sow seeds in May. Its the old days. It''s getting really hot these days, so it will be fine if you sow it within this month." I stared up at Uncle Bang. How do you know so well, Uncle? If you live with someone who writes this and that, it will naturally make you more knowledgeable. Who writes this and that? My wife writes novels. Really? When I hear of novelists, I think of really great people. I greatly enjoyed the works of Honor de Balzac, Gustave ubert, Emile Z, Guy de Maupassant, and Charles Dickens, who were famous in France at that time. Since Uncle Bang''s wife is a novelist, I really want to read what she talks about in her novels. "What kind of book did she write, Uncle? I want to read it." "Well, I think it''s a little early for Hun to read it." It was the first time Uncle Bang treated me like a child. Although this era is still unfamiliar, Im not ignorant enough to not understand literary works. Literature, art, and music are the best way to understand the times and cultures. I will look it up in the dictionary and read it, Uncle. So tell me. That''s not it. How can I exin this.? Yeah, it''s a love story. It''s a littleplicated." I can understand how people exchange their hearts these days, and what kind of conflict can arise between two people. "What''s wrong with that?" Uncle said that there is a system where they categorize movies and books based on age since they are not suitable to be seen by children because of violence, offensivenguage, or sensual expressions that might not be good for children''s mental health. Why love stories cannot be seen or read just because they are young. Isn''t Love an important thing that humanity should strive for the most and constantly think about as long as they exist? "How much did you say it is per sq ft?" I was going to argue again, but grandpa changed the subject. It''s 35,000 won ($27). Hmm. That sounds reasonable. I want to find out about the forest. Hun wants to raise a sunflower." "The real estate agent ising soon, so lets ask him." I took out my smartphone. I remember the name because Uncle Bang''s wife was a shareholder when establishing the corporatepany Sunflower. If I remember correctly, her name was Lee Hanna, and when I searched for her name, search results showed her as a novelist. The title of her masterpiece was [Stigma of Blood]. I couldn''t get a sense from the title alone, so I went into the introduction of the work. It was introduced as a work about a rich young master who falls in love with his grandfather''s mistress. The protagonist''s mother died of illness after suffering from the harsh abuse of his grandfather, and the woman who was a lover of his mother approached his grandfather to get revenge.. "?" What does this mean? There have been stories that I couldn''t understand because I didn''t know the meaning of the words, but this is the first time I''ve ever seen something like this. Hun. Yes, Grandpa called me. I''ll read it after dinner. "Can you raise sunflowers? It''s not easy. "I can''t do it right from the start. I''d like to try, though." Then lets nt a little in the field. If you work big from the start, it will be difficult. "Okay, grandpa." "Oh, I think he''sing." The real estate agent arrived. While grandpa and Uncle Bang were talking about this and that, I was concerned about the novel, [Stigma of Blood], so I sat on a wide stone and started reading it. The next day, the sun came up and went out. The smell of fried eggs smells savory in the house. Good morning, grandpa. Are you up? Grandpa was surprised when he turned around. "You didn''t sleep again, right? I told you to study moderately for the exam." "I read a novel." "Novel? What novel?" [Stigma of blood] written by Aunt Hanna. Grandpaughed. "Was it that fun? What is it about?" I don''t know how to exin it. Grandpa won''t understand even if I exin. What do you mean? It''s veryplicated. The protagonist lives with his grandfather, but he doesn''t have parents." Okay, "But the grandfather tortured his mother a lot. Then his mother fell ill and died, and the main character was separated from his grandfather." He was resentful. "Yes, a few yearster, he came to see his grandfather, who was sick, and there was a young woman by his grandfathers side" "Huh?" "His grandfather''s lover was there. The age gap was 40 years, so the protagonist suspects that the woman is after his grandfather''s fortune." Grandpa who was frying eggs turned around and frowned. "The protagonist gets to know about the woman with all his suspicion, and eventually the protagonist falls in love with the woman who was 17 years older than him." "No, wait Did you read that? It was fun, Grandpa tried to say something, but he turned his head because the pot overflowed. "But it turned out that the protagonist''s mother and the woman were lovers before his mother got married. I guess the mother had to hide her homosexuality. She got married under false pretenses, and she died while being abused by the protagonist''s grandfather. The woman approached the grandfather for revenge." What? Stop, stop?" Grandpa turned off the gas stove in which soup was boiling. Grandpa approached me, lifted me, and said after making me sit on the dining table. "But that woman and the protagonist really fell in love with each other. Aren''t you curious?" No. That doesn''t make sense. You said the protagonist is the womans lover''s son." I know. At first, she remembered her ex-lover''s face and treated him well, but she fell in love without realizing it. The description of the conflict is incredible." "What the.." Yeah, They''re both crazy. But the moment the two of them hugged each other while confirming their feelings for each other, they were caught by the grandfather" "So?" "The protagonist poured out all his old grievances on the grandfather, and the woman alsoshed out at him. And, hear the twist.. It turned out that the grandfather and protagonists mother actually loved each other. Abusing the mother was all an act to trick the husband and people around them." "Huh?" I couldnt stop wondering how those humans would behave and what the story was going to be like. Grandpa blinks. It''s not unreasonable to do that, and I was angry at their iprehensible behavior while swearing at crazy characters, and the reason why I had no choice but to read it was because I was attracted to such delicate psychological descriptions that I never thought of. You can''t understand the true meaning of [Stigma of Blood] by talking. Hun, give me your phone. Are you going to read it, grandpa? I handed my phone over to grandpa. He touched something for a long time and returned it without looking at the novel. Look. It says 15 years old? Yes. How old is Hun? 11 years old. Can you see it? No. no. I was wondering what grandpa was doing. When grandpa returned the phone, grandpa''s ID and payment method, which were saved to pay as much as I wanted, were deleted. WebFlix, NewTube, and JH Cinema are also not logged in. I was enjoying watching movies and dramas, and the first novel I read after I came to this era was fun, but its all gone now. It''s so harsh. "There are a lot of things I want to see, grandpa." "If you want to see something, get permission from grandpa" Grandpa seems to take it sensitively because the Doctor said that unnecessary stimtion is not good for me. "I know the story is provocative, but it''s not always like that when you look at it, I know the novel characters are strange." "No." "I have toe across a variety of stories to do art." Grandpa shook his head. I don''t think he''ll ever allow it until Im 15. Who the hell decided this appropriate age? I think the regtions are too tight even though there are no scenes like killing anyone. Michelle tini was getting ready to leave work when she found an employeeing out of Henry Marceau''s office. Henry rarely calls his staff, but the employee has been in and out quite often today. Is something wrong? El patron asked me to bind something. Binding? I think hes working on a business item. The coloring book sample came out, so I was showing it to him. It was cool? Michelle, who had never heard anything from Henry Marceau, tilted her head. What''s going on?'' Michelle tini thought she had to ask Henry herself. "Okay. It''ste. Get off work now." She sent the employee and went to find Henry Marceau. In the room, Henry was seriously considering while looking at some sample coloring books. Michelle opened her eyes wide because it''s been a long time since he''s been serious about something other than his work. What? What are you preparing without telling me? What? This. Michelle pointed at the coloring book sample with her eyes A self-portrait of Henry Marceau was drawn in line drawings. "You can''t do the binding like this. These days, they don''t bind at all and sell them in single sheets." "Really?" Henry Marceau frowned at the hardcover binding. "The production unit price will also increase, which will affect the yield and sales volume. If it''s your self-portrait coloring book in the first ce, not many people buy it to kill time, so it''s better to give it as a single sheet for easy storage. You have to be sure of the target tomercialize it." It''s for the brat, Michelle blinked her eyes at Henry''s words, Huh? It''s a gift, a birthday present. not for sale? I''d rather send it in sheets than put it together as you said. Smart." Michelle sighed and shook her head. (To be Continued) To read 11 Chapters ahead Paid Chapters Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Grandpa did something on my phone. Thanks to that, NewTube and WebFlix are full of kids'' content. I think I should see this baby shark song until I find a way to solve it, which is to persuade grandpa or enter middle school. At first, I was very dissatisfied, but the more I listened to it, the more addicting it became, so now I y it all the time. "Why are you watching this?" During lunch hour, Sihyeon looked at my smartphone screen and asked curiously. Do you know this? Yes, I saw it when I was a kid. You''re still a kid. We''re only a year apart. Sihyeon intes his cheeks. He rested his elbows on the desk, and poked his lips out. Then he stares at the workbook. What? You''re working hard. Of course, we have an exam next week. It''s a relief that I can keep up with the general subjects. If there was test even for the special subjects, these days would have been unbearable. Sihyeon, who was watching, stood up and said. "Then would you like to study together on the weekend? I''ll teach you something you don''t know." But, I''ve decided to nt sunflowers on the weekend. "Sunflower?" "I told you I saw thend, right? I bought some seeds to nt them there." "Is that fun?" "I don''t know." "Then why do you do it?" "Because I want to try." Sihyeon was depressed like a hungry puppy. I was supposed to paint watercolors together with him, and it seems like hes sulking because were not able to do it due to a lot of ovepping work. Do you want to try nting sunflowers? I don''t know how to do it. I also don''t know. I''m just trying. I''ve seen it and heard about it, but I''ve never raised myself. "What if I can''t do it properly?" "We can try it again next year." Sihyeon, who was thinking about it, nodded. Ille if I dont have to study for the exam. "You always study, so it''s okay." Sihyeon thinks for a while and asks again. "Can I really? There are still many things that I get wrong." Whats wrong with getting something wrong? Getting it wrong on the test doesn''t interfere with drawing. School is a ce to learn and experience new things and knowledge, not a ce to take exams. "Then I''ll go." "Okay. Come to my house on Saturday morning." "Sihyeon wants toe by on the weekend." "Good." I talked about Sihyeon to grandpa on our way home from school. He seems to be worried. What is he worried about? What if he can''t raise a sunflower? Hes worried that he should study for the exam." Grandpa asked with a sneer ofughter. "What do you think, Hun?" "It''s okay if you''re not good at it. It''s worth doing it once." You can''t gain experience unless you give it a try. The same goes for growing sunflowers. There will be some touching moments that cannot be understood by text. It may be sad if the sunflower that has been raised hard withers, but it is an emotion that you will not experience unless you raise it. "That''s why freedom is good." I turned my head because I didn''t know what grandpa was talking about, so grandpa added an exnation. "If you just do what you learn, you will get good results. If Hun studies more for the exam on the weekend, he can get one or two more questions right. "Yes." "If you nt sunflowers instead of studying, your score might be a little low, just like Sihyeon is worried about. So which one is better?" "nting sunflowers." "Why?" I''ve never thought about why. Grandpa grinned and gave an answer. "That''s what freedom is about. It''s not good because it always brings better results, but it''s good in itself." Grandpa said that freedom is important in itself. It is meaningless for parents or teachers to inform the children of their experiences so that the children can enter a great university and have a respected job. The children get deprived of their freedom to experience since they did what they are told to. Aunt Mirae also said something simr in an interview. When I arrived home, the deliverypany''s car was standing in front of the house. They took out something the size of my torso. It looks like a picture frame. "I got a text message that the package wasing." It seems that they contacted grandpa. What is it? Well, it''s said to have been sent by Henry Marceau. Is it a picture?" As grandpa said, it looks like a picture sent in a frame. The only picture Henry Marceau will send me is his self-portrait, and I don''t know where to keep it. Why does he keep sending me things like this? "Thank you." I greeted the delivery staff and went inside. It was so big and heavy that grandpa held it for me. I brought a knife and carefully peeled off the wrapper. There were several canvases piled up. It looks like a 60F canvas. "" It''s upside down, so when I turn it around, it''s a line drawing. It is a self-portrait of Henry Marceau, but it is not the original, but it is a self-portrait drawn only with lines like in a coloring book. The same is true of other canvases. What''s this? I don''t know. Grandpa also tilts his head. I don''t know what he means by sending it to me. I found a card at the back. It looks like I opened it upside down. I opened the wax-sealed card. My n went down the drain because of ran away to Korea. I''ll forgive you because I have a big heart. What did he say? Nonsense. I kept reading. If you had stayed here obediently, you could have had one of my works. Still, Ill give you a line drawing of my self-portrait as a gift since I heard you like coloring. Happy birthday Brat. I think it''ll be perfect to learn how to use paint, and I want to give it to Sihyeon. Happy birthday. "Birthday?" My birthday was June 1st, but it didn''t arrive until the 23rd, so it seems like it took a long time to prepare. It is understandable that he made it carefully so that there is no big difference from the original since he is very meticulous. How did Marceau know your birthday? Today is not my birthday. It was on the 23rd. I''m preparing to change it. I don''t know what you''re talking about, grandpa. "It''s a littleplicated." Grandpa scratched his chin and told the story. "When Hun was born, the Doctor said that you were in a critical condition. You got put into an incubator as soon as you were born." What''s an incubator? You can think of it as a device protecting sick babies. So that they can stay warm without bad bacteria. Maybe it''s like a cradle. "Everyones head was filled with worry, so your father asked grandfather to register your birth." Grandpa? Not me, your father''s grandfather. "Fathers grandfather.Is it my great-grandfather?" Yeah. Huns great-grandfather was so bad that he didnt register the birth because he thought you were going to die. Grandpa said as if great-grandfather had made a very big mistake, but in the old days, it wasmon since there were many stillborn babies who died. "Then I registered your birth on the day you left the incubator since I couldn''t remember your birthday. Your mom and dad found outter and tried to fix it, but they were too busy to do it." Huns mother must have written it down in her diary. " I thought If it''s a birthday you don''t even remember anyway, maybe I should take this opportunity to change it to your original birthday and remember it," I nodded. Grandpa asked many people now, so I think I will be able to fix it soon. It''s all because of that old man." I don''t care about the great-grandfather''s story. So, was I sick for 23 days? Yeah. It was chaotic. Do you know how much your mom, dad, and grandma cried then?" I think Grandpa would have cried the most. Whats the problem? As soon as you were born, you didnt cry and if a baby doesnt cry, it means that he cant breathe. It was fortunate that you were able to breathe, but your body was too small. And we were surprised when you had a seizure." If a newborn child had a seizure without crying, anyone would be surprised. "But you got better and calmed down little by little." I think this was the reason why Grandpa always asks me to brush my teeth, wash my hands, and apply lotion. With the help of grandpa, I moved the line drawings, a gift that cant be called a gift, to the studio. I didn''t like it, but I thought I should say thank you, so I took my smartphone. I called Michelle tini because I didn''t have Henry Marceau''s number. It took a while to connect, and soon her warm voice was heard. "Hello, Michelle. How are you?" Fine. How are you, Hun? Great, Michelleughed softly. -What''s going on? "Marceau sent me a present and I wanted to say thank you, but I don''t have his number. Can you tell me where to contact?" Hold on. Michelle tini sent a message. It''s saved under the name Connard''. Connard, which I used to know, has a different meaning, but now it seems to be used as a pet name for lovers. "Thank you. I''ll call him." Yeah, happy birthday. TRIVIA Connard Shithead/Jerk/asshole. Baby shark song Baby Shark is a song which is thought to have been around for a long time, before a version of it was produced by a South Koreanpany calledPinkfong!. It was Pinkfong!''s version thatunched the viral craze, which started in Southeast Asia. (To be Continued) To read 10 Chapters ahead Paid Chapters Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Henry Marceau was looking at Ko Hun''s concept art sent from Nn Studios. He couldn''t take his eyes off [Bullet]. [Bullet] was apletely different painting from Ko Huns existing style of painting. The smooth surface of the bullet was effectively expressed, and the faces of the figures reflected on it seemed alive. Henry Marceau picked up a ss of kale juice. He cooled his head with a bitter-sweet drink and looked at the [Bullet] again. Even Henry, who had been watching Ko Hun more than anyone else, could not understand it this time. So far, the boy has focused only on conveying the emotions rather than drawing realistic pictures. Ko Hun''s excellent and effective expression was not based on the description. It was thanks to the sensuous brush touch and the color sense. However, [Bullet] was excellent enough to make someone believe that it was painted by an undergraduate pursuing realism. It was amazing that he was able to raise his skills to this level in just a few months. It doesn''t make sense for normal people, but for genius Henry Marceau, that wasn''t special. Although his skills have improved considerably, there are still many areas to improve in his eyes. The problem was theposition. The thought process of putting the most impressive scene on a bullet while thinking about the kind of expression the character might have, and where to put it. It couldn''t have been more perfect. This ingenious idea wasn''t something that could be achieved simply by taking the time. Henry Marceau was not convinced that he made this as soon as he returned to Korea. At that moment, his smartphone buzzed. Henry Marceau frowned after checking the number. It was a number he had never seen before. Only a small number of people knew his phone number, so there was no way he could get a call from an unknown number. Henry Marceau answered the phone. -Henry? Ko Hun was reflected on the screen with his young voice. "What?" Henry Marceau urged Ko Hun. "How did you know this number?" Michelle told me. Henry Marceau twitched his lips. It was because he remembered the time when he asked Michelle for Ko Hun''s phone number. She said she couldn''t tell the number without Ko Huns permission, but she readily gave Ko Hun his number, which made him upset. Thank you for the gift. But the words that followed controlled his anger. The little boy who tried to say thank you was quitemendable. "Yeah." But you got my birthday wrong. My birthday is June 1st. "What?" Henry Marceau narrowed his eyebrows. ording to him, Ko Hun''s birthday was definitely June 23. "What are you talking about? It''s the 23rd." There were circumstances. Grandpa says it''s the 1st. Henry Marceau became serious. In addition to various information that has not been understood so far, the boy became even more suspicious because of [Bullet] and the wrong birthday. -But how did you know it was my birthday? "uh?" How does Henry know about a birthday that I didn''t know? Henry Marceau, who couldn''t say he did a background check, urgently found an excuse. "I guessed it." Ko Hun''s scornful gaze was reflected on the smartphone screen. -Likest time, I don''t think Henry is good at lying. "I''m not lying." Thank you for congratting me anyway. Then. "Wait." Henry Marceau called Ko Hun before he could end the call. "When did you draw this?" When he turned his cell phone towards the TV and showed [Bullet], Ko Hun said in his usual tone. -I think it wasst month. "You drew this while drawing other things." Henry Marceau couldn''t believe the boy''s words that he painted [Bullet] with other concept-art paintings in less than 15 days. Yes. Henry Marceau couldn''t admit it. He couldn''t think that an 11-year-old child could paint such a work in such a short time just because he was talented. Besides, he was a normal kid with no signs of talent two or three years ago. Ah, Come to think of it. Ko Hun remembered Henry Marceau''s words that he wanted to check through what process Ko Hun goes through while drawing. Do you want to see it? The sketches. "Give it to me." What are you talking about? It''s mine. Ko Hun headed to the studio. When he turned on the light, drawing papers were scattered all over the ce. Henry Marceau frowned when he saw the inside of Ko Hun''s studio. "Whats that? Clean it." I''m working. "It''s so messy." It''s messy when Im working. "What?" You didn''t even shave when you showed [Marceau''s jewel]. "I didn''t have time then, and at least I kept my workce clean. When did you clean that palette?" I don''t know. Has it been three days? "Wipe every day. Otherwise, it gets murky." Ill use it as bright paint separately. "If you want to draw well, wash it often. That makes the paint dirty." I know. "What the hell do you do there? Are you going to cook a stew or something?" Ko Hun turned the camera toward his face. He expressed his dissatisfaction with Henry Marceau, who kept talking about things he knew. It''s for fun. "Are you going to have fun with those?" I don''t want to throw it away, so I use it for practice. If you keep talking, I won''t show you. Henry Marceau snorted. When the nagging stopped, Ko Hun showed each sketch he had drawn while devising [Bullet]. "Wait. Show me what you just showed again." This? "Before that. Why are you moving so fast? Slow down." Longer calls cost a lot of money. "What are you talking about? " I need to save money. "Damn it. What about all the money you got from painting!" I''m saving it because I have to build a house and a gallery. Henry Marceau''s anger exploded when he thought about thend that Ko Hun bought not long ago and felt frustrated about saving pennies with the call. "I''ll give it to you, so just show the picture properly!" Ah. I''ll take a picture and send it to you. That will be less expensive. Ko Hun hung up the phone. For some time, Henry Marceaus hand with his smartphone trembled, but soon Ko Hun called again. "What!" What''s your email address? "You can just message it!" What if it also costs money? "Ugh!" Henry Marceau sent his e-mail address as if wanting to smash the smartphone screen. Henry the Great @ Goggles. Is that right? "Yeah." Hehe. Ko Hunughed at the childish ID, and theughter once again pricked Henry Marceau''s heart. Henry Marceau, who hung up irritatedly, recalled the sketches he had just seen. He couldn''t help but be confused by the dozens of sketches. It waspletely different from what he thought. It was absurd to think that he hade up with so manypositions in such a short time. "Did he give his best?" Henry Marceau folded and unfolded his smartphone and waited for Ko Hun to send the painting. It felt like he would have to look closely to understand how he drew [Bullet]. Five minutes passed Ten minutes passed.. . . . An hourter, Henry Marceau''s patience ran out. He called Ko Hun straight away. After a long connection, Ko Hun answered the phone. What are you doing? You said you''d send me the picture!" I''m taking the picture. "Why does it take so long to take a picture?" I put it on the floor, and my shadow falls on the paper, so I''m trying to find the angle. "Just take a picture and send it!" Don''t scream. My ears hurt. Henry Marceau, after taking a couple of deep breaths, said in a rather calm voice. "I just need to see what process you''ve been through, so just take a picture and send it." Why do you keep saying it in an imperative tone? I''m not obliged to send it to Henry. "What?" When you ask someone to do something, you have to be polite. Do it again. Henry Marceau''s face distorted. "Did you forget? Is a million-dor investment not enough?" You gave that to Nn. Henry Marceau twitched his lips. His face was red and he felt like it was going to explode right away. If you don''t like it, never mind. Ill hang up. Henry Marceau gritted his teeth and hung up the phone. As Henry Marceau looked down at his smartphone and was about to throw it away, it rang. It was an rm that Ko Hun''s email had arrived. Henry Marceau narrowed his eyes after checking the mail with disapproval. The e-mail sent by Ko Hun was apanied by 106 high-resolution photos. Even after finding the angle where the shadow did not fall, it seemed possible only if it was taken nonstop. Henry Marceau opened the first image. The order was different, so it was not possible to know what was drawn first, but it could bergely ssified into 11 concepts. In the end, the scene reflected in [Bullet] was modified more than 20 times. Henry Marceau, who was checking the sketch, groaned quietly. There were sketches as good as [Bullet] in the middle, but most of them seemed insufficient for Ko Hun who drew them. The clumsy attemptsplicated Henry Marceau''s mind. It was not a talent given by heaven or a muse that came suddenly. Ko Hun repeatedly thought, drew, andpleted [Bullet]. Even if a pretty goodposition came out, he didn''tpromise and dared to discard it. Henry Marceau couldnt admit that he, who seeded after a bloody effort from an early age, was inferior to a child born with talents. However, looking at Ko Hun''s sketch now, he could see that the boy was no different from himself. The process of drawing 106 sketches was in front of him. Ko Hun couldn''t figure out what to do, so he drew a pencil sketch, erased it, threw it away, and tried it again. The boy was frustrated, and he couldn''t get satisfied with the ideas. The boy didn''t give up until he was able to arrive at the work he wanted. Henry Marceau finally felt the pain the boy endured while finishing the work. A 11-year-old kid was doing the process that the word genius felt rather insulting. [Sunflower], [Guest], [Happiness], [Frost Wheat Field], [Mask] and [Bullet]. Every work was born from the boys blood and sweat. Henry Marceau couldn''t take his eyes off Ko Hun''s sketch. He rearranged the sketches sent randomly by Ko Hun until the sun came up after the moon and stars were at their brightest. Thinking about what Ko Hun would have thought and painted, he organized the order by guessing the time order for each concept. In the process. He became convinced that he and the boy were no different. TRIVIA The oil paint dries slowly, so you can squeeze it on the pallet and use it for a few days. When it hardens and bes unusable, it is scratched out, and painters who work on delicate tasks clean it every day. If you canpletely calcte the amount of paint required for work, you may think that there is no paint to throw away and that you can squeeze it little by little, but it is not easy. Vincent van Gogh, who was even disappointed with the cost of buying paint, would have found a way to use the remaining paint, and he would have had a habit of drawing even a small picture with the remaining paint. This is the same for ude M. He used to paint on a small canvas to dispose of the remaining paint. He didn''t squeeze more paint toplete it, and thanks to that, there are many unfinished works in his props. (To be Continued) To read 9 Chapters ahead Paid Chapters Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Ko Sooyeol sat down and looked at Ko Hun and Cha Sihyeon, who were observing sunflower seeds with joy. "Don''t we have to nt it on the ground?" Cha Sihyeon asked, looking at the seeds soaked in warm water. "It''s better to soak them in water and nt them like this." "Oh," Ko Hun conveyed the knowledge he gained from the Inte. The two boys continued the conversation while looking at the seeds. "My father asked me if the Mont Chere was better than Haute tart." "Haute tart?" Ko Hun knew what it meant, but he had never heard of Haute tart as a product name. "A snack that we make. Haven''t you tried it?" Ko Hun nodded. "Is it good?" "Yeah. It''s very good." While evaluating the dish Cha Sihyeon didnt say just good, but added the adverb very, which triggered Ko Huns appetite. His mouth was watering when he imagined the tart that went beyond the soft texture and sweetness. "I want to eat it." "Shall I bring it to school?" Ko Hun nodded. There was a pause in the conversation between the two boys. They kept staring at the sunflower seeds in warm water for some time. After a while, Cha Sihyeon asked. How long do we have to wait? Half an hour? I''m bored. Ko Hun took the seedling shovel out of the small basket. He took one and handed it over to Cha Sihyeon. "Look," Ko Hun went to the small garden of about 35 sq ft. and dug a small hole. "You have to make 30 of these." "Like this?" "Yeah. This is the gap?" Ko Hun dug out a ce to nt seeds 50cm apart. Cha Sihyeon nodded and started making holes together. "What are you going to do if a sunflower blooms?" Ill draw it. If you want to do that, isn''t it faster to buy a sunflower? It''s fun to raise. Cha Sihyeon couldn''t understand his friend''s intention, but he nodded. Since there was considerable time left even after finishing the hole, the two boys squatted down again and observed the sunflower seeds. I''m bored. Do you want some sunflower seeds? Ko Hun took some sunflower seeds out of a cover. How do you eat it? Like this, Ko Hun, who put the sunflower seeds in his mouth, bit it slightly, peeled it off, spit it out the skin, and felt the savory taste of the kernel. It had a slightly weird taste because it wasn''t stir-fried, but it was suitable to soothe his bored mouth, "Is it good?" Cha Sihyeon asked, with a frown on his face. It was strange to eat seeds, and it felt even stranger to munch and spit out the skin from the mouth. "It''s edible. Would you like to try it?" Ko Hun rmended sunflower seeds. Cha Siheyon didn''t like it, but as soon as his friend ate it, he had no choice but to reach out. At that time Ko Sooyeol shouted with a surprised face. Little HunWhy are you eating that? Doesn''t it smell weird?" It''s weird but its not bad. And with your hands touching the dirt! Ahhhh. Spit it out. Come on. Sihyeon, you too, dont eat it." Ko Hun chewed it one more time because he felt that the sunflower seed in his mouth was a waste, while Ko Sooyeol continued to shout at him. Ko Hun spat out regretfully. After that Ko Hun asked Cha Sihyeon, who kept staring at him. What? I won''t eat what you give me anymore. Why? You can eat sunflower seeds. Cha Sihyeon shook his head. Little HunWhat are you saying! There''s Listerine mouthwash in the car, so hurry up and rinse your mouth." "That hurts my tongue." "Come on!" Cha Sihyeon looked at Ko Hun, who was forced to walk in the direction of the car. Cha Sihyeon was confused because his one and only precious friend sometimes acted out ofmon sense. I finished the first day of the examination. The first day''s exams were math, science, and English, and it was easier than expected, so it was not a big problem. I wasn''t worried because English was at the level of a child, while the math that Sihyeon gave me was so hard that the one given in the test seemed boring. Half of the science was solved with uncertainty, and half of it was written roughly. During Lunch time, after eating, I came back to the ssroom. Sihyeon was surprised when he checks my test paper. "You got 100 points in math, too!" It''s nothing to brag about getting a perfect score on the 3rd-grade test. Sihyeon was happy even though it has nothing to do with him. "" Sihyeons face, which was looking at the science test paper, crumbled mercilessly. The problems rted to animals, clouds, and light were all correct, but the problems about mas, liquids, gasses, and mixtures were all wrong. have to study science from today. You got everything right. You, not me. I decided to do a broadcast today. "You got 45 points. Is broadcasting more important or marks more important?" "The promise you made with the people who wille to find me is more important than the broadcast." Cha Sihyeon blinks. "Promise is important Then let''s study science from tomorrow." "Okay." Im less confidentpared to science on tomorrows test on Koreannguage and social science test. I shouldn''t show the answer paper to Sihyeon tomorrow. It''s only been a year since I opened my eyes and I got more than half of what I''ve never seen before correct, so I''m proud. Im proud that I didnt lose any hair while studying. But it seems to be a huge deal by Sihyeon''s standards. During the exam time, there was no afternoon ss, so I was packing my bag and at that time I felt the other childrens gazes. They giggled looking at me and Sihyeon. He got 45. How do you even get 45? Seeing themugh at my test scores, reminded me of my young self with no worries in life. I stood up without caring about their remarks. "Don''tugh!" Sihyeon shouted looking at them. This is the first time this guy has spoke in such a loud voice at school, so I and the ssmates were surprised. Do we have to get your permission tough? It''s ridiculous. The ssmates are scolding Sihyeon this time. "Daddy said it''s bad tough at someone who tries! Don''tugh at Hun. Do you don''t know how hard he tries?" I reviewed it, and I can''t say that I tried because it''s not more important than painting, sleeping, and eating. A child got up. "You''ve grown a lot, huh? You yelled at us, and do you think we cant do anything because you have a friend?" He was the biggest guy in this ss. Sihyeon looks scared and looks like he was about to cry. Park Hyunwoo said without turning his head. Stop it, The big boy turned his head. He''s making me mad. It''s childish. Are we children? The big boy looked down at Sihyeon and went back to his seat. I thought they would do harm to Sihyeon if he was alone, so I waited until he packed his luggage and came out of the ssroom. "Hmm." He barely held it in and cried as soon as he came out of the ssroom. Why did youe forward when you were scared? Because they''re making fun of you. "I''m fine, so do it when they say something about you." He sniffed, so I took out my handkerchief. What are you doing? Blow your nose. How can I blow it on someone else''s handkerchief? I have mine. Sihyeon took out his handkerchief and blew his nose. "You just have to ignore the words of people like that. We can''t get along with everyone." I once thought we could get along with everyone. I also expected that if I showed my love, people would someday recognize my heart. But there is so much injustice and hatred in the world that it can not be changed by anyone''s power. "No," Sihyeon shook his head. They''re wrong, said the little guy with no strength, but firm eyes. "Youre weird, but you''re not someone they can make fun of. Youre much, much cooler." When was thest time someone said I was cool with this much confidence? "Thank you." When I think about it, I think I was able to survive that lonely time at least thanks to people who loved me like this. 2 p.m. As soon as I got home, I washed up and turned on the broadcast with the help of Uncle Bang. After a while, people began toe in one by one. Unlike the time when Schmincke promoted the show, now there are a little more than 100 people. I think it''s because it''s less promoted and it''s my first time. It''s easy to read because the chat speed is moderate. Wow! Live broadcast! Hi Hun When did it start? Message deleted by the administrator. You''re crossing the line. Come on. Mind your words. "Hello." [Baek Yujin donated 1,000 won]: Congrats on the first broadcast. There were a lot ofments saying congrattions and most of the messages were shortened. The Koreannguage is already anguage with few words, and it is difficult if they even shorten that. I hope this doesnte in the Koreannguage test tomorrow. "Hun, Thank the supporter, Baek Yujin." Uncle Bang said in a small voice. When I looked at the screen curiously, it said a person named Baek Yujin had sponsored 1,000 won. "Thank you." I thanked him first. "Where''s the money?" "Itll be transferredter to your ount after deducting 30%mission." Why are they taking so much money? Shh, shh. There''s nothing to gain from fighting the tform. It''s unfair. LOL NewTube is definitely a thief, aren''t they? All the tforms are robbers. [Jean-Franois Mirae sponsored 50,000 won]: Good luck on the first episode I''m not paying 1,000 won to you because the thieves will take 300 won!! Im definitely not a miser. LOL 50,000 won "Don''t give me too much in our first meeting. I''m eating and living well." 1,000 won is not a burden, but it''s burdensome to think that I got 50,000 won from someone I don''t know. Even if I order arge-size potato pizza, 22,000 won will be left, that''s a lot of money. Hes telling us not to give him too much. So cute. Hes telling us not to sponsor him. What a cutie pie??? Isn''t that Jang Mirae? Is it the real one? Im a fan of Jang Mirae. "Oh, its Aunt Mirae? The name is different. Did she have a middle name? What are you talking about? Uncle Bangughs as if I said something funny. The chat window was also filled withughter emojis. What''s funny, Uncle Bang? It''s a nickname. It''s like a nickname. Do you think the guy with the ID Supreme Court Judge is a real supreme court judge?" Well, that''s true. " The person with the ID Henry the great is also not the real Henry Marceau." .. I think this person is the real Henry Marceau, but I''ll just take it that way and pass it on. (To be Continued) To read 8 Chapters ahead Paid Chapters Chapter 131 Chapter 131 "Then I''ll be in the living room." Uncle Bang went outside. I didn''t know what to start with, so I took out a picture from Henry Marceau''s coloring book. "I''m going to try this today." What''s that? Isn''t it Henry Marceau? Henry is handsome. Why do you have that? "Marceau sent it to me for my birthday. I wanted to empty my head because I had a lot to think about for a few days, so I think coloring will be okay." I said while organizing the paint properly. There are many people asking why he gave me such a thing as a birthday present. I''m not the only one who thinks it''s weird. "I don''t know what the original is like, so I''m going to paint it as I want." The original work is called [Henry Marceau 99] but it''s annoying to find it. I have felt his coloring method and color enough, so there is no need to imitate him. How should I express his abnormally clear skin? While thinking about it, I unwrapped the gray color to be painted as the background. Are you not going to apply gesso? Arent you going to apply liquid white this time? What is gesso? These days, everythinges out with gesso. "It''s gesso-treated and has oil primer on it. I''m going to move on because I don''t think I can see the line." There are people who know, but there are more people who don''t know. The chat window was filled with question marks. "I don''t like applying oil paints directly on the canvas. The coloration is less and the texture doesn''te out well because it''s rough." The person with ID Mirae exined through chat that the painting might splitter. "Its a little different when ites to undercoating. I do it because of the feel of the brush, but I dont think I can do it with the canvas." I exined, matching the peach and white ratio. "But it''s good to do it normally. You have to measure the brightness based on the first paint and draw it well." Suddenly, it became like a lecture. "Experienced people can use the colors they made from the palette as they are, but in fact, even people who are good at drawing do this. If you are drawing for the first time, I rmend making it a habit" In fact, there are no answers orws on the canvas. It is natural to paint the base in any color, and you are free to do it or not. However, it is necessary to know how to handle colors to distinguish objects and express them more effectively. In addition, this is colored along the line drawn, so the line is not visible when painted. I started painting the face first. How do you know that? That''s not how you do it. Did you learn it from your grandfather? What do you talk about when youre with Henry Marceau? You aren''t painting exactly on the right line. What did you do today? "You''ll find out when I finished drawing. I want to draw freely." I''m bothered by the chat saying that''s not how you do it. Not only that persons French, but the overbearing attitude is also reminiscent of Henry Marceau, and the ID is the same as Henrys e-mail address. "Today? I took an exam at school." I ignored and answered other people OMG. He took the test. So cuteeeeee What do you do when you y with Henry Marceau? What.? Didn''t the elementary school exams go away? Korean elementary schools seem weird. That''s not how you do it. Are you good at studying? I should ask Uncle Bangter if I can block Henry Marceau. "I''m not good at studying. English and Math are okay, but Korean, social studies, and science are a little difficult." Don''t be so hard on yourself. The test score is just a cross-section of the process. Tomorrow and a yearter, it won''t be that score. I mixed a little gray with the paint while painting the skin. When expressing skin, a little gray gives a realistic atmosphere and also gives vitality to the skin. This is also the use of contrast. It would be better to exin after finishing. "I got 45 points in science today." Laughter emojis kepting in the chat room. "But I got everything right in both English and Math. I am worried about the Koreannguage and social science test tomorrow. I changed my brush. There are many colors for the skin. There can be pink, apricot, gray, green, and blue. This time, I''m going to paint Marceau''s eyes. I thought for a while about how to express his emerald eyes. An 11-year-old counsels life. If the face is colored in gray, isn''t it bad? Even if it''s gray, why green and blue? But it did became more realistic. Have you ever been with Henry Marceau? [Henry the great sponsored 100 euros] That''s not how you do it! What''s that? Why is that guy Henry the great keep whining? "I''m going to take care of it, so stop lecturing me." Emerald eyes are like symbols thate to mind when you think of Henry Marceau. I was thinking carefully, and at that time my smartphone rang. It was Henry Marceau. Ignoring the call, I read thements where everyone was asking what I just said. "Never mind. I''ve never yed with Henry Marceau. Oh, I''ve been to his house, and Madame Sherry Gado''s cooking skills are the best. This year''s dream is to eat Sherry Gado''s food again." Why is his dream so simple? Im going to have an exhibition. Aren''t you supposed to say things like this? How delicious was it? Is it a dream this year? Those rich people will eat delicious food every day. Answer the phone! Are you close enough to visit Henry Marceau''s house? Do you have a best friend at school? "My best friend is Cha Sihyeon. He is a good friend. I had a short conflict at school today, and my friend stood up for me." The smartphone rang again. It''s Henry Marceau again. I took it because I thought he would keep bothering me if I left it like this. "What!" Don''t paint it like that! Look at the original and color it! "I''m going to do whatever I want. What''s the point of painting it as Marceau painted? Theres an original! The perfect original! "Then you should''ve just sent the original. Why did you just send it with the lines?" If you hadn''t run away, I''d have given it to you! "What do you mean run away? Why do you keep saying that? I''m here because my schedule is over!" The chat window was once again full of question marks. "AhWait, Marceau keeps telling me not to paint like this." WhaaaaatMarceau? Henry? He gave it to you as a gift, then why is he interfering with what you are doing? Is that Henry? The ID is weird, [Henry the great] seems very childish. I want to hear what Henry Marceau and Ko Hun are talking about in real-time. Please put it on speaker mode. You! Don''t do anything else on the phone with me, I''m warning you! "Why are you warning me? Im not someone who works for you. Whatever I paint is my business and has nothing to do with you!" I hung up the phone. I know he''s not a bad person, but he''s very good at making people angry. "What was I talking about?" I forgot what I was saying. Someone told me in the chatroom that I was talking about a friend. "Yeah, I was happy when he stood up for me. At first, he couldnt even speak properly, but now he got angry because of me. He was cool." "It''s better than I thought." Hun nodded when he checked the test paper. His Koreannguage score was 70 points, in social science he only got 50 points, and the average score was 73 points, which is probably thest in the whole school. Nevertheless, he likes the fact that his Korean score came out better than he thought. What? No. How about you? Did you do well? Yes. Hun looked at my test paper and opened his eyes wide. "It''s 100. Did you get everything right?" Getting a perfect score on the school test is not easy, but it is not difficult. There are many other students who get 100 in all subjects besides me. A perfect score is meaningful only when it is about the level of the National mock test that high schoolers take. I only got a perfect score on the mock test in my school. My teacher, father, and mother all say that its great. However, Hun, who keeps getting only 73 points on average even for this easy test, seems more amazing. I envy him. In yesterday''s broadcast, as many as 300 people listened to Hun, and hundreds of thousands of people visits the Whitney Museum in New York to see his paintings. There was an article this morning that Hun did a broadcast. "It''s amazing. That''s cool." "no." Hun blinks. "Im not cool at all." It''s not that I envy Hun because he''s famous. I''m not jealous because he draws well. I envy him for knowing what to do to draw and how to draw it better. I envy him for being able to find what he wants tomunicate with his paintings. It''s cool that he does it naturally without showing it off. "What do you want to do?" Hun stared at me. He didn''t smile, he didn''t look bored, he just waited. He just looked at me as if he believed that I knew the answer. Seeing Hun like that, I think I know what I want to do. "Daddy likes blue." He nods slightly. "Grandpa likes trees." Wouldn''t what I said be too childish for Hun? Wouldn''t my worries and dreams seem boring to Hun, who already earns more than 10 billion won per painting after talking to famous people like Henry Marceau and Jang Mirae? "What is it?" Such worries melted down at Hun''s words. "I want my father and grandfather to get along." Grandma secretly calls my grandpa and mommy sometimes visits my grandpa. Daddy wants to travel abroad during the holidays because he fought with grandpa. I hope both of them get along well. I want to eat together, and show the picture I drew to both of them. "Is it weird?" "No. Of course not." Hun smiled cheerfully. (To be Continued) To read 7 Chapters ahead Paid Chapters Chapter 132 Chapter 132 June 28, 2028. [France suffers from extremist Muslims] The terrorist acts of Muslims in France are intensifying. ording to France 24, 19 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in an explosion at an anti-Muslim protest site in Paris, France, on the 27th (local time). The French government said " the unlikely thing happened again" and said that among the dead there were students. They also added "We will definitely retaliate against cowardly attacks that are uneptable for any reason," adding a strong will to respond. "Tsk tsk. Ko Sooyeol, who was reading the newspaper in the morning, clicked his tongue. Refugees from the Yugov Civil War in 1991, the Iraq War in 2003, the Arab Democratic Movement in 2010, and the Syrian Civil War in 2011 moved to Western Europe, where security was well maintained. European society tried to amodate these refugees as much as possible, but it was not without problems as it suddenly epted hundreds or tens of millions of refugees. Relief policies for refugees could not be well received by the people at a time when the economies of each country were shaking. The words to treat refugees humanely to the people who are not even properly paid led to bacsh. In such a situation, the anger of Europeans reached its peak as extremist Muslims engaged in various social problems such as terrorist acts and killing teachers on the streets. There were voices calling for the expulsion of Im from all over Europe, which wanted to amodate refugees somehow. [China''s history distortion] A Chinese media outlet is again causing a dispute in the internationalmunity, iming that Mongolia should return China''s territory. China''s Beijing news agency aired a documentary iming Mongolia was part of China. In the past, they introduced Korea''s first original children''s song, Bandal, as their own folk song, and Hanbok as a traditional Chinese costume. It is an absurd im that Korean culture is theirs because it was a vassal of China in the past. China''s cultural looting is taking ce not only against Korea and Mongolia but also against Vietnam and Thand. In addition, atrocities with economic power such as interference in Australia''s internal affairs, human rights abuses in Uyghur, and armed suppression of Hong Kong protests continue. Now is the time to prepare countermeasures on how to deal with the distortion of history and the looting of culture by those who skillfully exploit Korea''s position, where trade with China ounts for arge proportion of its economic power. In the midst of the economic downturn that has continued since the beginning of the 21st century, all countries are taking a nationalistic path. The world is on the verge of an explosion. China, which continues its cultural and historical exploitation activities against Asia, is advocating de facto imperialism by imposing economic retaliation on countries contrary to its interests, while the U.S. and Western societies have long held such China in check. "North, west, and south, there are only crazy things. Tsk tsk." Ko Sooyeol turned over the newspaper. [Ferdinando Gonzalez, unable to attend Whitney Biennale due to health problems] [BAE DOBIN, BEYOND LEGEND] [Anish Kapoor, monopolizing the darkest color in the world] [Christine Nn, "[The strange Castle] will be the most visuallyplete work. Working with Ko Hun is fantastic.] [Henry Marceau appeared in Ko Hun''s first personal broadcast, controversy over "That''s not how you do it."] "Huh." Ko Sooyeol groaned at the news that his close friend Ferdinando Gonzalez missed the event due to health problems. He was worried because he hasn''t heard from him since he met in New York. Ko Sooyeol, who moved to the next article, admired it this time. It was news that South Korean genius musicians Bae Dobin and Na Yun-hee coborated with Royal Concert Herbau Orchestra and seeded greatly. Ko Sooyeol narrowed his eyes at the next news. He doubted his eyes when he read the article titled that the familiar sculptor Anish Kapoor monopolized the darkest color in the world. What the hell. ording to the article, a British nanotechnologypany has seeded in creating a paint Vantack'' that absorbs 99.96% of light to camouge a satellite. It was news that Anish Kapoor bought and monopolized the authority to use it artistically. Ko Sooyeol was so overwhelmed that he was speechless. It is said that all artists pursueplete independence, but the fact that one person monopolizes color was absurd. Excessive greed.'' Ko Sooyeol sighed and shifted his eyes. It was an article that director Christine Nn mentioned Ko Hun. Ko Sooyeol happily read the article as he watched his grandson draw the concept art painting, including [Bullet]. Ko Hun seemed to have been recognized for his efforts, so he was proud. This guy again?'' It was news that Henry Marceau appeared on Ko Hun''s first personal broadcast and Ko Sooyeol frowned upon reading the article, where Henry Marceau once again meddled in Ko Huns business. He couldn''t watch the first broadcast because he was discussing the retirement exhibition with the Seoul Art Museum, but he felt like he should watch it next time because of Henry Marceau. "Good Morning, grandpa." While thinking about that, Ko Hun woke up and came out to the living room. Ko Sooyeol smiled as he saw his still half-asleep grandson. "Hun, there''s an article about you." "Article?" Ko Hun approached Ko Sooyeol, rubbing his sleepy eyes. Ko Hun, who checked the article, dropped his head. "Hehe. Are you sleepy?" "Un, Ill read it for you. It says that Nn seems to take good care of you. He said he''d make some videos of you painting is this also an article about me? Ko Hun asked, pointing to the article about his work with Henry Marceau. "Yes. It shows how much the media is interested in you." I hope there are a lot of stories about my paintings. Ko Sooyeol was proud of his grandsons desire to be mentioned as a painter rather than as a celebrity. "Then you have to draw. Your exams are over, and after wee back from America, lets go to a quiet ce and draw. There''s a good ce on the east coast." "Yes." "Again?" Cha Sihyeon asked back with his eyes wide open when I said I was going to California this weekend. "I have to clean up my parents'' house." "Okay." He didn''t say anything, but his face shows that he was trying to endure it. It''s not unreasonable because I promised to draw a watercolor painting together after the test. "Grandpa said it would take about a week. I''m going to drop by New York to sort things out. Okay. Do you want to hang out when I get back? Where? Sihyeons expression quickly improves. "There''s a grandpa''s vi in Samcheok. Let''s y for a few days, draw and y." "Really!?" The guy who answered suddenly narrows his eyes. "What?" "Will you keep your promise this time?" He seems to have lost trust due to unintentional schedule twists and turns. I showed my little finger. "Promise." He smiles contentedly after making a promise with his finger on mine. "But I have to ask my father and mother." "Of course." I picked up the Haute tart that Sihyeon''s father made. There are two vors, chocte, and cheese, and I''m attracted to cheese. The chocte vor will be stronger, so it would be right to eat something less stimting first. When I opened the wrapper, a long stick-shaped pie appeared. It smells good. Did you talk to your father? What? About your grandfather. MUNCH "Uh-huh." It smells simr to cheesecake, but it has a more mellow texture than pie. It is located somewhere between cake and pie. The sweetness is not as strong as the Mon Cher, but remains subtle and bes mournful after swallowing. I think I''ll have to try this one more time to know the taste. I opened one more. "Why? Wasn''t he in the mood to talk?" "That''s not it. I don''t know how to start. Daddy told me a little bit about why he fought with grandpast time. I thought he''d never make up with him." I think it''d be better if the cheese scent was stronger, but I think it was intentional because my hands kept going because of this disappointment. "So I thought about it." MUNCH "Wouldn''t Daddy and grandpa understand my heart if I drew a tree that grandpa liked in the color blue that daddy likes?" Two is not enough. I should eat one more. Are you listening? I''m listening. It was a snack that was not enough to eat alone, so I passed it onto Sihyeon''s mouth. I don''t think that''s a good idea. Why? Sihyeon asked back, mumbling. "It''s usually not difficult to convey your feelings. To do that, you''ll have to draw incredibly well." "Okay." "And your father said he really hated your grandfathers paintings." "Yes." "And wouldn''t it be more shocking if you drew something simr to your grandfathers painting? He might think you painted that picture because of your grandfather and make things worse." Then, what should I do? I shrugged. I don''t know everything about the situation, and even if I did know everything, I can''t judge the rtionship between the two. From what I heard, it seems clear that Sihyeon''s grandfather did something wrong, so there would be room for improvement in rtionships only if he opened his heart to apologize first. If not, there is no particr answer. "I think my house is a littleplicated, too." Yours too? My great-grandfather and grandpa had a fight, my grandpa and mother had a fight. Grandpa regretted a lot after mothers death, and I don''t think he''s going to make up with great-grandfather." "Adults are tooplicated." Sihyeon sighed while thinking. No one can solve family problems unless the parties involved talk to each other, but even having a talk bes difficult as time goes by. Just as I couldn''t restore my rtionship with my uncle and father forever. I regretted it after their death. I know I''ll regret it, but I couldn''t do it because of my pride or because of my position. In my case, my love for painting was more precious that I couldn''t restore my rtionship with my father. "Still, they need to talk." How? You can be honest. It''s rather bad to add or rephrase something because you''re worried. And don''t say it too hard. When I think of the past I think I may be a reason why many of my painter friends broke off their ties with me. Now that I think about it, maybe because I didn''t know how tomunicate, I might have gotten away from people like Anthon van Rappard and Paul Gauguin, and I might have only been close to people who epted me as I was like mile Bernard and Toulouse Lautrec. TRIVIA Anish Kapoor: An Indian-born English sculptor. He became famous in the 1980s and represented the UK at the 1990 Venice Biennale, winning the Primio du M Prize, and the following year, winning the Turner Prize in 1991, he established himself as an artist. He caused controversy by monopolizing the artistic right to use the darkest color Vantack''. (To be Continued) To read 8 Chapters ahead Paid Chapters Chapter 133 Chapter 133 A few days after the vacation, I came to Burbank, California with grandpa. When I arrived at 325 South Sparks Street, I saw a white two-story house behind a green street tree. There is a small garden connected to the road. Considering that thewn is even, and the small ornamental trees and flower pots are well maintained, it seems that someone continued to manage them. When I looked up, grandpa nodded. This seems to be the house where Ko Hun lived with his parents. "We''re supposed to meet here in an hour, so let''s go in and wait." Grandpa checked his smartphone and fumbled for the door lock password. The inside of the house, which led straight to the living room, was loaded. Rather than feeling like a family raising a child, the entire house is like a studio. There are twoputers on the desk next to each other, as well as a tablet and a stylus for drawing on theputer. Maybe it''s the ce where Ko Huns parents worked. Next to it was a small desk with crayons and drawing paper for children. Ko Hun seems to have yed with his parents drawing like this. I''m getting emotional without knowing why. Grandpa sighed as he touched Ko Huns parents'' desk. I wonder how heavy the emotions that are piled up in his heart are. It is hard for me to guess how heavy it will be for a parent who lost his only child. Grandpa looked so distressed that he held his hand and stood there for a while. Grandpa seemed to have calmed down to some extent, so I took cold water from the water purifier and brought it to him. "Have some, grandpa." Grandpa patted my head and epted the cup. I entered the small room with the intention of looking around a little. It seems to be a yroom where drawing paper was stuck on the wall so that Ko Hun can draw freely Maybe because this is where the owner of this body lived. My heart feels warm for some unknown reason. "Oh," Ko Hun also drew a lot of insect paintings that I had never seen in Europe or Korea. The line is crooked, and he seems to have tried to express it in detail. He has good observation skills, and he has worked hard to draw the small parts. He wrote down the insects name and characteristics as if he had made his own book by drawing a new insect he met when he was young. As expected, there is no more mysterious and interesting existence than insects for young children. "" Why is my heart so heavy? Perhaps I can''t think of it, as having nothing to do with the people who lived here. Because I love grandpa more than my own father, I cannot think of his child and grandchild as others. A sketchbook is ced on a small desk. As I turned the page over, it is also an insect book. Thanks to the phenomenon of El Nino, it rained a lot, creating a favorable environment for insects and it has also increased the number of spiders that feed on those insects. It''s interesting, but the sight of thousands of waterdybugs is a little creepy As grandpa guessed, they traveled abroad a lot. Maybe he was too young to speak Korean, or maybe he was studying, and his French wasn''t good enough for a child to speak Furthermore, this handwritinghas no power in the letters, but it''s definitely the way. I used to write. When drawing a circle, I draw a long line from the point at the top. It''s my handwriting, simr to the way I write with thest word raised slightly. "Little Hun, how did you do this?" Grandpa called me from outside, and I went out and looked around the water purifier. "You have to press this, grandpa." When I pressed the button next to the water purifier, an appropriate amount of water came out. Grandpa quickly put his ss on. "There''s a hot water button next to it. "Yes. I know." As soon as grandpa agreed to my words, anxiety poured in. Along with knowing how to use a water purifier with a unique structure, Ko Hun''s insect book just now Since I entered this house, why am I feeling very sad? And whats this warmth that is hard to describe? I went back to the yroom where I was a little while ago and searched Ko Hun''s book. As I turned the page, the letters he wrote gained strength very finely and the painting improved. By the end, the handwriting is so simr that I don''t even doubt that I wrote it. Hun, what are you looking at? Huh. That''s ridiculous. I looked around the yroom, but there was nothing special except the paintings and the insect books. I came out and went up to the second floor, right in front of the stairs. A field of sunflowers spread out. What? What is this.? Where have I seen this.? Why am I crying.? . . . THUD May 2, 2025, 325 South Sparks Street, Burbank, California, United States. "Hun! That''s not food!" Mama bought me oil paint. Usually, Mama and Papa drew pictures withputers, so it was hard to see paint inside the house, but I''m so happy to see the paints in the tube. In particr, Rembrandt No. 207 paint has a very pretty color. I was surprised when Mama shouted loudly when I slightly tried to put it in my mouth to see what it felt like. "Spit it out! Spit it out!" She doesn''t even give me time to answer, "Did you swallow it?" "Are you okay?" "Why did you eat it?" "I didn''t swallow it." I ate a little when I organized my brush, but I didn''t swallow it, I put it in my mouth to feel the texture. "Ahhhh. Hun, you''re not supposed to eat paint. Okay?" Un. I don''t know what her problem is, but I nodded for now. They''re worried about everything because Im a kid. It''s something I can do in a ce where they don''t see it so that they don''t worry about it. I had to rinse my mouth a few times in the bathroom and brush my teeth before I could lift the brush once again. "Hun, draw whatever you want to draw." I''ve been patient. I was still young, so I couldn''t write or draw lines the way I wanted, but now I''m quite strong and I''m used to drawing. If I do it little by little, I will improve again soon, maybe I can draw like before. Today, I am nning to fill this big door with my painting. What a heartbreaking moment with a big brush full of yellow paint. I ced the brush on the door. It''s not a familiar touch. It''s not a canvas, and unlike the familiar brush, it''s not stiff and the paint is somehow soft. I''m happy to be able to move the brush once again. There are no words to say how much I missed this. When I was born, I thought I was in hell because of the bizarre sight. But now, I''m so happy that I can keep using the bright yellow once again. "Ah?" I drew a lot of sunflowers at the bottom, and there is no ce to draw anymore. "It''s too high." When I lifted my feet and stretched my shoulders as much as I could, only half of the door was within reach. "Hahaha! Here you go! I''ll hold you." Papa grabbed my waist and lifted me up. It''s ufortable, but I''ll bear with this. Down a little, Papa. This much? Un. Mama supported the palette. I want to finish the painting as it is, but no matter how small I am, it will be hard to hold it. Put me down, Papa Did you finish? No, Papa and Mama draw it on top. I''m going to draw more on the bottom." Isn''t it a waste to paint this happy house in my own color? Isn''t it too bad to enjoy this happy moment alone? "Well, Papa''s not good." "Why Hae?" "Hun''s drawing will look bad if you draw next to it." "Come on Hae! I want to paint with Hun." Papa got beaten by Mama again. With such a happy smile, Papa seems to enjoy being hit by Mama. For some time, Ko Sooyeol kept looking around the house of his daughter and his son-inw with a heart filled with remorse. Thomas Arthur, thewyer of Lee Soojin, visited 325 South Sparks Street, Burbank at the appointed time. Nice to meet you, Sir Ko Sooyeol. Nice to meet you. The two shook hands. Thomas Arthur confirmed that Ko Sooyeol''s eyes were red, and bowed his head to offer condolences. Thomas Arthur had a rough idea of the rtionship between Ko Sooyeol and Ko Hae, as he was friendlier with the couple and often came over for dinner. He wanted to offer constion to that mournful heart. He wished that it would have been nice if there had been a will. The ident that happened unexpectedly did not allow even that. "Here is the list of the assets of Hae and Sooj." Thomas Arthur took out the list of assets he had managed after Lee Soojin''s death, fulfilling his duties. Ko Sooyeol took it with weak hands and sat on the couch without looking. Then he rmended Thomas Arthur to sit down. Since the conversation won''t be a short one, Thomas Arthur also sat on the couch. "First of all, the real estate here, Paris, and London." Thomas Arthur exined, and Ko Sooyeol gently nodded his head. After swallowing a few times, he said with difficulty, "Is it okay to continue now Sir, or should I.." "NoThat''s all right. Speakfortably." A long sigh ensued. "Can you tell me about those two?" Thomas Arthur closed his mouth and rubbed his palm. He didn''t know where to start. "Sooj and I met for the first time in London. We werepeting for a piece at the auction house and we talked about it." Ko Sooyeol listened to the story of his son-inw and daughter about whom he did not know. "Hae was angry. She argued that Sooj bought the painting at an expensive price because of me, and we had a drink because of the absurdity of fighting, and that''s how we became friends." Ko Sooyeol shook his head. He felt that the personality of his student and son-inw didnt seem to have changed much. "After they moved to the US, I was in charge of contract documents and copyright protection for Hae and Sooj. We met once a month and talked." Thomas Arthur, who kept a calm tone, swallowed. He continued the story, trying to hide his hoarse voice. "Sooj was the coolest guy I met in my life. He worked more passionately than anyone else and he would have been iplete without Hae. The Max Studio team members respected the two. No one has ever produced a better result than those two." Ko Sooyeol nodded. "Whenever Haees to a party, she always leaves sharply at 8 o''clock no matter where she is. She rushed home as if something had happened. When I once asked Sooj for the reason, he said it was because of a promise with Hun." Ko Sooyeol asked what kind of promise by raising his eyebrows. "It was a promise to read a book for Little Hun until he falls asleep. ording to Sooj, Hae fell asleep even before Hun." Ko Sooyeol felt heartbroken thinking about the family that lived in harmony in a ce he couldnt see. (To be Continued on Aug 29{MON}) To read 7 Chapters ahead Paid Chapters Chapter 134 Chapter 134 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''tfort 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 vi 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 ces where Koreans lived together, so it would have been easier to live. Ko Sooyeols son-inw 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 epted 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 ount 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 carbined 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, Vi in Paris, and an apartment in London. "There are so many?" Ko Sooyeol knew that his daughter and son-inw 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 exnation. 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 exined. "It was hard to find, and it was expensive, so Hae used toin that she didn''t know when she''ll collect all [Pine trees] and hold an exhibition." Ko Sooyeolmented why the cash assets of his daughter and son-inw were so different from each other and he got the answer. " foolish girl." Ko Sooyeols heart ached when he heard about the daughter, who collected his paintings costing millions and was even nning 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 med himself for hesitating several times while looking at his daughter''s phone number. He regretted that if it wasnt 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-rted 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-inw, 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 thest 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. Its not French, English, or Latin, its anguage 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? Isnt this solitude, a punishment? Even if I couldn''t understand theirnguage, 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. Im a sinner, I can''t livefortably. "Argh. Argh." We''re almost there. Take a long breath. Whoo! Whoo!" A lovely voice groaned and screamed. I dont 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 ufortable 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 cant 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 Ipletely forget the people with whom I walked side by side holding hands? When I opened my eyes again aftermitting 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. Im 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 tofort grandpa. I dont want Grandpa to cry anymore. "Grandpa," I called my grandpa with my eyes closed because I had no strength. Grandpas 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. Its 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 Chapter 135 Chapter 135 After reconfirming that there was no abnormality in the body, my grandpa and I remained alone in the hospital room. "Little Hun, Do you remember everything? Huh?" The affectionate touch and expression of touching my cheeks show how hard it has been for him. I nodded my head. At first, I thought I was in hell. However, I was bewildered by the familiar senses that came after the crushing pressure. The air, the sound, and the light felt over the closed eyes were that of this world. I never thought I would have been reborn at that time. I freaked out because of the baby''s body and tried to resist whoever tried to touch me thinking I was being harmed. It was only the voices of Mama and Papa that I felt friendly, so I was very anxious when their voices were not heard. And, after a few days, when I was able to open my eyes, I began to ept the situation little by little. If a person dies, will he be reborn? Then why was I born with all my memories? I had those kinds of worries for a while. I was fascinated by the surprisingly changed world and did not think deeply because of my parents'' warm love. I was grateful for my healthy body every day, surprised by new experiences every day, and got used to my new life as Hun. I''m lucky to have seen Picasso twice. Picasso was such a shock. I couldn''t even use my hands properly and tried to copy him. Mama and Papa were happy thinking that their son was a genius even after seeing my ugly picture. They liked my picture which was nothing but crooked lines, so I thought it would be best to not draw for a while. I didn''t try to reveal it even after I got used to writing with a pen. Since I was very young, I practiced little by little in the insect book I drew. I decided to show my skills to the fullest when it was the right time to be understood no matter what picture I drew. Then one day, I saw my grandpa''s [Pine tree 3] which Mama bought, and I was shocked. The pine tree painted with a paint I saw for the first time in my life was so grand and full of spirit that I couldn''t think of it as a painting on a 30P canvas. I had never seen such a thick, intense stroke. It seems to have been drawn at once, but since the shading was expressed by controlling the concentration, it could only be thought of as a Godly technique. "I saw a picture of a pine tree. Mama said grandpa drew it and I loved that painting." Grandpa nodded. The sadness gets deep as the memories overflow. I was going to hold grandpa''s hand and say I want to go to Mama and Papas grave as calmly as I can, but I couldn''t. "Mama and Papa.." When I couldn''t continue my next word because I was choked up, grandpa patted my head and said. "Okay, let''s go together when we get back." The next day. I was discharged from the hospital and dealt with inheritance through Thomas Arthur. I signed it without any particrplications, and let Thomas Arthur, my parents'' attorney, handle the rest. I had a memory of meeting him a few times, and both Papa and Mama trusted him, so I entrusted him with the job. Things would have beenplicated if I had disposed of this and that, but I didn''t. I can''t drive my parents'' car right now, and even grandpa cant use it because he doesn''t live in the US, so I didn''t have much use for it, but I didn''t want to sell it. It was my greed to leave a little trace of them, and grandpa also agreed. Talking about this and that with grandpa, it was already time for dinner. I was thinking about what to eat and decided to order pizza because I was tired of everything that happened yesterday and today. When I called the ce I ordered from every time I lived here, the owner of the pizza restaurant greeted me dly. 325 South Sparks Street? Is it Hun? The voice of Sam Fleming, owner of Burbank''s best pizza restaurant, was weing. "Hello, Sam." -Oh, my God. Its been such a long time. I heard the news. I''m so sorry to hear that. "Thank you." Yeah. If you live bravely, good things will happen again someday. Even if the wound heals over time, will the scar disappear? Itll be my treat today, so just tell me. What can I get you? "Potato pizza, please. With a lot of cheese." Good. It''ll take about 40 minutes. "Yes, thank you." When I finished the call, grandpa, who was looking at me, asked about Sam. "You must be close." "I ordered every day." "Every day?" "Mama and Papa oftene inte because they are busy." Sam Fleming''s pizza was delicious and unlike in Korea, there was nothing to order for delivery. "Then why did you not eat pizza at school." Grandpa mentioned the entry in Mama''s diary. Mama wrote that I hated Pizza, but there was a misunderstanding. "No, I like pizza. Sam''s Pizza and lunch pizza are on a different level." "Really?" I felt lonely eating dinner alone and the two of them seemed to be overdoing it. I could have told Mama honestly that I wanted to have a rxing dinner with Mama and Papa, but I remember telling Mama that I didn''t like pizza because I got angry when she left for work leaving money to order pizza. I was embarrassed to correct it, so Mama seemed to have thought about it like that along with the school meal problem. After that, Mama thought about changing jobs. Come to think of it, such misunderstandings were frequent. When I was little, it was interesting to see the drawing move and talk, but Mama thought I liked SpongeBob and learned how to talk. If I say an old saying or a word that was not in use, she might think I learned it from SpongeBob. It may feel strange, but I think my parents are also a little strange, so they just epted everything in a strange way. Unlike when I was pointed out as a freak, my parents told me how wonderful I was and said they would love me as I am. I cried several times the day before yesterday, yesterday, and today, but when I think of them, my heart aches. Maybe it''s the same for grandpa. I stayed at Burbank house for two more days, caressing andforting the wounds. Tears that burst out casually even though I thought I was fine also decreased little by little as I was with grandpa. I talked to grandpa about many things I did with Mama and Papa. Once, with the intention of teasing Mama with Papa, I saved Mamas file separately and deleted everything on herptop. "You did such a thing." Grandpa frowned in horror. "I almost got in trouble because my father keptughing senselessly." If Papa hadn''t revealed that it was a hidden camera prank as soon as he was called by Mama, we might have gone to the family court. "Didnt Hae get angry?" "That day." "That day?" "Mama spilled beer and water on Papas bed when he slept." Then? She waited until Papa got up. Papa was embarrassed and he touched it and smelled his bed. "Hahaha." "He was secretly going to theundry room with the nket, and Mama pretended like she didnt know anything and asked Papa what he was doing in theundry room early in the morning." Iughed with tears in my eyes watching that scene. You should have seen Papa''s expression then, grandpa." Iughed and sighed quietly with grandpa for a long time . . It''s not something easy for me to move on. But, for those who gave me the strength to live again and showed me what happiness is, I must stand up now. Let''s go. Brush your teeth. Yes. Grandpa and I slept together with a nket in the living room. The next day. When I came out of the house, I only brought my family pictures and my insect picture book and left the rest as it is. I asked Thomas Arthur to take care of it as he did until now. Grandpa to meet Ferdinando Gonzalez and I with the intention of visiting the Whitney Museum, we headed to New York after a long time. Henry Marceau was returning home from a meeting. It was a meeting to set a schedule for the Louvre National Art Salon, which was scheduled to be held in December this year. The French National Arts Association (Socit Nationale des Beaux Arts. SNBA) requested that Henry Marceau, a representative French artist, participate as a jury member. "Damn those geezers," Henry Marceau gritted his teeth. The Louvre National Art Salon was the longest-running event of any existing salon, and it was a great honor to be a judge there. Secretary Arsene could not understand Henry Marceau who refused that great honor. "El Patron, Why did you refuse? Isn''t it a good seat? "What is good? Do you like a ce where you can gather trash and make a mess?" Henry Marceau was displeased by the SNBA (National Art Association of France) for inviting him to be a judge, who was still working as an artist. "If I had time for that in the first ce," A boys image was reflected in the eyes of Henri Marceau, who wasining. The boy was painting the Colonne de Juillet whichmemorates the French Revolution on the street that leads from the Vieux de Juillet to the ce de Bastille. Three men surrounded the boy. "Stop the car," said Henry Marceau. Arsene, wondering, pulled over the car past the crosswalk. Henry Marceau approached the boy across the crosswalk before Arsene could ask anything. "I''ll just draw this and go away," The boy begged the men around him. "Next what? sleep and go away, huh?" One man kicked the boy''s easel and threatened. "Don''t do this. My painting." "What does a Muslim like you know!! Get out of here when we are speaking nicely!" The boy flinched as the man raised his fist and threatened. Henry Marceau approached more to see the painting between the man and the boy who looked like a Muslim. One in the group recognized Henry Marceau and gave the group a hint. "Marceau?" Suddenly, they were confused about the presence of a celebrity, and the Muslim boy seemed relieved thinking that there was someone to help him. "Help, help! I really didn''t do anything." Henry Marceau, looking at the colonne de juillet, nced down at the boy. Why should I? what? Henry Marceau''s cold attitude baffled the boy. The men who tried to avoid their seats were relieved at Henry Marceaus words. Henry Marceau, as a Frenchman, also hated Muslims. I''m not a cop, Henry Marceau looked away from the boy and looked at the painting. The Le Gnie de Libert, the guardian deity of freedom, was illuminated by the light and shone sacredly. "You''re wrong," Both the boy and the Frenchmen who were trying to kick the boy away got bewildered. "It''s not a brush, it''s a torch in the right hand. It''s a chain on the left hand, and where''s the hair ornament?" "Uh" "Can you see that from here? If you''re going to draw it like this, look for a picture." The boy was bewildered and couldn''t understand what was happening, while the men who were beating the Muslim boy also looked at him in shock. What are you doing? Fix it. Ah, yes. The boy Vida Lavani unwittingly picked up the Pastel. (To be Continued) To read 8 Chapters ahead Paid Chapters Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Henry Marceau turned around after seeing Vida Lavani''s old easel and the sparsely empty pastel. Then Vida Lavani, who was looking around, asked. Are you leaving? Henry Marceau turned his head annoyingly. "I heard you buy paintings often on the street. By any chance.. Vida Lavani mumbled. Henry Marceau was a figure that all artists admired, and so was Vida Lavani. Just selling his work will make his namee in headlines. The Artist''s reputation or background was not at all bothered, so some even worked on the streets to stand out for Henry Marceau. Vida Lavani thought that such luck hade to him, too. Hahahaha, Henry Marceauughed in dismay. The boys eyes opened wide with surprise. Henry Marceau made a mockery of Vida Lavani. "That''s a symbol of France. After painting it like that, you want to sell it? Know your ce." Ah Vida Lavani recalled the men who were threatening him just a moment ago. They also said something simr to Henry Marceau. The boy thought Henry Marceau was pointing out that as a Muslim he shouldnt draw. If you want to sell it to others, develop your skills first. There''s no one to buy that crap." At Henry Marceau''s advice, Vida Lavani raised his head. He felt hope in the words of Henry Marceau, who saw him as an aspiring artist, not as a Muslim. "Really? Then, will you buy it, if I develop my skills?" Henry Marceau twitched his lips. "Can you draw a picture that Henry Marceau wants to buy?" "Huh, You cant unless you draw 10,000 pictures?" In Henry Marceau''s view, Vida Lavani was not talented. It seemed that he didn''t even get a basic education. He didn''t know how to use color at all and didn''t know what he wanted to express. "" Vida Lavani dropped his head. If he had no talent and no education, he would have had to work hard by pushing himself to the brink of death, but it was even more hopeless to see him frustrated at the fact that he had to draw 10,000 pictures. Henry Marceau headed toward the car. "A ten thousand," muttered Vida Lavani, who was left alone. There was not enough pastel to draw ten thousand sheets. There was also a shortage of paper. He saved and used the pastel he received as a gift on his birthdayst year, but some colors have been used up, and there are not many colors left to use. There are five more months left until his birthday in December. He knew it was greed, but Vida Lavani couldn''t forget Henry Marceau''s words. When Ko Hun was spending time at the Whitney Museum, Ko Sooyeol visited Ferdinando Gonzalez alone. Ferdinando weed his old friend wearing a mask. Wee. Gonzalez. Ko Sooyeol could not help but be surprised at Ferdinando''s visibly thin figurepared to what he saw two months ago. Come in, Ferdinando guided Ko Sooyeol into his house. "What the hell happened? How on earth did you be half of what I sawst time?" Ferdinandoughed without taking off his mask. "Don''t look at me like that, Sooyeol. I''m all right. "It doesn''t look all right. Is it the same problem fromst time?" Ferdinando grinned bitterly and pulled a bottle of drink from the refrigerator. Ko Sooyeol looked around. Is Louis out? Ferdinando''s partner Louis Reykok was missing. Ferdinando didn''t tell the truth, so Ko Sooyeol wanted to ask Louis about what was going on. Ferdinando sat down offering the drink to Ko Sooyeol. After swallowing the drink several times and not saying anything, Ko Sooyeol asked again. "You have to tell me. What''s going on in the house, you''re so sick, where''s Louis?" "in the hospital." Ferdinando''s voice trembled. "Hospital?" Ko Sooyeol asked in a startled voice. What happened? Ferdinando agonized. Since he had no one to talk to about his own concerns, it seemed that he could no longer keep it secret. He felt like his heart would explode if he didn''t tell anyone. Ferdinando said as if squeezing a heavy wound in his chest, thinking it would be okay if it was Ko Sooyeol, who understood his rtionship with Louis. Ferdinando said in a muffled voice. "It hurts a lot. They say it''s toote." Ko Sooyeol narrowed his eyes. The young friend in front of him looked like he was about to copse at any moment. I''m on your side. Say it. What happened? Ko Sooyeol didn''t know what happened, but he understood that it was something big looking at Ferdinando who looked more hesitant than the time when he confessed he was gay six years ago. Ko Sooyeolforted and supported him as he did then. Ferdinando swallowed with difficulty and said. It''s AIDS, Ferdinando looked up. "I have it, too." Ko Sooyeols eyes trembled. Ferdinando Gonzalez was indispensable to the art world. He was a pioneer in connecting art and the public by pushing the dogmatic mainstream art world. Ko Sooyeol was saddened by the tragedy that had fallen upon the young artist and an old friend with a bright future. Ko Sooyeol asked cautiously. Is there no way? Weve tried everything. After a long silence, Ferdinando smiled and looked up. "I think this will be myst exhibition." Ferdinando''s cell phone vibrated as Ko Sooyeol was sighing. It was a call from the hospital. Ferdinando hurriedly took the phone to his ear. "Yes, Gonzalez." I think you shoulde to the hospital. "why?" The patient is waiting. Ferdinando stood up quickly and wrapped his coat around. Grandpa wanted to meet Ferdinando Gonzalez alone, so I visited the Whitney Museum of Art. There were fewer people than the first week, but still, they were enjoying the Whitney Biennale. Entering the museum, Ferdinando Gonzalez''s [Untitled-perfect lovers] was the first to catch my eye. Unlike two months ago, the left wall clock stopped moving. The second hand of the right wall clock is also moving hard as if it will also soon stop. "Master Hun" John Carter, who guided me to the Whitney Biennale the other day greeted me as soon as he saw me. "Hello. How have you been?" "Great. After all, Im surrounded by such wonderful works?" Ferdinando Gonzalez''s work bothered me when he said wonderful works. Considering that the Whitney Museum, which is thorough in managing the works, has not changed the batteries of the clock, I think Gonzalez intended it to be like that. "Seeing that you havent changed the batteries of the clock, I think the artist originally wanted it to be like that." "Yes, it was the condition to disy the simple work." John Carter exined Gonzalez''s work using the word Simple. "It''s all about getting two clocks of the same model anywhere in the world, putting the same batteries in at the same time, and hanging them side by side." By listening to John Carter''s exnation, I could see that the direction he was thinking of while looking at this work was not wrong. Even under the perfectly same conditions, you would have known that they would have no choice but to show a difference someday. Considering the subtitle [Perfect Lovers] does it denote the same time spent by the lovers. Does it mean that the lovers can''t be together until the end? You can tell how Ferdinando Gonzalez was in love because he says he and his lover were perfect even if the day of partinges one day. "It''s amazing," John Carter raised his eyebrows when I gave an honest impression. "I think the image is important. It''s like form, texture, color." John Carter nodded as if he understood. "I drew it hoping that my emotions would touch the eyes and chest of the audience. I like that kind of work. But.." Ferdinando Gonzalez''s work was very simple. It is different from me, grandpa, Henry Marceau, and Aunt Mirae, and it is also different from Papa and Mama. Unlike me, who adds paint while thinking about how to pour out emotions and convey them perfectly. He rules out as much as possible. "Gonzalez has a knack for stimting curiosity and thinking in a very simple way." I also used the word Simple to express his work. Actually, I don''t know if that''s an appropriate expression. Even if the result is simple, he would have thought a lot and repeated many failures to make it meaningful. John Carter smiled when I conveyed my idea. "Antoine de Saint-Exupry said Perfection is not a state where there is nothing left to add, but there is nothing left to subtract." I agree. I think it''s simr to the case of poetry. It is to maximize thinking and imagination in the implied sentence by thoroughly refining words and sentences and taking out unnecessary things. I want to try it at least once. WURRRR WURRRR My smartphone vibrated. It was Henry Marceau. He hasn''t contacted me in the past few days, so I think he should have finally felt like apologizing. Can I? Joe Carter showed his palm. I took the call. "What?" What are you doing? I''m in the art museum." Art museum? "Whitney Museum, if you''re going to apologize, do it quickly. Don''t waste my time." What apology? For interrupting my broadcast, and disturbing me while doing the concept art of The strange Castle. He doesn''t seem to be aware of how rude he is. Anyway. Why aren''t you doing any broadcasts? " What?" -Why not? How did this guy turn so weirdly? I thought he was just bad at expressing and doingmendable things, but now I can''t figure it out. "It''s up to me whether I do it or not. Ill hang up if you don''t have anything to say." -I warn you, don''t hang up before me again. KACHIK When I hung up, John Carter blinked. "I think it was Henry Marceau''s voice" "Yes, I thought he had something to say, but I guess he was just bored. Can I take a look around alone?" "Sure." WURR WURRRRRR I couldn''t keep John Carter waiting, so I sent him and soon my phone vibrated again. I told you not to hang up! "Stop being a nuisance." nuisance? "Don''t you think I''m doing something?" What are you doing? I sigh a lot when I talk to this person. "I''m going to watch the Whitney Biennale." do itter. When we meet next time, I should give a blow to his chin and talk about what his problem is. "Tell me what you want to say right now." Why are you saying like that? It''s the voice of Sherry Gado. Give it to me. Is it Hun? "Hello, Sherry." I think Henry wants to y with you. What are you talking about nanny! Did you think of me as some kind of kindergarten kid . What is she talking about? Stay still. I''m doing it for you because you can''t tell him. When did I do that? You look bored just by looking at your face. Hun, I''ll make a lot of delicious food, soe and y. "Delicious?" Yes. Don''t go quickly likest time, y slowly and go. I''d love it if you paint with Henry for a while. Don''te! Im telling you. Donte! "I''ll ask grandpa." TRIVIA Felix Gonzalez Torres. He was active for a short period of time from 1988 to 1996. He was a homosexual and a Cuban refugee who was active in a minority position, criticizing the mainstream artmunity. Felix Gonzalez Torres, who caused a big stir in the conservative American society of the time, is recognized as a symbol of modern art, with exhibitions held every year even after his death. He died of AIDSplications in 1996. (To be Continued) Chapter 137 Chapter 137 What do you mean by ask? Donte. Henry Marceau''s voice came closer. I think he snatched the smartphone from Sherry. Just check your mail. The call got cut off. The perfect opportunity to taste Sherry Gado''s dish again disappeared in vain. I opened my mailbox. Socit Nationale des Beaux Arts. A mail from SNBA had just arrived. I opened the mail. Subject: Sent from SNBA. From: Salon_SNBA To: PotatoPizza, Hello, Artist Ko Hun. Im Robin Hugo, Operations Management Team, National Art Association of France. Our SNBA holds the National Art Salon Exhibition in France every December. This year, artists from all over the world will be invited to hold an exhibition from December 14th to 17th, and I would like to invite Artist Ko Hun for it. Our SNBA director Henry Marceau said that Artist Ko Hun''s bold painting style and challenge should be widely promoted. I have sent a copy of this mail to your agency Sunflower. Hoping for a positive reply. Thank you. I think this is why Henry Marceau asked me to look at my mail. I would have happily epted it if he had asked me about this from the beginning without talking about useless things. He is a man whos considerate and inconsiderate at the same time. SNBIt''s a name I''ve never heard of." I searched for the National Art Association of France. It is said that the group was founded in 1861 by Theophile Gautier, Eugne Dcroix, Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, Charles-Franois Daubigny, and Edouard M. I thought it got disbanded. I can''t believe that an organization created in protest of the Royal Academy of Art is still active for over 160 years. Looking at it in more detail, it is said that they continued to work and failed, but were re-formed by Chavan, Duran, Rodin, etc. It is a ce where the spirits of French artists continued, and now Henry Marceau seems to be the one in charge. Great. I once wanted to create amunity of painters so that artists could work together and have a positive impact on each other. I failed in less than two months. It seems like many people have tried to be independent from power and have continued to this day. It''s a shame and envy for me. Although Henry Marceau is rude and brazen, he is also working for the independence and development of artists. I should also find a dream that I gave up on. Everything has changed since then, so there must be something I can do. When I was thinking, I got a call from Uncle Bang. "Yes, uncle." -Hun, did you see the mail sent from the National Art Association of France? "I just saw it. What do you think, uncle?" It''s fine. I was looking for their schedule and was nning to call them even if they didn''t. I''ll send you a list of other events, so take a look. It seems like Uncle Bang was looking for other events other than the French National Art Salon. Since I don''t know what kind of exhibition is out there, I''m just grateful that there are people who help me like this. "I will." Yeah. I think Henry Marceau set the terms well. After finishing the call with Uncle Bang, I called Henry Marceau. The ring continued for a long time, and after a while, Henry Marceau''s grumpy voice was heard. What? "I saw the mail. I''m looking at other events and I''ll take that into consideration. -Okay. "Thank you. I wish you''d told me from the beginning." Shut up. Henry Marceau hung up. I checked the time, and it''s been about an hour, but I haven''t heard from my grandpa. Grandpa seems to be talking to Ferdinando Gonzalez for a long time. He''ll contact me, so I''ll have to walk around leisurely until then. "Ah." I stopped at a work that I hadn''t seen before. It was a work that forms an image by hanging several colored bars on the ceiling. An artist of this era tried to show different paintings depending on the angle of view of the painting in the bars in different colors. I am surprised every time because there are so many different things from the conception of the idea to the way they execute the idea. I moved my feet excitedly to see what the next work would be. While enjoying the exhibition, I got a call from grandpa. The time was 7 p.m., and about four to five hours passed in an instant. "Yes, Grandpa." Did you wait for a long time? "No, there''s a lot of fun stuff." I''m on my way to pick you up. I''ll see you in ten minutes. Okay, Grandpas voice seemed shaky. As I went outside, worried about what happened to grandpa, a taxi suddenly stopped in front of the Whitney Museum. Grandpa beckons from the inside to get in. Grandpa looks exhausted with his shoulders drooping and his face looks dark as if he was tired. What''s wrong, grandpa? Grandpa nodded. "Let''s talk on the way." On the way to the hotel, grandpa brought up the story that Ferdinando Gonzales was very sick. "Is it really bad?" Grandpa nods his head hard. Ferdinando, who I believe was 39 years old, is too early to die. Can''t it be treated? They found out toote. There is a treatment, but ifplicationse together, there is no countermeasure." Grandpa exined that he has lung cancer and his immune system weakened due to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. I don''t know what kind of disease thetter is, but I''ve heard of cancer in a drama I watched with Mama. I know that it will heal after surgery, but it seems different. "Can''t you treat it with surgery?" "It''s a case if his immune system were fine." Even me, who sees him only as an outstanding artist, is so sad, then how about grandpa, whos acquainted with him? I put my hand on grandpas back because I wanted tofort him even a little. "Huh?" Kim Jungmin, a member of the WH Art Museum, doubted his eyes. It was because of the e-mail sent by Ferdinando Gonzalez, a leading figure in the American art world. "Section Chief," Kim Jungmin called the section chief Sung Gyul, who was in charge after Bang Tae resigned and got promoted. "Ferdinando Gonzalezmissioned an exhibition." Sung Gyul blinked. It was a look of what kind of joke he was making so seriously from the morning. "Its real," Kim Jungmin sent a link to his mailbox through an in-house messenger. Sung Gyul narrowed his eyes and checked the email sent by Ferdinando Gonzalez. Ferdinando''s email address was the same as Gonzalez''s official mail, and the content was specific to the point that it cant be considered someone''s prank. One thing that bothered him was the content of the work to be exhibited. "Candies?" Ferdinando Gonzalez hoped to ce 79 kg of candies at the entrance or rest area of the WH Art Museum from August. He also wanted them toy out 34 Kg of candies in the space facing the 79 kg candies. The type of candy to be disyed can be chosen based on the children''s favorite in Korea, and they were asked to add as much weight as they lost once a day. The money to replenish the candies was paid by Ferdinando Gonzalez''s agency once a month, and the deadline was until the WH Art Museum decided not to disy the work anymore. They knew that Ferdinandos works were unusual, but regarding this one, they couldn''t help but be confused. "Let''s all check Gonzalez''s mail and have a meeting in half an hour." "Yes." When the WH Art Museum was wondering about Ferdinando Gonzalez''s request, art galleries around the world were also discussing the same request. Caro Seedorf, the curator of the Museum of Art in Amsterdam, asked for advice from an acquaintance while pondering what Ferdinando Gonzalez''s intentions were. "Caro." Kevin McCurley, director of the Van Gogh Museum of Art, visited the pub after work. "Is there anything interesting?" Kevin McCurley asked, ordering a beer. "Well, Ferdinando Gonzalez asked for an exhibition." Kevin opened his eyes wide. "It''s cool. It''s a good thing." Ferdinando was an artist who people from all around the world wanted to invite. "It''s not an exhibition, it''s just two works, and the conditions are weird." Kevin drank the beer he ordered and looked at his friend Caro Seedorf, who told the story about 79 kilograms and 34 kilograms of candies. Does he want you to fill it up every day? Yes, until we don''t want to disy it. There''s a monthly charge. "Hmm." It''s an unfamiliar story even for Kevin, who''s been exposed to a lot of art. "What do you think?" Kevin continued to worry when asked by his friend. Gonzalez asked to stack the candies that children love randomly at the entrance of the museum or in the resting area and make it avable for the children to eat them freely. "I hear it''s for children rather than exhibiting a work. Like the way art galleries try to attract kids. "I see." Kevin exhaled. "It''s weird, but is there a problem? Gonzalez''s work would make headlines and attract more visitors. "That''s true." Kevin and Caro hit their sses and continued to drink. Meanwhile, the French National Art Association, which proposed a salon exhibition to Ko Hun on the rmendation of Henry Marceau, also received a proposal from Ferdinando Gonzalez. Robin Hugo, who is a member of the operation and management team and also a participant in the salon exhibition, was also surprised along with the staff of several art galleries. He couldn''t understand what it meant when he asked to maintain the weight without telling them how to arrange the candies. "Is it important that we cant understand?" One of the team members stepped up while everyone was thinking about how to respond to Ferdinand Gonzalez''s demands. "Someone will understand. I don''t think it''ll be bad since we dont have to drop a work to disy it. "That''s right." Well, the odd thing is, I heard a simr story at lunchtime. Simr story? Yes, my friend at the Victoria and Albert Children''s Museum said he also received a simr request offer from Gonzalez. Robin Hugo and his teammates frowned and tilted their heads. Really? Yes. I didn''t even talk about it at first, and it was weird because it was the same thing." Robin Hugo, who pondered for a while, said. "Ask people you know. Don''t mention it. Ask them whether they gotmissioned by Ferdinand Gonzalez?" TRIVIA Vincent van Gogh hoped to create amunity of painters in Arles. Although he encouraged his acquaintances to participate, Paul Gauguin was the only writer who responded, and the two separated after about two months together. Active AIDS patients do not receive liver transnts. (To be Continued) To read 8 Chapters ahead Paid Chapters Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Title: Everrich Museum of Art From: Robert_Reed To: Ferdi_love Hello, Ferdinando Gonzalez. I''m Robert Reid, curator of the Everrich Museum of Art. Thank you for your request to exhibit your work. We believe that your proposed new works, "79kg" and "34kg," will present new possibilities to form a unique discourse. The Everrich Museum of Art hopes to disy your artwork and will discuss details including how it should be disyed and sold. Please contact the direct number provided below. We shall be waiting for your reply. Ferdinando Gonzalez looked at his smartphone with a nk face. What, did it not work out? Ferdinandos lover Louis asked. "No. they want to talk about it," Louis grinned as Ferdinando showed him an email from the Everrich Museum of Art. Look, you don''t have to worry, Ferdinando Gonzalez looked at his lover Louis pitifully. Louis, who had a strong body weighing 174 pounds has changed into a figure with bare bones and now weighs only 75 pounds. It was all the more regrettable that he lost all his bravado and is now having a hard time even speaking. "By the way, how much is it all? It''s going to cost you some money. You said 130?" "Uh." Louis calcted the cost of disying the works of Ferdinando Gonzalez, who requested 130 art galleries around the world, and since no museum rejected the work of the great Artist, he had to prepare 130 pieces of 79kg and 34kg candies. Louis never bought candy inrge quantities, and he was used to pounds rather than kilograms, so he couldn''t know the exact price. So Louis asked. How much is a kilogram? About $25? Wow, Louis eximed. It was only spection because there are differences in prices from country to country, but considering the cost of materials installed in 130 art galleries alone, it cost nearly $370,000. Moreover, as time went by, maintenance costs increased astronomically. It was hard to predict how much money it would cost because it would allow people to eat candy freely and supply it indefinitely until the museum gave up. "If I knew you were this rich, I should have gotten some more brandy." Ferdinando Gonzalez smirked at Louis'' joke. "only brandy?" "Yes, just brandy?" There was silence between the two whoughed quietly. Knowing that there was not much time left to talk like this, Louis wanted to share anything and everything, even if it was meaningless. "It''s a nice day," Ferdinando Gonzalez nodded his head. "I''d love to get a tan. Louis opened his mouth after a brief interval. "I''d like to ask you a favor," Ferdinando Gonzalez raised his eyebrows and didnt say anything. If the hospital says I''m going to die, please bring me some brandy. I''m fighting against it now, but I wanted to feel the luxurious taste at myst moment. Yes, let''s have a toast, Gonzalez replied with difficulty. What are you talking about? Louis said emphatically. "Do you want to damage the already damaged liver? I''m the only one who''s going to drink." Hey. Are you Jealous? Gonzalez shook his head at Louis'' absurd question. Even in this situation, it was amazing that he brought up jokes. Anything else? What? Anything you need? Well, Louis turned around and looked at the drawer next to his bed. Open the drawer. This one? No. Bottom. Gonzalez opened the third drawer. A small box was ced in the drawer. Looking back, Louis was justughing. "What is this?" " Open it." Gonzales opened the box. He took out two rings sitting side by side and examined them. The initials of the two men were engraved inside. When I forgot. Gonzalez looked at the wedding ring carefully. If his partner wanted to get married, Gonzalez would have done anything. But, Louis did not want to make the position of his celebrity lover difficult, in a society where prejudice is still prevalent. It has been a long time since the Republican Party, which has many conservative figures, came to power. Louis thought that if Gonzalez was found to be gay, it would be a major obstacle to his artistic activities. Louis, who wanted his lover to be judged only by his work, dissuaded his lover froming out, again and again. Let''s put it on. Louis struggled to raise his left hand. Gonzalez took out the ring and put it on Louis'' finger. His thin ring finger looked more pathetic. "The ring is huge. It used to be perfect." Louisughed bitterly. Gonzalez handed the ring to Louis and asked him to put it on his finger. Louis barely lifted the ring and pushed it on Gonzalezs finger. It fits. Perfect. The pair grinned looking at each other. As the time for the short visit came to an end, it was time to say goodbye. Gonzalez got up. I''lle tomorrow, too. Okay, When Ferdinando Gonzalez turned around, Louis hurriedly called to him, "Hey, you have to take off your ring." Gonzalez smirked as Louis pointed at the ring. I don''t want to. What? It''s mine now. No..that.. I told you, it''s mine? Ferdinando Gonzalez regretted what he had been trying to ignore because of his position out of the fear of criticism. He followed Louis'' advice because he was afraid of losing his hard-won base, but he was able to solidify his mind when he found out that Louis had hidden his desire to marry for a long time. "What are you talking about all of a sudden? Leave it now." Ferdinand Gonzalez shrugged. "I don''t want to." [Visibly thin Ferdinando] [Who shared the ring with the artist of the century?] [Caroline Streak, "The World''s Simultaneous Exhibition is a reflection of the times."] [Ferdinando Gonzalez, World''s Simultaneous Exhibition] Ferdinando Gonzalez, an American artist who led conceptual art, will present a new work. Ferdinando Gonzalez said he is under contract with 130 art galleries around the world, adding that the works are not sold and are disyed semi-permanently. Officials said Ferdinando Gonzalez did not want anypensation. Meanwhile, Ferdinando Gonzalez has been in public for the first time in two months after losing his proud solid muscles, drawing fans'' concerns. The news about Ferdinando Gonzalez is buzzing. It may be natural because he is recognized as a leading artist along with Henry Marceau and Aunt Mirae. It is also an exhibition at 130 art museums at the same time. Come to think of it, Aunt Mirae was also nning simultaneous exhibitions around the world, and I wonder how the two will present their works. As I thought about it in my own way, the flight attendant brought me in-flight meals. Chicken cooked along with tomato sd, pasta, and broli with cheese and dressing. "Will Gonzalez''s work be exhibited in Korea?" I was on my way back to Korea and wondered if I would be able to see it in Seoul too, so I asked grandpa. "It will be. I heard hemissioned the WH Art Museum." It is the museum where my first individual exhibition was held with the help of Uncle Bang. It''s near my house, so I don''t think there''ll be a problem looking around. Grandpa doesn''t eat and thinks hard about something. Whats wrong, grandpa? No, let''s eat. His face was full of worries and he was lying. When I kept looking at grandpa, he was forced to tell me the reason. "I promised not to tell anyone." If that''s the reason, it can''t be helped. I nodded and moved the broli out from my te and got scolded by grandpa. "Little Hun, you shouldnt be picky. You should eat everything." "It doesn''t taste good, grandpa." "It''s good for your health." "Grandpa doesn''t eat asparagus either." When I fought back with facts because I didnt want to put that green monster in my mouth. I wanted to tell grandpa that there''s something that everyone doesn''t want to eat. But instead of understanding, grandpa took the asparagus and ate it in one bite. "See? Its now your turn." I don''t like it, so I stared at the green monster for a while and forced it into my mouth while closing my eyes. To hide the taste, I dipped it in pasta sauce. After finishing off the green monster, I looked at itspanions paprika, water parsley, and garlic. I dont know why I should eat them, I can live by just eating potato pizza. Ugh. Grandpa groaned when I roughly chewed and swallowed because I didn''t want to feel the taste or texture. It seems to be too much. After eating, and watching the news, I fell asleep. Ferdinando Gonzalezs ns for simultaneous exhibitions around the world are expected to be disrupted. I woke up as I heard something about Ferdinando Gonzalez. I checked the time and it seemed like I slept for about four hours. Some of Ferdinando Gonzalez''s backers have expressed their intention to stop the sponsorship. What are they talking about? When I rubbed my eyes and looked at the monitor, the phrase [Ferrinando Gonzalez, shockinging out] was disyed at the bottom. I didnt understand what the newsreader was saying since it was reported when I was sleeping. Ughhhhh. Grandpa was frowning while watching the news. I took off one earphone and asked. What''s going on, grandpa? Grandpa breathed heavily and replied. Do you remember the promise I told you a while ago? Yes. It was about Gonzalez. I promised that I wont tell anyone that hes gay." I was surprised. It was surprising that he was gay, but there was something that surprised me even more. I felt disappointment in the world which has developed a lot and has yet to escape from the brainwashing of the dogmatic church. "So they''re not going to sponsor?" Grandpa nodded. "" The Whitney Biennale was full of really diverse works. Everyone respected each other in a very free atmosphere regardless of genre, form, and voice. In such a diverse society, I dont understand why they are stopping the sponsorship just because he is gay. Love your neighbor as yourself is the first and greatmandment of the bible and I dont why they are forgetting that and following other things. When I conveyed my thoughts, grandpa sighed again. A person or group behaves more conservatively when it gets difficult. I think I know what grandpa meant. This was the case in the 14th and 16th centuries when feudal society changed and guns and cannons were invented. Rather than adapting to a changing society, they tended to over-emphasize chivalry to promote a sense of privilege, creating a discipline that knights must do so, even though it does not match reality at all, and gradually degenerated into a closed society. A Spanish writer also satirized it with a novel called Don Quixote of La Mancha, saying Christianity as a whole continues to decline. All that remains now is a ce that strongly promotes doctrine. "What does that have to do with Gonzalezs work?" "Because it has a strong influence. Even without that, the awareness of LGBT people around the world has improved a lot, and the conservatives feel a sense of crisis when celebrities like Ferdinando join in." Do they think of it as a threat to their survival? Was it supposed to be hidden? Even if it is legally permitted, the people who oppose it are strong. Especially from a vulnerable position, it''s scary." It would be a great barrier for an artist whose life depends on his reputation. Meanwhile, the Everrich Museum of Art, which had decided to exhibit his work, has announced that it willpletely destroy the contract. With many museums expressing support and withdrawing their ns, attention is being paid to the sess of Ferdinando Gonzalez''s simultaneous exhibitions around the world. I don''t know about religion. I don''t know about politics. I don''t know about LGBT either. But what I know is forcing people to do something that they dont like is an act of violence. As an Artist, I want to help fellow artist, who tries to disy the artwork that will be thest of his life. TRIVIA 174 lb is approximately 79 kg and 75 lb is approximately 34 g. New York State has legalized gay couples'' marriages since July 24, 2011. (To be Continued on Sept 5{MON}) Chapter 139 Chapter 139 On March 26, 1885, I received a telegram saying that my father died. I wanted to achieve something big and visit him proudly, but everything was in vain. Father Since when did I stop saying I love you? Was it the time when I started going out with Sein? Or was it since the day I decided to be an artist? I''m not sure, but I haven''t seen my father''s face since I met Sien, no, since I let her go. I intentionally avoided him fearing what would pop out of his mouth. He only kept his resentment boiling in his heart, and it kept eating his soul. Now that I couldnt see or talk to him, the words that I couldnt speak to him are hovering around my mouth. Father. Father. Father Beyond the smoke of the cigarette, I saw the Bible that my father gave me. My father, who was a clergy at Dutch Reformed Church, always wanted me to continue his path. At one time, I even tried to walk the same path as my father, but I couldn''t. The more I studied theology, the more I found that the church is in contrast to God''s grace, holy words, and salvation. So, rather than being in church, I decided to be a preacher to spread the gospel to the poor. I stayed in the mining town of Borinage, Belgium, hoping that the lives of miners would improve even a little. I told the mine owners that they should love their employees, but nothing changed. No one followed God''s teachings to love their neighbors. The powerful were obsessed with small doctrines and kept saying everyone was equal before Lord only with their mouths. Blinded by greed, they swallowed the blood of the poor regardless of the Lord''s words. I had no choice but to follow Jesus, who was willing to go to the lowest ce. I guess my father didn''t like my choice. I didn''t do anything wrong. I just wanted to live with the poor and needy and support them. I med my father for not understanding it, and I resented him. Why? Why does this hurt? Why do I regret not speaking to him when I vowed not to see him again? "Uughhhhhhhhhhhhhh." Words and emotions that couldn''te out of my lips flow down. Once everything flowed down, I let go of the sadness that kepting up. One day, two days, three days. After crying for a long time, I was able to gather my mind and organize my thoughts. It was only now that I realized that love takes precedence over morals and beliefs. My father, who scolded me for meeting a prostitute, and me, who shouted at him for not seeing her as a woman, just had different opinions. We were just different from each other, and is it okay to break the rtionship between the father and the son because of that difference? No, it''s not. Rather than regretting it, it would have been better if we acknowledged our differences and tried to love each other for what they are. Putting the Bible that my father gave me on the canvas, I painted a candle that was blown out with a heart of regret that he is no more. mile Z''s The Joy of Life, which was ced in front of the bible, may not represent the life my father wanted, but thats my path. It is a pledge and a regret that I will no longer hate and resent my father. Although we didn''t understand each other till the end, it doesn''t mean I didn''t love my father. I love you, Father. I remembered the day I regretted not reconciling with my father. I couldn''t say I love you, or I''m sorry, or thank you. Life is short, and its a pity that many spend time hating each other instead of loving each other in that short time. I wanted to find a way to help even if its a little bit, so I asked grandpa one more time. Is there no other way, grandpa? Well, Grandpa said, rubbing his hands. "If you try to persuade either side, you end up fighting with them." Yes. The reason I separated from Anton Van Raffard and Paul Gauguin was that I wanted to change them. It happened because they denied me. Even if Im right, the conflict will arise. It would be nice to admit that we are different, but to do so, we have to understand each other deeply. Will they ever understand Ferdinando Gonzalez? I really don''t know. I kept thinking as I got off at Incheon Airport and got home, but I couldn''t find the answer. I don''t know if I still have the courage to fight against the strong. My entire life has been ruined because I refused to follow the mainstream. But what''s clear is that even though Im afraid of my life repeating itself, I don''t have even the smallest courage I had in my previous life. I don''t have the energy to do that. I want to help one person to prepare for thest work of his life. Jang Mirae, who visited Ko Sooyeol''s house, went to see Ko Hun. The studio door was closed, so she knocked on the door a few times, but there was no response. Carefully she opened the door. Inside, Ko Hun was looking at his smartphone with his chin in his hand. "Hey Little guy, your aunt is here and what are you doing without showing your face?" Jang Mirae approached Ko Hun. Sheughed when she saw the smartphone ying the baby shark song. "Aunt Mirae." Ko Hun took off his earphones. Jang Mirae asked anxiously because his worries were reflected on his face. Hey little Hun, what happened? That, Ko Hun swallowed his words as he turned off his smartphone. When Ko Hun mentioned what happened to Ferdinando Gonzalez, Jang Mirae leaned on the desk with her arms crossed. Ko Hun expressed his desire to help Gonzalez. "But I don''t know what to do," Jang Mirae, who just nodded and listened to Ko Hun without interrupting, smiled. "It''s a little different. I''ve been through that before." "Aunt Mirae too?" "Yeah." Jang Mirae organized her thoughts and told the story. It may be a little difficult for a child, but she thought Ko Hun might understand it. "There was a contest where all rookies wanted to win awards. I got banned at that contest." Banned? At that time, the daughter of the president of the association received the grand prize that I should have received. Ko Hun blinked at Jang Mirae''s words, but soon recalled her work and nodded. I was so angry that I threw a bucket full of paint and water on the judges. "Bucket?" Ko Hun didn''t know how big the bucket was, but when Jang Mirae said she threw a heavy thing, Ko Hun could understand how angry Jang Mirae was. Jang Mirae shrugged her shoulders. "And then I became a bad person, even though I was the victim." Ko Hunforted Jang Mirae by cing his hand on the back of her hand. "At first, I was confident. But from then on all the exhibitions refused to disy my paintings, and a strange rumor started circting around along with people who started cursing me on the Inte. I was cornered." "It must have been hard." "Yeah. If Teacher didn''t help me, I might have given up on Art." "How did grandpa help Aunt Mirae?" "He advised me to go and study abroad," Ko Hun thought for a moment. Avoiding the problem could also be a solution, but he didnt understand whether it will solve the fundamental problem. Moreover, it cannot be applied to Ferdinando Gonzalez''s situation. "At first, I didn''t like it because I wondered why I should run away. Don''t you think so too?" Ko Hun looked up in wonder. "As I studied abroad, there were people who recognized me little by little, and as the number of fans increased, Korean people also started looking at my works without prejudice." Oh. I think Teacher wanted to let me know this. No matter how much someone attacks with evil intentions and tries to crush you with power, they cannot bring down an Artist who is loved by fans." Jang Mirae grinned, looking at Ko Hun. "I wouldn''t have known this if Hae, Sooj, and Teacher weren''t by my side." Ko Hun nodded. It was neither a politician nor a capitalist that could give strength to an Artist. It was the people who visit the art museum. As Jang Mirae said, without the help of influential people such as Ko Huns parents and grandfather, she would have been swept away by prejudice, but even that help would have been useless if Jang Mirae did not try on her own. Jang Mirae''s work was loved by the public, and today she was an Artist representing Korea. Ko Hun believed Ferdinando Gonzalez, who created the [untitled-perfect lover], would surely surprise the world once again and be loved. Ko Hun realized that even if he didn''t do anything great, just trusting and supporting the person would help them and it was the most important thing. Jang Mirae asked while looking at Ko Hun, who nodded his head as if he had decided on something. What do you think, little Hun? What? Ferdinando? I wonder why you wanted to help him. You guys arent even close, right?" Ko Hun closed his eyes to organize his words. "It''s unfair, disturbing ones freedom of expression." Jang Mirae responded. "That''s true, whether the expression is in the form of words, Art, literature, or music. No one has the right to stop someone from expressing themself. But, isn''t it the same for the other side too?" Jang Mirae mentioned the people who were criticizing Ferdinando Gonzalez. Aren''t they expressing what they think? "There will inevitably be a conflict because what everyone thinks and pursues arepletely different from each other." Jang Mirae said while shey face down on the desk. "I thought I should express myself without viting other people''s freedom, but." Ko Hun finished Jang Miraes words in a voice full of conviction. ".it isn''t easy," Jang Mirae slowly raised her upper body. It is natural and true that freedom should not be vited while pursuing it Ko Hun continued while Jang Mirae looked at him without blinking. "If we fear viting others'' freedom, then we all have to be silent. Everyone has to stop expressing themselves because there will be someone who has a different idea and because there will be a conflict one day. Is such a society really a healthy society?" Jang Mirae shook her head when asked by Ko Hun. "Its good to acknowledge that we are different, but thats not easy. While trying to express yourself, you may end up getting hurt by other people''s words and actions, which can lead to injustice." "That''s right." "But it''s too precious. How can you live giving up on being you? How can you live without expressing yourself? There are things, even if you think the world might not ept, you have to keep moving forward if you believe in it. If you do that, you may find and meet someone who thinks and feels the same as you." Ko Hun said while smiling despondently. "I know It''s hard," Ko Hun said sullenly thinking about his long-cherished thoughts. It would be nice if we could cherish each other and embrace each other. . Is it too ideal? "No," Jang Mirae shook her head. "There may be an answer or maybe not, but I want to keep trying until I find one." "Ah" She wondered about the way Ko Hun took the problem, which she was having a hard time finding an answer to. And she was also surprised to see him trying to find the answer in his own way. It was so touching that he wants to try even if I couldn''t solve it. Little Hun? You''d better not try to find the ideal answer. In fact, the answer may be one, several, or none." That''s what Ko Hun always said to Cha Sihyeon. Ko Hun nodded and replied. "The important thing is to try to find the answer. If you stop thinking, you''ll be dead." "That''s right." Ko Hun desperately experienced that everyone had their own answers and it could lead to conflict with each other. Ferdinand Gonzalez''s case was not a new one, but a reminder of memory. The memory of a stubborn painter who once tried to persuade and correct others. In the past, his rtionship with many people has been distorted, and he thought his way of pushing his ideals might have been wrong. The thought of epting them as they are and loving them made him more mature when he faced the same problem as then. When the freedom of two people collide, the small courage to see the other person as they are, sprouts. TRIVIA The way Ko Hun treats paintings and people, introduced in Van Gogh Reborn!, is depicted as a setting where he regrets and reflects on his words and actions in the past. Thats also the reason why he did not break his rtionship with Henry Marceau despite fighting a lot. (To be Continued) Chapter 140 Chapter 140 After discussing with grandpa and Uncle Bang, I decided to participate in the special exhibition at the French National Art Salon. Although it was a short exhibition for four days from December 14 to 17, 2028, there was no reason not to participate considering its purpose and poprity. In addition, thanks to Henry Marceau''s rmendation, the French National Art Association was considerate of many things. The work I want to disy can be hung with just a notice in advance, and if I want an independent ce, I can rent a small gallery located in Haut-Marais, in Paris. The fee was only 20 percent of the sale of the work, which was better than any exhibition ever held. "Is there anything left?" It is not certain whether the work will be sold. I wonder if this will cover the promotion cost and venue rental cost. "It''s not a profit-making event," Uncle Bang added that not only Henry Marceau but also many people support the French National Art Association. It is fortunate that there are so many artists and art lovers. One thing that bothers me is that I was not selected through the Salon contest but through a special rmendation. When I looked for it roughly, all the special rmendation targets were not winners of the contest. Uncle Bang, is it okay to participate without winning the contest? Yes, there''s no such rule. Do you want to participate in the contest?" "I don''t know." Even though it''s a salon exhibition created by artists to be independent of power, I don''t like my work being judged. Even if the procedure was handled fairly, the judges are also human, so they are inevitably subjective. Im notfortable ranking the works based on the standards of certain people. At the same time, I dont like being criticized for taking the help of Henry Marceau because I didnt have the confidence in winning the contest. When I told my worry to grandpa, he burst intoughter. "Then we canpete fairly and win. At least the conditions are the same." I got confidence hearing grandpas words. I also wonder how far I can go with my current skills. If its the National Art Salon Exhibition in France, famous people will gather and it will be a good experience. I made up my mind. I''ll do it. Will you be all right, Hun? You might miss a good opportunity. "I don''t want to lean on Marceau. I want to get the chance with my own strength." Uncle Bang grinned and nodded. "Okay, I''ll let them know that." There is no profit for Uncle Bang from this work, yet he is giving me hisplete support. Im really grateful for Uncle Bang. Next year, he and I should prepare to make more profits. Uncle Bang, let''s do something that makes a big profit next year. Big profit? Yes, I made less money this year, so, it will be hard for Uncle Bang. Oh, that''s fine. There was the Schminke job, there will be an auction at the Whitney Biennale, and the number of views on the New Tube is alsoing out well." I understand that we will be getting money from Schminke and Whitney Biennale, but I dont understand why the number of views on the New Tube has anything to do with money. Many people Sponsored me some money, but I dont think thats a lot. Do I get money from broadcast? Yes, it hasn''te to fruition yet, but it''s growing well. There are already 30,000 subscribers. Uncle Bang exined that the more people watch the video, the more I can receive revenue from advertisers or from what the premium users pay. How much did we get? It''s still small. 400,000 won? I agreed to give 10 percent for outside activities when signing the contract with Uncle Bang, and the same goes for the ie from NewTube. I suddenly felt sorry for Uncle Bang because I was satisfied with the money I earned. He couldn''t even buy two tes of potato pizza a month with that money. I want to do something more for Uncle Bang who quit the job that he used to do well for me. Moreover, even if I don''t have to sell paintings, if I have a way to make money, I will be able to work in a more stable environment. How can I make more money on NewTube, Uncle Bang? More views are the best. You have to upload videos often. I only did it three times, is it okay? Actually, I ran out of things to edit now. haha!" I should do it today. I don''t have to think about what to do because I decided to paint watercolors with Sihyeon today. Uncle, I''ll do it today. You don''t have to strain yourself. No, Im not. It''s fun. Just being able to talk to people who like my paintings is good enough for me. After doing it several times, I learned how to turn on the broadcast, and thanks to this, Uncle Bang, who manages the chat window, doesn''t have to stay here. DING- DONG It seems like Sihyeon has also arrived. The doorbell rang and when I opened the door, he came in with a strong greeting after a while. Hello! Oh, Sihyeon, its been a while. How are you doing?" Fine, grandpa Ko! Grandpa weed Sihyeon. "Hun, then contact me as soon as you got ready." "Okay, Uncle Bang." Uncle Bang nodded and said goodbye waving his hand. "When are you going to do the show?" "About an hourter." "Okay, Ill prepare it." Sihyeon nced at Uncle Bang. He bowed with a smile on his face. He was so well educated that he greeted Uncle Bang while being shy. Let''s go in. Hun, I practiced a lot. Are you good at drawing now? I drew a lot. When I entered the studio, Sihyeon took a picture book out of his bag. Seeing him confident makes me feel better. Oh. Is it Pretty!? I found a nice blue color tree. It hasn''t been long since I taught him the principle of making colors, and I think he has learned well. It was a very nice blue tree, he may have mixed it himself or found his favorite color among the paints on sale. "It''s pretty." I don''t think it''s important to draw it well because its important to get exposed to various works. I can really rte to what Sihyeon was thinking. "But why didn''t you add water?" "Water?" "Yes, to the Paper. See, that''s why it''s buckling." Sihyeon tilts his head. "What''s buckling?" I think I should exin it from the beginning. "Watercolors have a lot of water, so if you don''t do the stering, the paper will bend like this." "What''s stering?" "Come here." I found the watercolor paper that I had prepared in advance to use with Sihyeon today. "You have to apply water and spread it out and dry it so that it doesn''t change even if you draw on itter." Are you stretching it out in advance? Right. He''s smart and quick to understand. Use this today. How do you make it? If you take this tape off, won''t it tear the paper off?" "You have to peel it off with a knife." "Okay." It''s different to understand it with your head and see it personally. I took out one more piece of watercolor paper that grandpa bought me. Why is this paper different? It''s cotton paper. What''s the difference? It''s barely discolored, and it''s strong. It''s easy to give gradation even if it''s dried. I''m pretending to know, but I too didnt know about it, I just delivered grandpa''s exnation. Grandpa said, It''s best to draw watercolors on a sheet of cotton paper. I didn''t know that. I didn''t know either. I applied enough water to the back of the paper. After putting the paper on the panel, the front side was also covered with water, and when I looked up, Sihyeon was looking at the duct tape in a strange way. I''ve never seen such a big tape. Grandpa bought me a big one. They say they use it for a long time once they buy it. Should I bring scissors? "It tears well with hands." I ripped the tape and stuck one side close to the drawing board. I put the tape on all four sides. "It''s alreadying up here." "It''s drying and spreading." Sihyeon nodded, with his eyes wide open. "If you dry it like this, even if you draw with watercolorster, the paper won''t buckle and it smudges well." Did Grandpa Ko say it?'' Yes. I shared what happened in the United States as we prepared to paint. Sihyeon made a fuss when he heard that I had recovered my memory. "That''s great! Great" He suddenly stopped talking and looked very worried. "What?" "Huns daddy and mommy" He worries about my parents, what a thoughtful fellow. It''s all right Not all right. Yes, its not all right. I want to go back to that time if I can. I would have faked illness and told them not to go out on that day. We wouldn''t have been hit by the truck if I had dyed it for a minute. "It''s okay because I cried a lot. It''s been a year, I''ve been to the grave, and I''m with my grandpa. If I keep feeling sad, Papa and Mama will be even more upset." Sihyeon stared at me and suddenly hugged me. I was embarrassed, but I wanted that. As I was beingforted, grandpa bought snacks. "Guys, let''s eat watermelon." He blinks when he saw us hugging each other. "I''m beingforted." Grandpa smiled looking at us. The cold watermelon from the refrigerator boasted fragrant and sweet nectar. Is it okay for you to draw with meter on the show?" "Un. What should I do?" "You can do it as usual." "Don''t I have to say that? Hit the Subscribe and like button." "It''s okay if you don''t." "No! You have to say that. What do I do? I''m suddenly nervous. Is this really going to be aired? Is my outfit okay? What if I make a mistake?" "What mistake?" It''s a little funny to see him panicking. "My drawing. Won''t they curse me if I can''t draw properly?" "They wont." Come to think of it, some people asked me what underwear I wore or what I did with Henry Marceau throughout the broadcast, and there''s no guarantee that they won''t curse. No. Maybe they will? Oh, no. Then I''ll stay out of the camera. Okay. I''ll be embarrassed if you show my face. Okay. Never. Can you promise me?" Why is this guy so suspicious of me? (To be Continued) Chapter 141 Chapter 141 I left my finished watermelon te in the sink. I''m going to put the drawing paper on the desk today, so I installed the camera above so that the picture can be seen well. I think this will happen a lot, so I''ll have to ask Uncle Bang to buy me another camera tomorrow. "Till which ce will be visible?" Sihyeon sat next to me and checked the monitor. He nodded satisfactorily only after making sure that he and his paper were not in the frame. When I turn on the broadcast, people start toe in little by little. Hey Hoonie! How long has it been? Please do the broadcast frequently. If you start broadcasting at 2, many people can''t see you live. Where''s your face? Look at me. Did you enjoy your trip to America? Wasn''t this an eating show channel? There is no food in sight, only a brush, and paper. "Hello." There are fewer people than before, but people seem to see it regrly. I didn''t think it was hard for people at work or school to watch because of the early hours. "I''ll think about it. When would be a good time?" I asked when it was most convenient to watch the broadcast. 7o clock. I think it''s best to watch while eating dinner. Please do a full 24-hour broadcast. I thought you stopped the broadcast, but youre doing it again. Did Bang Taeho run out of money? Is this broadcast to make money? 10 pm. It''s best to fall asleep while watching it. Morning! Morning! " Evening 7 o''clock sounds good." People who were watching from different time zones started posting fire emoticons. They do it when they don''t like something. I think that''s how they express their feelings, like feeling angry. "24 hours? I dont think I can do it for a whole day." Uncle Bang deleted the question asking whether he had run out of money. I exined that I cant do it at 10 p.m. because I have an appointment with grandpa at that time. "Am I doing this to make money? Of course, the job is to make money." The chat window exploded when I answered, it was to make money. Ahh Dont go after money There''s nothing I can''t say to you. After all, everyone in the world is after money. Tu dis quoi? en franais (What did you say? Say it in french) Money is good Everything has value in this world. You do something to get something in return, let it be money or fame. As Hun said, if youre doing a job then it is to make money. If one doesnt seek money after work hes a volunteer. What happened to the money you got from selling [Frost Wheat field]? Did you spend all of it? I have a lot of money. Like Marceau, I want to build a gallery, and like Marceau, I want to help Artists living in difficult circumstances. I want to live drawing paintings with like-minded people, so I want to earn more money. [Baek Yujin Sponsered 1,000 won]: Im poor, so I can only give you this much. "Why are you giving me money if youre a beggar? Uncle Bang, how do I give back this?" When I asked Uncle Bang, who was watching the broadcast, people posted a series of giggling emojis. Sihyeon, who was next to me, alsoughed. "Why are youughing?" "Being poor doesnt mean that person is a beggar." "She said shes poor. Then, she must be a beggar. Its not something you can say casually." Sihyeon can say this because he doesn''t know how miserable poverty makes people. I turned to the chat window. No, I''m not a beggar. If a viewer who gives 1000 won is a beggar, I dont know what it is for those who watch it for free parle en anis(Speak in english) He was just trying to be a beggar . If you want to make money, you have to ask for more! Who is next to you? I thought she was a beggar when she said shes poor. Anyway, thank you, but you dont have to give me money. Uncle Bang said I can get money if I upload this video. I looked at the camera and said to everyone. "You''ll have to watch it a lot. Please watch it a lot." By the way, why is Henry Marceau keeps telling me to broadcast in French or English? "People in Korea dont understand what Im saying if I speak French. I dont want to do a show just for you, Marceau?" Whats happening? Henry must be here again. Is Hun angry because Henry told him to speak in French, maybe Henry should learn Korean? Rather than French, I think English is better, there will be more viewers if the show is in English. There is also the NewTube subtitle option. "Is it better to speak English?" "I think so too because there are many people who speak English?" Sihyeon replied while I watched thements from the viewers. Of course, It would be easy for me to do it in English than in Korean, but most of the people who watch my broadcast are Koreans. so I asked everyone who was watching. "Does everyone speak English?" But, most of the response was negative. That''s a bit too much I''m already having a hard time with the painting talk, but now in English, I cant. If I had to put English subtitles in the video to be uploaded on NewTube, I should film it separately. "Marceau, there are a lot of people who don''t know English. So, if you want to watch the show, learn Korean." Hahaha, Poor Henry So cold Poor Henry, even though hes the No.1 fan of Hun. If its the Henry Marceau I know, he might just learn Korean. I suggest he start learning from Korean drama and K-pop It will be hard for the fans from other countries, but it cant be helped. Henry Marceau kept calling me, but I sent a message saying I would call him after the broadcast because I knew that the conversation would end in a fight. "I''m going to draw with watercolors today. Someone asked me who was next to me, Its a friend from school." "We''re best friends," Sihyeon replied while hiding from the camera. Heughed whenments such as "Your voice is cute" came up in the chat window. "I don''t know much about watercolor, so it wont be a lecture. Today, I''m going to try something different." The t brush was coated with water and applied evenly on watercolor paper. "It''s pretty when the watercolor spreads naturally. If you apply water and paint first, it looks natural." I took out the yellow color and mixed it with water and spread it on the paper. When I looked at the chat window, there were many questions about what Im drawing. "Love." Sihyeon looked at me strangely. What? How can you draw love? I''ll try. Sihyeon''s face and chat window were full of question marks. Some asked whether I was going to draw a heart or a love symbol. I said, putting a few more yellow dots. "Do you happen to know that Ferdinando Gonzalez''s work will be exhibited at the WH Art Museum from August?" I thought many people would know because they were interested in art, but it didn''t seem to be the case. Half of the people knew and half didn''t know. "You should definitely go. He''s a great Artist." "Ah, he''s the one who put two clocks at the Whitney Biennale, right?" "Yes." I answered Sihyeon while checking what he drew. Following me, Sihyeon also put a lot of dots on the wet paper. What kind of work is it? There has been a lot of buzz about Ferdinando in Americately. Pourquoi tes-vous au concours ?(Why are you in the contest?) I think it has something to do with himing out as gay. There were some art galleries that didnt want to exhibit Ferdinandos work because he was gay. Si vous participez un concours, personne d''autre ne peut obtenir un prix !(If you go to a contest, no one else can get an award!) Wow Is there still such kind of discrimination even these days? But isn''t it up to them to say whether they want or don''t want to exhibit it? People who watch my broadcast itself are divided like this, and it was obvious what America will be like. But it''s nice to see everyone sharing their opinions. And, I answered the question asked by Henry Marceau. "There''s no guarantee that I''ll win an award. There are so many wonderful Artists." Henry Marceau tends to overestimate me. There are so many people who draw well like grandpa, Aunt Mirae, and Henry Marceau, so I cant be sure that Ill get an award. I don''t know if Some viewers understood what I was talking about, so I exined the situation to them. Henry too sometimes says the right thing . If our Hun doesn''t get an award, then no one can get the award. What happened? I dont understand the context of the conversation. Henry Marceau allowed Hun to participate in the special exhibition using his influence, but Hun decided to participate in the contest. If he wins the contest, he will be able to participate in the special exhibition. Why did Hun refuse an easy road? Everyone is misunderstanding. I just didn''t want to rely on Marceau. Most of the paintings I''ve released so far have been bought by Marceau. I don''t want to use his name to enter the exhibition. And I dont have confidence that Ill win an award?" I''ve never won an award before. Now, I have a small reputation, but in this era, there are really great artists. Not only grandpa, Aunt Mirae, and Henry Marceau, but also art students at Korea University draw really great pictures. No one can guarantee that I will survive in a fairpetition. Instead of adding water to the paint, I started putting many dots by adding only the paint. Dense dots spread and naturally form a gradient. Little by little, they took shape. The ball was drawn by making it the lightest in the middle and thickening the concentration as it went out. Sihyeon tilts his head looking at the picture. "What''s this?" "Wait a minute." I checked the chatroom because the paint had to dry a little. What''s that? It''s like a marble. [Fan ID sponsored 10,000 won]: Please sing a song. I can''t get the hang of it. Isn''t it a lemon candy? Sir. Fan ID, thank you. He was the one who encouraged me for the testst time. "I don''t know a lot of songs." "You know the shark song." "I cant sing that." Sihyeon said something useless, so people started asking me to sing the shark song in the chat window. You can listen to it by searching on YouTube. They say they want to hear me sing. "" I''m embarrassed. I think the sponsored money is too short for him to sing. Wow Hes so shy So Cuteeeee. Stop bothering him, you punks! [Jean Francois Mirae sponsored 100,000 won]: Sing Sing Sing I thought he didnt know how to make money a while ago, but it seems like hes a genius at making money. Oh, my God. So much money Is he not going to sing even after getting 100,000 won? If I get 100,000 won, I would sing all day. SONG SONG SONG. "I''ll y the music for you." I don''t know whether Sihyeon is ignorant or cunning. When Sihyeon took out his smartphone, saying he would y music, the door opened. "Little Hun, are you going to sing?" Grandpa came in and the Live became a total mess. (To be Continued) Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Henry Marceau smirked as he watched Ko Hun''s personal broadcast. His ability to handle watercolor paints was mediocre. Although he had the rhythm of drawing, he was only at the level where he could understand the characteristics of watercolor paints with his head. Henry Marceau was happy that there was something even Ko Hun couldn''t do. "Well then." He sneered at the little boy who impressed him with every painting he drew. Right now, there were two things that irritated Henry Marceau. One was, that he couldn''t understand what Ko Hun was saying, and the second was, Ko Hun''s refusal to the special exhibition. Through the chat, he could understand that Ko Hun was thinking about rejecting the invitation and applying for the contest, but other than that he couldnt understand anything as Ko Hun still continued broadcasting in Korean. Along the way, there seemed to be a talk about Ferdinando Gonzalez, but he couldn''t figure out what he was saying. Until now, it was enough for Henry Marceau to just look at the painting drawn by Ko Hun, but not today. When Henry Marceau was about to turn off the Live feed, suddenly, Ko Hun started singing. Baby Shark, do do do do do do Henry Marceau narrowed his eyes. "What is he doing?" He was dumbfounded. He couldn''t understand why he thought of singing after drawing that pathetic watercolor painting. "Yeah. What is he doing? Its cute." Michelle tini poked Henry Marceau in the back with her foot. "He is out of his mind. If he wanted to y coloring, he should have done it with the coloring book I gave him." Henry stopped suddenly as he was turning his head. The gaze of Michelle looking at him was unusual. "What?" What? Michelle asked back, opening her eyes wide. Henry had no idea why she was suddenly doing this, after having breakfast and lying in bed for about an hour without saying a word. It seemed strange becausest night, she stared at him with a lovely gaze after falling in love with the pedicure he gave her. Michelle shook her head after reading Henry''s thoughts. Watch a lot. I don''t have to watch it. When Henry Marceau told her to turn off the TV, Ko Hun''s singing stopped. At the same time, the screen became transparent and the entire room came into view beyond the TV. The infrared keyboard that was reflected on the bed table also disappeared. Michelle opened her mouth when the TV rolled into the ceiling. Why? Look more. Why look at something you don''t even understand? The painting is a mess. Henry Marceau got up and picked up the bottle of water on the table. "Why don''t you learn?" "What?" "Korean. As Hun said, most Koreans watch the show. How can he speak French in that show?" "I don''t watch it. It''s not fun." Michelle wanted to ask why the hell he was watching a show that wasnt fun from dawn on the once-a-month day when they were together. She just didn''t bring it up because her pride didn''t allow it. Michelle asked as she moved her eyes to her smartphone. "And don''t bother Hun. I''m proud of him." "What are you proud of ?" "Well, he wants topete and get the chance without your help and have an exhibition. Howmendable is that child." As Michelle said, the Louvre National Art Salon Special Exhibition was a stage that artists around the world wanted. After Henry Marceau took the position of director of the French National Art Association in 2024, it was recognized as the most prestigiouspetition of the year as well as the oldest salon exhibition. Famous artists also wanted to participate in the Louvre National Art Salon special exhibition, but they were not qualified, so they swallowed their regrets. "Hmph." Henry Marceau snorted. "If that guy epted it, it doesn''t mean that someone else''s opportunity is lost, but now it will. I purposely prepared it that way, but he kicked it? Michelle knew that Henry was angry because Ko Hun rejected his favor, even though he was citing other people''s opportunities. She shrugged her shoulders. "just in case? I wonder if Hun can win the prize. "Say something that makes sense," Henry said with a straight face. He knows it very well. He says he''s going to participate in the contest because he knew very well that he would win the grand prize. If he doesn''t have that certainty, why would he turn down such an opportunity?" "I''ve been thinking about it for a while. Why do you hate him so much? "What?" "You know it very well that Hun didn''t want to take your help because he didnt want the special treatment? But why are you twisting it in a way that you make him a viin?" "That''s!" Henry Marceau stopped talking for a moment. From his first painting [Sunflower] to histest work [Bullet], Henry Marceau couldn''t help but admit that Ko Hun was a genius. He couldn''t think that the brat he was supposed to ovee would be pushed back by someone. because hes good. Michelle frowned at Henry''s words. "What?" "That''s enough." Henry Marceau turned his head. Michelle, who was looking at his back, smiled softly. She didn''t think there would be a crack in the belief of the man filled with self-love and pride. Michelle thought Henry was confused by the unknowingly rising sense of inferiority, even though he acknowledged Ko Hun. Michelle wrapped Henry''s neck. "I think your drawing is much better" There was no response. Michelle sincerely loved Henry Marceau''s paintings more, so she gave him confidence once more. "Youre the best." Henry didn''t answer for a while and then opened his mouth. "Of course," Hearing the heart-warming voice, Michelle smiled and kissed Henry. "I have to participate." "Where?" Contest. huh? Michelle was very perplexed. "Wait. What do you mean by participating? What about the opportunities for others you were talking about just a while ago?" "It''s none of my business." Henry Marceaus eyes burned with conviction. As Michelle expected, he was bewildered by the unfamiliar feeling in his heart. A sense of inferiority Henry Marceau could not acknowledge the inferiorityplex. It was impossible to tolerate the state of being jealous of someone and denying oneself. He wouldnt have considered participating if it was a different contest. Fortunately, the jury for the Louvre National Art Salon consisted of really talented and prestigious artists and critics that Henry Marceau regarded highly. Michelle stopped him. Where the hell is a person who participates in the contest he organizes? "It''s organized by the government." "It''s just the name! Do you think people are stupid?" Michelle shouted in frustration. This year''s budget for the National Arts Association of France consists, of 28% from donations from individuals and organizations, 22% from government subsidies, and 9% from membership fees for artists belonging to the association. The remaining 41 percent were supported by Henry Marceau. Since taking office as a director in 2024, Henry Marceau has been donating arge sum of money, and in fact, the French National Association of Arts has been run by Henry Marceau. Every French artist knew that. If Henry Marceau were to participate, they couldn''t help but vote in his favor. At Michelle''s point, Henry Marceau thought for a while and opened his mouth. "Put it up anonymously." "What?" "It won''t have my name, then it will be fair." "What are you going to gain by participating anonymously? At the award ceremony, it''s going to be revealed anyway, then people will think of the whole thing as a sham." "I dont need the prize. All I want to do is beat Ko Hun." Michelle looked at Henry and sighed when she confirmed that he really meant it. She knew that she couldnt change his decision once he decided on something. "Do as you please." Michelley down on the bed and picked up her smartphone. While she was reading the news, she noticed an article. [Ko Sooyeol gives up the position of dean of Korea University] Artist Ko Sooyeol, who impressed the world with his bold and dynamic painting style, will step down as dean of the College of Fine Arts at Korea University on the 3rd of next month. The artmunity is looking forward to seeing him, who has lived as an educator so far, predicting that he will work as an artist again. Korea University said it will hold an individual exhibition to mark the retirement ceremony of Ko Sooyeol. It will be the first time in 19 years to see Ko Sooyeol''s works. It will be exhibited for two weeks from August 3 at the Seoul Museum of Art in Korea. "It seems like Sir. Ko Sooyeol will be retiring." Henry turned his head. "There will be an individual exhibition from the 3rd of next month" Michelle showed her smartphone. Henry, who took it, nodded after reading the article. "10 years is toote." The work that Ko Sooyeol left when he was young came as a big shock to him. For Henry Marceau, who was not very interested in Oriental art, Ko Sooyeol''s newly established Korean painting''s energetic strokes showed another world he had never thought of. As Ko Sooyeol stopped working as an Artist and began to walk on the path of an educator, countless people felt sorry for him. Henry Marceau was one of them. He frowned as he tried to hand over his smartphone to Michelle. [Ferrinando Gonzalez fighting the disease!] Ferdinando Gonzalez, who participated in the Whitney Museum event yesterday, was taken to hospital in critical condition. Ferdinando Gonzalez, who made his public appearance in three months, was noticeably haggard and the investigation confirmed that he had Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Ferdinando Gonzalez, who had already been diagnosed three months ago, has cleared up all his assets, ording to sources. The Louis Foundation, founded by Ferdinando Gonzalez, works to maintain the exhibition of hisst work and to support the poor. The art world was shocked by the sad news of Ferdinando Gonzalez, a symbol of the modern art world. Ferdinando Gonzalez''sst work will be on disy at 90 museums around the world from Aug. 1. [An artist who became a victim of political strife ahead of the U.S. presidential election] Ferdinando Gonzalez, a young American artist, has been embroiled in controversy sinceing out. The incident urred when several art museums, which were in talks with Ferdinando Gonzalez, notified him of the suspension of the contract. As a result, the artmunity and sexual minorities protested, and public criticism spread. As a notable contemporary artist in America, things rted to Ferdinando Gonzalez have spread to politics. Republican figures argued that the museums also had the right to whether to exhibit or not to exhibit Gonzalez''s works, and Democrats strongly criticized the Republican Party for staying in the DADT, which was already abolished 17 years ago. 1) As the media battle rages ahead of the presidential election, when it was revealed that Ferdinando Gonzalez had AIDS, a Republican congressman said, "Look, the end of homosexuality is always unhappy. Even now its notte, we have to cure the disease called homosexuality." A Democratic senator who objected to this, sparked another controversy, saying, "The museums that refused to exhibit Ferdinando Gonzalezs work and drove him into a madman should pay reparations." In the art world, Ferdinando Gonzalez is being victimized in a political battle, while the artmunity was appealing to see thest work of an artist representing the United States as it is without any prejudice. Ferdinando Gonzalez was rushed to a hospital yesterday and was said to be fighting with death. "What''s wrong?" Looking at Henry''s unusual expression, Michelle asked anxiously. She stood up and saw the smartphone screen, side by side with Henry. Michelle covered her mouth at the news of Ferdinando Gonzalez''s struggle with the disease. She couldn''t help but be surprised at the ordeal for the great artist who achieved the poprization of conceptual art that had been isted from the public. TRIVIA 1)Dont Ask, Dont Tell (DADT), byname for the former official U.S. policy (19932011) regarding the service of homosexuals in the military. The term was coined after Pres. Bill Clinton in 1993 signed aw (consisting of statute, regtions, and policy memoranda) directing that military personnel dont ask, dont tell, dont pursue, and dont harass. When it went into effect on October 1, 1993, the policy theoretically lifted a ban on homosexual service that had been instituted during World War II, though in effect it continued a statutory ban. In December 2010 both the House of Representatives and the Senate voted to repeal the policy and Pres. Barack Obama signed the legition on December 22. The policy officially ended on September 20, 2011. (To be Continued) Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Chapter 143 I had no choice but to sing, and Cha Si-hyun joined me in the chorus, adding to the excitement by changing the camera angle. The chat window was flooded with exmations. Are you filming something? My grandfather smiled happily from behind the smartphone. I felt miserable. I was reminded of the trauma of being forced to dance and sing when I was in kindergarten.1) I could not forgive the nicknames Jjungjjung and Jang Mirae. Stop sending me money. I dont want it. I shouted, but they allughed and enjoyed it. Every time I fixed the camera angle, someone else sent a donation. [Baek Yujin donated 1,000 won]: One more song Just show us your face lol Lets go for one more song. Im not doing it. [Grammar Judge donated 1,000 won]: Thest lyric oh yeah is not a registered interjection in the Standard Korean Dictionary. However, it is listed as a noun meaning dirty and filthy. Please sing a duet with Angli. Honestly, its too much to sing only one song for 100,000 won. [Jean Francois Mirae donated 1,000 won]: Ill buy you jajangmyeon. Lets dance too. [Jiwoo K donated 1,000 won]: Please upload the edited video for the article. I was about to tell Jang Mirae to buy jajangmyeon with my own money, when I was startled by the chat from Kim Jiwoo. I couldnt show my face if they put this on the article. You wrote it! Im never doing an interview again! The viewers sent fire emoticons again. Media suppression. Shut up! Cha Si-hyun made a fuss, and the chat window was filled with usations of media suppression. I finally calmed down and sat down. Iid the cutter knife t and scraped off the paint gently. White lines appeared as the paint peeled off. Candy surfaces are not smooth, right? It looks simr if you scrape it like this. I didnt know watercolor paint would work. Cha Si-hyun watched with curiosity. You have to control the pressure gently. Otherwise, youll tear the paper. I checked the chat window while working carefully, and they were all angry that they couldnt see because of my head. Its almost done. I took out the clock parts that I had prepared in advance. What is this? A clock. I know its a clock. Why do you only have this? Im going to attach it here. I have one for you too. Take it. Cha Si-hyun blinked and looked back and forth between me and the clock parts. Where did you buy this? Daissso. Daissso? Yeah. They have everything. Daissso has everything. I drilled a hole in the middle of the candy drawing and connected the hour, minute, and second hands that I had separated from the wall clock. I looked for something with a simple structure, so it wasnt hard to assemble. It worked well when I put in the battery. Is this how you do it? Yeah. Cha Si-hyun did a good job too. Clock makeover? Its pretty but I dont know what it means lol I want to eat jeyuk-deopbap. Set the time. It looks like a marble lol You just need to write the numbers now. Its supposed to be candy. It looks delicious for a clock. Its a candy clock. Im not going to draw the numbers. Si-hyun, lend me that. Okay. I made sure that our candy clocks were visible side by side on the screen. Ferdinando Gonzalez hung two wall clocks side by side at the Whitney Biennale. There was no title, but the subtitle was Perfect Lovers. Some people in the chat window knew and some didnt. He put new batteries in the identical clocks at the same time, so they would run together. On the first day, they looked exactly the same, but when I went there a while ago, one of them had stopped and the other was moving precariously. One stopped. Cha Si-hyun responded appropriately, making it easy for me to talk. I think he expected that too. He meant that even if they spent time together, they would have to let go of one of them someday. Someone in the chat said that they were not perfect lovers then. You can see it that way. But I think Gonzalez is cool for being able to say that he was perfect even though he knew that. It means that all the time they spent together was perfect. I understood the meaning of this work more deeply after learning about it from my grandfather and the media. I wonder if perfect lovers really means lovers these days. What do you mean? People call contemporary art contemporary art these days. It means the art of the same era, but even though they group them together, the artists are all living in different times. Oh. They have a contemporaneity that influences each other, but they will close their eyes one by one. Thats sad. It cant be helped. Everyone has a different time limit and a different beginning and end. But I can still call this eras art contemporary art because I was influenced by my grandfather, Jang Mirae, Angli Marso, and Ferdinando Gonzalez. Just like Angli Marso was influenced by my grandfather and me. Its because they give each other strong inspiration. Even if Ferdinando Gonzalez dies, his spirit will remain in a corner of my heart. I dont know if youve seen the article, but Gonzalez has someone named Louis. Hes very sick. I only mentioned Louis, who was reported in the media, because Gonzalezs illness seemed to be still a secret. I saw it too. He made it while thinking of his dying lover. It was a homage to Untitled: Perfect Lovers. Is this a Ferdinando Gonzalez advertisement today? Oh, Im worried. I hope no one bothers Hun because of this. Ferdinando Gonzalez is a hypocrite. If he wants to be gay, he can do it alone. Why did he have to reveal it? Hes such an influential person. Look at that That crazy person I dont think thats the right thing to say. If you look at the article that just came out, Gonzalez has AIDS too. Being gay always ends badly. There was someone who regretted it too. Thank you for your concern. Im scared too. I might get hated for saying something wrong. I couldnt help but be afraid. Im a person who sells my work with fame, reputation, and poprity. Whether I sell paintings or do broadcasts like this, or advertisements like the contract with Shuimink, they are all based on peoples interest. If my perception from the public gets worse, I will lose my source of ie. Its like falling back into that abyss. Thats why I was afraid to support Ferdinando Gonzalez. When I heard what my grandfather and Jang Mirae said, there were more people who hated them than I thought. Its ridiculous to ask for their understanding, because Im not very friendly to homosexuality either. But what is right is very clear. You said being gay ends badly, but maybe youre right. Carefully. I spoke clearly. But I think this way. Do we have to make a better choice? Who decides what that good result is? Bang Tae-ho warned some viewers who started a fight. He asked them not to kick them out of the chat and continued to talk. My grandfather and my future aunt told me. The reason why freedom is good is not because it produces better results. Its because its precious in itself. In the 19th century, many people died in France in search of freedom. They knew that they had to find freedom for themselves, not for anyone else. The process was not smooth. Some people who advocated for freedom became greedy for power, and in the process, a pig wearing a human mask became the emperor. The French citizens who killed all the nobles to gain freedom learned another fact in the war that followed. That freedom came with responsibility. My freedom is something that only I can enjoy and only I can be responsible for. Thats why I cant be responsible for others and taking away someone elses freedom is a crime. Im not saying that youre wrong for hating homosexuality. I just feel like I know how someone who lost their loved one felt when they made this work. So. I want to cheer for them. Why should I pity him? Ferdinando Gonzalez is a great artist who has struggled all his life to connect the difficult genre of conceptual art with the public. All I can do is watch him from a distance, not give him hastyfort. Not saying weird things like the people from the American Democratic Party who said they would protect him. Not wrapping up nice words in a usible way, but just making sure hes not lonely. Like a delicious candy thats not burdensome for me or him. I think its better not to draw numbers! Chasi-hyun, who was staring at the candy clock next to him, raised his head and said. I asked him what he thought, curious, and he gave me the same answer. You dont know when it stops. * I feel like Ive ovee another crisis. Ferdinando. As soon as I opened my eyes, the manager called the doctor urgently. The doctor asked me a few questions and confirmed what I had expected. I dont know if it will be tomorrow or a weekter, but I feel like I wont be able to wake up again if I fall asleep now. I regret not spending even a minute more with Louis, barely holding on to the thread of consciousness. Im d I did everything I could. The Louis Foundation will exhibit <79kg> and <34kg> as long as the asset managers do their job. They will help the artists who are in a difficult situation every year. Louis. Huh? I want to talk to Louis. As I uttered the words with difficulty, the manager shook his head with a sorry face. Hes impatient. He seems to want to leave first without saying goodbye. Tell me. Honestly. The manager swallowed his words a few times. Hes unconscious. Its going to be hard. I see. It was something I had expected for a long time. I dont think Ill be alone for long. He must think so too. My throat tightens. My chest shrinks. Because we were always together. Because we were together even in death, I thought it was okay, but I feel like Im going crazy when I think I cant see his witty smile anymore. At the same time, I wonder if I really did everything I could. I wonder if the things Ive done for ten years will be meaningless and forgotten after I die. Will <79kg> and <34kg> be considered as trash? At the end. I couldnt be sure of anything. Woo-woo-woo- The manager checked his phone and asked cautiously. Its Goseo-yeol. I can barely nod. -Ferdinando! Seo-yeol. Did the manager contact him? Or did the reporters already spread the news about me. No, I copsed during the event, so of course they did. Seo-yeols face on the other side of the screen looked flustered. I. My eyes keep closing. I hope Seo-yeol will be more active. I wonder if my words are getting through. My voice doesnte out well. With Hoon. Show me a more amazing world. To more people. -You Thank Hoon for me. 79kg and 34kg. I wouldnt have thought of it if it wasnt for sweet happiness. At first, I thought the word choctier was a joke. I couldnt go there myself because I was sick, but I could see through the virtual exhibition how Caroline Strick gave me such a cool name. The sweetness that conveys happiness. Love without lies or pretense. There was nothing better than chocte to make <79kg> and <34kg>. I changed it to candy because of the problem of stacking and storing a lot of it, but I got the idea from Go Hoon. -Ill go now. If I hurry. Seo-yeol. Theres something more important than seeing him again. Itll be okay, right? Im scared. The day I die will be quite noisy. Maybe there will be someone who will remember me a yearter. But what about ten or twenty yearster? Will I be erased by the people who envy me? I keep feeling anxious. -Ill take care of your work. Seo-yeol promised me with confidence. I can trust him. I feel a little relieved. Thank you. By putting as much candy as Louiss weight in various museums, the visitors will enjoy it freely. And Louis and I will live forever among them. Like love that fills up again and again every morning, even if its empty. I hope itsts forever. -Hoon, Si-hyun. Can you hold that for a moment? Seo-yeol turned the camera to show two boys holding the clock. One was a cool painter I metst year, and the other was a kid I didnt know. He smiled and said. Thats awesome. I was surprised that thest piece of art I saw was a re-creation of my work. And it was a work dedicated by a young genius who will create another flow in the future. Although I only greeted him once, Go Hoon showed me as if he had known me for a long time. I wish I had shared the same time with that kid. If I had more time, I could have gotten more inspiration from each other. -The title is Ferdinando and Louis. I was surprised by the young painters words. -This is Ferdinando. This is Louis. Ah. Yes. I wont be forgotten. As long as that kid remembers me, even if the people who envy me erase my name, my traces will remain in the world of Go Hoon and that kids works. Its an honor. I hope they have hope and courage in their future that will not be swayed by any adversity. I need to rest. -Yeah. See you tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. *** 1)In 2024, when he was only six years old, Go Hoon was tempted by the chocte Mont nc of his kindergarten teacher Ambre (33) and danced to Sur le pont dAvignon (On the bridge of Avignon). Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Chapter 144 [The Hero of Modern Art Dies] -He Poprized Conceptual Art- Ferdinando Gonzalez, who was called the symbol of American modern art, passed away at the age of 39. The deceased was born in Cuba in 1989 and escaped to Florida, USA with his mother in 1994. There was no one to wee the mother and son who lost their father and brother in the escape process. Florida, which ran out of refugee relief funds, could not provide any support to the Gonzalez family, and Gonzalez had to spend his childhood in a broken car in a junkyard. In 2003, he lost his mother and started wandering, surviving by pickpocketing and ended up in prison. Then, in 2006, Ferdinando Gonzalez, who was looking for a ce to avoid the cold, tried to enter the Whitney Museum of Art, which was free to enter, but was stopped by a security guard. At that time, Soo-yeol Go, who was handling the exhibition schedule, defended Ferdinando Gonzalezs right to view the works. The deceased recalled, It was snowing that day and I was looking for a ce to avoid the cold. Art? I couldnt see it. Maybe I wouldnt be here today if Soo-yeol hadnt given me a warm cocoa. Soo-yeol Go helped Ferdinando Gonzalez find a job, and Gonzalez started to learn about art while working as a cleaner at the Whitney Museum of Art. He, who had never received formal art education, realized that he could do art even if he couldnt draw by looking at the works of the Whitney Museum of Art, and opened his first solo exhibition there in 2018. He received rave reviews from critics by giving meaning to everyday scenes, such as hanging two circr mirrors side by side or putting curtains on the windows, but the publics reaction was cold. The next year, the Whitney Museum of Art produced a mini-documentary about his life, and his evaluation changed. The director asked him, who shared his meager ie even though hecked money for his work activities. Gonzalez, didnt you say you were short of materials? Yes. I needed money to buy light bulbs. Then do you know that person? No. Then why did you give him money? I can make art without money, but he will starve without money. In the documentary, Gonzalez gave the money he needed to buy 100 light bulbs to a homeless person, and presented , which consisted of a single light bulb. Those who sympathized with his kindness came forward to help him, who had not been able to find a decent opportunity after his first exhibition failure. That winter of 2019, when Gonzalezs second solo exhibition was held, was the moment when the symbol of rtional aesthetics and conceptual art was born. Ferdinando Gonzalez said during his lifetime that anyone can be an artist and art should be understandable to anyone, and that our lives are a huge art and we are each the subject of art. Hisst work is scheduled to be exhibited simultaneously at 90 museums around the world from August 1st -Anya Strejeman (The Times) The news of Ferdinando Gonzalezs death shocked the world beyond the United States. The sess story of Ferdinando Gonzalez, who was a refugee and failed to adapt to American society and did not even receive a decent education, was regarded as the American dream of the 21st century. Ferdinando Gonzalez was the pride of America, along with Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring, for Americans who felt culturally inferior to Europe. July 27th. The United States, which was noisy with the election, was silent on his death anniversary. *** -Okay. Listen to your aunt until Grandpaes back. Yes. Dont worry. I wanted tofort Grandpa before hanging up the phone, but I didnt know what to say. He said he moved to the same room where Louis was when he arrived in New York. He said he held his hand and closed his eyes together until the end. The two clocks he hung moved at the same time and stopped pointing at different times. Gonzalez and Louis were born differently but ended together. I hoped that there would be no one to insult him today, and watched the broadcastmemorating him. -The panelists came out and exined Ferdinando Gonzalez byparing him to Andy Warhol and Keith Haring. I was surprised that the three artists representing the United States were gay. Its amazing. Jang Mi-rae hugged her knees and said. I wonder if there are so many gay people around. They might be hiding, but more than half of the people introduced there are gay. Maybe even more. Yes. I wondered if there were many gay artists and listened to Jang Mi-raes words. Richard Florida, an economist, said that the more gay people gather, the more prosperous they are. On what basis? It was a random remark. Listen. Jang Mi-rae stretched her legs. Gay is the most outside of the diversity that society allows. So, the regions that ept gay people can ept all kinds of people. This makes sense. If you can ept gay without any trouble, you probably wont care much about hair color, skin color, or ent. But in order for society to develop, it is better to have diverse people than excellent people. Gically too. It means that many diverse people can develop, not a few excellent ones. So the important thing is not how many gay people there are, but that a society that can embrace diverse people is healthy. Isnt this in line with the freedom theory I told you before? Thats what I think. Jang Mi-rae said that society would go in a better direction when everyones freedom was recognized. Just as I painted through Joosuks , and Henri Marso painted after seeing , it means that we move forward when we acknowledge and ept others. At first, I couldnt understand Ferdinando Gonzalezs at all, but now it has settled deep inside me and made . The words of Gilles Deleuze, who said that every painter summarizes the history of painting in his own way, are now simultaneous. The world is no longer a narrow world where I only meet people who are simr to me. Family is connected by blood. School is at least the same age. The vige is the same ce to live, but now I can meet anyone no matter how far away they are if I want to. You can meet people who have nothing inmon with you except being human. Its a world where so many different people get to know each other. Isnt this the true meaning of the contemporary era? I hope the message left by Fernando Gonzalez will be widely and long remembered. -Meanwhile, the Everich Museum, which had refused to exhibit Fernando Gonzalezs works, has decided to support the Louis Foundation, signaling the end of the division in the art world. *** August 1st. Paris, France. A Muslim boy named Vida Rabani wandered around the Marso Gallery. He had heard from a friend in the morning that he had gotten candy from the Marso Gallery and was watching out for it. Is it true? Vida Rabani was worried that his friend was trying to tease him. He didnt think they would give away food for free. But the boy who had filled his stomach with bread and mutton soup couldnt let go of his attachment and observed the people entering. The gallery visitors were all neatly dressed and had rxed expressions. Rabani, who couldnt see inside the gallery, fiddled with his fingers and sighed. Well, thats it. He had to go inside to get the candy, but he didnt have the courage to go in there. His friend must have been the same, so the candy story was definitely a lie. Hey. As Rabani gave up and turned around, Michel tini called out to the boy. Rabani turned around in surprise. Yes? Michel smiled as he saw the boy who was so flustered. Werent you going toe in? Uh, no? That is. I. Michel had heard from an employee that a boy was watching out in front of the gallery. He came out to see what was going on and he could roughly understand the situation. The boy was wearing pants that looked thick even in the summer and they were too long so he had folded the hem. Come and see. Michel said kindly. Uh, no. That is. Rabani couldnt finish his sentence. But he didnt turn away, so Michel was sure the boy wanted to see the gallery. Its okay. It doesnt cost anything to look. Do you like Henri Marso? I do, but. Rabani hesitated. Michel tilted his head to make the boy feelfortable talking. But? Candy. Can I have some? It was a barely audible voice. Michel could tell how embarrassed the boy was and answered with a smile. Yes. The boys face turned red. Lets go in. Michel gestured to Rabani to hurry up so he could get the candyfortably. Rabani reluctantly entered the gallery and shrank his shoulders and watched out for the surroundings. He bowed his head every time he met someones eyes. But he also hurried his steps so he wouldnt miss the kind adult. Michel turned around after leading Rabani to Fernando Gonzalezs <79kg>. You can take it from here. Rabanis eyes widened as he saw the candy piled up in the corner of the wall. There were so many of the candy that his friend had eaten with a pill in the morning. Rabani looked back and forth between the kind adult and the candy, and Michel nodded slightly. Rabani carefully picked up a candy and bowed to Michel. Thank you. Michel smiled and said. You dont have to thank me. Its Fernando Gonzalez whos giving it to you. Fernando Gonzalez Yes. Michel pointed to the sign next to <79kg>. It said in Fernando Gonzalezs handwriting that you can take as much as you want. It means you can take as much as you want. Michel exined the phrase written in English. You cane every day, soe and y with your friends. And look at the paintings while youre here. Re, really? Can I do that? Yes. Michel grabbed a handful of candy from <79kg> and offered it to Rabani. *** 1)This is different from the life of Felix Gonzalez Torres (1957-1996), the real person who inspired Fernando Gonzalez. 2)Quote from economist Richard Florida. Homosexuality is thest frontier of diversity in our society, and regions that ept gaymunities wee all kinds of people. Richard Florida ranked cities where gays live densely to measure the openness and diversity of society. As a result, he found that the more gays live, the more advanced industries are developed. On the other hand, there is also a research result that an object with one excellent gene left is extremely vulnerable to environmental changes and diseases. It means that various genes have tobine with each other to adapt to environmental changes and external threats. Chapter 145: Haesong (1) Chapter 145: Haesong (1) Chapter 145 Haesong (1) [The American society that remained silent at the death of a great artist] [Republican senator Fernando Gonzalez attends the funeral of Fernando Gonzalez. Its just to honor the artist I admired.] [Caroline Strick, How the Great America Was Formed.] I searched and read articles rted to Fernando Gonzalez on the inte news while waiting for my grandfather. The people who fought each other to keep their political power seemed to stop fighting after Fernando Gonzalez died. It was a relief. Art historian Caroline Strick expressed her condolences to Fernando Gonzalez, saying that America could be great because it was a society where various ethnic groups coexisted. She also quoted the letter he left behind. It was only two lines, saying that he got a lot of inspiration from <79kg> and <34kg> for my first solo exhibition Sweet Happiness. Caroline Strick argued that the way to save us from the harsh life is not hatred towards each other, but harmony, and that the choctism act ofmunicating and spreading happiness based onmunication is the most necessary thing in our era and what art should aim for today. Aside from other words. I totally agree with the idea that we need harmony, not hatred. If I me others for the reason why I have a hard time living, a fight will break out. As my grandfather said, as the economy gets harder, each country shows a nationalist tendency, which is the same context. If this goes on, something irreversible will happen someday. We have to love as many things as possible.1) Even if its hard to understand the other person, we need to try to talk. Didnt we make a little progress with that small courage?2) I believe that. As I was thinking about it and putting down my smartphone, I saw an article that said that a phenomenon called annr eclipse urredst week. Annr eclipse? The article exined that it was a phenomenon where the moon covers the sun, but the picture was strange. It looked likeputer graphics. I wonder if this can really happen. Aunt. I showed the picture of the annr eclipse to Jang Mirae. Is this real? Its an annr eclipse. She nodded. Where can I see it? I dont know? Jang Mirae looked up the annr eclipse and shrugged her shoulders. You could see it in Australiast week. Cant we see it in our country? It doesnt seem easy. We could see partial eclipses often though. I really want to see it. Im so excited by the picture alone, I wonder what it would be like to see it in person. Oh. You can see it. When? September 2, 2035. In Goseong. Where is Goseong? In the north of Gangwon Province? I have to wait seven years to see it, and I cant even see it in Seoul. I missed a good opportunity. I didnt have a chance to see it anyway. It doesnt matter where you are, you can see it every 18 months. Do you want to see it? Yes. After , , , and were all works that expressed idea with a purpose. Its been a long time since I wanted to draw something purely with images, like an eclipse. You cant see it perfectly in one ce for a long time. Just a few minutes? The earth, the moon, and the sun are all in a hurry. I was looking for pictures of the annr eclipse with a regretful heart for a while, and the ne that my grandfather took arrived. Hoon-ah! I waved my hand to my grandfather and he ran over and hugged me. I cant breathe. Did you eat well? Did you apply lotion? Did you brush your teeth? Didnt you miss your grandfather? We were only apart for a week and we video called every day, but he was so happy to see me. He seemed to have recovered more than I thought, and I was relieved. I ate well. I was afraid of not being able to eat delicious food because my gums sank likest time, so I brushed my teeth well, but I sometimes forgot to apply lotion. Grandfather. I was going to ask if he was okay, but I saw the sadness still in his eyes and swallowed my words. Instead, I hugged him and he said he was okay and stroked my back. To me, the death of Fernando Gonzalez was just a great artist leaving the world, but to my grandfather, who had a personal friendship with him, it must have been a big wound. I have to hug him a lot for a while. You worked hard. What hard work. My grandfather stroked my head and got up and greeted Jang Mirae. Did Hoon-ee cause any trouble? He only drew pictures. Jang Mirae pped her hands as if she remembered something. Oh, he secretly ate one more snack. I had a meticulous n to secretly eat a small amount of snacks without being noticed when Jang Mirae went to work, but I was caught somehow. I looked up at my grandfather in panic. Thats why your cheeks are chubby. * While eating dinner with Jang Mirae, my grandfathers retirement ceremony came up. Actually, I was more interested in the exhibition than the retirement ceremony, but Korea University prepared bigger than I thought. They rented one of thergest movie theaters in Seoul. 700 seats? My grandfather was surprised and asked. Too small. Small. Where are the people who areing to rent such a big ce? Cancel it right away. Where are the people who areing? There are so many people who areing, so I took them on a firste, first-served basis. Jang Miraeined that she had a hard time persuading the students and graduates who expressed their participationte to meet at the Seoul Art Museum. Why did youe when youre all so busy? We havent seen each other for a long time because were living busy lives. This is a chance to see your face. When else will we see you again if not at your retirement ceremony? Jang Mirae knows how to deal with Grandpa. He would havee out willingly if she said she came to see him out of respect. But he didnt say much when she said the reunion was the purpose. Grandpa seems to be looking forward to seeing his students a little bit. How many areing? Nari said about 2,000 people areing. 2,000? I was as surprised as Grandpa. It means there are much more than that, since only a thousand people contacted to attend the retirement ceremony. Grandpa looks amazing. Did you teach that many people, Grandpa? Of course not. As far as I know, Grandpa taught students directly for about 14 years. I dont know how many people take Oriental painting in a year, but I doubt it would be 2,000.3) Its much more if you count the whole art school. You didnt just teach Oriental painting. Huh. Grandpa was embarrassed and sighed. Jang Mirae regretted it. Im sorry that we filled the seats for the outsiders first. Youll have to meet the students at the art museum. What do you mean? They said to reserve the seats for the famous people first and then fill the students at the faculty meeting. No. Why are you calling other people for our schools business? I said the same thing at first. But when I saw the list, I couldnt tell them not toe. You have to ask for permission even if the presidentes. Do you have the list? Just a moment. Jang Mirae opened her smartphone and soon the rm rang. I was curious who wasing that even Jang Mirae couldnt help it, so I went to Grandpas side. [2028 Korea University Art School Dean Retirement Ceremony Attendance List] Lee Eung-gyeom, President of Korea University Bae Jin-ki, Dean of Humanities at Korea University Kwon Dae-sik, Dean of Social Sciences at Korea University Most of the attendees are rted to Korea University. The names of the faculty and staff of each college and department are listed. Grandpa doesnt mind his colleaguesing. Choi Young-soo, President of the Korean Art Association Na Jeong-woong, Director of the Korean Art Association Lee Seong-jin, Member of the National Assembly of the Goryeo Party Kim Dong-yoon, Member of the National Assembly of the Goryeo Party Lee Ji-young, Member of the National Assembly of the Si Party Park Eun-soon, Member of the National Assembly of the Baekje Party Gil Sang-soo, Mayor of Seoul I dont know what the Korean Art Association is, but I dont care about the members of the National Assembly and the mayor. What is the Korean Art Association? Its a ce that pretends to protect the rights of artists in our country. Pretends? Pretends. Come to think of it, Grandpa and Jang Mirae never spoke positively about the association. Why are these peopleing to my retirement ceremony? I dont even know their faces. They said they were alumni. I dont consider politicians as alumni. Jang Mirae just smiled. As I continued to look, some corporate executives came, and so did many artists, including Kim Hyung-woo, who had his schedule changed because of me. There were also many people who had personal ties with Grandpa. The names of foreign people, such as Martin Jansen, the director of the Van Gogh Foundation and Grandpas friend, and Richard Phillips, a product designer, also caught my eye. Henri Marceau. Why did you contact him? Grandpa jumped up. He contacted us first. Dont be like that. Hes a strange person, but not a bad one. Grandpa grunted and bit his tongue when I defended Henri Marceau. I hate people who are arrogant. I had nothing to say about that. By the way, he said he would call me after thest broadcast, but he didnt, so I couldnt. I forgot about it, but I should call him once I remember. The event got too big. They all want to congratte you. Its theeback exhibition of Haesong Go Soo-yeol, the master painter. Usually, retirement would be a sad thing, but everyone seemed happy for Grandpa. Bantae Ho and Jang Mirae were like that, and Pierre Malo, who I asked about a while ago, was also upset that Grandpa didnt tell him earlier that he was having an exhibition. Then whats the schedule? The ceremony starts at 6 p.m. tomorrow at WH Cinema, and the party is scheduled for 9 p.m. on the third floor of the same building. Its like a pre-party. Hmm. Youll know that the exhibition starts at Seoul Art Museum the day after tomorrow. Grandpa nodded. Everyone would remember Grandpas old style, but I wish the day after tomorrow woulde soon. I was looking forward to the evening party that started at 9 p.m. tomorrow, and how much delicious food there would be. Jang Mirae said we could enjoy the best buffet in Korea. Im not going to eat tomorrow. Grandpa blinked when I said that with hope. What do you mean? I have to empty my stomach to eat a lot of delicious food at night. It starts at 9 p.m. I can starve for half a day if I can eat something delicious. Its toote. Stay home. Okay. Auntie will buy you pizza. Its hard to take you with me during the event, and you cant stay home? He asked me to give up the delicious food, which was an unreasonable request. But if I insisted, Grandpa and Jang Mirae would only see me as a child throwing a tantrum. There was a very effective way to persuade my mother and father. Im scared to be home alone. *** 1)The best way to live a great life is to love as many things as possible. -Vincent van Gogh 2)What would life have been like if we had no courage to attempt anything? -Vincent van Gogh 3)Korea University Art School Oriental Painting Department recruits 15 students for early admission. The self-directed major is 100 students for both early and regr admission. Chapter 146: Haesong (2) Chapter 146: Haesong (2) Chapter 146 Haesong (2) Grandpa and Jang Mirae suddenly looked affectionate. Okay. Just finish it quickly ande back. Lets go together. The effect was better than expected, and I was a little flustered, but fortunately, it didnt seem to cause much worry. I was able to enjoy the buffet. We finished dinner while talking about Kegil cuisine. Then Ill pick you up tomorrow. No. Dont bother and see you at the movie theater. After saying goodbye to Jang Mirae in the parking lot, I came home and Grandpa sighed deeply as if he was tired from the long trip. While he was taking a shower, I tidied up his luggage and made two cups of yuja tea that Grandpa liked. It smelled good and was sweet with sugar. Grandpa came out of the shower and looked for his carry-on bag. Hoon-ah, did you put away the clothes? I put them in the washing machine. He smiled when I handed him the yuja tea. Be careful with the hot water. Youll burn your hand. Grandpa always said thank you in a roundabout way. Drink that and go to the capsule and rest. No. Lets sleep with Hal-abi today. Grandpa said something unexpected. Thanks to Cha Si-hyun, who unlocked the child protection lock, Ive been watching dramas or Bob Ross videos on Newtube and falling asleep. I cant watch them if we sleep together. I wondered if he wanted to sleep with me because we were apart for a week. If youre scared of being alone, you should have said so sooner. Whats so embarrassing about that? Come on, lets spread the nket. I didnt know this side effect would happen. I had a problem with the method I used to watch my mother and father work or watchte-night show programs. *** I contacted Henri Marso and he said he was already in Korea. He said he wanted to ask me some things about the salon exhibition and suggested we meet for lunch. He said he woulde to the front of the house, so I agreed. Grandpa, Ill be back in a bit. Where? To meet a friend. A friend? Si-hyun? I didnt want to lie, but I was worried he would worry if I said I was going to meet Henri Marso. Henri Marso. Grandpa blinked. You seem to get along with that guy. He didnt jump up and oppose like before, but instead asked me what I thought. He always respected my opinion as long as it wasnt rted to him, so I wasnt worried. Maybe Grandpa trusts me because I tell him honestly without hiding anything. He doesnt seem like a bad person. I want to ask him about the salon exhibition. Hes a director of the French National Art Association. Hmm. Grandpa pondered and nodded. Call me if anything happens. Where are you going to meet? At the cafe in front of the house. Do you want me to go with you? Its okay. Ill be back soon. I walked for about three minutes from the house. When I arrived at the cafe where I sometimes went to buy macarons with Grandpa, there was something going on and the quiet shop was surrounded by fierce-looking people. They opened the door for me when I approached. Thank you. I went inside. The cafe owner was nowhere to be seen, and there were only Henri Marso, Michel tini, and Arsen. Marceau was wearing ivory-colored cotton pants and a ck shirt tucked in the front with a brown belt. His expensive sunsses and watch changed every time I saw him. Marceau, Michel. Arsen. I greeted them and Marceau turned his head and snorted. Michel and Arsen weed me warmly. How have you been? Yes. How about you, Michel? Im always doing well. He didnt do or say anything boastful, but he always looked confident. What about the others? I hate being disturbed. Henri Marso opened his mouth. He must have asked the cafe owner for permission. He wouldnt have asked in a vicious way since Michel and Arsen were there. Marceau winked at Arsen and a young man came over and showed me a menu. It wasnt food that the cafe sold and there was no price on it. What is this? Its a lunch menu. If you dont have anything you want, please let me know and Ill prepare it right away. There were various dishes written on it, such as yellowtail belly, caprio goat cheese curd, smoked tomato, grilled shrimp, and pork with porcini mushroom sauce. I was nning to empty my stomach for the buffet tonight, but this was a big deal. I couldnt resist Grandpas enthusiasm and ate breakfast, but if I ate lunch like this, it would be hard to enjoy the buffet. Why. Dont you eat? If you had lunch, theres dessert too. Marceau and Michel put me to the test. I guess Ill have to exercise until dinner to digest. Please give me pork for the main. Ill leave the rest to your rmendation. I didnt know which food would be delicious, so I decided to leave the rest to the chefs choice. When I finished ordering, Marceau lifted his chin and asked. What did you want to ask? The salon exhibition. The guidelines say that the judging method will be announcedter after the selection of the judges. Henri Marso raised one eyebrow and said. Theyre in the process of selecting. The salon exhibition special exhibition was in early December, so the contest had to be finished by at least November. Its August now, and I wonder if its not toote. There are frequent posts on the inte forums questioning whether there is a problem with the salon exhibition of the French National Art Association. When I brought up that topic, Michel gave Henri a hint. Henri Marso was originally nominated as a judge, but he refused. Marceau? I wondered why they were keeping their distance as lovers, but when I looked around, it seemed like a secret from Arsen too. Michels eyes widened. We agreed to keep it a secret, so I didnt bother to ask and moved on to the next topic. Why did you refuse? Because I didnt want to. It was an easy-to-understand reason. Everyone would trust Marceau if he did. Me too. He made a strange expression. Id like to go to such a ce once and see where I stand. But I dont enjoy being judged by someone. Henri Marso felt the same way about this contradictory feeling. Its natural for human emotions to be hurt when someone criticizes the work that they worked hard to create, even if its a fair criticism. I dont have the right to stop their voices, let alone the right to do so. Critics tend to think too easily of judging others by their own standards. I dont know if they have a victim mentality from the experience of the 19th century. But at least I regard critics as a kind of meddler between artists and the public. I didnt ask them for guidance, nor did I draw for them. The only person who can judge me is the one I want to show my work to. That target is the artists and the public who live in the same era as me. I wish Marceau would judge me. I liked the concept art review too. I sent him a picture after struggling for more than an hour, and the next day I was surprised to receive a 10,000-word review. He told me how I conceived the work and what I couldnt find, and he surprised me again. Although his tone was oppressive, he seemed to understand me deeply, so if someone judged me, I hoped it would be that way. No. Marceau refused. Why? If I cant, I cant. Michel chuckled as if he had thought of something funny. Looking at himughing like that, it seemed like he had something he couldnt say. Maybe something that hurt Henri Marsos pride. Did you fail in the selection process? What? You know. You have no reason to refuse, but you say you cant. The process of bing a judge must be difficult. Marceau pursed his lips. *** Henri Marso was furious. As the one who shook and controlled the salon exhibition and the French National Art Association itself, he found the question of whether he had failed in the judge selection process ridiculous. Dont make meugh. Theres nothing I cant do. Then why dont you? Go Hoon tilted his head and asked. He couldnt exin that he was participating anonymously topete with Go Hoon. Im busy. What are you doing? Henri Marso, who was bad at lying, couldnt beat around the bush and just frowned. Look at that. If you have nothing to do, just do it. Everyone else would love to be judged by Marceau. The one you sent mest time was very helpful. Go Hoon was sincerely grateful for Henri Marsos appreciation and advice. Henri Marso bestowed his intellect on those who worked hard to win the award, and he thought that was a beautiful thing too. Where. Henris question made Go Hoon blink. Where was that good? Theposition where you drew the bullet horizontally and said it would be good to twist the position of the character. I wondered if it was possible to shoot, but when I asked Norman, he said it would have been possible somehow if he had tried. Henri Marso coughed for no reason. Anyone can think of that. I didnt. Is that all? Theposition where the bullet prates the ss window is a clich that has been used a lot, so the idea of using the ss as a mirror was good too. Go Hoon encountered what he had not been able to think of himself, and he understood how Henri Marso made his work. The process of two geniuses talking and understanding each other over one work gave each other another inspiration. Its the same with the association work. Buying paintings from unknown artists. Its all about helping people who do art, right? What does that have to do with it? The judgingment will help too. Like me. It seemed not bad to do the annoying work as Go Hoon said. Moreover, he felt proud after the cheeky kid acknowledged him. Try it. Go Hoon persuaded him again, and Henri Marso came to his senses. I said no. He had to confirm that he was superior to Go Hoon through this contest. Go Hoon stared at Henri Marso. He knew his stubbornness well, but it seemed like he didnt think the judging itself was bad, and there was no reason to refuse. Did you fail after all? No! You could have failed. Why are you so angry? Was it a personality problem? Michel tini, who was watching from the side, finally burst intoughter at Go Hoons personality remark. Seeing that, Go Hoon was sure that Henri Marso had not been selected as a judge and was hiding the fact because of his pride. It would be nice if you were honest. If you change your tone, you wont be misunderstood. I said no! Then whats the reason? You dont need to know! Its not a shame to not be a judge. Everyone knows Marceau is great. Henri Marsos temples throbbed. Try harder instead. Shut up. Go Hoon got up and patted his shoulder as if he understood Henri Marso, who was clumsy at expressing himself. If you express yourself honestly, everyone will like Marceau. Then next time, youll be invited not only for judging, but for other things too. That action provoked Henri Marso. Arsen. Yes, sir. Tell them Ill judge. Right now. Chapter 147: Haesong (3) Chapter 147: Haesong (3) Chapter 147 Haesong (3) As Arsen took out his phone, Go Hoon spoke with concern. Dont push yourself. Youve been talking nonsense since earlier. Im Henri Marso. I can. Im not telling you to judge. Go Hoon cut off Henris words. Im not saying youre not qualified to judge. I just want to talk about art with you. The boy didnt want Henri Marso to be stubborn and overdo it again. He hoped he wouldnt torture himself like he did when he had a signing event in New York. I meant dont push yourself and take on judging when you have other things to do. Go Hoon shrugged his shoulders. Henri Marso red at Go Hoon, and Arsen opened his mouth. What should we do? Henri waved his hand to signal him to stop, and Go Hoon nodded. He could talk about art with Henri Marso anytime, even if he didnt judge. If you want to show me your work, just let me know. You can call me too. Go Hoon was amazed that the guy who never listened to him on the show was telling him to call him anytime. He felt sick when he offered to do something that he wouldnt even get if he begged. Dont joke. You dont like it? Of course not! I want to talk a lot about art with Marso. Henri Marso widened his eyes and gritted his teeth. He was absurd that the guy who hurt his pride even after he showed him kindness was now saying he wanted to talk about art. Then why dont you do it? What? Judge. What does it matter to you whether I do it or not? It would be a hot topic if Marso did it. The writers would be less resistant too. Dont tter me. Henri Marso didnt want Go Hoon to tter him like the others. Is it a problem with your personality? This kid has been saying personality, personality! Whats wrong with my personality! You get mad when I ask out of curiosity. You say Im ttering you when Im being honest. Dont you think its a problem with your character? Go Hoon didnt back down, and Henri Marsos thin patience reached its limit. Are you crazy? Do you think youll be safe after treating me like this? Im not crazy. What? I went to a psychiatrist with my grandfather. They said Im normal. What are you talking about? Im not crazy. Henri Marso was speechless at Go Hoons calm attitude. He didnt know what to do but breathe. Thats not what Im talking about! Dont get excited and calm down. The conversation keeps going in circles. So why dont you do it? Huh. Augh escaped from Michel tinis lips. It was the first time he saw Henri Marso being at a loss by someone other than his mother Sherry Gado and himself. The two people who were having a pleasant conversation were just cute. Henri Marso shook his head. Lets stop talking. I want to talk. I dont. When did you ever bother me when I liked it? When did I! You did. You kepting in and interrupting me on the show. Interrupting? Did you even care about me? Is that why you were upset? Kihahanghahahat! Michel burst intoughter at the twos banter. Henri turned red and yelled. Whats so funny! Huh? Hehehehuhuhu. Michelughed even at his anger. He couldnt help butugh when he saw his face. A littleter. After the meal was ready, Michel finally asked Go Hoon. I thought you hated Marso. I do. Henri coughed and showed his difort, but the two didnt care. Why did you change your mind? Go Hoon thought for a while. There were many things, but I thought he was cool. Michels eyes sparkled with interest, and Henri perked up his ears. The French National Art Association. They help struggling artists, right? Yeah? I heard Marso is funding them. Thats awesome. The French National Art Association had a special meaning for Go Hoon. The French National Art Association, founded in 1861 by Goya, Dcroix, M, and others, was established in opposition to the Royal Academy of Art, which dominated the art world at the time. The association was a hope for him, who had been harshly criticized and ignored by the mainstream art world in the 19th century. He believed that someday there would be a change in the art world. The painter who lived under the name of Vincent van Gogh continued his work with the courage shown by his seniors. He thought it was gone, but it was re-established by Chaban, Durand, Rodin, and now operated by Henri Marso. He respected them all for carrying on their noble spirit. I want to make a lot of money someday and create amunity like that. Helping people in need like Marso. Michel smiled brightly. He was happy that he liked Henri, not as a lover, but as an artist. What are you talking about? Henri intervened. Im not a volunteer. Who am I helping? Werent you a noblesse oblige? I dont have such a hobby. Go Hoon blinked and asked Michel. Is he embarrassed about this too? Michel held back hisughter and shook his head. He just didnt like how the association did whatever they wanted. Arsen stepped in to fill in the gaps in Henri Marsos exnation. The previous members of the association had a lot of problems. They rigged the contests to monopolize the national budget, or gave the national museum ess rights only to the artists affiliated with the association. Go Hoon nodded. It was a good story in the end, just like buying the works of unknown painters to secure the exhibits for the Marso Museum. They also pressured you to join the association if you wanted to exhibit at the Louvre. Is that why you joined? Thats why I beat them. Those arrogant bastards. Arsen didnt bother to mention how Henri Marso drove away the people who hurt his pride. He thought Go Hoon was too young to hear their miserable words. Go Hoon didnt ask either. Instead, he brought up the story he wanted to confirm with Henri Marso again. I heard theres a lot of talk about the judges not being decided yet, even though you can make your work freely. Henri Marso frowned. It wasnt easy to find a hundred people who had an eye for art. A hundred? Go Hoon asked in surprise. Its a device for a fair evaluation. Michel exined. Henri Marso had taken over the French National Art Association in 2024 and drastically reformed the rted businesses, and the judging method for the contests was part of that. He wanted to prevent the power from being concentrated on a specific person, and to ensure the universality of the subjectivity by increasing the number of judges who could not be objective. Go Hoon had a question as he listened to the exnation. Its a lot, but cant you find a hundred people? All the decent people are dead. Why? Go Hoon was shocked. They died of old age. The rest are trash. Either they call themselves artists and produce crap, or they just p for whoever is famous. Go Hoon, who had met many great artists besides his grandfather, such as Jang Mirae, Henri Marso, Fernando Gonzalez, and Baek Dongjun, found it hard to ept. There are also people who make great works. Go Suyeol must have only shown you those things. Henri Marso responded sarcastically. Its not like there are only trash. The critics are the same. The problem is that you have to find them among the 99 garbage. Go Hoon was lost in thought. The art he had seen so far was either masterpieces exhibited at the national museums or carefully selected works from prestigious festivals like the Whitney Biennale. The boy nodded as he recalled what his grandfather and aunt had worried about. That could be true. Marso is just too biased. There are young artists with a purpose. And critics too. Its just hard to find the right people for the schedule. Michel added an exnation. So, to sum up, you want to solve the problems that arise in the judging process by increasing the number of judges, but its hard to find that many people? Yeah. Henri nodded. Then how about voting? Henri Marso raised his eyebrows at Go Hoons suggestion. What are you talking about? Its for the sake of showing it to the art lovers anyway. Isnt it better to let them choose? I think I can ept that kind of method. Well, it sounds like a good idea, but the association wont ept it easily. Its their right too. No. Henri stopped Michels words. Rather, thats better. He thought the same as Go Hoon. He thought it was more meaningful to let the public decide who was better than to find reliable people with difficulty. The original idea of forming a hundred-judge panel was to gain credibility by gathering subjectivity for art that could not be objective, so it was more reasonable as the number increased. Michel also thought for a moment and nodded. Now that I think about it, the orchestrapetition also used fan votingst year. "The orchestrapetition?"1) Dont you know? Yes. Its a festival that the World ssical Music Association holds every four years, and it was the second timest year. Go Hoon nodded. The first time, they matched the ratio of the judges and the fan votes, butst year they ranked them by 100% fan votes. The public reaction was better. As he tapped his ss and pondered, Henri Marso reached out. He took the phone from Arsen and called somewhere. Who are you calling? Chairman Shebasson. Michel was surprised at the name of the chairman of the French National Art Association. Its sote, why are you calling? Michel checked the time and stopped Henri. It was barely 1 p.m. in Seoul, so it must have been very early in the morning in Paris.2) Soon, the bewildered voice of Adil Shebasson came through the phone. -Huh? Mr. Marso? Stop forming the judges. *** 1)A orchestrapetition that the World ssical Music Association hosts every four years. The top 12 orchestras that passed the preliminaries travel around their home cities for a year andpete to determine the best orchestra. *A global event in the world of and . 2)When its 1 p.m. in Seoul, its 5 a.m. in Paris. Chapter 148: Haesong (4) Chapter 148: Haesong (4) Chapter 148 Haesong (4) August 3, 2028. 5 p.m. Many people came to Yongsan WH Cinema to attend the retirement ceremony of Go Suyeol, the dean of the College of Fine Arts at Korea University. There were prominent figures from the education and art fields, as well as influential people from the political and business sectors. The media also showed great interest, and thepetition for interviews was fierce. Lee Inho, a reporter from Daehan Ilbo, who tried to squeeze through the reporters and interview someone, was pushed out of the crowd. He had been covering the art field for only a year, but this was the first time he encountered such a heated situation. This is crazy. Kim Hyungwoo! Kim Hyungwoo! As he sighed deeply, a certain persons voice caught his ear. Kim Jiwu, from the monthly magazine Yehwa, was calling out to Kim Hyungwoo, the artist, with a hoarse voice from the gap between the reporters. But he seemed to not hear her voice, as he only exchanged a few words with the people nearby. Kim Jiwu sighed and drooped her shoulders as she watched Kim Hyungwoos back disappear. Richard Phillips! Then, someones shout made her lift her head and shout again. Mr. Phillips! Could you please say a word about Go Suyeol, the painter! He was so passionate that Lee Inho watched her for a moment. How did you meet him! Have you seen his recent style of painting! Are you going to keep your headphones on all the time! How could he have such strength from his average body? Richard Phillips, the chief product designer of Pineapple, turned his head. Ive been watching Suyeols works for a long time, but I havent been able to for thest few years. Im looking forward to the exhibition tomorrow. Kim Jiwus face brightened. Do you think he was working on a huge masterpiece in secret? Ha ha. Thats something I dont know. Richard Phillips smiled and turned away. Have you seen the leaked photos of the new gship smartphone? Is there any difference from the actual product? When will the new E-phone be released! Kim Jiwu didnt give up and kept asking questions. And if she saw someone else, she immediately asked another question. Mr. Chairman! Martin Jansen, the chairman! Is it true that you are producing a documentary about Van Gogh? Not only Lee Inho, but also the people around him were annoyed by Kim Jiwus momentum and moved away a little. Martin Jansen, the chairman of the Van Gogh Foundation, answered Kim Jiwus question. Its not a rumor. We are preparing to honor Vincent Van Gogh. Really? Kim Jiwu sincerely weed Martin Jansens answer. Her happy feeling was reflected in her expression and tone, and Martin Jansens mood also improved. What made you decide this time? Was it a problem with the funding? The production cost is not a problem. Its something weve been preparing for a long time. Martin Jansen nodded his head firmly to show his pride. "Then whats the difference between your documentary and Loving Vincent, which is considered an immortal masterpiece?"1) "Many people are curious about his death, but few people really know his life."2) Martin Jansen quoted a line from the movie to answer. It meant that the documentary he was preparing was not much different from what the movie wanted to say 11 years ago. Our foundation has been cooperating with the Van Gogh Research Institute for a long time to prepare a new biography. The documentary is a way of visualizing it. When can we see it? You should be able to see it in theaters around this time next year. Kim Jiwu clenched her fist and bounced her body. She was so excited about the biography and documentary that the Van Gogh Foundation and the Van Gogh Research Institute were preparing. Lee Inho, the reporter, sneaked up to her. Youre amazing. Ah. Daehan Ilbo. Kim Jiwu raised her index finger and fell into thought. She knew him well because he wrote a lot of articles about Go Hoon, but she couldnt remember his name. Lee Inho. Ah ha ha. Right. Im sorry. I forgot. Lee Inho shook his head to show that he didnt mind. You worked so hard and finally got one article. Thats right. Arent you curious? I dont know how to wait until next year. It wasnt a big news, but it was a topic that had demand. Usually, she would be satisfied with one article today, but Kim Jiwu seemed more interested in the Van Gogh documentary. I heard theres nothing new to tell. Is there something I dont know? I dont know? Lee Inho was puzzled, guessing that there was a special reason she didnt know. Then why I just like it when he doesnt fade away and keeps being talked about. Kim Jiwu was just happy that the painter she liked was constantly mentioned and praised. She didnt even understand what Lee Inho wanted to ask. At that moment, she saw a tall Frenchman in a dazzling outfiting in, looking around the people. Henri! Mr. Marceau! Are you studying Korean? You watch Hoons show every day! *** Thank you for your hard work. Ill definitely stop by the exhibition tomorrow. You must be busy. How can I miss it? Im looking forward to it. A tea party was held for the people who came early before the retirement ceremony. Grandfather was busy greeting the guests who came. Heined that the event was too big, but he secretly liked it. He smiled and greeted everyone he met. He seemed happy to meet old friends after a long time. It was nice to see. Jang Mirae and Bang Taeho were also greeting many people, so I could eat dessert without worrying. I had to eat only enough to not burst my stomach today, as well as lunch. Ah. This chocte cake is amazing. They stacked soft whipped cream and fluffy breadyer byyer, and filled fresh cherries in between.3) They grated chocte on top, so the texture changed every time I chewed. The rich chocte vor and the freshness of the cherries were great, but the texture itself that I could enjoy with my tongue and gums was fun. It was amazing enough to make a cake with chocte, but how did they think of putting cream and cherries in it? I wanted to eat another piece, but there were still many desserts I hadnt tasted. What is this? There were various foodsyered in a round ss cup like a wine ss. There was fruit at the bottom, then cream, and then another fruit and cream on top. There were strawberries and blueberries on top. I took a small spoon and tasted the dessert. The custard cream, mixed with fruits, melted in my mouth. As I scooped deeper, I tasted the orange jam and the custard cream together. They were a perfect match. No painter could blend yellow and white better than the person who made this dessert. Are you done? Henri Marceau asked, frowning. My tongue feels like its melting. Then why are you eating it? Because it feels like its melting. I was curious about the vor of the bottomyer. I could taste different vors on eachyer. I dug the spoon deeper. Its cake. This time, I enjoyed the custard cream with the soft bread and a familiar sour taste. I knew the vors of the cake, cream, jam, and fruits, but I had no idea what this sour taste was. I was sure I had eaten it somewhere before, but I couldnt remember. Did my mother buy it for me? No matter how hard I tried, I couldnt recall where I had eaten it. I thought I would remember if I ate it a few more times. Hey, stop eating. Its delicious. You should try it, Marceau. He stopped me when I finished one and reached for another. You shouldnt eat food from this ce. But its delicious. He grimaced as I handed him the ss cup and the spoon. Try it. He reluctantly took a bite and rxed his expression. Its good, right? Not bad. I wish I knew the name, so I could eat it againter. "Trifle." This? Ennd? Yeah. Hard to believe it was made by an Englishman. Marceau added that it was one of the few edible desserts among the awful English food. It was different from the trifle I knew, but it was delicious. It was a kind of food that each house made differently, and a lot of time had passed. Michel seems busy. Hmph. Hes working. Youre leaving tomorrow, right? Hmph. Yeah. Give me another one. Marceau seemed to be hooked by the taste of the trifle. I was about to get another one for myself, but I felt my body leaning to one side. I wondered if the strawberry or the chocte one would be better. I had tried the blueberry one. As I was thinking, someone came up to my grandfather with a crowd of people. He was an old man, not as muscr as my grandfather, but with a decent build. Congrattions, Dean. Choi Young-soo. Youre here too. My grandfathers face hardened. I remembered that his name was Choi Young-soo, the president of the Korean Art Association. He had cheated in apetition called the National Exhibition, and I remembered that he was still in his position. Chocte would be better. I had tried the strawberry and the blueberry ones, so I wanted to try the chocte one this time. Hello, Professor. How have you been? The young woman who came with him greeted him. Fine. You too? Of course. I wish you hade to thest exhibition. You must have been busy. I had something to do. You must have been disappointed. Disappointed? I know you went on a trip with Hun. He didnte? I didnt know why she pretended to know him. I didnt like the way Choi Young-soo and that woman treated my grandfather. I felt a strange repulsion that I couldnt put into words. My body heated up. Hes here. Hes with Marceau. Henri Marceau? Yeah. Professor, Sang-il is runningte. He said hell be here soon The atmosphere got worse as Jang Mi-rae approached. The people who came with Choi Young-soo looked at her with unfriendly eyes. Jang Mi-rae didnt look at them kindly either. Long time no see? The woman pretended to know Jang Mi-rae. I realized that she was probably Choi Young-soos daughter, and the one who won the grand prize in thepetition that Jang Mi-rae participated in. Jang Mi-rae red at her. Dont look at me like that. Its a good day. The woman smiled, opening her eyes slightly. She treated Jang Mi-rae like someone who couldnt tell the time and ce. Oh. Kyu-seo. I didnt recognize you. What? Youve be prettier. Where did you get your eyes done? It seemed like it would be fun. I chuckled as I ate the trifle. ***
  1. Loving Vincent, Dorota KobiHugh Welchman, 2017
  2. A quote from the movie Loving Vincent, where Marguerite says to Armand,
How much do you know about his life, when youre so curious about his death?
  1. Schwarzwlder kirschtorte.
A German cake with whipped cream and cherries betweenyers of chocte sponge cake
  1. A traditional English dessert.
It is made byyering sponge cake soaked in wine, custard cake, whipped cream, jelly, and fruits. ording to records, it was already introduced in the 16th century, and in the 18th century, it was sometimes made with meat. It is uncertain whether Vincent van Gogh, who lived in Ennd for a while, had tried trifle, but the modern trifle is different from what the English people enjoyed at that time. Chapter 149: Haesong (5) Chapter 149: Haesong (5) Chapter 149 Haesong (5) Hup. Hah. Hup. I was curious how they would fight, since I often saw scenes like that in the drama I watched with my mother. Choi Kyu-seo smiled leisurely. Well, you should do something too. Ill introduce you to someone. Contact me. No, thanks. Im too busy to have time for that. Choi Kyu-seos face hardened, which didnt budge at all when we talked about stic surgery. I envy you. I wish I could live a little more leisurely, like you, and have time to take care of myself. Yeah. You should take care of yourself. Who has time to spare? I guess I should do it before its toote. But there are too many ces that call me. I have to prepare for the seminar next week. "MMCA?" Right. You did it before, right? It didnt go well, I guess. They were so happy when they said two hundred people wereing. It seemed like the seminar that Choi Kyu-seo was running didnt go well, but Jang Mi-rae took over and got a good response. If it was like the drama I watched with my mother, one of them would soon p or ssh water on the other. Hup. Just when it was getting interesting, Marso came over. You said to bring it, but youre eating it by yourself? Theres plenty. Henri Marso hesitated between chocte and strawberry, then picked the one with strawberry and blueberry. Why. Hmph. Try the chocte too. No. Hmph. You ate that one before. Eat the chocte. He had already tried the strawberry triple, but he gave up on the chocte triple. I understood his desire to make a stable choice, but he couldnt enjoy the new thing without the courage to challenge it. Why are you whining? Its fun. Idiot. Hehe. Henri Marso opened his eyes wide. He was an idiot for not enjoying the deep and sweet taste of the chocte triple in front of him. Idiot. Idiot. This kid is talking nonsense again. Here, try it. Ah~ What are you doing? I didnt mind his cheeky attitude for some reason. I wanted to make him taste the chocte triple quickly, so I grabbed his cor. Hey, let go. Hehe. Its delicious. Are you crazy? Let go! Hahaha. His flustered expression was funny. Henri Marso was stubborn, so I put more strength in my hand and suddenly my view got higher. He was taller than Jang Mi-rae, and even grandfather. He was tall. Stay still! I looked down and Henri Marso looked up at me. You little thing. What? Say kid one more time. Ill teach you a lesson. He made another funny expression. Are you drunk? Henri Marso said something weird. You have to drink to get drunk. Idiot. Hehe. Ouch. My height shrank again. Henri Marso took a bite of the chocte triple and ate a few more in a row. I knew he would like it. Isnt it good? Damn. It feels like theres something in it. Arsen, Arsen! Me too. Dont eat it. Henri Marso was mean again. He had so much, but he wanted to eat it by himself. I shouldnt have told him. What is this? There were small bottles lined up on the table. They looked like miniatures, but they were liquor bottles made small. They were cute. It was not a simple skill. It didnt look like a decoration when I saw it on the te, so I tore the wrapper and there was chocte inside. Hah. It was a good size to eat in one bite. It was slightly harder than the chocte I had been eating, and there was something inside. The unique smell that stomped on my nasal cavity was definitely cognac. They must have made chocte with cognac vor for children who cant drink. Hehe. This was also great. The choctes sweetness and the cognacs rich aroma blended together. It felt like the one who made this was a snake tempting me with good and evil. How could I resist this? Hah. I met Marsos eyes as I looked around. Hey! He yelled at me for eating two choctes when he wanted to eat them by himself. Why are you so stingy when you have so much money? If you want to eat, just eat together. I picked one and handed it to him, then he put it on the table and grabbed my hand. Ow. Ow. Why am I so dizzy? Hoon-ah. It was grandfathers voice. Hehe. Grandfather. Whats wrong with him? Huh? I think theres a lot of wine in the triple. He also ate the liquor chocte. Huh? Liar. Hehehe. Grandfather came close to my face and smelled me, then frowned. Poor grandfather. Cool grandfather. Loving grandfather. I hugged him tightly and my height grew again. I saw Jang Mi-rae and Cha something over grandfathers shoulder. They werent fighting anymore. Are you done fighting? Uh? Jang Mirae asked, wide-eyed. "Do not plot harm against your neighbor who lives trustfully near you. A fool shows contempt for his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue." Fighting is not good. I think fighting is inevitable, but every fight starts with that intention. Dont bother the people who live happily. Hup. Only stupid people look down on them, you know. I want to eat one more chocte. Dramas are fun because theyre not real. Thats why you shouldnt spray water or anything. My sermon worked, and Jang Miraes car guy stopped fighting. Im such a great missionary. But they used me for free, and they persecuted me for being ipetent. Its so wicked, very wicked. I was mentally exhausted back then. If I had cognac-vored chocte, I could have been more energetic. I want to eat one more. What did you eat to be like this? Huh. Chocte. Do you want some, Grandpa? I didnt eat a lot of chocte, just two pieces. But they were shaped like little bottles, so they were so cute. They were so cute that I only ate two. There were more than two, but anyway, I only ate two. But they were shaped like little bottles, and they were so delicate. There were pictures and words on them, too, so they were cute. I only ate two of those. Chocte makes you happy, right? Those choctes made me very happy even though I only ate two. But how did they make them so small? Theyre cute. Oh, dear. This kid is drunk in front of his grandfather. Drunk? Yeah. This kid. Oh, the smell of alcohol. Whats drunk? It means youre intoxicated. Oh. My grandfather teaches me well in French even if I dont know a word. I love you, Grandpa. Yeah. Yeah. Mirae, take Hoon home ande back. Ill go. Is the teacher here? No! I was looking forward to the buffet today, but I cant go home already. I have to watch Grandpas retirement ceremony, too. Im not drunk. Youre not drunk, what do you mean youre not drunk? I told you not to pick up and eat things you dont know. Theyre delicious. Do you want some, Grandpa? Look. There are a lot of these, but I only ate two. Theyre so cute. But I only ate two. Hoon,e to your aunt. Lets go home with your aunt. No. Im going to stay with Grandpa. Jang Mirae tried to separate me and Grandpa, so I hugged his neck tightly. Ouch. Hoon, youre choking me. Youre choking me! Grandpa dead? I just remembered. Its been only a year. There are so many things I want to do with him, but hes already dying. Huuu. Hup. Dead? Hoon. This. Please save our Grandpa. Huuu. Please. Hoon, let go! Grandpa is in pain! Ah. I loosened my grip, and Grandpa regained his strength. Thank goodness. *** 6:10 p.m. The host, Yoo Jin, stood in front of the people. Then we will start the retirement ceremony of Professor Go Suyeol, the dean of the College of Fine Arts at Korea University. She looked around the people and reporters who filled the theater and marveled. Usually, retirement ceremonies are sad, regretful, and disappointing, but Dean Go Suyeols ceremony is quite different. Maybe its because were looking forward to the activities of Go Suyeol, the painter. Some of the visitors nodded. There were several procedures nned, but the dean said he wanted to thank you first. Please wee Professor Go Suyeol, who has been active as a true educator of this era. Please wee him with apuse. Go Suyeol decided that thanking the people who came to his retirement ceremony without forgetting him was more important than the trivial procedures. As the warm apuse continued, Go Suyeol climbed onto the podium with his grandson, who was drunk on chocte and stuck to him like a cicada. Go Hoon, who buried his face in Go Suyeols shoulder, was sleeping soundly, making a snoring sound. He picked up and ate chocte with alcohol in it. Please understand. The reporters pressed the camera shutter to take a good picture. He got drunk on alcohol chocte. Hes cute. How can he stick to him like that? He doesnt want to leave the professor. The visitors also watched the grandfather and grandson warmly. Wicked kid. Henri muttered, and Michel tilted his head curiously. Hes pretending to be cute to get attention. Henri Marceau, who had been teased by Go Hoon several times, wondered if this was also Go Hoons n. He must be really cute? Shut up. Go Suyeol cleared his throat and stood in front of the microphone. First of all, I dont know why you prepared such a noisy event for me. I thank the school and the students. p p p p- Go Hoon flinched at the sound of apuse. I wanted to clear up the misunderstanding first, so I took this seat. I saw an article that said I would resume my work after today, but Ive been drawing steadily even though I didnt do any external activities. As the camera shutter sound continued intermittently, Go Suyeol calmly continued his story. So I think there was a misunderstanding that I quit my work because I was active as an educator, but thats not true. The time I spent with the students at Korea University was also precious, so I ask you to refrain from specting that my work was hindered. Go Hoon, who woke up from Go Suyeols voice, looked around and grasped the situation. I also received a lot of questions about what I would do after retirement. The work of drawing will not change at all. Its just a matter of whether you show it or not. But there is one big change, and thats this guy. Go Hoon, who woke up and came to his senses, felt embarrassed and tried to get away from his grandfather. Go Suyeol gently put his grandson down and stroked his head. Im going to draw with Hoon, travel to nice ces, and visit museums. Itll be fun. Right? Go Hoon nodded at Grandpas question. The people smiled softly and got off the podium and sat in the empty seat in the front row. And the art that Hoon and I will watch is the history that you will build. Just as you nurtured your dream of bing a painter by looking at M, M, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Klimt, and Picasso. I hope that Hoon and his younger friends will have dreams and courage by looking at you. An old man like me will step back now. No! The peopleughed at the sincere outcry of a student. Thats right! Youre still young! What are you going to do if you step back already! Give Hoon a dream, isnt that too hard for thest assignment? Please ask Hoon to help us! Youll cry if you retire! They wont even take you at the nursing home at your age these days! The words of the students made Go Suyeols heart and eyes hot. ***
  1. National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA).
  2. Whiskey bonbon
  3. Do not plot harm against your neighbor who lives trustfully near you. (Proverbs 3:29)
A fool shows contempt for his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. (Proverbs 11:12)
  1. Van Gogh, who was unpaid at the Borinage coal mine, was fired by the inspector for being unfit as a preacher.
Chapter 150: Haesong (6) Chapter 150: Haesong (6) Chapter 150 Haesong (6) Did you eat two choctes, Hoon? Were they delicious? Were they small and cute? The day after the retirement ceremony. Jang Mi Rae teased me about what happened yesterday with a smile. I wish I didnt remember what I did, but it was so clear that I wanted to hide somewhere. I already left a stain on my life because of the chocte Mont nc, and this time I became a national disgrace because of the triple and alcohol choctes. On the inte, there are pictures of me hugging Henri Marso and being carried by my grandfather. [The genius boy who pinched Henri Marsos cheek!] [Go Suyeol, the painter who looked around during his speech] On August 2nd, at the retirement ceremony of Go Suyeol, the 20th dean of the College of Fine Arts at Korea University, a smallmotion causedughter. Go Hoon, the grandson of Go Suyeol, the painter, got drunk after eating a dessert with alcohol. Go Suyeol, the painter, carried his grandson who wouldnt wake up to the auditorium. As the apuse continued, Go Hoon regained his senses and opened his eyes slightly. He looked around and blushed. Meanwhile, at the pre-dinner party, he and Henri Marso also created a warm scene. Henri Marso, a famous French painter and tycoon, lifted up Go Hoon, who was drunk, tofort him. Then Go Hoon grabbed his cheek and stretched it to both sides, smiling brightly and showing off their friendship. You can check out the situation in the link below. -High quality video link- Im going crazy, seriously Call him a kid one more time Who is the person who added the subtitles? Good job. Why is it so cute when he ps Henris face Wow, he can handle that. Henri doesnt get angry or annoyed Hes so kind Theyre really close Hes rubbing Henris face like a rice cake I know Who in the world treats that crazy guy like that He looks happy being carried by his grandfather. Henri has a hard time. Im going crazy. I remember, but I dont know what I was thinking when I did that. I have to avoid Henri Marso for a while. I sighed as I looked at the article and Jang Mi Rae wrapped her cheek andughed. Ogu ogu. Youre so cute. Are you embarrassed? Stop it. Its okay. It happens. Everyone likes it. I admit that I have a cute face, but I dont want to be loved for that kind of behavior.1) If I get that image, no matter how cool the picture I draw, it wont be fully conveyed. I have to find a way to show a serious side. There arent many articles about me getting drunk yesterday. Fortunately, it doesnt stand out much because there are a lot of stories rted to my grandfather. [The message from the giant of the Korean art world] Go Suyeol, the 20th dean of the College of Fine Arts at Korea University, left the education field. In the 80s, Hae Song Go Suyeol, the painter who drew attention with his paintings that contained Korean sentiments, such as pine trees, was a pivotal figure whoid the foundation for Korean painting. At a time when everyone was shouting for globalization, his style of painting that preserved the uniqueness of Korean painting received a lot of love from the world, and his was auctioned for 27.5 million pounds at the Sothebys auction house in 1992. Go Suyeol, the great giant of the Korean art world, joined the Department of Oriental Painting at the College of Fine Arts at Korea University in 2009 and nurtured outstanding students such as Kim Hyung Woo, Lee Sang Il, and Jang Mi Rae. He contributed to the art education field as the dean in 2023. Yesterday, on the 2nd, at the retirement ceremony, he said, As you grew your dreams and courage by looking at the previous painters, be the dreams and courage of the young painters. And he added, I will also try to do that. Meanwhile, Go Suyeols solo exhibition, which opened for the first time in 19 years, can be seen at the Seoul Museum of Art for a month from today, the 3rd. Go Suyeol is a god! Sir! Hes really cool. He donates 100 million won every year to the youth independence project. Not children or the underprivileged? He sees the social problem as the 20-40s youth being exploited byndlords, businesses, and the older generation. Landlords andpanies make more money, but young people cant even afford their own bodies in Seoul even if they work hard. They cant get married, so the birth rate drops, the economic activity poption decreases, and they think its okay as long as they make a lot of money. They cant live without both working, so theres no one to take care of the baby. Thats why there are more kids with personality problems. I hate long texts;; I really like Go Suyeols paintings, but Ive never seen them in real life. You might be able to see them tomorrow? I cried the first day I took a ss from Professor Go Suyeol Why? He asked me if I had ever painted Korean painting, so I showed him a picture confidently, but he said very kindly that I had never painted it Too much What? Is your painting not a painting? He asked me if I really thought my painting was Korean painting. He told me to think about whether it was Western painting, Oriental painting, or modern art. I didnt know. What is Korean painting? He said he didnt know either and asked me to think with him. ? Isnt Go Suyeol the representative painter of Korean painting? What do you do if you dont know? Maybe hes just giving the students a chance to think? Another difficult story came up. Whats important about the concept? Just good is good. As many people wee my grandfathers exhibition, there are also many people who regret his retirement. Ding dong- The doorbell rang. I pressed the button on the footboard and Bang Tae Ho greeted me. This is a bit high. Cant you lower it? Jang Mi Rae said something nice. Ive been using a golf club, but it was so heavy that it was hard to control. Once I broke the inte screen and my grandfather put the footboard. Bang Tae Ho opened the door and came in and brought up the story I wanted to forget. Are you okay, Hoon? Im not okay. Why? Does your head hurt? Im so embarrassed that I cant go outside anymore. Hehehehe. Oh, hello. Professor. Hello. Are you taking a shower, teacher? Yes. I have some time left. Bang Tae Ho looked at me andughed again. People were worried yesterday, so I posted a message on themunity that I was okay. Did you see thements? I shuddered at the thought of how much ridicule I would face if I turned on the inte broadcast. I dont want to watch it. Heh. Was it that delicious? It had more alcohol than you thought. Four percent. Bang Tae-ho informed me that the alcohol content of the chocte liquor I ate yesterday was four percent. I didnt know how high that was, but I think I was drunk since I ate the triple. Was it that delicious? Jang Mi-rae asked. It was tasty. What are you going to do? You cant like alcohol already. Alcohol is my enemy. Since the seriousness of lead poisoning is widely known, I knew that they dont put lead in alcohol like they used to. But I cant repeat this disgrace. I will never drink, even when Im legally old enough to do so. I will never drink when I grow up. Really? People who say that usually drink a lot. I wont drink. Never. Yeah, you. Where in the world is a kid who gets drunk in front of his grandfather? Grandfather came out to the living room, shaking off his wet hair. I had nothing to say. Professor. Oh, youre here. Boss, hes not a professor anymore. Hes a writer. Oh. Thats right. The three of them were in a good mood. It was a good day, but I wanted to cover my face, thinking of the attention I would get. I looked for a hat. A sun cap, a very suitable hat to cover my face, caught my eye. I also took the sunsses that he bought me when we traveled to Europe and the cool neck scarf that I wore when I went hiking with Grandfather. Shall we go if youre ready? Hoon-ah, how long will it take? Im done. As I put on my bag, Jang Mi-rae and Bang Tae-houghed again. Kukkukkukkukkuk. Hoon-ah, what is that? Huh? Jang Mi-rae tried to take off my sun cap and neck scarf. No. Are you going to the neighborhood bar? Or the hiking club? Take it off. I need this. Teacher, look at Hoon. Hes going like this. Grandfather looked at me and nodded his head with a smile. My son dresses well by himself. Lets go. Of course. Grandfather bought me these things, so he wouldnt dislike them. I didnt know why, but I put on my shoes, leaving behind Jang Mi-rae and Bang Tae-ho who were dumbfounded. Hoon-ah, do you want to go hiking with Grandfather tomorrow? Hiking? Yeah. Lets walk leisurely like were taking a walk and eat acorn jelly and potato pancakes. Ive never had acorn jelly, but my father made me potato pancakes. He grated potatoes and fried them in cooking oil without any other ingredients, and it was an amazing dish. The chewy texture in the middle was good, but the slightly crispy feeling on the edge was so nice. Lets go. *** Henri Marso, who had a harmonious time with Go Hoonst night, gritted his teeth all night after seeing the pictures on the inte. His perfect face was distorted because of Go Hoon, and he felt like he wouldnt be satisfied even if he sued all the Korean media. Kheukkeukkeukkeuk. Anri nced at Michelle. She had set the humiliating picture of Henri Marso that the Daehan Ilbo posted yesterday as her smartphone wallpaper. Delete it right now. No way? Heukheukheukheuk. Michelle put down her smartphone and twisted Anris face. She couldnt stopughing as she pinched his cheeks and lips. Do you like it? Yeah. I love it. Henri Marso sighed deeply with his eyes closed. He thought he would tolerate it since Michelle hadntughed so much in a long time, but he exploded when he heard the camera shutter sound after she turned up his nose. Enough! Michelle kissed Anris lips with a smile. He couldnt be angry with her anymore, so he quietly gave in. Delete it. No. Just this one. I told you to delete it. Ill grant you one wish instead. I dont have any wishes. Really? Ill do anything for you. Anri snickered. He believed he could get anything in the world if he wanted to. He didnt need any wishes. Do you think theres something I cant have? Michelle got up and looked for her bag. She took out a small autograph paper. Ill give you this. Henri Marso raised his eyebrows. It was the sunflower autograph that Go Hoon drew for his fans in New York. What are you doing? What do you want? Ha. Dont joke. I can buy it with money. Michelle stuck out her lips. It doesnt work. She casually handed Henri Marso the sunflower autograph of Go Hoon. Henri Marso kept his fierce expression and put it next to his head. *** 1)Go Hoon had been proud of his appearance since he was Vincent van Gogh. Chapter 151: Pine Tree (7) Chapter 151: Pine Tree (7) Chapter 151 Pine Tree (7) As Michellele headed to the shower, Henri took out the autograph he had been hiding and smiled. He had bought most of Go Hoons masterpieces, such as , , and , but he didnt intend to buy all of his works. Even though he could afford it, the only paintings by Go Hoon that moved his heart were the three he owned and the concept art from the movie Giamseong. The autograph was nothingpared to the work he would face today. Henri carefully tucked Go Hoons sunflower autograph between the books. Go Suyeol Henri Marso couldnt forget Go Suyeols that was disyed at the Venice Biennale 19 years ago. The opening ceremony of the 2009 Venice Biennale made the 14-year-old boys heart race. The streets filled with people leading to the Genovio Pce. Cheers andughter erupted everywhere. The boy, Henri Marso, was thrilled by the street where photos of Rome fluttered like fallen leaves amid the exotic music.1) What kind of amazing works would be in the main exhibition? Henri Marso, who was full of anticipation, was captivated by the paintings hanging on one side of the Genovio Pce garden. Fourteen pine trees drawn on paper. One was burned and charred, and another was split in half. There was a pine tree with only the trunk left, and a tree with no branches or leaves. The fourteen pine tree paintings disyed here and there turned the beautiful Genovio Pce garden into a battlefield. Henri Marso realized after a long time that it was a work depicting the Korean War that broke out on June 25, 1950. was a work thatpared the Korean people who were sacrificed in the war to the pine trees that were destroyed by bullets and fire, and the fourteen paintings were oneposition. For Henri Marso, who had captured the world on a t surface, Go Suyeols , which used the space itself by cing various pine tree paintings around the park, was a huge shock. Neen years have passed since then. He couldnt help but look forward to what kind of work he would show after that long wait. * {Thank you for today} {And the incentive is confirmed} 08:37 Hehehe. Kim Ji Woo, a reporter for the monthly magazine Ye Hwa, smiled as she checked the message from her editor-in-chief, Lee Sang Chul. The article with the photos of Go Hoon and Henri Marso had caused a big buzz. The views had already surpassed the incentive standardst night, and she also received an encouraging message from the representative this morning. She had no basis, but she had a feeling that they would give her a lot of money for her summer vacation. Maybe I can stay at a hotel for a day? Kim Ji Woo, who was nning to visit the Belvedere Museum in Vienna, Austria this year, looked around with excitement. The Seoul Museum of Art area had been crowded with people since an hour ago. She couldnt help but enjoy the atmosphere of the solo exhibition of Go Suyeol, the pine tree. I wonder if it will really happen. Kim Ji Woo had hoped that Go Hoons Sweet Happiness would gain a lot of interest from the general public and revive the art world in the spring. But in the summer, Go Suyeol, the giant of the Korean art world, came out after 19 years and made the whole of Korea noisy, and it seemed that her wish wasing true. Whose car is that? Its Henri Marso! Get out of the way! Then, a golden Rolls-Royce arrived in front of the Seoul Museum of Art with security guards in front and behind. The reporters rushed to surround it. Kim Ji Woo also tried to squeeze through the crowd. The guards pushed the reporters away and Henri Marso got out of the car with a frown. Henri Marso! What do you think of Go Suyeols paintings? Do you n to add more works to the Marso Museum? I heard you especially like Go Suyeols paintings! How many do you own? The reporters poured out questions. The media had to pay attention to what works he would buy after some of his collections were revealed in the movie Giamseong and the construction of the Marso Museum began. But the tycoon, who said he would exhibit all the works that inspired him, hadnt bought any new works for a few months. Some spected that it was because he was aiming for Go Suyeols works. ording to the Seoul Museum of Art press release, there is only one work for sale this time! Do you intend to participate in the auction? Henri Marso ignored the reporters who swarmed like flies and headed to the museum. The reporters who tried to talk to him were disappointed, and Pierre Malo, a world-renowned frame maker, appeared. Kim Ji Woo looked back and forth between the museum entrance and Pierre Malo, and decided to move. She couldnt interview aggressively inside the museum, but today she decided to cover how Henri Marso appreciated Go Suyeols works, and how his grandson and genius painter Go Hoon saw his grandfathers works. She grabbed a candy at the entrance and went inside. Where. Kim Ji Woo looked for the floor n of the Seoul Museum of Art. Today, the Seoul Museum of Art dedicated the first, second, and special exhibition halls to Go Suyeols solo exhibition Daehan. The first exhibition hall was named Courage, the second exhibition hall was Love, and the special exhibition hall was Pine Tree, which reminded him of his nickname. Where did Henri Marso go? She looked around to find Henri Marso. A boy caught her eye. Go Hoon, who was hiding his face with a cap, a scarf, and sunsses indoors, was with his friend Cha Si Hyun. You should wear it too. No. Why not? Its embarrassing. Even my grandmother doesnt wear it like this. People will find out that Im with you. So what? Hoon-ah. Kim Ji Woo greeted him warmly, but the boy didnt react. She wondered if she had seen him wrong and leaned in to take a closer look, but Go Hoon turned his head. Whats wrong? Huh? Are you mad because of the photo yesterday? I dont know what youre talking about. Go Hoon said in a different tone than usual, and Kim Ji Woo crouched down and smiled. How do you like your grandfathers exhibition? Have you seen it before? Youve got the wrong person. Huh? Im not Go Hoon. Go Hoons cold attitude made Kim Ji Woo pout. Everyone said you were cute. Tell me which photo you hate and Ill take it down. Calm down. Go Hoon didnt answer, so Kim Ji Woo tried to lighten the mood by changing the topic. Did you sleep well yesterday? Hows your head? Go Hoon sighed deeply and took off his cap and sunsses. This wont do, I guess. Pfft. Kim Jiwoo barely held back hisughter. He wondered why Go Hoon was dressed like someone from an elderly hiking club, but it seemed like he tried to disguise himself. Go Hoon licked his lips. Im not doing an interview today. Why not? Not just today, but for a while. Im so embarrassed because of you, reporter. The video of me singing, and yesterday too. I cant live like this. Huhuhu. He couldnt help butugh when the 11-year-old boy said he was so embarrassed that he couldnt live with a serious expression. Then just one. Do you know where Henri Marso is? The special exhibition hall. Thanks. Ill contact youter. Im not doing an interview. How about cheesecake? A whole one, not a slice. Go Hoon looked hesitant. Have you ever had souffl cheesecake? Souffl? Its super soft. I know a ce that makes it delicious. I bought it for you. Kim Jiwoo smiled and tilted his head, and Go Hoon asked Chashihyun. Is it good? Yeah. Go Hoon thought for a moment and agreed to the interview. Then see youter. Yeah. Have fun exploring. Kim Jiwoo headed to the special exhibition hall to find Henri Marso, but Go Hoon and Chashihyun got into a fight. Look. Its your fault we got caught. Hurry up and do this. I dont want to. Meanwhile. Henri Marso nodded his head as he looked at the pine tree that had shaken his heart, painted by Gosuyeol. There were rumors that his style had changed or that he couldnt paint anymore, but Gosuyeols works were all elegant and refined, regardless of time. Indeed. Henri Marso nodded his head as he looked at , drawn with ink on a 3m high and 1.8m wide paper. Michelle, who was admiring the work with him, also eximed softly. He felt the majesty of the pine tree that had a long history with just a few strokes. Even though half of it was severely damaged, it stood firmly without bending its will, making the viewer feel reverent. Michelle wondered why the pine tree in was hurt, and why he expressed it as it was. What does The Pine Tree of Rank mean? Henri Marso shook his head. He didnt have much knowledge about Korea either, so he couldnt fully understand Gosuyeols . But he could feel that the pine tree in the painting had preserved some value in the midst of the storms of time. You seem to like it. Jang Mirae approached Henri and Michelle, who were admiring the work. Michelle greeted Jang Mirae with a smile, and Henri Marso showed his respect by giving his attention to one of the few artists he acknowledged. Michelle asked. I dont understand the title, can you tell me what it means? Its a rank. Jang Mirae told the story behind . 600 years ago, when the king of Joseon was traveling, this tree was in the way. Then the branches opened by themselves and he was impressed, so he gave it a rank. It was a legend that seemed to exist somewhere. Then its an imaginary painting? Not really. Its in a ce called Boeun. It was doing well until 40 years ago, but the branches were damaged by heavy snow, so it looks like this now. Michelle nodded. But it still has dignity. Is it like this in reality? I dont know. I havent seen it recently. But in my opinion, it seems to reflect the people of our country. They are a nation that has suffered a lot of hardships. Henri Marso nodded his head at Jang Miraes exnation. Gosuyeols painting contained sadness, loneliness, and strong will. The intense desire to ovee the tragedy and the dignity that sprang from it were the identity of the pine tree. He said he didnt know what Korean painting was yet, but he couldnt find anyone who painted more Korean than him. Then take your time and enjoy. Thank you, Jang. Henri and Michelle exchanged greetings with Jang Mirae, but Henri Marso couldnt move for a while in front of . ***
  1. Kim Atas opening performance at the 2009 Venice Biennale.
Kim Ata (1956~), a Korean photographer, scattered 10,000 photos of Rome printed on paper from behind a 10m highdder truck, along with Korean nursery rhymes such as Forward and Half Moon, and received a great response. Chapter 152: Haesong (8) Chapter 152: Haesong (8) Chapter 152 Haesong (8) Meanwhile, Go Hoon and Cha Si Hyun, who headed to the first exhibition hall named Courage, were admiring the artworks. Wow. Cha Si Hyun opened his mouth in front of Go Suyeols .1) It was a pair of siblings holding hands. The brother on the left had spent the night, and the sister next to him was enjoying the day. They wished to connect the dark night and the bright day with their sped hands as the center point.2) I know this. Its Sun and Moon, right? Yes. Go Hoon nodded and Cha Si Hyun smiled. He was worried that the artworks exhibited at the Whitney Biennale would be too hard to understand, as they werest time. He was d to encounter something he knew a little bit. It was a story of siblings who escaped from a tiger and grabbed a rope that came down from the sky, bing the sun and the moon. The ce where the brother and sister are is the same on the left and right. Go Hoon became a daily docent for Cha Si Hyun and exined his grandfathers . When Cha Si Hyun looked closely at the painting, he saw that the ce where the brother and sister were was indeed the same. Im d they can meet each other. Cha Si Hyun, who had felt sorry for the story of the brother who became the moon and the sister who became the sun, who couldnt meet each other, felt relieved by the sight of the siblings holding hands tightly. But why is this Courage? Well. Go Hoon cautiously offered his opinion. Grandfather likes to make analogies. Just like the night and the day were not different, but siblings. Uh-huh. I think he wanted to show that the two concepts that lookpletely different are not different from me. Thats why theres a gradient in the middle, right? Cha Si Hyun tilted his head. Where does the night end and the day begin? Can you tell clearly? The left end is night, right? The right end is day. He warns you not to distinguish them so easily. Binary thinking is easy to understand, but it prevents you from understanding deeply. Its hard. I think the courage is the willingness to ovee the awkwardness and understand the other. Cha Si Hyun smiled as he looked at . I dont know. I just think its pretty. Grandfather would like to hear that. Go Hoon didnt have the slightest intention of forcing his interpretation on Cha Si Hyun. He just shared his thoughts because he knew that Cha Si Hyun had his own way of thinking and was not swayed by others opinions. He rather thought that Cha Si Hyuns attitude of epting as just pretty was more pure. The two boys, wearing caps, sunsses, and scarves, became another exhibit for the visitors as they walked around the first exhibition hall. People keep looking at us. Its okay if they dont recognize us. As soon as Go Hoon uttered those words, a group of visitors recognized him. Hes cute. He must havee with his friend. He was exining his grandfathers painting. But why did hee like that? Go Hoon couldnt continue his words, so Cha Si Hyun took off his friends cap and sunsses. Why did you get caught? Its weird if a kid wears a floral cap, sunsses, and a scarf in the museum. Is it that weird? Its embarrassing. Cha Si Hyun grabbed Go Hoons hand and pulled him. Go Hoon put his hat and sunsses back on with a worried look. Shall we go to the second exhibition hall now? Cha Si Hyun, who had stepped out into the hallway, looked around and asked. Yeah. But youve seen all the paintings, so you must be bored. Should we go separately then? No. Cha Si Hyun firmly refused and Go Hoon chuckled. The paintings feel different every time I see them. And I havent seen the ones here. Did he keep it a secret from you too? Not really, but somehow. Go Hoon entered the second exhibition hall named Love and turned his head, only to be speechless. Its you. Cha Si Hyun said, looking at Go Hoon. The second exhibition hall was filled with Go Hoon eating potato pizza, Go Hoon squatting and observing insects, Go Hoon lying down and looking at the flower bed, Go Hoon wielding a brush, Go Hoon tearing up a canvas, Go Hoon shining his eyes while eating beef, and so on. Go Hoon approached . It was a picture of himself painting in the garden of his house. It was a different feeling from the oil paintings in the first exhibition hall, as it was a watercolor painting. So this is how you saw me. Go Hoon recalled the time when he painted . He couldnt feel his grandfathers gaze from behind him any warmer than this. Cha Si Hyun, who had just encountered the paintings, felt it too. Grandfather must love you very much. Go Hoon nodded. Look at this. Its so cute. Why does he look like hes walking when hes standing still? There wasughter from the opposite wall. It was , a painting of Go Hoon walking on the Debussy Street in Obersur-Oise, France. The two people who were looking at the painting enjoyed the sight of Go Hoons back, walking in thick clothes and waddling. Go Hoon, wearing a ck padding and a hood, had a white face and a mask, looking like a penguin. Hehe. He must have fallen asleep while painting. Next to it, there was a painting of Go Hoons face, which looked like a print after being blown by the wind while painting. Did I really look like that? Cha Si Hyunughed as he looked at . Go Hoon, who had felt his grandfathers love, realized that something was wrong. He looks like a baby. Right. In Go Suyeols eyes, hes just a cute grandson. Next to it, there was a painting of him eating jajangmyeon with ck bean sauce all over his mouth. At the moment he realized that this ce was a space where he could reminisce about his lovely and warm memories, as well as the most attention-grabbing exhibition in Korea. I blushed as I remembered the things I did yesterday, such as getting drunk and singing on the inte broadcast. The author said he has no intention of selling it. As Gohoon was embarrassed and looking for his grandfather, a smallmotion broke out in the distance. * Ive had a lot of embarrassing things happentely, but my grandfather put the finishing touch. Among other things, eating with ck bean sauce all over my face was when I was clumsy with chopsticks. Im d I can feel my grandfathers gaze, but did he have to exhibit that picture in a ce where the whole world is paying attention? I wish I could find a mouse hole. I would have run away in shame if I hadnt put on my cap and sunsses again. Why dont you sell it? It was Henri Marsos voice. Im sorry. The only work hes selling at this exhibition is Jeong Ipum Song. I met Cha Si-hyuns eyes. Whats going on? He seems to want to buy a work. Then? Grandpa doesnt like selling his works. He hated the idea of your works being stored in someones living room or warehouse for spection purposes, rather than being exhibited. The reason he put up only one piece of Jeong Ipum Song for auction at this exhibition was to give the Seoul Museum of Art, which hosted the exhibition, a minimum profit. Lets go. Yeah. As we approached to find out what was going on, the museum staff was embarrassed and trying to calm Henri Marso down. I cant exin the authors intentions to you. Please understand that this is his policy. Henri Marso closed his eyes slightly and rxed his throat muscles. Call Go Suyeol. Thats Okay. Please wait a moment. The staff went to look for his grandfather. Whats going on? Henri Marso lowered his gaze and ignored the staff, then met my eyes again. Whats wrong with you? Henri Marso recognized me right away. As Cha Si-hyun said, it seemed like my disguise was wrong. Whats wrong with me? What do you mean, whats wrong? Marso was about to say something, but shook his head. The only one up for auction is Jeong Ipum Song. Ive never seen the paintings hanging in the second exhibition hall, but if I had to pick one of the works introduced at this exhibition, it would be Jeong Ipum Song. Its a masterpiece that shows my grandfathers high-spirited style, as well as being arge-scale work. Henri Marso must know that, too, but I dont understand why he wants to buy another work. I know. Then buy that. What I want to buy is this. When I turned my head at Marsos words, I saw scenes of dancing to the nursery rhyme On the Bridge of Avignon when I lived in Paris. The five-piece series are all titled Longing. My grandfather, who used to paint impressionistic paintings, started painting realistic paintings a year ago, and I wondered if it was for this work. Its too realistic. Hmm. You were young then? Cha Si-hyun covered his mouth andughed. I dont care why my grandfather painted this work, but I dont know how he knew about it, or why he had to exhibit it. I want to ask him. Marso? I heard my grandfathers voice and turned my head. Grandpa! I couldnt scream as much as I wanted in the museum, but Im sure he got my message. As I walked up to him, my grandfather, who had spread his arms, blinked his eyes. Why? Whats going on? Whats going on? How did you know? Heughed when I pointed to Longing. I found it on theputer when I went to the house in America. How is it? I drew it well, right? Of course you did! Thats not the problem. No, thats the problem too! He made a ridiculous gesture with a sullen expression, and it was clear that he was embarrassed. Its not like singing on the inte broadcast. Its not enough to get drunk in front of 700 people and make it into an article, but now my past is being exposed in my grandfathers exhibition hall, where the whole world is paying attention. Go Suyeol. Henri Marso came up to me. He hugged me as I iled and lifted my head. What is it? Please sell me that painting. Dont be ridiculous! You bought it! Just try to scam me! As if that wasnt enough, if it goes into Henri Marsos hands, it will be exhibited for generations at the Marso Museum, so I have to stop it. Hes embarrassed. Hes cute. What? Why are you doing that? Hes mad because Henri wants to buy that painting. Ahaha. What is that? Is this kindergarten? People started to gather around. They allughed as if they were having fun. Hmm. I dont want to sell it. Of course, grandfather. I have to persuade him to take down Longing after I send Marso away. I wonder why you want to buy this. Why do you care! I was surprised and protested, but he just smiled. This style is new to me. Its true that its different from the other works my grandfather has announced. Its like a series of scenes from a live-action animation. But that doesnt mean he can buy it. I know what you think, but this is a painting rted to our family, so I cant sell it. Thats right. I cant let him sell our memories of my father, mother, and me, who couldnt be with my grandfather, to someone else. I nodded my head hard, afraid he might change his mind. How about Love 7? Henri Marso turned his head. Its a picture of eating with ck bean sauce on it. I thought I should repay you someday for taking care of me. Ill just give you that painting. Then I cant! *** 1), Joo Yo-seop, 1922. A fairy tale known as . The current spelling standard is , but it was used as a literary license in the fairy tale and the poem . Also, in 1989, Professor Nam Gi-sim of the Department of Korean Language and Literature at Yonsei University introduced star, moon, sun and so on in . 2)Barim: The act of painting one side dark and gradually lighter as it goes to the other side. Gradient Source Standard Korean Dictionary Chapter 153: Haesong (9) Chapter 153: Haesong (9) Chapter 153 Haesong (9) I have to stop from being exhibited at the Marso Museum. I cant put a picture of me with ck bean sauce on my face among those masterpieces by Raphael, M, Picasso, Grandpa, and so on. Hoon, you should be grateful for what you received. I dont have to be nice to him. Grandpa thought so too, but you said it yourself. Hes not a bad person. I thought about it and it seemed like we could stimte each other. Thats what I told Grandpa in person yesterday. Hes not a bad person. He has some good sides too. I refused the special exhibition, but he bought my paintings and exhibited them at the Whitney Biennale. I should repay his kindness as a human being. Grandpa thinks so. What do you think, Hoon? I couldnt persuade Grandpa with a few words in this situation. I hoped for Henri Marso. He didnt care about dialogue, understanding, orpromise. He wouldnt rece the painting he wanted with another one. Theres no choice. I turned my head in surprise. You have to refuse! I didnt know why he suddenly begged me so meekly. Why? When Marso asked why I had to refuse, I was speechless. If he insisted on buying , Grandpa would refuse him even if I didnt intervene. I never dreamed he would agree so easily. You want to buy it, dont you? You want it, dont you? You should get what you want. Its a family matter. He suddenly acted like he hadmon sense. I couldnt say anything and Cha Si-hyun nodded. Family is precious. The people around us who were watching over us agreed with Cha Si-hyuns words. Family is precious. Henri is surprising. He has a rational side too. Thats right. Its nice, isnt it? Greeting with a painting, not money. Why, Henri also gave Marsos jewel. Thats true. Contrary to my wishes and thoughts, they seemed to find this absurd situation heartwarming. Grandpa stroked my head and said to Henri Marso. Take it when the exhibition is over. When Grandpa urged him again, the man who didnt know anything aboutpromise nodded quickly. I was angry, but there was nothing I could do. Grandpa finally opened an exhibition, and I couldnt cause more trouble. I tried to calm down my angry feelings and headed to the meeting room. I did it because you seemed to get along well. Grandpa followed me and tried tofort me, but it was toote. I was grateful for his help, but I didnt want to repay him like this. No matter what. What is this? When I tried to show Grandpa my resentment, Cha Si-hyun offered me a milk pudding. Its delicious. Yes. I ate it and Grandpa said seriously. I was too selfish. I didnt know you would be embarrassed. Its not embarrassing. Yes. I felt sorry for Grandpas self-me. I was embarrassed, but I was happy to feel his love for me. At the same time, I wanted to tell him that it was a problem to be exhibited at the famous Marso Museum. Cha Si-hyun pushed another milk pudding into my mouth. The pudding danced on my tongue, teasing it. When I barely caught it, it had a savory aroma and a subtle sweetness. Ill take it down tomorrow, so dont worry. No, you cant. Its a painting Grandpa painted. Stop! Every time I tried to say something, Cha Si-hyun fed me pudding and I couldnt talk to Grandpa. If this goes on, Grandpa might really take down the painting he hung in the second exhibition hall. I said urgently. Thats not the problem. Dont take it down. Just. Just? Just a little embarrassed. I was embarrassed, but I didnt want Grandpa to take down the painting he painted for me. It would be precious to his fans who had been waiting for 19 years, and Grandpa would be sorry too. The painting was excellent too. Ah~ Yes. I calmed down with the milk pudding. I just had to think that Henri Marso wouldnt hang at the Marso Museum. Ill try to talk to himter. I hope he doesnt do it like the Whitney Biennale. I hope he doesnt exhibit it at a world-ss art festival like he did with my paintings at the Whitney Museum. Are you really okay? Im fine. Im not a kid. Isnt he our kid? Cha Si-hyun teased me again. I red at him and he offered me another milk pudding. I had no choice but to eat it and he smiled and asked. Isnt it delicious? I didnt feel like getting angry. Yeah. Lets think positively. Hes not a bad person like I first thought. Hes childish, but hes not so immature that he would tease someone with a painting. Hell understand if I talk to him slowly. *** Pierre Malo, the representative and craftsman of the prestigious frame shop Chardon in Paris, France, approached Henri and Michel, who were admiring . Congrattions. You got a great piece. Michel turned his head and greeted him. Mr. Malo. Pierre Malo exchanged eye contact with Henri Marso and asked Michel how he was. I heard youre nning a salon exhibition. Congrattions. It was about the salon exhibition hosted by the French National Art Association. Being a curator at the Salon, which boasts the longest history, was a great honor, and Michel tini was one of the three who had the highest decision-making power among them. Thank you. The rumor is fast. It cant be helped. Michel, who only worked at the Marso Gallery, started his first external activity. Pierre Malo stroked his round mustache and looked at Henri Marso. Having traded for a long time, Pierre Malo, who knew Henris monopoly well, was very curious about what he had epted Michels external activity for. Henri Marso felt his gaze and frowned. Do you have anything to say? No. Pierre Malo smiled and shook his head. He changed. He watched Henris side, who started to appreciate again, and thought. The genius painter, who had been drawing only himself, had changed little by little. He was curious when he expressed things other than himself through . No, he felt a sign when he exhibited Go Hoons at the Marso Gallery. Michel tinis external activity was also the same, and giving up a while ago was an act that was hard to imagine in the past. Are you doing well, Mr. Malo? Michel joined the conversation. Of course. Thanks to Henri and Go Hoon, who make me happy every day. Pierre Malo smiled slightly. I look forward to hearing more wonderful stories from you soon. Pierre Malo gave Henri Marso a look and left his seat. It seemed like you had something to say. Youre a quick-witted person. Dont contact me until thepetition is over. Henri Marso said quietly. He needed to be careful even for a very small thing, as he was preparing for thepetition differently from previous years, wanting topete fairly with Go Hoon. If it was revealed that he was participating, the judging might not be fair, overshadowed by the name of Henri Marso. Really? You know me well. Its not bad to be careful. As the two were talking about thepetition, Kim Ji-woo cautiously joined the conversation. Excuse me Henri and Michel, who were unaware of her presence, were startled. Hello. Im Kim Ji-woo from Yehwa. If you dont mind, can I ask you just one question? Kim Ji-woo asked with a sales smile. Henri red at Kim Ji-woo. He wrote in English, but that was not evidence that he could not speak French. He was suspicious of whether she understood the previous conversation. Im sorry. Im refusing interviews that are not scheduled. Please make an appointment and ask. Michel stepped in. Its really just one thing. How can it not be? Henri Marso looked at Kim Ji-woo slowly and asked in his nativenguage. What do you want to know? Kim Ji-woo blinked her eyes, unable to understand the meaning. He seemed to be French, but Henri Marso, who was fluent in severalnguages, deliberately used his nativenguage, so he could only think that he had no intention of talking. Im sorry. Kim Ji-woo greeted with a gloomy expression. Henri Marso put his worries aside for the time being with that reaction. Thump- Michel, who had already been hated by many media, but still wanted to manage it, gave Henri a hint. Henri reluctantly called Kim Ji-woo. Hey. Yes? Ask one thing. Kim Ji-woo, who had drooped her shoulders, changed. Are you not interested in , but did you want to buy , or did you want to buy both works, but were rejected, so what do you think about that you got? Henri Marso stumbled back and showed a displeased look at the several questions that followed in an instant. I told you to ask one thing. Its one sentence! Henri, who met her bright eyes, did not like Kim Ji-woos greed. But he was generous because he received a not-so-bad question for once. I dont want to buy . Why? I know you collect works by painter Go Suyeol. And its a great masterpiece. Henri Marso red at Kim Ji-woo. She stopped talking with an awkward smile and he answered sullenly. I dont need to buy all the masterpieces in the world. Its enough to move me. Kim Ji-woo nodded and urged the answer. That work is also great, but I dont fully understand the meaning it contains. Ah. Kim Ji-woo understood Henri Marso. For him, who seemed to have no knowledge of Korea, , which expressed the history of hardship that Korea sent and the strong will of Koreans who overcame it, might not have been very appealing. On the other hand, is easy to understand. Thats it. Was it also effective that the work and style of painter Go Suyeol were different from before? Yes. Then what about ? Henri Marso smiled. Kim Ji-woo was surprised to see him smile for the first time. She wondered how much he appreciated to like it so much. She was proud of herself for trying the interview with courage. Its perfect for teasing. Kim Ji-woo racked her brain to understand the situation. Yes? Chapter 154: Haesong (10) Chapter 154: Haesong (10) Chapter 154 Haesong (10) The first solo exhibition of painter Go Suyeol in 19 years received a great response from the opening day. ording to Seoul Art Museum. It was estimated that the exhibition would easily break the previous record for a solo exhibition, as 16,000 people entered in the morning.1) Except for the third exhibition hall, all areas were filled with Go Suyeols works, and the museum also operated a separate audiovisual room, but it was hard to handle the crowd. In the spring of this year, his grandson Go Hoon opened Sweet Happiness and attracted 170,000 people in two weeks, giving vitality to the art world. And as his grandfather Go Suyeol created a huge wave in the summer, the hearts of those who loved art swelled. Reporter Kim Ji-woo waited for Go Suyeol while organizing the interview with Henri Marceau. What should I call it? With the keywords Henri Marceau, Go Suyeol, and Go Hoon, the basic views were guaranteed, but he couldnt easily send out the exclusive interview he had obtained. Its good to tease. Good to tease? was a work that well expressed the warm gaze of the grandfather looking at his young grandson and Go Hoons cuteness. It was nice to have a cozy feeling with the light yellow background and the warm colors. Is it because he ate with soybean paste on it? Kim Ji-woo chuckled. No way. Hes not a kid. Kim Ji-woo, who couldnt think of a proper title, wrote Henri Marceaus Love for Go Hoon on the handwritten article. Hello. The host announced the start of the event. Thank you for visiting Seoul Art Museum. Im Yoo Jin, the host for today. The reporters, guests, and visitors weed him with apuse. This is an exhibition that willst for a month, where you can see the works of painter Go Suyeol, who has been working for the past 19 years. Along with the host Yoo Jins words, the cross-section of Seoul Art Museum was shown on the front screen. The first exhibition hall, Courage, disys the works that you have worked on in thest six years, and it deals with the conflict between people. Kim Ji-woo opened the catalog as he listened to the hosts words.2) Go Suyeol regretted in his greeting that he had let go of his vain pride after being estranged from his son, and that he had no courage to admit it. The second exhibition hall, Love, disys the works that painter Go Suyeol drew by observing his grandson, writer Go Hoon, sincest summer. Everyone, including Kim Ji-woo, smiled faintly as they felt the affectionate gaze of looking at Go Hoon. Finally, the special exhibition hall disys the pine tree series of painter Go Suyeol. All the works were managed under strict security, but the pine tree series exhibited in the special exhibition hall was especially protected. Kim Ji-woo nodded his head as he recalled the works behind the reinforced ss. Thats right. Go Suyeols pine tree series was the work that the collectors who wanted to have it had been looking for for decades. Was it because of too much love? The disappeared for 19 years when Go Suyeol stopped his activities. Among the collectors, there was a saying that they would pay any amount if they could get a , but no one came forward to sell Go Suyeols . Then, a businessman who failed in business put up for auction. Many people participated in the auction, and was finally sold for an astonishing $21 million. It was the only trade in 19 years, so the value of the pine tree series at this exhibition was beyond words. Seoul Art Museum and Seoul Auction estimated the transaction price of between 20 billion won and 30 billion won. Various media outlets said that Seoul Art Museum and Seoul Auction had set the transaction price of Go Suyeols works conservatively. Then, we will start the event with the congrattory speech of writer Go Hoon, the grandson. Please wee him with apuse. * I stepped forward to match the hosts introduction. There were so many people that no one could pass through this spacious space. I felt how much my grandfather was loved by many people. Richard Phillips, Martin Jansen, Pierre Malo, Jang Mi-rae, Bang Tae-ho, Kim Ji-woo, Lee In-ho, Michel tini, damn bastard, etc. There were many familiar faces. I thanked them with my heart. Thank you foring to my grandfathers exhibition. I looked around and said. Its amazing. I know how hard it is toe here on a weekday morning. Are you okay with work? People smiled slightly. The entrance fee is 30,000 won, which is a lot of money that can buy a pizza and a c, but you spent it on enjoying my grandfathers works, so this is also a very heartwarming thing. Bang Tae-ho put his hand on his face. Jang Mi-raeughed without making a sound, but I dont know why. Its not easy for working people toe and pay 30,000 won on a weekday morning. Considering that other exhibitions are 15,000 won to 20,000 won, its something to be thankful and thankful for. My grandfather nodded his head with a smile, as if he felt the same as me. There are many painters who inspired me. But there was no teacher as great as my grandfather. Its true. My grandfather always worried with me. He didnt give me the answer, but he listened to my story first. When he gave me the lesson, he showed me with his actions and works, not with words. This exhibition is a textbook that my grandfather made for me. A very cool textbook. Did my heart reach them? People smiled slightly. I thank you again and congratte my grandfather. Grandpa, Ill buy you beef today. Yeah! Hahaha. When my grandfather answered coolly, some peopleughed. I was asked to give a congrattory speech, but I didnt know what to say, so I did what I thought, but the atmosphere was not bad. I have a talent for speech. Lastly, the second exhibition hall is a very personal space, so I hope you enjoy the first exhibition hall and the special exhibition hall more. The work hanging in the special exhibition hall is really cool. You can stay there all day. I cant help but admire the pine tree series in the special exhibition hall. Once I put people in there, they wont be able to get their feet off. As I conveyed that thought, the host waved his hand and stopped me. I achieved my purpose, so it would be better to hand over the microphone to my grandfather at this point. I got off the stage and sat between my grandfather and Cha Si-hyun. The second exhibition hall was the most popr, right? Jang Mi-rae, who sat one seat away, told me the desperate news that I didnt want to know. My grandfather stroked my head without saying a word. It was a time to see how much writer Go Hoon loves painter Go Suyeol, his grandfather. Then, lets wee the main character of today, painter Go Suyeol. Before the host asked for apuse, people stood up and pped. I got up too, and I was proud to see everyone showing their respect. When my grandfather bowed once to the left and right and stood in front of the microphone, the apuse subsided. People took their seats. Im overwhelmed with gratitude. They all nodded. It was understandable, since it was his first exhibition in 19 years. He would be more excited than the people who came to see him. When he was born, he was barely breathing. Now hes giving a speech at my exhibition. Can you believe it? ? What was he talking about? Didnt he do well just now? He learned ournguage in less than a year and he speaks so well. Instead of greeting the guests as he was told, he bragged about me. Jang Mirae covered her mouth and chuckled. I had nothing to say, even when I heard the apuse. Ive been through a lot in the past 19 years. I felt discouraged and guilty at times. He paused for a moment. He probably wanted to talk about my mother and father, but he swallowed his words. But everything changed when I started living with Hoon. Every moment we spent together was happy. I decorated the second exhibition hall with the paintings I drew during the happiest time of my life. I hope you all visit it. I felt betrayed. I said I was a little embarrassed, but proud and happy. But I didnt expect him to promote it like that. Of course, I agreed to it. But still. Well, it was his own work, so it was natural to advertise it. I didnt know what to do. I pped my hands. After introducing the second exhibition hall, he briefly introduced the first and the special exhibition halls, and greeted the guests. He seemed busy for a while, as the reporters who came to cover the event bombarded him with questions. I grabbed two candies at the entrance and looked around the museum. Wow. This is amazing. Cha Si-hyun pointed at his ink painting and said. It was a different appreciation from his usualments on whether the painting was good or bad. It looks so powerful. Right. He was the one who hung out with Kevin McCallister at the Van Gogh Museum and walked briskly to scold Henri Matisse. How do you draw something like that? Does it look like that when you draw with force? It wasnt easy to draw such a powerful line. You have to paint fast, not just with force. He drew this line in one stroke. How can you do that when its so big? The brush is huge. As big as us. Where did you get that brush? At our house. Really? He took a picture of him working and showed it to him. He opened his mouth wide. Its huge. Thats why he had toy it on the floor and draw. Yeah. Cha Si-hyun couldnt move for a while in front of . I thought it was cool to y with the ink pressure and the shade in ink painting, but this intense taste was also new and interesting. Thats why I liked his work. The Whitney Biennial was full of great works, but they werent easy to understand. I could only understand a little bit of Gonzales work after I learned about his life. Its awesome. Cha Si-hyun expressed his honest opinion. I dont know what it is, though. Its okay if you dont understand. Why? Its better to know more. Youll want to know more if you like it. Knowledge only matters then. Thats how it is with all art works. Its boring to approach it with culture. Youre not uncultured just because you dont know. You dont know art, but youre good at math. Im good at Korean, social studies, and science too. Yeah. You dont need to study something youre not interested in just to look like you do. Its a waste of time and money. Hmm. But its still studying. There are many people who would rather watch YouTube while eating potato pizza for 30,000 won, right? Does that have any meaning? Im just saying that there are people like that. If youre not interested in art, you can do that. Cha Si-hyun thought for a moment and nodded. Sometimes I say Id rather eat jjajangmyeon with this money when I eat expensive food. You said youd rather eat potato pizza more often. Anyway. I like potato pizza or jjajangmyeon more than fancy restaurant food. That doesnt mean my mouth is cheap. Its just a choice. People call that a babys taste. So what if its a babys taste. nd food is no good. I like samgyetang, but I dont know how to eat raw fish without soy sauce or vinegar. Is that rted toing to the museum? I went to a new restaurant with courage, and they gave me food that didnt have salt because it was good for my body. Would you go again? My mother likes food without salt. Shes a great person who knows elegance. Yeah! But most people wont go there. Its expensive and it doesnt suit their taste. Its the same with the museum. Peoplee to see some paintings, but they have to pay 10,000 won or 20,000 won to see a dot. Would they like that? I think I know what you mean. Youre saying its better to watch YouTube instead, right? Right. *** 1)Based on the statistics of 2019. The number of visitors to the Seoul Arts Centers art exhibition was 477,241 from January to March. An average of about 5,300 per day. ording to the Report on the Trend of Ticket Sales in the Art Exhibition Market quoted by the Chosun Ilbo, the monthly average number of visitors to the paid exhibition halls in Korea for the past two years (2018-2019) was 220,000. It can be inferred that the total number of paid visitors in Korea is about 7,333 per day. *Excluding special environments such as expos. *In the case of the 2012 Yeosu Expo, about 30,000 people visited on the first day. The statistics for 2020 were 163,118 in the same period, but this was also excluded due to the special situation caused by the corona. 2)A list of exnations for pictures or photos bound in a booklet. Chapter 155: Summer Valley (1) Chapter 155: Summer Valley (1) Chapter 155 Summer Valley (1) Im not denying the act of doing something for myself or for a specific group. Art is a personal act from birth, and there is no work that can satisfy everyone. But if I want to show my work to someone, I have to at least build a bridge between them and the work. Whether its a sturdy iron bridge or a stepping stone. Its foolish to hope that someone will swim over without any effort. If the audiencees, the rest is up to the artist. I cant have a good exhibition with a cynical attitude. Hoon-ah. A familiar voice called me. It was Kim Ji-woo. I didnt expect her toe so soon, since she was still in the middle of a press conference. Wheres your grandfather? I just checked what I had to sort out and came. Its hard to get a solo interview anyway. Well, there were so many people gathered that it would be impossible to ask enough questions. Are you okay? I asked Cha Si-hyun. Yeah. I want to look around. Okay. Ill contact you. I added that it would take about 30 minutes and went to find the meeting room of the Seoul Art Museum with Kim Ji-woo. She was always energetic, but she looked even brighter today. Did something good happen? Of course. Its Go Soo-yeols solo exhibition. I felt happy as well, just by the fact that my grandfather had an exhibition. She must like my grandfathers works, but from what Ive seen, she loves art in general. She must be d that the art exhibition is getting a lot of attention. And I think Ill get an incentive. Incentive? I knew it was a bonus. My mother and father were very happy when they got a bonus. I remember watching them with a bottle in my mouth as they bought a game console and golf clubs. Yeah. I get it based on the number of article views. Is it because of the photo yesterday? Yehwa was a small magazinepany. Kim Ji-woos articles that she posted through the portal site were the ones that got the most views, and the recent one was my article. Ah. Haha. Kim Ji-wooughed awkwardly. Sigh. Yeah. Since my grandfathers works made it irreversible, it was a meaningless resistance. I epted it. It was embarrassing and awkward, but if they thought I was cute, there must be a way to use it. I think I have a cute face too. What are you going to do with the money you earn? Im going to travel with the summer vacation money and the savings. Thats nice. Right. Im going to visit ces Ive never been to. First, Vienna. Austria? She nodded vigorously when I mentioned the familiar name. Vienna, the capital of Austria, is synonymous with music. Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and others who were already legends when I lived as Vincent, worked there. I didnt know you liked music. Well I like it, but thats not why Im going. Then why? Of course, to see the paintings. I wondered who was the famous painter from Austria, but I couldnt think of anyone. What kind of paintings? Klimt. Klimt? Yeah. Gustav Klimt. Dont you know? No. Kim Ji-woo widened her eyes and was surprised. I was rather embarrassed by her reaction that she didnt expect it. I dont know. What? How can you not know Klimt? Kim Ji-woo searched for Gustav Klimt and showed me a photo. A man with more beard than hair was sitting. He was born in 1862, the same year as me. Who is he? Hes someone who influenced the most painters, but left no trace in anyones paintings. What does that mean? Usually, when a great master appears, other artists works also show his traces. Thats how a school of art is formed. But Klimt, how should I put it. He made it impossible to draw like him anymore. He influenced them in that sense, but he left no trace. I dont understand. If its a good painting, you can try to imitate it, right? I couldnt easily understand it, thinking of how many people had captured their light on canvas after M and M. Is it too amazing? No. Is it because his personality is too strong? Hes that kind of painter. From Kim Ji-woos exnation, he sounded like a remarkable person. I should have known him, even though I was ignorant of the world because I lived in the countryside. But considering that I was only in my twenties when I died, its not too unreasonable. Do you have any works to rmend? There are so many. First of all, The Kiss is the most famous. Judith is also good. He also painted sunflowers, and its fun topare them with Van Gogh. Sunflowers? What are they like? Wait a minute. Im supposed to ask the questions, not you. Kim Ji-woo lowered her head as she was interested. She took out a recorder and a notebook and got ready. Ill have to look up Gustav Klimtter. First of all, youre participating in the French National Art Salon, right? Yes. Henri Matisse invited you to a special exhibition, but you refused. Thats right. How is it going? I was curious about the process of the prestigious salon, but she didnt seem to know much about it, even though she had a lot of knowledge about art. I know the old way well. But since Henri Matisse joined, its changed a lot every year. Oh. I heard that they were making some adjustments. Theyre holding apetition. They want to give a chance to the writers who werent invited. Good. How high do I have to rank? Top ten, they say. Kim Ji-woo wrote down only the important words and continued to ask questions. I heard they abolished the evaluation recently. How do they decide the ranking? ording to that bastard, by voting. Which bastard? Matisse. Hmm. Okay. She tapped her head with a pen and tilted her head. Im a bit worried. About what? The association is dominated by Henri Matisse, but they cant ignore the critics. Theyre connected by academic and regional ties, and many writers are also reviewers. Theyre bound to be close. It may sound good that they have a goodwork, and it may actually be so. But stagnant water tends to rot. If they lose their jobs, the repercussions will be huge. Theyll also raise the issue of the prestige of the salon. Prestige? Yeah. Theyll say that its degrading to let the public judge without them. Its obvious. It was just Kim Ji-woos prediction, but if that happened, there would be nothing more ridiculous. It would be no different from what the old French Royal Academy of Art did, criticizing those who didnt fit in with them. Besides, its foolish to think that what the public likes is low-quality. Its disgusting how arrogant they are, thinking that they can rank whats better. But Im looking forward to it. If its by voting, we can really see whos the most popr. Me too. Then what work are you going to submit? I havent decided yet. Huh? Its until November 10th. You only have two months left. Im going to the east coast with my grandfather the day after tomorrow. Im going to draw there. Do you have to go there to draw? The sea? Landscape? Not really, but I want to draw while resting for a few days in a quiet ce. I have a lot of things I want to draw, but I dont know what to submit. Hmm. Well, itll be fine. Who else can win if not you? There are so many good artists. I cant be sure. Well. These days, there arent many people who draw paintings. I dont know any other names besides you. They all moved on to crossover. Crossover? Nowadays, theres no one who does pure art. Theybine it with other genres, like literature, music, movies, etc. Thats why they call it contemporary art instead of contemporary painting. Now that I think about it, thats true. Picture books can also be considered crossover. Movies are also aprehensive art that involves various fields. At the Whitney Biennial, there were works that had a unique effect by letting you hear a specific sound while looking at the instation. "Its been a long trend. They said that French painting was over after Bernard Buffet, until Henri Matisse appeared."1) Is that so? Yeah. Honestly, its hard to survive with just painting. Youre a really rare case. Whatever. I know better than anyone in the world how happy it is to live by painting. Then the next question. You seemed to get along well with Henri Matisse recently. How is he really? I didnt think he was a bad person. Kim Ji-woo nodded and agreed. He was a bad person. Huh? Think about it. How would you feel if your face with ck bean sauce on it was hung in the museum? And among the works of Raphael, M, Millet, and my grandfather. Kim Ji-woo rolled her eyes and thought, thenughed. Ah, so thats why you said that. What did I say? I interviewed Henri Matisse earlier. I asked him what he thought of Love7, and he said it was perfect for mocking. I would have helped him if he just said he wanted to spit on it. He wants to die with his whole body. He made a person who lives peacefully thanks to the healthy body and love and happiness given by his parents and grandfather into a bad person. *** Sir, Mr. Chevasson, the president of the association, contacted you. Henri Matisse, who was looking around the first exhibition hall, showed his palm. His secretary Arsen handed him a smartphone, and he answered the phone sullenly. Why. -You bettere quickly. Where? As Henri Matisse left the exhibition hall and reached the corridor, Mr. Chevasson Simon, the president of the French National Art Association, shouted. -Where else but Paris! Dont you know Im in Korea? -Thats not important right now! Theyre all making a fuss that theyll quit if you go without an evaluation. You have toe and persuade them, dont you? Tell them to get out. -What, what? Its time to get rid of the trash that only takes up space. Henri Matisses attitude made the president of the association pound his chest. -If it was that easy, I would have done it long ago! More than 3,000 people signed a petition, how can I ignore that? Trash is trash, no matter how much there is. -Forget it. Anyway, I cant handle this, soe and make an agreement or do it the old way, whatever you want! He hung up the phone nervously, and Henri Matisse threw the phone to his secretary Arsen. Are you going back? Arsen, who was listening to the conversation next to him, asked. No. Find out the names of the people who wrote the petition and left. Okay. Henri Matisse, who was interrupted in his appreciation time, licked his tongue and went inside. *** 1)Andy Warhol said, Thest great master of French painting that I recognize is Bernard Buffet, and highly praised him. This is a reinterpretation of a statement thatbines the historical situation of heading to the end of the century and the difficulty of further development in painting. There is no such statement in reality. Another question is whether painting really ended. In 1839, when the camera was invented, the French painter Paul Droche said, Today, painting is dead, but the painters who refused to capture things urately drew such wonderful works from Impressionism. In the early 2000s, the Korean art scene also said that the era of painting was over, and there was a strong tendency to abandon painting and move on to instation art. Recently, the importance of painting has been raised as it escapes from the istion from the public. There have always been words that it ended, it died, but the painters always moved us with their wonderful paintings. I believe this time will be the same. Chapter 156: Summer Valley (2) Chapter 156: Summer Valley (2) Chapter 156 Summer Valley (2) Go Hoon had just finished his interview and was in the hallway. Mr. Writer. You go ahead. Ill talk to that guy and then leave. Okay. Henri Marso, who had sent Arsen to Michelle tini who was alone, approached Go Hoon. What are you doing? Go Hoon looked up at Henri Marso and turned his head away without answering. He was colder than when they first met. Why is he acting like this? He had said he didnt hate him, but he changed his attitude in a day and it was hard to figure him out. What are you doing? What does it matter to you what I do? This kid. Are you done? Cha Si-hyun, who had been listening to Henri Marso, came over. The boy looked up at Henri Marso and admired him. Cool. Who? Yeah. This man is Henri Marso, right? He couldnt understand the conversation between the two boys, but he could tell the atmosphere by the look of envy in their eyes as they mentioned his name. Is this kid a fan of mine too? What did you say? Hes your fan. He speaks English, so tell him yourself. At Go Hoons words, Henri Marso scanned Cha Si-hyun. He was well-educated, judging by his ability to speak multiplenguages at a young age. But he didnt seem toe from a wealthy family, wearing a Haymarket check shirt and shoes made by ke method.1) Im not a fan. Im Cha Si-hyun. Im Go Hoons friend. Cha Si-hyun bowed his head, but Henri Marso didnt even look at him. He felt no interest when he said he wasnt a fan. Right now, his mind was full of thoughts ofpeting with Go Hoon in the French National Art Association contest. Do your best. What for? The contest. I will. Be prepared to die. I wont let you off if you lose to those losers. Go Hoon shook his head. He couldnt understand why he kept repeating what he should do on his own. Mister. Cha Si-hyun looked up at Henri Marso and said. Please dont bother Go Hoon. What? Why do you keep bothering and making Go Hoon miserable? Youre an adult. You shouldnt do that. He tried to tease me with the grandfathers painting. Really? How can you do that with a gift? Youre really mean, mister. Go Hoon vented his resentment and Cha Si-hyun agreed with him. Henri Marsos temples throbbed. Why dont you just say you want to y with Go Hoon if you do? Even elementary school students are embarrassed to tease and bother someone they want to be friends with. Well done. Go Hoon cheered Cha Si-hyun on with a grunt. Say that again. Henri Marso red at him with bloodshot eyes and threatened him with a face that looked like he was about to pounce on him. Cha Si-hyun, who had gathered courage for his friend, met his gaze and stuck out his tongue. Whiiing. But he was scared when a much bigger man red at him as if he was going to kill him and he ended up crying. Go Hoon hugged Cha Si-hyun andforted him. Its okay. Its okay. Hes nothing. Waaah! He felt relieved as his friendforted him, but his resentment surged. Whats going on? Isnt that Go Hoon and Henry? Whats going on? Who is that kid crying? The attention of the people who were moving around the Seoul Art Museum lobby was drawn to the center. They stopped walking and looked at Henri Marso and the two boys. Did he make him cry? Hey. Wow. Where are the kids parents? Hes crying so sadly. The reporters who had caught the strange signs also gathered one by one, and Go Hoon med Henri Marso, who was still angry. What are you doing, not calming him down! Why should I calm him down? Whiiik. You made him cry! He started it! Waaah! The camera shutter sound started and soon the Seoul Art Museum staff came over. Whats going on? Its nothing. Its okay. Dont cry. Its okay. Huh. Huk. Hup. Sniff. Huk. Hic. Hic. Ll. Peekaboo. What are you doing? Im calming him down. Im not a baby. Go Hoon wiped Cha Si-hyuns tears and the people who watched the scene felt sorry for him. What happened? I dont know. He was talking to Henry and suddenly he started crying. He told Henry not to bother Go Hoon, but Henry told him to say it again. He red at him. He must have been scared. I didnt see it that way, but he was too much. Yeah. The kid didnt say anything wrong. The reporters split up and approached Henri Marso and Go Hoon. What happened? Is it true that you made the child cry? What did you talk about! He was annoyed by the 3,000 pieces of trash who announced their withdrawal from the association, Go Hoon who suddenly changed his attitude, and the brat who scolded him. And then the reporters came running and Henri Marso finally exploded. Yeah! I made him cry! The reporters who were continuing their questioning hesitated. What? Teasing and bothering someone you want to be friends with is something even elementary school students dont do? Who said I wanted to be friends? I bothered him? Me? This Henri Marso? Some of the people who understood Henri Marsos words murmured with theirpanions. Henry must have been bothering Go Hoon, so the kid told him to stop. But why did he cry? I wonder. Why did he bother Go Hoon? Werent they friends? He wanted to be friends. You know. Kids tease and bother someone theyre interested in. Oh my. Oh my. Henri Marso looked around. He didnt like the sight of people giggling andughing. Hey, whats wrong with them? I dont know. Isnt he going to stop crying? Go Hoon ignored Henrys words andforted Cha Si-hyun. Henry got angry again and was about to yell when Arsen and Michelle tini came to him. Michelle, who had roughly understood the situation, smiled and looked at the reporters and spectators. You must be surprised, right? Mr. Marso was just ying a little prank on Go Hoon because he wanted to be friends with him. Hes just flustered. Right, Mr. Marso? What are you talking about? Michelle turned her head and smiled sweetly. Right? But her eyes were full of malice. She meant that she wouldnt spare him if he didnt fix the situation right away. Henri Marso snorted and turned his head. Michelle whispered softly enough for only him to hear. Ill tell your mother. Henri Marso blushed at that. What happened? A reporter asked. Henri Marso had no choice but to give in to his lovers ckmail. You heard it! Why do you keep asking? * [Hoping to be friends? Henri Marsos lovesickness, I want to be friends with Go Hoon] Yesterday, there was a small happening at the Seoul Art Museum where the exhibition Daehan by the painter Go Soo-yeol was held. Cha Si-hyun (9), the eldest son of EI Sugars CEO Cha Jae-woo, burst into tears while talking to Henri Marso (33), a famous French painter. The people who were there said that Henri Marso got angry and spoke to Go Hoon, the writer, and Cha tried to stop him, and Henri Marso shouted and scared him. ording to the interview, Henri Marso told Go Hoon to do his best in the French National Art Association contest at the time. Michelle tini, the representative of Marso Gallery, exined that it was a misunderstanding due to Henri Marsos rough speech and apologized to the Seoul Art Museum and the spectators. Henri Marso also said that he sent an apology letter to Cha. Cha also said in an interview, If you want to y with Go Hoon, lets y together, and the incident ended warmly. Meanwhile, Henri Marso is currently revising the Salon and the subsidiary contest hosted by the French National Art Association. It is expected that there will be a hitch in the n due to the opposition of 3,000 critics and artists belonging to the association. Im going crazy, seriously Henry is so cute Did you want to y with 10-year-old and 11-year-old kids? Did you? Coochie coochie coo. Did the reporter go crazy Lovesickness It got nasty at the end. The French Art Association has a lot of influence. What are they doing to oppose 3,000 people? Theyre having a contest in November to get a special exhibition qualification for the Salon. Theyre getting rid of the judges there. Then whos going to judge? Theyre eliminating the judging altogether and doing it by voting. By the spectators. Its like apetition program. But is there a reason to oppose that? Competition programs also have experts as panels. Theyre not doing that either. They said it creates misunderstandings between the works and the spectators. But isnt that insulting to the docents and stuff? Theyre the ones who try to convey the artists intention as objectively as possible. Henri Marso doesnt seem to think so. ? He thinks his work is perfect. He thinks its insulting to him to have to exin something hes already made perfectly. Oh, I guess that makes sense. Im so gullible that I dont know whos right whenever I hear these stories I understand the docents and experts positions and Henrys words seem right too. Cant they just split the ratio evenly? Like judges percentage and votes percentage. Henry doesnt like that But no matter how much Henri Marso dominates the association, he cant ignore this. Yeah. I looked at other articles and the number of people who opposed it kept increasing. Its not good to make enemies. [Link][The crisis of the venerable Salon] This article says that the Salon of the French National Art Association is the oldest among the existing Salons, but it has been ruined by Henri Marso in thest four years. They wrote it so aggressively. They said the association was being manipted by a rich tycoon. It seems like a big hit to his image. There are a lot of articles like this right now. Its okay. My brothers reputation cant get worse. What are you talking about. It cant get worse than this. Wow an article came out. [Link][Henri Marso, orders the expulsion of 3,000 members of the French National Art Association] Wow. Look at the wording. The more garbage, the more it stinks. What happened? Henry is good at talking, but hes not a liar. Yeah. Henri Marso clenched his teeth as he read the article that quoted the Korean article. He was known as the person who bothered Go Hoon because he wanted to be friends with him. He yelled at Michelle, who made the situation this way. What are you going to do! What are you going to do! Henry was surprised by the unexpected scream. Do you have any idea? No? What. What are you going to do with the people you cut off? Are you going to exclude everyone you dont like? Do you have anyone you like? You. Im serious right now. Michelle took a breath and red at him. Henri Marso buried his back on the sofa. He closed his eyes and paused for a moment before opening his mouth. Why do we have the Antermittent? Michelle calmed down and sat down at his serious attitude. Its to help the people who cant do art because of their livelihood. Then why are there only 140,000? Michelle couldnt answer. In France, the number of people who work in performance and art jobs increases every year, and as of 2028, 580,000 people are registered in the Antermittent. But only 140,000 of them were eligible for the Antermittent system, which provides the minimum living expenses for artists. Henri Marso said firmly. Its because of the garbage. If you look at what the people in the association do to calcte their working hours, youll feel sick. *** 1)Haymarket check is Burberry, shoes made by ke method are Tani no Crisci. Chapter 157: Summer Valley (3) Chapter 157: Summer Valley (3) Chapter 157 Summer Valley (3) The Antermittant, a system implemented in 1958 to stabilize the livelihood of cultural and artistic workers, was expanded to an unemployment benefit system for artists in 19691. Thanks to this, artists could receive their standard ie as unemployment allowance when they had no ie, instead of paying half of their ie as insurance premiums. For example, if a performing artist in France had a standard ie of 2,000 euros per monthst year and only earned 500 euros this month, they could pay 250 euros as insurance premiums, which is 50% of their ie, and receive 1,500 euros as unemployment benefits. However, the beneficiaries of this system were limited to the fields of film, performance, and broadcasting, until it was applied to all artists in France in 2024. This opened the way for painters, who could not secure their livelihood with the Maison des Artistes (House of Artists) alone, to enjoy the benefits as well. It was the achievement of Henri Marso, who threatened politicians with his immense wealth and led public opinion with his powerful speech. As the benefit conditions were dramatically rxed, Henri Marso was revered as a hero of the French art world. But the number of beneficiaries of the improved Antermittant system after 2024 was only 148,753 in 2028. It was only an increase of 16,311pared to 132,442 in 2023. The reason was the working hours condition to receive the benefits of the Antermittant system. Artists who were employed and active for a certain period of time by filmpanies, nningpanies, theaters, etc. could rtively easily get their working hours recognized. But painters had no clear way to prove their working hours objectively, so they had to get their working hours certified through the French National Art Association. And the association members who had the decision-making power used it as their means of power. They extorted a price from those who desperately needed unemployment benefits in exchange for recognizing their working hours. Henri Marso could not forgive those who exploited his feat. He tried various ways to root them out with the association president Chevasson, but it was not easy. He tried to appeal to the administration, but he was afraid of the consequences, or he had set his own standards, so a long fight was expected. In the meantime, the damage would continue to umte. As he was waiting for that, some association members raised their gs against the judging method of the contest, which provoked Henri Marso. Thats what happened. Michelle was worried after hearing the exnation. No matter how much he was Henri Marso, it would not be easy to fight head-on with them who covered the academia, the media, and the field. Since when? Two or three months. She nced at Henri and nodded. I see. Henri Marso, who thought he would hear a nagging, was puzzled by Michelles silence. What is it? What is what? Henri was bothered by her calm attitude, but he knew that she was not the type to hold back what she wanted to say, so he did not bother to ask more. Im going to take a shower. Okay. Henri headed to the bathroom and Michelle, who was left alone, continued her thoughts. His intentions were obvious. He wanted the French art world to develop further with him, and all the artists to praise and follow him. He did not like those who parasitized on the art world that revolved around him and took their interests. He was not the type topromise and drag the time to solve the problem. The problem was their response. Already more than 3,000 of them had opposed the associations guidelines and the number was growing every day. Michelle opened her smartphone and essed the French art forum site. As expected, there were posts condemning Henri Marso and the French National Art Association. [Why Henri is in danger now] I wrote this after seeing the article that the French National Art Association expelled 3,000 affiliated critics and artists. The problem is that the expulsion date was the day after they imed to abolish the contest judging. 3,000 association members issued a statement in a legitimate way, but they ignored it and expelled them? And thats just two dayster? It seems impossible, but it is possible. As you all know, SNBA can be seen as practically dominated by Henri Marso. Chevasson, the association president, said it was an inevitable decision because they did not follow the policy that he had already warned, but its a joke. The policy itself changes ording to Henri Marsos taste, and expelling them for not following it means he just wants to cut off the people he doesnt like. Isnt that a very dangerous idea? The expelled people did not make unreasonable demands. The purpose of the contest was to highlight good works, so they said professionalism was needed. It was an ignorant act to reject it unterally when people who had studied art all their lives wanted to participate. Anyway, it will proceed as Henri Marso wants, but its so sad that we cant stop this undemocratic behavior. Im afraid thatter the people who say the right thing will disappear and only look at Henri Marsos eyes. Michelle bit her lips as she read several posts. In fact, it was a matter of those who did wrong things trying to protect their interests by threatening to withdraw from the association. Henri Marso, who had no intention of negotiating with them, just gave them what they wanted. But to those who did not know the situation, it looked like the expelled ones were unfairly treated. The posts that appealed to the public opinion and gained legitimacy by attacking Henri Marsos weaknesses all looked like they were written by ordinary people. I knew this would happen. Michelle had one thing to worry about. Artists lived on their reputation, and it could easily be overturned. Even if Henri Marso acted for a legitimate purpose and procedurally without any problems, moral ws could hold him back. The posts on various sites also aimed for that. They tried to frame Henri Marso as a person who oppressed people with undemocratic procedures to the French people who valued freedom more than anything. Once a wrong fact was known, it was impossible to reverse it, so Michelles worries deepened. They must think they caught him. The party that maintained a rtionship with Henri Marso was En Marche!, which seized the power. This incident was a good prey for the Socialist Party (Parti Socialiste: Parti Socialiste), which was politically opposed to him. There was bound to be a controversy over whether the expulsion order of the association was legitimate. We have to move fast. Preemptive attack was important in every fight. Michelle bit her lips. He was a fool who did not understand the hearts of the people around him, but his head was fast, so he was less worried, but his arrogance of ignoring others was a big weakness. We cant end it with an exnation. We have to crush them thoroughly. Michelle tini thought that the best way to ovee this situation was to put those who abused the Antermittant system on the guillotine. But Henri Marso must have thought about it enough, and if it was such a thing, it was the specialty of his secretary Arsen. Michelle. Henri Marso called her in a situation where it was hard to find an answer as the thoughts followed each other. Huh? How long are you going to keep doing this? She snickered at Henris serious voice. He had entrusted her with the oldest salon exhibition in the world and itspetition for one reason. He had hoped that the people who visited the ce, decorated as the best art festival, would be moved, empathized, saddened, and delighted by his work. She knew what she had to do. With his words telling her not to worry about anything else, Michellele was able to steel her mind. Yeah. Dont worry. Michellele answered coolly. What are you talking about? Henri Marso pushed his wet hair back and leaned his face forward. Come in quickly. *** On the way to Gangwon-do, Cha Si-hyun tilted his head. Are you not tired? Hmm? Driving all the time. It would be easier if you used autonomous driving. Grandpa smiled bitterly but didnt answer. The ident that took my mother and father was caused by abination of a truck drivers drowsy driving and a problem with the autonomous driving system. Neither I nor Grandpa could easily believe it. Autonomous driving was possible on highways or fixed routes like home and school, but that was why he insisted on driving himself. I changed the topic. Grandpa, lets eat makguksu. Dongchimi makguksu is delicious. Good. You know dongchimi makguksu? I looked it up. Before I came on the trip, I searched for what food would be delicious, and I heard that makguksu was a tasty dish in Gangwon-do. What is dongchimi makguksu? Its buckwheat noodles rolled in dongchimi broth. I found a picture of dongchimi makguksu with ice shavings and showed it to him. Thats interesting. Ive only eaten makguksu with bibim sauce. Gangwon-dos water makguksu is a delicacy. It would be nice if there was a ce that served it with potato dumplings. Grandpa, who had a vi in Gangwon-do, seemed to know a lot of things. What are potato dumplings? Cha Si-hyun and I asked at the same time. Its potatoes that are mashed and boiled with broth. Theyre chewy and delicious. I couldnt imagine what kind of food it was. I thought potatoes were best eaten as pancakes, but I wondered if they could surpass that. It had been about three hours since we left home. We got off the highway and entered a small city. It was Donghae City. Lets eat here and go. I barely suppressed my excitement to eat new food and arrived at a single-story building. There were a lot of cars, so it seemed like a popr restaurant. We sat down and looked at the menu, and I was surprised. Cha Si-hyun reacted before me. Pheasant? They were selling pheasant dumplings. What is pheasant? Its like a chicken. It crows like kwok-kwok, so its called pheasant. What do you call it in English or French? Hmm? Well, lets look it up. I nodded as I saw that it was called pheasant in English. I knew it was a very expensive ingredient, but I was surprised that it only cost 8,000 won.4) Do you want to try it? Yes. Unlike me, who wanted to try it at least once since it was a high-end ingredient, Cha Si-hyun didnt seem pleased. Can I eat it? Sure. Its the same as chicken. Cha Si-hyun nodded. He didnt eat what I suggested, but he trusted what Grandpa rmended. Maybe it was because of the raw sunflower seeds he atest time. Three water makguksu and one dumpling, please. Okay. We waited for the food and talked about thepetition. They talk a lot. Yes. Marceau cut off all the people who opposed him. Thats only going to make more enemies. Hell handle it. He was annoying, but not stupid. He must have had some reason to trust him. Besides, I was surprised that it was bigger than I thought. How much? Cha Si-hyun chimed in. 1,700 people applied. I opened my mouth wide. How are they going to disy all of that? It wont be easy to find space. Exactly. Grandpa was right. It was not an easy task. It would be nice if there was a preliminary round, but since it was apetition that excluded the judgment of a specific group, it was decided by the choice of the audience. ording to the additional notice from the French National Art Association, all participants had to deliver their works to the SNBA headquarters in Paris by November 10th. The works would be exhibited throughout Paris from November 30th to December 6th and evaluated by the visitors and the virtual exhibition room visitors. tini must have a headache. Because there are so many? Yeah. The exposure can vary depending on where the work is disyed. It will indirectly affect the voting. Oh. Grandpa was right. Even in the same building, the order of the exhibition could have an impact, let alone this case, which could be more problematic. They couldnt disy that many works in the same space, so they would have to spread them out in different ces, which wouldnt be fair. I knew that Michelle tini was an excellent curator, but I wondered if he could solve this problem. Your food is ready. The staff brought us dumplings and makguksu. There were tenrge dumplings. Do you usually give this many? Usually five, but the boss told me to give you more. He said youre a fan. Oh, thank you. Grandpa and I turned our heads and saw the owner of the makguksu restaurant smiling awkwardly. We greeted him and drank the broth with a little ice in it. My chest, which had been stuffy for three hours in the car, felt refreshed. Ah! *** 1)Source: Encyclopedia of Current Affairs, PMG Knowledge Engine Research Institute, Park Moon-gak ''s Antermittent is described as a fictional setting where corruption was involved in the actual Antermittent that is being conducted in France. This is different from the truth. Its a good system. 2)The official name is Association for the Renewal of Political Life. It is a political party founded by Emmanuel Macron. It is briefly called En Marche! (Forward!). 3)A food made by mashing potatoes and boiling them with broth into small balls the size of eggs (Gangwon-do). Source: Korean Dictionary 4)In Europe, especially in the UK, pheasant meat was treated as a high-end ingredient. Chapter 158: Summer Valley (4) Chapter 158: Summer Valley (4) TL note: Im going to change back the names of MC and his grandfather to Go Hoon and Go Suyeol. Sorry for confusion. I hope you will understand. Thanks. Chapter 158 Summer Valley (4) Its delicious. The rich broth of boiled meat goes down smoothly without any greasiness. This time, I mixed it well with seaweed powder and seasoning sauce. I wonder if its too spicy. I muster up my courage and take a full bite. I can see why people love this dish. This bowl has all the vors: spicy, sweet, salty, sour. Usually, there is a basic vor and the other vors enhance it, but this dish has strong vors that blend perfectly as if they belong in their ces. And yet, its harmonious. Its amazing. Its like the pointillism technique that Georges Seurat showed in . The distinctive vors intertwine and create a new vor. The deep savory taste and the bnced saltiness of the meat broth, the spicy and sour taste of the seasoning sauce, and the irresistible sweetness. Its astonishing how these simple vors maintain their individuality and contrast each other to create a different vor. The texture is also excellent. The cold noodles were chewy and hard to bite, but the buckwheat noodles are soft and tender. The delicious vors hit me directly and the noodles dont resist. Its very easy to eat. I think I can eat two bowls of this water buckwheat noodles. I wonder if thats why they put the word mak in front of the noodles, meaning its easy to eat. Is it good? Grandpa asked. Yes. Its delicious. Its like Seurats painting. As I finished speaking, Grandpa and Cha Si-hyun stared at me. Why? Seurat? Whos Seurat? Georges Seurat. Cha Si-hyun might not know, but Grandpa should know. Its strange that he asked. You can feel the sweet, salty, sour, savory, and spicy vors all at once, and its very colorful. Doesnt it look like pointillism? Grandpa frowned. He didnt seem to get what I meant. I was about to exin more, but Cha Si-hyun pushed some young radish kimchi to me. Its crunchy and refreshing. Its also delicious. Its good. Cha Si-hyun said, looking at Grandpa. He seemed pleased. He made all kinds of seasonings without any shame. It had to be delicious. Its a very impressive dish. I think Ill remember it. Try the dumplings too. Okay. The pheasant dumplings were different from the dumplings I knew. They were slightly fluffy. They looked like they used buckwheat, which had the same color as the dough. I wanted to put it in my mouth in one bite, but the dumpling was too big, so I bit half of it. Ah. The dumpling skin peeled off and the juice flowed out. The rich filling filled my mouth in an instant. The water buckwheat noodles had cooled down my mouth and stomach, but the warm dumplings made them warm again. I was surprised. Good. I couldnt taste the pheasant meat well, which was different from what I expected, but the warmth, the meaty vor, and the smell of chives were very satisfying. It was amazing how the warm dumplings tasted so good on this hot day. This must be thanks to the cool water buckwheat noodles. I ate well! I ate well. After driving for about five minutes, Grandpa stopped the car. It was a ce called Hanseom. He parked the car and went down. A quiet beach came into view. It was summer and a beach, so I thought there would be a lot of people, but it was quiet and had a nice atmosphere. Cha Si-hyun ran out. Theres no one here? Usually, people go to Mangsang or Gangneung. Grandpa likes this quiet ce. I felt the same. The hot sun shone on the calm waves and the sand grains, making them dazzling. Grandpa squeezed some sunscreen for me. He rubbed it on my face like lotion. Put it on your neck too. And tell Si-hyun to do it too. Okay. I put it on my neck and arms carefully and approached Cha Si-hyun. Put on some sunscreen. Okay. Hehe. He smiled when he saw my face. Why? Cha Si-hyun took out his smartphone and showed me my face. Not only my face, but also my eyebrows and lips were white. He dabbed a little bit on his cheeks, forehead, and nose and spread it. Grandpa, can we y here? Yes. Dont go too far. With his permission, Cha Si-hyun raised both hands and jumped into the sea. I felt uneasy about going into the sea, so I watched the waves that were gently flowing. My heart tickled. Come in! I dont like getting wet. Its so cool! Im fine even if its hot. Ahahaha! Hey! Cha Si-hyun, who was soaked in seawater, ran towards me, so I ran away. He followed me,ughing. Two hourster. We arrived at the vi in Samcheok and unpacked and washed up. There was a message from Bang Tae-ho. Christine Norman had sent a promotional video for . He said it was for teaser purposes, but I didnt know what that meant, so I looked it up. It was a marketing method to stimte curiosity. Grandpa. I clicked the link and looked for Grandpa and Cha Si-hyun. Norman sent me a promotional video. Lets watch it. I connected it to the TV and yed the video. I drew a character sketch of Arsne Lupin, from the baseline to the coloring, and then a man who looked exactly like him appeared, lifting his top hat and smiling. The video showed the process ofpleting the drawing, and then the same person appeared. It was an impressive scene. His rxed smile, fading into the darkness, made it seem like Arsne Lupin was alive. Christine Norman had chosen the actor very well. "Toby Chmet." Do you know him? Hes very famous. Cha Si-hyun listed the movies that Toby Chmet starred in, but I hadnt seen any of them. I didnt know who he was, but I trusted Normans decision. He also matched the appearance and atmosphere that she and I had imagined. Grandpa rewound the video to the end. It said that it was provided by Norman Productions, and that I had participated. You did well. Grandpa smiled happily, as if he liked it. The movie has to do well. Not every work sells well, no matter how well its made. It will. Cha Si-hyun tapped the table and said. Ear One is doing great, too. He was talking about Christine Normans movie that came out this year. I was curious about what kind of movie she made, so I watched it with Grandpa. It showed the process of a person who lost his parents to a criminal bing a hero, in a surprisingly precise and powerful way. I wonder how will turn out. When will this be released? The day after tomorrow. I want to see it soon. The filming was moved up a bit, so I think we can see it next year. That soon? Next November or December? Thats not soon at all. *** Before going to bed, Iy down on the bed and looked up the painter Gustav Klimt that Kim Ji-woo told me about. The encyclopedia described him as a representative painter of Art Nouveau (New Art). My heart fluttered at the word new art. Kim Ji-woo said he would dly spend the money he had saved up to see his paintings, so I wanted to look them up on the inte right away. But he said that I had to see Klimts Kiss with my own eyes, and that I should learn a little bit about him before that. Even if I searched for Gustav Klimt, his masterpieces and woulde up as images right away, but I ignored them. I was going to prepare for the contest here during the vacation, and go to Europe in November. I would enjoy it then. I dont know what to submit. I have a pile of things I want to draw, so I draw one every day, but I havent drawn anything that I can submit to the contest. I was having so much fun learning how to use oil pastels and ink that I focused more on building my skills than on nning my work. The French National Art Salon Exhibition is a meaningful exhibition for me. The people I admired gathered their strength and made the event, and the people who inherited their will revived it in the future. For me, who had been getting attention for various things and doing well, it was also an opportunity to objectively check my current position. I cant take it lightly. As I sketched on the tablet and erased it repeatedly, the night deepened. I could hear the sound of crickets in the grass near the vi, and I could see the moon half showing its face through the window. I couldnt sleep, and I was drawn to the calm atmosphere, so I quietly went outside without waking Grandpa and Cha Si-hyun. The dawn air was quite cool, unlike the day. Unlike Seoul, there were stars shining densely in the sky, the smell of grass, and the sound of crickets. Ssh- ssh- The waves gently touched the rocks, and my mind calmed down. Just three days ago, Grandpas exhibition was a huge sess, and a month ago, it was noisy with the things rted to Ferdinand Gonzalez. It felt like a distant past. Its good. I wish my father and mother were here with me. If they had put aside their pride and talked honestly with Grandpa, they would have understood each other better than anyone else. My mother, who was worried that I didnt have any friends my age, would have been very happy to see Si-hyun. On a quiet day like this, my father would have surely dressed up as a ghost and tried to scare me, and then got scolded by my mother. I miss them. Im so happy right now. The time I spend with Grandpa is so enjoyable and happy that I miss my mother and father more. Ssh- ssh- The sea is rippling. Its rippling gently. **** 1 The character is based on the actor Timothe Chmet, born in 1995. He starred in Call Me by Your Name. 2 The work is based on Frank Millers , published in 1987. It depicts the first year of Batmans vignte activity. Chapter 159: Summer Valley (5) Chapter 159: Summer Valley (5) Chapter 159 Summer Valley (5) The next day. Wow. What is it? I dont know. It looks like a beetle. Dont touch it. Leave it alone. It might be dangerous. Its okay. Are you going to eat it? No. Look. Isnt it cool? Ew, no! Its gross! Go Suyeol smiled fondly at the two kids. They wanted to catch insects, so he bought them a collecting box and a from a nearby stationery store. They had been running around all morning without a break. The straw hats he put on them were too big and kept sliding off. Vroom- vroom- As he was about to get them some sun caps, Go Suyeols phone rang. It was a call from his old friend Martin Jansen. He answered it cheerfully. Martin. -You came all the way to Korea, but where did you go so busy? Haha. Im enjoying a vacation with Hoon. You should take your grandson on a trip too. You wont think about anything else. -Whats so cute about a kid who only ys games? Go Suyeolughed. -Actually, I have a favor to ask Hoon. A favor? -Well. Im making a documentary about Vincent van Gogh. I need an interview with Hoon about the process of finding hisst work. That shouldnt be hard. Let me ask him. Hoon. Yes? Can youe here for a moment? Grandpa Martin has something he wants to ask you. At Go Suyeols call, Go Hoon ran over and took the phone. Martin? -Oh, yeah. Is the trip fun? I just caught a cool beetle. -A beetle? Yes. Im going to find out what its name is. Martin couldnt understand what Go Hoon was talking about, but he could tell from his voice that he was having fun. -Hehe. Okay. Be sure to let me know. I will. Whats up? Go Suyeol took off the straw hat that Go Hoon was wearing. -Im making a documentary about Vincent van Gogh. Oh -Why? Nothing. Go on. -I was thinking of putting your interview in it. Your thoughts on van Gogh, or what happened when you found the ce where he painted hisst work. Go Hoon was lost in thought. It wasnt a difficult task, but he remembered the embarrassing incidents that had happened recently when he was exposed to the media. -Can you do it? Sure. But what kind of content is it? -Its a biography. You can think of it as a detailed portrait. Like how you made an insect book when you were young, or how you liked painting because of your mother. Go Hoon felt relieved. That kind of content didnt seem to be anything to be ashamed of. -Well, it might be too early for you, but there might be some love stories too. Hahaha! No way. Go Hoon said firmly. *** [Thepletely new SNBApetition] On the 11th, the French National Association of Art (hereafter SNBA) announced the changes for this year. The SNBApetition, which gives the top winners the special exhibition rights at the French National Art Salon, changed its name to the Art Nouveaupetition. Art Nouveau was an artistic style that was popr worldwide between 1890 and 1910. SNBA chairman Chevasson Simon (67) exined that it meant that the art world was waiting for another transformation. Not only did they change the name, but SNBA also broke away from the existing judging method and allowed all visitors to be judges and select their favorite artworks. The entries will be exhibited from November 30th to December 6th in the Louvre and Hotel de Ville districts of Paris, and will be judged through an application. Visitors can enjoy the works on site and in the virtual exhibition hall, and can vote for up to ten works. The top ten works that receive these votes will be given the opportunity to be exhibited at the French National Art Salon special exhibition. They did not divide the categories unusually. SNBA exined that the Art Nouveaupetition aimed for apletely freepetition that was not bound by genre, size, or theme. The total prize money of the Art Nouveaupetition was 2.5 million euros, thergest among all artpetitions. The winner will receive 1 million euros and prizes will be awarded to the top ten. Artists from all over the world paid attention to the Art Nouveaupetition announced by SNBA. It was apetition that anyone who was an artist would covet, with 1 million euros and a special exhibition at the French National Art Salon for the winner. It was organized as a special program for the Whitney Biennale, but it became popr and covered the whole art field. Lets Talk also dealt with the Art Nouveaupetition. -Hello, viewers. Im Woojin, the host of Lets Talk. The host Woojin greeted them. -It was yesterday. The French National Association of Art confirmed the procedure and outline of the Art Nouveaupetition and became a hot topic. Today, we have curator Michael Ping to talk to us. Hello, Michael. -Hello. Curator Michael Ping, who participated in the Whitney Biennale nning, approached the broadcast with a serious attitude. -First of all, the scale of thepetition is impressive. The total prize money is 2.5 million euros. We cant skip over this. -Thats right. You cant think of it as a normalpetition prize. The winning prize of 1 million euros is almost unbelievable. -As far as I know, usually in these cases, the prize money is the purchase price of the work. How about the Art Nouveaupetition? -As you know, it is the purchase price of the work. -Is there a reason why the prize money is set as the purchase price of the work? -Its a win-win. The artist can sell the work with certainty, and the organizer can exhibit valuable works. Michael Ping shrugged his shoulders. -Even if its an internationalpetition, its an event that is run by the budget of the French National Association of Art, so they also need to make a profit. Unlike otherpetitions, they set the purchase price of the work very high, so there shouldnt be a big problem. -I see. Generally speaking, its definitely arge amount, but some people might be worried about the case of Go Hoon, who confirmed his participation. -Writer Go Hoon is really an exceptional case. There are very few living writers who sell their works for millions or tens of millions of dors. They couldnt have raised the prize money for the minority writers, so I think that part was Go Hoons choice rather than theck of prize money for the Arnuvo Contest. Woo Jin asked with a light smile. -Since were talking about Writer Go Hoon, Ill keep asking you, what is your intention to participate? If you think about it easily, why would he need to participate in the contest when he has already earned enough ie and reputation? -Well, I dont know. I think you have to ask Writer Go Hoon directly. As far as I can guess, there is nothingcking for Writer Go Hoon right now. I dont know if there are people who think his foundation is weak, but he even secured his position through the Whitney Biennale. I think he might participate for the sake of experience, since the contest started with a good intention. -What about other cases? Do famous writers also participate in contests? -Of course, for big events like the Arnuvo Contest. There is no reason not to. -What about people like Henri Marso or Jang Mi Rae? -Id like to say they are out of the question. Dont you think they dont feel the need for that? -Haha. -It could rather be a burden. If they dont win the prize by any chance, their reputation will drop, and even if they win, there will be a lot of talk. It was expected that there would be protests from the artists who reached the peak, saying that they were depriving other writers of their opportunities, or that their fame influenced the judging. Michael Ping exined that people like Henri Marso and Jang Mi Rae had no reason to bear such a burden. -Then lets move on to the controversial judging method. Its done by audience voting only. -Yes. Only those who buy tickets can authenticate and choose their favorite works up to ten points. -Including virtual exhibitions. -Yes. -It seems like you benchmarked the method that was verified in the music industry, but I heard that there is a lot of opposition from the critics and artists. -Yes. They have three main reasons. One is that professionalism is needed, and the second is somewhat rted to the first reason, which is the fear that it could be a poprity contest. -That could be a problem. -Yes. Not only that, but there was also a problem that there could be maniption in the voting, but it was somewhat solved by the process that you have to authenticate the ticket to vote. -Then what is thest reason? -That such a procedure was carried out by Henri Marsos unteral decision without enough discussion. Michael Ping continued to exin that Henri Marso was not free from the controversy that arose in the French art world. Turn it off. Henri Marso opened his mouth nervously. The TV turned off with a sound and the screen became transparent. Michel tini, who was reading a book across the room, turned his head. Henri, who had a twisted face, came into his sight. Damn it. Michel understood hisint. Not only France, but the whole world of art was talking about the Arnuvo Contest, so he couldnt help but care. Especially since he was a sensitive person, he seemed to be more so. He closed the book and approached him tofort him a little. Whats the matter? Whats the one thing? Michel tilted his head. As he approached, he saw a book written in Korean. Henri said to Michel. How do Koreans read numbers? Why do they say haru when it should be il? Is that why? So? He was d that he didnt care about the TV content. "I dont think we have anything to say about how we count numbers."1) What is it. As Michel shrugged his shoulders, Henri lowered his head and looked at the Korean textbook again. Why Korean all of a sudden? Dont tell me youre really trying to watch Hoons broadcast? Oh my. Really? No. Henri Marso tried to ignore Michel and looked through the textbook. Even if he read the number 1 as il and hana. He couldnt understand why they said han myeong instead of il myeong. If he had to choose one of the two, it should be hana myeong. "Penelope?"2) Shut up! I said no! Henri Marso shouted and Michelughed and left the bedroom. ***** 1)In France, 1 to 16 are each called independent nouns, and 17(dix-sept) is 10(dix)+7(sept). In 18 and 19, 10(dix) is pronounced [diz], but 17(dix-sept) is pronounced [di] by dropping [s]. Then 70 is 60+10. 80(quatre-vingts) is 20(vingts)4(quatre) and 90(quatre-vingt-dix) is 20(vingts)4(quatre)+10(dix). It was a result of the 20-base system that was used as a basis in the Middle Ages and then the 10-base system was introduced, but the 20-base system that remained in many ces of life. The traces of using the 20-base system are still left in everyday life, so many tests in France are out of 20 points. 2)Pnlope(F): Penelope of Greek mythology. She was the wife of Ulysses and kept her chastity for 20 years. Although there is a difference, please understand it as a transcendent trantion of Youre a good wife, youre a good wife. Here is the edited version of your text: Chapter 160: Summer Waves (6) Chapter 160: Summer Waves (6) Chapter 160 Summer Waves (6) After breakfast, I went for a walk around the vi with Grandpa and Cha Si-hyun to digest. As we walked along the road, we came across a ce called Hwang Young-jo Memorial Park. As we passed the park and went down a bit more, the view suddenly opened up. It was a harbor called Chogokhang. As expected of a harbor, there was a small vige and a few shops like supermarkets and fish restaurants. There was no one around. I thought there would be a lot of people near the beach in the summer, but it didnt seem so because it wasnt a beach. Theres a trail ahead, and when it was first built, people used toe here quite often. He added that it was already 10 years ago. The entrance with the sign Chogok Cave Candle Rock Road looked lonely with the paint peeling off here and there. Its beautiful. Cha Si-hyun ran ahead and leaned on the railing toward the sea. The sea breeze that pierced through the heat was quite cool. As I walked along the trail that followed the coastal cliff, I felt relieved of my worries. There was also an observatory on the rock facing the sea. I wondered what kind of view I would feel from the high ce. I felt a sense of liberation. My heart swelled at the sight of the scenery that spread out without anything blocking it. The shallow waves that swayed and broke on the rocks and then created ripples, or the horizon that looked peaceful in the distance, were amazing. I wanted to capture it on a canvas. I didnt walk much and a bridge that connected the cliffs came out. Cha Si-hyun and I stopped at the same time. Why? We cant go. Cha Si-hyun nodded in agreement. The bridge was shaky enough, and the center was made of ss so that the bottom was clearly visible. If we crossed that ce, we would surely have an ident. Are you scared? Yes. Grandpa tried to stimte mypetitive spirit again, but I didnt want to do anything reckless that wasnt rted to painting. I answered quickly and heughed. Shall we go back then? It would be nice to rx in the air-conditioned wind after eating and walking. I decided to draw the sea after lunch and turned my feet. *** I moved my brush while watching the endless waves. I didnt have any particr goal for now, I just wanted to capture the sea. I made and applied countless blue, green, and white colors and drew the waves that swayed. It was an act that I felt nothing but liberation and tranquility while emptying my head, but I felt something rising in my chest. The sound of the waves that came back again and again even though they broke. Each wave, though it left no meaning, surely touched the rock. This cliff must have been made by those small waves since a very long time ago. Thanks to the seas heart that continued to break and head for the rock. I stopped the brush. The mind thatpleted the painting with countless brush strokes and drew a small wave with one hand movement resembled the sea. Even if no one recognized it, the act of repeating the painting resembled the waves that hit and hit the rock. The waves are just phenomena, and only the sea and this cliff are real. Yet, the wavespleted this coast. Am I touching? Am I swaying? Am I getting closer to their hearts that are as solid as this rock cliff? I should stop drawing here today. The next day. I got up early and headed to the observatory with a canvas, an easel, and a paint bag. I havent found a way out of the worries that Ive been continuing since yesterday. As a result, the painting only contains the scenery. The hardest thing to do when painting is finding myself. I think that finding a new technique that no one has ever used, or a uniqueposition, are all things thate naturally after I firmly establish myself. I want to know that wave. Ssh- ssh- I want to capture that sea that resembles me on the canvas. Its also a way to copy this beautiful scenery perfectly. The people who see the painting will feel differently, so showing it as it is will not be bad. But I want to draw the faintness andpassion that I felt from that wave. Yes. I want to express myself who is shaken by the movement of that sea. I want to feel the joy of someone recognizing it again. Maybe everyone who participates in the Arnuvo contest is the same. An experience that makes the audience feel a simr emotion to me, or even if not, makes them think once. So its hard. Hoo. I was hungry from thinking a lot. I turned my head to look forward to what I would eat for lunch, and Cha Si-hyun was painting the sea with a blue oil pastel. He looked serious with his mouth clenched and his eyes shining. I watched him without disturbing him because he was focused, and he drew a line with a ck oil pastel on the boundary of the sea and the sky. I taught him how to use the tools as detailed as possible, but I tried to reduce the words because I might force him to draw in a certain way. Its not something Im familiar with, so I cant say that expressing the boundary with a ck line is bad. Cha Si-hyun probably knows that there is no such line in reality. And the painter can draw anything that doesnt exist in reality. Cha Si-hyun turned his head. He saw that I was looking at his painting and quickly covered it. No. Im not done yet. Lets go eat. Im hungry. He nodded his head as I smiled and asked him to go up. As we walked to the vi with the canvas, the easel, and the paint bag, Cha Si-hyun said something I agreed with. The sea is hard to draw. Its very hard. I cant find any clue. Why? It doesnt stay still. It makes sense. The swaying sea surface wont let me capture the moment. Right. Thats why the paintings of the sea are only in the paintings. Youll never see that scene again, right? Then Ill have to take the coolest picture and draw it. For Cha Si-hyun, who still had a lot to learn, drawing from a photo was also a necessary process to learn the skills. But this is serious. Ive been drawing the sea from yesterday to this morning, but I dont know what kind of waves Ive captured. I drew what came into my sight as I thought about the sea, the waves, and the cliffs, so I dont like it. To express the waves, I used to apply a lot of paint, wait for it to dry, and then apply anotheryer, but I wont be able to meet the deadline. I cant use this canvas. I used to think this was a waste, but Ive be extravagant. How much did you draw? Cha Si-hyun asked me, so I showed him the canvas. I didnt draw anything. Why? Isnt it all done? This is a doodle. He looked at mine and his alternately and stuck out his mouth. Cute guy. Its not a good enough picture to submit to the contest. If I dont give up even if the progress is slow, the image will surelye someday. I would dly sit in front of the canvas for that joy. Many times and many days. *** Jerome Kerbier opened and closed his lighter repeatedly. Jerome, who worked as a critic and an artist at the same time, was performing the duties of the secretary-general of the association, recognized for his long career and wide human rtions. The administrative affairs of the association were delivered to the board of directors through him, and he was trusted, so most of the matters he passed were passed without any major problems. The SNBA secretary-generals business card was the only pride that supported him, who was a mediocre critic and an unpopr artist. And Henri Marso took it away. Click- click- Jerome had admired him, who had everything as a painter, a sculptor, a businessman, and even his appearance. He felt the difference between talent and environment every time he, who was 10 years younger, presented his work, and tried not to be conscious of it. Instead of revealing the jealousy that was rising, he praised him first and showed a bold appearance to the people around him. He even ttered him if necessary. Click- click- Anyway, he was a different person from himself. He thought it would be enough to take a very small benefit while treating him properly, who made the association prosper. He was satisfied with the Antermittang system, which was a small favor for those who were eager. It was enough to look a little more humble than what he did to Henri Marso. He felt a littlefortable when he faced them with a more contemptuous expression than Henri Marso, who looked at him like a worm. But. Everything was ruined in a day. The attendance request from the police. Theint was filed, soe and get an investigation. Thud- He couldnt lose everything like this. Jerome Kerbier got up. He hurriedly got in the car and headed for the mansion of the Marso family, located in the Senar forest. Yeah. Itll be fine if we talk nicely. He was the one who defended him even when more than 3,000 association members denounced and came out against Henri Marso. He believed that he would understand if he admitted his mistake and begged, looking at his loyalty. Jerome called Henris secretary Arsen. -Yes. Mr. Kerbier. Oh, Mr. Arsen. How are you? -Tell me your purpose. Haha. Well I want to see Director Marso, where is he now? -If you want, Ill make an appointment for you a monthter. Jerome Kerbier frowned. Its urgent, so Im asking. Can you check with the director? -Im sorry, but I cant do that. Its avable from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on September 17th. Do you want to make an appointment for then? No. Its okay. He hung up the phone and stepped on the elerator. He was originally a person who was hard to make an appointment with, but it was clear that Henri Marso had instructed him to do so. He drove the distance from the association headquarters on Rue de Svres to Henri Marsos mansion, which took about 50 minutes, in 40 minutes. Director! Director! He knocked on the mansion door without thinking. He had no other choice but to know that his voice would not reach the building from the entrance. Meanwhile. The mansion manager, who found a man making a fuss at the entrance through CCTV, reported the situation to Arsen. Arsen confirmed that Jerome Kerbier had visited and sighed. What should we do? Ill take care of it. As Arsen decided to politely send Jerome away, Henri Marso, who was walking around the estate, approached the entrance on the CCTV screen. Chapter 161: Summer Waves (7) Chapter 161: Summer Waves (7) Chapter 161 Summer Waves (7) Jerome saw Henri and called out to him desperately. Mr. President, Im here. Just a moment, just a moment, I have something to discuss with you. Henri looked him up and down. He recognized his face, but he couldnt remember who he was. Who are you? Excuse me? Jerome was flustered. He couldnt believe that Henri had forgotten him, after working together for several years. He must have seen his attempt to draw a line over the Antermittang affair as a threat. What are you? Henri Marsos face was displeased. Ill exin everything. Please, just 10 minutes, no, 5 minutes, please listen to me. Henri Marso crossed his arms. Jerome swallowed. Its true that I put a condition on Antermittang. But it wasnt for my own benefit. Its not a bad thing to encourage participation in the associations events and to ask for donations, is it? Henri narrowed his eyes. He remembered where he had seen him. He was the criminal who had stolen from the SNBA. Im not a judge. Save that for the court. Mr. President! Jerome grabbed the door and shouted. Since when did the associations private meetings be official events? There was no anger in Henris voice. Only contempt. Since when did the money transactions between the association members be donations? Jerome nodded. It was ame excuse that he had made up on the spot, but he didnt think that Henri Marso would be unaware of the situation. There was a problem with the procedure. But I really didnt have any other intention. Dont you know? How much I worked for you and the association. Jerome mentioned the many things he had done as the associations secretary. He handled the associations official documents, nned and conducted events, and worked overtime to ensure that Henri Marsos reforms were implemented quickly. He also stepped in to quell the unrest in the association when there wereints about Henri Marso. He had been loyal all this time, and he couldnt be discarded for a small w. Henri Marso snorted. He was amused by the livestock that imed to have worked for him. Worked? Jerome nodded. What did you do? Excuse me? You dont seem to know why I put you in that position. Did I give you that money to lick my feet? Dont you get it yet? My shoes are too expensive for your dirty mouth to lick. To Henri Marso, Jerome Kerbiel was no different from a fly. His voluntary actions only annoyed him. You should plow the field if you get fed. You let the other cows do the work and you bring your filthy tongue? Despite the scornful words, Jerome Kerbiel didnt change his mind. He didnt care about his pride. He was ipetent as a critic and as an artist, and the only reason he had a ce in the art world was because of his status in the association. He could endure anything if he could keep that. Im sorry. Jerome knelt down. Really. I really made a mistake. He bowed his head to the ground and begged. It wont happen again. If you give me one chance. Just let this one go, and Ill persuade the people who withdrew. The only card left for Jerome Kerbiel was the ones who had left. The fraud they hadmitted was stored in his pocket, in the USB. If he could control the people who were creating public opinion against Henri Marso outside, it would be a good thing for Henri Marso too, he thought. But he heard nothing. When Jerome lifted his head, Henri Marso was already walking along the promenade. Mr. President! Its all here! I brought the evidence you were looking for! Jerome took out the USB drive and shook it, feeling anxious. Henri Marso turned around and came closer, and Jerome paled. He didnt care about his dignity. He just wanted to show his loyalty and usefulness, and keep his position. Please check it. Jerome put his hand through the iron bars and tried to hand over the USB. He looked at Henri with a face mixed with worry, fear, hope, and desperation. Henri Marso took it. Lighter. Excuse me? Lighter. Dont you have one? Oh, yes. Yes! Jerome Kerbiel hastily searched his pocket and took out an S. T Dupont lighter. Light it. Henri Marso knew he was not a smoker, but Jerome did as he said. He didnt want to provoke him. He wanted to show his sincerity. Ah! Henri held the USB over the lighter me. I cant stand the trash in my world. The art world existed only for him. The glorious history that began from the mural paintings was the result of Henri Marso, and the future of art would be based on Henri Marso. He couldnt leave any foul-smelling trash in that noble world. Tell me. Henri Marso sneered. How do you get rid of the trash that doesnt burn? * Its been four days since I came to Samcheok. I cant think of anything good, so Ive been staring at the sea all day, and I feel a bit depressed. I want to express the movement of the waves that never stop, but I cant find a solution. Its like this rocky cliff. Im hungry and I decide to go up, but the sunset is already gone. The movement and the color change with the time. The deep blue turns gradually red, and the rocks be darker with the shadows. Its a natural phenomenon, but its a problem to capture it all. It wouldnt be a problem if it was a video, but that method has no meaning for me. Can I make the sun move on the canvas? Ah. I dont need to paint it. If I exhibit it outdoors, the sun will move by itself. No, wait. Even if the paint color changes slightly with the passage of time, it wont change dramatically like the sea. Lets try it. I never started a work knowing it perfectly. I painted until I was satisfied, and thats how I finished it. This time is no different. The remaining problem is the waves that ripple constantly. How can I paint them as if they are moving? Dad. Huh? I suddenly remembered the amazing picture my father showed me a long time ago. Do you know the illusion picture? Illusion? Cha Si-hyun nodded. He took out his tablet and searched for pictures rted to illusion. There were many, but the almond picture that my father showed me caught my eye. This one. As I erged the screen, the almond picture wobbled. Wow. Cha Si-hyun wondered if it looked the same to his eyes. Whats the principle of this? I dont know. When I searched for the reason why the illusion urs, it was full of iprehensible words. Even the smart Cha Si-hyun tilted his head at words like rod cell orteral inhibition. If I could paint such a picture as I intended, I wouldnt care about the principle. Im hungry. Me too. Maybe Grandpa would give me some direction. I packed my stuff and hurried. Grandpa! Huh? Grandpa, who was sitting in a rocking chair and sleeping, was startled. I asked him as I washed my hands in the bathroom. Do you know the illusion phenomenon? Illusion? Yes. Illusion. Painting as if it moves. I know it. Grandpa yawned. He wiped his hands with a towel and checked the clock, shaking his head. Sleep and eat. Sleep and eat. Thats what you do when you rest. Grandpa cleared his throat and said we should order delivery for dinner. I dont care about that. I showed him the wobbling picture. How do you paint this? Well. Ive never painted this kind of picture. There arent many people who paint this kind of picture. Grandpa stroked his beard. There are many painters who use illusion. Like Jim Warren or Victor Vasarely. But I cant think of any pictures that wobble like this. I searched for the two people he mentioned and found some amazing works. Victor Vasarelys pictures seem to be more helpful for this work than Jim Warrens. I guess I have to analyze it myself with a few pictures on the inte. By the way, Hun-ah, did you see the video that came up? What video? Ki-am-seong teaser. A lot of people have seen it already. I forgot because I only thought about painting the sea. I wonder how they saw it, whatments they left, how many views they had. I searched for the teaser video with a nervous heart. The video that was uploaded yesterday on the YouTube channel operated by Norman Studio has already been yed 3.11 million times. Its amazing that so many people can watch one video in such a short time. What are you, human? The topment is hrious Do you ask if its a sculpture I get the intention, but why are you picking a fight Why are you so handsome? Its exactly the same as the picture. Toby Chmets features are exactly the same. Go Hoon is not famous for nothing. No, its because Go Hoon drew a concept art that resembled the actor. Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes hate this movie. Even men are amazed. Ah, Im pissed off? Youre uploading it now for the release in December next year? How do you expect me to wait until then? I have to watch it if its Normans new work. Go Hoons picture has a really good vibe. Its different from the pictures he hung at the exhibition, he seems to draw everything well. Hes a genius. Henri invested a million dors to see that. No. My brother is not a fool. Yeah, your brother is a fool~ Honestly, hes not a fool. If its Normans director and Toby Chmets lead, its guaranteed to be more than the original, so how is investing in that a fool? ???: Investment for the revival of French literature Why does my brother spend money like crazy? Does he have Raphael in his house? Thats right. Why do you worry about how a billionaire spends his money Yeah, hes a fool~ There are a lot of stories, but there are a lot ofments that make fun of Henri Marso, which is a bit funny. I liked it. Chapter 162: Summer Waves (8) Chapter 162: Summer Waves (8) Chapter 162 Summer Waves (8) There was no ce to order delivery food, so we ate braised tfish at a nearby restaurant. It was a dish of whole tfish seasoned and steamed, and the pot was full of it. Neither I nor Cha Si-hyun were good at removing fish bones, so we ate the tfish that Grandpa had cleaned for us. Be careful. Watch out for the bones. Okay. It was delicious. The spiciness that was not too hot and the saltiness that barely crossed the line of being too salty matched well. But contrary to its name, the star of this braised tfish was the radish. Ah. The radish soaked in the sauce was so good that I blew on it and ate it with warm white rice. I wondered if there could be a better side dish than this. I didnt forget to add the vegetables and tfish meat that came with it. The ky white fish meat, the spicy sauce, the warm rice, and the appetizing vegetable side dishes were interesting no matter how Ibined them. It was great to eat the tfish and rice together, the vegetables and tfish, the vegetables and rice, the radish and tfish. It was also great to scoop some sauce on the rice and mix it. I had a splendid dinner today. I went back home, washed up, andy down on the bed. I checked thements on the teaser video of one more time and looked into the illusion phenomenon more. It was not easy to understand, but the more I learned, the more interesting it was. I nodded at the fact that perspective, which draws reality on a ne and makes it look three-dimensional, was also a kind of illusion. If I had enough time, I would like to study it in detail, but I dont have that luxury right now. I need to find a way to make the picture look like its wavering. I found a good example.1) If I fix my eyes on the center point and move my face closer and farther repeatedly, the circle looks like its rotating. This is called motion illusion, and its a brains mistake that urs from color contrast and location perception. I looked for some papers, but I didnt understand what they were saying, and no one mentioned how to draw it. I had no choice but to observe the pictures that caused motion illusion myself and found out a few facts. The picture doesnt move when I fix my eyes. It moved when I moved my eyes or changed the distance. Maybe I feel confused because I have an afterimage of what I saw before when I adjust the focus. Also, the moving pictures had a certain shape arranged continuously, and each object had a very simple shading. Is this possible only with such a simple form? I couldnt find any cases of painting-like pictures moving as I looked at various pictures. How about this? Cha Si-hyun showed me an article that exined the principle of illusion easily. It didnt introduce how to draw a moving picture, but it was an interesting story, so I read it. Simultaneous contrast, a phenomenon where the color looks different depending on the surrounding color. When I looked at theparison photos, I could see that the brightness and saturation were clearly different, which I knew from experience. Another one was adaptation. The writer exined it as color adaptation. He said that if you stare at something, you get used to the color reflected by the object and the light, and even if the color changes due to the light, you perceive it as the original color you were aware of. Why? I wanted to draw, but I didnt know I had to study this kind of thing. Right. Its too hard. To do art, you need to umte a lot ofplex and diverse knowledge. You have to fill your heart and mind with literature, music, theater, and other fields. And I always feel that I have to learn more. I felt a bit of doubt as I studied the illusion phenomenon. Ill leave this theory to biologists and neuroscientists and focus on drawing the wavy sea. I drew it with the clue that I felt the phenomenon of moving when I arranged a certain pattern regrly. It doesnt move at all. Its not easy. *** I stayed in Samcheok for a week. I got a little sense of the pattern that caused the illusion, but I didnt make any progress in drawing it like a wave. I was stuck at home drawing pictures, so Grandpa suggested fishing to cheer me up. Cha Si-hyun, who had to go up to Seoul tomorrow, was a bit bored and epted Grandpas offer. Hurry up! Hurry up! He urged me to hurry. Fishing on the cliff was dangerous, so we took a spot on the breakwater where the railing was installed. Here. Take one each. I took the fishing rod that Grandpa had assembled for me. He said it was 190mm for children, but it didnt seem like that. It was hard to hold. You need bait. Its cute. Grandpa showed me the conch he would use as bait. Cha Si-hyun crouched down and observed the conch. It was too cute to give as food even to me. Here, you just have to put it through the shell from the head like this. The needle? Cha Si-hyun asked in surprise. Thats how the fish get caught on the hook when they eat it. It hurts. He felt sorry for the conch that would be pierced by the sharp needle. He insisted that he couldnt use it as bait even if he had to catch a delicious fish. Hes a kind guy. Then how about this one? Grandpa showed him a worm instead of a conch. It was a small pink worm called a red sea worm. I dont want to fish. He brought a chair and sat next to me. He took out his tablet and looked like he was going to spend time drawing. Try it. Its pitiful. You can catch something delicious. Isnt it better to buy it? Isnt it pitiful to buy it? He tilted his head. He looked confused when I asked him if eating fish wasnt taking life. Grandpa scattered some bait on the water. After a while, the calm surface began to ripple. There were so many fish that Cha Si-hyun leaned on the railing and peeked his face out. Be careful. It hurts a lot if you get caught on the hook. Okay. I followed Grandpa and cast the float and watched the sea slowly. The sea seemed to show everything, but it was hard to figure out what was inside. It was overwhelming to express itpletely, let alone add the motion illusion effect. I learned a little bit how to create a simr effect with a certain pattern, but I couldnt find a way to simplify the waves. Should I give up? Maybe I could find a way someday if I didnt enter the contest and took some time to think. What I cant do today might be possible tomorrow, a monthter, or a few yearster. Hmm. Grandpas fishing line tightened. He pulled and reeled the line, and soon a fish bigger than Grandpas palm appeared on the surface. It looked about 35~40cm. Wow. Cha Si-hyun eximed. What is this? "Its a rockfish." It was ckish brown with a slightly white belly. Its tail was straight, but it was pping vigorously, showing its personality. It looked delicious. Is it tasty? It is. The flesh is ky. It would be good to make a spicy soup with it. I was worried that Grandpa might make it himself. Ill take it to a nearby restaurant and theyll cook it for us. Thats a relief. Grandpa put the fish he caught in a bucket and threw the bait again. He caught another one soon. It was no wonder, as the fish formed a swarm and poked their faces out of the water. It was half water and half fish. They sshed around to eat the bait, and they seemed very hungry. Ah. I suddenly had a good idea. Can you hold this for a while? Huh? I dont know how to do it. Me neither. I handed the fishing rod to Cha Si-hyun and took out my tablet. It was easy to draw fish simply. I thought I could draw a fish-shaped pattern and make it look like the waves were swaying. I drew with a pen, but I was so frustrated that I put it back. Grandpa, Im going back. Huh? Now? I had a good idea. Wait a minute. How can you go alone? Its okay. Im in a hurry. I left Grandpa and Cha Si-hyun behind and ran up to the vi. My body got younger and my stamina got better, but I was out of breath when I climbed up the hill in one breath. I barely caught my breath and sketched with a pencil. I made the shape as simple as possible. I gave a shadow to the belly part and drew the fish slightly bending their waist as if they were swimming. As I filled the paper with gaps between the fish as if there were other fish, it looked usible. There were still some parts to touch up. But I felt my heart pounding as I thought I had found the direction. *** When Go Hoon was racking his brain for a work to submit to the Arnuvo contest, Henri Matisse was also struggling. The problem he faced was that he had to give up self-portraits. Henri Matisse, who had drawn nearly 800 self-portraits, including his most recent work , had to find a new subject as he participated anonymously. He had no time to worry about cleaning up the trash. He stopped his hand as he was about to sketch the idea that came to his mind. He didnt like this idea either. Henri Matisse had two goals for this work. One was to draw the most memorable work among the 1,700 pieces. The other was to find and draw a beautiful symbol instead of drawing himself. Many people challenged and the result was decided by voting, so he had to be engraved in the memory of the audience first. If they didnt remember him when they were about to vote after ncing at hundreds of works, it was useless. To do that, he had to give a strong image in a very short time. But this was also a problem to worry about after solving the second condition. Henri Matisse couldnt find anything as beautiful and perfect as himself. The most beautiful scenery, jewels, and flowers in the world were not as beautiful as his eyes. Sigh. He sighed as the days of worry continued. It had been going on since he learned that was not a work of genius and coincidence. He couldnt admit that he was captivated by the inferiorityplex toward the young painter. He couldnt tolerate his perfect self harboring such a lowly mind. So he decided topete confidently, but he became more anxious as he worried more. The anxiety ate away at his daily life and he became more sensitive and his sleep time decreased and his irritation increased. He couldnt forget the genius in his head. So. He couldnt put down his brush. *** 1)Revolving circles, Fiboni, 2007, Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. 2)The fish that Go Hoon caught is a rockfish. It is also called dol-samchi in Gangwon-do and gerchi in Gyeongnam. Chapter 163: Summer Valley (9) Chapter 163: Summer Valley (9) Chapter 163 Summer Valley (9) [SNBA under Henri Marsos control] [A big shot threatening the French art world] [The dictator Henri Marso] Today, Arlette Ri, an art critic and sculptor, spoke out about her expulsion from the French National Art Association (SNBA)st August. She pointed out that the process of expelling 3,228 members who opposed the associations policy was inappropriate. The SNBA mass expulsion incident has been a hot potato in the art world for the past month. It was because they notified the members who objected to excluding the judges from the Art Nouveaupetition with a total prize of 2.5 million euros without a proper procedure. Arlette Ri imed that Henri Marso led this and that SNBA had been run ording to his taste for the past four years. ording to Arlette Ris im, Henri Marso had exercised a strong power since he joined the association in 2024, modifying the associations policy and regtions, reducing and creating events. Given the nature of SNBA, which is operated by individual and group donations, government subsidies, and membership fees of affiliated artists, it is expected that Henri Marso will have a hard time avoiding legal responsibility if Arlette Ris im is true. Arlette Ri issued a statement condemning Henri Marso with the 3,228 expelled members and filed aint with the administrative authorities. While SNBA actively denied the situation, Henri Marso has not yet expressed his position. Around the time summer passed. The expelled ones from SNBA began to raise their voices. Thanks to the scouting work done through various media, forums,munity sites, etc. for the past month, the situation became more serious than Michel tini and Chevasson Simon expected. Thousands of people spoke up, and even those who doubted them began to doubt. Henri Marso shoulde out and exin. Its been almost a month since this story came out, but he hasnt said anything. Maybe hes in trouble? Whats the point of exining? People who dont believe him wont believe him anyway. Other people may not know, but people who do art cant curse Henri Marso. Hes the one who expanded the beneficiaries of the Antermittant system. Thats one thing and this is another. How can you expel someone for disagreeing with you? Do you have any evidence for that? I dont understand why this is a problem. The expelled people originally said they would quit if their opinions were not reflected. Its a problem because they were expelled. What do you mean? They cant participate in the events hosted by the association. Thats why its such a fuss. People who are not affiliated with the association can also participate in the Art Nouveaupetition. Not the expelled ones. They are also excluded from the welfare system such as subsidies. President Chevasson said so. It was not a problem handled by Henri Marsos unteral decision, but by the entire SNBA board of directors. All the SNBA directors are looking at Henri Marsos face, so of course. I didnt like him from the start. He became famous because he bought all the billboards at the Paris station. If he didnt have that money, could he be like that now? He inherited a lot of money, so he spends itvishly. He only deals with people who want to get something out of him and ignores people who speak the truth. Everyone knew he had a bad personality. But is the judging method of the Art Nouveaupetition so wrong? The biggest task of the art world right now is poprization. Isnt that a good thing? Whats the point of poprizing? Real artists dont want that. Honestly, is Henri Marso an artist? Hes an entertainer. Artists have to make money to live. How can they do art without poprity? Only those who appreciate them need to appreciate them. And thats why theres something like Antermittant to protect them. The public opinion criticizing Henri Marso grew stronger, and some people defended him. Henri Marsos fans emphasized his contribution to poprizing art that had been alienated from the public and his efforts to make more artists benefit from the welfare system. On the other hand, the voices that he took away the freedom and rights of the artists were also not insignificant, and such things were delivered to Henri Marso through Arsene. What are you talking about? Henri Marso frowned as he shaved. Half of the articles delivered by his secretary Arsene said that Henri Marso was ruling over SNBA. Of course its mine. Arsene, who knew his way of thinking well, was worried this time. You should be careful for now. Hmph. The loyal secretary knew well why Henri Marso invested arge amount of money in the French National Art Association, which was in financial difficulty. SNBA meant nothing to him. The reason he joined the ce he had ignored all his life four years ago was because of the rigid French art world. Except for a few artists, most of them relied on the Maison des Artistes and Antermittant welfare systems. The dictator who loved art more than anyone else could not ept the environment where artists could not live by art. There were many problems. Lack of personal qualities, ecology that settled for subsidies, welfare system that ignored those who desperately needed subsidies, attitude that wanted to iste themselves. What Henri Marso hated the most was that the artists who pursued self-satisfaction relied on subsidies. Art is self-expression. Henri Marso, who left over 800 self-portraits and self-awareness paintings, felt a kind of homogeneity with them rather than criticizing them. For that reason, he could not tolerate them relying on others, not their own abilities. Self-expression done by ones own power was a noble act in itself and the purest art that was not bound by anything. Only those who did such art were qualified to exert a positive influence on each other as artists living in the contemporary era. Henri Marso despised those who produced substandard results without any development. Cancer cells that monopolize subsidies that should go to young artists. He couldnt stand to see the ipetent ones who grew greedy and ate up the art world. He had to step up so that the youngmbs who looked up to the outstanding person Henri Marso could grow. To praise him in more diverse ways. Next. Henri Marso urged the next news. Go Suyeols exhibition has ended. 1.3 million people visited in a month. Henri Marso narrowed his eyes. An individual set a world-ss biennale level of box office record. It was unknown how many more peoples hearts he would touch as he toured Europe and the United States. Unlike the music industry, which attracts tens of thousands of people with a single performance, the art world, where the number of visitors decreases sharply as the year goes by, had a turning point in 2028. Go Hoon and the Whitney Biennale, which recorded the biggest box office in history, and Go Suyeol. Henri Marso thought that the Art Nouveaupetition and the SNBA salon exhibition at the end of this year should mark the end of it. Jung Ee-pum-songs auction will be held at Sothebys in London after the tour. Next. Go Hoon, who attends a Korean elementary school, started school. What do I care if he goes to school or not. You kept asking me. When did I ever! Arsene suppressed his urge to ask if Go Hoon checked his broadcast twice a day, whether it was on or off. Meanwhile, Henri Marso screamed suddenly and almost wounded the barbers face. The barbers heart was pounding like it would burst. Arsene delivered the next news. They are nning to visit Paris next week. Who? Professor Gohyun and Go Hoon. Henri Marso furrowed his brow. What for? It hasnt been confirmed yet. Henri Marso pursed his lips and sank into his thoughts. There was still plenty of time until the Arnuvo contest. The only reason toe to Paris before the school year was to ask Pierre Malo of Chardon for a frame. Did he finish it? Henri Marso recalled the painting he hadpleted this dawn and decided to hurry up and find Pierre Malo. Cancel tomorrows schedule. Yes. Arsene modified the scheduler and delivered the next news. Go Hoons YouTube channel has surpassed 100,000 subscribers. We suspect that the influx has increased since he added English subtitles recently. Henri Marso turned his head slightly. Why do you keep bringing him up? French is missing. Henri Marso red at Arsene. Are you doing this on purpose? Huh? No. Is it fun? A little fun. Arsene blurted out his sincerity and panicked. Henri Marso felt a vein pop in his temple and looked like he was about to explode. Henri! Henri! Just as the roar was about to fall, an old voice came from behind the door. The president of SNBA, Chevasson, opened the door and gasped for breath. Henri couldnt believe that the morbidly obese man had run over. Sir, did you just run? Hak. Hak. Hak. Chevasson breathed heavily. You. Hur. What happened with Jerome Kerbiel? Jerome Kerbiel? Henri Marso recalled the name of the trash who had been the chief secretary in his distant memory. No. Nothing happened. Its a mess right now! TV. Turn on the TV. At the presidents request, Arsene manipted the mirror. Soon, the mirror that reflected Henri Marso showed the TV screen.1) -Does that mean that what the expelled artists imed was true? -Yes. SNBA has been handling everything through Henri Marso since 2024. Jerome Kerbiel was on the news and giving an interview. -Its only called national, but is that really possible? -Yes. 41% of SNBAs budget is Henri Marsos sponsorship. It has been maintained at a simr level for four years. As a result, the board members had no choice but to follow his lead. -Do you have any evidence of that? -I have a copy of the board meeting minutes. If you read it, youll see that most of the situations are recorded as Henri Marsos instructions. -Are you nning to disclose that? -Yes. Im actually very scared. Hes such a huge figure. But I think its something I have to do for the freedom and justice of our artists. -Thank you for your courage and tip. Then, in part two, well cover the minutes that Jerome Kerbiel, the former SNBA chief secretary, secured. Arsene and the barber who was shaving were both doubtful of their eyes and ears. They knew the situation and thought that Jerome Kerbiel, who had failed at tightrope walking, was making hisst struggle. But to others, it seemed like Henri Marsos corruption was about to be exposed. Especially, Henri Marsos usual speech and behavior were likely to cause misunderstanding. You, what are you going to do now? Hurry up or youll be in big trouble. Big trouble! The president Chevasson begged with tears and Arsene, who felt a sense of crisis, also stepped forward. Sir, if you hurry up now. Theres no need. Henri Marso shook his head calmly. Then he directed his gaze to continue shaving. Henri! Chevasson shouted, but he didnt budge at all. Be quiet. Your blood pressure will rise. The president was rather frustrated by Henri Marsos calmness, who was worried about his high blood pressure. **** 1)Mirror disy Chapter 164: Summer Valley (10) Chapter 164: Summer Valley (10) Chapter 164 Summer Valley (10) You dont understand this situation at all! Chevasson Simon shouted angrily. Dont you know how easy it is to be misunderstood? You should at least exin yourself! He knew well that Henri Marso was a warm person, as they had been friends for a long time. But because of his arrogance, he was easily misjudged and sometimes acted inappropriately. That was dangerous. Those who knew Henri Marsos weakness started to use it as a weapon to gain power, and he had to intervene as soon as possible. As a friend. And as a lover of art, he couldnt afford to lose the most talented painter born in France since Bernard Buffet. The one who doesnt understand the situation is you, my friend. Henri Marso looked very calm as he closed his eyes and received a shave. Why dont you know? He didnt realize the seriousness of the situation, even though the de was under his throat. It was useless to persuade him, so Chevassons voice became more desperate. Why do you think hes doing that? Hes being investigated, so hes trying to sway public opinion before that. It will affect the trial, and even if he gets a fair verdict, he will have already suffered irreversible damage by then. I agree with you. Arsene joined in to support Chevasson. Jerome Kerbiel, who had a grudge against Henri Marso, was currently being sued and investigated. Even if his corruption in the SNBA was proven to be true, it would take a considerable amount of time. Until then, Henri Marsos image could be severely damaged. And as Chevasson said, even if the truth was revealed in the trial, not everyone who was disappointed in Henri Marso would clear their misunderstanding. But despite Chevasson and Arsenes repeated persuasion, Henri Marso showed little interest in Jerome Kerbiel and the expelled ones. Hows the Antermittang review going? Isnt that the least of your worries right now? Henri Marso frowned. Whats more important than that? Sigh. The audit is not that easy. I told them to finish it by next week, so dont worry and take care of yourself. Please. Chevasson pleaded onest time, as if it was his final wish. Henri Marso, who finished his shave, moved his head and looked at himself in the mirror. My friend. Chevasson Simon, who turned away with a sigh, turned his head back with a glimmer of hope at Henri Marsos call. Your hands get dirty when you clean up the trash. What are you talking about all of a sudden? Chevasson firmly told him after a moment of hesitation. If youre saying that because of them, I disagree. Does it make sense that you cant clean because your hands get dirty? Chevasson, who was furious at Henri for not appreciating his sincerity, snapped at him, and Henri Marso chuckled. Its not my business. Whose business is it if not yours! Chevasson my friend is making a big mistake. The king does not move himself. The king is an absolute being that cannot bepared to anything else. How can the livestock that even their owner doesnt recognize understand the kings will? No matter how much I teach them, they cant understand literature like beasts, nor can they understand my noble will like rogues. Theres no reason to deal with beasts that cantmunicate. If they had any intention of doing so, they would have eaten the food I gave them and done their job. The beasts that kicked us out with their own feet are nothing more than prey for the hungry wolves. What will happen when a fat pig meets a pack of wolves that had to survive without any fence? Sir. Arsene, who had seen off Chevasson my friend, came back. Im also worried that youre taking this situation too lightly. This loyal servant is the same. If you let them know that Jerome Kerbiel is being investigated, it will be somewhat resolved. As Arsene said, one phone call would make Le Figaro, Le Monde, TF1, Canal+ and all the media praise my noble will. Arsene. Yes. When did I start begging? Those who want praise are nothing but delusional people whock the qualities of a king. The king is a pioneer. He is the one who walks ahead of everyone else. Only when the people who share his heart follow him and look up to him can he be called a true king. But. If Im worse than those trash, then I guess I have to. Theyre watching. The people are watching. They will judge who is right and who is wrong with their own experience and learning. My noble actions and will will not fail to reach their ears and hearts. The howling of the beasts cant stop it. Just take care of the Antermittang without any problems. Arsene bowed his head. He handed me his smartphone as he got up. Its Pierre Malo, the representative. I wonder if the work I entrusted him with is done. Its good, because I have to submit the painting to the Arnuvo contest anyway. Hes a tight-lipped person, so I might be able to ask him to keep the anonymous participation a secret, but I have to avoid any unexpected situations as much as possible. Hes quick-witted, so I have to be careful not to make him suspicious of my work. Ill just check the schedule for today. I answered the phone. Go ahead. -Dont be surprised. What does he mean? -Theres no more lovely work than this. I want to show it to you as soon as possible. What do you think? and seem to be wellpleted. Arsene, whats the afternoon schedule? You have a social meeting with President Charles Mangin and others, and then you promised to attend a charity party hosted by Congressman Jean Bulo. I have about an hour to spare. Lets go now. -Youll really like it. I handed my smartphone to Arsen. Get ready. Well leave in 10 minutes. Okay. I felt dizzy as I was putting on my clothes. It was no wonder, considering how messy my life had been for the past few weeks. I left the charity event of Jean Bulo to Michelle and decided to go to bed early today. Henri. It was the nannys voice. I turned around and saw hering with a dustpan in her hand, wearing an apron. Hoon ising. Did you hear? How do you know? I heard it myself. He asked if he coulde over. Where? Here? Where else? I told him you would like it and he said he already knew. Tell him not toe. Why? I knew what was going on in that little bastards head. He wasnting to see me, but to feast on the nannys food. You cant do that. You have to be friendly. How can you push away the only friend you have? Who says I dont have friends. The nanny blinked. She shrugged and asked. Who? I dont need that crap! Look at him. You dont have many friends, so be nice to him. Dont worry about it! And why are you holding that? I told you not to clean! Kid. How can I be the only one not working when everyone else is? You dont have to! Where is that rule? Cleaning this house is my job, just like drawing is yours. Damn it. I dont know how long she ns to work with her bad back. She could have delegated the chores to someone else, but it was frustrating to see a member of the Marso family holding a dustpan and a rag. From now on, your job is to drink tea and do yoga. Got it? *** How do you like it? Isnt it lovely? Henri Marso was speechless at Pierre Malos question. He had handed over and to Michelle and received Hoons sunflower signature as a gift. He never expected him to make a frame for it. The ck-painted wood exuded elegance. Its a paint made from the sap collected from ebony trees. Doesnt it make Hoons yellow sunflower stand out more? Henri Marso, who had been momentarily broken, shook his head. Didnt I ask you to put it in something moderate? You cant put such a cute picture in a ready-made product. Besides, its something that Mr. Marso especially loves, so I made it as a bonus. Its my gift to you. Henri Marso reluctantly epted Hoons sunflower signature. Hello, this is Bing. I can help you with editing and tranting your web novel text. Here is my suggested version in English: The sunflowers yellow color stood out more thanks to the frame that Pierre Malo had made himself. He smiled and showed Henri Marso and . There are many great works this year. Ive already taken care of ten works by Hoon and Mr. Marso. Oh, you also gave me by Go Su-yeol, right? It has to be splendid. Henri Marso emphasized. He trusted Pierre Malos skills and didnt make any special requests, but , which would decorate the modern gallery of the Marso Museum first, had to be adorned magnificently. Pierre Malo chuckled. He could see through Henris thoughts. When will you give me the work? Hoon is booked for next week. Henri Marso looked at him and Arsen stepped in. We agreed to receive it after the London schedule. Its scheduled for February next year. Pierre Malo nodded and wrote down Henri Marsos name and on the schedule. You look a bit tired. Are you busy because of the Arnuvo contest? Henri Marso was surprised. But he soon judged that Pierre Malo, who didnt know about his participation in the contest, didnt ask with any other intention. It was a really brilliant idea. A contest decided by aplete vote. There were 1,700 applicants, right? The number of applicants itself was not particrlyrge, but the fact that they were all well-known and recognized people proved the status of the Arnuvo contest. Its also cool that they only reveal the title of the work. They want to judge by the work itself, not by the fame of the painter. Im sure more people will get the opportunity. Fairly. Pierre Malo continued to chat. But I wonder if they wont recognize it. There are also artists with strong personalities like Mr. Marso. It would be fun to find out what kind of painting Hoon will participate in, but Im sorry that I found out in advance. Pierre Malo looked at Henri Marso, who was listening silently. Are you really okay? Im fine. Youre not very talkative, but youre more taciturn today. Pierre Malo stroked his mustache and observed Henri Marso. He was worried that he was troubled by the recent SNBA member expulsion incident that had been making a lot of noise. But he soon decided that he was not someone to worry about. He thought it was because he had a lot of things to take care of, such as the Marso Museum, the Arnuvo contest, and the SNBA 2028 Salon. You should rest well today. Pierre Malo sincerely wished the hero of the French art world well. This summer. He expressed his affection and respect for him, who had been working hard to prepare for cleaning up the art world stained by bribery, corruption, and criticism. Im rooting for you, Eroica. Chapter 165: Eroica (1) Chapter 165: Eroica (1) Chapter 165 Eroica (1) Painter Jean Jericho was furious. He had been a member of SNBA for years, never missing a payment or buying a single piece of clothing, but he had never qualified for the Antermittang benefit. He had been waiting for the news that he had met the eligibility criteria this year, but instead he got a rejection letter. He went to the headquarters of SNBA, hoping to make a scene, when he heard an unexpected announcement from the receptionist. What did you just say? Congrattions. You will receive this months support fund by the end of this week. Jean Jericho was dumbfounded. He couldnt believe that SNBA, which had ignored his work and photos for so long, had approved his application so easily. Are you kidding me? But his anger didnt subside in an instant. What? Come on, you know what I mean. Ive submitted so many documents before, but you ignored them. Why are you processing it so easily now? Am I being yed with? Do you look down on me because I have no money? The receptionist calmly listened to his rant and apologized. Im sorry. He felt like a child. He felt awkward when the young receptionist, who was much younger than him, bowed his head. As you said, there were some ws in the evaluation of the Antermittang system until now. Hmm. I know its inconvenient, but if you submit the evidence that you met the eligibility criteria before, we will pay you retroactively. Please understand. Jean Jericho doubted his ears. He wondered if it was possible to get the support fund that he should have receivedst year and the year before. He also wondered where the evidence that he had submitted before had gone. You want me to submit the same thing again? The staff who was in charge of the matter lost the previous data. Im very sorry. He couldnt trust the receptionists words. He couldnt tell how much he should believe. He couldnt believe that the French National Art Association had lost its administrative data. How can you lose that? Im sorry. The young receptionist bowed his head. He looked tired. He must have graduated from college not long ago. He reminded him of his son who was working, and he couldnt be harsh anymore. The receptionist apologized again. All the staff of SNBA are working hard to correct the mistake. Please trust us one more time. Jean Jericho left the headquarters of SNBA. He opened the guide document among the people who were entering with confidence. He saw that he would receive 12,050 euros, which he should have received this year, in a lump sum on Wednesday next week, and that he would be eligible for the Antermittang benefit until the end of this year. It was a lot of money that he could use to deal with urgent matters. His phone rang. It was his colleague, Nasim Mimouni. They had be close friends after being expelled from the association a month ago,forting each other. Hey. -What are you doing? Wait a minute. Why? -I just called to talk. If youre okay,e to my ce. He had some good news to share, so Jean Jericho dly epted. He felt like he could drink some good Benedictine today. A littleter. Jean Jericho bought a bottle of Fcamp Benedictine and went to see Nasim Mimouni. He was about to share his good news with his friend, but he had to hold his tongue when he heard his friendsints. How the hell is this country running? Why? Theyre not satisfied with cutting off the support fund, they want me to spit it out. Damn it. He was shocked to hear that the government was reiming the unemployment benefits that he had received through Antermittang. It was very different from what he had heard from SNBA. No. Why? Youve been receiving it well until now. Its all because of that bastard Marso. Think about it. Why did the system that was working well be like this? Hes just being spiteful because he cant have it his way. Jean Jericho couldnt react to anyones words. He didnt know who was right. Why. Whats wrong? No. Just Tsk tsk. You should have some sense of crisis. Nasim Mimouni straightened his posture. So, heres the thing. We have to protect our rights, dont we? What do you mean? How long are we going to be treated like this? Didnt you hear what Jerome Kerbier said on TV? I saw it. It was a big shock to the whole of France when Jerome Kerbier, who had been the secretary of SNBA, voluntarily left the association. It was because of the oppressive attitude that Henri Marso had shown at the SNBA board meeting. SNBA is rotten now. Lets make a real association for artists. Jean Jericho hesitated, and Nasim Mimouni shook his head in frustration. Youre still fooled by him? Hes just doing whatever he wants. The hero of Antermittang? Give me a break. There are over 500,000 members, but how many of them received it? Only 140,000. He raised his poprity and got donations by saying he would give benefits to all artists. Huh? Isnt that just filling his pockets? Jean Jericho couldnt erase his doubts as he listened to Nasim Mimounis words. He was going to receive all the support funds that he hadnt received until now from SNBA next week. Nasim Mimounis words were very different from that. Actually, I was on my way back from SNBA. What? They said they would give me the support fund. All the ones I didnt get. Nasim Mimouni was surprised. He had been trying to gather people around him to make a new group with the expelled ones, but he didnt expect SNBA to move so quickly. Nasim cut him off, not wanting to give him time to think otherwise. Look at this frustrating guy. Hes trying to calm down the public opinion. Dont you know that? Jean Jericho was skeptical. Do you think theyre giving me that money just to shut me up? But his doubt had no effect on Nasim Mimouni. He thought Henri Marso was too rich to pay tens of thousands of euros to hundreds of thousands of members who had never received unemployment benefits, just to overturn public opinion. Come on, you know whats going to happen. Once things calm down, theyll go back to the way they were. Jean remained silent at Nasims words. The criticism of Henri Marso, who had been revered as a hero, after more than 3,000 members were expelled. The Antermittang system that was back on track. Jean Jericho kept thinking that he might have been wrong about something. I should ask other people. * Pierre Malo, who met countless artists every day, was sensitive to the trends. The artists who visited Chardon had great influence in their fields, and some of them gave Pierre Malo various information directly or indirectly. The visitors who came to buy ready-made products without dealing with Pierre Malo directly also told stories through the staff. The most talked-about topictely was the expanded and retroactive Antermittang. Pierre Malo, who was curious about the increase in sales of ready-made products, received an unexpected tip. I wanted to get a Chardon frame for myself, since I had some extra money. Extra money? Pierre Malo stroked his mustache. Yes, I think its thanks to Antermittang. Some people received up to 20,000 euros. I feel more stable financially, so I can pay attention to things like frames and tools. Speaking of which, I think Elles customers have increased too. Another staff member mentioned Elle, a painting shop two blocks away. It was a ce that made and sold brushes, and it had a long history like Chardon. As the artists pockets became fuller, the rted industries also gained vitality. Of course. Pierre Malo nodded his head, recalling Henri Marso, who emphasized the normalization of Antermittang more than anything else. And he felt sorry that the positive flow of the market that should have happened four years ago had only started now. Ring- ring- Yes? Pierre Malo answered the inte. -Mr. Go Suyeol and Mr. Go Hoon, the artists, are here to see you. Please show them to the reception room. Ill be there in five minutes. Pierre Malo looked around with a smile. The staff noticed that they had to finish the meeting and listened carefully. The trend will get better for a while. Lets think about how to increase the sales of the low-price line for the next agenda. Pierre Malo wanted to extend this wave that started from Henri Marso as much as possible. He hoped that the tide would get stronger if possible. First of all, lets sell all the products except the ones we make ourselves at a 10% discount from tomorrow. What? The staff were surprised. The products that the artisans of Chardon made themselves were excluded, but all the products that Chardon produced were another work of art with their artistic spirit. They had refused even the basic sales methods such as discounts, points, and bonuses with that spirit. They couldnt believe Pierre Malos decision. Is that okay? Mr. Malo, Im sorry to say this, but wouldnt some people doubt our work? I think differently. It could be an opportunity to build a closer rtionship with the painters. Wouldnt it be better to move the high-price products to the front? They have more choices now that they have some money. No. Theyre not in a position to spend it all at once, even if they received the support fund. Or it could give the impression that were after the unemployment benefits they barely got. Pierre Malo looked at the staff who were discussing among themselves with satisfaction. Then Ill go first. Okay. Thank you for your hard work. So, Mr. Malo, youre saying that we should give discounts to the people who didnt visit Chardon because of the price. You mean to make a rtionship with them. And to make theme back. Pierre Malo hurried his steps. He was excited to see the new work that Go Hoon brought. He felt like he was flying, feeling the good wave that came to France. Mr. Go Suyeol, Mr. Go Hoon. Pierre Malo opened the reception room door wide. Malo. Go Hoon, who had gained some weight since a month ago, turned around with a macaron from Pierre Herm in his mouth. Oh, monsieur. How lovely you are. Pierre Malo greeted Go Hoons cheeks alternately. Have you been well? Of course. Very happily. Pierre Malo also greeted Go Suyeol. You both look a bit tanned. Ha ha. We got sunburned at the beach. After exchanging some pleasantries, Pierre Malo didnt hide his desire to see Go Hoons new work. I cant wait any longer. Is that it? Yes. Go Hoon unwrapped the package. Pierre Malo, who was soothing his excited heart by stroking his mustache, lit up his eyes when he saw Go Hoons . Oh l l. Chapter 166: Eroica (2) Chapter 166: Eroica (2) Chapter 166 Eroica (2) It was the sea. For a moment, I felt like I had fallen into the middle of the sea, where the waves were rippling. Every time I moved my eyes, blue fish were darting around. The movement of the school of fish, forming a circle around a point, was lively like the waves. How unique. The swaying waves had a three-dimensional effect, as if I was looking at them from the side. But it was a view from above the water. What kind of magic did you use? Pierre Malo wondered how he could achieve such an effect with a simple repeating pattern. He took a step closer. His eyes were drawn to the white pattern that repeated between the fish. The white pattern blended with the fish, creating the impression of broken waves with white foam. Thats why I could tell it was the sea, even without water. Pierre Malo wanted to feel the fantastic experience that gave him more closely, so he leaned his face in. Ah. An exmation came out of him. The white part that he thought was the soup of the waves turned out to be a brush when he looked at it closely.1) The fish were all the same shape, but the brushes that existed between them were slightly different. He used the paint very roughly, so the brush marks were clearly visible. The ends were split, and sometimes they soaked up so much paint that they covered the fish. The secret to making the simple fish pattern look dynamic was the optical illusion. How cool. Pierre Malo was bewildered. There were some painters who had moved his heart so far. But pletely overturned the impression he had received from Go Hoon. Could you draw such a picture? , , , , etc. Go Hoon had always found meaning in things that could be seen in reality. Go Hoons strength was his unique vision and his ability to express it in a powerful image. But what about ? An image that could not exist in reality. An abstract work that meticulously conceived the reality of the waves. Anyone could understand it and it invited the viewer to the middle of the sea in the most effective way. He had known and lived with many geniuses, but he had to admit it. This person, who conveyed a wonder that he had never experienced before, was a painter sent by heaven. Concept art work helped me. Go Hoon opened his mouth. Concept art? "Yes. It was fun to show the reality in a twisted way. I got inspiration from M for theposition. And Escher and Bazzarelli too."2) The boy broke and rebuilt himself through the works ofter generations. He was interested in the unique and newposition of Edouard Ms . And in the process of drawing the concept art of the movie , he went through countless trials and errors and expanded his realm of ideas. That experience was the basis of . The boy wanted to convey the feeling he got from the wavy sea, so he thought endlessly with various optical principles. And in the end, he amazed the craftsmen who had seen many masterpieces. Pierre Malo was immersed in his long admiration again after hearing Go Hoons words. How far did you think? The brush marks that Go Hoon left looked like broken waves, but at the same time, they were interpreted as expressing many brushes. Could it be a coincidence that he submitted such a work to the Art Nouveaupetition, where many painters participated with their dreams and passions? The sight of each movement gathering and forming a big wave felt like an artist participating in the Art Nouveaupetition. How different can it be? Pierre Malo thought of another genius. He was ahead of anyone else, and he formed a big wave with those who followed him. He was a heroic existence. On the other hand, the genius in front of him was with many people, and hemunicated with them and constantly influenced each other. The two geniuses who caused the big trend of this era had such different attitudes toward art. Pierre Malo was lost in deep thought about what had happened in France for thest month and . He thought of the heroic dictator and the republican. How long had it been? Its difficult. He finally opened his heavy mouth. I dont know if I can find the frame for this work. The frame was a puzzle for Pierre Malo. Making a frame was the process of finding the one piece that each work should have. Go Hoon smiled brightly. If Malo cant find it, no one can. Pierre Malo shook his head at the boys smile. Thats true. He couldnt get a grip on it, but at the same time, he felt apetitive spirit. How many times would he meet in his life? He didnt want to miss this work. It might take some time, so please wait patiently. When was the deadline? November 10th. Ill try to get it ready by the 1st. Go Hoon trusted Pierre Malo, whose frame for was so perfect. Please. A littleter. After seeing off Go Hoon and Goh Soo-yeol, Pierre Malo couldnt take his eyes off . Then he suddenly wondered how Henri Marso would see this picture. They seemed to get along well sometimes, but they didnt get close to each other. Wasnt it because of this difference in thought? He wanted to hear his appreciation. Itll be fine. Although many flying and rising painters participated, Pierre Malo dared to assert. The grand prize of this Art Nouveaupetition could not be anything but . Among the many works, it was the one that caught the eye, moved the heart, and felt the depth. He thought it was natural. Ring- Ring- Pierre Malo turned on the inte. Who is it? -Sir, someone came to visit you with a letter of rmendation from Chairman Chevasson. Who is it? It seemed that his identity was not confirmed. But it was none other than Simon Chevasson, the chairman of SNBA, who wrote a letter of rmendation for him, so I was willing to meet him. What can I do for you? -A production request. Hmm. Please show me. I called an employee and ordered him to move inside. A few momentster, an old man with a bent back entered the reception room, guided by the employee. He must have been around seventy. He looked cautious and weary. I was surprised to see that the old man was a painter. Please have a seat. Im Pierre Malo. Thank you. The employee ced the old mans painting and Chairman Chevassons letter of rmendation on the table and left. Hmm. Chairman Chevasson, who introduced the old man as an old friend, didnt ask me to make a frame, but just to look at the painting. It was a request that I could easily ept, but the afterglow of the best work remained, and I didnt think I would be impressed by any painting at this point. I took a deep breath and exhaled to clear my mind a little. May I look at the work? Yes. I unwrapped the package with his permission. What is the title? "Beaut."3) The moment the 30P canvas revealed its full appearance, I couldnt move. My hand stopped, and only my eyes and heart were stirred. A ray of light piercing the darkness illuminated a man. He wore a pure white cape and gold-trimmed shoes, and he faced forward with dignity. How? I was astonished. The canvas and paint couldnt possibly shine, but the old mans work was clearly dazzling. The contrast of light and shadow that leaked through the gaps of his body made the work seem to glow. Who is he? I couldnt not know the person who drew this picture. The person whopleted this work couldnt be unknown in the art world, but the old man was someone I saw for the first time today. Who is this person? The character in the work was only seen from behind, so I couldnt tell who he was. A transcendent who pierced the darkness with the light that shone on him. There was a sublime feeling that made me wonder if it was a work rted to some religion. The title had many meanings, and people pursued different aesthetics, but I was sure that no one would fail to find beauty in this work. I would like to ask you to make a frame. The old man, who had been waiting calmly, opened his mouth. He was neither humble nor arrogant. I barely regained my reason. Did you paint this, sir? The old man didnt answer. He didnt deny or affirm, he just watched me. If I urged him to answer, he seemed to leave at any moment, so I turned my breath and exined. Im also interested in this work. Id love to make it for you. But it might take some time, is that okay? As long as its by 4 p.m. on November 10th, anytime is fine. November 10th? I recalled the conversation I had with Go Hoon a while ago. The deadline for submitting works to the Art Nouveaupetition was November 10th. The old man didnt seem to want to talk about anything unrted to the frame, so I didnt bother to confirm. Yes. Pleasee by in the morning of the 10th and Ill have it ready. I looked at it again and nodded. I turned on the tablet and carefully selected the materials I needed. It wasnt easy. If I hesitated to grasp the feeling of Go Hoons , I was afraid to damage the old mans , which was so firm. I repeated what I had said to Go Hoon. Ill ask for the payment when you receive it. Thank you. The old man nodded affirmatively and left his contact information before leaving the store with difficulty. Only after his figure disappeared from sight did I return to the two works and ponder. I had asserted that he would win. But now I couldnt find him anymore. What is this light? I was curious about the reason why it shone. I couldnt achieve this effect with any paint or material I knew. No. I sighed softly as I found a clue from a distant memory. There were some things of the Chinese emperor that emitted this light. But even the ones that were stored in the museum were discolored or lost their light, while his was iparably bright. If he could find something like this. He was perfect in conceiving, preparing, and expressing his work. The best frame maker in France couldnt believe that he didnt know such a painter. I really dont know. ***
    1. A surfing term. The part where the waves break and turn white with foam.
    1. douard M, Maurits Cornelis Escher, Victor Vassarely
    1. Beaut (Fr): beauty.
The beauty of things, bodies. A beautiful person. Chapter 167: Eroica (3) Chapter 167: Eroica (3) Chapter 167 Eroica (3) Protect the artists livelihood! Help those who were unjustly expelled! Henri Marso, resign! When I arrived in Paris, I realized that the situation was more serious than I thought. There were banners denouncing Henri Marso everywhere on the streets. In front of the Louvre Museum, a lot of people were protesting against the SNBAs misdeeds. I had some idea of what was going on from the news, but it was shocking. Its not good. Grandfather clicked his tongue. Its a hard time to be together. I felt the same way. Having been exposed to the film industry, I knew how small the art market was. It was very rare for a single artists work to be traded for billions of won. That was not helpful for the painters lives. ording to Bang Tae-ho, 80 percent of the money traded in the art marketst year was for the works of dead people. The current art world is not a structure where living people can make money. Even the art world treats paintings as investment objects, and focuses on attracting investors, so they can no longer do creative work and produce scarce works. That is, the works of dead or elderly painters are the only ones that sell well. Thats why I think there should be more people like grandfather, Jang Mi-rae, Henri Marso, and Fernando Gonzalez. The more people who are loved by the public, the more people who will enter the art world. People who liked grandfathers work would visit the museum and see other artists works, and gradually expand their territory, and then capital would naturally follow. Money always follows where people gather. The fundamental solution for active painters to pursue a stable life is not support policies, but more people who see paintings. Painters should pursue diverse values to satisfy them. Arguing about who is wrong and who is right will only shrink the market. Do you think they really opposed and expelled him? If you only look at the surface, it seems that way. But you can imagine what you cant see. Grandfather was right. If you leave the incident as it is, it is true that Henri Marso kicked out those who raised their gs against him. However, recently, there have been reports that the beneficiaries of the Antermittant system have increased explosively. Some exin this as an action to appease public opinion, but on the other hand, you can also wonder if there was any problem within the SNBA. Anyway, Ill find out if I ask directly. I received an invitation from Madame Sherry Gado, so Im going to have a conversation with her. I saw the Pont Neuf station. Im supposed to meet her here. Grandfather will take you there. No, you have work to do. Im worried, thats why. I checked the time and it was 11:30. He had a meeting with the Louvre Museum at 12 oclock about the touring exhibition, but it took longer than expected in Chardon. If I went back and forth from Marceaus mansion, which was 50 minutes away, I would miss the appointment time. You have to go now. Its okay. We agreed to meet at 12 oclock. Grandfather hesitated and packed up. Do you know the hotel address? Yes. Do you have your wallet and phone? Yes. You have to call me if anything happens. Dont follow strangers. Dont worry. Im not a kid. You are a kid. Are you an adult? I had nothing to say. I cant do it. Lets stay together until Gado arrives, even if Imte. No, you said you have to keep your promise. Please go. If we kept talking like this, it would be 12 oclock, so I got out of the car. Grandfather reluctantly asked me. Call me when you meet Gado. Tell me you met her. I will. He seemed to call the police if I didnt contact him, so I promised to do so, and then the other side of the street became noisy. Its Henri! Kyaaa! I turned my head and saw Henri Marso kicking his car. I guess Marceau came out instead. Yeah. Have fun ande back. Grandfather sighed and drove away. Why isnt heing? Meanwhile, Henri Marso, who entrusted to Arsen, was having a boring time in the car. It was partly because Pierre Malo was captivated by , and partly because Arsen had arranged aplicated route to hide the fact that Henri Marso was the one who painted . It would take a while to remove the disguise ande back. Henri Marso couldnt stand the boredom and tried to call Arsen, but gave up. Arsen usually carried his smartphone and all his belongings, so he had no way of contacting him. He was also hungry. Tsk. Henri Marso got out of the car, unable to bear the frustration. Wow. Its Henri! Hes cool. As a celebrity, people who met him on the street madements and observed Henri Marso. Why are you here? Did youe alone? Is it because of the protest? He could hear the protest against Henri Marso from the Louvre Museum in the distance. He came out because he was suffocated, but he thought it would be better than facing the annoying situation, and tried to open the car door. ? Thud thud- Henri Marso was startled. He didnt even know what kind of locking device was on the car, which Arsen usually drove and managed. Why is this happening? People around him startedughing. What? You cant get in? Why? Dont you have the key? Henri Marso pressed his vein on the handle. What are you doing? Expensive cars scan your vein to unlock. Really? Thats amazing. But no matter how many times he repeated, the warning light only blinked, indicating that it was not recognized. He wondered if the sensor on the back door was broken, and tried once around the car, but it was useless. Damn it. He suddenly remembered that he had told Arsen to register his vein because he was toozy to do it himself. He had no way out. I guess it doesnt work. How cute. Henri Marso clenched his teeth. He felt so embarrassed to beughed at by the people in front of him that he wanted to scrap the car that caused him shame. He kicked the car to vent his anger, and the rm went off loudly. He was already bored and annoyed, and his shallow patience ran out. Lets go. Just then, Go Hoon crossed the street. Henri Marso looked at him with curiosity. What? Why are you here? Didnt Ie to pick you up? What are you talking about? I was supposed to meet Sherry Gado here. He recalled what the nanny Sherry Gado had said a few days ago. She had told him not to invite him, but he seemed to have decided toe anyway. Yeah? When did you agree to meet? In 30 minutes. Henri Marso couldnt stand this situation for 30 minutes, so he looked at Go Hoon. Do you have money? Money? We just need to get out of here. Yeah. There, thatll do. Henri Marso pointed to a cafe near the station. It was a cheap cafe that onlymoners frequented, but he thought it was better than the street. Dont you have money? Go Hoon, who didnt know the situation, asked with curiosity. Thats how it is. Do you have it or not? I do, but. Go Hoon took out his sponge cake wallet. He had a card, but he also had five 20-euro bills that his grandfather Go Suyeol had exchanged for him as emergency money. Why do you only carry that much? This is enough. Next time, carry more. How can you drink or eat with that? Its enough for me. What about me? Why do I have to take care of you? As soon as they met, they started to bicker, and the people who were watching them started to murmur. Is he borrowing money now? He must be broke. Henri Marso? Go Hoon frowned at their words. He was already ufortable that Henri Marso, who had been caught up in various troubles, was misunderstood again. Why are you doing that? Dont you want to give him money? Henri Marso scowled and asked. Why are you making that face? Because youre saying weird things. Then smile. How can I smile? Smile. Youre making it look weirder because of you. Go Hoon tried to force a smile, but it didnt work as he wanted. Fortunately, the people who understood the situation enjoyed their banter. Chuckle. Smile. He talks like hes stealing money. Yeah. Hehe. Go Hoon, who was worried about Henri Marso, didnt find their conversation funny. Im not stealing. Im not a thug, so dont misunderstand. Why are you saying the obvious! Henri Marso shouted angrily. They misunderstand. He was already attacked by many people, and he was worried that Henri Marso would give them another excuse. Im giving it to you. Go Hoon handed all the bills he had to Henri Marso. See? Im not stealing. Im not a trashy person who steals money from people. Then why are you saying the obvious! Why are you giving this to me? You have to clear up the misunderstanding. They say youre a trashy human being who steals money from teenagers. They didnt say that much! Take it back! Why are you getting angry when I say youre not that kind of person! Use it! Take it! Eeeek! Henri Marso grabbed Go Hoons wrist and headed to the cafe. * [Billionaire Henri Marso borrows money on the street?] [Henri Marso bankrupt?] [Go Hoon, Ill say it again, I didnt give it to him, I gave it to him.] [Go Hoon, Henri Marso is not a thug.] This morning, Henri Marso and Go Hoon showed off their friendship again near the Pont Neuf station. Go Hoon, who was passing by, found Henri Marso, who couldnt get into his car for some reason, and helped him. The person who was at the scene said that Henri Marso had left his wallet behind and tried to borrow money from Go Hoon. In the process, Go Hoon, who was worried about the misunderstanding, asked the citizens, Hes not a trashy human being who steals money from teenagers. It was an asion to know how Go Hoon usually thinks of Henri Marso, and it was confirmed that the two were still special to each other. Meanwhile, the two argued again over whether they rented the entire cafe at the Pont Neuf station. Chapter 168: Eroica (4) Chapter 168: Eroica (4) Chapter 168 Eroica (4) Why do you keep saying nonsense when you just need juice? This is a ridiculous situation for me to be here! Stop nagging and pay up! Are you crazy? You want me to pay you 1,000 euros for a 5-euro drink? Are you getting short with me? Short is what you think! Why did you say you would give me 1,000 euros? Is it your money? 1,000 euros per hour is cheap! Not for me! No, not for anyone! What are you going to do with all the money you earned? Are you feeling sorry for yourself? Go freeze to death! What are you going to do? The owner is waiting! Hes excited! Henry Marso, who couldnt stand being in the same ce as the citizens, forced himself. The cafe owner, who was gloomy because of theck of customers, was overjoyed by the 1,000 euros that Henry Marso offered for renting the cafe for an hour. Huh. Go Hoon, who was excited, calmed down with difficulty. Theres only 10 minutes left. Arent you ashamed to be seen by people? Dont cause any more trouble and quietly drink your soda and leave. Is this my fault? If you had rented it quietly, they wouldnt have gathered like that! What did you hear! I dont have that kind of money! Why not? Go Hoon scratched his head. He had regained his peace with a loving family and sess as a painter, and a heartwarming experience. But as he argued with Henry Marso, his old temper came out. Yeah! I have it! I have a lot of money! You bought my painting and I got rich! Now youre making sense. Hurry up and pay. I didnt make any sense! They fought without even ordering for a while. The people who came to watch the fight between Go Hoon and Henry Marso ordered drinks and snacks. The cafe owner wished that the two would fight for as long as possible without renting the cafe. Oh my. Oh my. What a mess. Excuse me. Ill go in. Then a middle-aged woman broke through the crowd and entered the cafe. Sheri! Yumo! Go Hoon and Henry Marso greeted her warmly. A momentter. Go Hoon and Henry Marso, who got into Sheri Gados mini cooper, turned their heads and opened their mouths. Did you have a good time? Yes. Did you have a good time, Sheri? Of course. You look healthy and nice to see. Sheri Gado nced at Henry Marso and scolded him. No matter how happy you are, thats not how you do it. What are you going to do if you do that in a crowded ce? Happy? Whats so happy! Henry Marso, who had run out of patience, was annoyed. His knees touched the passenger seat and he couldnt sitfortably. I came here worried and youre talking nonsense as soon as I see you. Go Hoon muttered as if to make him hear. A guy who cant even pay 1,000 euros is worried about others. You came here to eat. Henry Charles Ferdinand Marso. Sheri Gado called him in a stern voice and Henry Marso licked his lips and shut his mouth. Did you have lunch, Hoon? I made blueberry tart. Really? Go Hoon brightened up at the mention of blueberry tart. See? You came here to eat. Henry. Henry Marso bit his tongue. Sheri Gado tried to calm down her unruly son. By the way, wheres Arsene? Werent you going out together? I dont know. Henry Marso remembered the thing he had forgotten while fighting with Go Hoon. Arsene, who was startled by the shoe marks on the car that Henry Marso had disappeared from, was stunned. He thought that all this happened because he waste. *** Before lunch. Sheri Gado brought the blueberry tart. Her skill was still the same and it was the most perfect tart. She thought that the custard cream she made herself should bemercialized. If she sold it at a reasonable price, she would be rich in no time. Do you have time to do this? Henry Marso asked with his chin propped up. Why? Contest. I finished it. I was on my way to meet him. Do you think you can do it with what you drew? You should keep drawing until the deadline. You said before that you wouldnt participate unless you win. Hmph. It was a wonder how the blueberry pulp felt so fresh when it was baked in the oven. That was then. Im confident. What? It came out well. Grandpa also liked it. He red at him quietly as if he had a secret. Thats that. What happened? What? SNBA. What are you talking about? He snorted when he mentioned the French National Art Association. Its none of your business. How can I not care? The Antermittang system is a welfare system that all artists in the world long for. All artists think that they have to be economically independent someday, but he knows better than anyone how desperate they are for a stable livelihood until they are recognized. Henry Marso loosened his hand and leaned back on the chair. What are you curious about? Why are you fighting? How is throwing away trash a fight? Sometimes he forgets, but when he talks to this person, he has to put asidemon sense and convention. He has to ask at eye level tomunicate. Why are they trash? They used the money I gave them to share among themselves. How dare they use my money. It was a misunderstanding, as usual. If what he said was true, then the French artists who criticized Henri Marso and protested on the streets were the ones who should be condemned. Isnt there any evidence? There is. Then why dont you tell? Henri Marso looked at me sharply and asked in a serious voice. Who am I? I wanted to say he was a rich gangster, but I shrugged my shoulders because I didnt want to fight for nothing. Im not a politician or a person who works for the association. Im not a police officer or a judge, either. I nodded, agreeing with him. Many people are mistaken, but you should know. Dont expect anything from me other than art. I dont care about helping others or realizing justice or anything like that. I think I know what he means. He often said, Im not that. He thought that way because of that. But this situation is a little different. Youre being harmed. You have to defend yourself. Harm? Henri Marso tilted his head andughed. Did I get hurt? No? Let them talk as they please. My fans dont blink an eye. Do you think the people who see my work, hear my voice, and know me will listen to the beasts noise? No way. Hes a strange person, but I envy his attitude. He deeply trusts the people who support him. He believes that the rtionship he has with his work will not break. He has a strong pride and self-esteem, and he means that his fans who like him will not be swayed by nonsense. When I think about it, he loved his fans terribly, even with his dog-like personality. Sometimes I feel his ego is too big, but thats what drives him forward without shaking. Thats right. I admit it. He has shown his skills and results many times. Whats with you all of a sudden? Because its true. But Im worried about the problem he overlooks. Fans are fine, but there are other people, too. Can you guarantee that they wont be swayed? The people who support Henri Marso may not be shaken by his faith. But among the people who are neither his allies nor enemies, there will be people who take their lies as facts. Its not easy to change a fixed notion. It wont change even if I step up. Henri Marso twisted his head and said. They wont admit it no matter how much I say Im great. Its only when the majority of people say its great. Its the same as my grandfathers view of art. Do you think theyll believe me if I say Im right with my own mouth? Then? I have to make the majority of people shut up. He seems to have thought of something, contrary to his worries. 3,000 people. Yeah. Lets say 30,000 people believe their words. Unless I catch them all and torture them, that number wont change. Then? I just have to make the rest of the 700,000 people mine. It seems that the current poption of French artists is about 730,000.1) How? 400,000 people who were excluded from the benefit due to unfair evaluation will receive unemployment benefits from this week. Hes talking about Antermittang. Its the beginning. Next year, all artists will receive it. Not only employment insurance, but the association foundation will also pay half of the medical insurance costs. Where does all that moneye from? Its noting, its the money that was already there. Henri Marso swallowed his kale juice. "Its enough to go around if the thieves disappear. 30% of GDP is social security costs. Theres no shortage."2) I wondered if he was spending his own money, but it didnt seem like it. It seems that this kind of thing is possible in Europe, which is rumored to be rich. Youre doing well politically, even though you said you dont. Its a right exercise. Henri Marso never linked his actions to politics. He drew a line as an act of exercising his rights as an artist. But if his actions can benefit 730,000 artists, it doesnt matter what he says. No. The 3,000 people who were expelled from the association and those who followed him will be excluded. Its no use talking aboutplicated things. You just have to make them recognize the fact that they can eat and who gives it to them. Youll be misunderstood if you say that. Its a misunderstanding because he talks as if he treats people as livestock. No. Henri Marso put down his ss. The people who are really treated like pigs know who they are. They are the people who drag you to the gallows if you dont like them. The people of this country. He seems to have thought of everything, worrying about this and that. I dont think I need to worry. So what are you doing these days? What do you mean? Im working. What kind of work? Huh? What kind of work are you doing? Just. He answered vaguely. Let me see it. I havent seen you in a long time. No. Why. You know when I say no. I dont know what treasure he hid, but its expensive. I want to see it more when he refuses and turns red. Are you kidding me? What? You tell others to do their best, to do their best. Henri Marsos face twisted. He didnt flinch when the expelled people provoked him, but he reacted well at this time. Hes cute. **** 1)This is a footnote exining the process of predicting the French artistic poption in 2028. You dont have to read it. ording to the Analysis of the Status of Cultural and Artistic Statistics in Major Countries report analyzed by the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute in 2010, the number of cultural and artistic workers in France in 2007 was 490,500. However, the report states on page 13 that the perception of the number of artists is different depending on the survey point and standard of each country, so there is a possibility of misunderstanding if only the numbers arepared, and there is a high possibility of error due to the difference in standards. In addition, Pierre Michel Menger analyzed the growth rate of French artisticbor force in Les artistes en quantits. Ce que sociologues et conomistes sapprennent sur le travail et les professions artistiques on page 205. From 1982 to 1990, the number of cultural and artistic workers increased by 37%, and from 1990 to 1999, it increased by 19%. From 1999 to 2005, it increased by 16%, showing a growth rate close to 20% in the 2000s. He also exined that it increased 4.5 times faster than the totalbor force in France, and in 2005, it reached the position of upying 2% of the total workers in France. Assuming that the 2010s and 2020s proceeded in a simr trend, if the number of cultural and artistic workers in 2007 was 490,500, it would be inferred that about 706,320 people would be active as cultural and artistic workers in 2028, the time of the work, if it grew by 20% every 10 years. Since it is a novel set in the near future, there is no statistical data to find, and it is the authors own estimated figure, and the poption change, artistic environment change, etc. are not considered. 2)In 2016, Frances social security allowance reached 714.5 billion euros (about 954 trillion won), 32.1% of GDP. Source: France, the highest social security cost in Europe, confirms efficiency, , 2018.06.27, Jeon Eun-jung reporter Chapter 169: Eroica (5) Chapter 169: Eroica (5) Chapter 169 Eroica (5) Ive never seen anything like this before. I was captivated by the golden color that Henri Marso showed me. It was more elegant and refined than any color I had ever seen or imagined. I never thought there could be such a beautiful golden color. What is this? Its from your country. I dont know. I looked at the work that Henri Marso was working on again. It was a painting of many people following behind Henri Marso, who was wearing a pure white cape. It was the first time that Henri Marso had painted someone else. The faces of the people were not yet finished, but they were all familiar faces. Michngelo, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, and other great painters recorded in history. I was there too. Now that I saw it, it seemed that the farther away they were from Henri Marso, the older they were, and the closer they were, the more recently they were born. He wanted to say that he was at the forefront of the history of painting. It was a rather arrogant idea, but I couldnt deny it. Every painter summarized and continued the history of painting in their own way. Here. Henri Marso brought a bowl with something in it. It seemed to be the paint that he used to express the end of the cape, the shoes, and the light. What is it called? Orpiment. Orpiment? Henri Marso took out a sheet of paper and applied the orpiment. It was a very bright and clear yellow. "Marco Polo recorded that the armor and tents of Genghis Khan shone like gold." Genghis Khan? The first emperor of Mongolia. I had heard about the Mongol Empire in history ss. He was a great conqueror, but that was not important. I listened quietly as Henri Marso continued to exin. Also, in the Chinese chronicles, it says that orpimentes from three inds in the southwest sea of Baekje, and if you collect the sap in June and apply it to the utensils, it shines like gold. He applied the orpiment several times as he spoke. The bright yellow gradually covered the utensils. "Although it was clearly recorded as existing, no one knew where to find it. Then, in the 90s, it was discovered that it grows in Korea." I had a lot to learn, but I would have known if it was really famous. Recently, it seems to be used more as a health food ingredient than as a paint. Henri Marso added. Unlike me, who had focused on theposition for the past few months, Henri Marso seemed to have focused on the color. Color was an element that contained emotion in itself, and it should not be neglected. This work was meaningful just by using the orpiment perfectly. And with his unique delicate description, it was worthy of being called a masterpiece. I couldnt help but envy his talent, even if I didnt want to. Its amazing. Of course. I borrowed his brush and applied the orpiment myself. The color changed depending on how many times I applied it. It also changed color as it dried. It was not a paint that could be handled in a day or two. It was not unreasonable that Henri Marso had not done any other work while dealing with this. I decided to ask Bang Tae-ho to get it for me when I returned to Korea and learn it calmly. You. Henri Marso spoke to me while I was having fun. You? What did you paint? The sea. Henri Marso frowned. I painted the sea with waves. What is that? I wanted to exin in detail, but I didnt know how to exin it in words. Give it to me. I dont have it. I gave it to Malo. Give it to me. If you want to see it, go and ask him to show you. Ill tell him. It was not fair to hide it only to myself, after showing him such a great work and telling him about the unknown material. I had to tell Malo to show him the Summer Wave when Henri Marso came. Dont joke. Do you think I would go all the way there to see your painting? He said that, but I knew he would go. Huh? It was my sunflower sign. I didnt notice it because I was distracted by Henri Marsos new work, but there was a sunflower sign that I had given to the fans in New York on the table. And it was in a very nice frame. Why. Henri Marso turned around. He quickly ran over and hid it when he saw me looking at the sunflower sign and him alternately. How do you have it? What? My sign. Its not your sign. Yes, it is. No, its not. Did Malo make the frame? No! He got angry when I asked out of curiosity. So how did you get it? Did you buy it? I didnt. If you want it, just ask me. Why did you pay money for it? Shut up. And you asked Malo for the frame too. Henri Marsos eyes shed. Get out! I won. Ding-dong. Ding-dong. The bell rang. It seemed that lunch was ready. I hurried my feet. A littleter. The lunch that Sherry Gado prepared was excellent as always. If she ran a restaurant, I would go all the way to Paris just to eat her food. I had a happy time for about two hours, but Henri Marso just red at me with a sullen expression. He didnt know how valuable and precious this moment was, being happy. If youre done eating, get out. Did Ie here to eat? How can you be like that? Anyone can see that you came here to eat. Where do you think all that goes? Huh? I think I overate a little today. Do you want ice cream? Yes. Sherry Gado gave me a scoop of matcha ice cream as a treat. It was a perfect finish. Sherry Gado scolded Henri Marso. Henri, you should get along well with your friend. Stop it. Im tired enough without that. I was also a little tired from fighting for hours. I was a bit embarrassed after having a great lunch. I hadnt fought with anyone like this since I was born again, but I didnt want to lose to that guy. Its not because I think of him as a human trash or a jerk. On the contrary, I think of him as a really cool leader and a sublime artist. But I dont know why we always end up fighting. When will the yellow ochre painting be finished? Next week. Its not a big canvas, only 30P. It just takes a long time to express the unique color of yellow ochre and depict it in detail. If you want to see more, go to the gallery. Are there more? Yes. I have to stop by the Marso Gallery before I go to Vienna, Austria. How long are you staying? Come and y tomorrow. Donte. My grandfather has some work to do. I think Ill be here until this week. I see. Come anytime. Ill always have blueberry tart ready for you. Why do you bother to prepare that? You dont have to. Ill contact you when I want toe. Oh, this is a gift. I took out the dasik I bought as a gift from my bag. Dont take it. Oh my. How pretty. What is this? Its misutgaru dasik. You can think of it as a Korean traditional dessert. The color is so beautiful. Its good with tea. I also gave a box to Henri Marso, who was peeking. Dont think you can win my favor with this. Then dont. When did I say I dont like it? Sherry Gado brewed ck tea for us to eat the dasik she gave us as a gift. When I ate it with my grandfather, I had it with oolong tea or green tea, but rooibos tea blended with raisins and cocoa also goes well with it. Henri Marso, who has a picky taste, also eats it well. Then youre going back next week. No. Im going to Vienna. Henri Marso, who was eating dasik, turned his head. Why there? To see Gustav Klimts paintings. Thats fine. He nodded his head as he picked up another dasik. He must admit Gustav Klimt. I thought he was a great person because Jiwoo Kim praised him until his mouth dried, but its hard to wait to feel the emotion. Honestly, Ive seen the images a few times by searching a little. Where are you going? Belvedere Museum. Go to Secession too. Secession? Its German. It means separation, and when I searched, it was exined as an art movement centered on Austria in thete 19th century. The building that the people who led it made together is also called Secession, but in Korea, it is tranted as Separatist. Whats there? Murals. Henri Marso exined kindly for a rare asion. The Vienna Secession pursuedprehensive art. They did not stop at exhibiting works, but considered space, music, and movement to decorate the exhibition hall itself as a work of art. It seems like most of them do that these days, but the beginning was the Vienna Secession. The beginning was Max Klinglers Beethoven bust. Ludwig van Beethoven? Who else is there? Henri Marso ate another dasik and said. They all did that then. It was a trend to make works that praised Beethoven. The artists made one or two. Okay. Anyway, back to the point. When they put the Beethoven bust that Max Klingler made in the middle of the exhibition hall and looked at it, they thought it wouldnt be bad to dedicate the whole exhibition hall to Beethoven. Its about setting the theme and nning. Then Klimt painted murals on the walls. It must be a great work since Marso exined it so kindly. It failed. ? "But the fact that its a masterpiece doesnt change. Have you heard Beethovens Ninth Symphony?" He shook his head and Henri Marso looked at him as if he had seen a mouse hit by a carriage. What have you been doing all this time? I might not have heard it. What can you do? Youve heard it, but you dont know it? I havent heard it. Arsene. Arsene! Henri Marso shouted, but Arsene, who was always by his side, was nowhere to be seen. Damn it. Where did he go this time? Without Arsene, Henri rang the bell nervously. Someone else came in. Find a performance of Beethovens Ninth Symphony and book it. Okay. You can find it on YouTube. I have to listen to the live performance. No. Go to Berlin. Thats the best. You said your grandfather has work to do. Just go after its over. I dont even know when it is. I cant stay long in Vienna. Why. I have to go to school. Its been a long time since school started. Im barely filling the limit to go up a grade. Marso looked at me with displeasure and shook his head. Dont you have to exin it to understand it? Whats the rtionship between Klimts mural and Beethovens symphony? Its a work that expresses the Ninth Symphony. I thought it was a work thatmemorated Beethoven, but it seems not to be such a simple painting. *** 1)Eastern Travelogue 2)Mr. Jung Soon-tae discovered it after studying the poem Yellow Ochre by Dasan Jeong Yak-yong. Source: The Mysterious Pigment Yellow Ochre Revived After a Thousand Years, Weekly Dong-A, 2001.02.17, Reporter Choi Young-chul. I wrote this story with reference to the above article. 3)Beethovens Ninth Symphony in D minor Op.125. It is a song that contains peace and humanity, and ismonly called choral. It is a song that has been with world history since its premiere, and Wagner said, The era of symphony ended after Beethovens Ninth Symphony, which had a great influence onter musicians. Chapter 170: Eroica (6) Chapter 170: Eroica (6) Chapter 170 Eroica (6) Jerome Kerbiel, the former SNBA office manager, mmed his desk as he browsed the inte articles. Unlike him, who was desperately struggling and even appeared on TV, Henri Marso was having fun with the kid. I think theyre in cahoots. What do you mean? Theres no way a celebrity would do that on the street. Theyre doing it on purpose to create an issue. Dont badmouth my brother. Hes always been like that. Yeah. Hes not a very thoughtful person. Even if Henri is like that, why is Go Hoon doing that lol He seems to have a temper too. He gave Henri a double p. Theyre both fine when theyre apart, but when they meet, theyre a disaster lol lololol a disaster lololol The situation is weird. Theres a protest against Henri Marso right next to them, and theyre doing that. Maybe they dont care? Even thements were mostly favorable. He felt empty after all the time he had spent trying to rally and secure people who hated Henri Marso by tarnishing his reputation. Jerome Kerbiel wrote ament. Its obvious what theyre doing. How can it be a coincidence that theyre doing that right next to the protest site? What do they gain from doing that? Right lololol They have nothing to gain from fighting with a kid. Theyre trying to create a friendly image. Theyre trying to hide the fact that theyre authoritarian and tyrannical. Oh? Wow, theres a conspiracy theorist here. Its not a conspiracy. Didnt you hear what the guy on TV said? Listen to the meeting recording. Nah, Im not interested. I listened to it and he was only saying the right things. He was angry that the beneficiaries of the Antermittang were still the same even though the scope of the benefits had increased. I dont know much, but isnt that something to be angry about? Thats not the point. You have to see how he treats the board members as he pleases. What are you talking about? Hes questioning them because theyre doing something wrong. Isnt he one of the dismissed people? lol Do you know that the people who couldnt get unemployment benefits got all the money they couldnt get until now? I think he has a point. Hes right to act coercively. Its frustrating. Cant you see that things are getting normalized after they all got fired? Obviously. You can see that theyre giving out the money they didnt give before with all kinds of excuses. Where do you think that money came from? It must mean that those 3,000 people were all embezzling. The artists are all weing him, but the dismissed people are the only onesining lol Sir, I dont know who you are, but please stop. The things youre insisting on as evidence are all wrong. Jerome Kerbiel couldnt type. He didnt know what to say. There were some people who agreed with him, but most of thements were supporting Henri Marso. He couldnt surpass Henri Marso, who didnt do anything, even though he had paid for hundreds of articles and had 3,000 people post and rmend rted posts andments on variousmunity sites. He had given up the name of an artist. And the name of a critic. He was desperate after fighting only with evil. Why. Why He thought he had done enough. He had won severalpetitions and was the envy of everyone when he was an undergraduate. But at some point, everything stopped. His exhibitions were no longer noticed, and he started to work as a critic for a living, but it was only for a while. He had no talent. He thought so and lived inpliance with the SNBA office manager position and a generous sry. He hated Henri Marso, who had taken that position away from him. He resented his ruthlessness, who didnt tolerate even one mistake, even though he had been loyal. He was annoyed by everything about him, who had talent, inherited a huge fortune from birth, was handsome, and got favorable impressions no matter what he did. He felt wronged. He despised himself for not being able to do that. He resented his parents for not giving him wealth and talent, and the public who didnt understand his artistic world were too stupid. Thewyer was the same. He only gave him frustrating answers that he couldnt get acquitted no matter how much he appealed. Jerome Kerbiel, who couldnt ept it and went through two investigations alone, was indicted for embezzlement and breach of trust and was facing a trial. He wanted to change public opinion and influence the trial results a little, but it was useless. The man who had lived in inferiority realized that he had nothing to do. He gave up everything. Jerome Kerbiel opened the drawer. That was the only choice left. * September 17, 2028, Sunday, 10:30 a.m. Jerome Kerbiel visited the Marso Gallery with a familiar face. He wore a coat and stuck his hand deep into his pocket, looking around. Many people had visited since morning to appreciate Henri Marsos works, and there was one guide and two security guards at the entrance. Im sorry, but we cant do that. Its only avable from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on September 17. Shall we make an appointment for then? Jerome Kerbiel recalled what Arsen, Henri Marsos secretary, had said a month ago. ording to his own research through various information sources and the articles rted to Henri Marso, it was as he said. Henri Marso had no special schedule in the morning and was scheduled to attend the SNBA staff meeting at noon. Jerome Kerbiel swallowed his dry saliva and moved his feet. He entered the gallery without any resistance and looked around slowly. The ce, decorated only with Henri Marsos self-portraits and self-awareness, was full of happiness, admiration, and wonder. Look at this. How did he think of this? Is this a photo? How is this a painting? Jerome Kerbiel didnt miss a single work. He was the best painter and sculptor since Bernard Buffet, praised as the Rodin of the modern era, the Marso of the present. He was the man I could never catch up with. He was the man who didnt allow me to give up and surrender. It was the day when I made sure he would never ignore me again. The more amazing he was, the more meaningful I thought my actions today were. I walked around the gallery patiently, asionally ncing at the second floor office. I also listened to the conversations of the staff. Did the directore in? Yes. He was looking for you. Oh no. What do I do? He must be busy nning for the Art Nouveaupetition. Go up and see him. Michel tini, the director, was in the gallery. Should I bring some coffee to Mr. Arsen? Are you interested? Well hehe. Arthur. Youre married and have a son. No way. And so was Arsen, Henri Marsos secretary. I was sure that Henri Marso was in the second floor office. But I didnt know when he woulde down. I checked the front and saw that Arsen and Henri Marsos cars were not visible, so I thought they might use the back door. I passed by a boy holding a candy, first checking the underground parking lot. Meanwhile. Henri Marso, who visited Shadong in the morning, was greatly shocked by Go Hoons . He couldnt get any work done in his office, even after he returned, because of the lingering impression. It would have been better if the work was excellent. He had already seen many of Go Hoons works, so he knew his level well. But what made Henri Marso flustered was that Go Hoon was still 11 years old, and he was improving every time he saw him. was a work that blended post-impressionism and oriental painting appropriately. was emotional and visually amusing, but itcked descriptive power. But what about ? It looked like a work that a master of impressionism had evolved and presented in the modern era. was avant-garde art, twisted theposition and distorted the figures, showing an expressionist tendency. He seemed to be learning the history of painting, changing rapidly. And through , he created an image of a concept that he didnt have before. His heart felt heavy with the inexplicable longing he felt in the illusion of wavering. And at the same time, it seemed like something was changing lively when he moved his eyes quickly. In five years, ten years. And after that, he couldnt even imagine what kind of painting he would draw. Henri Marso put his thumb on his forehead and fell into thought. The trilogy he had conceived in three points was a work that showed all the skills he had umted so far. He only submitted the first picture to the Art Nouveaupetition because of anonymity. But he wondered if it would be more loved by people than . Even if he surpassed it this time, he was afraid of the next. He didnt want to lose. He couldnt stay away from him, as much as he acknowledged and loved the boys work. He couldnt ept that he was no longer apetitor. That he was no longer in an equal position. The moment his thoughts reached that point. Henri Marso realized why he had been so conscious of Go Hoon. It wasnt because he was jealous or felt inferior. He wanted to be with another genius who was simr to him but different. He hoped that the boy would be influenced by him, as he was by the boy. He wanted to be recognized for the first time, as a lonely genius who had no ones understanding. Henri Marso chuckled. Damn it. He didnt know how far he would go, but Henri Marso willingly epted thepetition. He didnt want to give up, even if there was a moment when he was pushed back. He felt a strong desire to paint when he saw Go Hoons work. He liked that state. Knock- Someone knocked on the door. He wanted to feel more satisfaction. He didnt want to meet anyone right now. He ignored it, but there was another knock. What is it? Henri Marso was annoyed by the interruption of his thoughts. Chapter 171: Eroica (7) Chapter 171: Eroica (7) Chapter 171 Eroica (7) Its Andreas. It was Andreas Farmer, the security chief of the Marso Gallery. Come in. The burly former fighter from Switzend entered cautiously, looking around. He had been Henri Marsos personal bodyguard for the past nine years, and sincest year he had taken charge of the security team of the Marso Gallery. He was one of the few people that Henri Marso trusted. He came in with a serious expression and locked the door behind him. Henri Marso frowned. Whats going on? Jerome Kerbiel is here at the gallery. Henri Marso tilted his head. The former SNBA office manager? Henri Marso was puzzled by Andreas Farmers exnation. He had no reason to take the trashs visit to the gallery seriously. But the security chief Andreas Farmer thought differently. He was pretending to be normal, but. His unnatural behavior of inspecting the underground parking lot and the inside of the gallery, his tense expression, and his rtionship with Henri Marso all suggested that he needed to be careful. He ordered his staff to monitor Jerome Kerbiel and demanded that they respond immediately if he did anything suspicious. He wanted to kick him out or search him if possible, but he was careful as Andreas Farmer, knowing that he could also make that a problem. His movements are suspicious. You should be careful, just in case. Henri Marso shook his head. Youre worrying too much. Its for the sake of caution. The gallery is being watched by the staff, so Ill apany you on your schedule for the time being. Henri Marso checked his watch. It was time to leave for the SNBA staff meeting. Knock knock- Someone knocked on the door. Andreas Farmer put his index finger to his mouth and asked him not to make a sound, then quietly pulled out his gun.1) Sir, its time. It was the voice of his secretary, Arsen. Henri, who had followed Andreas Farmers request even though he thought it was unlikely, shook his head. See? Andreas Farmer cautiously opened the door with his gun pointed. Arsen was startled. Farmer? Andreas Farmer pulled Arsen inside and looked around, then locked the door again. Whats going on? Theres a suspicious person here. Suspicious? Jerome Kerbiel. Where are you going now? Theres an SNBA staff meeting. It starts at 12 at the Pis Bourbon Arsen, who was telling Andreas Farmer Henri Marsos schedule, sighed. Did something click? Arsen told him that he had told Jerome Kerbiel, who had been trying toe over hard, that he only had time this morning. The day he mentioned was today, and the time matched. He must havee with an intention. After being humiliated by Henri Marso, Jerome Kerbiel had been active in various media outlets. His words and actions clearly showed his hostility towards Henri Marso, and he also had a trial ahead of him, so he didnt know what he would do in a corner. Do you want me to hide because of that bastard? Henri Marso expressed his reluctance, and both Farmer and Arsen tried to persuade him. You have to be careful. Yes. Hes a person who has nothing to lose, so you never know what hell do. Hmph. Henri Marso snorted. At that moment. Aaaah! Donte near me! The outside became noisy. *** After Michel tini, the representative, showed him kindness. The boy Vida Lavani, who couldnt even eat a hard bread properly, visited the Marso Gallery every day. He picked out candy from <79kg> every morning to ease his hunger a little, and since he didnt go to school, he spent the whole morning looking at Henri Marsos works and dreaming. Today was no different. What would be good? He was troubled because there were different vors piled up unlike usual. Michel tini said he could take as much as he wanted, but the boy who was not used to kindness followed his own rule of six a day. Should he pick six of his favorite candy? As I was pondering over which candy to pick from the ones I had never tried before, a strange and shrill voice spoke to me. Whats tasty? I flinched and shrank back, startled by the sudden voice. I turned my head and saw an Asian boy who looked two or three years younger than me blinking his eyes. Uh, what? What? Go Hoon felt sorry for scaring the boy unintentionally. I didnt mean to scare you. Sorry. Bida Rabani looked at Go Hoon. He looked like a rich kid with his fair and clear skin, well-groomed hair, and clean clothes. I felt even more intimidated. Uh, its okay. Bida Rabani stepped back and Go Hoon asked him curiously. Werent you going to take something? You, you go first. I dont know whats good. Go Hoon crouched down in front of <79kg> and examined the French candies. Mango? Whats mango? Bida Rabani, who thought that a rich kid wouldnt care much about candies, watched Go Hoon with interest as he chose candies with a serious attitude. Then he gathered his courage and approached him. Have you never tried it? No. What does it taste like? Its sweet. All candies are sweet. Uh The boy, who had never even read a book let alone received regr education, had limited vocabry. He had not tried many foods either, so he couldnt even make aparison. Go Hoon asked the bewildered Bida Rabani. What do you like? Uh. I like this. Bida Rabani picked a long candy made of nougat. Go Hoon looked at the nougat de montlimar with interest. Montlimar was a region famous for its nougat since ancient times. The snacks made of nougat, nuts, and honey from there couldnt be tasteless. Its also a lot. Yeah. It fills you up. Its really good. Bida Rabani smiled when he recognized that he liked the candy for its quantity and taste. This and this are also good. I havent tried that one yet. Hmm. The two boys sat side by side and chose candies. They didnt have much conversation, but their careful attitude to choose delicious candies was enough. Go Hoon decided and consulted and took two nougat de montlimar. They said you can take more. I know, but I promised my grandfather. Only one snack a day. Bida Rabani nodded, wondering why the rich kid was so serious about choosing one snack. Then one is? For my grandfather. Me too. Im giving it to my brother. Bida Rabani gave up on adventure and took six nougat de montlimar that he and his brother liked the most. The boy blurted out something he didnt even ask. Uh, I eat one for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And my brothers too. Go Hoon nodded without asking any further questions. You cant go this way. It was then. At the end of the corridor that connected the gallery entrance and the second floor stairs, three men were facing each other. A security guard blocked Jerome Kerbiel, who was heading to the second floor where the office was. Go Hoon and Bida Rabani stared at the scene and then talked about candies again. Uh, I was just curious what kind of work was on this side. Jerome Kerbiel made an excuse that it was just a mistake. But he was taken aback by the cold eyes and attitude of the security guards. It seemed like they had noticed something, and he felt like he wouldnt be able to meet Henri Marso, let alone get revenge. His hand, which he had stuck in his pocket, was sweaty. What should I do. He wanted to go to the second floor where Henri Marso was, but he couldnt do anything with the security guard blocking him. Jerome Kerbiel turned around and walked to the door that led to the first floor exhibition hall, ncing at the situation. One of the two security guards was blocking the stairs, and the other wasing towards him. His heart felt like it was going to burst. Mr. Kerbiel. My heart sank when they called my name. Jerome Kerbiel. I had a feeling they were suspicious of me by their cold attitude. Excuse me, but could youe with us for a moment? It wont take long. I was only a few steps away from the security guards. If they searched me, they would find the gun I was holding in my pocket. I couldnt let this end without getting my revenge on Henri Marso. I had to do something. I saw two kids sitting in front of the first exhibition hall in my sight. Donte any closer! I grabbed the Muslim boy next to me and shoved the gun at him. Aaaah! The loud noise startled everyone in the reception and the first exhibition hall. People were terrified by the madman who pointed the gun at a kids head. The security guards were also flustered and tried to calm him down first. Mr. Kerbiel, calm down. Call him. Call Henri Marso! You wont get anything by doing this, even if we dont know what you want. Shut up! Do I look like Im joking? Huh? Jerome Kerbiel pressed the gun barrel against Bida Rabanis jaw. The frightened boy was stiff and couldnt say anything. He just trembled with fear. Go Hoon was also shocked. Meanwhile. Andreas Farmer, who sensed the ominous atmosphere, asked Arsen to call the police and cautiously looked down the stairs. He clearly heard Jerome Kerbiels shout to bring Henri Marso. He essed the CCTV of the first floor corridor with his smartphone to check the situation and saw a kid being held hostage. Sir, you must not go out. Andreas Farmer urged him. Are you crazy? Why would I go there? Henri Marso looked at the CCTV with contempt. He wouldntply with the demands of a lunatic who was holding a gun and staging a hostage drama in broad daylight. Then he saw a boy in his sight. ? The boy was sitting next to Jerome Kerbiel, showing his back. Isnt that Go Hoon? Arsen, who had finished reporting, nodded as he looked at the CCTV screen. Yes, its Go Hoon. Why is he there? Andreas Farmer put his index finger on his lips. It seems he doesnt know yet. We have to get him out of there first. Henri Marsos face hardened with anger. He didnt care about the Muslim boy, but Go Hoon was different. Save him no matter what. First of all. Bang! A gunshot rang out at that moment. ***
    1. France has restrictive gunws.
Only people with legitimate reasons, such as rted upations, can possess lethal firearms. The effectiveness of Frances gun regtions was questioned after a terrorist attack in 2015, where armed gunmen killed 132 people. Chapter 172: Eroica (8) Chapter 172: Eroica (8) Chapter 172 Eroica (8) A deafening st froze everyone in the gallery. The Parisians, who had experienced several terror attacks, felt a sh of old nightmares in their minds. Didnt I tell you to stay away! Jerome Kerbier shouted furiously. His bulging eyes were shaking so much that anyone could tell he was out of his mind. Hyeeek. Vida Rabani couldnt keep his sanity. He trembled and cried in the sudden horror. Jerome pressed the muzzle of his gun against the boys jaw again. The heat from the fired bullet hadnt cooled down, and the boys tender skin blistered. Aaaaaah! Stay still! The boy writhed in pain from his burning skin, but Jeromes arm was too strong for the 15-year-old boy who hadnt grown much due to malnutrition. Everyone who witnessed the situation frowned. They were afraid that the gun in his hand would point at them. As soon as the security guards tried to draw their guns, Jerome aimed his gun at them. Dont try anything funny. Do you want to see this kid die? Huueeeng. The security guards had no choice but to let go of their guns. Vida Rabani didnt know why he got involved in this mess. Was it because he nagged his mother to buy him a new pastel? If he hadnte to the gallery and begged at the subway station as his uncle told him to, this wouldnt have happened. He just wanted to eat some candy. He just wanted to see Henri Marsos work. He didnt know why he had to go through such a scary thing. He could only shed tears endlessly. Meanwhile, Michelle tini, who was in a meeting, sensed something was wrong and went outside. The staff were very anxious by the gunshot, and Michelle approached the three people gathered by the stairs. Whats going on? She asked cautiously. Andreas Farmer showed her the CCTV screen on his smartphone. She covered her mouth as she saw the hostage situation on the first floor. The boy who had been visiting the Marso gallery for a month was held hostage by Jerome Kerbier. The sobbing sound was clearly heard through the stairs. It seems he has a grudge against the artist. The police will be here soon. Arsene exined the situation, but it was hard to ept. Michelle turned her head and fixed her eyes on Henri, who was watching the CCTV. He was biting his lower lip with his eyes narrowed. It was a nervous look that he rarely showed. My God. Soon, Michelle also spotted a boy crouching behind Jerome Kerbier. It was Kohoon. He must have failed to escape because he was too close. Come out right now! Jerome yelled. I know youre here! If you donte out, this kids life is over! Huuuuuuuung. Michelle grabbed Henri. She was very worried about the boy, but she couldnt let Henri Marso face that madman. Then. Stop it. A voice filled with anger rang out softly. That idiot. Henri Marso muttered. No one could move recklessly, no matter who the hostage was, but Kohoon was different. The criminal must have known who Kohoon was. He could have easily judged that he was a more advantageous hostage than the Muslim boy. The situation would only get worse. Henri Marso clenched his fist and red at Jerome on the CCTV screen. *** I shouldnt go out. If something goes wrong, Ill leave my grandfather alone. I have a mountain of works that I want to see and countless things that I want to draw. I cant waste this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I cant lose my grandfather. But. I cant forget the sound of that child crying. Can I subdue that man? No. It might be possible if he was as frail as Henri Marso. But as long as the gun is in his hand, he wont tolerate a single mistake. Come out right now! He seems to have a grudge against Marso. If he had any reason left, he wouldnt do such a stupid thing as giving up the hostage. He must be determined to meet Henri Marso at any cost, even if he has to do something crazy. He might do anything, but he wont give up the hostage until he achieves his goal. Someone must have reported to the police by now. For now, I have to stall time to keep that child safe. I know youre here! If you donte out, this kids life is over! Grandfather, Im sorry. Stop it. Ive never had such a hard time speaking. Im scared. I want to run away right now, in case that lunatic shoots. Kohoon? He seems to recognize me. He must be someone who works in the art field. I wonder why he did such a thing, but I dont have time to think about it now. It hurts, doesnt it? What are you doing to a kid? The kid who was grabbed by the man shakes his head. He tells me not to do that, when hes terrified. Why. Do you want to be the hostage instead? He says something ridiculous. I pity Marso for having to deal with such a person. Oh, right. Youre close with that Marso bastard, huh? Heeit! The man tightens his grip on the kid. I wish he would take his gun away. Hes not in a state to talk. If you dont want to see this kid die, call him out. Now! It would be endless if I gave in to his threats. He wouldnte even if I called him, and he shouldnte anyway. He had a clear purpose, and I didnt know what he would do to Henri Marso. I shouldnt act rashly. I had to think of buying time until the police arrived. How can I call him when I dont know where he is? Dont lie! You think I dont know hes here? I dont know. Really. His eyes were bloodshot. If you have something to say, Ill pass it on. Or do you want to talk to him? Dont move! He shouted as I tried to take out my smartphone. Youre trying to be smart, huh? Dont you dare move a finger. You think I cant kill this damn Muslim brat! He screamed and red around, breathing heavily. He had backed up to the corner of the building to prevent the security guards from approaching him from behind. It didnt look like an idental act. He had nned this. Well. He doesnt seem toe out as long as I have this kid. How about you? Huh? Raise your hands and walk slowly. I shouldnt. Hurry! But I couldnt ignore that terrified child. What should I do? Mr. Kerbier, the child is. Bang! Another gunshot and explosion rang out. The ceiling that covered the roof copsed and fell with a thud. The captured child and everyone in the gallery were in a state of panic and froze. The security guard who tried to help was helpless against the man who had lost his sight. Maybe it was better not to provoke him. I had no choice but to stretch out my foot, and a sharp scream rang out. Henri! No! Henri! It was Michelle. ck. ck. Henri Marso appeared with a nervous footstep. Damn it. His dry voice rang out. He came down the stairs as usual, holding his chin up. Michelle showed up at the end of the stairs for a moment, but someone pulled her away. Hu. Huhuhuhuhu. He turned his gun to Henri Marso. Finally, you showed up. Henri Marso fixed his eyes on him and said. I was thinking of taking a trip to Vienna, but what do you know. How dare you cause trouble here? Kuhuhuhu. Youre so Henri Marso. Even in this situation, youre talking nonsense. Get lost. He wasnt talking to him. He was talking to me. There was no reason to bring up something that wasnt on the schedule. He remembered that I had said I was going to Vienna and signaled me to avoid him so that he wouldnt notice. Sure enough. As he took his eyes off Henri Marso, the security guard came and dragged me away. I managed to keep some distance, but I couldnt leave him alone. I watched the situation behind the wall. So. What do you want? To die together? Huhuhuhuhu. A nastyugh. Dont be so scared. I dont intend to kill you. Its very simple. All you have to do is confess in front of these people that you embezzled the Antermittang grant. And that you framed me and the association members to cover it up. Nonsense. Youre just telling the truth, right? If youre just a little honest, you and everyone here can be safe. He threw the child aside and took out his smartphone. Whether the security guards protected the child or not, he filmed Marso with his left hand. Youd better not say anything useless. I dont even know what Ill do. That kind of statement would be useless. He was a nner, but he was sloppy. Henri Marso looked incredulous. Well. A thousand people have joined, so lets wait a little. If its Henri Marsos national apology broadcast, we should at least see tens of thousands, right? I thought he was filming a video, but he turned out to be streaming online. Now, kneel down. What? Kneel down. Kneel. Beg. To me. To the association members who were unjustly expelled. I didnt know who he was, but I had a little idea of what he was thinking. He had repeated lies to himself until he believed his own lies. ording to Henri Marso, everything was following the legal procedure, but if he wasnt a fool, he wouldnt think he could win the trial with this ridiculous ckmail broadcast. This was a nasty y to destroy Henri Marsos pride and humiliate him. Henri Marso, who had more pride as an artist than anyone else, couldnt say or do such things in front of others. He wanted topletely destroy his precious pride. He knew Marso well. Bang! The gun pointed at Marso spewed fire. Henri! Master! Marso! My heart didnt calm down even though I saw the bullet miss and hit the stairs. What are you hesitating for! Henri Marso looked down at him with his chin up, even though a bullet had flown at him. And he opened his mouth without a hint of hesitation. Go to hell. Me too. He and everyone else were speechless at Henri Marsos defiance. You think Ill beg you just because you have a gun? Dont be delusional. I wont listen to a word from a criminal like you. Henri Marso sneered and pulled his chin up. Have you looked up how to dispose of burning trash? Shut up! Do you want to die? Beg! Beg me! The man, high on drugs, threatened Marso with his gun again. He knew he could lose his life, but Marsoughed. Id rather die than live shamefully like you. Unlike you, I have a sense of dignity. Marso took a step forward. The man took a step back. Donte closer! Ill shoot. Ill shoot! Shoot. Another step. And another. I told you not toe! Marso approached him fearlessly. I couldnt lose him like this. He hadnt finished the painting that showed a more beautiful color than any other work I had seen. I didnt know what amazing works he would create in the future. He was a lunatic, but I couldnt help but expect something from him. I never got bored talking to him for hours. His pride based on his strong ego was annoying, but sometimes I envied him. I envied his confidence, which I could never have, and I nodded at his skills, which justified it. He always taught me something new, no matter what we talked about. He seemed like a madman, but he was a deep friend. I didnt want to lose him. As the man moved his finger to pull the trigger, I moved without thinking. Ouch! I pushed away the security guards hand and shoved the man with all my strength. Bang! The gunshot rang out. Henri Marso pinned the man to the marble floor. *** 1)The 2015 le-de-France attacks, the Saint-Quentin-Favier attack, the 2016 Nice attack, the 2016 Saint-tienne-du-Rouvray church attack, the 2018 Strasbourg shooting, and the 2020 Nice Notre-Dame basilica stabbing. Chapter 173: Eroica (9) Chapter 173: Eroica (9) Chapter 173 Eroica (9) The security guards rushed in and subdued the man in an instant. What are you doing? Henri Marso jumped up and thrust his face forward. I was trying to help. Help? What help? You almost got me shot! I pushed him away when he tried to fire the gun, but it seemed that was more dangerous. Are you hurt? Hmph. Im not going to be hurt by a scum like him. Henri Marso brushed off his hands as if nothing had happened. He took off his coat and threw it away with a disgusted expression, as if something dirty had stuck to it. He reached out his hand and Arsen tried to hand him a wet tissue, but at the same time, Michelle rushed in. What, what are you doing! Marso was startled and tried to push her away, but Michelle said nothing and buried her face in his chest. At first, Marso was flustered, but soon he stroked her back. I was worried that their rtionship would be exposed, but on the other hand, I felt warm in my heart, wondering how much he had been worried. Its okay. Marsos touch and gaze were tender as he checked if he was injured. He looked affectionate. Ouch! Marso, who was soothing her with his lovely touch, took a clean hit to his abdomen. I didnt know Michelle was a boxer. It was a neat body blow. Are you crazy? What do you think you are? Why did you step in? What if you got hurt! Hey Marso groaned and leaned on her, and Michelle hugged him with tears in her eyes. By the way, I wondered why he, who was skilled enough to subdue the gunman in a sh, couldnt avoid my shove and Michelles punch. Damn it. Damn it! The man who was restrained on the floor kicked and screamed. Stay still! What are you angry about? You did well? Dont you feel sorry for the kid? Damn bastard. What kind of bastard is this. Are you even human? Everyone in the gallery spat out a word, but their eyes were full of hatred only for Henri Marso. Its all his fault! The man shouted. He. He took everything from me. He had everything since he was born, and how can he be so cruel! The man couldnt give up, no matter how unfair he felt. You threw away your pride and everything. Because youre not as great as him! You praised his work and did whatever he asked you to do! How could you do that to me! Are you even human? I dont know this person. Im just guessing from what hes saying now, but he seems to have given up his path as an artist because he had no talent, and he spent his time criticizing Henri Marso and other peoples works. I dont know what Henri Marso asked him to do, but it must have been something rted to SNBA. And he cheated with the Antermittang system and resented Henri Marso for trying to correct his mistake. Did he kill someone? I too. I wanted to be like you. I wanted to be a recognized artist like you! But I couldnt! I knew I couldnt, so I helped you with the association work! Have you ever thought about how ordinary people who cant be like you live? Henri Marso plugged his ears. What are you talking about, you trash. The police arrivedte, but Henri Marso raised his hand to stop them. Whatever reason you have, youre still a criminal. He was right. No matter what his past or reason was, it was a fact that he threatened many people and took a child hostage. And ordinary people dont pity themselves so much. You made me like this. If it wasnt for you, if you hadnt pushed me, this wouldnt have happened! Henri Marso snickered. Dont you feel sorry for yourself? What? Dont you feel sorry for yourself, ming everything on others? Henri Marso propped up the mans chin with the tip of his shoe. The man writhed at the insulting act, but it was useless. You threw away your pride? Is that so hard? Ugh! Throwing away is easy. There was nopassion or sympathy in Marsos voice. Only contempt. You want to be a recognized artist? Then you have to draw. You wrote instead because you thought you couldnt, and when that didnt work, you leech off others. What do you want? Henri Marso looked down at the man with a cold, merciless eye. The man twisted his neck and nced at Marso. What do you know. Do you know how a talentless person feels? If I had as much money as you! If I had talent! I could have been like that. Do you think youre in that position because youre great? The people who had been harsh softened their expressions a little at the mans appeal. No. You cant be like me. Henri Marso mocked him. Do you think you can do it if you have a hundred billion euros? No. If you were in my position, you would give up on envying that guy. Henri Marso pointed at me. If you were in his position, you would probably envy your grandfather, and if you were Gossouyeol Kyung, you would resent Picasso. If you were Picasso, you would curse Matisse, and Gauguin, Van Gogh, M, and all of them. Why did they draw everything and leave? Youre running away. I usually argue with his arrogant tone, but this time I agree with Henri Marso. Everything bes meaningless when youpare yourself to someone else. There is always someone better than me. When I lived in Paris, some peopleined that historical figures like Raphael, Michngelo, Da Vinci, Botticelli, and Caravaggio had already drawn everything. Most of those people didntst long. Its easy to throw away your pride. Henri Marso emphasized again. Its hard to keep it. Im the best. My painting is the best. Even though you know its not, have you ever wondered what you have to do to be like that? Dont act so smart. I worked much harder than you. Ive been painting longer than youve been alive! Dont look down on me. Henri Marso knows what it means to work hard. He sacrificed and invested a lot toplete a single painting with me. But he doesnt know that. He is the most diligent man I know when ites to effort. He seems to want to tell me that. How dare youpare yourself to a genius like me? Maybe he just wanted to brag about himself. I poured everything I had into it. My inheritance, my talent, my effort, my time. I gave it all up. So! So thats why you cant do it. You dont know your ce and you do as much as others do, and then you me them when you fail. Even I, the great me, had to give up everything I had. Henri Marso said that even people who were born with brilliant talent and blessed environment like him had to stake their lives on painting. Do you really want to paint? A painter is someone who paints. A person who wants to be a painter will inevitably face their limit someday. Only those who want to paint endlessly, who have to paint, who love painting, can ovee their limit when they face it. When the canvas is scary. The courage to willingly paint is not given by anyone.1) You have to find it yourself. You have to constantly face your fear to move forward. If you wanted to paint something, you should have painted it. Instead of wasting time on this nonsense. Henri Marsos scolding sounds strangely warm to me. I dont misunderstand his feelings. Unsold paintings piled up. How much he wandered in the uncertain future and the penny-pinching pocket. I cant not know the feeling of wandering in the foggy forest where I cant see an inch ahead. I know better than anyone. But I had to walk like Henri Marso said. Because I wanted to paint. Because only I can do it. Because its not something that can be done by someone elses order or help. You dont know. The man gritted his teeth. You dont understand people without talent! You know very well that it wont work no matter how hard you try, and you tell me to paint? You tell me to be lost in vain thoughts? Henri Marso grabbed the mans cor. Even if not others, you should have believed in yourself! Henri Marso, who had been looking at him coldly, got angry for the first time. If you dont have money, earn it, if you dont have time, sleep less and paint. If you dont have talent, paint ten times, a hundred times more than others. I was worried that he might use more violence than necessary because of his bulging eyes and voice, but it was a false rm. You should have believed that you would make it someday. Even if others treated you like trash, you should have loved your painting. You wanted to be a painter without doing that? You couldnt paint because the conditions werent right? Matisse shook his head. No. You didnt want to paint, you wanted to be famous. A person who is admired by others and has a lot of money. Isnt that right? He wont admit it, but I think the same. If I really wanted to paint, I would have painted in any condition. He chose afortable life instead of giving up painting on his own free will. He is one of those who deluded themselves into thinking that they tried to be a sessful painter. A sessful painter is not a finished point or stage, but a process. How can he say that he failed, that he cant do it, after trying for a limited time? He cant insult Henri Marso by bringing up his old dream. Its an insult to Matisses sess, which is serious about art more than anyone, to attribute it to talent and environment. Im not denying that he had innate talent and enjoyed a rich environment. Not everyone can be like Henri Marso. But I can paint what I want to paint. Do you think you would get more recognition if I wasnt here? Huh? Do you think so if there was no one more famous than you? Henri Marso growled. No way. Even if all the painters in the world died and you were the only one left, you wouldnt be recognized with that kind of mindset. The Muslim boy Vida Rabani listened to Henri Marsos words with fear and pain. He didnt have money to buy a pastel. He was lucky if he could eat breakfast, let alone a paintbrush. His house was full of mold and pests, so it was better to be outside. Sometimes he would wake up in the middle of the night by someones scream. There were robberies on the street day and night.2) He didnt know how hard the scary man lived. Did he have no money either? Did he have no talent either? But Henri Marso still said he should have painted. His words were afort to Vida Rabani. The boy who felt guilty for his own self, who even considered wanting to paint a luxury. Because he had no money or talent. But Henri Marso said he should love painting in any environment, and he should value himself. He felt like he didnt have to give up painting. Even if he had no pastels, no money to buy paper, Vida Rabani wanted to paint. Henri Marsos words were his salvation. Are you okay? Michelle, who had a face, approached Vida Rabani. Uh, yes Are you kidding? Your wound is serious. Ah! We cant do this. Lets go to the hospital with my sister. Ah, no. The boy shook his head. He couldnt afford the hospital bill because he couldnt get medical insurance benefits. She noticed that and lied casually. If you get involved in this, the country will treat you. Didnt you know? Huh? My sister will take care of it, so you just need to get treated. Can you stand up? Yes Lets go. Wait, wait a minute. Vida Rabani looked around anxiously. He found the child who helped him and approached him. Hey. Go Hoon turned around. He felt sorry to see the burn on his jaw. Are you okay? You should go to the hospital soon. Uh, yeah. He said he would take me. Go Hoon turned his head and met Michelles eyes. He felt relieved. She seemed to take good care of the boy. Yeah. Go ahead. Thank you. Thank you very much. Vida Rabani took out the candy he had in his pocket. He wondered if he would feel bad for giving him free candy, but he wanted to give him something for helping him in that situation where even the adults were scared. Go Hoon smiled and picked up the candy Vida Rabani handed him. Ill enjoy it. His smile was so bright that he felt relieved. The two heroes he met today took a deep ce in the boys heart. ****
You dont know how powerless a nk canvas makes a person. Many painters feel fear when they stand in front of a nk canvas. On the other hand, a nk canvas is afraid of passionate and serious painters. Even if life seems empty and worthless, even if it seems meaningless, a person who has confidence, strength, and passion knows the truth and does not easily lose. He faces difficulties, works, and moves forward. In short, he resists and moves forward. From a letter Vincent van Gogh sent to his brother Theo van Gogh in October 1884. Tranted excerpt source: Vincent van Gogh,Van Gogh, Letters of the Soul, tranted by Shin Seong-rim, Wisdom House (1999), p. 115 2)Vida Rabanis house is in Butte Montmartre district. It is where the Montmartre hill where Vincent van Gogh stayed for a while, and where many Hindu-speaking people live. The security is not good. Chapter 174: Eroica (10) Chapter 174: Eroica (10) Chapter 174 Eroica (10) [Another shooting incident? Citizens demand stronger gun control] [A thrilling hostage drama in broad daylight] [The culprit is the former SNBA office director] [Two heroes saved many lives] On the morning of September 17th, a maniac broke into the Marso Gallery and took a hostage. The culprit was identified as Jerome Kerbiel (46), a former SNBA office director and an artist, who was known through TV broadcasts and various media outlets. He was arrested on the spot for threatening and shooting at a boy who was in the gallery as a hostage. Jerome Kerbiel, who was recently indicted for fraud in the selection process of the Antermat beneficiaries, was sued for contract termination and damages by a media outlet that raised the issue. The police spected that he harbored a grudge against Henri Marso andmitted the crime, and began an investigation. French artists stated that evening that Henri Marso was a hero who restored the Antermat, and that Jerome Kerbiel, who tried to harm him, should receive the maximum sentence allowed byw. Meanwhile, two people who stepped forward and prevented what could have been a major terrorist incident are attracting attention. The people who were at the scene and those who watched the situation through the inte broadcast that the culprit turned on praised the courageous actions of Henri Marso and Go Hoon. Go Hoon, a genius painter, calmly stepped forward and secured time when a boy of his age was taken hostage, and ran from behind to help Henri Marso subdue the culprit when he fired a shot. Henri Marsos bravery and fighting skills in subduing the armed maniac are also a hot topic. ording to a source, Henri Marso, who had been threatened since he was young, learned boxing, judo, jiu-jitsu, and shooting skills to protect himself. His altruistic behavior and his scolding of the culprit showed why he was revered as a hero in the French art world. Gohoon and Henri Marso were reported to have returned home without any serious problems after a simple check-up at the hospital. The Marso Gallery shooting incident was broadcasted as a special report in Europe and South Korea on the day of the incident. Many people sent messages of support to the two most popr artists who bravely dealt with a situation where they could have lost their lives. Im so d theyre okay. Are you crazy? What were you thinking when you did that? Didnt you say you would apologize to Henri? Hes a lunatic if you watch the video. Hes trying to rationalize using Antermittang for his own benefit. Exactly. He couldnt get recognition as a painter, and now hes trying to ruin that too. What a jerk. Hes a piece of crap. Hes so stupid. He turned on the live stream and thought his mistake would go away if Henri apologized Thats not it. He was already facing a trial, and everything would have been revealed. He probably thought it was over and wanted to hurt Henris pride. That makes sense. He has no dignity. Its weird. What is? My brother is not that kind of person. Hes not the kind of person who does good things like that But hes really different from how he appears in the media. When he deals with reporters or critics, he seems like a jerk, but when he restored Antermittang and came out to help the kids today, he seems like a nice person. Speaking of the kids, I just remembered something. I dont see any articles about the kid who was taken hostage. The Muslim with the turban? Yeah. Dont make unnecessary sympathy. Disgusting Muslim. I would have cursed him for religious discrimination in the past, but I dont feel like it these days. All the terrorists should die. Henri has a deep heart. He doesnt deny his talent or environment, but hes desperate even though he has everything. I felt ashamed when he scolded me for thinking so lightly. Art wouldnt be so hard if it was easy. I realized that its harder to keep my pride than to give it up. So what was it? They made a lot of noise about him being a dictator or something. Theyre talking nonsense after getting rid of the rotten ones. The SNBA artists issued a statement. They said they could get all the Antermittang awards this time, even though the evaluation was unfair. Can you believe it? There are 730,000 artists in our country, and 720,000 of them signed it. Wouldnt that be true? I guess so. The people who had been treated unfairly by the ruling ss of the French National Art Association rose up. They were exploited and powerless to fight back, but they were enraged by the Marso Gallery shooting incident. They denounced the corrupt forces who pointed their guns at Henri Marso, who restored their rights, andunched a movement to protect him. The people who took to the streets chanted his name as a hero, and the voices that criticized Henri Marso dwindled. * -He showed a really unexpected side, didnt he? -Yes, he did. He usually had an image of hating to move, but he looked like a well-trained soldier. -Do you want to see the scene captured by CCTV? Henri Marso frowned as he watched the TV program. The scene of him grabbing Jerome Kerbys wrist and knocking him down before he fired the gun was broadcasted. It was a screen stored in the Marso Gallerys internal CCTV, and it was a video that would not be leaked unless it was a gallery official. Did you send that? Yeah. Michelle shrugged her shoulders. She felt like a clown, being noticed for her martial arts skills rather than her work. Henri looked displeased, and Michelle stroked his head tofort him. You were awesome. But dont ever do that again. Michelle didnt want to go through the same situation again, where she could have lost him. She repeated it all day, but she couldnt help emphasizing it. I get it, stop it. The two kissed lightly. Little one? Ravani? Whos Ravani? The kid with the turban. Henri Marso recalled the child who was grabbed by the trash and shook his head. Not him. Gohoon. Yeah. Officer Gohoon came and took him. He didnt look hurt. Henri Marso nodded. I was really surprised. Was he mature or reckless? Michelle remembered how Gohoon tried to talk to Jerome and buy some time. In a situation where even adults would hesitate, Gohoon calmly tried to converse with the criminal and threw himself to protect Henri when he was in danger. She didnt have a chance to greet him properly, but she thought she should make some time soon. He was reckless. Michelle chuckled at Henris words. They had a lot inmon, even though they seemed to be at odds. So are you. Recklessness is a word for people who cant do it. And you can? Of course. Huh? What. You lose to me. Michelle recalled her high school days. They used to fight a lot and ended up going to the ring with sparring as an excuse. Ha. Henri snorted. Youre holding on to that one time. Yeah? It didnt seem like that. I let you win. Come on in. Michelle took a stance and Henri Marso grabbed her wrist and they started to wrestle. How much time had passed? Henri? Henri? As the two turned off the TV and tossed in the nket, a familiar voice rang out urgently. It was Sherry Gado. Henri Marso and Michelle tini opened their eyes wide. They couldnt understand why she came back from her trip to Normandy with her friends. Henri? Where are you? Why arent you answering the phone? The voice got closer. Henri quickly covered Michelle, who was trying to get dressed, with the nket. Michelle tried to get up, but Henri held her still. Henri. Sherry Gado sobbed when she saw Henri. What? What about the trip? Is the trip important right now? Are you okay? Any injuries? Im fine. Go back. This is. Sherry Gado looked around the room. Two pairs of slippers under the bed and a strangely protruding nket. She smiled slightly at his slightly different attitude. Oh, you. Say something. What, what? Sherry Gado tapped Henris cheek. She was proud of the boy she raised like a son, who now knew how to act for someone else and brought a girlfriend. Say helloter. Hello? What are you talking about! Hohoho. See you tomorrow then. After the storm passed. Michelle tini and Henri Marso came out of the nket and touched their foreheads with guilt. * This was the first time Grandpa was so angry. He didnt say anything, just red at me with his squinty eyes. It was hard to look him in the eye. Im sorry. For what. For doing something dangerous. Grandpa sighed deeply. Why did you do that if you knew it was dangerous? Huh? What if you got hurt? I would have been worried if Grandpa did something dangerous too. I knew his feelings so well that I had nothing to say. Grandpa hugged me. Hoon, its not your fault. Im just scared of losing you. I hugged him back. Im sorry. I felt the same way. It wasnt a wrong thing to do morally. Rather, many civilizations have taught for a long time that we should help those in need. Especially a kid who looked about 13 or 14 years old and was threatened. I should have helped, but it was a reckless thing to do, considering the risk. It was something that could have left Grandpa alone, and something that could have ruined the opportunity I barely got. I fell asleep, saying that I would never do that again to Grandpa, who was surprised, worried, and hurt. The next day. I met Martin Jansen, who promised to help with the documentary work. Hoon! Martin. Martin, who was as sturdy as Grandpa, lifted me up as soon as he saw me. Hahaha! You were cool! Cool? Whats cool? Grandpa scolded Martin, who was recounting yesterdays events. Its not easy to help someone in trouble. You were very brave. Martin put me down and messed up my hair. But dont do anything too dangerous. Grandpa must have been so worried. Right? Yes. Martin nodded. It seemed that I had worried many people, not just Grandpa. In the morning, I got scolded by Bang Tae-ho, Jang Mi-rae, and Cha Si-hyun. Come on,e on. Lets talk while we eat. We ate a simple onion soup and ham dish and listened to the documentary story, when I got an unexpected proposal. Yes? As you know, there are a lot of discolored works, right? There have been several attempts before, but I want to try it properly this time. Martin said with a determined look. I want to include a scene of you restoring Van Goghs sunflowers. Wouldnt that be fun? I never thought of restoring my own painting. Would it mean anything? Of course. It would help the people who watch the documentary to imagine what the golden sunflowers that Van Gogh painted looked like. Grandpa also nodded. Ill have to specify that its a restoration based on guesswork. Thats right. It would be nice if you couldpare the sunflowers of other artists. It didnt seem bad. I have a condition. A condition? Yes. Hahat. You little rascal, are you afraid Ill rip you off? Ill pay you generously, so dont worry about that. Not money. Hmm? "Leave out the stories about Kay and Sien."1) *** 1)They were the people Van Gogh loved. Kay was his cousins daughter, seven years older than Van Gogh. Christine sina Maria Hoornik, whom Van Gogh called Sien, was a prostitute who was three years older than Van Gogh and lived with him. Chapter 175: Holy Spring (1) Chapter 175: Holy Spring (1) Chapter 175 Holy Spring (1) Martin opened his mouth after hesitating. Can you tell me why you think that way? It was not an easy question to answer. Looking back now that I had sorted out my feelings, I loved my cousin Kay, but I didnt know how to love him. As I was organizing my thoughts, Martin spoke first. I think the story of the two of them is essential to understand Van Gogh. Why? Because you can see how he thought about love. Martin took out his smartphone and searched for something. He looked closely at his chin and showed me a letter. It was the sentence I sent to Tao. Should we calcte the possibility of it happening when we fall in love? Is that a solvable problem? Its a problem that cant be calcted, and even if it could, it shouldnt. We love because we love. I still agree with this, but the problem is elsewhere. He loved more passionately than anyone, but he was clumsy at how to love others. How desperate he must have been to take a train at dawn to see him. Stop, stop. ording to the records, he arrived around evening. His aunt and uncle must have been surprised when their distant nephew suddenly showed up. I couldnt stand it anymore as I remembered the time I asked him to let me see Kay. When his uncle told him to go back, he touched the hotmp with his hand. He said he would throw themp if he didnt bring him right away. Ahhhh. His aunt gave me the letter that Kay was going to send me, and said that he ran away through the back door when he saw meing and didnt know where he was. Kay said in the letter that he didnt love me. He said it could never happen because his parents were against it and he didnt want to see me again. He said he didnt want to see me again and not to send him any letters. Poor guy. He only knew how to threaten with a burn on his hand from touching themp. He was pure in love, but he didnt know how to share it. He was a clumsy person. Stop please. Please. I couldnt eat any more food. *** After having lunch with Martin, Go Suyeol was worried about his grandson who was lying down all the time. Whats wrong? Huh? Are you feeling sick? No Then. Where does it hurt? Go Hoon buried his face in the pillow and shook his head weakly. He knew well that many things were recorded in detail about Vincent van Gogh, who left a huge mark on art history, but he was shocked because he didnt expect that even his very personal things were well known. He was ashamed of his past self who was clumsy at expressing his emotions and caring for others. Go Hoon pounded the bed and Go Suyeol blinked. Hey, you. Theres nothing you cant say to your grandfather. Whats wrong with you? Go Hoon opened his mouth as he buried his face and worried. Grandpa, have you ever done something embarrassing? Of course. I have. Then, how would you feel if it became a movie? No way. No way. Go Suyeol, who didnt know what Go Hoon was thinking, had no choice but to guess. He thought that his grandson, who liked Van Gogh, was confused by seeing his negative side. Hoon, Van Gogh was a human too. Go Suyeol stroked his grandsons head. He was a historical figure, so he was a bit glorified and seen as a hero by some people. And some people saw him as a madman, but he was an ordinary person too. How can a person live without making a mistake once in a while? But Martin grandfather wanted to tell more about Van Gogh to the people who love him. He thought that even such a story would help to understand Van Gogh. He wasnt trying to criticize or mock him. Go Hoon lifted his head as he listened quietly. Well, he would be embarrassed if he knew. He buried his face again. Go Suyeol chuckled and patted his grandsons butt. You said you wanted to listen to Beethovens symphony, right? Yes. There will be a lot at the end of the year, but I dont think theres any ce to do it right now. Go Suyeol operated the TV and yed Beethovens 9th Symphony conducted by Wilhelm Furtwngler, the best maestro of the 20th century, at the Lucerne Festival1 Go Hoon, who was lying down in shame, felt the dawn-like melody and perked up his ears at the powerful sound that announced the grand march. Meanwhile. Vida Rabani, who was treated with Michelles help, was hesitating in front of the Marso Gallery. Michelle told him toe back when he got better, but he wondered if he really could. Yesterday, he heard from his mother that he couldnt even pay the medical insurance, and the country wouldnt treat him for free. More than anything, he couldnt forget what Henri Marso said. At their first meeting, he said that he had to draw ten thousand times to draw properly. The boy who couldnt even afford a new pastel was discouraged by his words. It sounded like he was telling him to give up and he had to know his ce. But Henri Marso said yesterday, if he wanted to draw, he should do whatever it takes to draw. He said he shouldnt give up if he liked it. He said he had to love his own value even if he was ignored. Pastel? Yes. Vida, youre 15 now. You should know that you dont have the money to waste on that stuff, right? His mother and uncle told him not to waste two euros on pastels and that drawing was no help to living. But Vida Rabani wanted to buy pastels even if he had to earn money. He wanted to buy a sketchbook. Youre here? Ah! Hello. Michelle, who was finishing her outside work rted to the Art Nouveaupetition, found Vida Rabani and greeted him. She looked kindly at the polite boy. How are you? Hows the wound? Its much better. It doesnt hurt much now. The severe burn couldnt heal in a day. Im d. But you have to be careful until the doctor says youre all healed. Can you wait a little inside? Ah, yes. I The boy hesitated. Michelle leaned forward and looked at his face. Why? Well. You said it was for my mothers medical bills. That you gave it to me instead Im sorry. Im sorry. I lied. Vida Lavani lifted his head. He was surprised to hear an apology, as he had not expected it. He was worried that Vida Lavani might be hurt by his pride, so he was careful with his words. But he didnt expect that his lie to take him to the hospital would be exposed so soon. I said that because I thought you wouldnt go to the hospital otherwise. Did you feel bad? No. No, I didnt. Really. Then Im d. Im sorry for causing trouble because of me. Michelle felt sorry for the boy who couldnt even go to the hospital with ease. Lets go until you get better. I want to do this for you, so dont feel burdened. I, I. Thats why. Hmm? Im good at cleaning. Ive cleaned a lot of mold, so Im really good at it. Can I work here for the amount of money you gave me for the hospital? He wanted to refuse. But he couldnt ignore his kindness when he saw the boys eyes looking up at him. He had outsourced the cleaning to a professionalpany, but there must be some work to do if he looked for it. Cleaning is dangerous and difficult because there are so many works. Oh But do you know theres a garden inside? And outside too. Yes. Ill give you 10 euros a day if you water the garden. Vida Lavani opened his mouth wide. That much? Its huge here. Itll take an hour to do it all. Its hard. He could work for an hour and get 10 euros, which was a dreame true for Vida Lavani. He had money left after buying pastels and sketchbooks. I, um. Can you keep hiring me if I do well? Michelle nodded at the boys earnestness. He hoped that the boy who came every day to fill his stomach with candy and stared at Henri Marsos works for an hour or two would not lose hope. Sure. But dont give too much water if you work hard. Itll hurt if you give too much. Yes! *** Henri! Henri! Henri! Henri! As he was driving, Henri Marso saw the protest scene in his eyes. They came out to praise the hero Henri Marso and demanded that the judiciary punish the people who abused Jerome Kerbiel and Antermat. How dare they call someones name so casually? Arsene smiled as he confirmed Henri Marsos confident smile through the rearview mirror. Its a relief that everything went as you thought, sir. Hmph. Henri Marso had nothing to do with it. It was all done by the French artists voluntarily, and thanks to that, Henri Marsos poprity soared to the sky. Judge Bilpang will bother you for a while. Bilpang, who had served as mayor, minister, prime minister, and constitutional court judge, had been actively urging Henri Marso to enter politics. He thought that a young politician with strong leadership and support was needed for the future of France, and there was no better talent than Henri Marso. Dont answer the calls from him. Yes? You know hell be annoying. Arsene chuckled. He could shake the European economy and be the French presidential candidate if he wanted, but he chose to live as an artist, which was typical of him. Henri Marso, who was looking out the window, turned his head as the protest march faded from his sight. Is he really okay? Are you talking about Hoon? Yeah. Yes. I heard that Mr. Goseul took him to the hospital yesterday. He said there was no problem. He might have trauma or something. How can you test that so quickly? Well, I dont think you need to worry about that, judging by his behavior and speech. How do you know that? Henri Marso recalled his childhood memories. He had no problem because he had a bodyguard, but the experience of being threatened by an adult had tormented him for a long time. Is he still in Paris? If youre worried, why dont you call him yourself? What worry. Henri Marso closed his mouth and opened it. Call him. He meant to call Hoon, and Arsene couldnt helpughing.
    1. A live recording album of the Lucerne Festival on August 22, 1954.
Chapter 176: Holy Spring (2) Chapter 176: Holy Spring (2) Chapter 176 Holy Spring (2) Arsene followed his employers wish and called Kohoon. The speaker inside the car rang with the outgoing sound. -Marso? His voice was bright, unlike what he had worried about. Yumo wants you toe over for dinner. -Really? Yeah. -Thats nice. But why all of a sudden? If you dont want to, just say so. -Grandpa, Sherry asked me toe over for dinner. Can I go? -Of course you can. Im going to take a bath, soe in when youre done talking. -Okay. Kohoon finished talking with Goseuyul and put his mouth to the phone. -Ill go. Okay. The conversation between the two ended. Kohoon was about to hang up, thinking he had nothing else to say. -See youter. You. Henri Marso hesitated for no reason. Dont do anything youll regretter. He couldnt bring himself to say any annoying words like, are you hurt, were you scared, etc. So he said it in a roundabout way, but Kohoons voice suddenly became gloomy. -Youre right. Henri Marso was secretly surprised that the cheeky kid agreed so easily. It was clear that yesterdays incident had left a big shock on him. He thought he felt scared after he regained his reason, not knowing when adrenaline was secreted. So why did youplicate things by stepping in? Kohoon became depressed after listening to Beethovens 9th Symphony and being attacked by Martin Jansens memory. -Yeah. Henri Marso pulled his chin and shook his head. This is not like him. He wasnt the one who would crawl up to him whenever he said something. He looked so miserable that he seemed more serious than expected. Stop thinking about useless things. Thats how you grow up. Arsene turned his head in surprise. He would have turned the steering wheel sharply if it werent for the excellent performance of the cars responsive steering system. Drive properly. Im sorry. Arsene broke out in a cold sweat. He knew well that Henri Marso cared for Kohoon in a special way, but he never thought he wouldfort him. -Marso, be careful too. Dont kick the nketter. What are you talking about? -You should have learned from this incident that even if you mean well, you can be misunderstood if you talk like a beggar. Henri Marso couldnt understand what Kohoon was suddenly saying, because they had different things to say. -You should have told people what the problem was from the beginning. Then there wouldnt have been anyone swayed by the protesters. Shut up. -And be careful. What. -You did that with Michelle in front of everyone yesterday. People with quick wits would have noticed. Henri Marso recalled yesterdays incident. He remembered how Michelle ran over and hugged him in surprise. They had kept their personal rtionship secret, and they treated each other strictly as business partners in front of the gallery staff and the mansion staff. It was a secret between the two of them and Kohoon. That was vividly conveyed through the speaker inside the car. Henri Marso and Arsene met eyes through the rearview mirror. Arsene quickly avoided his gaze, and Henri Marso gritted his teeth. There was no direct mention, but he looked like he had noticed. Hang up. A strange current flowed between Henri Marso and Arsene after the call. Arsene couldnt help but be conscious of his employers fierce eyes. Sir. I dont know anything. You better not. Arsene looked at Henri Marso as if he was going to eat him alive, and then confessed the truth. Actually. Henri Marso twitched his eyebrows. Most people in the mansion know. What. About you two. What? Every time you take a vacation once a month, Mr. tini visits, so everyone thinks that Henri Marso tapped his forehead. And you saved the name like that. He remembered changing Michelles phone number to Amourans name after a big fight with her. Henri Marso closed his eyes. He med himself for forgetting that he had entrusted his phone to Arsene because he was toozy to carry it around. And you added a heart too. Shut up. Henri Marso sighed deeply. He quickly sorted out hisplicated thoughts and checked the most important thing with patience. Yumo. She doesnt seem to know. I think you two are hiding it because of Gado, so everyone decided to pretend not to know. Henri Marso clenched and unclenched his fists, then opened his mouth softly. Arsene. Yes. Forget it. I will. Arsene didnt hesitate at all, knowing that he meant to shut his mouth by any means if he didnt forget. *** I visited Henri Marsos house with my grandfather. Arsene guided me to the gym where he was punching a sandbag. He seemed so angry that he was about to burst it. Nice posture. Do you want to try? I used to do it when I was young. Keep your elbows closer. They seemed to have a connection as people who exercise. Marso hit the sandbag a few more times after getting advice from my grandfather. The sound was louder. I was bored because I had no interest in boxing, so I was nning my schedule for tomorrow when Marso spoke to me. Are you going tomorrow? Yes. He didnt seem to want to continue the conversation. Do you like Klimt? He wiped his mouth after drinking water and said. No. I remembered that he said he was okay when we talked on the phone before. We had a lot of conversations about Gustav Klimts works, so I thought he liked them, but I was surprised that he didnt. You said you were okay before. The paintings are. He liked the paintings but not the artist. Its rare to see someone who can separate the work and the artistpletely, and I wonder if thats even possible. Every work is a self-portrait of the artist. So you hate him? Hes not someone you can talk about easily. Henri Marso wiped his sweat with a towel and said. As a person, he was a lowly ruffian, but as an artist, he was the most ideal man. It was the first time that Henri Marso praised someone so much. No, was it sarcasm? Ideal? Compared to Van Gogh. I felt uneasy. In what way? He achieved everything he wanted, while Van Gogh didnt. He had everything that Van Gogh couldnt have. My grandfather seemed curious about what Henri Marso thought of Gustav Klimt. He folded his arms and listened quietly, but I didnt want to hear it. Just like the Impressionists, the Secessionists also tried to break away from the existing power structure. The Impressionists are M, M, Renoir, Degas, and so on. They were all the ones I respected as my teachers, and I also rejected the teachings of the French Royal Academy of Art. The Secessionists are those who refer to Gustav Klimt, the founder. Klimt achieved perfect sess with the public. It was a great feat to not break against the established power that he confronted head-on. If he had been able topletely separate himself economically from the wealthy who had made their fortune, he would have changed the course of history. Unlike Van Gogh, who worked alone, he had many followers. I dont know why there are so many people who poke at other peoples wounds today. And unlike Van Gogh, who only differed, he had many lovers. Aaah! Whats wrong with you? Stop it! Why do you keep bringing up Vincent when you talk about Klimt? Because theyre simr. Marso leaned on the cab. He dered that he would no longer make art for the public, who loved him so much. Why? I dont know. Anyway, thats when Klimts golden age began. If he hadnt made that choice, his status would have beenpletely different now. How is that simr to Vincent? Pure self-expression. He made art that was neither for the existing power nor for the public, but only for himself. I think I understand a little why he said I was simr to Klimt. Kim Jiwoo introduced Gustav Klimt as an artist who had never existed before or after. If he pursued expressing himselfpletely, he had no choice but to be like that. There is only one existence like me in the world. The process of how he became like that is interesting. My grandfather intervened. At first, he received orders to paint pces or church murals. He copied them so well that even experts couldnt tell if Klimt painted them, as he learned at school. My grandfather used the word copy, probably because the style of painting at that time was typical. The artists individuality was excluded and the painting was only for the purpose, so the expression of copy or reproduction was not wrong. He was only in his teens then. By the time he was 18, he was already widely recognized and made a lot of money. That fast? I thought he was not famous because I didnt know, but now I see that he was a sessful painter from a young age. My grandfather and Henri Marso stared at me. Why? Thats not what you should say. Chapter 177: Holy Spring (3) Chapter 177: Holy Spring (3) Chapter 177 Holy Spring (3) To those who didnt know the situation, it must have looked that way. So, what happened then? Even though he sessfully established himself in the mainstream art world, Klimt didnt stop there. He gathered like-minded people and formed the Vienna Secession. I had heard of them as the ones who opened a new path for art. A man who had achieved great sess by catering to the demands of the king and the nobility, but who chose to break free from the solid andfortable fence. I admired the courage of him and his colleagues. I shared the same interest as my grandfather, who said he was curious about the process of how Klimt started his art for himself. The poster of their first exhibition is interesting, isnt it? My grandfather showed me the poster of the first exhibition of the Vienna Secession on his smartphone1. As soon as I saw it, I nodded involuntarily. It was a poster worthy of decorating the first exhibition of the people who dered to start a new art. It was a picture based on a myth, and the upper part was probably depicting the Minotaur and Theseus. In the story, Theseus entered thebyrinth to kill the monster Minotaur of the Cretan kingdom. To avoid getting lost, Theseus unraveled a thread as he explored thebyrinth. He fought a bloody battle with the Minotaur and finally defeated the monster, bing a hero2. I guessed that the reason why he expressed that story on the poster was topare the existing mainstream art world to the Minotaur and Klimt himself and the Secession to Theseus. Thats interesting. Do you want to know more? Yes. But I wonder why he projected himself onto Theseus. My grandfather nodded his head as if to encourage me to say more. I can understand killing a man-eating monster, but the rest of the story is sad, isnt it? After killing the Minotaur, Theseus tried to return to his homnd Athens with the princess Ariadne who had helped him. But the god of wine Dionysus intervened and made him leave the princess behind. Theseus, who lost his love, forgot a promise he made with his father in extreme grief. He was supposed to hoist a white sail if he came back alive, and a ck sail if he died. But his ship returned with a ck sail, and his father, who saw it, despaired and threw himself into the sea and died. Theseus defeated the Minotaur and became a hero, but he lost two people he loved. He didnt know it, but it ended up simrly unfortunate. Marso said. It seemed that Klimtster years were not so smooth. This shield is also interesting. Indeed. The shield held by Athena, the goddess of civilization, who stood on the right side of the poster, caught my eye. The head attached to the Aegis (a bronze shield given by Zeus to his daughter Athena) was Medusa. It was different from the other works that expressed the authority of the gods with dignity and holiness. I could guess what Klimt was thinking when he designed this poster. He left only the snake-like hair and made the faceical, probably as a challenge and mockery to the existing style. It was a bit cute. Did the exhibition go well? Of course. The 14th exhibition attracted 58,000 people. I couldnt believe Marsos exnation. At that time, when there was no proper transportation or publicity, so many people came to see the works that deviated from the mainstream art. The current art world may be in a slump, but it was nothingpared to that time. The poption was different. I didnt know how many people lived in Austria in the 19th century, but the poption of France, which had the most people in Europe, was about 38 million. Considering that there are more than 70 million people living in France now. And considering that it was not an environment where anyone could enjoy art, but it was limited to the nobility and some bourgeoisie, I could guess how amazing the exhibition of Klimt and the Vienna Secession was. That 14th exhibition was a tribute to Beethoven. Ludwig van Beethoven. I didnt know much about music, but I had listened to some of his songs, including the 9th Symphony, this afternoon. Even when I was living as Vincent, his fame was so great that not only Vienna, but the whole of Europe admired him. It was held in 1902, not long after the 20th century began. Doesnt that seem strange? I wondered what I had missed at my grandfathers question. Ah. My grandfather nodded his head as usual, and gave me a chance to say my thoughts first. They said they broke away from the past artists, didnt they? Thats right. Grandfather and Marso had been exining that Klimt and the Vienna Secession resisted the existing power and art. But why did they honor Ludwig van Beethoven, who had been active 100 years ago? Why did they do that? Because he was the first artist to break away from the power. And he also broke the ssical music style. Marso answered instead, and grandfather added an exnation. I knew he was a great person, but I didnt know he was the first musician to be independent from the nobility. He also received help from patrons for a while, but in the end he sold his scores and made a living by himself with concerts or lectures. It was a time when all artists had to make what their patrons wanted with them on their backs. In the long history, the time when artists could exist as artists was not long. Before that, they were nothing but servants of the church or the nobility. He was a man who broke that history. For a moment, I remembered the chorus of his ninth symphony that I heard at lunch. The epic that started grandly sang of hope at the end of the curve. As if to wee the new world he had opened. Since he proved that an artist could exist as an artist, he was the best inspiration for the Vienna Secession. He was special. Marso also joined in. Klimt said he would do art for himself, not for the powerful or the public. I nodded. So did Beethoven. He put who he was and what he wanted to say in his music. And he was the best musician who knew how to deliver it to the public. The Secession admired Beethovens creativity. It influenced not only music, but all art. The more I knew, the more amazing he was. Now it may seem natural to put yourself in your artwork, but it was not so in the 18th and 19th centuries. Due to the thorough exploitation structure, the public could not afford to buy, and they had to imitate the gods and praise the nobility to survive. He changed that environment, and how heartwarming that was. Thats why they ignored the ordinary painters. Yes? "In 1909, Klimt visited Paris and his friends asked him what he thought of thetest paintings there."1 By 1909, most of my contemporaries like Toulouse-Lautrec and Gauguin had already passed away. I wondered what kind of artists were active in the same era as Klimt. What did he say? Trash. Did I hear that wrong? Trash? Trash. I couldnt believe it. Marso was not one to joke. Maybe he said that because he couldnt paint well, but the works that were exhibited were unlikely to be that bad. Maybe he just refused to acknowledge the different directions they pursued. He wasntpletely unimpressed, though. He might have been more disappointed because he remembered seeing that artists work before. As I was thinking about Gustav Klimt, my grandfather said something unexpected. He liked his work so much that he even painted some influenced by him. Who could that arrogant painter have admired so much? Who was it? "Vincent van Gogh."2 Why? My grandfather didnt answer, as he always did. He said I would naturally understand if I went to Vienna and saw Klimts work for myself. He wanted me to think for myself. I would meet him tomorrow, so I decided to put my curiosity aside for now. I guess they had something inmon as broken souls. Henri Marso said as he left the gym. He must have picked a fight today. *** Chri Gado prepared a wonderful dinner for us. He thanked me repeatedly for helping Marso, but I felt embarrassed because I was the one who received the help. Where did you get that courage? You shouldnt have done that. It was dangerous. Yes. How brave you are. How did you raise your grandson so well? Ha ha. Thank you. I saw Marso again. My grandfather, who used to be annoyed by the mere mention of Henri Marso, seemed to have a normal conversation with him. Maybe it was because he helped me. I hoped they wouldnt get any closer, especially after he gave me . Hmm. I sliced the scallop thinly and put it in my mouth. The butter aroma spread softly, and the sweet taste of the well-cooked onion matched the chewy texture of the scallop. The more I chewed, the deeper the vor became. It was like testing how sensitive a mine could be. I wanted to enjoy it forever, but it melted and disappeared in my mouth. I felt sorry for it. I couldnt help reaching for more. I could eat ten tes of this. Is it good? Yes. How did you make the scallops so tender? Usually, scallops are known for their firm and chewy texture, but these were so soft that it was amazing and new. I scored them with a knife. They had very fine cuts on them. They were so delicate that I wouldnt have noticed unless I pressed or looked closely. He put so much effort into making this te, I wondered how the other dishes were. Thank you. Its really delicious. Eat as much as you want. It was a wonderful dinner. After finishing the meal, I went to his studio to see his painting again. As I drank tea and admired the deep beauty of thecquer, my grandfather also eximed. Where did you get this? Arsne, where was it? It was an ind called Geomundo. Hmm. Wasnt it a natural monument? There was a ce that cultivated it professionally. I bought it from them when they were distributing it as food. Arsne exined how he got thecquer tree. My grandfather couldnt take his eyes off the painting. I gave up on it. Can I get their contact information? Of course. I was curious about what kind of work he usually did, so I looked around his workbench. There was a pile of papers on one side. They looked like new papers, but when I picked them up, they were all sketches. I nodded, seeing how much he worked on his ideas. Huh? There was a note on the other side. It looked old, with some faded and stained parts, but the writing was clear. How do people see me? A worthless person, a madman, or maybe an unpleasant person. A person who will never achieve anything, a bottom-dweller. Fine. I dont care if they are right. I will show them what a madman, a bottom-dweller has in his heart through my paintings.3 It was part of a letter I sent to Theo once. It seemed that Marso had copied it. Even if you dont trust anyone else, you have to trust me! What was his name? Jrme Kerbier? I remembered what Marso said to the guy who caused a scene at the Marso Gallery. Did hefort himself with this sentence whenever he was having a hard time? He annoyed me in many ways today, but I decided to forgive him generously. ***
  1. Poster for the First Exhibition of the Vienna Secession, Gustav Klimt, 1898, Lithograph
  2. As a myth passed down by oral tradition, there are various stories about how the Minotaur was killed. Likewise, the reason why Ariadne parted ways with him is also different depending on the source. I have narrated the story based on the most widely known version.
  3. At that time, Vienna tended to avoid exhibiting foreign artworks under the pretext of preserving its own artistic identity. For Klimt, who grew up in such an environment, Paris, which was nothing less than the capital of European art at that time, gave him a great shock. He visited Paris in 1900, when he won a gold medal at the Paris World Exposition with . He also stopped by Paris in 1909, on his autumn trip, when thest exhibition he nned was held. On the other hand, the story that Klimt criticized the works exhibited in Paris was based on the remarks of Jeon Won-gyeong, an art critic and artist, who lectured on Golden Space, Leaving for Ravenna with Jeon Won-gyeong on ssic Cloud, from 17:19 to 17:28.
  4. In 1906, Klimt attended an exhibition of works by Vincent van Gogh in Vienna, and was influenced by his dynamic brushstrokes. Source: Important Klimt Landscape Leads London Impressionist Sale, Sothebys, Feb 10, 2017.
Main text In 1906, Klimt attended an exhibition of works by Vincent van Gogh in Vienna, and his subsequent appreciation of van Gogh sparked a significant shift in his appreciation of paint. Drawing on this, the dynamic brushwork and vibrancy of Bauerngarten reflect this turning point in Klimts style.
  1. A letter sent in July 1882.
Chapter 178: Holy Spring (4) Chapter 178: Holy Spring (4) Chapter 178 Holy Spring (4) Think about what kind of painting you want to make in the future. The next morning, I bid farewell to Henri Marso and headed to Vienna, the capital of Austria. I couldnt get a direct flight ticket, so I had to make a stopover, but thankfully he lent me his ne. I wondered how much money he had to own a ne, and I was worried about the cost, but he said it was nothingpared to the he received. I wished he was either a jerk or a nice person, not both. Anyway, his private jet was veryfortable. The seats were spacious and soft. He seemed to like it, as he was already sound asleep. What kind of painting do I want to make? He must have had Gustav Klimt in mind. Henri Marso seemed to regard me and Klimt as something special. I could see some simrities between us when I recalled the conversation we had yesterday. We were both skilled in traditional painting, sessful from a young age, and followed by others, but we eventually expressed ourselves in our own ways. That must have meant a lot to Henri Marso. I was no different. Ever since I was reborn, I pursued paintings that would sell. I didnt want to go back to those days, so I wondered how I could move the hearts of the viewers. On the other hand, Gustav Klimt dered that he would not make paintings for the emperor, the nobles, or the public, which was different from me. But I couldnt deny that it was an attractive answer. His golden period works, such as , made his name even more valuable. If Klimt hadnt presented his own works, he wouldnt have been revered as a great master. I also left my name behind with the help of many people, even though I wasnt recognized in my lifetime, so was it right to pursue uniqueness? No. The answer to this question couldnt be divided into two. Both Klimt and I were able to be recorded in history because we had people who recognized us. If I could exist as myself and be attractive enough for people to follow, I wouldnt have to worry, but that wouldnt be easy. Then how could I approach them? Henri Marso chose to hone himself in this conflict. His hundreds of self-portraits, which looked like obsessions, were probably his way of cultivating and training himself. It was a very hard way to make people look up to him, even if he didnt seek understanding. What about me? I didnt exclude myself just because I wanted to sell my paintings, so I thought I was bncing myself. But I couldnt nod my head if I was satisfied with this. I wanted to paint more beautiful paintings. I wanted to talk to more people. What kind of paintings should I make for that? The answer was never one. Klimt and Matisse had their own standards and choices. They were able to exist as great painters because they pushed their own answers stubbornly. It was the result of repeating the struggles, frustrations, and rises like me back then. It didnt matter much what choice I made. About 41 billion won. ording to the datapiled by thewyer Thomas Arthur, it wasnt exact due to the exchange rate, stock price fluctuations, and other reasons, but my parents left me a fortune that I couldnt even imagine. Even after deducting the inheritance tax, if I added my money, it would be about 41 billion won. I didnt know if my grandfather would leave me his fortune someday, but even if he didnt, I didnt have to worry about eating and living. I didnt have to worry about making a living. I didnt have to work for money all my life. How unrealistic and heartwarming this was. But that didnt mean I could put down my brush. Money was a means to paint, not a goal. It was important that I got out of the shackles. I was in a different position from the past when I was desperate for survival, so it was time to find another way. For now, I was satisfied withmunicating with various people and cultures. I was delighted to be moved by great works and wonderful artists, to tell my story, and to have people appreciate my paintings. It was a feeling of living that I could never feel in an isted life. My lips kept rising. I was going to meet Klimt today, but who would I meet tomorrow, and what kind of work would touch me the next day? As I imagined what kind of paintings I would make in the process, my chest swelled. Yes. Dont think too deeply. The worries about the public and myself are very superficial. Its a waste of time. Instead of worrying about that, lets draw more and get to know more people. Thats the way to find myself and not be lonely. Hoo. I felt lighter after sorting out my thoughts. It seemed like there was about an hour left until arrival. I had nothing else to do, so I browsed through a tourist brochure of Vienna. As I turned the cover, the first page introduced Ringstrae. It was a circr road that formed the center of Vienna, and it was also called the fantasy road. It was a street established by the city n of Franz Joseph I, thest emperor of Austria in the 19th century. The main attractions were connected along the road. The ces I wanted to see were the Secession, which was built by Gustav Klimt and his colleagues, and the Belvedere Museum, where was exhibited. Both ces were slightly away from the circr road. I wanted to see them soon. Snore. Gurgle. My grandfather was snoring, so he must have been tired. I decided to tell him to rest at the hotel after seeing one ce today. *** It didnt take long to get from the airport to the center of Vienna. We had lunch on the ne, so we unpacked our luggage at the hotel and headed straight to Ringstrae. Wow. I couldnt help but admire. The street, which was nned to establish the emperors dignity, was filled with splendid and majestic buildings in Gothic, Baroque, and other styles. Its like a fantasy road, isnt it? Yes. Even if it was a humiliation imposed by thest emperor of Austria, it was still majestic and splendid. I guess the Schnbrunn Pce is over there. Grandpa thinks it would be better to visit the art museum first. Do they have Klimts paintings there? Grandpa nodded. I wondered what he was thinking, but I didnt say anything and walked with him. As we passed the natural history museum, a spacious square between the art museum buildings came into view. It looked like thendscapers had taken good care of it, as there was not a single branch sticking out. This is the Maria Theresa Square. In the center of the square, there was a tower so high that it could be seen from afar. On top of it, there was a statue of Maria Theresa, surrounded by knights on horses. She looked both merciful and dignified. She was a great empress. No European would be ignorant of Maria Theresa, who was famous for the War of the Austrian Session and the Seven Years War. She was a hero who fought against the great Frederick the Great of Prussia and suffered a great wound, but ultimately defended her country. But I didnt see any other emperors. When Franz Joseph I built the Ringstrasse, he ced the statue of Maria Theresa in the most visible ce. Because she was the pride of the Habsburg dynasty of Austria. Yes. Do you know the Habsburg dynasty? Grandpa, who seemed to want to exin something, suddenly turned his head. I was a little flustered and dodged the question. I learned it at school. Hmm. It seems like the school is getting harder and harder to study. They teach things that you dont need to learn yet. I wonder if I sent you there for nothing. I agreed with Grandpa. Although I didnt learn European history, Korean elementary schools demanded too much knowledge from the children. The more serious problem was the atmosphere that the school lessons were not enough. The children who received private education felt bored with the school lessons. You dont have to stress too much about the school test scores. Yes. Grandpa and I bought tickets and entered the empty art museum. Since those under 19 could enter for free, Grandpa only paid 20 euros. It was an advantage to have a young body, even if it was ufortable.1) I should travel a lot when Im young. Oh my god. I had visited several art museums with Grandpa, but this was the first time I saw such a ce. It was not only magnificent, but also iparable in its splendor. The pirs that formed a circle were connected by arches and formed a dome on the ceiling. The middle was hollow. Even though I didnt know much about architecture, I could tell that it was a ce that was intricately built, leaving the middle of the ceiling, where the most load would be concentrated, empty. That was not all. The ceiling, illuminated by the light, shone with a faint golden color, and every detail was carved without any gaps, making the whole space a work of art. The stair decorations, the floor, and the pirs were all too luxurious. As I looked up at the central staircase, I saw lions holding shields on both sides. Among them, a marble statue depicting Theseus subduing a centaur gestured for me toe up quickly.2) I ran up the stairs. Wow. How dynamic it was. Theseus looked like he was about to strike with his club at any moment, and the centaur was resisting with his waist bent. The ssical style and the delicate muscle expression and dynamic posture created a beauty that was admirable. ssicism was seen negatively because the ruling ss demanded only that, but the work itself was beautiful beyond words. Lets look up there too. Huh? I lifted my head at Grandpas words and felt like I was out of breath. Oh my god. Angels were descending from a high ce that I had to strain my neck to see.3) Considering that it was a ceiling painting, the perspective was lowered, and even without that, the high ceiling felt like the sky. On the lower left, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael Santi seemed to be having a conversation, and I could see Michngelo Buonarroti in agony. It was a painting that revered the three geniuses of the Renaissance as divine beings. It was an amazing masterpiece. The Apotheosis of the Renaissance by Mihaly Munkacsy. Grandpa told me the title in English too. Apotheosis of the Renaissance. I think I know why he said the words peak and deification together when he said Apotheosis. I cant think of a word that perfectly corresponds to it in Korean. To worship? I couldnt find a suitable word, but I was sure that I knew what kind of art Austria pursued at that time. This ce, along with the Ringstrasse, was a temple for the past, such as Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and ssicism. ***** 1)As of 2021, the admission fee for the Vienna Art Museum is 16 euros for general, 12 euros for seniors, students, and civil servants (including 5% VAT). Free admission for those under 19. For seniors, you need to be over 65 and have a pensioner ID, so Goseo Yeol entered at the regr price. 2)Theseus and the Centaur, Antonio Canova, 1819, marble sculpture, height 340 cm. 3)Mihaly Munkacsy (Mihaly Munkacsy), The Apotheosis of the Renaissance, 1888, fresco. Chapter 179: Holy Spring (5) Chapter 179: Holy Spring (5) Chapter 179 Holy Spring (5) I was so fascinated by the ceiling fresco that I didnt notice how splendid the surroundings were. As I slowly widened my view, I felt like the ceiling around me was framed like a picture. It was a huge and magnificent frame, made by a brilliant frame maker like Pierre Malo. What about the pirs? As I stood on the stairs leading to the second floor and looked at the direction of the dome hall, I was speechless with awe. There were two angels carved on the top of the stairs I had climbed, and the pce shining with gold was holy. I felt like I was in a temple as I looked at the Renaissance Art of Deification, and I wondered if there was a more graceful space in the human world. Isnt it amazing? Yes. Its too much. Yes. Its excessive. Grandfather nodded. Every group acts nationalistically at the end. It was the same for the downfall of the knight ss. When firearms were invented and there was no longer a need for people who fought on horseback, the knights used chivalry to maintain their power. Chivalry, which was originally a means of regting the rogue knights of the time, became a means of emphasizing the noble status of the knights and ruined them. This case was no different. The Vienna Art Museum was built as thest defiance of the Austrian emperor. It was a space where the beautiful and majestic imperial spirit was preserved. Renaissance, ssical, and baroque artists had such wonderful skills, but they couldnt express themselves. Maybe thats why they were more obsessed with their skills. Maybe. I wondered if the artists who had to express only the majesty of the king and could not contain their thoughts and emotions poured their ambition into their skills. The sculptors of the time, who carved and polished marble to create textures like cloth, armor, and skin, had surely surpassed the limits of humanity. What about the huge ceiling fresco, the Renaissance Art of Deification? I cant even imagine how many years it took. You didnt notice. What? You can see the Klimt painting. I looked around, but I couldnt see any Klimt works. Grandfather had exined the Theseus statue and the ceiling fresco as other peoples works, so the only ce left was the mural next to the arch. I dont know. Are you talking about the mural? Yes. Its a Klimt work. Grandfather pointed to the three arches above the stairs leading to the second floor. I cant see it well. Its too far to see, and if I get closer, the picture is too high to get a good view. I was embarrassed and wondered if I should ask him to lift me up, but grandfatherughed. "There used to be stairs there, so you could see it up close."1 Then I cant see it properly? There will be a telescope if you go up one more floor. You can see it from the other side. Lets go quickly. I hurried up the stairs. I was speechless at the Klimt mural I saw through the telescope. He had been very sessful in orthodox art, and he had the skill to match. When he painted this work, Klimt used the past style perfectly. The ideal face, posture, delicate and orderly expression. If he hadnt told me that Klimt painted this, no one would have thought it was his painting. The woman on the left, based on the center, was probably Athena. It was the essence of Greek art. The nude woman on the right looked like an Egyptian, and I had no idea about that side, but I think I know what he was trying to say. How is it? Its amazing. But. But? Its a painting by Klimt, but its not a Klimt painting. Grandfather smiled softly. I turned the telescope to the left arch. Do you see the papal crown? Yes. Its lesia. The Greek word lesia originally meant the assembly of Athenian citizens. Early Greek Christians, including the Apostle Paul, borrowed the word and used it to mean church. If grandfather was right, the woman in the robe was probably lesia, that is, the personification of the church itself. I turned the telescope to the right. Ah. Now I could see the painting that I could say was painted by Klimt. It is a Klimt painting. Yes, it is. It was the style used in the early Renaissance that broke out in northern Italy in the 15th century. And I could see the traces of gold leaf use that Klimt showed in hister works such as The Kiss and Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer. He painted Dante and Beatrice. Divine Comedy? Do you know the Divine Comedy? I learned it at school. I never thought that attending a Korean elementary school woulde in handy, but it did. Anyway, since you know, youll see better. Yes. Ancient Egypt, Greece, the Church, Italian Renaissance. Klimt recorded the history of art here. I took my eyes off the telescope. Because Joseph wanted it that way. It was because thest Austrian emperor Joseph refused to change and insisted on the existing art style. Thest emperor who wanted to create a temple of art, he seemed to believe that art should be like baroque, ssical, and renaissance. The work of Renaissance Art of Deification was also like that, and all the works that make up this ce were born from nostalgia for the past. Grandfather nodded. Yes. Even after impressionism became popr in France, Austria was still stuck in the past. Thanks to that, we can see this wonderful museum. As grandfather said, this ce has a very big meaning as a record. As a record. Huh? Why? He used that gold leaf techniqueter. The clothes that Beatrice wore were simr to the technique he usedter. The clothes that used patterns with circles and squares meant that he was creating something new through the existing technique. He must have been struggling when he painted that picture. Yes. He could only remain as a decorative painter. Grandfather stroked his head. Its a work that he painted while learning and making his own things with many techniques such as mosaic, metal use, Greek pottery, Egypt, Babylonian relief, and so on. I finally understood why grandfather wanted toe here first. The young Gustav Klimts process and agony before he became a master are vividly left here. At the end of the empire. The genius Gustav Klimt, who diligently honed himself during the cold winter and brought spring with his own power. I like him more and more. *** The museum was too wide and I was tired, so I decided to go back to the hotel. The Tower of Babel was also cool. Its a work that Pieter Bruegel painted in the year he died. Its cool that he could paint such a picture even before he died. Ha ha. Your eyes are sparkling. As I walked with grandfather, talking about the works we saw at the art museum, a small shop caught my eye. It looked like a ce that sold ice cream. No. We have to eat dinner. As an appetizer. Just a little. He looked at me with a pleading look and nodded as if he had no choice. We went to the front of the shop. How do you sell ice cream? One cone for two euros. How do you want it? Two, please. It seemed like he scooped ice cream on a conical pastry. I only ate ice cream by spoon or straw, so I was looking forward to it. The ice cream that the owner scooped was so chewy that it made me more excited. Here you go. Thank you. I tried to grab the ice cream, but he suddenly turned the handle. I red at him, wondering what he was doing, and he smiled. Go ahead and take it. He shrugged his shoulders and handed it over again, and I reached out again, but he avoided it. Hee hee hee. Grandfather made a sound and looked up, wondering what was so funny, and he keptughing. I turned my head and looked at the ice cream shop owner, and he apologized with his palm open. He should have done that earlier. I grabbed the pastry called cone, and another cone came out with the ice cream like a matryoshka, leaving only the empty pastry in my hand. Did he mean to eat the pastry first? Crunch. It was crispy but tasteless. I frowned, wanting to eat the ice cream quickly, and the owner looked more embarrassed. Give it to me quickly. Huh? Dont y with food. Do you do business to tease people who want to eat ice cream? I got angry and grandfather looked at me. Ha ha ha. Hoon-ah, this is how you y and eat. I frowned, not understanding, and the owner apologized and put another lump of ice cream on top. Ill climb on the counter if he takes it away again. Here, Im sorry if you felt bad. Have fun ying. Crunch. Ill forgive him because its delicious. ***** 1)In 2012, tomemorate the 150th anniversary of Klimts birth, a steel staircase was installed to view the mural located 12m above the ground. The measure of the Vienna Art Museum to allow direct viewing received a great response and was installed several times afterwards. Chapter 180: Holy Spring (6) Chapter 180: Holy Spring (6) Chapter 180 Holy Spring (6) We decided to have Austrian gosh and Tafelspitz for dinner. It was the first time we tried both dishes. Gosh was a spicy stew with beef, onion, potato, and beans. Grandpa, who was not fond of European food, was delighted to see the red broth, but heined that it was not spicy enough and looked for red pepper powder. He took a jar and sprinkled a lot of red pepper powder on his te, which rmed the waiter who told him not to do that. I had no idea how spicy he liked his food. That will hurt your stomach. Its not spicy at all. Try it. Grandpa pushed his te towards me. You said the ramen was not spicy either. It wasnt. I saw you put a ton of red pepper powder in it. Hungarian red pepper powder is good for you. It can still be spicy, you know. Grandpa took a big spoonful and sighed. See? Grandpa can eat it. He said it was soothing and ate more. I was curious about the taste, so I took a little bit of gosh. It was spicy indeed. It was better with the white cream (tejfl) that came with it. Its delicious with this. Grandpa doesnt want to mix sour cream with the broth, huh? Its good. As we tasted different things, Grandpa brought up Klimt. How was Beatrix? He was talking about the mural on the wall of the staircase leading to the dome. It was the painting where Iter found Klimts distinctive gold pattern. I thought there was no such thing as a genius who fell from the sky. Grandpa nodded. Thats right. Many people say that there was no one who painted like Klimt before or after him, but that doesnt mean he was not influenced by anything. An artist cannot help but be influenced by social phenomena, environment, and other artworks. His unique technique of using gold was also influenced by his father, who was a craftsman. And he was able to paint works like The Kiss because he had drawn many works at the art academy. There is no bad genre or technique. Renaissance, Baroque, ssicism, they are all precious elements that fill me. It would be a problem if I imitated them, but I can get more choices based on them. Isnt that enough? One persons power has its limits, but the possibilities are infinite when people influence each other. Just like Gustav Klimt did. Lets go to the Secession tomorrow. I wanted to see what kind of works Gustav Klimt and his colleagues made, who wished to find themselves in the long history of many countries. Lets do that. My smartphone vibrated. Its Mr. Taeho. I answered the phone. -Hoon, how are you? Im fine. Im having dinner after visiting the Vienna Museum of Art History. -Cool. Is your teacher well? I guess he doesnt like the food. When we made eye contact, Grandpa nodded seriously. -Thats a big deal. There must be a Korean market in Naschmarkt. You can buy ramen and stuff like that. They sell ramen and stuff in Naschmarkt? It would have been nice to use the speakerphone and listen with Grandpa if it was our hotel room, but I was conscious of being in a public ce. Really? Grandpa took out his smartphone. He seemed to be looking for Naschmarkt. We should stop by Naschmarkt after visiting the Secession tomorrow. -By the way, the Whitney Biennial is over. Yes. On the day when there was amotion at the Marso Gallery, the Whitney Biennial closing ceremony was held in New York. Some time had passed, and it seemed that the I had submitted had returned. -The Mask arrived. Its too good to waste, so I looked for some ces to exhibit it. I sent you an email, so take a look with your teacher when you have time. What do you think, Mr. Taeho? Taeho Bang would have picked out the best conditions and guided me, but there must have been a method that he liked the most among them. I wanted to hear his opinion. -Well, I think a ce with a lot of visitors would be good. Security should be thorough. And I cant ignore thepensation. Yes. -Also, I prefer a ce where it is exhibited constantly for a certain period of time rather than a one-time event. Its also better for the management of the work. It would be a lot of trouble to move it around for a short time. And there was no guarantee that there would be no problems in the process. -Considering that, I think the New Tate Modern is the best. Ive never heard of it. -Its in London. They are active in securing exhibits. And they also asked to exhibit your work, so I think they might be good. They contacted you first? -Do you think they were the only ones? I felt happy and embarrassed andughed. -Take a look. The other ces are not bad either. Ill check them out. Thank you. -Thank you? This is my job. Well, enjoy your dinner. And say hello to your teacher. Okay. When I hung up, Grandpa looked better. Hoon, they sell kimchi here. Shall we eat here for lunch tomorrow? I checked the map and it was a restaurant near the Vienna Medical University. It would take about 30 minutes from our amodation. Sure. I didnt like it that much, but I missed the crunchy and refreshing taste of kimchi when I didnt eat it. * The next day. We left the hotel in time for the opening. It was October, and unlike yesterday, which was cozy, the weather was quite chilly. The weather changes so fast. Are you cold? Yes. I felt cold walking around in the clothes I brought. We cant do this. We have to buy some clothes before we go. Grandpa bought me a jacket from a nearby clothing store. It was a thick gray fabric that matched his own. Lets go. Lets go. We took the number 2 tram and passed by the Maria Theresa Square and the Vienna Museum of Art History, where we had visited yesterday. We got off in front of the National Opera House. The city of music, or maybe because of Emperor Josephs coercion, even the opera house was majestic. There were bronze statues of musicians on the second floor and the roof of the Gothic building. Did we pass three blocks? A simple white building appeared. It was simple but had an impressive feature, unlike the other imposing buildings on the Ringstrasse1. Thats the Secession, right? Yes. Its the temple of the secessionist artists. Grandpa smiled. If the various buildings on the Ringstrasse, including the Vienna Museum of Art History that we had seen yesterday, were Renaissance temples that epassed the past art, this ce was a temple for those who wrote a new history. Gustav Klimt must have thought so too. The golden sphere on the roof looked like aurel wreath. "The people who live here call it a cabbage."2 Cabbage? At first they mocked it as a golden cabbage, but now its a nickname. I listened to Grandpas exnation while waiting for the pedestrian signal. "Hermann Bahr, the spiritual leader of the secessionists, said to abandon the bleak daily life and the obsession with trivial things."3 Obsession? Yes. But it was not a simple rejection of the old art. He clearly said it was a resistance against the people who dominated the art world. He probably meant not the people who did ssical art, but the Emperor Joseph and the nobles who forced them to act that way. It was a struggle of the powerless and poor artists against the power. How sublime they were. The Viennese secessionists faced the problem. They knew exactly what they had to get rid of to be artists. True independence, separation from everything, was the truth that art could develop. I also wanted to do that, so I left the academy and worked on my works, and wanted to create amunity of painters. Lets cross. The signal changed. The secessionists worked hard in various directions. They also published a magazine called Ver Sacrum to convey their meaning. Ver Sacrum. It means sacred spring in Latin. It was a title that captured their hope for spring toe to the bleak art world. The name was also written in gold on the front of the Secession building. They made this ce with the funds they collected through such activities. I looked up at the Secession building and felt a new emotion. I was proud of theter artists who did this. Although they were a bittepared to the Parisian painters, Gustav Klimt and the Viennese secessionist artists built their own sanctuary in the capital of the empire with their own power. Modern? No. Dont ssify by time. I was moved by the old memories as I stepped into the ce where truly free art began. If themunity of painters had been better, could I have built such a building in Arles? If I had gotten along better with Paul Gauguin, Lautrec, and Anton, could I have done more wonderful things? I remembered the past. * The French National Art Association was busy preparing for the Art Nouveaupetition. Especially, how to exhibit the works of more than 1,700 participants was a big challenge. The curators who gathered for the hugepetition, which was hastily organized, could not easily decide. They debated over several options that were nominated. We have no choice but to use the square in front of the city hall. The space is still insufficient. We have to show them alternately over time. Its impossible to exhibit all the works in one space. One curator was right. There were too many works to exhibit them all in the same ce at the same time. Even if they found such a ce, there would be a difference in exposure depending on how they arranged the order. It was a concern for all 11 curators who prepared for the Art Nouveaupetition. The debate continued for days. As the counterarguments piled up, Michel tini, who had been listening, opened his mouth. We have to create an environment where people have to see all the works. Thats impossible. No one can force that. If we could do that, we wouldnt have to worry like this. Do you have a good idea? Michel looked around and calmly shared his thoughts. The ce is not important. We have to tell stories that make people want to go wherever the works are. Even as the curators sent him skeptical looks, Michel tini did not waver. Tell them spring ising. ****** 1: Ringstrasse is a circr grand boulevard that surrounds the historic Old Town of Vienna. It is home to many impressive buildings and monuments that represent different architectural styles and periods2 2: Krauthappel is a colloquial term for the Secession building, derived from its resemnce to a cabbage head3 3: Hermann Bahr was an Austrian writer, critic, and one of the founders of the Vienna Secession. He wrote: We dere war on the bleak daily life, on the Byzantine Empire, on all the vices. Our Secession is not a struggle of the present against the past, but a struggle of the artists who im to be against those who have interests, for the development of art. 4 4: Hermann Bahr, Die Secession, Ver Sacrum, 18985 Chapter 181: Holy Spring (7) Chapter 181: Holy Spring (7) Chapter 181 Holy Spring (7) Michelle tini let out a long sigh after finishing the meeting rted to the Art Nouveaupetition. Her secretary Victor felt sorry for Michelle tini, who had been working tirelessly for the past month, but also admired her for striving for the worldsrgestpetition. Michelle got into the car and leaned back on the sofa. Youve worked hard. Hard work is Did you make any progress today? No. I cant be sure. The Art Nouveaupetitionmittee had to encourage the visitors to appreciate all the works. The judges would have to check all the works as a duty, but the general visitors could not spend that long time to appreciate the works. As the selection was decided by voting, the organizers had to care about the exposure of the works. The conclusion was impossible. It was impossible to exhibit more than 1,700 works under equal conditions, so the discussion continued. I think your approach is right, Director. Michelle chuckled at Victors encouragement. Technically, all the visitors are judges. They should have a sense of mission as the protagonists who choose the new art. Mission. Michelle closed her eyes and pondered. Its not wrong, but I dont want to burden them with such grandiose emotions. I just want to let them know how precious they are to the art world. She decided that if she could not exhibit all the works under equal conditions, she had to make the visitors find them by themselves. They needed to be made aware that they were the main actors who changed the flow of the art world. It cant be done in one way. Victor nodded. He trusted Michelle tini and agreed with her intention, but her wish was not an easy one. It might even be impossible. Impossible, but to be pursued. They need to be aware of being judges. Their choices will determine which artists will be highlighted in the future. What if they dont feel interested? Thats up to the artists. It was the curators role to create a perfect route and environment for the works to be focused on. But if the works did not shake the hearts of the people, no n would matter. Its hard. Michelle smiled at Victors words. We have to do it even if its hard. She clenched her hand holding the proposal. Soon after arriving at the Marso Gallery, she saw Vida Ravani watering the flower bed. Director! Vida Ravani bowed his head. Michelles mood improved with the brightened face of the boy. How is it? Can you do it? Yes! But Hmm? Im worried because its getting cold. Theyll grow again when it gets warm. Still Vida Ravani said as he looked around the garden. When winter came, the flowers he had carefully tended would wither, and he wouldnt be able to keep watering the garden. Michelle felt sorry for the boy, understanding what he was worried about. She knew how precious the 10 euros he earned by working an hour a day was to the boy who couldnt afford a proper meal at his growing age. Would you like to guide people inside in the winter? We need someone to take umbres or clear snow. Oh, yes! Just tell me what to do! Are you okay with working longer than now? Im fine! He was admirable for not losing his cheerfulness. Lets see. Ill have to pay you 60 euros a day if you work for six hours. Vida Ravani opened his mouth wide. His eyes, bright with excitement, trembled. You dont have to pay me that much. If I dont, Ill get arrested. Its thew. Vida Ravani, who had been looking up at Michelle tini, bowed his waist and greeted her. Thank you. Thank you. What for? Youre earning what you worked for. Youre the only one who cares for someone like me. Michelle frowned. Dont say that. Someone like me. Oh. Im sorry. He apologized with a word that hurt her heart, even though he had done nothing wrong. She didnt misunderstand the hatred of Muslims by the French people who were enraged by the brutal terrorist acts of the Imists. Even Michelle herself thought that Muslims should be excluded from French society. But she couldnt understand why this young boy had to suffer without eating or dressing properly. Lacit. France had strictly separated politics and religion. It allowed freedom of activity for all religions, including Im, but it was a philosophy that religion should not interfere with political activities. Most French people, including Michelle, thought that the long conflict thatsted for 80 years would not have happened if the Muslims had not insisted on wearing hijabs in official ces, ces that had political influence. I heard you work diligently. Its amazing that you work hard at your age. The boy bowed his head shyly and scratched his head. I have to work hard. Youre doing well now. Vida Ravani took out a small sketchbook from his bag. They were all drawings of the Guardian of Liberty in the Bastille Square. They were crude, but the same picture was repeated and it improved a little bit in the process. You drew a picture. Yes. Marso said that I have to draw ten thousand to draw properly. Marso? Vida Ravani nodded. I calcted it and a 13-page sketchbook was 1 euro. I think I can draw about 20 pages if I save pastels. I thought I could draw ten thousand if I had about 2,000 euros He was not worried about how to draw ten thousand, but how much he needed to draw them. How naive and innocent he was to take Henri Marsos words literally and try to draw the same thing ten thousand times. Michelle was speechless. So I thought I could do it in 200 days if I got 10 euros a day, but youre giving me 60 euros. Then. Then I can draw other things too. Vida Ravani smiled. I thought there was no such thing as a miracle. Its a lie. Thank you. Thank you. Michelle looked at Vida Ravanis crude drawings and asked. Do you want to be a painter? No. How can I? Then? Just. Hmm. Michelle tini recalled what Henri Marso used to say. He said that those who want to be painters can never be painters, and only those who draw can leave great works. He said something simr when he scolded Jerome Kerbiel. Its not a lie. Michelle handed the sketchbook back to Vida Ravani and said. Do you know what a miracle is? The boy shook his head. It actually happens. Yes? Its a word made to refer to something impossible that really happens. So a miracle is not a lie. Its something that happens. The boy opened his mouth slightly. Youll be a great painter. *** I paid 20 euros and entered the Secession1. I took a leaflet and walked to the stairs leading down to the basement, where there was a small model of the Secession. It looked like there were several rooms underground. On the wall next to it, there was a text introducing the Secession with photos. I didnt need to read it myself since I had heard enough exnation from my grandfather. There was Gustav Klimts name on the stairs. Gustav Klimt Beethovenfrieze(1902) As we went down the stairs, my grandfather told me about the day when the Beethoven Frieze was first exhibited. It was the 14th Secession Exhibition. It was the exhibition that Henri Marso said 58,000 people visited. Gustav Mahler conducted Beethovens Ninth Symphony here. It was a total art. It was interesting that a conductor with the same name as Klimt conducted Beethoven. I could listen to the actual performance and see Klimts Beethoven Frieze. It sounds amazing. We turned to the left aisle and finally saw Klimts mural. It was high. There was a bench in the middle of a wide and long room, and the mural was painted on the upper part of the wall. It was so high that even if my grandfather gave me a piggyback ride, I wouldnt be able to reach the bottom of the picture. My grandfather headed to the left wall. I saw naked men and women with clenched fists facing a knight in golden armor. The skinny ones looked like they were asking something of the knight. On the other hand, the two women behind the golden armor were peaceful and gentle. Klimts unique pattern caught my eye. Look at the knights face carefully. I moved my eyes at my grandfathers words. Doesnt he look like Beethoven? Now that I think about it, he does. Maybe Klimt portrayed Beethoven as a superhuman figure who would deliver hope to those naked and wretched people. He called it the longing for happiness. . I think I get it. My grandfather moved his feet and faced the front wall. Thanks to the piggyback ride, I could move my eyes as my grandfather intended. It wasfortable. He titled it the hostile forces. It seemed like a picture of the beings that the knight in golden armor had to face. The woman on the left symbolizes disease, madness, and death. She must have meant the Gorgon sisters. They are called Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa, but you dont have to know their names. They are usually depicted as ugly monsters, but Klimt mixed strangeness and beauty appropriately. The monkey-like thing in the middle is Typhon. He has a human upper body and a snake lower body, and he has a hundred snakes on his shoulders and arms. He is the strongest monster in Greek mythology. Typhoeus. He was a monster that even Zeus barely defeated. As my grandfather said, his upper body was human, but he drew it like a gori. The red-haired woman on the right is desire, the blonde is impurity, and the pregnant woman is uncontrolled mind. To sum up, they are disease, madness, death, desire, impurity, and uncontrol. He also drew Typhon, who symbolized violent force, so it was clear how huge the enemy that the knight in golden armor, Beethoven, had to fight was. An individual is too powerless in front of the countless hardships that he faces in his life. Poverty. Disease. He is bound to be frustrated and frustrated again in front of the invincible giant force. Like me at that time. But, but Beethoven stands up proudly. Beethovens Ninth Symphony, which resonated here a hundred years ago, says that there will be hope at the end of the long ordeal. He will find hope at the end of the painful and lonely fight, as the holy voice that shouts joy leads him. Now, this is the kiss to the whole world. . Is there such a warm person again? Is there such a romantic work again? A hymn of hope that says that someday glory will shine on you, no matter what trials hurt you. The holy message that the great musician shouted out was reproduced by Klimt. *****
  1. Secession admission fee as of 2021.
Adults 9.5 euros (8 euros for groups of 8 or more). Primary school students and students under 26, over 65 6 euros (4.5 euros for groups of 8 or more). Children under 10 free. Chapter 182: Holy Spring (8) Chapter 182: Holy Spring (8) Chapter 182 Holy Spring (8) Kim Jiwoos eyes sparkled as she arrived at the Belvedere Museum.1) She was overwhelmed by the elegant and majestic Baroque building under the cobalt teal blue roof. She was eager to see what awaited her inside, but she was not impatient. She calmly walked through the well-kept garden, admiring the statues that were ced here and there. She did not want to see Gustav Klimts , which she had longed for, without any preparation. As she entered the Upper Belvedere, she was greeted by four historians who supported the ceiling. The Belvedere Museum, which had turned even the pirs into artworks, was made entirely of white marble except for the window frames. She slowly exhaled the breath she had taken in as she passed through the archway and climbed the stairs. She looked at the sculptures, paintings, and sometimes the pce itself. There was not a single piece that did not stir her heart. Above the beautifully hanging chandelier, there were angels. The walls that did not disy any artworks were delicately carved, and there were ideal human statues on each pir. She did this for a while. When her longing became too much to bear, Kim Jiwoo turned her steps. She did not care about the situation that had dyed her summer vacation, which was scheduled for August, until October. She did not mind the frustration of having to stay at the airport for half a day due to the flight dy. She did not mind the fact that she had to leave the expensive hotel she had booked with her eyes barely closed. She was filled with excitement to see . One step, one step. She did not lift her head. She only lifted her head when she had the artwork in front of her. Brilliant? No. Gustav Klimts was shining softly under the light.2) Kim Jiwoo could not breathe in front of the holy golden light. She had seen it repeatedly in photos, replicas, and heard various words about . She had studied it and even wrote an article about it, but she had to admit that she did not know anything about until now. The nameless flowers that bloomed cutely. They had a freshness that was unthinkable for Klimt, who was a painter of sensuality. How could the flowers that bloomed on the cliff be so beautiful? No, that was why they were more pure. Their existence was more precious because they were in a ce where they would fall into the abyss if they took one more step. The reunited lovers embraced each other and became one. If the mans clothes did not have square patterns and the womans clothes did not have round patterns, they would have been indistinguishable from each other. How special was their love that they became one despite being different? Why did he paint them without kissing? Kim Jiwoo was guessing the answer. Klimt loved Emilie, who was 12 years younger than him, deeply. He was a painter of sensuality who wanted to capture Emilies eros on the canvas, but he could not get any sexual desire or inspiration from her. When he faced her, he was drawn to her clear and pure soul and could not even think of painting. Klimt left her to paint. Emilie left him to pursue her life as a costume designer. was a work that Klimt painted after he broke up with Emilie. As his body became distant from her, his thirst for her grew stronger, and he painted it with anguish and affection. The painter of sensuality, who had previously depicted the seductive and fatal aspects of womens nudity, finallypleted the beauty. It took Gustav Klimt two years toplete , during which he confirmed his feelings for Emilie. He went to find her, and they stayed together until death parted them. Kim Jiwoo thought that the reason why Klimt painted without their lips touching was because he was courting her again. How much time had passed? Kim Jiwoo took out her camera and turned off the sh function, then took a picture of .3) But no matter how many times she tried, she could not capture its beauty. She gave up on taking photos with regret and turned her head to admire from a distance. She was startled. Go Hoon and Go Suyeol were right next to her. Huh? Go Hoon put his index finger on his lips. He had been looking at before Kim Jiwoo arrived, but he waited for her because he did not want to disturb her in love. The three of them left the exhibition hall and stood in front of the souvenir shop on the first floor. *** Oh my. Oh my. Professor, no, writer, you look so much happier. Hehe. Thank you. Is it because youre traveling with Hoon? By the way, Hoon, how did you get here? Werent you in Paris? And are you okay? I heard there could be some aftereffects even though the hospital said there was nothing wrong. Are you sleeping well? Kim Jiwoo asked questions without a pause, as usual. She wondered if she was the same person who had a sorrowful expression in front of a while ago. I was also mesmerized by it, but the difference in her mood was huge. But I was d to see her in an unexpected ce. I wanted to see you and hear your story. I came to see the paintings while I was asking Malo for a frame. A frame? Oh! The Art Nouveau contest? Yes. What about your work? Did you finish it? How is it? It turned out well. He lifted both arms and cheered, making me feel happy as well. Youll win the grand prize. The grand prize. I dont know about that, but I think theyll like it a lot. Why? If you say it turned out well, then you must be satisfied with it, right? There are many talented people out there. Kim Jiwoo nodded. So you asked for a frame? He nodded and pped his knees, happy. What? You really hit the jackpot. I dont know what he means by hitting the jackpot. It seems like a phrase he uses when hes positive, judging by his expression and behavior. Its not just anyone, its Pierre Malo who recognized you. You did well to write the winning article in advance. How can I write it when it hasnt even started yet? I usually prepare an outline for important things so I can write the article quickly. The genius painter Go Hoon who won the grand prize in the worldsrgest contest. Wow~ Thats great. I love it. Hes always energetic, no matter when I see him. But didnt you say youde during the summer vacation? I was super busy preparing for the special issue. Special issue? Yeah. I sorted and selected the people who participated in the Art Nouveau contest. I skipped this month and came when I had some time. It seems like the monthly magazine is also preparing a lot for the contest that has the biggest prize money in the world. Be sure to check out the September issue. There will be a special issue on the Art Nouveau contest in November, but in the September issue, I introduced whos in it and what kind of works theyve published so far. But its an anonymous exhibition anyway. Hey. Even if its anonymous, their style wont change, right? Youll recognize them all. There might be people who dont want to be known. If they dont draw the way they used to, you wont be able to tell. Is that so? If you want to win, I think its better to make it clear who you are. It would help to gather fans if they did as Kim Jiwoo said. But the artists are so entric that I dont think suchmon sense will work. So? Yes? How was it? Klimt. Kim Jiwoos eyes sparkled. He was an amazing person. He opened his eyes wide as she shared her impressions of meeting Gustav Klimt for the past few days. Right. But he soon shook his head. The painters who lived in the same era as Klimt couldnt influence him. He was such a unique existence. If I had to name someone who influenced him, it would be Van Gogh from the previous era. And the kiss he painted while thinking of Emilie. Oh, do you know? Austria bought the kiss as soon as it was announced. My grandfather told me. was truly Gustav Klimts masterpiece. It was the work that made the government acknowledge Gustav Klimt, who had rejected the ssical art that the emperor wanted. Since its announcement, Klimts works were exhibited all over Europe. He created his own school and reached the peak in every aspect, bothmercially and artistically. Kim Jiwoos expression darkened as she continued to praise Klimt. She felt sorry for him, who had changed drastically after . What is talent, anyway? She sighed deeply and lifted her head. Grandfather, what do you think talent is? Hmm. The grandfather groaned softly and organized his thoughts. I think its something I dont have. You dont have? People often dont know what talent they have. They only see what others have. Ah. Egon Schiele asked Klimt, didnt he? If he had talent. Egon Schiele, Klimts disciple. She hadnt seen his works, but she had heard from her grandfather that Klimt had a great painter as his disciple. You have a lot of talent. Too much. I wish I could draw peoples faces like you. Kim Jiwoo recited what Klimt had said to his disciple. The disciple, who couldnt be sure of his future, had hoped for a definitive answer from his question, but the answer that Klimt gave was too sad. He acknowledged his disciples talent, but at the same time, he felt a kind of frustration. The grandfather continued to exin. Yes. Klimt confessed in front of the art critics at that time. He said that young artists rise by stepping on the existing artists. That was the only way to establish their own world. Klimt added, Its hard to think calmly about this. Hemented that the time when young artists came up to him came too soon, didnt he? The grandfather nodded at Kim Jiwoos confirmation question. But look. Is Klimt inferior to painters like Egon Schiele or Oskar Kokoschka? No! Kim Jiwoo denied strongly. It was something she couldnt ept as someone who loved him so much. And I think so too. Klimt was a great person in himself, regardless of the difference in talent he felt from his disciples like Schiele and Kokoschka. The grandfather smiled. I think so too. The genius painter of the fin de sicle, Gustav Klimt, who was frustrated by the rising disciples. The human Gustav Klimt, who had broken the mainstream art world with his own hands, butmented that he had be the mainstream. The man who praised humanity and the victory of hardship through Beethovens Ninth Symphony, deeply realized the finiteness of life. And then, he struggled in the dark despair until the end and closed his eyes. He never painted a picture like again. I saw on the inte that some people say that Klimt declined after the golden period. Kim Jiwoo dropped her head, dejected. I dont think so. Huh? People can envy the talent they dont have. They canment and be discouraged. But Klimt didnt stop. At first, I just admired him for his achievements and works. He realized that the times were changing and he destroyed the school he hadpleted with his own style and started over from the beginning. The grandfather nodded and agreed with my words. His description, color sense,position, and splendid decorative patterns are all evidence that Klimt was a great painter, but I think his passion for feeling jealous of his young disciple and his determination to break his stubbornness and find a new style are more admirable. Right! Kim Jiwoo pped her hands and liked it. I want to live like that too. Someday, I want to create something with people who share my heart, and give each other a good influence. Something like that. Everything is different from then. I have everything I need: money, fame, health. I dont need to be afraid. ***** 1)Belvedere means observatory in Italian. It can be understood as a pce with a good view. There is a French-style garden spread out after passing the lower pce where the exhibition is held, and there is an upper pce where the permanent exhibition is held. 2)The Kiss, Gustav Klimt, 1908~1909, oil and gold on canvas 3)The Belvedere Museum allows photography, but prohibits sound and sh functions. Chapter 183: Awakening (1) Chapter 183: Awakening (1) Chapter 183 Awakening (1) November 24, 2028. The art world was buzzing with excitement as it faced thergestpetition in history. The total prize money was 2.5 million euros. The top ten winners were guaranteed a special exhibition at the Louvre Museum, making the Art Nouveau Competition the dream stage for every artist. The cultural program Lets Talk that delivered the news of the global art scene featured the Art Nouveau Competition that was a week away. -Good day, viewers. The host Woojin greeted them. -It starts next Thursday. From today, we will bring you the news rted to the Art Nouveau Competition for three weeks. Let me introduce the two guests who will join us. Woojin turned his head to the right and saw a young man with no hair. -Alex, who runs an art-focused YouTube channel, please say hello to the viewers. -Hi, Im Alex from Alex Factory. -You look quite different from your YouTube videos. -Oh, can I do it as usual? -The viewers will expect you to do so. Alex tilted his head and asked again, and Woojin and the PD nodded. -Nerds, are you watching? No one believed me, right? But look. I! Finally! Appeared on CBS! Woojin watched Alexs greeting and paused for a moment before opening his mouth. -And we have Anya Strejeman from the New York Times. Nice to meet you, Strejeman. -Hello. A woman with attractive long ck wavy hair smiled leisurely. -Please say hello to the viewers. -Im Anya Strejeman, a reporter for the New York Times.1 -What kind of work do you usually do? -I cover the most noteworthy events of the week. This week and next week, it will be the Art Nouveau Competition. -Thank you both for your valuable time, and lets get started. Strejeman? -Yes. -Artists from not only Europe but all over the world are cheering. What is the Art Nouveau Competition? Anya Strejeman answered in a calm and clear voice. -It is an internationalpetition organized by the French National Art Association. Starting this year, all participants will exhibit their works anonymously, and the feature is that all visitors will judge them. -Starting this year. Why did they change the way they run it? -In the art market, the value of a work of art depends on who made it. They want to break that and find the intrinsic value of the work of art. -I see. Alex, you recentlypiled a list of people who are participating in the Art Nouveau Competition, right? -It was something I couldnt do in my right mind. It was crazy. -Not everyone has expressed their intention to participate, but there are some famous names. -Of course. Peter, Lucas, Shara, and so on. Too many to mention. -And there was someone who caused a stir. -Go Hoon, Francis Bacon, and Damien Carter. I cant leave them out. -Damien Carter? You mean the Damien Carter from the UK? Woojin opened his eyes wide and asked. He couldnt easily believe the news that Damien Carter, the master who was known to be the mostmercially sessful in the 21st century, had participated. -Thats right. The Damien Carter who won the Turner Prize. -Thats amazing. Why would such a person participate in the Art Nouveau Competition? Alex blinked and asked. -Should I do it for the broadcast? Or for real? Woojin chuckled and said. -We have to deliver urate information. Please tell usfortably. -He probably wants to make some money since he hasnt had any dealstely. Actually, hes past his prime, even if hes a master. Now its Henri Marsos era. -Wow. Anya Strejeman, who was facing him, reacted faintly to Alexs blunt remark. Woojin, who had expected him to keep a certain line, froze for a moment and then looked at the front camera with a professional spirit. -We would like to rify that Alexs remark just now has nothing to do with the production team of Lets Talk. Henri Marso, who was watching TV, bit his tongue. He felt sorry for the host who drew a line to the person who spoke the truth. Henri Marso sipped his kale juice and logged on to YouTube. Go Hoons YouTube channel Pingoo had no activity since the video posted a week ago, and thest live streaming was a month ago. What is he doing? Henri Marso, who had wasted his Korean studies, gritted his teeth. Then, Michelle tini, who was exhausted from preparing for the Art Nouveau Competition, came in, dragging her slippers. She found the bed and threw herself on it. Henri Marso frowned and looked at his lover who copsed as if dead. Take a shower. Grumble. What? Michelle only turned her head to the side. I dont have the strength to do that. He couldnt sleep with someone who didnt wash, so Henri Marso tried to get up and move to another room. But Michelle wrapped her waist and he had to sit still. What? Can we just stay like this for a while? Its ufortable. Move. Can you shut up for a minute? Henri Marso licked his lips and checked the clock on the bedside table. 59 seconds, 58 seconds, 57 seconds. When he counted 40 seconds, Michelle put some strength in her arm. Henri decided to throw away her makeup-stained pajamas and toss her into the bathtub 40 secondster. I just want to stay like this a little longer. How long? 10 minutes? No, an hour? Henri Marsos eyebrows twitched as he counted the seconds. Tell me exactly. Michelle was silent and then lifted her head. Until Im fully charged. Michelle opened her eyes wide and looked up. She was exhausted physically and mentally for the past two months preparing for the Art Nouveau Competition, and she wanted to findfort in Henri for today. I wonder if I did it right. I said I would do it, but there might be some works that are left out. Henri Marso got up and Michelle sighed. She shouldnt have expected him to indulge her in such a childish act, who had no romance at all. Ah! Michelle was startled when her body was suddenly lifted. She looked at Henri Marso, who had lifted her by her waist and hips, and couldnt calm her surprised heart. What are you doing? Henri Marso looked down at her with an indifferent expression. Then he walked to the bathroom attached to the living room on the second floor and opened his mouth. Get ready for a bath. -The water temperature is set to 40 degrees. Preparing for a bath. The water started to fill the bathtub quickly. Hey, wait. Put me down. Ill wash myself. I said Ill wash, okay? Hey! As Michelle entered the bathtub filled with water, she looked up in dismay. Henri Marso took off his pajamas and left the bathroom. Michelle looked down at her wet clothes and shouted at the bathroom door. Hey, you crazy bastard! * A littleter. Quack quack- Surrounded by a flock of rubber ducks that Henri Marso had brought, Michelle enjoyed the bath in a half-given-up state. Her body was quickly tired from the 16-hour march that had been going on for more than a day. She turned her head and leaned against the bathtub and saw Henri reading a book. What are you reading? Layered manufacturing of PLA structures using fusion deposition modeling. What? Its about how to use 3D printers or 3D pens. Michelle rested her cheek on her arm on the edge of the bathtub. What are you going to make with a 3D printer? Nothing. Then? Im seeing if I can draw 3D paintings. If I can do that, I dont need to sculpt. Whats the difference between a 3D pen and a 3D printer? Imagine painting in the air. The paint doesnt fall and hardens as it is. Michelle opened her mouth. Is that possible? I have to make it possible. He was serious about doing something that seemed impossible, and that was admirable and proud. I hope you can do it. Yeah. Henri Marso fell silent again. For a while, the sound of turning pages, the sound of rubber ducks crying, and the sound of water dripping filled the bathroom. It might have been the worst. Michelle snickered at Henris sudden remark. What? The Art Nouveau Competition. Michelles expression darkened. She knew the significance of the Art Nouveau Competition better than anyone, and the pressure was great. Yeah. Michelle answered weakly. She had used all means possible, but not all works could be in fair conditions. You made it the best. Henris voice rang with the sound of turning pages. He had decided that it was the right way, even though the failure rate was high because of the unprecedented method and scale. He wanted art to be a mainstream culture that was enjoyed by many, not determined by a minority elite. Thats why he went ahead with the difficult task, and entrusted the role to the person he trusted the most. Theres no better way than that for now. How do you know? Because you did it. The man who looked crazy sometimes made her flutter with his absurd words. Its burdensome, you know? What do you do without any burden? Anyone can do easy things. Michelle twirled Henris curly hair and said. Sometimes its okay to take a break. What are you talking about? I like your work the best, even though Hoons work is cool. Michelle knew that Henri Marso was so absorbed in the unrealistic thing called 3D painting. Henri Marso closed the book. He had been in a big shock from Hoons for the past few weeks. He felt like the flow of the art world that he led would someday go to Hoon. It was a kind of fear. It was something that no artist could avoid, but it was too early for him, who was in his early 30s. Im not Klimt. Henri Marso opened his mouth. Im not so weak that I copse at the talent of a disciple that I dont have. And I dont despair at the finiteness and even abandon my own style. Unlike Hoon, who highly praised Klimt, who tried to change constantly, Henri Marso did not acknowledge him. The Gustav Klimt he remembered deeply was up to . I dont care what the kid does. I just do my work. Did they not know that the two people who looked so different were influencing each others works? Michelleughed as she listened to the story. **** 1)Features Writer Chapter 184: Awakening (2) Chapter 184: Awakening (2) Chapter 184 Awakening (2) Hello. I turned on the broadcast for the first time in a long time before leaving for Europe. I was worried that no one woulde because I had been away for too long, but I was surprised that 600 people came in. How have you been? As I waved my hand to greet them, the chat window went up wildly. No, Ive been miserable! Is it true that you lost your skills for a month? I want to eat pork belly rice. Isnt it dereliction of duty for a streamer to not broadcast for a month? Youre so mean You lost subscribers. Why didnt you turn on the broadcast How was it when Henri Marceau saved you? What have you been doing all this time? They were all the same. I wondered if the person who wanted to eat pork belly rice still hadnt eaten it, or if he always wanted to eat it. I wanted to buy him some when I met him. Henri Marceau seemed to have joined in too. Ive been doing this and that. Practicing the documentary script, and, oh. Do you know the New Tate Modern Museum? I decided to exhibit there. Mask. I decided to exhibit at the New Tate Modern, which was the most proactive among the various museums that Bang Tae-ho introduced me to. Documentary? What? Did you not turn it on because you were embarrassed, not because you were busy? You already made a self-documentary? Youre only 11 years old. Stop wasting your time and focus on your work. How much do you get for exhibiting Mask? How close are you with Henri Marceau? I ignored the smart ones in the middle. From experience, I shouldnt give them any leeway. The people watching the broadcast wanted to tease me. Its made by the Van Gogh Foundation. Its a story that follows Vincents life, and I get to exin some of his works while drawing them in my own way. When they asked me when I was filming, I added that it was after the Art Nouveaupetition. I asked the New Tate Modern to keep the contract terms confidential. I got a lot. I agreed to receive 30,000 pounds for a one-year exhibition contract, and they also signed an insurance that wouldpensate me 6 million pounds if the work was damaged. Grandpa, Bang Tae-ho, and Jang Mi-rae all said it would be hard to get better terms than that, so it wasnt bad if it was good. And I studied. Do you remember the friend I broadcasted with before? He helped me with this and that. I gave up on following the advanced course from the beginning, and I nned to study the regr course, but I got a lot of help from Cha Si-hyun. It was a good lesson, except for the fact that he kept bringing up things like limits and continuity of functions and insisting that they were basic knowledge. Oh, by the way, I have homework. I have to do it. Can you help me? Homework? You want us to help you with school homework? Even if I havent studied for a long time, elementary school homework is easy. You have to do your homework by yourself. I want to eat pork belly rice. I asked SNBA to promote it for me. Art Nouveaupetition. I got a lot of money. 7,000 euros. As I mentioned that Bang Tae-ho got the advertisement, the chat window was flooded withughter. NoThat was your homework Oh my. How much is 7,000 euros? About 10 million won? Our friend was a bigpany. Did you forget how much you sold the Frosty Field for? Broadcasting is a hobby for Hoon. Who decided the advertising fee? But we cant go even if you advertise to us. Was I the only one who thought of multiplication and division? Everyone, be careful! Oh, I have to go to Paris next week. Yeah. I should eat some croissants while Im there. Is this how you do it? Who decided the advertising fee? I was about to ask why he was asking that, but I wondered how he understood Korean without subtitles. Ill have to ask him when I go to Paris. I donated the money I got from this. Its called the Dovin Foundation. They help children in need. I showed the camera the donation certificate that Bang Tae-ho gave me. You can see it even if you dont go to Paris. The Louvre Museum website has a virtual exhibition hall for the Art Nouveaupetition. You can see it there. If you have something like VR, you can see it more realistically. They said they set it up exactly like the actual exhibition space, so please use it a lot. As I turned my head, Bang Tae-ho and Grandpa, who said they would make the script for me, nodded their heads with satisfaction. I clicked on the image provided by SNBA. The Art Nouveaupetition poster appeared on the monitor. Its next Thursday, right? From 9 a.m. on November 30th to 10 p.m. on December 6th. Paris time. Its free. I flipped the file and showed the first event. There are a lot of events. The first one is finding the works. Theres an ind called Cit in Paris, like Yeouido in our country. I thought they wouldnt know, but some people seemed to know. Thats right. Where Notre Dame Cathedral is. There will be works exhibited there, but the exhibition halls are separated. If you find 100 works in a week, they will give you prizes by lottery. The more you find, the higher the probability, so try to find as many as possible. Isnt it too hard to find them indoors? It sounds stressful;; How do you prove what you found??? What about the people who watch VR? They say if you install the Arnuvo Contest app and take a picture, it willpare and identify it for you. Dont worry if youre using VR, it will track your path. I checked the chat window again, wondering if I missed anything. Oh, all the works are on the first floor, not in the basement or above the second floor. And theres a contest logo on the door, so it shouldnt be hard to find. There are also works exhibited outdoors. To be honest, it sounds like a hassle. MJ, MJ, MJ Have some manners! Now that I think about it, its like a fairy event. Wow, that sounds so fun. The event that Michel tini and several curators came up with was not as well received as I expected. It was definitely too difficult, so I was worried, but I still had more to tell. There are prizes, you know. Theyll draw a thousand people from among those who find more than a hundred works and give them 1,000 euros. Five hundred people who took the pictures themselves, and five hundred people who participated in VR. ??? How much is 1,000 euros? About 1.3 million won? She was really a fairy;;; It seemed to go well. Theres also an event to guess the artists. If you go to the website or the app, theres a ce to enter the artists name, but you have to write it in English. Theyll give 3,000 euros to a hundred people who guess the most. The first event was meant to make the audience find more works themselves, while the second event was meant to prevent them from just finding them. They must have thought of a way to make them look deeper into the works, since they were exhibited anonymously. What if more than a hundred people guess them all? Are you kidding? There are more than 1,700 works, who would guess them all? Dont underestimate otakus. Besides, there are a lot of people who are beyond imagination among the fans. Theyll draw them then. I wanted to try it too, but I didnt know much about the artists of this era, so it would probably be hard. Grandpa and Bang Tae-ho said it was impossible to guess them all, so the viewers worries probably wouldnt happen. Itll be fun if you visit in person, because you can get hints if you answer the quizzes. Grandpa and I will try it too. Ill sign for you if we meet, so pleasee a lot. **** The first Arnuvo Contest in 2028 received more attention than the Whitney Biennale that opened the same year. It was thanks to the radical proposal of Michel tini, the director of the Marso Gallery. SNBA, which had initially set a global publicity budget of 20 million euros, was able to reduce it significantly. The work-finding and artist-guessing events that Michel tini proposed caused a global sensation with just 1.3 million euros. They spent only 10 million euros, half of the original budget, by adding the publicity costs for famous artists and influencers and the basic publicity costs. The information rted to the Arnuvo Contest was spread by word of mouth, and even people who were not interested in art became curious. As the rted traffic increased, the mediapeted to publish articles. The Arnuvo Contest official application recorded 10 million downloads just before the opening, foreshadowing the best performance of the art event. You know. Late at night, when Go Suyeol and Bang Tae-ho fell asleep. Cha Si-hyun, who was lying on the bed and studying contemporary artists, opened his mouth. How can you tell who drew it by just looking at the picture? Cha Si-hyun, who was memorizing the names and characteristics of various artists, had a fundamental question. Go Hoon, who was lying next to him and studying together, answered. You look at the color, the brushstroke, what they drew. You look at it from various aspects. They could draw somethingpletely different. They usually make it consistent. Why? Sincerity? It shows that they thought deeply about one topic for a long time. It shows in the work too. Hmm. Its also important to get an image. Its easier to remember if its clear who drew this work. If you were to work as a painter, the blue tree would be your symbol. I think I get it. Cha Si-hyun nodded andy down again. No. I dont get it. Isnt it boring to draw the same thing? You only draw blue trees. I draw them differently. So do others. Henri Matisse drew 800 self-portraits, but theyre all different. Cha Si-hyun nodded his head when he gave an example of Henri Matisses self-portraits. I wish Henri woulde too. Then I could guess at least one person. He didnt say he was participating. He could be doing it without saying anything. But hes someone who doesnt have to go. Besides, its a contest held by SNBA. Its no different from his own contest. Do you think hell participate? Well, maybe. He does a lot of weird things. . Cha Si-hyun had a point. Go Hoon thought for a moment and shook his head. No way. Professor Jang Mi-rae said the same thing. She said she would have wanted to participate if she knew it would be this big. It sounded like the best stage for Henri Matisse, who liked to be noticed. There was no reason for Henri Matisse not to step up to the event that attracted more than 10 million people, including the virtual exhibition hall. If you go to the contest, no one else will get the prize! But Go Hoon chuckled as he recalled Henri Matisses chat. He said on the broadcast before, how would he do it if he gave the opportunity to many people. Hell never go. Uh. Hes weird, but he keeps his word. Cha Si-hyun believed his friend and looked at his smartphone again. He couldnt sleep, looking forward to what works he would meet at the Arnuvo Contest tomorrow. nche Fabre. nche Fabre. This person is very unique. Right? Cha Si-hyun turned his head and covered Go Hoon, who had fallen asleep quickly, with a nket. Chapter 185: Awakening (3) Chapter 185: Awakening (3) Chapter 185 Awakening (3) It was the opening day of the Art Nouveau Competition. I went to Notre Dame Cathedral with my grandfather, Bang Tae-ho, and Cha Si-hyun, who were invited to the opening ceremony. On the way there, I saw many people enjoying thepetition, but the front of the cathedral was crowded with people. Where is Damien Carters work? Itll be on the inte tomorrow, right? Who would upload something that has a prize money? Some people care more about views than money. Like YouTubers. Oh, yeah. I heard the conversation of two people who looked like friends as they passed by. I wondered if I should film a video too. There were many Koreans, but 30% of my subscribers were from Europe and North America, so I thought it might help. My broadcasts had been scarcetely, and I lost some subscribers, but I thought I could take advantage of this opportunity to improve the situation. Sir, this is a broadcast. Huh? Bang Tae-ho had already taken out his camera and was filming Notre Dame Cathedral. No, its not. I felt like I could trust the reliable president of my agency. There are so many people. Cha Si-hyun eximed. It was the first time for me to see such a spectacle of so many people gathered in one ce. It narrowed my vision. I was worried that Cha Si-hyun, who couldnt speak French, might get lost, so I held his hand tightly. Dont worry. He smiled quite politely. Okay. Dont let go and hold on tight. Yeah. Ill protect you. He hugged me. I didnt know who was trying to reassure whom. If you get lost, call me right away. Dont move. And dont follow strangers. Its okay. That wont happen. It could happen, so be careful. What if you lose your phone and get lost? Wow! He shouted as he looked at the Seine River, which was somewhat visible. A family of yellow ducks was peacefully enjoying a pic. The baby ducks were big, but the mother duck looked like she was 4m tall. It was a bit threatening to see the cute toy that my mother put in the bath when I was young grow so big. So cute. Its fine to look, but dont run after them. I kept nagging, but I couldnt help it. I had to take good care of him for the sake of Cha Si-hyuns parents, who trusted me and my grandfather and left their son to us. Look over there! There are penguins too! He jumped up and down. When we came here for our honeymoon, we couldnt see it properly because of the fire, but its really amazing. Thats right. Even though it was underrated, if it werent for Notre Dame Cathedral, the spatial utilization and decoration would have been behind by hundreds of years. "You mean the flying buttress technique?"1) Hmm. They had to attach it, but they made it into a decorative piece with their craftsmanship. Look at that delicate expression. I heard they restored it, but it looks better than I thought. Its thanks to the efforts of those who inherited that craftsmanship. I heard they reused the original materials as much as possible. My grandfather and Bang Tae-ho were enjoying the Paris sightseeing while having a lively conversation. If I didnte to my senses, there would be no one to take care of this guy who might run off somewhere. I held Cha Si-hyuns hand tightly. Bread for you! Freshly baked bread for you! As we entered the square in front of the cathedral, there were stalls lined up in a small park facing the Seine River. They were not ordinary street vendors, but booths with SNBA logos on them. The French National Art Association seemed to have prepared a lot of things. I was drawn to the bread with a lot of chocte mousse on it. It was called ir, and it was quite expensive for a street bread, 4 euros. I wondered what it tasted like, and Cha Si-hyun muttered. I want to ride that. He turned around and looked up at the sky. What is it? I followed his gaze and saw a blimp floating in the sky. It looked pretty big even though it was far away. Do you want to ride it? Can we? Cant we? We cant see the works from there. Isnt it for promotion? Oh, maybe. I observed it again and saw something written on the side, but it was too high to see clearly. I think this is it. Cha Si-hyun showed me his smartphone. It was an article saying that a blimp promoting the Art Nouveau Competition would be flying over Paris for a week starting today. I didnt notice it from below, but there was a phrase saying Art Nouveau Competition on the left side and the Marceau family crest on the right. It looked like something from Henri Marso. I read an article that SNBA was doing a low-cost, high-effect marketing, but they wouldnt have thought of flying something like that if it werent for Marceau. Hoon-ah, look ahead. Si-hyun too. Itll be a big trouble if you get lost. My grandfather came behind me and wrapped his arm around Cha Si-hyuns shoulder. ** In the midst of the worlds attention. The opening ceremony of the Art Nouveau Competition began at the square of Notre Dame Cathedral. The president of the French National Art Association, Chevasson Simon, greeted the guests on the podium. We have won another victory recently. Chevasson Simons voice was vigorous enough to make you forget his age. 700,000 artists have finally regained their rightful rights. This is what many artists in Paris wanted a hundred years ago. Independence from power. Freedom from survival. As a result of their struggle to make art exist as art, French artists were free under the grace of Antermat. But this is not our goal. Chevasson Simon clenched his fist. Now that all forms have been dismantled and all artists have been granted freedom, where are we heading? The Art Nouveau Competition will be the first step to find out. The old man who loved art wished that all artists living in this era would pursue their own aesthetics in freedom. He felt his heart pounding when he thought of the happiness and joy, sorrow and frustration, and the courage and will to rise again that would ur in the process. The resonance of artists, the era, and the public was their goal and ideal. Dear art lovers. I hope you will discover the seeds of awakening that lie dormant on the le de Cit. Your joy will be the sunlight, and your tears will be the sweet rain. The moment the seeds you choose sprout leaves, this era will be defined. Chevasson Simons thoughts resonated with some, but not with others, but his love for art was conveyed to everyone. Everyone apuded the message that the old man shouted with all his strength. Next, we have the pride of France! The Eroica who brought us freedom! I will leave it to Henri Marso. Thank you. As Chevasson Simon mentioned Henri Marso, the reporters became busy. The camera shutter sound was sporadic. Henri! Henri! As Chevasson Simon introduced, the hero who brought freedom to the French art world, Henri Marso, made people ecstatic. The emerald eyes that shone through his curly hair overwhelmed the audience in an instant. Chevasson Simon proudly regarded Henri Marso and gave up his seat and stepped back. Henri Marso looked around and opened his mouth. Chevasson master made a mistake. The heat that had risen from Chevasson Simons speech cooled down. The era cannot be defined. And there is no such thing as a trend that defines the era. Those who did not sympathize with Chevasson Simons speech nodded inwardly. Art history exined the era by ssifying it into trends such as Renaissance, Baroque, ssicism, Impressionism, etc., but with such a method, art could not be deeply and fully epted. Moreover, now that the diversification of values has taken ce, art could not flow in one direction. Trends are nothing but a means to describe great artists of each era. Henri Marso mentioned the masters who represented each era from the Renaissance to the 20th century, emphasizing that there were no trends, only the artists who performed them. If you think that way, there is nothing that cant be defined now. Then how would you define this era, Mr. Marceau! Henri Marso frowned at the unexpected question. Are you asking because you dont know? The reporter was flustered by Henri Marsos blunt rhetoric even in an official ce. But it was a rare opportunity, so he gathered his courage and asked again. How would you describe the present, where contemporary art is being created! Henri Marso lifted his chin. Contemporary? As the reporter swallowed his saliva, the hero of France sneered and answered. In a hundred years, it will be introduced as the era of Henri Marso. At the end of the silence. Henri Marsos fervent supporters and French artists rose from their seats and went wild. Henri! Henri! Henri! Henri! ** There was one reason why many people followed Henri Marso, while others despised him. It was because what would be crazy talk for anyone else sounded usible when Henri Marso said it. In fact, his works, which constantly explored who he was, gavefort to many people who were losing their humanity. Those who were deprived of their self-esteem due to the exploitative structure gained strength from seeing Henri Marso. Not only that. He revived the stagnant painting world with Jang Mi-rae and others, and normalized Antermat, among other things. He was doing great things in many ways, enough to be called a modern Gustav Klimt. It was an objective fact. However, it might not be suitable for the speech of the Art Nouveau Competition, where many artists challenged their dreams. The opening ceremony, which became a cauldron of excitement, was continued by the speeches of the Paris mayor, the World Artists Association president, and others. My grandfather also had his turn scheduled and headed backstage a while ago. How long is this going tost? Well. It wont end before lunch, right? Oh, yeah. Its until 12 oclock. Bang Tae-ho checked the event schedule for me. There seemed to be something like a congrattory stage, but I wasnt interested. I wanted to eat the ir that was sold in the small park in front of the cathedral before lunch. Im going to buy some bread. Now? Yes. Its over there. Cant you wait a little? You want to eat it now? If I eat it at lunchtime, Ill eat less lunch. It was a perfect logic, but Bang Tae-ho didnt seem to understand. Then Ill buy it for you. Where is it? I couldnt see where it was because there were too many people. Its okay. Ill be back soon. No. What if you get lost? Yeah. Dont go. Cha Si-hyun also stepped in and stopped me. I know the geography here well. And I can speak thenguage. Dont worry. No. Lets go together. Its not good to leave Si-hyun alone. Ill contact you right away if anything happens. I decided to go together because I might bete for my grandfathers speech time. ***** 1)Flying buttress. The chronic problem of Gothic buildings that soared high was the load that urred when the walls were piled high. In the past, when there was no material like concrete, problems such as cracking of the wall surface urred due to the load. To solve this problem, they installed wing-like supports on the building wall, and even decorated them as if they were ornaments, which made it possible to create beautiful buildings like Notre Dame Cathedral. This style, tranted as the flying buttress technique, is known to have been first introduced at Notre Dame Cathedral. Chapter 186: Awakening (4) Chapter 186: Awakening (4) Chapter 186 Awakening (4) I feel like Im being overprotected because of my young body. It wouldnt be a big deal if there werent many people around. Its nothing to go a few meters away and buy a bread. Its embarrassing to move together. We can go by ourselves. Right? Cha Si-hyun whispered in my ear. I think I know why Bang Tae-ho is worried. To others, I or this guy would look like children left on the street. Why? No. I have to endure a little from now on so that Grandpa and Bang Tae-ho wont have a hard time. Four, please. Bang Tae-ho ordered eirs. While waiting a step away, Cha Si-hyun asked me. Did you want to eat this? Theres chocte. Doesnt it make you full? It digests quickly. The good thing about having a healthy and young body is that anything I eat digests quickly. I never feel bloated no matter how much I eat. Here. Thank you. Bang Tae-ho handed out an eir each. I felt the soft texture through the wrapper. How does it taste? Chomp. I took a big bite and the dense chocte mousse stuck to my mouth. How soft is the bread? It melts as soon as I chew. Now I see that its a bread with a long cream and chocte mousse on top. Under the soft texture of the moist chocte and cream, whipped cream bursts out. Its delicious! Cha Si-hyun also shone his eyes with emotion. I didnt expect to meet you here. Someone spoke to me. I turned around and saw a girl who looked about thirteen or fourteen years old. She wore an apricot-colored blouse with a green ribbon and a pleated skirt of the same color. She had a confident expression on her face. Her bright blonde hair, almost white, caught my eye. Me? Yeah. You. I looked around and pointed at myself to confirm. She red at me with displeasure. nche Fabre. Cha Si-hyun seemed to know her. Do you know? You showed me yesterday. Oh, you fell asleep. I didnt know what he was talking about and looked puzzled. Fabre approached me. nche Fabre. Im an artist. She introduced herself as an artist proudly. Shes quite eloquent for a child. Go Hoon. I know. What does she want? nche Fabre stared at me and said. You also came out because you didnt want to listen to Henri Marsos speech, right? I came out because I wanted to eat eirs. No. I eat this. What kind of thinking do you have to say that? You seem to be close with that guy. Dont hang out with him. Were not on bad terms, but were not close either. Everyone seems to think were close. Maybe its because theres no one around Henri Marso. You entered the Art Nouveau contest, right? I did. Show him what youve got. Hes not the only one who does art. She speaks quite sharply, aside from being a bit bossy. Of course, I have that in mind. Ill definitely win and show France that theres not only Henri Marso but also nche Fabre. Good. Cheer up. I cheered for the child who didnt lose heart and even aimed for Henri Marso, who had established himself as a world-ss artist. What? What? You cant cheer. You entered too. What does entering the contest have to do with cheering? I wondered for a moment, and she narrowed her eyes. Or are you sure youre going to win? There are a lot of famous people, so it might be hard. I havent seen the works, but I heard that sessful writers like Damien Carter also participated. What are you talking about? How can you do anything without that confidence? Shes a bit tiring to talk to. Okay. Lets both try hard. Thats how you should be. She crossed her arms and snorted. As I turned to go back to my seat, Bang Tae-ho smiled faintly. She looks different from the image. How do you know? Shes getting attention in France for publishing unique works at a young age. Shes amazing for her age. What kind of works does she do? Me. Cha Si-hyun pulled my clothes. Why? Shes following us. I turned my head and saw nche Fabre staring at me. If she was following us, she would have looked flustered, but she looked confident, so Cha Si-hyun must have mistaken. Maybe were going the same way. I didnt care much and asked Bang Tae-ho again. Do you draw? Should I call it a picture? A broad semantic picture. Of insects. Look. He keeps following us. This time, Cha Si-hyun turned me around. I met eyes with Fabre again. I guess he was bothered by that kid, so I suggested he go first. Do you want to go first? No. What? I wondered if Cha Si-hyuns guess was right and asked him. Do you have something to say? No. It was just a guess. Sorry. It feels like hes following us. Thats right. What is? Following us. Why? I lost it. The way. He crossed his arms again and snorted. Do you want to see the works? Lets go together until dades to find us. It was a mess that I didnt know where to start. You can just call your father. nche Fabre shrugged her shoulders. I lost it. Whats your fathers phone number? Ill lend you mine. I saved it on my smartphone. I could tell that this youngdy had no n. Where did you lose it? Wouldnt it be better to go back to where you were? Thats right. He stood there nkly. Not going? I dont know. I know its a crowded ce. I thought it was inevitable from the childs point of view, since it was full of tall adults, but he seemed like a terrible road-loser. If you stay with us, your father will worry. I think it would be better to be with the police officer in his mind. How about it? Bang Tae-ho stepped up like an adult. The tinum-haired child nodded his head. Please. Okay. Just a moment. Bang Tae-ho was about to look for the police who came out to control the opening ceremony of the Art Nouveaupetition, but he stopped him. Ill be sure to thank you. Haha. Its okay. Its nothing. While Im asking you. Huh? Can I eat that bread? This? Fabre pointed to the ir that was Grandpas share. Bang Tae-ho hesitated for a moment and handed over the ir. Okay. Eat this and stay with Hoon for a while. Hoon, Si-hyun. Dont go anywhere and stay here, okay? Yes. Bang Tae-ho left his seat. nche Fabre looked at the ir with curiosity and bit it. He ate it big after tasting it. He must have been very hungry, but it was amazing that he had no expression change after eating that delicious thing. Im a little scared of that sister. Cha Si-hyun stuck to my side. ** Alex, who runs an art specialty YouTube channel and has secured 500,000 subscribers, visited Paris. He was conducting outdoor broadcasts for a week, shooting videos rted to the Art Nouveaupetition. You must have seen the opening ceremony. Ill go to the nearest ce first. Can you find them all? The Cit Ind is not as wide as you think. Wouldnt there be multiple works in one building? I think I can find most of the works in a week. Alex looked at the chat window and groaned. Hey. How do you get them all right? Ill try, but its impossible to get them all right, because there are unknown writers among the 1,700. 100? I think 100 is possible. [Little Cat has donated $10.]: If you get 500 right, $500. If not, two videos a day for a week. Call? 500? Hey. Why are you doing this? How do I get 500 right and how do I upload two videos a day? Ill die. [Little Cat has donated $10.]: $1,000. Ill do it! Its just a matter of not sleeping for a week. Alex, who received a big-money mission, was excited and filmed around. This ce used to be all restaurants. But now its all small galleries. It doesnt seem hard to find the works. Most of the buildings that stretched along the road had SNBA logos on them. As soon as he came out of Notre Dame Cathedral, he followed the big road and the galleries were connected, so he could find the works easily. Alex entered the first gallery and eximed. Its a huge work from the beginning. His mouth was wide open. The gums, tongue, tonsils, and nipples were realistically depicted, but the mrs were dark and the front teeth were gradually painted lighter as they approached. The tongue was also clear on the inside and faded as it came out. This is Lucass work. It seems to express how the intention changes the moment we spit out words. Hey, its obvious. Ive seen Lucass works so many times that I can recognize them right away. The rtionship between ideas andnguage is always Lucas. As Alex looked at the next work, the next work, he felt at some point that people were not moving. It was hard to believe that people stopped in front of one work at the Art Nouveaupetition where he had to find as many works as possible. There are too many people right now, so its hard to check. Thank you for waiting a moment. Im curious why everyone is fascinated by what work. Francis Bacon, isnt it? Are you trying to guess whos work it is? Im sleepy. Im frustrated. Lets go see the next one. Where is Damien Carters work? Damien Carters work might be in a wider ce. Instation art needs to secure space anyway. I dont think its here. Im sorry, but please wait a little longer. Oh, right. Max, you live in Chicago. It must be dawn. Oh, its moving. Im sorry. Im sorry. People started to move slowly and Alex squeezed in and almost dropped the camera. What is this. He felt a momentary illusion that the picture was swirling and at the same time an inexplicable longing came over him. Alex stood still with his mouth open, forgetting the broadcast. Chapter 187: Awakening (5) Chapter 187: Awakening (5) Chapter 187 Awakening (5) Is this for real? What do I do? It looks like its alive. Its a stuffed animal that died naturally. How do you know? Its a characteristic of Damien Carters work. As soon as the Art Nouveaupetition opened, Damien Carters received a lot of attention. It was a work that stuffed a rabbit that died naturally in a ss box with formaldehyde. The visitors showed a strange reaction to the exhibit that took the pose of running as if it were alive when it died. The rabbit that was stuffed with delicate skills looked like it was alive, but it had no movement, so they felt a rejection. Also, because they thought of death as something far away, they felt ufortable with the symbol of death that was ced in front of them. But the image that captivated their eyes and the philosophy that prated deeply tied the visitors feet. The gallery was so crowded that there was no room to step on. You are truly a master. Matt Brown, the merchandiser of the British Luxury Gallery, eximed. There wont be any problem with winning as it is. Ha ha. Is winning important? Its enough if many people can see the work. Damien Carter said casually. Matt Brown realized that he had made a slip of the tongue. The winner of the Art Nouveaupetition was already decided as the great artist of the 21st century, Damien Carter, participated. Winning was a matter of course, and what was more important was that more people followed Damien Carter through . Come on, dont stay here and go somewhere else. Shall I take you to your amodation? What are you talking about? I have to see other works. Damien Carter took out his smartphone. Are you participating in the event? Of course. Arent you? Yes, well I dont know who it is, but he had a fun idea. How can he stand it without filling this empty space? I heard it was Michel tinis idea. Michel tini? Hes the representative of the Marso Gallery. He used to be the chief curator. Ah, I see. Marsos exhibitions were always impressive. He had talent in this area too. Hes too good to be in the Marso Gallery only. Ha ha. Dont say that. Even if he handles all the works in the world, it would be a sad thing if he couldnt handle Henri Marsos work, wouldnt it? Damien Carter walked ahead. Matt Brown couldnt understand Damien Carter, who praised Henri Marso. He admitted that he was a great painter and sculptor, but he thought he was only a promising artistpared to Damien Carters reputation. Hmph. Henri Marsos era? Damien Carter, who filled the gallery as soon as he opened without any publicity, was the artist who represented the era. Hmm? Matt Brown, who almost bumped into Damien Carter who suddenly stopped, was startled and looked up. Across the street, people were lining up in front of a building with the SNBA logo. The people waiting to enter were not cut off even behind the corner of the building. There must be a work there too. Damien Carter observed the surroundings with interest. No way. It just started, and theres no way that many people would flock to it. Maybe its a ce where they give hints? Hints? Yes. Theres also an event where they tell you the work and the artist if you answer the question. Oh, then lets go too. Really? Its a festival, isnt it? We have to enjoy it. Matt Brown, who loved British art and was aiming for Damien Carters exhibition next year, was flustered. He volunteered to apany him on this schedule to strengthen his rtionship with him, but Damien Carter didnt show any aura or seriousness of a great artist. What are you doing? Hurry up. Yes, yes. As Damien urged him, Matt had no choice but to move his feet. When Damien passed the entrance, Matt asked again in confusion. Arent you going in right away? Everyone is in line, arent they? Thats. There was no way SNBA could stop Damien Carter, the most important person in the art world, from entering. Why. Do you need to go to the bathroom? No. Matt swallowed his words and followed Damien to the end of the line. He had to walk for a while even after turning the corner of the building to wait for his turn. Im really looking forward to it. Do you know? I was a quiz king when I was an undergraduate at Cambridge. Really? Ha ha. Dont worry about the hints. They probably wont give difficult questions for the sake of the event, and theyll give them at a verymon sense level. Damien didnt hide his excitement. Matt was flustered by the unexpected appearance of the master, and heard the conversation of the person in front of him. Whose work is it? I dont know. But its really amazing. Look. Wow. Summer Winter? Is that the title? Yeah. Do you know Alex? He turned off the broadcast because he was watching the work. The money-making guy? Thats right. Damien and Matt, who heard the conversation, looked at each other. It seems like it was an exhibition hall, not a quiz event. There was no reason to stay in one ce for the Art Nouveaupetition, where there were so many works on disy, and they had to look for works to get the prize money. Thats why even the gallery where Damien Carters work was disyed didnt have a situation where they had to wait in line. Matt couldnt believe the conversation of the person in front of him. That cant be. Master. He was about to say that Damien Carters work couldnt do that, but he swallowed his words in an instant. He couldnt say anything rude to the respected master. Who knows. Maybe Bacon or Shara made a very nice work. Ah. Matt thought that there was a possibility if it was another genius artist, Francis Bacon. Although he was born in Irnd, he was also a proud part of the British Empire. Im looking forward to Mr. Bacons work. Ha ha. You have to know where it is. Its so unique that you can recognize it if you just look for it. The two of them chatted for half an hour before they could enter the gallery. The eight works on disy inside the gallery were protected by security guards and safety lines. But everyone was looking at one work. Damian and Matt, who had expected to see the work right away, consoled themselves by appreciating other works. Ah! Teacher. Oh. Is that Lucas? Yes, it is. , which expressed the rtionship betweennguage and idea, was a work that revealed the characteristics of Lucas Schulte, a German painter. Its always a powerful image. Damian nodded and admired . But Matt was confused. If so many people hade to see Lucas Schultes work, he could have epted it. He was also a great painter who had built a reputation for a long time. But everyone who came into the gallery was looking at only one work. Was it really Francis Bacons work? If so, he thought that SNBAs n to exhibit the works of two masters in one gallery was wrong. Its moving now. Damian moved his feet. Matt also moved slowly and finally saw the work of the talk. It was a rippling sea. The fish, expressed by omission, were swimming vigorously. The white foam caused by the collision of the fish school also formed a regr pattern. When he looked closely at his face, the fish seemed to flutter and a mirage of waves urred. How. The mirage was not surprising. What Matt could not understand was that a simple pattern caused one effect. Matt felt heavy in his chest as he looked at the rippling sea. The endless waves felt unreachable. Longing. It was definitely longing. There was a reason. Damian Carter smiled and looked at . He was a master of modern art who had seen many works, but it was a long time since he had seen a painting that conveyed emotion so vividly. Look at the foam of the waves. Doesnt it look like a brush? Yes? Matt looked at again. The white foam, which was intentionally left with brush marks, looked like a brush as Damian said. I think those are the brushes of the artists who participated in the Art Nouveaupetition. Everyone pursues beauty, but they can hardly reach it. But wont the waves made by those brushes reach the end of the sea? Go Hoon expressed his longing for his parents through . It was a work that contained the hope that one brushstroke, one brushstroke that missed his parents, even if he could never meet them again, could not reach them, would be a wave and reach the end. To Damian Carter, who did not know the situation, the numerous brush marks seemed to express the artists who pursued beauty. His sad heart was touched. Its really amazing. I honestly thought I wouldnt see a painting that conveys such a deep impression. Do you want to find out who the work is? Hmm. Damian stroked his chin and opened his mouth after thinking. A bold but meticulous brush touch. A sense of effectively arranging a few colors. Aposition that ignores perspective. Matt swallowed his saliva. Doesnt it look like Vincent van Gogh? Yes? Ha ha! Just kidding. Come to think of it, I see Jim Warren in that pattern. The way he expresses his ideas is like conceptual art. I think this work is probably the most notable work in thispetition. Matt nodded. He couldnt guess who the protagonist of this work, whichbined the post-impressionist van Gogh, the illusion art of Jim Warren, and the conceptual art and pattern, was, but it was definitely a work that would be talked about. I want to have it. Damian looked at again. ** As the opening day of the Art Nouveaupetition was drawing to a close, the official website and SNS of the Art Nouveaupetition were full of stories about two works. One was , which made people feel faint with the illusion effect, and the other was , which boasted a sublime beauty with an exotic color sense. Quick. Come and see! Cha Si-hyun, who was looking at the Art Nouveaupetition app, urged Go Hoon. Just eat this. Its not time to eat pizza now! What is it. Cha Si-hyun, who was frustrated, pushed his smartphone in front of Go Hoon, who was eating potato pizza on the sofa. The real-time voting status was disyed. 2028 Art Nouveau Competition Voting Status 1st Votes: 121,809(21.0%) 2nd Votes: 114,849(19.8%) 3rd Votes: 110,788(19.1%) Go Hoon dropped the potato pizza piece he was holding and opened his eyes wide. Second ce! Second ce! At Cha Si-hyuns shout, Go Suyeol and Bang Taeho, who were exhausted and lying on the bed, jumped up. Chapter 188: Awakening (6) Chapter 188: Awakening (6) Chapter 188 Awakening (6) Where? Bang Taeho leaned in his face. Three hours ago, Go Hoons was outside the ranking, but now it was climbing up to the top. Bang Taeho clenched his fist as if it was his own achievement. Everyone recognized it. Its not the name, but the work! Bang Taeho grabbed and shook Go Hoon, who had no reaction. Is this real? Thanks to him, Go Hoon came to his senses and checked his smartphone again. Its real! Cha Si-hyun hugged his friend and jumped around, and Bang Taeho quickly searched for articles rted to . But Go Hoon still couldnt believe it. Its weird. How can it be second with only 110,000 votes? The official application of the Arnuvo Contest had been downloaded more than 10 million times. They couldnt know the exact numbers, but they knew that there were a lot of tourists who visited Paris to see the Arnuvo Contest today, as they went through the morning and afternoon schedules. Moreover, there was a VR exhibition that perfectly recreated the Cit Ind for those who couldnt visit in person. 110,000 votes was not a small number, but it seemed insufficient considering the heat of the Arnuvo Contest. Its because its the first day. You can only choose ten works per person, so they must be trying to see as many as possible and vote. Look, it says the total number of votes is 580,045. Go Hoon nodded at Bang Taehos exnation. Then they dont know yet. But this kind of thing is important in the beginning. If you secure a high rank, its a promotion in itself. The contest period was still six days left. Go Hoon, who tried to stay calm and not celebrate too soon, lifted his head. Sure enough, Go Suyeol was calm. Rather, he looked a bit stern, unlike his usual affectionate attitude towards Go Hoon. He was like a grandfather who said that grades were not important, and that he should only think aboutmunicating with the audience through his work. Go Hoon was proud of such a grandfather. Grandpa, arent you happy? Cha Si-hyun asked Go Suyeol. He doesnt seem to believe it yet. Teacher, its true that Hoon is second. The media and SNS are going crazy. When Go Suyeol didnt respond, Go Hoon stepped in. Its not time to be happy yet. We have to wait and see. Hmm. Still. It wasnt a wrong statement, so Bang Taeho calmed down his excitement, and Cha Si-hyun didnt understand the adults who didnt honestly rejoice in their friends sess and Go Hoon. Go Suyeol approached and looked at the voting status of the 2028 Arnuvo Contest. Among the top ten works that were promised to be invited to the special exhibition at the Louvre Museum, the only work he knew was his grandson Go Hoons . The galleries around Notre Dame Cathedral were too crowded, so he looked from the outskirts. Hoon is second? Yes! Go Suyeol was ufortable with Cha Si-hyuns strong answer. His beloved grandsons was a work that surprised even him. He said that the rank was not important to Go Hoon, but he was confident that he would win and prepared a congrattory gift in advance. He couldnt believe that there was a work that received more votes than . He had to see for himself what the work was with his own eyes. Where is it exhibited? Oh, there must be someone who introduced it if you look for it. Here. It seems to be the building next to the police station. Cha Si-hyun showed him the Arnuvo Contest Must-See Works Top 5 posted by YouTuber Alex. Hmm. Okay. Lets start from here tomorrow. Go Hoon, who was watching the conversation of the three, tilted his head at his grandfathers slightly different appearance. The Arnuvo Contest, which had thergest prize money in modern art history and was participated by 1,789 artists who imed to be the best, had a clear meaning. It was a contest that reflected the zeitgeist of the importance ofmunication in a society where individuals were isted. The French National Art Association pursued publicization by breaking away from the standardized judging method by a specific number of people and asking the opinions of all the visitors. As a result, three works received overwhelming support and advanced as soon as the contest opened. Since anonymous submission was the principle, the authors of and were unknown, and , the only work among the three that revealed the author, secured about 20% of the total votes. Hmm. Early in the morning, Kim Ji-woo, a reporter who went on a business trip to Paris to cover the Arnuvo Contest, nodded his head after thinking. Is it the name value after all? Yesterday, he looked around the three works that became a hot topic, but he didnt get the impression that he got from and from Damien Carters . It could be a matter of taste, so he checked various forum sites,munities, and personal media, and was introduced as a masterpiece by the master Damien Carter. It was hard to find any mention of the impression or message that gave. Kim Ji-woo essed the Arnuvo Contest site. The top ten authors who will be invited to the special exhibition at the Louvre Museum. Among the ten works that currently received the most votes, the authors of seven works were almost certain. This is meaningless. Kim Ji-woo pushed his lips and clenched his chin. Although it was the first day, most of the top-ranked works were interested in whose work they were. Even influential speakers were looking for famous artists works. Among the influencers, only a few like Alex introduced the works without being influenced by the authors. Sigh. She checked the articles she posted in the morning and evening and sighed. She wrote a separate English article, but the inte article from the small magazinepany Ye-hwa couldnt attract the attention of Europeans, let alone Koreans. Go Hoon, who appeared like aet, Go Suyeol, who returned sessfully, and Jang Mi-rae, who pulled the stagnant art world. As the artists were doing their best, she felt that she couldnt help as a journalist and a person who loved art. Last year, she felt sorry that she couldnt keep her word that she would sell Go Hoons painting. The light began to enter the window. She buried her gloomy mood and filled her empty stomach with atte. Her breath rose white every time she exhaled. Thanks to Ye-hwa, who had high expectations for this special issue, she booked a good hotel near Cit Ind, so she could walk enough. Sheforted her depression with the cold morning air and crossed the Arcole Bridge. She still had a long way to go until the gallery opened, so she headed for Notre Dame Cathedral to see the works installed outdoors. Hey, Kim Ji-woo? How long had I walked? Someone called out to her. Ah. Hello. Lee In-ho, a reporter, came up with a friendly face. You came out early. Yes. I wanted to look around when there was no one. How about you, In-ho? Haha. I thought I might catch something if I came out early. By the way, I read your article yesterday. I learned a lot from you, Ji-woo. Kim Ji-woo smiled faintly. Here, take this. Lee In-ho took out a hot pack from his pocket and handed it to her, but Kim Ji-woo shook her hand. No, thank you. Im fine. You use it, In-ho. I brought a few. Take one. Lee In-ho smiled kindly and urged her again. With no choice, Kim Ji-woo took the hand warmer and felt the warmth through her gloves and greeted him. Thank you. Ill use it well. Haha. Yes. Then, please write a good article today. Yes. Lee In-ho looked around and sighed deeply. Actually, I didnt believe you, Ji-woo. What? That the art market would grow. I dont know much, but I thought there was a reason why this area was shrinking. Oh. Yes But now I see that I really didnt know. So many artists are working hard like this, and I didnt know there were so many people who are trying hard outside like you, Ji-woo. Kim Ji-woo couldnt agree with Lee In-hos words. It was true that the artists and rted industry people were showing results, but she didnt think she was doing the same. Her pride in working harder than anyone else was shaken by the low number of views. She was wondering if she should write articles about famous artists like other media outlets. I really liked your articles on Mi and Summer Nettle. I didnt know, but they were both frames by Pierre Malo, right? I envy your eye for detail. Youre awesome. Kim Ji-woo bit her lip. As her expression turned sour, Lee In-hos voice grew louder. Really. I really think so. It was the first time she saw a grown man flustered like that, and sheughed. Lee In-ho, who didnt know why she wasughing, was puzzled but relieved for the time being. Me. Did I say something funny? Letsugh together. No. I know the story of Pierre Malo. What. Its embarrassing when youpliment me like that. Oh, is that so? Hahaha! ** Its coooold. Cha Si-hyun shivered and clung to him. Today was especially cold. He had put on thermal underwear, wool socks, a wool hat, ear muffs, hand-warming gloves, and a thick padded jacket, but he still felt chilly. Well have to go around a few ces today. Yes. Lets just look around the area since were going to see Mi first. Grandfather was right. Why do they do this on such a cold day? I know. They probably did it to coincide with the salon exhibition, but I guess there will be some talk. They could have run it independently with this scale. Unless they had some extraordinary will, they wouldnt be able to see the works through this cold snap. He was worried that the Art Nouveaupetition, which was organized by many people, including the artists and SNBA, would not achieve results because of the weather. Hey, look over there. Cha Si-hyun pushed his body slightly. As he turned his head, he could see people lining up in front of the gallery where Summer Nettle was exhibited. There were more than yesterday. It seems to have be a hot topic. Hmm. On a cold day like today, he couldnt express how grateful he was that they came to see him. Summer Nettle should melt their frozen bodies. This seems to be the ce. How much longer had he walked? Bang Tae-ho stopped. There were as many people in line as the gallery where Summer Nettle was exhibited. He was curious what the work that moved the most peoples hearts among 1,700 pieces would be like, and he couldnt wait. What if its not as good as I thought? It wont be. They said they couldnt predict who the artist was. Is that important? It means that it touched them with the work alone. Hmm. He couldntpletely ignore the artist when he appreciated the work. But if the work touched him with the identity of the artistpletely hidden, it meant that the work had a definite aura. Ill have to eat something warm for lunch. Good. How about bouibaisse? I went there with Hoon the other day and it was good. I have to go if the teacher rmends it. What is bouibaisse? Its a soup with seafood and tomatoes. He answered instead of Grandfather and Cha Si-hyun frowned. Its delicious. It warms you up when you drink the broth. They give you the leftovers separately, and they peel the fish for you. How can it be delicious when you boil fish and tomatoes together? He thought he was worried about eating the fish, but he seemed to have a more fundamental aversion. As they chatted, they were able to enter the gallery. What kind of work would it be? He was short, so he had to suppress his impatience and appreciate the other works until he stood in front of Mi. And finally. Wow. He saw Mi with Bang Tae-hos exmation. Wow. A pure white cape fluttered under the sublime light that pierced the darkness. The sleeves, the edge of the cape, and the heel of the shoes shone with a noble gold. As he walked with the curtain open, he felt a sense of reverence for the back of the man. He couldnt doubt his eyes. Thatposition, that gold paint. He had seen it before. Grandfather. Hmm Is it yellow ochre? It seems so. It was a big deal. The work that received the highest praise in thergestpetition in history. It was a copy of Henri Matisse. Chapter 189: Awakening (7) Chapter 189: Awakening (7) Chapter 189 Awakening (7) How could this happen? The Art Nouveau Competition was a dream stage that Henri Marso and the French National Art Association had organized with astronomical costs. It was an opportunity for poor artists to unfold their own artistic world in a stable manner, thanks to the enormous prize money. And for the sessful artists, it was a ce to test their current status while reaffirming their aesthetics, because of the anonymity. Who knows how many people worked hard for their dreams, for art, and for the 21st century Renaissance? But there was a giarism in thepetition. And it was getting the most support from the people. It was impossible. It was an insult. It was an indelible insult to those who prepared for the Art Nouveau Competition, those who participated in it, and those who visited it with love for art. And to Henri Marso as well. Crack- I had no idea how Henri Marsos work had leaked through what route. But Henri Marso, who drew himself with historical figures as the background, was more focused than ever. The countless sketches piled up in his studio and the time and effort he spent to perfectly utilize the orpiment paint were the proof. But. This giarism had only turned the central figure around, and took away everything from Marso. Why? Cha Si-hyeon asked. Bang Tae-ho looked at me and my grandfather with a puzzled expression. He wouldnt know why me and my grandfather were flustered, since he didnt know the situation. If it wasnt giarism, I would have felt the same impression as when I saw Henri Marsos work, because it was such a great work. Whats wrong? . Before I could say giarism, my grandfather put his hand on my shoulder. It seems like we can talk after we find out what happened. I thought we should contact SNBA as soon as possible and take down this disgusting giarism, but my grandfather seemed to think that finding out the truth about this incident was the priority. Is there a problem? My grandfather nodded at Bang Tae-hos question. We need to meet with the association people. He took the confused Bang Tae-ho and Cha Si-hyeon and left the gallery. My grandfather quickly contacted the SNBA people and I called Henri Marso, the victim and the biggest victim of this incident. *** Henri Marso, the hero of the French art world, was very pleased after checking the voting status. The sublime orpiment that contained the light and dark contrast reminiscent of Rembrandt and the oriental mystery. The first painting of the series, which revealed his ambition to open a new era, was leading the way. What the hell is this? It looks like a religious painting. The light expression between the clothes and the figure is really artistic. It feels like a messiah. Its ssic, but is it orientalism? What is that gold color? Caroline Strick said it was orpiment. What is orpiment? I dont know. But who drew it? I dont know. It seems like he emphasized that he was a transcendent being by setting it as a back view. Am I the only one who is curious about who drew it So who drew it? Do you think hell tell you when theres a prize? Honestly, the only person who can use gold color so well is Henri Marso. Henri Marso? His eyes are emerald and gold is his point. is representative. Now that I think about it, the central figure looks like Henri Marso? Does Henri Marso have a reason to participate? Lol, hes not going to eat the prize money he made. Then is it a tribute to Henri Marso? 2222 This seems right. It seems like a tribute to the Eroica of the French art world. Dont talk nonsense. Who would submit a tribute to someone else in apetition that could turn their life around? But he really did a great job. The people who used their collective intelligence guessed that the central figure of was Henri Marso. Some of them even named Henri Marso as the author of , but they didnt get much sympathy. Because Henri Marso, who liked to be noticed, wouldnt hide his participation. If he was a terrible narcissist, he would have drawn the front view, not the back view. There were also those who argued that the reason for drawing the back view was to arouse curiosity, but they didnt get much credibility because they didnt have any solid evidence. Hmm. Henri Marso smiled as he watched the reactions of the art enthusiasts. Surprisingly, some of them recognized his identity. But most of them didnt believe their words. He wondered what kind of reaction they would show when the protagonist of was revealed by showing the second and third paintings together on the award day. Vroom- Vroom- Then, the smartphone that his secretary Arsen had vibrated. Arsen checked the caller. Sir, its Go Hoon. The cheeky brat must have seen too. He had shown him the second painting of the series before, so he wouldnt be able to tell who drew . He must have been surprised. Henri Marso, who had ovee his inferiorityplex due to the talent gap and became confident, answered the phone. Did you see it? -Yes, I did. Go Hoons voice was very urgent. That made Henri Marso even happier. How is it? -What do you mean how is it? You have to take it down quickly. Why are you so rxed? Henri frowned and looked at his smartphone. What are you talking about? -Why are you sitting still when theres such a giarism on disy? Anyone can see that its following Marso. Henri blinked his eyes three times and turned his head. He couldnt understand what Go Hoon was saying, so he gave a nce to Arsen for confirmation. Arsen shook his head. What did you eat wrong? -Dont you know? Beauty. Beauty. The one thats winning thepetition right now. Go Hoon was puzzled. He couldnt understand why Henri Marso was so calm even though his work had been stolen. He had no other exnation except that he hadnt seen that was submitted to thepetition yet. -Check it out quickly. I dont know where it leaked from, but its exactly the same as Marsos work, except for theposition. The frame looks like Pierre Malo made it too, check it out. Henri was dumbfounded by the story. What did you pick up again? Why is that giarism? He looked like he had eaten something weird in the morning, only looking at delicious things. Henri Marso scolded Go Hoon, recalling how he had caused a scene after eating a dessert with alcohol at Go Suyeolseback party. -Youre saying its not giarism? Yes. On the other hand, Go Hoon couldnt understand the situation when Henri Marso said it wasnt giarism. He firmly believed that he would never participate, so if wasnt giarism, there was only one possibility left. -Could it be What do you mean by could it be? -No. That cant be. What do you mean by that cant be? Henri Marso regained hisposure and leisure. He was satisfied to see that he couldnt ept that was more loved than , just like his old self. -Its not, right? Thats right. Go Hoon was silent for a while. He wondered if he had given too much shock to the young kid, who was arrogant but still young. -Its not. Yes. You dont want to admit it. -Its not! Henri Marso felt sorry for the young genius who had never failed and always been noticed since he was young. He had talent, effort, and love for art, but he didnt seem to know how to act when he met someone better than him. He intended to teach him the proper way to deal with it as an adult. You might have thought you were the best, but thats a delusion. - I also wondered why this moment came so soon. Like Klimt. Go Hoon was silent. He couldnt imagine that Henri Marso, the worlds Henri Marso, would admit that there was someone better than him. So? Go Hoon shook his head and shouted. -Say its not! Henri Marso frowned at Go Hoons shout. He wasnt amused by the kid who was only ten years old, but whom he had acknowledged, throwing a tantrum. Admit it. If you dont know how to admit it, you wont make any progress. -Shut up with that nonsense! ? Henri Marso was confused and looked at Arsen, but he couldnt get an answer from him. Go Hoons desperate voice came through the phone. -You wouldnt follow someone else! You dont have to. You dont have to, you can do it! Henri Marsos eyes widened at Go Hoons miserable scream. -Its not, right? He was speechless at the absurd remark. -Say its not. Quickly. Henri Marso regained his reason and tried to understand the situation. He seemed to think that he had followed someone else, for some reason. What are you talking about since morning? Why would I follow someone else? Where are you? The insulted hero yelled. * -Stay there and dont move! Henri Marso hung up the phone after threatening him. What did he say? Go Hoon stared nkly at his smartphone and wiped his tears. Go Suyeol hugged his grandsons shoulder. He said its not giarism. Both of them. Go Hoon sighed with relief that his beloved painter hadnt done anything wrong. He had thought of the worst situation for a moment because of Henri Marsos ominous words, but he was relieved to see him strongly deny it. He firmly believed that he would lie but not tell lies. Hmm. Thats strange. Thats what Im saying. It was too simr to say that they coincidentally dealt with the same subject, Henri Marsos work and that was submitted to the Art Nouveau Competition. He doesnt seem to be unaware. Well find out if we wait. He said hesing this way. Go Suyeol nodded. A littleter. Henri Marso, who had found the hotel room where Go Hoon and his party were staying, knocked on the door as if he was going to break it. Bang Tae-ho opened the door and he entered with a swagger. He was relieved to see his confident appearance and approached him. He yelled at him. What did I do? Huh? Why are you confusing me with your words? Whats confusing? You said there was someone better than you. You said it wasnt giarism, so I thought that. Tell me whats going on. Do you want some chocte? I drew it! I did! Go Hoon dropped the chocte he was offering to Henri Marso and said. Dont you know even after seeing it? Its a series! Go Hoon blinked and asked. You said you wouldnt participate. When did I! You said you knew you would win and you participated. You told me not to. Go Hoon recalled his memory. He had made a negative remark, but he didnt seem to have said that he wouldnt participate. So you really drew it? Yes! Go Hoon, who couldnt understand the situation, had to ask again. Why? Chapter 190: Awakening (8) Chapter 190: Awakening (8) Chapter 190 Awakening (8) Go Suyeol and Bang Taeho turned their heads. They also wanted to know why Henri Marso participated in the Arnuvo Competition. It was understandable that he would want to be on the stage that he led himself, considering his usual actions. But they were curious about his motive for joining thepetition while hiding his identity, when he always wanted to be the protagonist. Henri Marso did not answer for a while, just looking down at Go Hoon. He only opened his heavy mouth after Go Hoon raised his eyebrows and asked again. Soon, everyone will look up to me. ** He did not answer the question, but said something irrelevant. Before they could ask again, Henri Marso continued. It will happen soon. Something that Marso, who liberated color, and Picasso, who liberated form, could not do. Henri Marso and Pablo Picasso, the painters who represented the 20th century. Henri Marso, who used color fiercely and powerfully like a beast, and was known as the founder of Fauvism (Fauvisme: wild beast), was praised for liberating color. Pablo Picasso, who observed the object from various perspectives and restructured it on the canvas, was described by people as Cubism (Cubism: three-dimensional), and was praised for liberating the object from form.1) Both of them were great painters who brought change to painting. Henri Marso said that he would change the flow as they had opened a new era. I had to check before that. What? They asked, hoping that he would tell them the reason for participating in the Arnuvo Competition if they let him say what he wanted. Whether I have the right to do that. His eyes, which dared to say that he would open a new era, were serious as always. Do you need something like that? Yes. Marso said firmly. If I cant embrace you, Im nothing but a technician. What are you talking about? What does your art have to do with me? Marso closed his mouth again. He said something iprehensible after staring at me for a long time. Because you symbolize the future. He always overestimated me. I asked you before. His eyes, looking down at me with his chin up, were full of enthusiasm. What will you draw? I had been asked before what kind of art I would do. It was very fun to see the works of various artists and understand them. I get inspired by the ideas and emotions that I never thought of, the structure and perspective. If I used to express myselfpletely in the past, I have been trying tomunicate sincest summer, when I lost my memory. Im trying to let them know me and get to know them, the people who live in the 19th and 20th centuries and the same era. So. I cant answer the question of what kind of art Im going to do. Its important to be able tofort and console yourself with a picture of a terrible loneliness that you cant bear alone. The reason I draw is because I have no choice, and thats why the act itself bes the purpose. Ill find out when time passes. Henri Marso showed his back. He walked away quickly and Arsene politely greeted him and closed the door. He didnt answer the question, he just said what he wanted and left. He must have wanted topete on equal terms. Grandfather said. Terms? Didnt he say that he was nothing but a technician if he couldnt embrace you? He must have wanted to finish something before revealing what he was preparing. What is he preparing that he mentioned Marso and Picasso? Bang Taeho asked. I dont know. Hmm Im hungry. The awkward atmosphere continued until Chasi-hyun told them it was lunchtime. Come to think of it, its lunchtime. Teacher, shall we go there as you said yesterday? Sure. Even when they arrived at the restaurant. Even after the food came out, I couldnt forget what Marso had left behind and couldnt fully enjoy the taste of bouibaisse. You must have thought you were the best, but thats a mistake. I also wondered why this moment came so soon. Like Klimt. As I chewed on his words, I felt like I knew a little. I had heard from Pierre Malraux before that Marso had a sense of inferiority towards me. I dismissed it as nonsense at the time, but it seemed to be not entirely false. I didnt think Henri Marso, who was loved by the whole world for pushing his own style and theme with determination, would see me like that. No, I think I didnt want to think so. Objectively speaking, I seeded at a young age. Its obvious how that would look to those who do art. Some people were friendly, but there must have been some who couldnt ept it. Even if they werent like the man who caused amotion at the Marso Gallery, how many people would be happy to see a 10-year-old, 11-year-old kid easily achieve what they had worked hard for decades? Not everyone is an adult. Im the same. It was shocking to me that Henri Marso, who was such a great artist to me, looked at me like that. But if he did feel inferior to me, I had to see him again. I only thought of him as a strange writer who was full of pride. He acknowledged me and wanted topete with me on equal terms. Ive been making a name for myself sincest year, but I cantpare to Henri Marsos fame. The name value was bound to affect the result in the Arnuvo Competition, and all the other participants did not hesitate to reveal themselves. Its natural, since the essence of art is to reveal oneself. But I have a hard time doing that, as Im in the process of establishing my style through various works and conversations. Henri Marso adjusted to me and hid himself and participated in thepetition. How pure is that. His inferiority, which I cant understand, is true. The way Henri Marso tries to ovee it is pure. Noble. How can he do that? How many people can face their inferiority with dignity, without showing envy or jealousy? If he can love himself, and acknowledge not only himself but others, can I call him selfish and arrogant? I respect Henri Marso. But. I dont have the desire to beat him, or topete with him. I just want to talk about painting with him, like when I showed him . Hoon, is something wrong with your food? Grandfather asked me with concern, as I was not eating because of my deep thoughts. No, Im eating. I ate the fish fillet that the staff had prepared. It had a deep taste that waspletely different from the steamed fish I had in Samcheok. There must be people like that. I lifted my head at grandfathers voice. I wonder if theres any need topete, but wanting to be ahead of others can be a strong motivation. He seemed to see what I was worried about. Marso seems to think highly of you. I nodded, and Bang Taeho joined grandfather. Why. Marso and Picasso were like that too. They bickered, but in the end they became the best painters bypeting. They understood each other the best. I dont know much about the rtionship between the two masters who created the movements of Fauvism and Cubism throughpetition. Grandfather and Bang Taeho said that the two, who were 12 years apart,peted and stimted each other, and eventually created great works. Well. That would be fine too. If Henri Marso wanted to talk to me like that, I couldnt help it. It was also a way ofmunication. The second night of the Arnuvo Competition came. The number of votes, which had been around 500,000, increased greatly in a day, reaching 1,671,282. , which interpreted the ssical style with Orientalism in a modern way, recorded 384,395 votes, an increase of 262,586 votes. It maintained the lead. , which induced an illusion by using a simple pattern of fish and pomal, secured the second ce with 342,613 votes, an increase of 227,764 votespared to the previous day. The art world was turned upside down by the fact that the first and second works ounted for 43.5% of the total votes. Does this make sense? Alex, who ran an art channel called Alex Factory on NewTube, tilted his head. He was deeply impressed by and , but he never thought that a few works would monopolize the votes in the art world where the value was diversified. You like it Over again The works are good. Bullshit When the viewers told him not to be unreasonable, Alex frowned. No. Its not bullshit, its weird. There are 1,789 works participating. And these two are not known as famous artists works. But they are so overwhelming? The viewers agreed with Alexs point. , which had ranked 10th on the first day and attracted attention, was revealed to be nche Fabres work today. Among the works that received high votes, only and were works by unknown artists. Its a shitty thing to say, but the work is a brand fight. The market determines the value of the work by its recognition, right? But this means. Alex opened his mouth as he checked the posts on the chat window. Its very positive. Really. Maybe a lot of people who are not interested in art havee in and made it possible. Its a stupid thing to separate the work and the artist, but this phenomenon doesnt seem bad. How many people came? Alex opened an inte window and searched for tourists who visited the Arnuvo Competition. Wow~ Howe so many people came? The tourists counted by SNBA and Atout France, the French tourism agency, were about 470,000 a day. Yeah. The real artists should bow to SNBA and Henri Marso, right? Who else can n such an event? Whitney Museum? No. Now Arnuvo Competition is the top, right? Alex exaggerated the situation with an angry voice. When hundreds of thousands, millions of people gather, it bes popr in itself. Then, like Beauty and Summer Weave, the mainstream is created. A viewers question caught Alexs eye. Why is it important to have a mainstream? He said as if he was frustrated. Muggles are born. People who are not interested in art usually say this is cool, this is good, and go to the art museum. And then they find a work or an artist that suits their taste, and the art market itself grows, right? Thats true Muggles Hes funny. How many people do art for money? Its something that only rich people do. Right. He has his own color, but Alex seems to highlight the poprity. Its because of these bastards that its isted. Then cant poor people do art? Is it something that only rich bastards can do? Dont you know that its a denial of diversity to do something that only rich people can do? Do you have a manager? Get rid of them all. Those who only link poprity with money are really short-sighted. Diversityes from where many people can challenge, and that means you cant do it without money? What kind of crazy bastard does art without making money? Poor artists are all old stories. How can you draw when youre starving? Alex was very excited. Wait and see. Works like Beauty and Summer Weave have to keeping out to change the market. The rotten water has to wash away those works to get life. Even if you dont know who drew it, those who drew it will change the art world, right? [Timi donated $100]: You became a monthly champion after appearing on CBS. You also teach the viewers Oh, Timi bro! Thank you for the $100. Teach me. How dare I teach the viewers. Thank you! Thank you! A bright smile bloomed on Alexs face, who had been raising his voice in frustration. **** 1)Cubism is tranted and widely used as three-dimensionalism, but there is also an argument that it is correct to express it as cubicism. Chapter 191: Awakening (9) Chapter 191: Awakening (9) Chapter 191 Awakening (9) -The Arnouvo Competition has reached its fourth day in local time. Yesterday, an interesting fact was revealed, right? I woke up to the sound of the TV. I was tired from walking all day yesterday. I didnt want to get up, so I closed my eyes and just opened my ears. -Yes, its about the frame maker Pierre Malo, who has been keeping the tradition for six generations. -Isnt he the one who runs the frame shop Chardon? What does he have to do with the Arnouvo Competition? -It turns out that the frames that contain the two works that are currentlypeting for the lead, Beauty and Summer Nook, are his works. -Thats interesting, but there must be a reason why he gets so much attention. -Yes, its because out of the 1,789 entries, the only works that Pierre Malo made frames for are Beauty and Summer Nook. -Does that mean the master recognizes the masterpiece? -Haha, it seems so. It seems that Pierre Malo made frames for Marso and my work. I dont know if he only wanted to make two works, but its certain that he didnt have time to make anything else. He finished the frame for Summer Nook before October, so he must have been in a hurry to make Beauty afterwards. -Some people say that Pierre Malo predicted that the two works would be loved and made frames for them. -In fact, he never epts requests for works that he doesnt like. Thats why he doesnt have a lot of work. -Yes. -They are such great works that they captivated his heart, and the visitors seem to like them too. -I see. Another thing. The authors of the two works have not been revealed yet. Do you think Pierre Malo knows who they are? -There is a high possibility. But he said he wouldnt answer any questions about the customers identity, so well have to wait for the experts until thepetition is over. -Ms. Strejeman, arent you an expert yourself? What do you think? As I listened, I came to my senses and got up. When I went to the living room, Grandpa and Bang Taeho were sitting on the sofa, drinking coffee. Did you sleep well? Are you up? Do you want some juice? Ill get it myself. I took out apple juice from the refrigerator and sat on the sofa. Are you hurt anywhere? No, I guess I walked too much yesterday. I wanted to see as many works as possible, so I pushed myself too hard. Im a little tired. Then, do you want to rest today? There are still 1,000 works that I havent seen. I cant do that, so I shook my head and Grandpa stroked my hair. -So, youre guessing that either Beauty or Summer Nook is Go Hoons work? -Its just a guess. -Youre being careful. -Yes. In fact, Go Hoon has changed his style several times. He has his own characteristics, such as powerful brush strokes and intense colors, but he hasnt shown a surrealposition like Summer Nook or a ssic style like Beauty. -I see. Its just a guess. Lets move on to the next story. On TV, Lets Talk continues. -Each media is also sending positive messages. Please introduce them. -Yes. The French daily Le Figaro reported yesterday that even the cold couldnt stop the passion of art lovers, and that the Arnouvo Competition was a signal for the revival of art. Arent you hungry? Ill eat with Si-hyun when he wakes up. I looked at the clock and it was ten minutes before nine. Ill wait a little longer and wake him up for breakfast. -Some criticize that its a temporary phenomenon due to the prize money. They say its an event that relies on money rather than works. Tsk. Bang Taeho clicked his tongue at the criticism introduced by the host Woo-jin. Anya Strejeman, who was introduced as a Times reporter, stepped up to refute. -I see it differently. -Please tell us. -No matter how good a work is, it loses its meaning if there is no one to enjoy it. ording to their im, marketing itself is a negative act. No matter how good a product is, it wont sell if its not promoted, so isnt advertising a good thing? -Youre pointing out that SNBAs event is nothing but a marketing strategy. -Yes, its a very effective way to induce direct participation. -Please exin more. -Prizes and money are ssic marketing methods. Pointing this out is like trying to undermine the sess and significance of the Arnouvo Competition. -This is hard to ignore. Are you saying that there are forces that are trying to sabotage the Arnouvo Competition? -Its hard to specify, but there is definitely such a behavior going on. What do you think? Bang Taeho asked Grandpa. Hmm, its probably hosadamaji. Whats hosadamaji? I regained my memory and got used to many things and gained more knowledge, but proverbs are still hard. It means that there are often obstacles to good things. It seems that there are people who are against SNBA, not as extreme as Jerome Kerbiel. It would be good for everyone if the art market expands, but I wonder why they are opposed. Why do they hate it so much? It would be nice if we all do well. There are such people. They prefer to monopolize the share rather than grow the pie. They must have thought that expanding the market can wait until after the concentration. Hmm. In the end, its because of greed. There are such people in any group. They even sell their country for power even when the country is ruined. Did you sleep well? Cha Si-hyun rubbed his eyes and came to the living room. *** Henri! Henri! Kyaaa! Henri! Henri! The appearance of Henri Marso on the Cit Ind street made the already crowded street more congested. Michel tini, who was enjoying the enthusiastic cheers of the citizens, whispered in Henri Marsos ear. How long are you going to do this? Michel, who clenched his teeth and spoke, smiled as if nothing had happened. Henri, who was satisfied, snorted and moved on. Mr. Marso! What work did youe to see? Please say a word about the sess of the Arnouvo Competition! How do you see Beauty, which is currently in the lead! Ignoring the reporters, one question caught his ear. He turned his head and Kim Ji-woo, a reporter, was pushing his smartphone with shining eyes. How do I see Beauty? Yes! I really want to hear what you think as the organizer and the best painter! He usually never answered interviews that were not in French, but he liked the question. Its a perfect work. A work that can end this chaotic era without any ws. Kim Ji-woos eyes widened. He acknowledged and cherished a few artists, such as Go Suyeol, Fernando Gonzalez, Jang Mi-rae, and especially Go Hoon, but he had never praised anyone like this. Not only Kim Ji-woo, but also the reporters and citizens around him were astonished. Sir, exactly what do you think in that way? Do you have any idea who the author of Beauty is? What is your position on the spection that you drew Mr. Marso! As the questions poured in, Alex, a YouTuber who came to the scene after receiving a tip that Henri Marso had appeared, was impatient as he couldnt get through the crowd. He could only express his regret to the viewers through his smartphone. Did you hear that? Henri Marso said it was a perfect work. He didnt even use the expression perfect for Go Hoons work that he loves to death, what the hell is going on? The viewers were also surprised. People really change;; Isnt Go Hoon the one who drew Beauty? Henri seems to be acting like a human as he gets older. Antermittang or Arnouvo Competition, he seems to be a real person. Stop it. Its like our brother was garbage sometimes, but he was always a good person. Thats not an Henri fan. Henri fans do it for the taste of dissing Henri. We diss him too. Honestly, even if our brother does crazy things sometimes, has he ever harmed anyone? Alex, who was looking at the chat window, was lost in thought and shut his mouth. Its a hint. Henri Marso, who was notorious for his strong pride and excessive pride, was strict with other artists besides himself. Even among the people who were already recognized as masters, such as Go Suyeol, some could not avoid Henri Marsos criticism. And he rarely spoke favorably of the works. But there was an exception for Henri Marso, and that was Go Hoon, the genius painter of Korea. He bought Go Hoons first work, Sunflower, as well as Guest and Frosty Millet Field for a huge amount of money, and recently he even promised to receive Love7 from Go Suyeol as a gift. He even rumored that he invested in the movie Giamseong because of Go Hoon. The friendly appearance of the two was confirmed through various media, and it proved that Henri Marso regarded Go Hoon as special. Alex desperately pushed his way through the crowd and shouted at Henri Marso. Did you draw Beauty yourself? Henri Marso turned his head at Alexs confirmation question. Henri Marso, who had no need to lie with his huge ego and excessive pride, responded awkwardly. No. But his awkward denial was not important. Alex confirmed his doubt. Then, is Go Hoon the one who drew Beauty? What are you talking about! Henri Marsos strong denial made the surroundings quiet for a moment. Then someone muttered. Yeah. When did Henri praise anyone like this besides Go Hoon? They said Go Hoon participated. It hasnt been revealed yet. Its Go Hoon. Thats right! Its Go Hoon! The citizens guesses expanded uncontrobly, and among them, Alex felt like his heart was going to burst with the thought that he had found the author of Beauty that he couldnt reveal until now. Its a million angles! He thought that if he uploaded todays video, the views would be guaranteed. On the other hand, Henri Marsos temples were flushed with blood. These The work he drew to end this chaotic era for sure before opening a new era of painting. The work that proved himself to be ahead of Go Hoon, who symbolized the future, andpleted with agony. He couldnt stand the atmosphere that the masterpiece was confirmed as Go Hoons work. No! No! Henri Marso shouted in anger, but his strong denial sounded like a strong affirmation. The tourists who were aiming for the huge event prize money didnt hear Henris voice anymore. A person who was close to Henri Marso entered Go Hoon as the author of Beauty on the Arnouvo Competition application and gritted his teeth. ** I ate breakfast and was so tired that I slept more. I got up at lunchtime and ate at the hotel restaurant, and Bang Taeho made a strange noise. Huh? Whats wrong? He couldnt answer and just blinked his eyes and showed his smartphone. Grandpa, Cha Si-hyun and I leaned our heads to the middle of the table. It was the event page of the official application of the Arnouvo Competition. It was an event where you guessed the author of the anonymously exhibited works, and the prize money was quiterge, so Grandpa, Bang Taeho, Cha Si-hyun and I were working hard. Huh? I became the person who drew Beauty. 1st Hoon Go (This is the result of 91.1% guessing.) Chapter 192: Awakening (10) Chapter 192: Awakening (10) Chapter 192 Awakening (10) As I was trying to figure out what had happened, Cha Si-hyun showed me his smartphone. It was an article posted on The Guardian, titled Why Its Ga Hoons Work. It quoted Alex, who runs an art channel on YouTube. I wondered what Henri Marso had done this time, but he only said that was a perfect work and he didnt paint it. Alexs spection seemed to have triggered it. It was a troll. Bang Taeho bit his tongue. He must have gone too far to get attention for his YouTube views. I didnt think he was that kind of person. Im disappointed. Hmm. Grandfather sighed as he read the article again. The vote difference has increased too. Cha Si-hyun showed me the voting status. and , which had narrowed the gap to 20,000 votes, were now 50,000 votes apart. It seemed to have been affected by the fact that was known as my work. What can I do? Its going to be revealed in a few days anyway, so Im not too worried, but I want to do well in the contest I participated in. I dont care about winning, but I dont want to lose to Matisse either. What should we do? Bang Taeho opened his mouth as he stroked his chin. We have to tell them what we submitted to make up for the loss. Or say we didnt paint Beauty. Ah. Bang Taeho pped his hands as if he had a good idea. Maybe this could be a good thing. I didnt know what he meant by good thing, so I looked at Grandfather and he told me it was a good thing. Bang Taeho connected an infrared keyboard to his tablet. What are you doing? Im going to leak some source. It was the content that I had a contract with Schmincke for a year. I received 600,000 euros for using only Schmincke paints for my oil paintings this year, and I did some publicity broadcasts and filmed somemercials, but I didnt have many works to show. They cant figure it out. They dont know what paint I used for Beauty, but they probably didnt paint it all with Schmincke paint. Yes. Then it will naturally be known that its not true, and Schmincke will be mentioned again, so I think Ill have a reason to get a better deal next time. Does that work? Its the Arnouvo Contest. Its not easy to get attention in an event that ten million people are interested in. Hes thinking of making money even in this situation. I think I met a good person. Vroom- Vroom- The smartphone vibrated. Its Matisse. He asked me as soon as I answered the phone. -Did you see it? Yes. -Sigh. He sighed, unlike himself. -Im telling you for sure, its not me. I remembered the time when I saw him with Michelle and he said nonsense because he was addicted to gambling. He didnt need to fool anyone, or maybe he hated lying, but he couldnt lie. There was no answer, so I tried tofort him. I know. -What? Alex misunderstood, right? -Yeah. That bastard made up the story. Yeah. He was silent. Is that all you have to say? -I wanted to be on equal terms. I know that too. He doesnt want to lose to me, and neither do I. No, to be exact, I dont want to disappoint him. He doesnt know how heartwarming it is to be loved by such a great artist. Were not the kind of people who misunderstand each other over something like this. Dont worry. I might have gotten angry if it was before. It was announced that I painted a different picture, not the one I prepared. I might have lost some votes too. But I know well that Matisse wanted topete with me on equal terms and that he was telling the truth. Hes not the kind of person who would use such a cheap trick. -Okay. Im preparing something on this side too. -Thats why Im saying this. Matisse cut me off. I wondered what he was going to say, and he spoke in a serious voice. -Summer Winter. Ill say I painted it. I didnt understand what he meant for a moment and asked again. What? -Lets say I painted it. Then its fair. I wish he would be smart or stupid, not both. What are you talking about? Stop it right now. -Why. Why do you think? What difference does it make? -What difference does it make? My painting got more votes because of your name. I guess so. -So you should use my name too. What kind of logic is that? -I dont believe anything you say, so this is the only way. Ill take care of it, so just know that. Dont make things moreplicated! *** -Dont do it! I told you not to do it! As I hung up the phone with a roar, Henri Marso looked at his smartphone with his chin pulled. What did he say? Michelle tini, who was next to him, asked worriedly. He told me not to do it. Look at that. How far do you want to be fair? Michelle tini med Henri. He had suggested that he should introduce as his own work, since Hoon had lost votes. He told him to ask the person himself, but he was refused as expected. Michelle noticed that Henri Marso was making a nervous expression as he kept nagging. He was usually restless when things didnt go his way, but he was quiet now, which was strange. Did I go too far? Michelle lowered her voice, feeling sorry for pushing Henri too hard. Whats wrong? Why are you like that? Henri clenched and unclenched his fists as he spoke. He said no. What? Henri Marso, who had been easily misunderstood by his entric behavior, couldnt forget what Hoon had said. Were not the kind of people who misunderstand each other over something like this. No He was lost in deep thought for a while, after being excited by what had happened in the morning. Meanwhile. Kim Ji-woo, who was surprised by the news that Hoon had painted , visited the gallery next to the police station. This is strange. She couldnt find an answer as she became more and more curious about the more she saw it. At first, she didnt think that Hoon had painted it at all, and thought that Alex had made a wild guess for the sake of views, but when she looked closely, she felt a faint simrity. Hoon liked to useplementary colors, and the mysterious golden color of orpiment and the blue curtain that expressed the darkness in gave that impression. Theposition, texture, and way of depicting objects were all different, but she felt strangely simr. Is it because I think Hoon painted it? How do you feel? Does it look like Hoons work? Surely, that mysterious golden color is hard to express unless youre an Asian. Kim Ji-woo turned her head. She was talking with Tom James, an art critic, and his entourage. Some peoplepare it to Klimt. Haha. Well, I dont know. They both used gold, but theyrepletely different. If Klimts gold is brilliant, then the gold in this work is calm. I want to say its elegant. Hoon is also good at using gold. Thats true. Although this gold color is different, he showed a very nice gold color in his first work, Sunflower. Many people were interested in his oriental oil painting at that time. Hmm. Maybe thats really the case. But if so, its amazing. Its hard to believe that Hoon has already developed such a descriptive power. Thats a reasonable thing to say. Isnt he the grandson of Go Soo-yeol? Haha. Is that so? Kim Ji-woo tilted her head as she listened to the critics conversation. Not only herself, but also others were finding strange simrities between Hoon and , even though they didnt believe he painted it. The impatient reporter wrote an article saying that was Hoons tribute to Henri Marso, based on the close rtionship between Henri Marso and Hoon. Is that true? Kim Ji-woo was about to leave the gallery to ask Hoon directly. A startled voice whispered. Matisse painted it. Kim Ji-woo, who had learned some French from the interview with Henri Marso and the Arnouvo Contest, turned her head. A tinum-haired young girl was staring at . nche Fabre? She was a French genius painter who had been in the top 10 of the contest from the beginning, but kept dropping out. nche Fabre, who was called by a stranger, moved her gaze. Oh, sorry. I was surprised. Yes. nche Fabre looked at again, not caring much. Henri Marso, who was praised as the best painter since Bernard Buffet, was too high a wall for the young painter. She faced the huge wall that she had to ovee someday, and clenched her fist as she observed . She wanted to forget the fear that rose from the vagueness with the will to ovee it. Kim Ji-woo, who saw her confident expression, asked quietly. You said Matisse painted it earlier, right? Yes. Matisse, as in Henri Marso? nche Fabre nodded slightly and Kim Ji-woo hurriedly took out her business card. I came from Korea Art. If you dont mind, Id like to do a short interview. Is that okay? Kim Ji-woo smiled a sales smile. She was worried that the genius painter who was attracting attention in the European art scene would agree to an interview, as she had been asked many times in Korea, Where is Korea Art? Kim Ji-woo? nche Fabre looked up and asked, checking the English name on the card. Thats right. Kim Ji-woo. Kim Ji-woo smiled brighter. Okay. Really? Are you okay now? How about a cafe? Kim Ji-woo was happy to have a solo interview with an artist who was attracting attention in the French art scene. Chapter 193: The Painter (1) Chapter 193: The Painter (1) Chapter 193 The Painter (1) Kim Jiwoo and nche Fabre avoided the crowded tourist spots and settled in a rtively quiet cafe. Thank you so much. I didnt expect you to walk this far. Its okay. A curt answer came back. Kim Jiwoo replied with a smile. What do you want to drink? Warm milk, please. Kim Jiwoo ordered the drinks and looked at nche Fabre carefully. Her blue eyes were smooth like ss and did not waver at all. Shes so cute. She sat calmly without any sign of nervousness. Kim Jiwoo was relieved that she was proficient in English. I told you on the way, but the article will be published in both Korean and English. If you give me your contact information, Ill send you the link. Im embarrassed to say this, but it might be hard to find. Haha. I know. Huh? I wanted to meet you once. Me? Kim Jiwoo blinked. He couldnt easily understand why the French artist wanted to meet him. I read the article introducing Go Hoon. Oh. The drinks were ced between them. nche Fabre took out a sugar stick from the table and tore it. The sugar melted in the warm milk. Go Hoon will revive the art world, you said. I wanted to hear more about it. nche Fabre picked up another sugar stick. Kim Jiwoo, who had arranged the seat with the intention of interviewing her, hesitated for a moment. I think its already proven. From the Whitney Biennale to the Art Nouveau Competition. Go Hoon achieved so much in just a year. His work changed the voting trends of thepetition. nche Fabre put in the second sugar. You think the same as Henri Marso. Kim Jiwoo tilted his head and asked. Does poprity lead the art world? nche Fabres tone was somewhat challenging. A strong will was rising from her clear eyes. Kim Jiwoo, who realized that the young painters question was not a simplepetitive spirit, approached the topic seriously. I think so in many ways. In what ways? Poprity reflects the times. The works that project what the times most desperately want are loved. What about the works that were not recognized in those times? They were not recognized. Then do the unrecognized works have no value? Kim Jiwoo did not avoid the straight gaze that looked at him. No. nche Fabre took a breath and picked up a new sugar stick. She likes sweet things. Kim Jiwoo thought of introducing her as someone who likes sweet things and continued. There are many cases where artistic value is recognized even if it is not recognized by the public. There are cases where they are btedly highlighted. Like Vincent van Gogh. nche Fabre silently handed him a sugar stick. It was her own kindness. But that was also thanks to the people who recognized van Gogh. Like Klimt or the people who loved van Goghter. Artistry and poprity cannot be separated. Even if you pursue art purely, I think its meaningless if there is no one who recognizes it. nche dissolved the sugar in the milk without a word. On the contrary, if it affects even one person, the story will change. Kim Jiwoo dissolved the sugar that nche gave him in his coffee and continued the conversation. Its undeniable that the works that influence more people create a big trend. Thats why I believe Go Hoon can be that person. nche thought Kim Jiwoo was different from other fools who pursued fame, money, and poprity. She opened her mouth as she tore the fourth sugar stick. Henri Marso is like that now. Kim Jiwoo thought the same. There was no one who caused such a big wave in the art world as Henri Marso in recent years. Everyone else is just a decoration to him. Even if you look at . Kim Jiwoos eyes lit up as he recalled that nche had said was Henri Marsos work. You said Henri Marso painted . Why do you think so? Hes the only one who can paint such a picture. How? Whats the point? I just think so. Kim Jiwoo was a bit flustered by the vague answer. You seem confident. Dont you have a reason? I felt Henri Marso. Kim Jiwoo paused as he tried to dig deeper. If he excluded other external factors and looked at itself, he felt usible. He couldnt describe it, but the self-love and pride of a superhuman figure under the sublime light seemed to remind him of Henri Marsos silhouette. I will surpass him. Kim Jiwoo raised his head at nches sudden deration. What? I will paint a picture that will make Henri Marso himself feel that way. It was too much to take it as a young painters challenge. Considering the conversation he had with her before, he couldnt dismiss it as a simple idea of surpassing Henri Marso in poprity. nche started to drink the milk with five sugars. *** nche Fabre. Kim Jiwoo spun his pen as he looked at the empty seat where she had sat. She was different from what the media had introduced. The press highlighted her doll-like appearance and quirky personality, but Kim Jiwoo felt a strong will for art from her. She took art more seriously than anyone else. Was she bullied? Kim Jiwoo was surprised as he searched for articles rted to nche Fabre. It was the content of an interview with her parents by the media. nche Fabre, who had a hard time getting along with her friends since she was young because of her entric personality, collected and drew her favorite insects and spent her childhood. She didnt look like that. She didnt show any closed-off behavior or look intimidated. She just seemed to have some kind ofpetitive spirit against Henri Marso, who was loved by most people. She seemed to want to prove her worth to Henri Marso, who charmed everyone. Shes beautiful. Kim Jiwoo looked at nche Fabres works. Even Kim Jiwoo, who hated creatures with more than six legs, felt that nches works were beautiful. Especially, the indescribable odd colors had a uniqueness that could not be found in anyones or any work. Thats impossible. She was shocked to find out that nche Fabres works were made by sticking several insects together. nche Fabres masterpiece was a work that shaped arge golden tortoise beetle by sticking several dead golden tortoise beetles on a canvas. She exined that she made it hoping tofort her sadness and be with them forever after the leaf beetles she raised died. Did she make all the other works like this? Kim Jiwoo looked for nche Fabres other works. Most of them were oil paintings, and there were not many cases like . He wondered if he should be d that nche didnt lose many friends often. She participated in thepetition. Kim Jiwoo nodded. He had been looking for various works and focusing on the masterpieces that could be featured in the special issue, but today he wanted to take a closer look at what nche Fabre had made. Kim Jiwoo got up with his luggage, paid, and went outside. nche Fabre was standing in front of him. He was surprised because quite some time had passed since he went outside. Who are you waiting for? nche Fabre turned around and raised her head. I was going to go back to where I was before. Before? I came back. Kim Jiwoo blinked. A maze? Kim Jiwooughed at nche Fabres words. ** Dont worry and have fun. He left various things to the reliable Bang Taeho and went out to enjoy thepetition with his grandfather and Cha Si-hyun. Some reporters recognized him and asked if he painted , but it wasnt too ufortable to walk around. Hoon! He turned his gaze at the familiar voice and Kim Jiwoo was waving his hand high. The weird kid he metst time was with him. He didnt seem to get lost today. Hello, teacher. Was it Si-hyun? Youre cute today too. Hi. Unlike the lively Kim Jiwoo, nche Fabre was nd. Cha Si-hyun, who was afraid of nche, stuck to his side and only stuck out his face. Did you interview? Yeah. Im on my way back. Together? Yeah. It turned out that way. Haha! They seemed to have be close. It wouldnt be too hard with Kim Jiwoos sociability. Did you see it? Fabre asked bluntly. What? Mine. He shook his head and narrowed his eyes. Arent you curious what your colleague made? Colleague? You said you would beat Henri Marso. He hesitated for a moment, not remembering when he made such a promise. Come to think of it, he seemed to have said something like that when he first met him, that he had topete with Henri Marso. Kim Jiwoos eyes sparkled and he rushed in. Really? You two agreed to do it together? Whats your name? Kaka-pa? nche Fabre frowned. She probably didnt understand Korean and only heard the word kaka. No. I never did that. Hes talking by himself. Huh? Really? Fabre, he said no, what do you think? Dont you want to? Its not that I dont want to. Im close with Marso. I have no reason to fight him. nche stared at me. I dont know why he is hostile to Marso, but maybe he misunderstood something. He must have said something rude. Dont hate him too much. His personality and speech are rotten, but his heart is good. Tell me if he said anything to you. Ill scold him. nche Fabre shook her head. She looked very angry with her mouth shut. Dont pretend you dont know. Pretend? You already won. I dont know why hes saying this. If I try to understand, it might be because , which is known to have been painted by me, is in first ce. You seem to have a misunderstanding, but I didnt paint Beauty. Henri Marso painted it, right? Huh? He was the first person to be so sure that was Henri Marsos work. Then I get it. The person who got the most votes right now is Henri Marso. nche Fabre shook her head. That golden color. Theplementary color arrangement. You influenced him. Marso didnt paint like that before. Kim Jiwoo looked at me and nche Fabre with interest. Ill do it like you someday. Chapter 194: The Painter (2) Chapter 194: The Painter (2) Chapter 194 The Painter (2) It doesnt mean anything to me to beat Henri Marso. I just hope he wont be disappointed in me. I dont want to show him a bad side of me and I want to leave him a good memory, so rather than saying I want to win or surpass him, it would be more urate to say I dont want to lose. No. I think it would be closer to say I want to be with him. Understanding Marso through , , and this time . And the process of him recognizing me would be very enjoyable. Looking back, nches words were notpletely wrong. After , we had a lot of conversations, and maybe we unknowingly influenced each other. At least I admired Henri Marsos rity. His skills are so outstanding that I would believe he was blessed by God, and I like the way he stands up straight and expresses himself clearly. And his attitude of working hard toplete it. I confirmed that he had the same feelings as me after thest incident. We cant help but be influenced by each other. This kid, nche Fabre, might have a simr feeling to me. Unlike her childish words of wanting to beat Henri Marso, her voice and upright eyes were serious. It doesnt seem like a simplepetitive spirit. Even if I dont know the reason, her desire to match the level of Henri Marso, the unparalleled artist, seems pure. Someday, she will be able to judge her own feelings urately, so I dont need to confirm it now. Okay. Ill cheer for you. I smiled, wishing her luck. You cant cheer for me. I turned my head, not knowing what she meant. Every member of the Anti-Marso Party must fight on the front line. Anti-Marso Party? A group that opposes Marso. Ive never heard of that. Lets start now. I havent seen many sane people among artists, but she has a very unique personality. Are you fighting? How are you going to fight? Huh? Just the two of you? Since when? Kim Ji-woo poured out questions like a sponge cake. Were not fighting. *** Somehow, I followed nche Fabres guidance and came to the back of Notre Dame Cathedral. There were three paintings hanging in a small space of about 10 square meters, but I didnt see any other works besides nche Fabres . It was a butterfly that had just emerged from a cocoon. There was no background. For a long time, no one noticed, the caterpir honed itself. Even in the pain of changing organs and tissues, it waited quietly for the time, without screaming for fear of being eaten by someone. After finishing all the preparations, it had to break out of the cocoon that wrapped itself. If it cant break free from the bondage, the caterpir will die as it is. As it came out of the egg. As it hid its body in a flower bud, behind a fallen leaf, and went through several molts to be a butterfly. It had to change itself with the determination of death to get wings. When itpletelyes out of the cocoon, the wings that are now dry will spread wide. It will surely be beautiful. nche Fabre had a reason to attract attention. Its not easy to express the butterfly thates out of the cocoon with such vitality with ordinary effort. It must have taken a very long time to convey the desperation of the caterpir that wants to be a butterfly in the cracks and wings. Its beautiful. Cha Si-hyun also admired. Its rare for a caterpir to be a butterfly in the wild. nche Fabre said. The caterpir that is born from the egg has to crawl, and it is exposed to predators without defense during the several molts and cocoon stages. Not only birds, but also parasitic wasps thaty eggs in the cocoon, the caterpirs body is eaten by the parasitic wasprvae and dies. There is nothing to help the caterpir. Butterflies are beautiful, but you can only see the ones that survived. You cant see the caterpirs that died hanging on the branches. nches words seemed too difficult for Cha Si-hyun. But he should know. The many caterpirs that want to be butterflies are deprived of their dreams for many reasons. The existence of a painter is no different from a caterpir. Now, a 15-year-old kid has to worry about such a serious problem. Even if he has talent. Even if he works hard. Even if the environment supports him, there are definitely people who are not recognized because of unexpected variables and unknown factors. Where will the resentment of those who cant even be butterflies, let alone show their majestic wings, give love, or bear fruit, go? Even the Arnuvo Contest, where everyone who thinks they are right gathers, the votes are divided. There are even six works that didnt get a single vote. But I cant see the wings well. It would be prettier if you spread them. Cha Si-hyun changed the topic. If you want to show the aesthetic beauty of the butterfly, you have to draw it as Si-hyun said, but nche wants to say something different. The reason why butterflies are beautiful is not because their colors or patterns are pretty. I turned my head to check, and Fabre nodded. Maybe she is projecting herself on the butterfly that wants to get out of the cocoon. On the way, I heard from Cha Si-hyun that she had a lot of trouble, and it seemed that she gained courage through the butterfly. Its a great picture that shows a strong will like his eyes. I want to cheer for you. Grandfather also nodded his head with a pleased face. I wondered how Kim Ji-woo saw it, and when I moved my eyes, he was making a serious expression unlike his usual noisy self. Then he hugged nche and shook his head. What are you going to do? Really. You can do it. You can and you will. This sister will guarantee it. Kim Ji-woo, who was deeply moved, nagged at her, but nche was not very impressed. She didnt respond or refuse with a big expression change. Now show me yours. I cant hide it after seeing this work. Okay. Lets go. Meanwhile. Bong Tae-ho, who stayed at the hotel, asked for help from the paint manufacturer Shuminke and the German newspaper Die Welt, The London Times, the French newspaper Le Monde, and others that he had been in contact with. It was to leak a clue to the fact that was not Go Hoons work and to hint at Go Hoons characteristics. -So its apletely different style from before. And you used Shuminke paint? Yes. -And you didnt draw Beauty? Thats right. A small sound of licking his lips came from the other side of the phone. -Its not hard to write, but. Will this make a big issue? Dont you think the critics are restless to find Hoons work? They need a small clue. The Arnuvo Contest was also a big challenge for the art experts. The critics worked hard to find the works of famous artists from the opening day, and they gained recognition by announcing who they found. Thanks to that, most of the top-voted works were revealed by the artists. But the current solo leader, , was divided on who drew it. Many people named Go Hoon as the artist of by the remarks of some influencers like Alex, and they admitted the simrities, but there were few who said with confidence. It was hard to believe that was Go Hoons work because the description was improved to an unbelievable level. And his unique mncholic emotion was not felt. -Well, thats true, but saying itspletely different from before is too broad. How about it? Bong Tae-ho licked his pte with his tongue and pondered at the reporters words. -Its not a bad story for Go Hoon either. If you just reveal what kind of work it is this year, youll get a high ranking for free. The reporter was asking what kind of work Go Hoon had submitted. Surely, as he said, it was not a bad thing for Go Hoon. This year, Go Hoon turned the art world upside down with and , and he was already in the ranks of famous artists. Especially, he was always the center of attention with his family background as the grandson of Go Soo-yeol, the son of Go Hae-seong and Lee Soo-jin, the tragedy he experienced at a young age, and the episode with Henri Marso. Even now, many people were wandering around the Cit Ind and the virtual exhibition hall to find out what kind of work Go Hoon had brought. If it was confirmed that Go Hoon drew , it would be positive for the votes. Bong Tae-ho thought he could aim for the first ce by telling him at the right time, even without revealing the name of the work. No. But he couldnt force Go Hoon to do something he didnt want. He was a young kid, but he acted with his own standards and goals. Haha. You know very well that its not something I can decide. The reporter, who knew the rtionship between Bong Tae-ho and Go Hoon well, judged that he was making an excuse to refuse politely. Instead, Ill arrange a separate ce for you after the closing ceremony. How about talking with Hoon slowly then? -Separately? Separately. It was important to know what Go Hoon had submitted, and he couldnt miss the opportunity for a solo interview with Go Hoon. The only thing the reporter could choose in the situation where Bong Tae-ho refused to reveal it was one. -Well. I understand. I cant help it. Thank you. -You have to keep your promise. Is there any doubt? Ill contact you the day after tomorrow. Bong Tae-ho took a long breath after finishing the call. He had only made phone calls since lunch, but the window was already dark. He should being up soon. Bong Tae-ho opened his smartphone and looked for the first media he contacted. Sure enough. There was an article saying that the person who drew was not Go Hoon. Not only that, but other media also copied the original article and posted articles with a few minutes apart. Thirty minutes ago, a fairly well-known expert exined the characteristics of Shuminke paint in Le Monde, and imed that the current information was different from the truth. He just borrowed the name. He couldnt write an article by hiring someone in just 30 minutes, so he must have used the name of a critic he had a business rtionship with. Well, the bottom work is done. Slowly. Bong Tae-ho picked up the phone again. The connection sound continued for a few times and a cheerful voice rang. -Is that Tae-ho! Haha. Brother. How are you? -Oh, sure. Of course. I enjoyed the coffee you sent mest time. Thank you. Thank you. Of course. How precious is that. -Sniff. Yeah. Next time youe to Berlin, Ill make you happy. Oh, so when are youing? Ill see you soon. No, but brother. Why dont you tell me about Hoon yet. Im sorry. -Huh? You know. Brother, you cant miss Hoons work. I wondered if I did something to upset you. -No. Thats not it. Please look at me. I just started this year. Please introduce me well so that Hoon can finish well this year. -Oh. Yeah. Yeah. Well. Dont misunderstand and listen. Actually, I found it. Ah, I have to take the SNBA call. Brother, Im sorry. Ill contact you again. Pretending to receive a call that didnte, he quickly finished the call and called another number. Manager, are you in Paris? Chapter 195: The Painter (3) Chapter 195: The Painter (3) Chapter 195 The Painter (3) Bantaeho, who contacted some critics, decided that tomorrow would be the decisive moment. The critics were very cautious for four days after the opening of the Art Nouveaupetition. They had no problem evaluating the artists who clearly revealed themselves, like Demian Carter, but they were reluctant to talk about Go Hoon. It was not easy to predict what kind of work Go Hoon, who had used various materials, had drawn. And they were afraid of the bacsh that mighte if their expectations were wrong. But in a situation where a very small clue was released through the media, the Art Nouveaupetition was also entering the final stage. Bantaeho pulled the trigger of the signal gun to make them run, who were pushed to the starting line. Theyll have a headache today. Tonight, after deep thinking, they would eventually prove that was not drawn by Go Hoon. The remaining problem was whether someone would recognize . I wish there was someone who understood Hoon. Bantaeho hoped that there was someone who truly deeply understood Go Hoon, who had been receiving attention sincest year. It was important for Go Hoon to gain poprity as a painter, but he also thought that he needed an expert who fully understood him. It wouldnt be an easy task because of his very different style. There must be someone. But Bantaeho was sure. , , , , , and . Go Hoons paintings had the power to move the heart. He believed that there must be someone who looked at Go Hoon, not as a young genius, the grandson of Goseoyeol, or the painter loved by Henri Marso. Bantaeho checked the voting status of the Art Nouveaupetition. The total number of votes was slightly over 2 million. Theres a chance. Since each person could only vote for ten works, people tended to enjoy and vote for as many works as possible. The situation where there were more remaining votes than the number of votes. had a definite chance to beat . It would have been nice if he had revealed it. If Go Hoon had revealed his work from the beginning, he would have gotten a lot more votes than now. Bantaeho regretted that. However, thepeting work also did not reach Henri Marsos reputation. It was at least the same condition as . Rather, if Henri Marso had revealed his position, his fame, which had risen due to the current Antermittang affair, could have crushed the other artists. No. Its rather a relief. Bantaeho narrowed his eyebrows. , which had been maintaining second ce until now, was overtaken by the master Demian Carters for the first time. ** nche Fabre, who had been wandering around the Cit des Arts for four days, could not find Go Hoons work. , , , , which she had seen at the Whitney Biennale, were telling different stories with different materials. She could recognize because it had a clear intersection. But as nche, who could not know how Go Hoon had changed after , which refused to be a young Van Gogh, she could not find the answer. She expected that Go Hoon would have a lot of votes if he was Go Hoon, and she looked around the top works again. She still could not tell what work Go Hoon had submitted. But soon she could solve that curiosity. nche was going to see clearly with her own eyes what kind of painting the painter who changed Henri Marso before her had drawn. Go Hoon stopped walking. Here. Not far from Notre Dame Cathedral. It was the ce where the most noticeable work in the Art Nouveaupetition was hung. No way. The gallery was rtively quiet because the operating time was almost over. Liar. As Go Hoon stood in front of , nche Fabre shook her head as if she could not believe it. was her favorite work in thispetition. She stopped by once every morning and felt the faintness in the rippling waves with the optical illusion effect in her eyes and chest. She could not believe that Go Hoon had drawn , which she had been waiting for the awards ceremony without knowing who had drawn it. How. Shh. Chashihyun put his index finger on his lips. He was worried that nche, who was surprised, would blurt out what his friend was trying to hide. nche, who understood his intention, swallowed what she was going to say and looked at again. The reason why nche was surprised was no different from Henri Marso. , which showed the optical illusion effect and conveyed the tender sentiment, was attractive in itself. Strange. It also differed from the various works that Go Hoon had shown so far. Go Hoon had drawn pictures that gave meaning to what actually existed, like a painter in the 19th century history. nche understood that Go Hoon was influenced by his grandfather Goseoyeol. Goseoyeol was a painter who drew out the meaning contained in the shape and color of things as much as possible. Thanks to that, Goseoyeols works were clear in delivering the theme, gave a strong impression, and at the same time, were criticized forcking diversity of interpretation. Since he had such a grandfather, she thought that Go Hoon had drawn impressionist and expressionist paintings that perfectly revealed lyricism, such as and . She could not think of him drawing at all. Ah. nche Fabre, who looked at slowly again, soon realized that her thought was prejudice. When she heard that Go Hoon had drawn it, she saw the impasto technique that applied thick paint and left strong brush marks. It was the way Go Hoon liked to use. He gave a realistic feeling even though he ignored the perspective, which was also seen in . The sorrow that the rippling sea gave was simr to the emotion she had received from and . When she knew it, there were so many simrities. Why didnt I know. It was because of the difference in the way of showing. seemed to visualize longing. He expressed the rippling sea as a means to reveal his emotions, not to contain emotions in things. How can it be so different? nche knew that the reason why Go Hoons style had changed greatly was not only because he was young. The young painter, who was exposed to various environments, was greatly influenced by the works he liked. Because of that, he often lost himself, but Go Hoon was clearly not losing his own color. nche Fabre realized that Go Hoon was not a simple genius. It wasnt just talent and education that allowed him to show different aspects in each work. He could make a good work with a brilliant idea once in a while, but it couldntst forever. I got help from Jim Warren. Go Hoon said. Mask? There was an artist named Lucio Fontana. Sunflower too? Josoek. Josoek? He was a painter in the Joseon Dynasty. Go Hoon answered without hesitation to the question he asked to solve his doubts. He had grasped the characteristics of other artists and digested thempletely, so nche couldnt imagine what kind of work Go Hoon would draw next. I never thought of that. nche opened his mouth after organizing his thoughts. What? Imitating. I thought it was bad. Does it look like I imitated? nche shook his head. It wasnt giarism. It was a conversation to use something new when he understood the other person deeply and spoke for himself. nche Fabre believed that Jim Warren, Lucio Fontana, and Josoek would be very happy to see Go Hoons work. He had only thought of Go Hoon as a genius, but now that he understood how he had drawn his pictures, he could finally understand. He wondered why the great Henri Marso was obsessed with Go Hoon more than other artists. Maybe he wanted to influence Go Hoon too. It was natural for a narcissist who loved himself very much to look for someone who understood himpletely. He thought that maybe the reason why Henri Marso feltpetitive with Go Hoon was because he wanted him to recognize him. He turned his head. The rippling sea came back to his eyes. nche Fabre engraved the rtionship between Go Hoon and Henri Marso in his heart as he looked at . Its cool. He envied the rtionship between the two painters who had a great influence on each other. ** Meanwhile. The people hired at the Marso mansion were watching Marso, who was sitting in front of the canvas all day, with curiosity. It was not a big deal to concentrate for two or three days when he started working, but today was different. He didnt hold a brush, a pencil, or a crayon, and he just muttered something like a person who had lost his mind. Why is he doing that? I dont know. He said something. No? Yes. What he means by no. Is he nning his work? Doesnt he need to eat? He gets angry when you talk to him when hes working. Then Ill have to make a sandwich and put it next to him. Henri Marso suddenly got up from his chair. The staff were startled. Arsene! Arsene! Henri Marso called his secretary in a louder voice than usual. Arsene, who was worried about his strange behavior, came up to him. Yes, sir. Tell the chef to prepare. Henri Marso, who had skipped his meals all day, was expected to be very hungry by Arsene, who bowed his head. Ill tell him to prepare the meal. The most delicious potato pizza in the world. Excuse me? Henri Marso narrowed his eyebrows. Didnt you hear me? The most delicious potato pizza in the world. Are you saying that now? Wait. Phone. Henri Marso reached out his hand. He took the smartphone that Arsene handed him and called Go Hoon. A few rings went by and Go Hoon answered the phone. -What? Where are you? -Behind Notre Dame Cathedral. Why there? -Do you know Berthillon? They say its a tourist course to eat ice cream there and watch the sunset. Throw it away. -What? Throw away the ice cream ande this way. Ill send a car. -What are you talking about? You have to eat dinner, why are you eating ice cream at this time? -I have a dinner appointment. See you next time. Appointment? -Im going to eat with Fabre. -Who? -Marso. -Marso? He heard a loud voice asking him to switch the phone over. Be quiet ande. Ill send a car. -I told you Im going to eat with him. Then bring him too. -No. -Youreing. -Lets eat together when my fatheres. -Nothing is more important than meeting Henri Marso. He didnt know who Fabre was, but he nodded at the remarkable sound. Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Cha Si-hyun shakes his head. He still remembers how he cried in fear when he met Henri Marso before his grandfatherseback. He seems to have a grudge against him. His grandfather also has a TV appearance scheduled after dinner, so it would be too much to visit Marsos house, which takes two hours to go back and forth. See you tomorrow. I have a prior engagement. -Theres pizza. I can eat here too. He seems to know that I go crazy for pizza. -Exin. -Ko Hun, this is Arsen. Hello. I dont know what hes trying to say, but Im not going to see Marso right now. -Ill prepare a potato pizza with plenty of Jersey Royal potatoes grown on the British ind of Jersey. Jersey Royal? Thats too fancy for a potato variety. -Jersey Royal potatoes are a variety that bnces starch and moisture. You can feel the fluffy and chewy texture. Hold on. -Also, the bacon made by Raymond, the chef, boasts a rich meat vor and a savory taste. He smoked the Iberico Bellota pork in a traditional way. So? -Ill use at least three kinds of cheese. You wont be disappointed with the Campania mozzare cheese and the Swiss Appenzeller cheese, which passed strict standards. -And Ill drizzle Madame Sherrys special mayonnaise on top. Were in front of the Saint-Louis Bridge. -Ill be there in 40 minutes. As soon as I hung up, my grandfather sighed. I had no choice. Are you going? Cha Si-hyun, who doesnt understand French, asked. Yes. Why? Lets not go. I have to go. What did he say? He said he put fluffy and chewy potatoes, Appenzeller cheese, and Sherrys mayonnaise on it. Cha Si-hyun narrowed his eyes. Are you talking about pizza? He said he made the bacon himself. He stuck out his mouth. I dont want to go. I hate that old man. Is there a problem? nche Fabre intervened. He said hes not going. Why? He asked directly in English, since it was cumbersome to trante in the middle. Its not often that you get a chance to meet Marso. I hate that old man. Do you hate him too? nche Fabres eyes sparkled. Then you should go and scold him. Maybe it was because he found arade. He clenched his fist and made a face, looking excited. How? You have to criticize his narrow-mindedness that only draws self-portraits and point out his childishness that ignores others. Should I take him with me? Its not wrong, but if I say that to Marso, things wont end well. I dont like fighting. You cant run away. Nothing will be solved. I dont have to go and fight. Dont you say you dont have a chance to meet Henri Marso? Still, I dont want to say that much. It will hurt him. Hes not the kind of person who gets hurt by that. "How do you know, sis?"1) He didnt flinch even when tens of thousands of people cursed him. Hes the kind of person who says hes right even when eight billion people criticize him. He seems to know him well, even though he hates Marso. Hoon-ah, I dont think your grandfather can go. Are you okay? Im fine. Arsen will take me back too. Dont y toote. You have a schedule tomorrow. Yes. What about grandfathers dinner? Just eat around here. Call me if anything happens. If your grandfather cant go, Taeho will go. Okay. Even though thendlord is weird, its the safest ce in Paris. My grandfather also nodded his head, having changed his mind about Marso a lot. Dad. Im going to Marsos mansion now. You dont have toe since its like this. Im fine. Dont ask. nche Fabre called her father. I wonder what he would say if he knew what she was up to. I think shes as reckless as Marso. Yum. The Bertillon gto ice cream I ate while waiting for Arsen was delicious even in the cold. ** Sir, Ko Hun is here. Tell him toe in. Henri Marso frowned, feeling happy that the cheeky kid finally recognized him and prepared a dinner. Behind Ko Hun, who entered the hall, two kids were clinging to him. Where does he keep bringing them from? One of them was the one who talked back to him in Korea, and the other one was new to him. He told him to bring them, but he didnt like the kids multiplying. He wanted to have a calm conversation with Ko Hun. Look. Hes scary. Cha Si-hyun and nche Fabre hid behind Ko Hun at Henri Marsos intimidating attitude. nche Fabre, who was ready to fight, unexpectedly behaved quietly, and Ko Hun felt relieved. What about the pizza? Ko Hun asked as he sat down in the seat he was guided to. Henry Marso winked at me. What have you been up to? Just wandering around. How did the vote go? I saw it on my way here. Damien Carter won, right? And you had the leisure to wander around? Are you out of your mind? What else can I do? Should I carry a sign or something? You should do something, anything. Do you want to lose to a stuffed animal? If you know so well, why dont you help me out, Marso? As Ko Hun and Henry chatted casually, Chasiyun and nche whispered to each other. What are they talking about? They started arguing as soon as they saw each other. Are they really friends? Thats what they say, but I dont know. They cant be friends if they talk like that. Hes mad at him for not finding the pizza. Im scared of that old man. I dont like him. Yeah. But hes handsome. ? Soon, the potato pizza that the chef of Marsos mansion had made with great care was ced in front of the kids and Marso. Ko Huns eyes sparkled as he eyed the pizza. Nice. The pizza shone brightly under the chandelier. The golden potatoes on top of the melted cheese were unting their beauty, and on top of themy thick slices of bacon that were crisped on the outside. Under the crunchy surface, there was bound to be plenty of juice from the melted fat. But what made this pizza even more special was the homemade mayonnaise that Sherry Gado sprinkled along the outer ring of the crust. It had undergone enough Maird reaction to have a light brown color. I swallowed my saliva and took a deep breath. The aroma of potatoes, cheese, pork, mayonnaise, and bread baked with aged dough was rich and irresistible. I lifted a slice of pizza. Yum. The potato pizzas passionate love found my mouth with a scorching heat, and I had no choice but to close my eyes. We had already felt each other enough with our eyes and nose, and now we only had to love with our lips and tongue. Henry Marceau lifted the corner of his mouth as he watched Ko Hun in ecstasy. What will you do after the contest? Ko Hun snapped out of his blissful state. Ill stay a bit longer if I make it to the top ten, otherwise I have to go back. Be realistic. You have to aim for the second ce. Youre not telling me to go for the first ce. Henry Marceau, who was about to im the first ce as his own, became aware of Cha Si-hyun and nche Fabre. Ko Hun finally came to his senses. You met Si-hyunst time, right? I dont care about him. Thats nche Fabre. Fabre, this is Marceau. Say hello. nche Fabre lifted her head without changing her posture of cutting the pizza and red at Henry Marceau. Marceau had no interest in the tinum-haired brat either. They locked eyes for a moment, then he brought up the question he wanted to ask Ko Hun again. How long are you going to keeping and going? Why? Dont y dumb. Ko Hun took a big bite of his pizza and sorted out his thoughts. The European and North American markets were definitely bigger and easier to work in than South Korea. Especially for Ko Hun, who didnt need any adaptation period in terms ofnguage and culture, there was no reason to hesitate. My grandfather is looking into it for me. Yeah? Where to? Henry Marceau couldnt hide his excitement and raised his voice. Burbank? Henry Marceau widened his eyes as he watched Ko Hun casually eating his pizza. California? Yes. Why there! I have an old house there. Its also good for movie work. Youre going to live there for such ame reason? Why are you getting angry again? Its just one of the options Im considering. Where else then? New Malden. Henry Marceaus temples throbbed as Ko Hun mentioned London. He was frustrated that Ko Hun was talking about Burbank and London instead of Paris, the capital of art, where he lived. You have a house in Paris too! What did you do with the one on 12-14 Rue Thomas Mann in Gobelins? Ko Hun blinked. How do you know that, Marceau? What? How do you know about the house in Gobelins? He couldnt say that he had investigated Ko Huns past because he was suspicious. Henry Marceau racked his brain. There. Where? I tried to buy it, but it was under your name. You tried to buy it? Henry Marceau, who couldnt even lie properly, was reced by Arsen. Its a ce where the real estate value has been rising steadily since the new town development. Were also buying a few other ces besides that one. Ko Hun nodded. Im not selling it. I have tenants too. I dont need it! Henry Marceau snapped his fingers on the table. Why are you so angry? Im not selling the house. Youre so low. You think youre cool when you get angry like that. I dont understand why that old man is angry. If youre cool, you know how to be sweet. ? Meanwhile, nche Fabre and Cha Si-hyun were having a lively conversation. **** 1)Cha Si-hyun used you to refer to Ko Hun, but he meant older sister rather than you, so I wrote it as above. Chapter 197: Chapter 197: Henri Marso stared at the two whining kids. Cha Si-hyun flinched and nche Fabre red at him as if she was ready to pounce. But Henri Marso didnt pay attention to them and turned his head to Ko Hun. When the museum ispleted, a whole new world will open up. Ko Hun blinked his eyes as he stuffed his mouth with potato pizza. I can only do it here for now because of technical problems. Ko Hun swallowed his food quickly and asked. Then what? So stay in Paris. Ko Hun hesitated and took another bite. He didnt know what Henri Marso meant by a whole new world, so he couldnt take his suggestion seriously. Henri Marso waited patiently for Ko Hun to finish his meal. He was confident that it was something that no artist could refuse, and he expected that Ko Hun would have no choice but to agree once he showed him the result. He got up from his seat when Ko Hun ate the seventh slice of pizza and reached for thest one. Si-hyun, are you not eating that? Stop eating! Henri Marso shouted impatiently. He didnt expect him to eat more after finishing a whole pizza. He wanted to show Ko Hun the result as soon as possible, and he was very restless. Two more slices. Are you starving? You dont eat like that even if you are! Then one more slice. Your stomach will burst! What kid eats like you? Ko Hun turned his head. The pizza that came out for nche Fabres share was also gone. Henri Marso red. Take it. Cha Si-hyun, who had eaten two slices, said he couldnt eat any more. Henri Marso clenched his jaw and watched the two kids who continued to eat one slice each from their friends share. Are they human? He briefly wondered if they might not be. A littleter. Thank you for the meal. Ko Hun and nche Fabre wiped their mouths. Henri Marso concluded that the two kids who ate all the food he prepared were not human. Follow me. Henri Marso got up. Ko Hun, who was satisfied with his meal, followed him happily, and Cha Si-hyun and nche Fabre also wanted to join. Please wait here, you two. The staff stopped Cha Si-hyun and nche. Ko Hun asked curiously. Cant we go together? Henri Marso turned around. Come alone. Why are you like that? He said. He intended to show him the something that would make a whole new world. I want to see it too. nche Fabre stepped forward. She imed to be a half-Marso, so she had to know what Henri Marso was preparing. But Henri Marso didnt even refuse. To him, Cha Si-hyun and nche Fabre were just kids that Ko Hun brought. Why are you hiding it so tightly? Whats wrong with seeing it together? Its a big deal. It cant be leaked to the outside before its revealed. Then why are you showing me? Be quiet. Lets see it together. Well keep it a secret, right? Ko Hun turned his head and asked, and Cha Si-hyun and nche Fabre nodded vigorously. Henri Marso frowned and gestured to the staff. The staff approached the two kids and checked if they had any devices that could record or take pictures. What is it that youre doing this much? Youll see. Henri Marso headed to the studio. nche Fabre, who entered Henri Marsos atelier, opened her eyes wide and looked around. One side of the vast space without a pir was full of sketches, and there were works in progress everywhere. In the corner, there were piles of broken marble, which gave an idea of Henri Marsos usual workload. Henri Marso approached the inner door and pressed his palm against it. The lock that recognized his fingerprint and blood vessels opened the door, and Ko Hun, Cha Si-hyun, and nche Fabre tilted their heads. It was hard to call it a studio. The room they entered was full of various electronic devices, and it looked like a kind ofboratory. Henri Marso handed out VR (virtual reality) headsets and hand controllers to the three kids. Try it. Ko Hun and nche Fabre tilted their heads, and Cha Si-hyun stepped forward. This is how you use it. What is this? VR. VR? Its what you use when you y games. You watch movies too. Ko Hun and nche narrowed their eyes. They had no knowledge of VR devices that were widely used in games and movies, as they were not interested in anything other than art. With Cha Si-hyuns help, all three of them put on VR headsets, and Henri Marso activated the device. Soon, light came into their dark vision. Move it. When Ko Hun and nche didnt understand the situation, Cha Si-hyun moved the hand controller. Brush strokes appeared in the empty space. Ko Hun and nche Fabre gasped and opened their mouths. How did you do that? I pressed this button and swung it. I guess you can change the color too. How? Ko Hun listened to Cha Si-hyuns exnation and operated the hand controller. I pulled a trigger-like button and a window where I could choose colors opened in front of me. You can also change the shape of the brush. nche Fabre examined the thickness and shape of the brush. The two genius painters first chose the brush shape that caught their eye and swung their arms. At the same time, brush strokes remained in the air and stayed fixed. "This is Tilt Canvas, developed by Google in 2016."1 Henri Marso began to exin. Whether they listened or not, Ko Hun, Chashihyun, and nche Fabre enjoyed the situation where the picture was implemented as they moved their hands. Ko Hun chose yellow paint and drew sunflower petals in the air, then realized that he could express three-dimensionality by inserting the brush deeper and was delighted. I have to draw the back too. If they drew on the canvas as they used to, the sides, back, and top were not expressed at all. Since they could see the picture from all directions, the area they had to draw increased, and at the same time, they could draw things that they could not express before. Really. Chashihyun told Ko Hun that the way he tapped the brush to express the leaves did not work, and tried from various directions, left and right, up and down, front and back. nche Fabre checked the functions that could express the texture one by one. Henri Marso watched the children fidgeting with the headset on, then continued his speech. In the fields of clothing or industrial design, they use this as a basis to work in reality, but its something that happens only in virtual space. They could not sell files in the art market that was done in the ssical way. They could use it for exhibition purposes, but Tilt works that could be copied the same file were not attractive products for collectors. A technology that could be freed from the ne, but at the same time bound to the unreal. Henri Marso was not satisfied with it. This is a self-portrait I drew. Henri Marso showed the self-portrait he drew with Tilt to the three children. The children were startled by Henri Marso who suddenly appeared in front of them. It was not perfect, but it looked realistic as if Henri Marso had entered the virtual reality. Was this it? Ko Hun asked. They could understand the desire to hide such a technology. It was open-sourced in 2021. Now anyone can use it freely. Henri Marso added that he would have bought the technology if it had not been open-sourced. But why do you hide it? Because this is not the end. Henri Marso told them to take off the VR headset. This is to show you what Im going to do next. Step aside. The children, whose hearts were filled with new experiences, quickly made way. Henri Marso winked. Two employees moved something that was in the corner to the middle of the workshop. It was covered with white cloth and was over 2m tall. Peel it off. When the employees peeled off the cloth, Ko Hun, Chashihyun, and nche Fabres eyes almost popped out. It was because Henri Marsos self-portrait that they had seen through the virtual reality device appeared in front of them in reality. Ko Hun could note to his senses at the strange sight of another Henri Marso standing on the pedestal. What happened? Hmph. How did you do it? I grabbed Henri Marsos clothes and shook him. You printed out exactly what you drew on the Tilt Canvas. A 3D printer? Henri Marso frowned at Cha Si-hyuns words. Its not an ordinary 3D printer. It can express everything from color to texture. I and nche approached Henri Marsos self-portrait. It was hard to tell whether it was a self-portrait or a self-awareness. It had the title . It was not as realistic as , which he sculpted and colored himself, but I was mesmerized by , which disyed his painting techniques. I nodded as I recalled him saying, Apletely different world ising. Bring it here. Henri Marso ordered his staff to bring something else. What else do you have? I asked in surprise. This is all for now, but I have something else prepared for the opening of the museum. A staff member brought a ss box filled with a liquid of Hawaiian blue color. Henri Marso dipped his brush in the liquid and applied it to an acrylic panel. And after a moment. When he peeled off the acrylic panel, the paint was fixed as it was. Henri Marso picked it up with his hand and showed it to me. The Hawaiian blue paint melted with his body temperature. There are still some improvements to be made, but the day when the boundary between painting and sculpture will be broken is not far away. My heart raced at the amazing sight that Henri Marso showed me. I took the brush and dipped it in the new paint and applied it to the acrylic panel. I enjoyed expressing the texture and volume by adding more paint. Painting is no longer limited to the canvas. You can make sunflowers bloom with your hands. Or a field of sunflowers or wheat, if you want. Come to Paris. Henri revealed his true intention. He started the project Breakthrough hoping that someday drawing would be a creative act of making reality. Henri Marso wanted me to find the improvements and applications of the new material. He wanted to know what kind of work I would create in the world he opened. In the 20th century, painting, which had been liberated from color and form, was now facing a new transformation. He thought that artists like him and me, who could digest new things well, would be at the center of it. Okay. I answered. I had no reason to hesitate. **** In 2016, Google announced Tilt Brush, a virtual reality painting app that runs on HTCs Vive headset. Tilt Brush, which allows users to freely utilize the 3D space of the X, Y, and Z axes, expanded the realm of painting by enabling expressions that were impossible in reality. It also influenced the fashion design industry by being able to express textures. Google introduced Tilt Brush with the phrase, Your room is your canvas. Your palette is your imagination. Source: Seoul TV, "Googles virtual reality painting app Tilt Brush, 2016.05.13, Kim Hyung-woo reporter. Rted video: Tilt Brush: Painting from a new perspective Chapter 198: Chapter 198: It was amazing, really amazing! I told my grandfather and Bang Taeho about the Breakthrough project that Henri Marso was working on. Cha Si-hyun was so excited that he used his hands and feet to exin. He actually implemented the tilt canvas. How did hee up with that idea? Bang Taeho muttered. He seemed to know about the tilt canvas already, as he had been in the art world for a long time. But he shook his head as if he couldnt believe it. It must have been as unbelievable to him as it was to me, Cha Si-hyun, and nche Fabre. Its not finished yet. Thats why its only possible in Marsos studio for now. Hmm. He asked me to stay here and give feedback. He said he would reflect the features that I need to the developers. My grandfather looked thoughtful. He had been looking for a better environment for me to do art, and Paris was one of the candidates. He had waited for me to adapt to a more stable environment when I lost my memory, but now that I had regained it, there shouldnt be a big problem. I dont think its something to decide hastily. Bang Taeho spoke instead of my grandfather. He turned his head and shared his thoughts. Its a remarkable thing, but Im not sure if it will sell in the art market. Why? Cha Si-hyun asked. There are many ways to make money. Among them, the sales revenue is a big factor. But it melts with just body heat, right? Yes. There will be restrictions on the storage method as well. Will collectors be willing to buy the work if they have to deal with a difficult storage system? It would be a burden for anyone who wasnt arge-scale museum. Even if it wasnt a object drawn with Breakthrough, there were plenty of works. The only reason to collect it was that it was a new method and Henri Marsos work. Even if that was enough value, would other artists works be able to gain value? Other artists works using Breakthrough might not have much value. If there was a work using Breakthrough, it would be Henri Marsos, so the advantage of a new method would disappear. There would be no innovation or novelty, and it wouldnt be different from a canvas. There would be no reason to buy something that was hard to store. Henri Marsos Breakthrough was the most likely to have value. I dont have any scientific knowledge, so I dont know, but I wonder if its really possible. And its still in development, right? At first, I thought that Breakthrough would happen as Marso named it, but after hearing Bang Taehos words, I realized that there was a lot to consider. I think it would be better to solidify your image rather than focus on new technology, considering the effects of the Whitney Biennale and the Art Nouveau Competition. Henri Marso might be able to pull it off, but Bang Taeho seemed to think that it was risky to go along with him. If my style had been more solid, the situation of the Art Nouveau Competition could have been different. When TV first came out, everyone called it an idiot box. My grandfather said. When they sat in front of the TV all day, the adults who were not familiar with TV were worried that the kids would be stupid. I still dont know what hes trying to say. But after 10 years, 20 years, everyone wanted to be on TV. There were people who wanted to make TV programs, and many people achieved their dreams that way. Yes. It was the same whenputers came out. Now there are fewer people like that, but when they first came out, they even resisted making simple documents onputers. Its convenient. Right. A convenient technology came out, but they couldnt ept it. They said it was easier to read reports written by hand than to use something difficult like Excel. But look at it now. You cant do anything at college without Excel. Bang Taeho, Cha Si-hyun, and I all focused on my grandfathers story. Games are the same. They said that ying games would make people violent, that brain cells would die, but it turned out that it actually helped brain development. I think I have a little idea of what my grandfather wants to say. Professional gamers are now fully established as a profession, right? Grandfather doesnt know, but there are experts who analyze and manage game teams. If they can find their dreams and live their lives with that, I dont know if I can say thats bad. Yes. New technologies and cultures always face opposition. They look like horrible things to the eyes of people who are used to a world without them. TV was like that to Hoons great-grandfather, and smartphones were like that to grandfather. My grandfather took out his smartphone. But in the end, great-grandfather watched TV until he died, and grandfather is using this smartphone. Once you know, theres nothing more convenient, but you dont know, so you reject it. Thats how generational conflicts arise. Grandfather thinks that if Hoon wants to use it to draw, he can do whatever he wants. You never know. What seems impossible now might be a normal thing in 10 years. Yes. Then maybe youll have a very small good thing happen to you, because you adapted faster than anyone else. My grandfather might have such an open mind because of what happened with my father. A small wish. He had a fight with his son because he wanted him to walk the same path as him. After that day, the two of them never met again. Does my grandfather know? My father didnt do Korean painting as my grandfather wanted, but he followed my grandfathers work style. Whether he knows it or not, my grandfather must be ming himself for fighting with his son. What do you think, Hoon? My grandfather asked me. Its fun. Hmm. Actually, I didnt think of it as a big deal. To me, Picassos paintings and Breakthrough are the same. They both stimte parts that I never imagined or thought of. Like Lautrec, Klimt, or Picasso, Breakthrough is also a new thing that inspires me. My grandfather smiled. Lets take our time to find a ce to live. Or you can take the house where you lived with your mom and dad and live there. Yes. *** How was it? Why. Wasnt it fun? Meanwhile. nche Fabre was shocked and troubled by the new technology that Henri Marso showed her. She had a lot of things to say to him, as she had been looking forward to meeting him, but when she saw him in front of her, her mind went nk and she couldnt say anything she had prepared. Moreover, after experiencing the Breakthrough project, she couldnt think of anything else. nche, who had been ostracized for a long time, was envious of him, who was loved by everyone for his independent and solitary personality. She wanted to be like him, or at least be recognized by him. She was proud of herself for not wasting a single moment and working harder than anyone else. She thought she was getting closer to him as the critics noticed her, the media covered her, and she won awards in variouspetitions. But recently, some events made her anxious that catching up with Henri Marso might be impossible. The Antermittang system reform and Breakthrough were proof that he was not an ordinary artist. He was representing the era and creating a new world as he had dered. When he first filled the Paris station history with his self-portraits, the critics and the public treated him like a madman. But now he was revered as a hero of the French art world and was about to rewrite the history of painting in the near future. Today, he only talked to Ko Hun. He had met her eyes a few times, but she felt no emotion in his gaze. She realized that she couldnt get into his sight even by performing well in the Art Nouveau Competition, where many masters gathered. nche clenched her fists. She was furious. She was so frustrated by the reality that she couldnt speak properly in front of him, and that she wasnt even his interest. Dad. Yes? Ill work hard. nche bit her lip and held back her tears. Her father, Leon Fabre, sighed softly as he looked at his tender-hearted daughter. Ill work really hard. He felt sorry for his daughter, who was putting up thorns because she didnt want to get hurt, and he wanted to cheer her up more. Youre doing well now. Leon Fabre wanted to hug his daughter tightly, but he knew that she was too proud to ept hisfort, so he smiled. How was Ko Hun? He changed the subject and nche wiped her tears and spoke. She tried to loosen her tight voice. He was cute. Cute? He talked about butterflies and he knew how caterpirs be butterflies. He must have been interested in them before. Yes. We agreed to exchange bookster. He wrote a book too? nche nodded. Leon Fabre was d that his daughter had made a friend with the same hobby, even though she had a hard time. When are you going to see him? He wanted to do a small favor for Ko Hun and Kim Ji-woo, the reporter who had taken nche home when she was lost today. nche blinked. We didnt make a promise. No? Ill ask himter. I dont know his contact. You didnt ask for his phone number? Thats personal information. Leon Fabre silently stroked his daughters hair. *** You met Marso? -Yes. When? After I left? -He contacted me right away. What, what did you do? -We ate pizza. It must have been delicious. -Yes. And I saw what Marso was preparing. You should have seen it too. Huh? What was he preparing? -Its a secret. Im watching a drama, so Ill hang up. Ill tell youter. Hey, wait a minute. Cant you give me a hint? -No. He said its a secret. Just a little bit. Hello? Hoon, Hoon! She shouted desperately, but only the sound of the call being cut off was cruelly ringing. Aaaaaah! Kim Ji-woo buried her face in the bed and iled. She had hurriedly written an article after finding out that Ko Hun was the protagonist of . She had a clue from the fact that Pierre Malo had made a frame for Ko Hun and that the only works that had received Pierre Malos frames so far were and . But it was not clear that Pierre Malo had made frames for only two people, so she had been watching the situation. The two hottest people in the art world right now. Henri Marso and Ko Hun. The two artists werepeting for the top spot without revealing their names, and so far they had been the only ones recognized by Pierre Malo. She couldnt resist knowing this story. But why did they go to Marsos mansion right then! The problem was that Ko Hun and nche had been invited to Henri Marsos mansion after she had moved quickly. She regretted missing the meeting of the young artist who symbolized the future and the master who represented the era. Desperate Kim Ji-woo lifted her head. She was very curious about what Henri Marso was preparing, but she had to finish the manuscript she was writing. There were only two days left for the Art Nouveau Competition. She had to hurry to meet the closing ceremony. Chapter 199: Chapter 199: The Arnuvo Contest, which had entered its sixth day, was going in a different direction than its original purpose. The intention of the French National Art Association to highlight the works themselves was fading. Instead, the top ranks were upied by the figures who had already made their fame, such as Anish Puar, Peter Hammel, Lucas Muller, Shara Hughes, Francis Bacon, and Damien Carter. Due to the pressure of having to appreciate more than 1,700 works in a short time, people tended to look for the works of famous authors. That resulted in such an oue. That was why Michel tini, who had made the Arnuvo Contest a great sess, was miserable. Sigh. Michel sighed as he checked the status of the contest. He couldnt help the phenomenon of the votes being skewed towards the famous authors, but there were works that didnt get anyones choice. It was a hard reality to ept as the nner of the Arnuvo Contest. He would have been less troubled if the works had no artistic value, but he could feel the desperation and deep reflection in the works, as it was a contest that their lives depended on. What did I miss? He wondered if he should have prepared an event to spotlight the works that were marginalized in the middle of the contest, but he shook his head. It could be unfair for a contest that had to maintain impartiality. Knock- There was a knock on the door. Director, are you okay for a moment? Yeah. Come in. Michel took a breath and answered. A bright-faced employee entered and put an invitation in front of her. This is the invitation from Mr. Jay Jopling that I told you aboutst time. Is it today? Yes. Its today. The employee smiled. Jay Jopling, a millionaire, was a big shot in the art world who had foreseen the sess of the Arnuvo Contest early on. He had hosted a party to support SNBA. He had requested that Michel tini, the main protagonist who had made the Arnuvo Contest a huge sess, attend the party. Youve been working all the time. You have an appointment in the evening, so why dont you leave work a little early today? I guess so. Are you sick anywhere? The employee asked with concern at Michel tinis lukewarm attitude. It wouldnt be strange if something went wrong after he had been pushing himself so hard. No. Yeah. I got it. Michel smiled faintly and the employee reluctantly left. The director of the Marso Gallery sighed deeply after the door closed. He had a mountain of work to do anyway. He was also preparing thoroughly for the process of unveiling Henri Marsos series on the day of the award ceremony. He didnt want to waste his energy on meaningless conversations with rich people in a situation where he needed two bodies. But he couldnt afford to bezy about securing funds to continue the contest. I hate doing this. Michel tini blurted out his true feelings and the door opened. Dont do it. Michel tini chuckled with relief that it wasnt an employee. What do you think I shouldnt do? Anything. Michel shook his head. Did you talk to Hun? Yeah. Itll take a while to find a house. Hell figure it out. Get dressed. Michel tilted his head. Im bored. What are you talking about? Im busy today. I have an appointment. Is it more important than driving with me? Yeah. Henri Marso chuckled. Michels words were quite amusing. Im not kidding. I was invited by Jay Jopling. Why that old man? SNBA support party. Didnt you get a call? Henri Marso racked his brain. Come to think of it, Arsene had told him that the smug muse had invited him to the party. Dont go. I have to go. Dont go. Michel tini pointed at Henri with a pen. Do you think he gives a penny or two to SNBA? Whether you go there or not, that perverted old mans wallet wont be affected. Henri Marso picked up Michels coat from the hanger. Jay Jopling had supported and joined the Arnuvo Contest because he was confident that it would seed. He invested in SNBA and Michel tinis abilities, not because they catered to his whims. He was not a person who would open his wallet even if he kissed his feet for something that had no potential. Dont do what you dont want to do. Henri Marso threw the coat at Michel. Youre delusional if you think everyone can live like you. How can you do only what you want to do? You can do that. Henri Marso opened the door. Come down in five minutes. Michel smiled faintly at his usual reckless behavior. He could see his intention to make him rest somehow after seeing him work hard recently. He was cute and grateful that he didnt know how tofort him in a normal way. Michel picked up a pen and wrote that he had to leave his seat to finish the Arnuvo Contest well. He added that he would do his best to activate the contest until the end and pressed the inte. -Yes, director. Yeah. Can youe in for a moment? -Yes. The secretarys office employee entered the directors office right away. Can you check the flowers to send to the Jopling support party? Send them with this postcard. Yes. Im leaving now. Anything else? Theres nothing unusual. Oh, I also delivered the instructions you gave me this morning to Rabani. He really liked it. It was about giving Bida Rabani, who wanted to see the Art Nouveaupetition, a day off tomorrow. Thats good. See you tomorrow. Michel put on his coat and went outside. ** Afternoon of the sixth day. A small change came to the Art Nouveaupetition. Some critics and celebrities highlighted unknown authors or works whose authors were not revealed, amid the tendency of votes being concentrated on famous authors works. It was thanks to Bang Tae-ho, who appealed to the people he knew about the purpose of the Art Nouveaupetition. Those who had been cautiously approaching what kind of work Ko Hun had submitted until then became impatient as thepetition reached its end. They cautiously suggested evidence that was not Ko Huns work, and began to touch on works whose authors were not yet revealed. It was a movement to reflect on the purpose of thepetition, which started with anonymous participation. And just then. An editorial by a foreign journalist caused a great repercussion in the European art world. [What We Missed] The Art Nouveaupetition, which opened on the 30th ofst month, has two days left. The Art Nouveaupetition, which was held to open a new stream of art, attracts over 500,000 people a day and receives great attention. Damien Carters , Anish Puars , and other masterpieces have steadily gained votes since the beginning of thepetition and are currently firmly in second and fourth ce, respectively. Not only that, but Peter Hammel, Lucas Mller, Shara Hughes, and Francis Bacon are also in the top 10 and continue their reputation. As various media are full of stories rted to the Art Nouveaupetition, it is not too early to judge that the French National Art Association has seeded in the challenge. However, before we raise our sses, we want to ask ourselves if there is anything we are missing. ording to the official application of the Art Nouveaupetition, the number of works found among 1,789 works is 1,789. The efforts of the Art Nouveaupetition curators, who wanted to show many works, paid off. However, as of 10 p.m. on the fourth day, the top 30 works ounted for 97% of the total votes of 3,255,127, which is 3,157,473 votes. Except for , which some assume to be Ko Huns work, , whose author is not revealed, and by neer nche Fabre, they are all works by established authors. Especially, the works known as famous authors works quickly gained a lot of votes, and some authors openly revealed what works they had done on SNS and other ces. Some media are already talking as if the winners of the worldsrgestpetition have been confirmed. Is this really the right way? The intention of the organizers to hide the authors name and look at the workpletely disappeared. But there is still hope. The number of visitors estimated by the French National Art Association is currently 11.72 million (including virtual exhibition visitors). Since one person can vote for up to 10 works, there are up to 113,944,873 votes left in terms of numbers.1) Depending on what works the art lovers choose, the Art Nouveaupetition will be the starting point of a truly new art world. -Lee In-ho (The Korea Daily) Lee In-hos editorial was a challenge to the European art world. The attitude of exining the reason why votes were concentrated on famous authors by their reputation seemed to deny the artistic quality of the masters. The European media immediately criticized Lee In-hos editorial. They attacked him for being ignorant of art, ignoring the votes of the citizens, and insulting the masters who participated in the Art Nouveaupetition. Why did you write such an article! Kim Ji-woo scolded Lee In-ho. Haha. I expected it, but I didnt know it would be this bad. Of course they hate it! They wouldnt have written it if they didnt know! Dont you think its a problem, Ji-woo? Of course! I think its wrong too. But you cant express it like that. The art world may look wide, but its very narrow. If you push in like this, nothing will be left. I guess so. The editor-in-chief told me to pack up ande back. Kim Ji-woo opened his eyes and mouth wide. Ha ha. Are youughing now? I guess so. Lee In-ho smiled bitterly. But he didnt regret it at all. I dont know anything about this side, as they say. But the people who participated in the Art Nouveaupetition know. Yes? Im not good at judging the popr works. There are so many people who know better than me. I wanted to deal with the works that didnt get any attention. I wondered why they didnt get any votes, so I observed them for a few days. There was someone standing in front of them all day. Kim Ji-woo narrowed his eyebrows. I asked him on the third day. He seemed to like it, but he didnt vote. He said it was his. Lee In-ho shook his head. I asked him how he felt. Phew. It was a stupid question. What did he say? He said there must be at least one person out of the 2~3 million people who actually visited who would like his work. He said he wanted to see their expressions. He said he didnt seem to have any yet andughed. Lee In-ho ran the Art Nouveaupetition application. He showed a picture that had received only one vote. It was a portrait that used vivid colors andbined text and images, influenced by Jean-Michel Basquiat. The author was Jeffrey Wright. Kim Ji-woo had never heard of him either. I think its cool, though. *** 1)To avoid confusion, I would like to exin. Since not all visitors participate in the voting, and not all voters vote for up to 10 works, the up to 113,944,873 votes left mentioned by Lee In-ho is the maximum. Also, the 11.72 million figure is exaggerated as it is simply the number of downloads of the application. Chapter 200: Chapter 200: Meanwhile, the art enthusiasts had different reactions to the issue raised by reporter Lee In-ho. Isnt he right? Whats the difference between introducing your own work in an anonymous contest and asking for votes? Its a poprity contest. The purpose of the contest was to introduce new art to the public. But if influential people step in, it loses its meaning. Thats also the choice of the public. The Art Nouveau contest is amazing. I see people who had no interest in art before participating. I agree. I dont know when they started going to exhibitions. The masters are not masters for nothing. They have produced works of artistic value and earned recognition. I dont see whats wrong with them getting more votes. LOL What does Alex think? Yeah. Say something. YouTuber Alex, who saw the chat during the broadcast, decided that he couldnt ignore this matter and move on. Hey, stop fighting. If you fight here and donte to my broadcast, how am I supposed to make a living? Just stop. Alex was afraid that his viewers would fight and stoping to his broadcast. His honest attitude made the viewers pause their argument for a moment. First of all, if you have some insurance, you can say what you think. Thats the same for Korean reporters, you who watch my broadcast, and me too. Positive messages appeared in the chat. Yeah. And you have to take responsibility for what you say. So Im very careful. There might be people who think differently from me. But I cant do without viewers. To be honest, Im really nervous right now. Alex chuckled. Right. You have to be careful with what you say. Just dont do it. Alex lost his originality. Three years ago, he was like a shredder doll, biting everything. I miss those days. Those bastards are the worst. Theyve been watching my broadcast for the longest time and they say that? Originality my ass. Are you the same when you enter apany as a newbie and when you be a manager? Are you the same when you enter college and when youre in the graduation ss? If youre the same, are you human? I had to do whatever I could to get my name out there, but its different now. You want me to go back to then? It makes me angry. Get out, you bastard! LOL Well, thats true. Just do what you used to do. It could cause trouble. Hes scared. LOL This is Alex. Alex, who broke the mood for a moment, brought up the main point with a serious attitude. Im honestly a bit bothered. Of course, you can get known for your existing style. Thats your artistic identity. Where would that go? The problem is asking for votes on SNS. Are you sane? What about the unpopr people? Theyre not in the same condition as the people who can mobilize 100,000 or 200,000 people. Alex couldnt bring himself to name the artist who did that. Its a contest that excludes both the judges and the anonymity. And you can turn your life around if you win. But do you have to do that even if youre already making good money? I think the Korean reporter is right. The chat started to burn again. He expected this to happen, so Alex continued to speak. I know. What you want to say. Famous artists have their reasons. What I want to say is, cant you just stay still? He showed the voting status of the Art Nouveau contest on the broadcast screen. 2028 Art Nouveau Contest Voting Status 1st Votes: 1,478,601(19.0%) 2nd Votes: 1,470,818(18.9%) 3rd Votes: 1,369,651(17.6%) The total number of votes increased to 7,782,111. Honestly, everyone will agree with this. The best works of this contest are Beauty and Summer Valley. They just hit you in the heart with different emotions, right? But what is this? Alex started to get excited. Critics, media, visitors, inte reactions, all talking about Beauty and Summer Valley, but why are the votes like this? At this rate, theyll lose. There were messages in the chat that ignored Damian Carter. Thats not it! Am I underestimating Damian Carter right now? I like him too. But not this time. Do you want me to show you the search traffic? Alex essed Google Trends and searched for , , and . Look. Beauty and Summer Valley have been searched hundreds of thousands of times a day since the contest started. But Breakup? It goes back and forth between 10,000. The viewers were amazed by the rted information. There was a big difference in the search volume of the three works, but they got simr votes in the contest. Its because of duplicate voting. Beauty and Summer Valley are getting a lot of votes even though the authors are not known yet. The works with known authors are just picking from the remaining votes. They actually like Beauty and Summer Valley more, but the result is that Summer Valley is losing, and now Beauty is about to be overtaken? Alex sighed. Its not that Damian Carter did that. He never said what his work was. This is a mistake that SNBA overlooked in the judging system and they have to fix it for the next contest. Im just saying that this situation is wrong. The man who felt pressured by the countless chats wiped his face. I think its amazing that Ko Hun doesnt reveal what he submitted in this situation. Alex showed Ko Huns picture on the screen. Even though he doesnt have a solid fan base yet, he has built up quite a reputation. Enough to influence the votes. But he hasnt made a move yet. Some of the viewers suggested that it was because was still in first ce. That could be true. If Beauty is really drawn by Ko Hun, then it could be. Why are you saying now that it might not be Ko Huns work? I dont know. I just stirred up some controversy. Why. Alex said with a serious face. I honestly dont know. The only one that resembled his style was Beauty. And there was what Henri Marso said. Summer Valley? I dont know. I cant imagine Ko Hun drawing that kind of picture. The viewers asked again. Why? Come on. Summer Valley is really perfect in terms ofposition. It used the optical illusion effect perfectly to express the theme. How can you learn that in a short period of time? All of a sudden? If Summer Valley is really Ko Huns work, I think its as amazing as drawing Beauty. Maybe more. He challenged apletely different style from what he pursued and achieved that much. No one can imagine what Ko Hun will draw in the future. The scary thing is that hes only 10 years old. Hes already amazing, but who knows what hell do with that potential. Yeah. Hell be 11 soon. Damian Carter interview is up [Link] [Damian Carter, I wish more opportunities went to more artists.] He says he doesnt mean to criticize the artists who are getting a lot of votes. He also hopes that more diverse works will be highlighted. Wow. Thats Damian for you. Look at his generosity. The atmosphere will change a bit since Damian said that. As Damian Carter, the winner of the Turner Prize, the mostmercially sessful artist in existence, and a reputed person of integrity, stepped in, the heated atmosphere calmed down. Alex pped his hands. Thats amazing. Its more effective when someone with power says something like that. Damian Carter is really cool. I respect him. Really. ** Henri Marso narrowed his eyes. Three hours after Damian Carters interview was reported, his work surpassed and became the first ce. Henri Marsos pride was crushed, who had been keeping the top spot since the first day. Henri Marso looked for Damian Carters interview and pressed his temples. What a cunning bastard. Last night and today, the Art Nouveau contest had a chance to turn things around. With the courageous statement of a foreign reporter, the artists who had been dissatisfied until then started to speak up, and the visitors also responded to that. Henri Marso, who opened the Art Nouveau contest, couldnt have asked for a better thing. He believed that the way to approach the works without relying on fame would begin. But Damian Carter knew how to use the media well. He didnt oppose rashly, but supported the direction that the public and the artists wanted, and strengthened himself. The support for Damian Carter, whose work was already known, had to rise, and that was reflected in the votes. When did he do this interview? Michelle, who was next to him, looked at the article with curiosity. What do you mean? I heard he was attending Jay Joplings party yesterday. Did he have time to do such a long interview? He must have done it at the party. I heard the reporters were banned from entering. Henri Marso frowned at Michelles words. If he couldnt do the interviewst night, it meant he did it this morning at least, but it felt too organized. The reporters wouldnt havee looking for him in the morning, so Henri Marso confirmed his suspicion that Damian Carter was using the media. But he also admitted that it was a means to increase his value. Its amazing to see how popr he is. Michelle said, thinking of Damian Carters work. Among the curators, buying works personally was implicitly avoided for the transparency and fairness of art trade. So he couldnt buy Damian Carters work, but he didnt want to either. Tastes vary depending on the artist and the work, but he couldnt understand the bad habit of cutting up animals and stuffing them for disy. He was just amazed that such works were popr. Henri Marso, who was lost in thought, opened his mouth. Whats their rtionship? What? Damian Carter and Jay Jopling. Well. Oh, was it 2010? When Damian Carters work was sold for 50 million pounds. Jay Jopling must have bought it then. Henri Marso also remembered. Until then, Damian Carter was almost unknown and had a hard time selling his work. Then his work suddenly sold for 50 million pounds and became a big topic. Michelle smiled, looking at Henri who was lost in thought. He could see how much his pride was boiling. Its a temporary thing. More people will vote from today, so hell soon reverse it. I know. Henri Marso clenched and unclenched his fist. Chapter 201: Chapter 201: The Painter (9) I found a small restaurant. It was full of tourists, probably because of thepetition period. As I waited for my turn, I checked the voting status and saw that Damien Carters had overtaken . The voting would end tomorrow night at 10. It seemed unlikely that I could reverse the situation. I supported the spirit of the Art Nouveaupetition, which pursued the beauty of the work itself, but who the artist was also mattered. I hoped for the next time. Thats ridiculous. Your painting is much. Much better. Chasi-hyunforted me. Its a choice, after all. And you still got 1.3 million supporters. Thats what my grandfather said when I decided to participate in the Art Nouveaupetition. It was more important to meet many people and have deep conversations than to rank. I humbly epted the result and thought about how and what kind of conversation I would have next. My grandfather patted my head as if he was proud of me. No, its really amazing. Bang Tae-ho stepped in. You didnt reveal whose work it was, but the votes are simr. In fact, you beat Marso and Hoon. Really? Chasi-hyun responded as if he had been waiting for Bang Tae-hos constion. Then. When the results are announced, everyone will be embarrassed. And Hoon will probably get more attention. Maybe he was trying to wrap it up as if I had kept the spirit of thepetition until the end. I didnt care about that. I was only sorry that I lost to , but it didnt really hit me. I could see a lot of reviews on on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and so on. And I could see the people who saw in person. It will be like that. It will be like that. Chasi-hyun repeatedly cheered me up with his round eyes. Im fine. Are you? You look upset. What are you talking about? Iughed because he seemed to keep looking at me if I didnt tell him. Yeah. Im a bit upset that I got fewer votes than Beauty. The scary old man painting? Bang Tae-ho frowned as I nodded. No, Hoon. You did really well. Its amazing topete with Henri Marso. Its the same condition, but I fell behind a little. Its upsetting. I didnt know what would happen if Marso thought he hadpletely surpassed me with this. I hated that. I hated that my rtionship with the charming artist Henri Marso was defined as a mere rivalry. And because of that, I didnt want to lose. Next time, Ill show him a more awesome work. Youre the only one who thinks of Marso like that. Bang Tae-ho repeated what he often heard from other people. He seemed to be amazed by him as a remarkable person in many ways, even though he treated him normally. Come in. It was our turn and we entered. We had a quick lunch and as soon as we stepped out onto the street, someone called my grandfather. Ko Su-yeol. Oh, Carter. My grandfather dly hugged the man who had a well-groomed brown beard. He had a mncholic look. I saw your picture. Youre Damien Carter. Chasi-hyun whispered in my ear. I also recognized him from the media, but I didnt know who the man who looked like hispanion was. You look healthier. Do I? Youre not inferior to young people. Haha. I have nothing else to do with my spare time. Hoon, say hello. Do you know who he is? Yes. Hello. I was in a good mood this morning, but I didnt expect to meet the young Van Gogh. Nice to meet you. I shook hands with Damien Carter. This is Bang Tae-ho, the representative of Sunflower. My name is Bang Tae-ho. Nice to meet you. Look at me. Matt, say hello. Im Matt Brown from Luxury Gallery. A thin man who looked like a gallery employee greeted my grandfather and Bang Tae-ho. He had a stiff expression, as if he was unwell. Cha Si-hyun whispered to me. He doesnt seem to know him. What? You hate that nickname, dont you? He must have been bothered by the young Van Goghment. If I had made no progress at all, I might have been ashamed and angry, but there was no need to be offended. It was true, in a way. After , I painted pictures that werepletely different from those I had painted as Vincent. Yeah. Where are you going? I was looking around before the appointment. I wanted to see where Ko Huns work was. Damien Carterughed heartily and looked at me. Im sorry things turned out this way. I hope you get a good result, even if I dont know what kind of work it is. Thank you. Damien Carter exchanged greetings with my grandfather and headed back to where he came from. I dont like that guy. Cha Si-hyun was picky today. Why? He talks like hes already won. He says things I dont want to hear. And his work is weird. He pursed his lips, as if to show that he was angry. He didnt mean any harm. Hes a rare good person. My grandfather also defended Damien Carter. How did you get to know him? I met him a few times when I was working in Ennd. We were pretty close for a while. That must have been a long time ago, when you were in Ennd. Hmm. Back then, Carter was a nobody and had a hard time. He was sensitive, but now he looks good. Hes got some leisure. I heard his unknown period was quite long. Hmm. Hes very unique, you see. But Im d he found someone who appreciated him. He hit the jackpot, right? Was it 50 million pounds? The first bid price. Not the first time. He sold a few here and there, and then it happened. Once the tide turned, he kept doing well. He overcame a long period of obscurity and became the mostmercially sessful artist. That was a human victory. I dont understand Damien Carters artistic world now, but I hope someday Ill ept it deeply, like Ferdinand Gonzalez. Thats strange. What is? How did someone who wasnt famous get 50 million pounds? Maybe his work was good. Cha Si-hyun searched for Damien Carter. There was a rted article right away, as it was a famous event at the time. , sold for 50 million pounds at Sothebys in Ennd. What is this? Cha Si-hyun and I were both surprised. It was a work that had two real human skulls, one with 10,000 sapphires attached and the other with dead flies. Thats gross. He had a unique sensibility. He seemed to want to give a grotesque impression, but the fact that it was a real human head and that he attached fly corpses made me feel repulsed. What did he want to say with the extreme symbols of jewels and corpses? The sure thing was that the work price of 50 million pounds reflected the value of the sapphires. He wasnt poor even though he was unknown, as he managed to process 10,000 sapphires. That friend was so poor that he couldnt even eat potatoes properly. He was so miserable. But now that hes gained weight like that, Im d. Its a great sess story. I read his autobiography a while ago and he was humble and didnt boast about his sess. Hmm. Thats good. ? How did someone who couldnt even eat potatoes properly get 10,000 sapphires? Isnt that strange? Cha Si-hyun seemed to think the same. I called my grandfather. Grandpa. Huh? You said you were poor, but how did you make this? I asked him as I showed him . He nodded his head. I met a patron. Someone who helps me continue my artistic activities. In the past, there were many artists who depended on the royal family or the nobility, but I didnt know that such a rtionship still existed. I guess its not easy to bepletely independent. Do they give you money? Chasi-hyun asked. In simple terms, yes. They either help me unterally as fans, or they support me financially in exchange for my works. Do they give you every month? It depends. There are as many ways as there are patrons and artists. Unlike in the past, it was not apletely exclusive rtionship, which was somewhatforting. Museums and galleries are the same. Most of them cover the hard-to-afford costs with advertising or sponsors. You dont have to see it in a bad way. Thanks to them, the art market is also maintained. He meant that without people who invested in art works, even this would not have been possible. Grandfather always thought without being biased to one side. But its amazing. I dont think anyone would give so much money to an unknown artist, no matter how rich they are. I agreed with Chasi-hyuns words. I didnt know who the patron was, but he must have had confidence in Demian Carter to invest that much money. At least he felt Demian Carters sincerity. Demian Carter liked the word the most expensive man among the many adjectives attached to him. Starting with , which was auctioned for 50 million pounds, Demian Carter sold for 150 million dors in 2020. His life, which was so poor that he couldnt even afford a meal, changedpletely. The more he did, the more he humbled himself and built his image. He avoided arrogance and stayed away from things that could ruin him, such as alcohol, gambling, and drugs. He even shunned meeting women. He only did his best toe up with what kind of work to make. And he was adept at increasing the value of the works he created. , which he submitted to the Art Nouveaupetition, was the same. Youre resigning? Jay Jopling, Demian Carters patron, widened his eyes. He was not pleased to hear that he would kick away the situation where he got the most votes in the Art Nouveaupetition, which attracted more than 10 million peoples attention. I thought you did this for a mere 1 million euros, but youre my Demian after all. Jay Jopling opened his arms to hug him. Demian Carter chuckled and patted Jay Joplings back. I think its better to announce it today. Wouldnt it be better to wait until the end? Or how about doing it on the award stage? Its poison if you go too far. Ive done enough publicity, so I need to know when to fold. Perfect. Jay Jopling pped his hands with respect. Since he was in first ce in thepetition vote, the artistic quality and poprity of were sufficiently proven. If he gave up his eligibility to participate in thepetition and withdrew from here, he would leave a good image to those who imed fairness. And above all, he didnt have to hand over to SNBA. It was more profitable to sell it directly to a collector than to receive 1 million euros and hand over to the French National Art Association. It was a work that won the first ce in the Art Nouveaupetition, where the writers who wanted to participate, so there would be plenty of people who wanted to buy it. Marso and SNBA gave me a really good opportunity. Its a shame that I can only use it once. Theres always a chance. Its a fight to see who finds it first. Demian Carter tapped his head, meaning that he had to use his head. Jay Jopling shook his head. I sometimes feel your artistic sense from this side of you. How about it. Making a movie when you retire. Crazy talk. How can I throw away the image Ive built up. Just gather the people who want to buy it. If he handed it over to the auction, he had to pay amission to the auction house. Demian Carter and Jay Jopling were trying to reduce this by using patron parties and the like to gather buyers directly. Dont worry about that. Jay Jopling bit his tongue as he finished speaking. He remembered the incident that he contacted Michel tini, the representative of Marso Gallery, to make a connection with Henri Marso yesterday, but it was not epted. Henri Marso should buy one at least. That way, more words wille out. Dont force him. He has his own taste. Just sell it to people who want to buy expensive works. Demian Carter looked in the mirror and tidied up his clothes. Oh, and. Lets invite Go Soo-yeol and his grandson to the party after the closing ceremony. They are very helpful people in many ways. Sure. The two got up and tapped each others shoulders andughed. Chapter 202: Chapter 202: 202 The Painter (10) It was the evening of the sixth day of the Art Nouveaupetition. The master Damien Carter held a press conference. The media and the public were curious about what he would say, as he was one day away from winning. Under the watchful eyes of many, Damien Carter could not easily open his mouth. Whats going on? Whats the matter? The atmosphere is heavy. The reporters sensed something was wrong and asked questions. But Damien Carter had no answer, and the moderator stepped in to calm the situation. When the hall became quiet, Damien Carter finally spoke with a heavy voice. I felt a sense of responsibility after seeing the criticism of a reporter yesterday and the reaction of the fans. The master continued with a somewhat subdued voice. The Art Nouveaupetition has benefited many artists. Thanks to the efforts of the organizers, various works were loved. However, contrary to my intention, I approached thepetition in a different way. I decided that this was not the way that SNBA, I, and the people who love the Art Nouveaupetition wanted. He had been wearing a somber expression all along, but he lifted his head and looked at the reporters with a determined gaze. I will give up my eligibility to participate in thepetition after this time. The reporters jumped up with the sound of camera shutters. Are you saying youre giving up thepetition? Yes. Please tell us exactly why youre quitting! Since thepetition was based on anonymity, I wanted to test myself if my work could be loved. I didnt expect that this would deprive other artists of their opportunities. I thought I had to correct my mistake before it was toote. What do you have to say to the fans who have been cheering for you? I got the most votes thanks to the fans who recognized me. I will never forget that. However, as a person who loves art, I hope that thispetition will go in a more desirable direction. Im sorry for not meeting your expectations. Crack- Henri Marso, who was watching TV, threw the ss he was holding. The ss half-stuck to the monitor and the shattered ss pieces scattered on the floor. Arsene was startled and looked at his nervous employer. He was a person who had a lot of anger, but it was rare to see him so excited. How dare he. How dare he. Henri Marso could not forgive Damien Carter. The Art Nouveaupetition was a signal re for the revival of the art world. It was apetition that Michel tini had worked hard for several months under bad conditions and produced the best results. It was a sacred stage where he, who represented the present, and Ko Hun, who symbolized the future,peted. It was also a ce to announce how he would change the art world in the future. Damien Carter dismissed the Art Nouveaupetition as a mere billboard. He used to attract attention and raise his value. He could not forgive him. Henri Marso headed straight to the garage. Sir, where are you going? He ignored Arsenes question and drove to the ce where Damien Carter held the press conference. Meanwhile. Ko Hun was also watching the situation. Kosuyol and Bang Taeho, who were shocked by Damien Carters choice, could not speak. Chashiyeon asked. Why is he quitting? They say its to correct the situation that goes against the purpose of thepetition. No. Ko Hun cut off Bang Taehos words. If he had that in mind, he wouldnt have submitted that work in the first ce. was so distinctive that even people who didnt know Damien Carter could recognize it. The method of stuffing animals and the theme of life and death were his symbols. He couldnt have not predicted this situation. Yeah. He couldnt have not known. Bang Taeho nodded. He put a good word on it, but there were many things that didnt make sense. People on SNS like it, though? Chashiyeon opened his smartphone. It must have been really hard to make this decision when he was in first ce. Hes really thoughtful. This is what an artist is. Damien Carter is amazing. He gave up right away because it was a poprity vote. The public opinion was so negative. Damien Carter must have intended it, right? Someone pointed it out. Look at that. Do you think he would have resigned if he had intended to? Those who wanted to bring him down are cursing at Demian Carter, but I wonder if they feel satisfied now. A true genius is a genius indeed. What about the other participants? They must be happy. They get to move up one rank each. Ko Hun clenched his teeth. He pretended to be a good person, a righteous person, but Demian Carter had mocked the 1,788 artists who had given their best to the contest. He had exploited the countless people who had prepared for the contest. The timing is strange. Bang Taeho spoke up. He should have quit sooner if that was the reason. It looks like he has another motive for doing this right after he won first ce. What motive? Probably the price of the work. Its just a guess, though. Ko Hun furrowed his brows. The prize money of one million euros was equivalent to the transaction amount of the works submitted to the Art Nouveau contest. The authors had the copyright and ownership, but they had to give SNBA the exclusive right to use for five years, so the winning works were expected to be disyed at the Louvre Museum and various exhibitions. He can sell it after five years. Why does he need to do that? Why. Bang Taeho took a long breath and organized his thoughts. When you sell the work is also important. If Demian Carter really acted as I think, he would want to sell Farewell when its getting the most attention through the Art Nouveau contest. Ko Hun didnt want to believe Bang Taehos exnation. He didnt want to think that one of the best artists of this era would do such a thing. But he was giving a usible ount of Demian Carters iprehensible behavior. Hes good at gathering public opinion. Maybe he saw Lee Inhos article as an opportunity. He got votes by agreeing with the content of the article. Lee Inho, the reporter who had courageously pointed out the problems of the Art Nouveau contest. Demian Carter had responded to him and attracted attention, and thanks to that, he was able to overtake , which had been showing a slight difference. Ko Hun tried to deny it, thinking that he shouldnt doubt people. But he couldnt deny the fact that Demian Carter had insulted the 1,788 participants except himself. The contest that he had given up his daily life and worked hard for the past few months. The act of giving up the ce that the participants had wanted so much was an insult in itself. He didnt know what Demian Carters intention was, or where it had been nned, but that was the truth. Grandfather. Ko Hun called Goseoyeol. Goseoyeol, who had been shocked, slowly turned his head. I dont want to go to the invitation you received tomorrow. I dont want to be with him. Goseoyeol, who remembered the invitation that Demian Carter had sent, sighed deeply and nodded. Lets do that. Goseoyeol recalled the Demian Carter of his past memories and sighed. Bang! Henri Marso kicked open the door of a hotel seminar room in downtown Paris. The press conference was over, and only the staff who were cleaning up, some reporters, and a few officials were left. The reporters flocked to the best interview subject. Mr. Marceau! What do you think of Demian Carters bravery? Bravery? Henri Marso grabbed the cor of the reporter who asked the question. Where is he? Yes, yes? Where is Demian Carter! Henri Marso usually acted like a bully, but he rarely resorted to physical violence, so the reporters were flustered. Meanwhile, they didnt forget to take pictures of him, who was excited. Oh. Isnt that Marceau? Then a man approached Henri Marso. It was Jay Jopling, a millionaire. What made you so excited? Henri Marso let go of the reporters cor. Then he walked up to Jay Jopling and looked down at him. Where is Demian Carter? Carter? Well. Im a fan, but I dont have a personal rtionship with him. Henri Marso pushed his face closer and threatened him. Cut the crap. Jay Jopling, who had bought Demian Carters work for 50 million pounds, couldnt possibly not know anything about him. Collectors and artists usually had a close rtionship. They were inseparable because collectors wanted quality works and artists wantedrge sums of money. Come on,e on. Dont get excited. Lets talk slowly inside. Its fate that we met like this, isnt it? Jay Jopling smiled. His cunning smile irritated Henri Marso even more. Bring him to me right now. Hmm. Thats a bit unreasonable. He didnt seem to listen to him. He must have had a reason to hide his rtionship with Damien Carter. Henri Marso turned his head. I asked you what you think of Damien Carters withdrawal. The reporters who couldnt understand why Henri Marso was angry turned on their recorders. The first thing is that hes a bastard who ignored the participants of thepetition. Everyone in the seminar room, including the reporters and hotel staff, widened their eyes. The second thing is that Im amazed that theres a stupid person who dared to mock me, Henri Marso. Henri Marso tilted his head and red at Jay Jopling. The third thing is that Im curious about what kind of auction house will sell his crap, whether its a farewell or a shit. Henri Marso poked Jay Joplings shoulder with his finger. You seem to want to make some money, but you picked the wrong opponent. I dont know what youre talking about. Yeah. You dont know. You wouldnt do that if you knew. Then why dont you exin it to me? Its confusing when you suddenly show up and get angry. Jay Jopling shrugged his shoulders, conscious of the reporters. He couldnt mess with Henri Marso in front of the media. Besides, withdrawing from thepetition was justified. The one who made a fuss would face a bacsh. Henri Marso growled. Its toote. Chapter 203: Chapter 203: The King, the Hero, and the Penguin (1) December 6, 2028, 10 a.m. The Art Nouveau Competition, which offered thergest prize money in the history of art contests, was nearing its end. Thepetition had been a huge topic of discussion since before it opened, with the abolition of the jury system, the introduction of voting, and a record of 13 million visitors (including virtual exhibition visitors). It was the most sessful art festival of the 2020s. But not everything was rosy. Since each person could vote for up to ten works, some of the remaining votes tended to go to some famous artists. As a result, the anonymity-based purpose of thepetition was somewhat diluted. And Damien Carter, who had ranked first for four consecutive days, surpassing and , dered his withdrawal, feeling responsible for the situation. When does the closing ceremony start? 8 p.m. Still a long way to go So wins in the end. I feel sorry for . It caught up quite a bit at thest minute. and deserve recognition. Even though there were guesses, no one really knew who they were. Damien Carter did a really cool thing. He could have won if he had pretended not to know, but he withdrew and let and take first and second ce. Those people must be grateful to Damien Carter. But what is this? What? [Henry Marso causes amotion at the press conference] [Henry Marso furious at Damien Carters withdrawal statement. Damien Carter ignored everyone involved in the Art Nouveau Competition.] Why is my brother doing this? He didnt ignore them, did he? From Henrys point of view, he must have been upset that he prepared for thepetition well, but then he withdrew in the middle. But thats no reason to make such a fuss. Damien Carter helped thepetitions purpose to some extent. The anonymous authors of and took first and second ce, so Henry should be thankful to Damien instead. Whats going on here? Kim Ji-woo, who had gone out early in the morning to cover the closing ceremony, cursed as he checked the public reaction. Among the top-ranked works, only and had maintained their anonymity. And it was being perceived as if Henry Marso and Ko Hun had won and ced second thanks to Damien Carters consideration. Thats ridiculous. Kim Ji-woo was sure that if Henry Marso and Ko Hun had revealed their own works, they would have received far more votes than any other work. This is too much. Lee In-ho, a reporter who was next to him, also shook his head. It doesnt make sense that and seeded because of Damien Carter. Lee In-ho was right. and , which had been the talk of the town since the first day, were the most visited works in thepetition. That could be confirmed on the official application event page of the Art Nouveau Competition. Thanks to the work-finding event introduced by Michel tini, the number of visitors to each work was recorded. 13,002,955 people, 99.8% of the total visitors, had seen and . They were far ahead of the 7,947,698 people that Damien Carters had recorded. In terms of search volume, visitors, and even the votes that were concentrated on the sixth and seventh days, and were overwhelming in all aspects. Excuse me for a moment. Kim Ji-woo turned on hisptop and created another file besides the special article he was going to post today. He was an ordinary reporter of a magazine that was grateful enough not to be discontinued, but he couldnt just watch the distorted situation. Lee In-ho drank warm coffee while watching Kim Ji-woo, who quickly focused on writing his manuscript despite the noisy surroundings. Michel tini visited the Marso mansion. Henry? He hade to attend the closing ceremony together tonight, but Henry Marso was drinking without even changing his clothes. He stopped him from picking up the half-empty cognac. What are you doing? Youve had too much. Michel turned his head, thinking that Henry was very drunk. But Henry Marsos eyes were not drooping at all. He was full of anger and looked like he was about to do something. Whats wrong? Henry Marso didnt answer and tried to snatch back the cognac. Michel had a rough idea of why he was like this. I thought he knew how to protect his pride, my lovely fool. He was a man who used his defeat as a motivation to improve himself and surpass his opponent. If he had lost to Damian Carters and failed to win , he would have tried again for a better oue. Defeat could not crush his pride. He was angry because he thought that won only because Damian Carter withdrew. It was a humiliating thing for Henri Marso, who had a strong pride. Ill join you. Michelle filled his ss. Henri lifted his head. Youll drink anyway, even if I tell you not to. Michelle shrugged. He sometimes looked strange because of his entricity, but she believed he was not a pathetic person who would ruin himself over this. He could handle it on his own. Thats why she trusted and loved him, and did not give him any advice. She justforted him. Henri Marso drank the liquor. He savored the aroma and exhaled. One million euros. It was the prize money for the contest. Yeah. Youll make a million euros like this. One million euros did not matter to him, whether he had it or not. But it meant something different to him, who wanted to beat Gohun. I can buy one with that. What? Michelle wondered what he would buy for himself. He could have anything he wanted, anytime, but she could not easily predict what he would buy for himself after winning against Gohun. A missile. What? A Tomahawk missile costs about 1.3 million dors. Michelle blinked. Henri had a unique taste, but she could not understand it. She doubted if civilians could buy such a thing. Ill blow up his house. Michelleughed incredulously. He sometimes made jokes like this when they were alone. Dont say things like that, even as a joke. You sound serious. Henri Marso took another sip of cognac. Are you serious? He tapped the table three times. A web browser popped up on the ss table. Read this. Michelle pulled the screen closer and started reading the articles. [Jared Saatchi, Foundation for Artists] Jared Saatchi, the owner of Saatchi Gallery, established Daemon, a foundation to support the revival of British contemporary art.1) [Damian Carter, First Solo Exhibition at Saatchi Gallery] Damian Carter, a British artist, opened his first solo exhibition. His works, which contain a deep philosophy on life and death, can be seen at Saatchi Gallery for two weeks from the 19th. The dates of the two articles were a week apart. Damian Carters , which had no achievements until then, was sold for 50 million pounds. I remember. Michelle tini knew well about Damian Carters first solo exhibition. , which was exhibited there, waster sold for a whopping 50 million pounds at Sothebys in Britain, breaking the record for that year. It was a hot topic, even for Michelle, who was young at the time. I guess Daemon Foundation sponsored Damian Carter and Saatchi Gallery gave him the exhibition. That makes sense. Michelle nodded. She could tell from some articles that Daemon Foundation highly praised Damian Carter, who was unknown at the time. Their judgment was urate and , which was announced at the first solo exhibition, attracted a lot of attention. It was the beginning of Damian Carter, the leading contemporary artist in Britain. Why? Michelle asked. It was a surprising thing, but she wanted to know why he paid attention to the old story from 20 years ago. There was a guy named Jay Jopling in Daemon Foundation. He seems to have left now. Henri showed her a picture. It was a photo of the founding ceremony of Daemon Foundation. The middle of the first row. The man next to Jared Saatchi. Do you recognize him? Michelle moved her eyes. I could tell that the man in the photo was Jay Jopling, even though it was taken a long time ago. His appearance hadnt changed much from 18 years ago to now. Ah. I recalled the conversation I had with Henri Marso yesterday. Henri had revealed that Jay Jopling had denied his rtionship with Damien Carter and interfered with theirmunication. Thats strange. How could he not know? He was a board member of the sponsorship organization. Thats not it. Henri Marso showed me another article. [Eternity sold for 50 million pounds] At Sothebys in the UK, Damien Carters was auctioned off for 50 million pounds. The buyer was Jay Jopling, the owner of ck Cube Gallery and a London councilor. Jay Jopling said that life was heading towards death and that was valuable, and introduced as a special work. What? The person who bought was Jay Jopling, who belonged to the Daemon Foundation that sponsored Damien Carter. How is this possible? How could this happen? It was unthinkable. Legally, there was no prohibition on buying the works of the sponsors, but if the rumor spread in the narrow art world, it could turn into a big problem. It was possible. Henri Marso essed the Daemon Foundation website. There was no mention of Jay Jopling anywhere. Even if I searched for the Daemon Foundation and Jay Jopling together, I couldnt find any articles that had any relevance. Its clear that Jay Jopling is rted to the Daemon Foundation. Otherwise, he wouldnt have taken amemorative photo at the inauguration ceremony, standing right next to the chairman. Yeah. But apart from this photo, there is no record of Jay Jopling being rted to the Daemon Foundation. He might have hidden it on purpose. Yeah. I looked at the photo again. Why did he do that? We have to find out. Did he want to avoid being criticized? Thats possible. Henri nodded. If Jay Jopling hesitated to buy because of his position, he might have hidden the relevant information. He was a London councilor at the time, and a few years ago he was also a member of parliament, so as a politician he might have wanted to avoid unnecessary rumors. Where did you get this photo? From Chevalson. The first one on the left in the first row. I moved my eyes. The fat old man with a beret was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there was a young and thin intellectual-looking middle-aged man. Oh my. He went to congratte him. He said he shook hands with Jay Jopling. Hmm. I thought again. It didnt seem like a big deal, but Jay Jopling, who tried to hide his involvement with Damien Carter, was suspicious. Henri Marso showed me another article. I checked how much the other works were sold for when was auctioned off for 50 million pounds. I doubted my eyes. None of the other works were traded at the exhibition where the work was sold for a record amount. None of them were sold? Henri Marso lifted his cup. If everything was just a coincidence, there wouldnt be a big problem. What if it was someones intention? Yeah. Henri Marso put down his cup and said. Its a y. 1)Daemon: A demigod or a divine being in ancient Greek mythology. Source: Oxford English Dictionary. Chapter 204: Chapter 204: 204 The King, the Hero, and the Penguin (2) Michel tini could not easily ept Henri Marsos hypothesis. Damien Carters works were the most expensive among the living artists. They even fetched higher prices than Pablo Picassos works depending on the piece. He could not believe that Damien Carter was an artificially created artist. There could be other reasons. It could be a coincidence, like you said. Thats why Im looking into it. Henri Marso clenched and unclenched his fist repeatedly. He was suspicious of what Damien Carter and Jay Jopling had done, but even if they hadmitted fraud, his shattered pride could not be restored. The Art Nouveau Contest would end today, and the fact that he was humiliated would not change. Damn it. Henri Marso could not forgive Damien Carter for ruining the Art Nouveau Contest. He would expose the corruption if there was any, and even if he was clean, he would pay him back for yesterdays disgrace. The only thing he worried about was the means and methods. December 6, 2028, 8 p.m. The closing ceremony began two hours before the end of the contest. Various figures from the art world came out and congratted the sess of the Art Nouveau Contest, and the Paris Philharmonic Orchestra performed a celebratory concert. As the closing approached, more and more people participated in the voting. Among them, and , which had been in the lead since the beginning of the contest, widened the gap with the other works in the final stretch. Cha Si-hyun, who was checking the voting status, was excited. Look at this! Its less than a thousand votes difference now! Where! Go Su-yeol, who had told him not to care about the ranking, stuck his face out. Cha Si-hyun and Ko Hun stepped back in surprise, while only Go Su-yeol and Bang Tae-ho stared at the contest voting status with their eyes wide open. Thats right! Bang Tae-ho clenched his fist. 2028 Art Nouveau Contest Voting Status 1st Votes: 8,272,270 (28.0%) 2nd Votes: 8,271,329 (28.0%) 3rd Votes: 3,486,171 (11.8%) Total votes 29,543,824. had chased Henri Marsos to the chin before the closing. When the difference reached up to 140,000 votes, Go Su-yeol and Bang Tae-ho, who hadforted Ko Hun by saying that the ranking was not important, could not hide their excitement. Of course. Whos painting is it! Go Su-yeol lifted Ko Hun up and bounced him. Would you be so happy. Ko Hun felt dizzy as he was happy for his grandfather, who was happier than himself. Calm down. Do I look calm! Ko Hun thought that Jang Mi-rae would surely say something if she saw this scene. The group, who had been happy for a while, saw that the vote difference had narrowed further and made another fuss. But how did this happen all of a sudden? It must have been possible because there were a lot of people who didnt vote until then. Anyway, it was always within the margin of error. Bang Tae-ho said, happy for the sess of his only affiliated artist and star artist. They all recognized it. Grandpa always believed in you. Ko Hun looked up at his grandfather. Look at this. Cha Si-hyun showed him an article. It was an article rted to the Art Nouveau Contest, and it was getting a lot of attention with over 40,000ments. Huh? Ko Hun blinked. It was a column-style article by Kim Ji-woo of the monthly magazine Ye-hwa. [The Person Who Protected the Art Nouveau Contest] Last night, Damien Carter announced his intention to withdraw from the Art Nouveau Contest. Damien Carter, a contemporary artist representing the UK, held a press conference and said, Contrary to my intention, I deprived other artists of their opportunities and added, I wanted to correct my mistake before it was toote. Most of the media and citizens apuded and cheered for his courageous action. However, some of those who highly praised Damien Carters decision crossed the line that they should not cross. On art forum sites like Michngelo and Reddit, posts like these are popping up. [Attached photo] They say that thanks to Damian Carter, and won the first and second ce. Is that really true? Since the Art Nouveau Contest began, and have been searched 1,373,019 times a day on Google. Meanwhile, Damian Carters was searched only 33,325 times on average during the same period. Also, ording to the official application of the Art Nouveau Contest, 99.8% of the contest visitors, or 13,002,955 people, enjoyed and . Thats a big difference from s 7,947,698 people. The only time was ahead of and was the interim vote count that was overturned on the fourth day. One might wonder if its a better work because it got more votes with fewer viewers. But the interim vote count is just a part of the process. The votes added on the sixth and seventh days were more than the total until the fifth day. In fact, , which had a temporary slump on the fourth and fifth days and showed a gap in votes, narrowed the gap with to less than 10,000 votes at the point of closing 12 hours ahead. Even if Damian Carter hadnt withdrawn, he couldnt be sure of winning. Some praise Damian Carters action to uphold the spirit of the Art Nouveau Contest. I also respect and admire his courageous decision, but I cant overlook the fact that someone who preserved the meaning of the Art Nouveau Contest in a different way is being marginalized. Its the authors of and . Unlike the other top works, the two works were notoriously unclear about their authors. There was a spection that was Ko Huns work, but some critics concluded that it was possible but not certain. Then why do the authors of and hide their identities and why doesnt the genius painter Ko Hun reveal his work? I think they are the ones who keep the spirit of the Art Nouveau Contest. The act of maintaining anonymity to the end is a way of respecting thepetitors they worked with. For the sake of those who prepared for the Art Nouveau Contest, the participants should have acted like them. What about the other participants? A little over half of the 977 participants avoided specifying their works. In the end, most of the works were revealed, but half of them were works that were hard to recognize unless they were experts or fans, as they twisted their usual styles. How pure are these 977 participantspared to the other authors who posted their work photos on SNS, used serials, or generously used their symbols? And what about the authors of and , who never revealed themselves even in the situation ofpeting for the first ce? I dont know what conclusion the art lovers will draw about the two groups that took different actions in the same situation. Ill wait for 10 oclock tonight. -Kim Ji-woo (Yehwa) Kim Ji-woos aggressive and straightforward article was quoted by various media and seen by millions of people. The public reacted. They realized something they had forgotten for a while, focusing on the great artist Damian Carter. They agreed with Kim Ji-woos argument. Thats right Yeah. Honestly, Damian Carter is amazing, but arent the authors of and who didnte out until the end the real ones? Damian Carter wouldnt be so desperate for a million euros. Dont bash Damian. He gave up the big contest win. You guys were sucking up to Damian and saying that and won because of Damian, and now youre talking nonsense They say the fans make the haters. I wonder if thats true. Just do it moderately. Think about it, how pissed would the authors of and be Its not even confirmed yet, but they said they would give up I looked it up and this article is right, and were crushing it except for the interim vote. The trash media exaggerated that the winning work gave up for the sake of views. Why do Korean reporters have such a grudge against Damian Carter and write such articles? Right. Last time too, it seemed like they were trying to deliberately undermine Damian Carter. What do you mean undermine The article praises Damian Carters action and reminds us of what we really forgot. Look at that. Theres no one insulting Damian, but when you see that, you really feel sorry for Damian. Its because of you that Damian gets hated. Please shut up. But it really hurts to see this. and too, but there are 977 people who didnt reveal their works. Exactly. People who do their work without saying anything dont get attention. I can understand the people who promote themselves, but if they stay still, it bes like that. I dont know whats right. Look. Damian agrees with that. [Damian Carter, Good point. I wish the silent artists would get more attention.] Wow~ Thats Damian Carter for you. Kim Ji-woo, the reporter, did a good job. Bang Tae-ho, who was checking thements, said with a smile. Hehehe. Kim Ji-wooughed as he read thements that wereing in real time. The anger that had boiled up in the morning was nowhere to be found. He was only moved by the thought that his voice had reached the world. Congrattions. Really. As Lee Inho, a reporter, came over and handed him a coffee, Kim Ji-woo scratched his head. I was lucky. Kim Ji-woos article was spread by some influencers shortly after it was posted. Eric Dower, the director of the Whitney Museum of Art, linked Kim Ji-woos article on his SNS ount with the phrase The truth we missed. Alex, a YouTuber, analyzed Kim Ji-woos column on his show. Jang Mi-rae, who runs a YouTube channel with a million subscribers, also contributed by posting a short video expressing her agreement with the rted content. And when some critics, including art historian Caroline Strick, joined in, Kim Ji-woos article quickly spread across Europe and North America. Catching luck is also a skill. Your article moved those people, didnt it? At Lee Inhos words, Kim Ji-woo felt a heavy lump in his throat. It was something he did without much expectation. It was something he thought he had to do. But when it received an unexpected and huge response, he felt the bitterness of working in a small media outlet. Kim Ji-woo, who had been smiling at thements, bowed his head and shed tears. Chapter 205: Chapter 205: The King, the Hero, and the Penguin (3) The closing ceremony of the Art Nouveau Competition, which started two hours before the end, was broadcasted through 9 tforms, including 36 public broadcasters in 8nguages, YouTube, and JH Cinema. The camera caught the fireworks that lit up the night sky over the outdoor studio, and then the penguin and duck-shaped boats floating on the Seine. After the congrattory performance of the Paris Philharmonic Orchestra, a video introducing the works of thepetition was shown, and the scene switched to the closing ceremony hall in the Louvre Museum. Woojin, who had hosted the event in various media, greeted the audience. Art Nouveau Competition, which opened a new chapter in art history. For the next two hours, we will look back on what works and stories were there. The screen showed the statistics rted to the Art Nouveau Competition. The Art Nouveau Competition, which started with the theme of art chosen by the era, was participated by 1,789 artists. Woojin emphasized his voice. On the first day, 471,197 visitors visited the Cit Ind in person. It was really crowded. People recalled the first day of the Art Nouveau Competition. The narrow ind filled with crowds made the hearts of art lovers beat. As the French National Art Association and Henri Marso had proposed, they felt that a new era wasing to the art world. About 12 million people visited the virtual exhibition hall. It was thergest art festival of the 21st century. The guests at the closing ceremony apuded. Then, lets invite the people who worked hard to open a new era and hear their stories. The host Woojin invited the president of the Chevasson Simon Association to the stage. The president of Chevasson, who was dressed elegantly, greeted the audience. Artists and visitors who participated in the Art Nouveau Competition. On behalf of the French National Art Association, I would like to thank you. President Chevasson wiped his sweat with a handkerchief and continued. The Art Nouveau Competition was sessful today thanks to you. It was possible because there were artists who passionately pursued their own aesthetics and those who enjoyed it. I feel embarrassed to give a speech because I prepared this ce. The guests pped their hands to show their respect to Chevasson Simon. Actually, I stood here as the president, but many people worked hard to prepare for the Art Nouveau Competition. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the curators who tried to exhibit all the works fairly, especially Michelle tini, the representative of the Marso Gallery. The camera caught Michelle tini. She, who suddenly received attention, hid her awkwardness with a smile. President Chevasson looked around the guests and said. I think you would rather hear the story of tini, who was in charge of the work, than me talking all the time. How about it? The people who prepared for thepetition cheered for Michelle tini. At first, Michelle was reluctant, but when the host came forward, she had no choice but to go up to the stage. It was a burden for anyone to stand in front of 1.7 million simultaneous viewers. Michelle smiled awkwardly once and started the story. I dont know what to say because I came up suddenly. Michelle took a breath. The Art Nouveau Competition is really special. I never thought this festival would be possible. Who would have exhibited so many works in one area, put up so much prize money, and handed everything over to the visitors? It would be hard to imagine unless it was someone without a n. The camera caught Henri Marso at Michelles words. There was a smallugh in the audience. I think this is what art is like. One persons recklessness bes meaningful to someone else. And the conversation itself bes precious. The Art Nouveau Competition was a very precious time for me. I understood the participants as I worried about how to exhibit the works. I was happy to see how the visitors enjoyed thepetition. I was able to gain strength thanks to that. We, it was really hard. Michelle! Michelle! The staff who prepared for thepetition with Michelle tini raised their voices. We worked hard to exhibit the precious works better, and to make sure there were no neglected works. We sincerely thank the participants and visitors who made our efforts worthwhile. Michelle tini omitted the preparation process, but many people could guess from her expression, attitude, and the reaction of the staff. It was obvious how much they had suffered to prepare for thergestpetition in history in a short period of time. Thats right. The preparation period was less than six months. They really put their all into it. Do you think they would work if the Europeans forced them? They did it because they had passion. Artists should really be grateful to them. The viewers also remembered how many people had sweated for the Art Nouveau Competition. Michelle tini returned to her seat with apuse. Woojin grabbed the microphone again. The next order is what youve been waiting for. Its also the idea of Michelle tini, who just gave us a wonderful speech. The guests cheered loudly. Thats right. The bounty event. We will give 1,000 euros to 1,000 people who found more than 100 works during thepetition period. As Woojin watched the event, the number of event winners appeared on the center screen. A total of 3.8 million people participated in the event. Who will be the lucky one to win a thousand euros? Are you ready? As Woojin signaled, countless IDs appeared on the screen. The draw will start and the winners will receive a message through the official application of the Arnuvo Contest. You should definitely turn off the notification settings, right? Woojin, who took some time, mentioned precautions such as invalidating if you do not respond within a week and dragged on. Just before people started toin, the draw began and soon a thousand nicknames appeared on the screen one by one. Ugh. Chashihyun, who had participated hard in the contest, was disappointed when all the nicknames were announced. I found a thousand. Theres still more. Ko Hunforted his friend, saying that there was still an event to guess the author. But they only give a hundred. The probability was low, no matter how many participants there were. Then what are you going to do with the prize money? You have a lot of money. I dont get much allowance. Ko Hun nodded. No matter how rich the house was, he thought it would be wrong to have a lot of money from a young age. Then what are you going to do? Buy paint? Chashihyun shook his head. My father buys everything for me now, so Im going to buy stocks. JH Cinema stocks will keep going up, so I can sell them much more expensive when I grow up. Ko Hun tilted his head. Meanwhile, it was 10 p.m., the end of the contest. No one knew what the winning work was since the voting status had been closed an hour ago. A little before 10 p.m., the Arnuvo Contest was closed. Now we have to reveal what the work chosen by 13 million visitors is. As Woojin set the mood, Chashihyun grabbed Ko Huns sleeve and shook it. The top ten works will decorate the special exhibition at the Louvre Museum at the end of this year, and will be exhibited for five years with the support of the French National Art Association. The participants valued the opportunity to exhibit their works at various exhibitions hosted by the Louvre Museum and SNBA more than the prize money. It was more helpful for their future activities to increase their recognition and value as artists than to earn one-time ie. Then lets find out from the long-awaited 10th ce. Total votes 30,954,127. What will be the work that will lead the new era! Woojin raised his voice. Both the guests and the viewers were full of expectations. They wanted to know as soon as possible who the work and the author who would be the new mainstream through the Arnuvo Contest were. It will be revealed after themercial! The 10th ce with a total of 650,036 votes is! The Most Beautiful! Along with the host Woojins words, a butterfly emerging from a cocoon appeared on the central screen. It was Fabres . He repeated entering and leaving the top ten, but his pure passion seemed to move the audiences hearts. Fabre jumped up from the other side of the seat. He was so nervous that he opened his eyes wide and only looked at the screen. Seeing his father shedding tears of joy for his daughters big prize, he felt happy. If his mother and father were alive, they would have been happy like that. Thats amazing. I thought he had a feeling, but at that young age. Bang Taeho admired. It was hard to expect that a kid who was only fifteen years old would be in the top ten among the artists who were considered the best. He has a clear story. Im looking forward to what kind of picture he will draw in the future. Grandfather also seemed to like Fabre. It was weird, but the picture was pretty. Chashihyun also seemed to like it. By the way, he said he would exchange the insect book, but he didnt know how to contact him. Fabre went up on stage with a que and flowers and stood in front of the microphone. He was nervous to have so many people in front of him, but his eyes were confident and his attitude was dignified. Well, nche Fabre, the artist. You must be very happy. Please tell us how you feel. The host Woojin asked for his impression. He didnt say anything and just looked ahead. Ha ha. He seems to be so happy that he cant speak. Please give him a round of apuse. At Woojins request, the guests congratted the young artists achievement again. Chashihyun and I pped our hands with our hearts. I. Fabre opened his mouth as if he had organized his words. My goal is Henri Marso. I wont stop until I draw a better picture than him. nche Fabre, who suddenly dered war on Marso, finished her speech without exining why. She looked determined, with her mouth tightly closed and her breath steaming. Ha ha. This is interesting. You have a bold ambition to draw a better picture than Henri Marso, the best painter known. Why did you choose Henri Marso as your goal? He must be a professional. Fabre seemed to have more to say. The bold painter nced at Woojin and turned her head. Because hes the coolest. She was a child who looked deeply into herself and admired Marsos confidence. Maybe her words of defeating, surpassing, and conquering Marso were expressions of longing. We cant miss the answer from Marso himself. Can you pass the microphone, please? One of the staff members ran to hand the microphone to Marso. Mr. Marso, you heard the most coolpliment from a promising painter. Dont you have to answer? Woojin asked Marso for an answer. Everyone around him was curious about what he would say to the young painter. What if he says something weird? Chasi-hyun whispered anxiously. No, he wont. He was a serious person about art, so he would say something nice. Henri Marso took the microphone. Artists dont say obvious things. It felt like a cold wind blew. The people who expected a warm scene were confused, while Fabre muttered into the microphone. I really hate him. Chapter 206: Chapter 206: The King, the Hero, and the Penguin (4) I cant me him for not understanding what Marso was trying to say. An artist is someone who expresses what they want to say in their ownnguage. Even if they usemon words, they can give them new meanings like Ferdinand Gonzalez. Or they can use them in unexpected ways to evoke different meanings. To Henri Marso, the expression the coolest was too obvious, not something an artist would say. For someone who hated talking to others, Marso was quite kind to the young painter. He was out of his mind. That was a good try, but I told you not to say the obvious. I didnt tell you to say something wrong. Marso added. He meant that saying he hated him was wrong. Sometimes I envy how he sees the world, so beautiful and easy. Fabre red at Henri Marso and got off the stage. What did Mr. Henri say? Chashihyun looked around the frozen people and asked. The truth. He said something true, but something that left him speechless. The 9th, 8th, and 7th ces were announced one after another. As I pped and celebrated the joy of winning, my heart started to ache. As Grandpa said at first, I didnt care about the ranking, but I didnt want to lose to Henri Marso. I should focus on the fact that millions of people liked . I wanted to remain a meaningful person to him, who had been paying attention to me since . Maybe Marso was obsessed with me because of this feeling. I was nervous. Then, the 3rd ce with 2,940,642 votes is? I was already anxious, but the music made me more nervous. Cloud Cluster! Anish Puer! appeared on the center screen. It was a work that painted a concave surface with a pigment called Vantack, and it stayed in the top ranks until it finally took the 3rd ce. The announcements continued, and I was getting tired, but the people cheered again. I thought that was amazing. Chashihyun pped and said. Me too. Vantack is the darkest color in the world. Its hard to believe that it can be so dark. Thanks to that, I felt the concave surface as t. I was also impressed by the darkness and wanted to use it once when I painted Sr Eclipse. So Anish Puer won. Hmm. Hes a person with a clear message. I wish he would be less greedy. Grandpa seemed to know Anish Puer personally. Greedy? Vantack. He tilted his head and Grandpa told him the bitter news. He monopolized the artistic use of Vantack. Then. Yeah. Other artists cant use Vantack. I didnt know you could monopolize paint. Thats what Im saying. I wanted to use it to express the darkness of the eclipse, but it was a pity. I want to try it. He doesnt seem to have any intention of allowing it. There were quite a few people who wanted to pay royalties and use it, but they were all rejected. Grandpa was right. It was a greedy thing to say. Anish, you received the support of about 3 million people and came to this stage. How do you feel? Anish Puer went on stage and expressed his feelings. Ive received many awards, but today is the happiest day of my life. Cloud Cluster. It was a very unique work. Can you introduce it briefly? Hmm. I dont want to exin the work myself. Oh. But what I think is important is the dialogue with the audience. The audience will be drawn to the darkness of Vantack and naturally observe the Cloud Cluster. And they will read the description below and observe it hard. But they wont know, so they will touch it with their hands and find out that it is concave. I did that too. "Yes. That was my intention. To make the audience move their eyes. To make them reach out and understand the work. To create a new narrative."1)2) You meanmunication with the audience is important. You seem to have had a lot of conversations this time. Congrattions, Anish. Anish Puar left the stage to apuse. I also pped willingly, because although I didnt like his ambition, I shared his passion for art. I hoped he would someday be ashamed of himself and release the exclusive rights he had put on Banta ck. Well, now we only have two works left. The voice of the host Woojin made me forget the regret of not being able to use Banta ck. Im really bothered that Ko Hun hasnte out yet. Alex, who was broadcasting the closing ceremony of the Arnuvo Competition, shook his head. Frankly, it doesnt make sense that Ko Hun cant win. Sunflower and Guest, Frosty Field, Mask, they were all like that. 2028 was Ko Huns year. The viewers agreed with Alexs words. Yeah. He took the penalty, but still, if he said he drew it, he would surely be recognized. So Im saying this. Alex paused for a moment and then revealed his true feelings. Isnt it possible to specte that Mi is Ko Huns work at this point? So youre saying your guess is right But honestly, if you ask me which one of Summer Nostalgia and Mi is closer to Ko Huns vibe, Id say Mi. Yeah. The atmosphere is Summer Nostalgia, but honestly, its too different from Ko Huns style so far. Mi, which gives a ssic feel, fits better. Thats right. When he saw people agreeing with him, Alex gained strength. Honestly, Summer Nostalgia followed closely, but barely. I think Mi will win, you know? Then Ko Hun wins the Arnuvo Competition? Wow. Thats a real revolution. Theres a story, right? The YouTuber who loved art was very excited. The hero of the art world, Henri Marso, hosted thepetition, and Damien Carter, the most sessful artist of the 21st century, withdrew. And the sacred Ko Hun takes his ce? This is a revolution. Really Arnuvo. A new art. Alex checked the viewers reactions. You did a good job of putting them together But the name of thepetition, New Art, definitely fits. In terms of the revolution brought by the hero. But then who is Summer Nostalgia? Thats right. In my opinion, Henri Marsos nning of the Arnuvo Competition was the best opportunity for Ko Hun. As the Korean reporter said, even if Damien Carter had continued to participate, he couldnt have won. Could Summer Nostalgia be Ko Huns painting? Alex opened his mouth after a moment of hesitation. I dont think so, but just in case The chat window stopped for a moment. Honestly, I think it would be scary. December 6, 2028, 10:20 p.m. As the world watched, the two works showed off their own auras. A ssic portrait that gave a graceful and sacred feeling and andscape painting that gave an illusion effect and a sad atmosphere, . The guests and viewers all admired the two works that decorated the closing ceremony stage. The Arnuvo Competition is now approaching its climax. Now, when we reveal the winner, we only have the event draw left. The host Woojin mentioned the guessing event, mindful of the ratings. The two works that showed a fiercepetition until the end. Summer Nostalgia and Mi received 17,334,053 votes, ounting for 56% of the total votes. A sigh of relief flowed from the audience. The two works had secured more than half, so they could be called the true protagonists of the Arnuvo Competition. The difference in votes between the two works is 257. At the point when the voting status was switched to private, and had a difference of about 700 votes. I wonder if Summer Nostalgia caught up with Mi in an hour. Or if they failed to narrow the gap any further, Im curious too. Woojin turned the card with the script and sighed softly. Its amazing. Who wouldnt be surprised by this result? Everyone who was waiting for the result focused on Woojins words and actions. Which of the two works, and , would win and lead the new art? And whether Ko Hun was really the author of . Or whether he failed to win the award, they couldnt wait any longer. Commercial As soon as Woojin mentioned themercial, the atmosphere cooled down. If I tell you to watch, youll all get angry. Lets reveal it right away. 2028 Arnuvo Competition! Introducing the protagonist of the new art! With Woojins powerful shout, the images of the two works appeared on the central screen. 1st Henry Marceau (France. 33 years old) Votes: 8,667,155 (28.0%) 2nd Hoon Go (South Korea. 10 years old) Votes: 8,666,898 (28.0%) The auditorium and the live chat room were frozen in shock. This cant be. Someone muttered. The people in the art world doubted their own eyes. It was not a big surprise that Henri Marso had participated in the Arnouveau Contest. What astonished them was that the prestigious Henri Marso had revealed his admiration for Hoon Go once again in his work. The lonely hero had finally assimted the characteristics of another artist and reached the end of beauty. Those who had known Henri Marso until now were amazed and happy that he had finally freed himself from his loneliness. Meanwhile. How could this be? The mysterious work was also a shocker because it was Hoon Gos entry. The art enthusiasts could not help but marvel at the work that Hoon Go had shown after . Hoon Go, who had dered his departure from the image of a mini Van Gogh with , had presented apletely different work. was a painting that could never be Hoon Gos. The only resemnce was the impressionism, post-impressionism, fauvism-like attitude and imagery. All the elements thatposed were distant from Hoon Go. How could he change so much in such a short time? Caroline Strick, a renowned art historian, shivered. It did not matter that Hoon Go had not won the contest. She was amazed that he hadpletely changed his style in just a few months. No. Caroline Strick finally found Hoon Go in . The impasto of thickly applied paint. The abstractndscape that was artificiallyposed, but did not add emotion to nature, conveyed the sadness that Hoon Go had shown in , , and . Only to a different degree. Like Henri Marso, Hoon Go had also changed himself while protecting his identity. p- p p p p- The apuse finally began to ring in the midst of the shock. It was a voice of respect for the two artists who had broken the mold and moved forward without beingcent. What you see is not everything. Creating a new narrative through dialogue with the audience is the sensibility of my work, rather than exining it myself. -Anish Kapoor Narrative: A sequence of fictional or real events that are connected by causality within a given space and time. In art, it can also refer to the narrativity that expresses a single theme through events and their flow. The narrative is how the story changes ording to the characters actions and motivations, the effects of their actions, how the problem is solved, etc. Chapter 207: Chapter 207: The King, the Hero, and the Penguin (5) He really did it. Lee In-ho watched the boy who climbed onto the stage amidst the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd. It was a meeting that started reluctantly because of the editors order. But he couldnt forget Ko Hun, who introduced his own paintings and Van Goghs to the visitors at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. He couldnt understand what Ko Hun was saying. He just liked the shining eyes and the excited voice when he spoke. He could tell how much Ko Hun loved Van Gogh and art. He didnt know much about art, but he wanted to cheer for him when he saw him smiling brightly even after being wounded. He realized that Ko Hun was not an ordinary kid when he saw him draw eyes on or find thest workce of Van Gogh. He felt sorry that he couldnt exin how amazing Ko Huns painting was when he saw . He was frustrated that he couldnt convey the shock of that was revealed at the Whitney Biennale in his article. He spent almost a year filling hisck of knowledge. He heard the news that Ko Hun was participating in the Art Nouveau contest and wanted to let the world know what kind of person he was, so he came to Paris. He had some exposure to art during that time, and he could tell how formidable the participants of the Art Nouveau contest were. Many artists, including Damien Carter, showed their best works. Could Ko Hun really express his will in such a ce? Could he win a prize? He looked around more works than anyone else for a week, but he couldnt find any paintings that he thought Ko Hun had drawn. He was anxious as the works of famous artists were revealed one after another. He was proud of Ko Hun for sticking to the theme of the contest, but he was also nervous as many works were known and got votes. He was afraid that Ko Hun wouldnt get a proper evaluation and wrote some aggressive articles. But he left all his worries behind and Ko Hun stood proudly at the top. He stood side by side with Henri Marso, who was revered as a hero of the French art world. Ko Hun! Ko Hun! Ko Hun! Lee In-ho shouted with his throat bursting among the people who were chanting Henri Marsos name. Oh my On the other hand, Alex Wood, who was broadcasting the closing ceremony, couldnt close his mouth. LOL Why is he there LOL Henri Marso is such a attention seeker, how did he enter his own contest LOL And he won LOL Alex stared nkly at the chat window. No. You guys, this is not something tough about. He knew Henri Marso better than anyone else, as he had been running an art specialty YouTube channel for a long time. Who is Henri Marso? He was the person who drew the most self-centered paintings in the world. That crazy narcissist drew someone elses painting at the Whitney Biennale, and now he changed his style. I dont know what this means. The viewers raised question marks. Henri often says this. Its not the contemporary era, but the era of Henri Marso. He says he represents the present. That was honestly a joke. Alexs words got faster. Yeah. He draws well. Hes cool. Hes unique and there arent many people who can draw as well as Marso among the current painters. How else would he be called the best painter after Bufe. But thats not all. His voice got higher and higher. He was a genius who was trapped in himself, drawing over 800 self-portraits. He was so excellent that he was loved, but he was never a person who could represent the era. Think about it. Did Henri Marsos style exist before? Do you think it will existter? He was like an isted ind in the history of art. Alex swallowed his saliva. That Henri Marso came out to the world. Unlike the public who loved him. Henri Marso was a mutant to the people in the art world. He met a new genius named Ko Hun and finally epted others. I think this is a very important thing. Alex hurriedly searched for Henri Marsos past records. He found Henri Marsos self-portraits that filled the Paris station and disyed them on the screen. This. This was what held Henri back. The Achilles heel that he was notorious for. But he solved it cleanly this time. He didnt reveal his name among those dazzling senior artists. This is amazing. The viewers agreed with Alex Woods paradox. True. Now that I hear it, yeah. He doesnt have to do that. He can sell his works well even if hes a bit out of the mainstream, right? No one sells as much as Henri. For real, theres no one who sells that much at that price range. If you go by the total transaction amount, Marso would be the most. Was it a real challenge, not an attention seeker? No oneughs at Henri Marso for doing weird things. What about Ko Hun? Alex nodded. I think hes amazing. Hes already at the top, but he improved himself even more. Thats incredible. He saw a question about Ko Hun in his eyes, who was praising Henri Marso. Right. Summer Snow is Ko Huns work. I never dreamed of it. The viewers also showed the same reaction. Alex took a sip of c and slowly opened his mouth. I said it would be scary if Summer Snow was Ko Huns earlier. It really is. What do you call this? He sped his hands and thought again. Its amazing. I never thought Ko Hun drew it before, but when I saw it, I thought, oh, its Ko Huns painting. The chat said its easy once you know it. Thats not the feeling. No one can draw that picture but Ko Hun. The sunflower and the guest, the sadness that he showed in the frosty field. Is it dangerous to say this? Hes a wounded kid. Dont you feel something welling up in your chest when you see that? Alex pped his hands. Yeah. I know why. Ko Hun has shown a lot of different styles so far. But in the end, he made them all his own. In that short time. Hes only ten years old and he has his own world. Its not just a good idea, a good color, a good technique. It was rude to call him young or a genius. Ko Hun is a great painter. A real painter who can epass the history and present of painting. -2028 First Art Nouveau Competition Winner! Henri Marso! -Henri! Henri! -Ko Hun! Ko Hun! The sound of calling Henri Marso and Ko Hun echoed throughout the world through 36 public broadcasters and 9 OTT tforms, including Alex Woods ry room. Alex felt that the two of them had opened up a new art (Art Nouveau) as he heard the sound. I think I know why they get along well. Before, it seemed like Henri Marso was obsessed with Ko Hun, but now they look like goodpetitors. Someone mentioned Matisse and Picasso in the chat. Alex Wood recalled the rtionship of the two masters who were rivals of the century, but knew and respected each other better than anyone else, and snapped his fingers. Thats right. Here are the two stars of today. First, Ko Hun. Congrattions. The host Woojin handed over the microphone with congrattions. You can put down the bouquet for a moment. Ko Hun was staggering with flowers from Go Sooyeol, Bang Taeho, Cha Si-hyun, Kim Jiwu, Pierre Malo, Martin Jansen, Kevin McCauley, and others. The viewers could only see the boy after he carefully put down the bouquet. 8,666,898 votes. A lot of people supported you. How do you feel? Ko Hun pursed his lips. Hundreds of people were watching him. He felt the love in their eyes so much that his throat was dry. The award When Ko Hun couldnt finish his sentence, the guests apuded. Its my first time receiving an award. And its from the people who came to see me. His throat kept getting dry. Ko Hun distanced himself from the microphone and tried to calm his emotions. A while ago. I went to the old house in Burbank. On the door. There was a sunflower that I drew with my mom and dad. Go Sooyeol closed his eyes. They took a vacation for the first time in a long time. So we went to Korea for fun. On thest day, we decided to go see Grandpa. Grandpa and Dad both liked fishing, so we thought it would be nice to go to the East Sea. Ko Hun couldnt continue. But. I ended up seeing Grandpa alone. A yearter. It was good. The guests couldnt apud. They understood how Ko Hun felt through , and waited for him to say what he wanted. Ko Hun swallowed his saliva and cleared his voice. I learned a lot from Grandpa and my parents. And from thispetition too. The boy smiled faintly. I wont care about the ranking. Grandpa told me. Its more important how many people you have a deep conversation with. But. The painter turned his head and looked at another painter. Ko Hun swallowed what he was going to say and said something else. Henri is amazing. I thought he was aplete person, but he didnt think so. I wont stop either. Ko Hun nailed it. Dont ignore yourself just because you fell behind this time. Dont let your guard down just because you got ahead once. Be aware of yourself, as you have always been. p- p- p p p p- The people who saw how was drawn, and what goals Go-hoon had for the future, apuded generously for the boys prospects. Go-hoon! Go-hoon! As the cheers continued, the que was handed over. Go-hoon won 500,000 euros along with a trophy that said Runner-up of the 1st Arnuvo Competition. Go-hoon raised both arms, holding a trophy in one hand and a bouquet in the other, and Go-soo-yeol couldnt help but shed the tears he had been holding back. Cha Si-hyun, who was happy that his only friend had won the runner-up in the biggestpetition in the world, also dropped tears like chicken droppings. Bang Tae-ho felt a sense of responsibility as if he had seen a side of Go-hoon that was both absurd and mature. Lets congratte Go-hoon again. Woo-jin continued the event. Next, this is also a really amazing thing. No one would have expected it. Mr. Henri Marso, how do you feel? Woo-jin turned his head and was startled. The person who should be the happiest was wearing a sour expression. Henri Marso nced at the microphone and sighed deeply. The 1st Arnuvo Competition in 2028 was a sessful event in terms of poprity, but it was the worst for him. Not only did the old snake with a dark heart provoke him, but he also didnt like the oue of thepetition. Henri Marso snatched the microphone from the host. A few days ago, there was a rumor that my work was a kids drawing. It was a cold voice that didnt sound like a winners speech. I dont like it. Henri Marsos attitude was bewildering, but everyone knew what he wanted to say. After the rumor that Go-hoons work spread, the number of people who voted for increased slightly, so he said that it was not a fair fight with a difference of 257 votes. A ruthless thoroughness. A nobility that he could not be ashamed of himself. The people who knew Henri Marso well nodded their heads. Go-hoon stepped forward. No one knows how many votes I got because of that. Marceau won. Shut up. Henri Marso took the trophy from the staff next to him and headed for Go-hoon. Its yours. Its Marceaus. There was a moment of silence between the two. Henri Marso took a deep breath and calmed his emotions. He offered the trophy again in a slightly softened voice. Take it. Why do you keep telling me to take it when its not mine? Its yours! Its yours! As the two started to fight, Woo-jin showed his professional sense. Haha. Isnt this a really cool scene? This is the true spirit of mutual recognition. Shut up! Leave me alone! Henri Marso and Go-hoon shouted at the same time, and Woo-jin backed away with a nce. Whats with all the talk? Just take it. Why are you doing this? I dont want it. I told you! It wasnt fair! How do you know that? If youre going to argue like that, what about hiding your identity and only revealing one of your works in progress? That was something I took the risk of! Why! What? Why did you do that? Because you could still win? Im already pissed off that I lost, and now youre teasing me? Are you teasing me? Go-soo-yeol and Cha Si-hyun, who had been crying a while ago, froze with their mouths open. Chapter 208: Chapter 208: Friction (1) The people who were watching the award ceremony were stunned. They had been moved by how was painted, but now they could only watch the verbal sh between the two genius painters. What the heck lololol Why is Hoon so angry when he said he didnt care about the ranking lolol I dont get it Isnt he trying to give him the trophy because benefited from Hoons work? From what I heard, is a series. Is he mad because Hoon thought he could win with just one entry lolol Its a pride fight. Yeah, but why is it so funny lolol Alright, you two have made your point. Lets wrap this up. Woojin tried to end the ceremony, but Henri Marso and Hoon didnt budge. You dont have to worry about that crap. Ill beat you next time! Are you trying to embarrass me? Im more embarrassed! How can I ept that! What are you doing! Take them away! Henri Marso called the security guards to the stage, as he had something to reveal after the ceremony. Wait. Wait a minute. I have something to say. Just go down for now. Later. Hoon tried to persuade them, but the people who were paid a high sry by Henri Marso didnt listen to the boy. Shh. Shh. Hoon returned to his seat with the trophy, breathing heavily with anger. He couldnt throw away the trophy that many people had prepared and made a sess of the Arnuvo Contest. It was his regret. His friend, Cha Si-hyun, who was staring at him, opened his mouth. Hey. He wondered why he was ashamed to receive the trophy, but not to fight in front of millions of people. You know this is being broadcast live to the world, right? Hoons eyes widened in excitement. What lololol what is this lolol So who won lolol Look at him being feisty so cute Anyway, Henri won. The result is clear, even if there are some variables. When the situation was roughly settled, Henri Marso straightened his clothes and came forward. People started to visit the exhibition less and less. He spoke clearly, looking around the people who came to the closing ceremony. They say its natural to be extinct because there are too many things to enjoy, such as sports, movies, music, etc. There are bastards who say there are no people who like it anymore. The number 13,092,271 appeared on the central screen. It was the number of people who visited the Arnuvo Contest directly or indirectly. People who love art havent disappeared. Henri Marsos eyes didnt waver at all. They didnt need to see the works that had no inspiration. Even if they visited the exhibition once in a while, they werent happy or sad. They would havee if they were angry or happy, or even scared. The word Cration (Breakthrough) appeared on the central screen, following Henri Marsos words. , which was created through the Project Breakthrough, showed its appearance. People admired the sculpture that looked like a picture had risen from the canvas. It was a masterpiece worthy of Henri Marso, who was loved not only as a painter but also as a sculptor. Thats Henri for you. Kim Ji-woo nodded at Lee In-hos words. The self-portrait that Henri Marso revealed was expressed with every brushstroke as if he had moved the picture to reality. She was lucky to be able to see it up close with her press pass, as she was fascinated by . Huh? But that was only for a moment. Kim Ji-woo, as well as the entire audience, was agitated. A video of Henri Marso drawing in the air was disyed on the central screen. What is that? Tilt Canvas? Did he design it with that? The camera moved slowly to the next space, where Henri Marso was wearing VR and printing the picture he drew in the air in real time. There was a time difference, but the machine that people saw for the first time was drawing the same picture as Henri Marso. As the video was fast-forwarded, the process of being born was revealed. You asked me to act as a web novel editor and trante a Korean text into English. Here is my attempt: Wow! Everyone stood up and screamed as if they were going to leave the closing ceremony hall. What is that;;; How did he do that? What, what is going on? Isnt that a tilt canvas? How is that possible ;;; The OTT tform chat room where people from all over the world gathered was the same. The viewers were astonished by the fact that the painting was printed out in three dimensions. Henri Marso came out. Art is no longer a limited activity on canvas. Henri Marso said that pure art, which had been isted from the public, would no longer be isted. I. Henri Marso stared at Ko Hun, who was sitting in the front row, and said. Everything you draw will be a part of this world. The hero moved his gaze and met the eyes of the invited guests one by one. We dont need trash that clings to the past and ys with art. He said firmly. Challenge yourself. He encouraged. Dont you think its wrong? Isnt it strange that animal taxidermy is traded for tens of millions of euros? Do you think the philosophy contained in it is worth that much? Some people who realized Henri Marsos intention opened their mouths. Animal taxidermy was a work method that Damien Carter mainly used. He pointed out the one who sold the most expensive works at present and criticized his works for being traded at high prices. The hero continued to incite. The abnormal world that treats art as a subject of spection is over. Henri Marso could not ept the reality that art became a subject of spection. He did not want to see that the artists who did art for pure purposes had no ce to stand because of the cartel formed by them. He could not bear that Henri Marsos era remained so ugly and miserable. The history of art will be recorded again. The central screen stated that the license of the tilt canvas and its output device waspletely free. People were excited by the fact that the new technology that could change the history of art became a public good. Henri! Henri! Henri! Henri! Without anyone being first. Most of the artists who participated in the Art Nouveaupetition cheered for Henri Marso. Even though they had made their names known, they had a hard time dreaming of a stable life. They must have felt the injustice. Even though they thought there must be some reason they didnt know, manypetitions only highlighted those who had connections with the association. The works of the people who weremonly known as masters were far beyond the reasonable price. The public looked at those works and thought that was all of modern art and cursed, and the shrinking art market. It was the moment when the umted resentment and resentment burst out. The Antermittag and the Art Nouveaupetition, and the free of charge of the new technology named Opening. Henri Marso was a hero to those who lived in a society dominated by tyrants. [The technology that makes the picture a reality Opening] [Art Nouveaupetition winner, Henri Marso] [Genius painter Ko Hun, Art Nouveaupetition runner-up!] [Henri Marso, I will create a society where art is enjoyed as art.] On the 6th, Henri Marso, a representative painter and sculptor of France, announced his intention to create an art environment. The Art Nouveaupetition hosted by the French National Art Association attracted a lot of attention by adopting a method of selecting by the audience without disclosing the authors name. Henri Marso criticized the tendency of tradingrge amounts of art works in the negative and for spection at the closing ceremony hall, and said that he would create an environment where people can enjoy art and a healthy market where artists can respond to it.] [Henri Marso, the protagonist of the new era, picks himself and Ko Hun] [Ko Hun, Take the trophy!] The two genius painters showed their friendship at the Art Nouveaupetition awards ceremony. Henri Marso gave up the winning trophy because he heard the rumor that was Ko Huns work, and Ko Hun refused it, saying that there was a penalty for Henri Marso. Henri Marso said after the speech that the project Opening was still in progress and he would select Ko Hun as a beta tester and prepare formercialization. Meanwhile, when asked about Opening, Ko Hun could not hide his embarrassment and made peopleugh by swinging the winning trophy. Damien Carter, who was reading the news article, sighed deeply. The art world was buzzing with stories about , , Ko Hun and Henri Marso. Scary. The mostmercially sessful artist of the 21st century was shocked by the Art Nouveaupetition. He had not been moved by a painting in a long time. Damien Carter was sincerely impressed by and . And he envied Henri Marso and Kohun, who could create such works. He was loved by the public for doing his own thing. What if he had not withdrawn halfway? In thetter half of thepetition, and received far more votes than any other works. They were already impressive for maintaining 19-20% of the total votes, but in the end, they both recorded 28%. And that was without revealing their names. Damien Carter was d that he had hurriedly withdrawn. He would have been a great stepping stone for the two lively artists. The lifestyle and culture section of the news sites was full of words like Henri Marso, Kohun, and new art. New art. Damien Carter gripped his hot coffee cup and fell into a dilemma. Just like the past few decades, he could not think of a good idea for his next work. Whenever that happened, he looked at the two skulls that decorated the corner of his secret studio. He could not give up a life that shone like sapphires. Chapter 209: Chapter 209: Friction (2) Yes! Chasi-hyun jumped up and down with joy. He had won the prize of 3,000 euros. He had not been exposed to art for long, but he had guessed quite a lot of works and artists thanks to his diligent study. He was a smart guy who learned how to connect the works and the artists. It was a lucky draw after meeting certain conditions, but he was proud of himself. But what about this trophy? Marso, who always acted cocky, finished his speech and left somewhere. The event of guessing the artists was over, and only the party prepared by SNBA was left, but he was not sure if he could meet him there. He decided to call himter. Mr. Go! Please give us ament! What are you preparing with Henri Marso? Please tell us in detail! Mr. Go Su-yeol! Your grandson won the second prize. How do you feel right now? What are your ns for the future? He was startled when the reporters suddenly swarmed in as the event ended. Please wait! We will arrange a separate ce for the interview. Please ask us then. Bang Tae-ho stepped in and stopped the reporters. What do you want to do? His grandfather asked him. He was asking if he wanted to go to the party. His eyes were red from drinking. I want to rest today. He was tired, whether it was because of the tension or the fight with Marso. He felt sorry for the delicious food at the party. Okay. Youll be busy from now on, so its good to rest when you have time. Can I buy pizza on the way home? He asked him if it was okay to have ate-night snack, which was bad for his health, but he thought it would be fine on a happy day like this. His grandfather hesitated. I dont know if theyre still open. Ah. His grandfather chuckled. Youll find one. He hugged me tightly with a happy smile. Congrattions. I hugged him back. A week after the Art Nouveaupetition. He had a really busy day as his grandfather said. He was prepared, but he received more attention than he imagined, and he felt like he needed three bodies. He was exhausted after signing for about two hours today. If he didnt enjoy meeting his fans, he would have refused no matter how much money he got. Are you tired? Bang Tae-ho asked him with concern. It was understandable, as he had been dragged around by various media outlets, interviews, events hosted by the French National Art Association, radio, and TV programs. He made money and was able to tell his story enough, but he was so tired that he couldnt even watch the drama. He wouldnt have been able to endure it if Bang Tae-ho hadnt selected only the important things for him. Lets rest a bit after today. Yes. He had a pile of work to do from next week. He only had to fill his spot for the 2028 SNBA Salon, which he participated in as the second prize winner of the Art Nouveaupetition, but he also had to film a documentary with Martin Jansen. And from next year, he nned to study abroad, so he had to take the entrance exam. He wondered if he could pass the exam, as he hadnt attended school properlyst year and this year. He would have been able to prepare somehow if he had enough time for three months, but he didnt know if he had time. What about your grandfather? He went after getting a call from Mr. Malo. He remembered what Pierre Malo said, that he would rmend a school and a house. He must have known better than him or his grandfather, since he lived in Paris. He said he would be back before the next broadcast. He nodded and got in the car. He was heading to a broadcasting station called TF1 (Tlvision franaise 1: Tfong), which was said to be thergest in France. The studio and the headquarters were in a city called Boulogne-Bincourt near Paris, so it seemed to take some time. He looked at Bang Tae-ho driving next to him, and he seemed a bit tired too. I had been in Paris for two weeks already, so it wasnt too bad. Even Chasi-hyun, who had enjoyed himself without a care, wanted to go home quickly by the time he left. Are you okay? What do you mean? It must be hard to live in Paris. I wanted to study abroad and work in a wider ce, but Bang Tae-ho would have a hard time working in Paris, leaving his family behind. It would be exhausting to keep going on business trips, not just once or twice. Bang Tae-ho smiled. Ive been thinking about it from the start. I didnt know if it would be Paris, London, or New York. But I didnt expect it to be this fast. I felt uneasy for him, who had quit his stable job to be with me. Its a good thing. There are many writers who shine and disappear. Especially young ones. There are many people who get attention for a while because of their youth, but are forgotten as they grow older. Its not only because of their personal abilities or burdens, but also because of the vtility of the value of writers and their works in this field. Writers whose future is uncertain cannot get the interest of those who see their works as investment targets. Henri Marso was trying to change that environment, and I also hoped that it would improve someday. Dont worry too much. There wont be any problem. And if I want to work with you, I have to ept this much. Grandfather was worried about Bang Tae-hos low ie. No matter how passionate he was, he had a family, so he needed some ie guarantee. I calcted that he would get about 34 million won this year. He had to pay taxes, office expenses, and when he stayed in Paris for a long time, there were a lot of expenses for round-trip transportation, amodation, food, etc. It would be hard for a family of three to live on that. He could do more exhibitions, but he couldnt produce enough works to exhibit. And if he increased his external activities, he would get tired and have less time to work, which would be a loss in the long run. I had no choice but to take care of him separately. The traffic is jammed. Get some sleep if you can. I was already sleepy. Then Ill sleep for a bit. Okay. I closed my eyes. Hoon-ah, were here. ? I felt like I had just closed my eyes, but when I woke up, it hadnt been long. It only took 30 minutes, considering the traffic jam. I had to eat a nice dinner after the show today and sleep until lunch tomorrow. Thank you for your hard work. You have an appointment to appear on the Alphonse Mendy Show. As soon as Bang Tae-ho spoke to the guide, a man ran up to him. Huff, huff. Im sorry. I should have waited for you on time. I felt like I was being treated with pressure wherever I went these days. We just arrived. I smiled and reached out my hand. TF1 was the worlds first television station, and even in 2028, when one-person media dominated the broadcasting market, it maintained its status with aggressive marketing and solid content. Among them, the talk show hosted by popr entertainer Alphonse Mendy was a popr program that exceeded 30% of viewership every time. Today, they weed a special guest and attracted more attention than usual. You all remember the Arnuvo Contest that made Paris buzz a while ago. As the sign fell, host Alphonse Mendy started the show with afortable tone. Many of you were curious because the work was not revealed until the end of the contest. Today, we will meet Ko Hun, the protagonist of Summer Winter. Along with Alphonse Mendys introduction, Ko Hun appeared on the set. The audience cheered enthusiastically and Alphonse Mendy got up from his seat and greeted Ko Hun. Please say hello to the viewers. Hello. Im Ko Hun. Im a painter. Painter. Painter. Alphonse Mendy repeated Ko Huns words. Ko Hun raised his eyebrows and looked puzzled. Ive met a lot of people who do art as a profession. And in the field of art, too. Most of them introduce themselves as artists, but its been a long time since Ive met someone who says theyre a painter. Ko Hun understood Alphonses words and opened his mouth. Art is not just about painting anymore. There are also instation, sculpture, sound, and the use of the whole space, so I guess the expression artist might suit better. Alphonse Mendy pointed to the air with his index finger, capturing the important topic. So you think that way, but you still say youre a painter. Yes. Im not a person who does art, but a person who paints. Alphonse Mendy smiled slightly. Todays conversation will be very interesting. Well start after themercial. Ko Hun looks like he gained some weight, but he looks thinner today He must be very busy. Hes everywhere these days. I wonder if hes not overworking himself. Hes still young. Gosuyeol is with him, so hell be fine. Hes someone you admire, right? Oh, this is crazy. Can you guys understand this? No subtitles? What subtitles on a live broadcast Maybe theyll upload subtitles on the fan cafeter? Someones been making and uploading subtitles diligently these days. I never thought Id be a fan of a painter, but I never imagined Id have to learn French for a Korean kid. It reminds me of how the percentage of people who chose German as their second foreignnguage for the college entrance exam increased because of Baedobin Where are you guys watching from? Alphonse Mendy leaned his arm on the desk and asked. Im curious about the difference between an artist and a painter. Alphonses tone was not exaggerated. It was like a casual conversation in everyday life, so Ko Hun could answerfortably. Its something I discussed with my grandfather. I think art is not something you do, but something you be. Be? If someone calls my painting art, then it bes art. Thats why Im not an artist, but a painter. Thats a wonderful thing to say. Do you talk a lot with your grandfather? Yes, I do. Usually we fight over food, though. Alphonses eyes widened. Ha ha. The two best painters fight over food? My grandfather likes salty food. I like greasy or sweet food. Neither of you eat healthy, do you? Thats right. What do you like to eat normally? I usually eat Korean food. Kimchi stew or vegetable sd with meat. Korean food. Ive tried bibimbap before. Kimchi stew? Did I pronounce that right? Perfect. Kimchi stew. What is kimchi stew? Its a soup dish made with fermented kimchi. I like it with a lot of pork neck meat. Oh, kimchi. I know that. I thought it was like a sd, but you use it for soup dishes too? Yes. There are many ways to cook it. You can stir-fry it with rice or steam it with meat. Its a traditional food, after all. So you like traditional food. But I also read an article that said you like potato pizza. Yes. A well-fermented dough topped with mayonnaise, potatoes, cheese, and bacon is like ude Ms clouds. Wait a minute. Potato pizza is like Ms clouds? It means peaceful. Perfect. Alphonse nodded and smiled. Todays interview will be a bit difficult. Chapter 210: Chapter 210: Friction(3) I hear that a lot, but I dont really get it. Haha. Good. Lets keep going. I understand that youre a foodie, but Im curious if you have any other hobbies. I like to draw or go to exhibitions. It makes sense that its rted to your job, but on the other hand, I also think this. Ko Hun tilted his head slightly. They say its unhappy when your hobby bes your job. I know that your working hours are long, but isnt it hard to have your spare time also rted to painting? Its hard sometimes and exhausting sometimes. Alphonse brightened his eyes, hoping that he would continue to talk. But I feel energized when I eat something delicious for lunch. And dinner too. And after working at night, theres the next morning. Hahahat. Its back to food talk again. I guess you can say that you relieve your stress by eating. Yes. Actually, I dont have much time to do anything else. I have a lot of things I want to draw, but theres so much to learn that I dont want to waste time doing other things. So instead of doing other things, you eat the most delicious things you can? I didnt really think of it that way, but I guess I did. Alphonse nodded. He could tell how much the boy loved painting from his words that he didnt want to waste time doing other things. I can guess how much you love painting. Ah. Ko Hun eximed. Did you think of something? Yes. I like to watch dramas. And novels too. Thats a nice hobby. Can you rmend me some? Theres a novel called Blood Mark that was recently made into a web drama. Blood Mark? Its a Korean novel. It starts with a woman who tries to get revenge on a man who tormented her lover, but ends up falling in love with his grandson. Lets try that again. Alphonse tried to understand Ko Huns words, but he couldnt. So first of all, the grandson is an adult, right? Hes a college student. Then that means the man who tormented her lover is old. Yes. He was her lovers stepfather. Her lovers stepfather? Ko Hun nodded. He looked so innocent that Alphonse felt dizzy. Was it an affair? Well, if you look at it, her marriage to her husband was a sham. They were a same-sex couple. But after they got married, she fell in love with her stepfather. Thats enough. Alphonse cut off Ko Huns words as he was getting more interested. The novels content could be a spoiler. Lets stop there. Thats true. He was a Frenchman who was tolerant of adultery and cheating, but it was too much for a 10-year-old kid to say. Alphonse changed the topic. Do you have any other hobbies? Now that I think about it, I have a lot. I like listening to music. Music. Thats something you can definitely listen to while working. Yes. What kind of music do you listen to? I like ssical music. The ones without lyrics dont distract me. Alphonse nodded. ssical music is having a resurgence. Do you have a favorite musician? Baedovin. The B. The conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic is someone everyone can love. Hes amazing. Painter and musician. I heard that there are many people who have a close rtionship like Mahler and Klimt, but do you have a personal friendship? Not at all. Im just a fan. I see. I was just wondering. Alphonse smiled lightly and moved on to the next topic. Speaking of art, do you have any works that you liked recently? The most recent one was. Ko Hun hesitated for a moment and then confessed honestly. Mayo by Marso. The audience and Alphonse seemed pleased to hear the answer they had been waiting for. It was the winning piece of the Art Nouveaupetition, right? Yes. His use of color is really impressive. It looks like it belongs there from the start. I dont know much about art, but it must be hard to do that. Its not that special to color like that. Its all about perception. For example? People think ripe apples are red. But apples are not just red. They have green and yellow too. And many other colors in between. Alphonse nodded. Thats what painters do, finding those colors. But Henri Matisse is special among them. He gives meaning to all those colors, to where they should be. Many people praise his descriptive power, but he can convey emotions with colors alone. "Mark Rothkoes to mind."1) Ko Hun just nodded, not bothering to answer. Alphonse didnt expect much from his remark, so he continued with his questions. Did you know it was Henri Matisses work before the announcement? Yes. I saw his series in his studio. Series. That was revealed in the conversation at the award ceremony. I heard they will be shown at the Salon. I guess thats his n. Im really looking forward to it. Alphonse blinked his eyes, encouraging Ko Hun to keep talking. At first, I thought someone copied Matisse. Alphonse furrowed his brows. Copied him? I never thought he would enter the samepetition. Haha. I heard that story too. Yes. I called Matisse and told him someone copied him. I wonder how he reacted. He asked how anyone could copy his paintings. The audienceughed. It sounded just like something Matisse would say. Matisse has always been aware of you, Ko Hun. Andtely, it seems like you are too. Hes a bit annoying. Hes a nice and good person when I see him from afar, but somehow we always end up fighting when we meet. Hmm. What happened? When I see him at the Antermite or the Art Nouveaupetition, I think he really loves art. I wonder how one person can do such great things. And? He nags too much. Hahaha. Nags? Yes. Hees in when Im broadcasting and tells me what to do and what not to do. He tells me what to eat and what not to eat when Im having a meal. He calls me a pig. It stresses me out. Alphonse covered his mouth andughed for a while. Hahaha. A pig? Thats harsh. I eat a lot, but thats too much. Youre growing up. Alphonseforted Ko Hun and continued with his questions. Since were talking about Matisse, let me ask you about the new technology development youre doing together. What exactly do you do? Im a tester for convenience and UI. I use it and check whats inconvenient and what needs to be supplemented. Thats important. Yes. I think Ille and live here next year. Thats good news. Ill be able to see more of your work in Paris. Youve lived here for a while before, so youll adapt quickly. Yes. I lived here with my parents when I was young. Alphonse nodded and responded. The house you lived in then is now rented out, so my grandfather is looking for a house for me. Vroom- vroom- A vibration sound came from somewhere. Ko Hun put his hand in his pocket and pressed the power button. Im sorry. Its no problem. Alphonse waved his hand to reassure Ko Hun. Its time to talk. He thought it was time to mention the important topic, after getting to know Ko Huns daily life and situation. Youve reached the top position in a year, with the Whitney Biennale, the Art Nouveaupetition, and the SNBA Salon next week. Ko Hun didnt affirm or deny it. Anri Marso, who dered to reform the stagnant art market, named himself and Ko Hun as the leading figures of the new era. Yes. What do you think of the current art market, Ko Hun? It was a sensitive question. Even Anri Marso, who received absolute support in France, was facing bacsh for his strong criticism of the existing art world. Ko Hun hesitated for a moment and opened his lips. Many artists are working hard. They are making good works. The Whitney Biennial did that, and so did the Art Nouveau Competition. Yes. Thats why I feel sorry. Things like the winners being decided by a few people who hold the power should be improved. You have some points inmon and some differences with Marsos opinion. Yes. I dont know who Marso is referring to as the stale artists. Maybe its because I havent seen many works yet, or maybe its Marsos stubbornness. Alphonse looked at Ko Hun with interest. I dont think its time for me to judge yet. Ill think about it after I get to know more works. Ko Hun honestly revealed his inner thoughts. You mentioned Mark Rothko earlier. When I first saw Mark Rothkos work, I was very confused. Because its just colored. Yes. But after seeing it once, twice, and the third time, I think I watched it for about an hour. And then my heart moved. Hmm. I dont think its a work that many people can rte to. Its easy, but not easy. Its a strange expression. I think I know what you mean. Yes. Its weird to use Mark Rothko as an example, but there are many cases where new attempts are not understood. Thats true. But I dont think that means they are meaningless. Ko Hun had many thoughts. Right after losing his memory, he had a strong memory of living as Vincent van Gogh, and he worked with a desire to never go back to that time. But after meeting various works. He wondered again if it was really a meaningless act in the process of regaining his memory. The works left by Vincent van Gogh influenced Gustav Klimt, Henri Matisse, and others, and they inspired other people. Its also important to be loved by the public. It meansmunication is smooth, and above all, you have to do that to work healthily. Yes. But just because youre not understood right now doesnt mean youll always be like that. Just like Vincent did. Maybe you learned to handle colors more deeply because of Mark Rothko. Yes. I dont think Marso would think of that as a stale act either. He buys works of unknown painters if he likes them. I know that. Yes. Marso wants to create an environment where those people can at least not starve and get fair rewards for their efforts and results. I support him from that perspective. Alphonse looked at the young boy in front of him again. He deliberately asked a difficult question. No matter what he answered, he could be attacked by both sides who supported the current art market and those who supported Anri Marso. But Ko Hun was unraveling the story rationally and bncing it. Hes not just a good painter. Alphonse judged that Ko Hun had an eye for the times like Anri Marso. Then what is your n for the future? Ko Hun answered without hesitation. To get to know more people and more deeply. It was a simple and vague statement. It sounded like he was going to lead the art world that had reached a new turning point in Alphonses ears. 1)Mark Rothko (Mark Rothko): Born in 1903, died in 1970. A painter who wanted to draw human emotions. He expressed emotions with colors without shapes, and hoped that each viewer would resonate with their own experience. The National Gallery in the United States conducted a survey asking Have you ever cried seeing a work of art? and 70% of those who answered yes said they cried seeing Mark Rothkos work. I am not an abstract painter. I have no interest in colors, shapes, or anything else. I pursue the expression of fundamental emotions such as tragedy, ecstasy, and destiny. -Mark Rothko Chapter 211: Chapter 211: 211 Friction (4) Why are you looking for a house? Henri Matisse, who was watching the Alphonse Mendy Show, reacted to the news that Ko Hun was house hunting. I have to. Michel tini yawned and retorted. Why? Why do you ask why? Its better than staying at a hotel all the time when Im not here for long. Why dont you just live here? Michel tini doubted his ears. Henri Matisse was inviting someone else to his house, which was hard to believe. She lifted her upper body and looked down at Henri, who was lying next to her. Are you by any chance Henri Matisse, who was ying with his smartphone while watching TV, turned his head. No. Their eyes met and Michel shook his head to shake off his doubt. Why would Ko Hun live here? It would be much better for him to live with Goseul Kyung and have fun, rather than messing around with you. There are plenty of rooms. He was speechless at the suggestion that Goseul Kyung could also move in. Since when were you close with Ko Hun? Do you think he would live in the same house with you? Henri Matisse nodded as if it was obvious. What makes you think that? Because were that kind of friends. Dont confuse me by saying weird things. What kind of friends are you talking about! Friends who dont misunderstand. Henri Matisse pointed to the TV with confidence. -Matisse probably doesnt think much of that behavior either. Ko Hun, who appeared on the Alphonse Mendy Show, urately guessed Henri Matisses intention. What is this crazy guy talking about? If you dont like it, juste in. He often says strange things, but today hes gone too far. I came to return the trophy and he told me to live here. Why would I live here? Because the equipment is here. Henri Matisse answered with an innocent look that didnt suit him. He was so confident that it felt natural to stay in this mansion. I can juste by when I need to. Why do I have to live here? Why waste time? Matisses mansion was quite far from the center of Paris, but it would be much better than living with him. And. And? You dont have any money, do you? Why dont I have any money? You didnt even borrow money for the cafest time. You said the international phone bill was too expensive. Thats because I didnt want to waste money on useless things! Stop pushing me like that. Whos the weird one here? Sometimes I wonder if Im the weird one when I talk to this guy. And I have plenty of money. Yeah? Yeah! How much do you have? What do you care? You said you have it. I wont force you if you do. I dont care what this guy says. I dont even want to listen to him. And I dont need to tell him about my assets. But if I dont convince him now, hell bother meter. About 37 billion? Euros? How can I have 37 billion euros! Do you have it? He shrugged his shoulders smugly. So how much do you have? Won. Speak clearly. I have about 37 billion won in Korean currency. Henri Matisse looked annoyed and took out his smartphone to calcte the exchange rate. He snickers. Come in. His attitude is so infuriating, as if hes doing me a favor by inviting me to live with him. Stop joking! I m the table and get up. I know hes rich, but he clearly has no sense of economy. He has too much money. Do you have any idea how much it would cost to build a gallery in the center of Paris? I turn around and see Marso tilting his head, taunting me. As much as it annoys me, hes not wrong. Paris has many areas where development is restricted to preserve the culture and thendscape. Thend prices are very high in the areas where development is possible, so I was considering moving into an old house. Or I could live a bit further from the center. But the gallery has to be in the center, thats the problem. ording to Pierre Malo, thend where Marsos gallery is located has a market value of 150,000 euros per square meter. Thats over 200 million won in Korean currency. Even if I spend 30 billion won, I can only buy 300 square meters (90.7 pyeong). Thats such a waste, dont you think? Dont worry about it! He seems to like you a lot. When I tell my grandfather and Bang Tae-ho what happened in the morning, they bothugh it off. Thats ridiculous. I cant live with him. Thats right. You should live with your grandfather. My grandfather always reminds me to watch my snacks, brush my teeth, and apply lotion, which is a bit annoying, but I cherish the time I spend with him. On the other hand, I dont care how much money I could save by living with Henri Marso. Its not worth it. Hows school going? Bang Tae-ho asks me about school, which Im curious about too. Its going well. I told him that the abnormal level of education in Korean elementary schools was too much for me, so my grandfather was looking for an art-focused school. France has good public education, but there are also many good private middle schools.1) I have to enter the CM1 course. Or I could go straight to middle school. This school looks good. Malos? My grandfather nods and shows me the catalog. Its a rmendation from Pierre Malo, so its worth considering, but its the affiliated middle school of Lyce Henri-IV. Thats an ominous name. You only have to take three basic subjects and then you can choose your major subjects. They also invite professional artists as art teachers. Korean elementary schools are a bit excessive, but I need someone who can broaden my humanistic knowledge more than an art teacher. I told you before, I dont want to learn from anyone else. I have my grandfather and Future Aunt. Why do I need that? The spacious galleries and museums are all my teachers. Hmm. I want to learn more diverse knowledge. Then you should go to college. You can choose whatever liberal arts courses you want. Is he saying its too hard for me now? Id rather do it myself, if it takes less time. "They have sses four days a week. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday."2) Really? They operate on a five-period system. It ends at 2:30. The ending time is simr to Korean elementary schools, but its much more rxed since I dont have to go every day. They run on a three-semester system, right? Bang Tae-ho asks. Yeah. The new school year starts on September 1st, so I guess I can enter around then next year. I nod happily. They have a lot of holidays, too? My grandfather shows me the annual schedule. If I enroll in September, Ill have All Saints Day holiday (2 weeks) in October, Christmas holiday (2 weeks) in December. Winter holiday (3 weeks) in February, Easter holiday (2 weeks) in April, and summer holiday (2 months). Is this heaven? Ha ha ha. This kid, he likes having a lot of holidays. My grandfatherughs. Its really long. More than eight months. Thats right. You can travel with your grandfather and draw pictures during the holidays. I nod. With this schedule, I dont have to worry too much about my work, and its easy to visit various museums. I never felt burdened by Korean elementary school, but it was annoying to keep track of the attendance days. Ding-dong-ding-dong- Its the opening of the web drama . Bang Tae-ho answered the phone. Yeah. What? So. Uh. His expression darkened in an instant as he answered the phone cheerfully. He closed his eyes slightly and looked sad. I could guess what kind of bad news it was. Okay. I got it. I have to go. Yeah. He sighed after hanging up. Whats wrong? Grandpa asked with concern. Bang Tae-ho looked at me and grandpa alternately and sighed again. My mother copsed. I have to go see her. What are you waiting for? You have to go quickly. He seemed sorry that he couldnt join me for the SNBA Salon, but that was ridiculous. Right. Dont worry about me. Im fine. Go book a flight. Hurry up. Sorry. Thank you. He checked the flight tickets on his smartphone. Actually, I didnt have much to do at the SNBA Salon either, so it wouldnt be a problem if Bang Tae-ho left. Besides, grandpa was here. Vroom-vroom- The phone rang and I checked it. It was Jang Mi-rae. She must be busy preparing for the exhibition, but she called me to congratte mest week and sometimes asked how I was doing. Yes, auntie. -Hi! How are you? Im good. How about you? -Not at all. Im lonely without Hun-son-sil. What is Hun-son-sil? Are you busy with the exhibition? -Yeah, well. Its a global simultaneous preparation, so I have a lot of things to check, but I cant go around everywhere. I heard that she was exhibiting in 60 museums around the world. It was a huge scale. She was the most loved painter of this era along with Henri Matisse, so it was possible. Im rooting for you. I hoped it would go well, since she prepared earlier than Fernando Gonzalez. -Thank you. By the way, when is the teacher arriving? Are youing with him? Huh? -The arrival time of the ne. I couldnt understand what she was saying. Ill hand it over to grandpa. -Okay. I handed the smartphone to grandpa. Its auntie Mi-rae. Mi-rae? Yes. She asked when the ne arrives, but I dont know what she means. ne? Grandpa tilted his head slightly and then opened his eyes wide. Mi-rae. Right. Ah He nced at me as he answered the phone. Right. Then I have to go, of course. I forgot. No. No. Right. See you the day after tomorrow. He handed me back the smartphone and rubbed his forehead. He seemed to have forgotten something he promised with Jang Mi-rae. Did you have an appointment? Hmm. I agreed to give a speech at auntie Mi-raes exhibition, but I forgot. Are youte? I can leave tomorrow. He couldnt finish his sentence. You can go. Then what about the Salon? I can go alone. No way. How can I leave you alone. Sigh. What do I do. Maybe I can go tomorrow, give a speech, ande back on the first flight? He shook his head. It was an impossible schedule. Teacher, this is the fastest flight avable. What should we do? Grandpa looked at the ne ticket that Bantaeho showed him and hesitated. He seemed worried about me, but I wouldnt have any problems being alone for a day or two. The only problem was that Grandpa thought of me as a mere ten-year-old kid. Hoon-ah. Grandpa held my hand tightly. Cant you stay at Marsons house for a few days? What? Since the introduction of the Jules Ferryw in 1881, French public education has provided free and secr education to all citizens at an equal level. However, the elite group of French society has tended to send their children to private schools run by Catholic foundations, and this trend has spread to the middle ss since 2010. This is because graduating from a good private middle school is necessary to enter a good high school. In France, the problem of private schools threatening public education is worsening. French parents worry about this problem when their children enter CM1 (the equivalent of fourth grade in Korea). As of 2020, most elementary schools in France do not have sses on Wednesdays, and middle schools only have morning sses on Wednesdays, following a 4.5-day system. The first ss starts at 8 a.m. and each sssts 55 minutes, with 6 to 7 sses per day. Lunchtime is 1 hour and 25 minutes long, and the school year is divided into three terms, with about four months of vacation in total. In , some of these periods have been changed. Chapter 212: Chapter 212: 212 Friction (5) Ill be back soon. I dont want to. Grandpa frowned. Ille to get you in two days. You can go. Ill stay at the hotel. How can I leave you alone here? Huh? I understood how he felt. No matter what I said, I was just a ten-year-old grandson to him. He couldnt leave his only grandson in a foreign country. I would do the same. Huh? Im sorry, grandpa. He hugged me and patted my back. I didnt know how to get out of this predicament. I wont go out. I can order room service for food. I pushed him away and looked him in the eye. He had a look that said no way. Hoo. Bang Tae-ho sighed deeply. He was probably ming himself for this situation, being the responsible person he was. The more I refused grandpas wish, the more I felt sorry for him and Bang Tae-ho. Ill stay with Grandpa Martin. I didnt have to go to Marsos house. Grandpa needed someone he could trust and leave me with, and in that case, Martin Jansen, who had a long friendship with grandpa, would be a much better choice. It wasnt too far from Over Sur Oise, and I could befortable there. He said he was in Arles when I called him yesterday. Then what about Pierre? Hes on vacation from today. I can stay with him for two days even if hes on vacation. He went surfing in New Zend. He cant leave his house empty. This was a conspiracy. Someone must have orchestrated this situation. How could everything fall into ce like this? Hoon-ah. If you stay at Marsos for two days, Ill buy you anything you want. Grandpa pleaded with me, and I had no choice. Sometimes you have to do things you dont like. How old do you think I am to say that? Hoon-ah. There was no other way. Fine. I had said I wouldnt go with him this morning. I could imagine his face when I told him I would stay with him for a few days. Look at him. He looked down at me with a smug face as I arrived at Marsos mansion with grandpa. He was more annoying than I expected. I couldnt stand his face, so I avoided his gaze. I wanted to go back, but I couldnt refuse outright, knowing grandpa and Bang Tae-hos situation. I kicked the floor and swallowed my anger. Grandpa opened his mouth. Then Ill trust you and go. Dont worry. I hated to say that. Hoon-ah. Grandpa crouched down. I had to look him in the eye, and I could tell how much he cared. Call me if anything happens. Ill answer anytime. Okay? I will. It was already toote. I had to endure for two days without shing with him. Eat well and chew your food. Apply lotion and dont forget to brush your teeth. Im runningte. I would normally agree, but I felt embarrassed to be treated like a child in front of Marso. I sent grandpa off quickly, using the flight time as an excuse. Then, see youter. Yes. Have a safe trip. I waved goodbye and turned around, only to see Marso smiling slyly. I didnte because I wanted to. Sure. Henri Marso acted as if he understood everything, which made him four times more annoying than usual. No, really. Marso chuckled. You must have some pride. You must have wanted to make up a usible reason. I said no. Stop it. The more you deny it, the worse you look. I really wanted to punch him hard. I came because I was worried about Grandpa. I could have stayed at the hotel. Thats not enough to exin why you came to my house. You know better than anyone that there are many people in Paris who are friends with the high society. You came looking for me because you wanted to stay at my ce, didnt you? He inferred that I had a lot of acquaintances in Paris, but I chose him because I liked his house. Martin Jansen is in Arles. Pierre Malo went on vacation. Henri Marso shook his head as if he had no choice. The manager has family issues. The high society has schedules. Jansen is on a business trip, Malo is on vacation. So? Do you think things would work out so well? Dont you think its pathetic? I felt like going back to the hotel right now and hitting his shin. I was already so frustrated, and I had to spend two more days with him. Call me a taxi. A taxi? I cant stay here. Im going back. There was a line in a drama I watched recently that said forgiveness is easier than permission. Grandpa would understand if I exined the situationter, after staying at the hotel. Can you do that? What cant I do? Do you think Im your girlfriend? A familiar person came behind Henri Marso, who shrugged his shoulders. It was Sherry Gado, the mother of Michel tini and the nanny of Marso. Oh, Hoon is here. Why are you here? Come on in. Sherry. She was still a kind person. Are you hungry? I prepared something delicious, so go upstairs and rest for a while. Why are you like that? Geez. Look at me. Congrattions. How did you two win and runner-up, huh? Thank you. Good for you. Good. I also baked you a blueberry tart, your favorite, as a congrattory gift. The crispy tart and fresh blueberry pulp came to mind, and I salivated without knowing it. Did you say Raymonds pizza was so deliciousst time? I nodded, remembering the potato pizza I had when Marso invited me to show off his reform. Ill make it even better this time. Go upstairs and rest. Ill call you when its done. Okay. Maybe it wasnt all bad. Hoon was enjoying the dinner that Sherry Gado had prepared with care and was in ecstasy. He sat in afortable chair, savoring the aroma that still lingered in his mouth with Sherry Gados blueberry tart, and listening to Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 yed by the Berlin Philharmonic, he felt as if his fatigue had flown away. How long are you going to do that? Henri Marso called out to Hoon, who was intoxicated with happiness. Just a little more. Get up. Wash up. Just a littleter. Ah. Hoon bit into the blueberry tart. The pie with a rich butter vor matched well with the tangy pulp, and it was an excellent texture. Hoon didnt know how to express his elevated mood. Henri Marso turned off the music. Hoon, who was enjoying his rest, got up with a frown. Whats wrong? Wash up. Hoon, who couldnt resist thendlords coercion, reluctantly left the living room of the guest room and headed to the sink next to the bedroom. He squeezed toothpaste onto his toothbrush and wondered how he could draw his happiness tonight. He decided to sketch on his tablet and sort out his thoughts, since he didnt bring his drawing tools. "Come to the studio by 8 a.m. tomorrow." Hoon turned his head at Henri''s words. "Don''t you have to do the test test?" Hoon quickly rinsed his mouth and asked. "Already? I thought we were going to do it when we go to Paris next year." "You have to do it as much as you can when you have time to release it perfectly." As with all products, Gaebok'', a new technology, was especially important for testers. It was essential to adjust the sensitivity to follow the artists'' delicate senses, and to repeatedly check for errors in various situations. "You''re working hard." Hoon expressed his honest impression. He learned that Henri Marso, who was not an engineer, had developed his own knowledge and developed it while eating dinner. "Of course." Henri Marso crossed his arms. "The people who follow can only see the front, but the people who lead are different. You have to do your best every day because you don''t know how hard you have to work." Hoon blinked and brushed his teeth. "You too." "Me?" "Yeah." Hoon spat out the toothpaste he had scraped between his gums and teeth. "I don''t want to do better than others. Just enjoy it." "They don''t see you that way, even if you think so." Henri Marso felt that Hoon still didn''t know what kind of existence he was. "You participated in the Whitney Biennale less than a year after your first exhibition. And now you''ve beaten those damn oldies and won at Art Nouveau." "I''m just lucky." "What?" "I''m lucky!" "Brush your teeth properly." "" "Whatever you draw, they have you as a goal to ovee." "That''s not true." Hoon spat out the toothpaste and denied Henri''s words, then brushed his teeth again. He had received more attention than before, but there were still great artists. He realized that through the Art Nouveaupetition. "You don''t know." Henri emphasized again. "More than 50 papers have been submitted about you, who have been active for less than two years." "How do you know that?" Henri Marso stopped talking for a moment and ignored Hoon''s question. "You''re the ninth most popr among the active artists. Don''t you still get it?" Hoon held water in his mouth. "You''re already in the center of the art world." Hoon looked up at Henri and met his eyes. "That means there are as many people as dust who want to trample on you, look down on you, and harm you." Hoon spat out the water that rinsed his mouth. He repeated countless times that not everyone was good, living in his past and present lives. There were people who envied others in the same situation, and there were those who harmed them in a negative way. "Now your grandfather won''t let them go. Me too." Hoon washed his face. "Don''t just wet it, use a cleansing foam." "It''s clean like this." "Don''t you look forward to tomorrow morning?" Hoon quietly squeezed the cleansing foam into his palm. "You have to protect yourself from those guys. You''re young, so you don''t need to know thew or how to punish them." "What do you mean?" "Do something amazing that they can''t even dare to do. Show them the difference." Hoon stopped rubbing his face. "The best thing to do is to get ahead of them so that even those who want to curse and drag you down have to follow you." Hoon listened to all of Henri Marso''s words and washed away the foam without answering. Then he wiped off the water with a towel. "I told you before, I don''t want to do that." Henri Marso thought that Hoon was only saying ignorant words, but he couldn''t say anything to the following words. "I like living with my grandfather, future aunt, and you, drawing good pictures. If someone wants to be first, let them do it. I don''t care about selling my work more expensive than anyone else." As long as there is someone who likes my paintings like Marso, thats enough for me. Marso feels the same way, right? I was about to leave the sink when Henri Marso blocked the door. I was startled by the loud noise he made as he leaned against the wall. What now? Is that all? I nodded. No matter what Henri Marso thought, I was firm in what I wanted. Disgusting. I red up at his words. Whats so disgusting! You should respect other peoples thoughts! Your feet. Yes? Why dont you wash your feet. Why do you only wash your face and not shower? Why dont you apply lotion. I blinked. Wash properly. Chapter 213: Chapter 213: 213 Children of a New Country (1) 5:30 a.m. Ko Hun was enjoying a nap in his bed and nket that were as cozy as his mothers embrace. Henri Matisse was displeased with him. He couldnt stand seeing the person who would open a new era with him beingzy. Get up. Henri tried to wake Ko Hun up, but the boy who was sound asleep didnt react. Get up. After calling him several times, Henri Matisse ran out of patience and shook Ko Hun. Huh? Ko Hun, who was drowsy, raised his head in surprise. Open your eyes. Sigh. Ko Hun, who realized that the man who woke him up was Henri, let out a sigh and buried his face in the pillow again. Henri frowned. Get up. Just five more minutes Ko Huns breathing became stable again. Henri Matisse pulled off the nket and drew the curtains. The surroundings were still dark, but when he opened the window, the cold air came in. Ko Hun curled up his body and got up to look for the nket. Henri Matisse, who was holding the nket, came into the boys sight. He turned his head and saw that it was still dark outside. Why are you doing this in the morning? Were going jogging, so get dressed. Jogging? What for? Ko Hun scowled andined. He had been living a healthy life since he was Vincent van Gogh, but he couldnt understand Henri Matisse, who wanted to go jogging at a time when the sun hadnt risen yet. Huh? Henri lifted the boy up and put him in front of the sink when he tried to snatch the nket. Wash up. No. What time is it now? 5:40. Ko Hun let out a long sigh. He had no energy to argue or resist. He just wanted to sleep more. Ill do itter. One hour. No, two more hours. Henri Matisse grabbed Ko Huns side. What are you doing! Ko Hun jumped in surprise at the unexpected sensation. Look at yourself. Youre getting fat from eating like a pig. What are you talking about? What does it matter if Im fat or not? A healthy mind dwells in a beautiful body. If you live recklessly when youre young, youll soon ruin yourself. No. Do you want to die soon? Dont you want to paint more? Its an exaggeration to say that Ill die soon just because I dont exercise. You lose your health because of a small negligence. Negligence bes a habit, habit bes a life, and life determines your fate. Dont you know that? If you eat and dont exercise like this, youll gain weight soon. Obesity causes adult diseases, and ifplicationse when you have an underlying disease, its already toote. So let me sleep for one more hour. From an aesthetic point of view, its a dereliction of duty to have that face and not take care of it. Wash up ande out. Ill give you five minutes. Ko Hun looked at the door that Henri Matisse left with a nk expression. He was very annoyed by his high-pressure proposal, but he remembered the time when he lost his health and made an extreme choice. The boy suppressed his angry feelings and started to wash his face. Hah. Hah. Hah. He copsed as soon as he arrived at the entrance. He had no strength to stand, let alone move a finger, so hey there and Matisse came over. Slow. If he had even a little bit of strength left, he wouldnt have let him go. 50 minutes for 5 km. He ran 5 km? Pathetic. Hah. Hah. Run and get back here within 30 minutes. And dont skip a day. Are you kidding me? Who do you think you are? Iy down and catch my breath, but I have no strength to get up. Get up. Please, just stop telling me to get up. Arsene, exin the schedule. He doesnt listen to me. Good job. Arsene hands me a towel, but Im toozy to wipe off the sweat. After breakfast, well conduct a breakthrough test until noon. I shake my head. Not today. I cant do it even if you put a knife to my throat. I ignored him in the morning, but it wont work twice. No matter what he says, Im not doing anything today. I told you, you have a lot to do. Then dont make me run like this. Youre whining after just running that much? Im not whining, Im telling you I cant. I need strength to do anything. You have to exercise moderately. Running 5 km all of a sudden drained all my energy. I cant do anything today. You cant do it because youre tired? Yeah. Arsene, put him in the recovery capsule. Yes, sir. No. You said you have no strength. Eat breakfast in an hour and bring him to theb. I will do that. I was sick of seeing him use the recovery capsule that my grandfather gave me as a birthday present more often, to exercise more. He must be so passionate to maintain those muscles at his age, but I know how scary it is to have your fatigue forcibly recovered by someone else. Oh, and this. I have no strength to resist being dragged to the recovery capsule, and Arsene gives me a bottle of drink. Its a special drink made by Madame Sherry Gado. It will relieve your fatigue. It sounds like an ion drink. I suck on the straw and a sweet lemon scent fills my mouth. Its sweet. Its honey lemonade. Its made with honey harvested from the Hardramaut mountains in Saudi Arabia and lemons grown on the Marso familys farm. Is this what they call the cebo effect? I feel like Im getting my strength back after hearing that its made with good ingredients. Thank you. For breakfast, we prepared a special Korean-style dish. He must be trying to tempt me with food to make me do something, but I wont fall for it this time. I like Korean food, but not the expensive ones like a set meal. I like the popr ones like Korean pizza, chicken, and ck bean noodles. Korean-style beef steak, right? Beef for breakfast? I was caught off guard by the unexpected attack. Its the best grade of Charis beef, which represents France. I was lucky to avoid falling for Marsos cunning trap. It was a sharp move. France has a developed livestock industry thanks to its vast ins, but Arsene doesnt realize that the French people like different kinds of meat than the Koreans. The best grade in France would be meat without any fat, without any marbling. Of course, the quality must have improved a lot since I ate meat a century ago, but Im not interested in meat without fat. The meat of a cow that has been fed for 84 months has a condensed vor like condensed milk. The texture is chewy and melts in your mouth. But its no good without fat. We also prepared Celtic salt and ea sea salt. Celtic? Its a sea salt harvested from the Antic Ocean in central France. Its rich in minerals and enhances the vor of the steak. ea sea salt is a traditional Hawaiian salt that has a savory taste. Savory taste. If you dip the steak in olive oil and eat it, nothing can be more delicious. Youve exercised, so you need to replenish your nutrients ordingly. Then, have a good rest. I felt like I was persuaded by Arsens words. But I couldnt give up the rich vor of beef, so I obediently got into the recovery capsule. After receiving the intensive recovery course and having a splendid breakfast, I felt much better, to my dismay. In this state, I thought I could draw at least two pictures. Go over there and write. I took the VR that Marso handed me and went to the middle of the test devices. You need to get used to it first. Write as you please. It took me some time to adjust to drawing with a stick instead of a brush. Cant you make the controller look like a brush? Its hard because of the button position. What if you make it work with voice? Ill consider it. I started to draw the sketch that I had nned before going to bed yesterday. As expected, it was a problem that I didnt expect when I tried to use the whole three-dimensional space after drawing only on a t surface. With the way Ive been doing it, it was just floating in the air, not making good use of the wall. Your school is. Im going to Henri IV Middle School. Henri IV? Why? I had a bad feeling as soon as I asked. Dont tell me hes the president there or something, or hes sponsoring it or something. No. Thats a relief. Henri IV was the first king of the Bourbon dynasty, and he used the lily emblem like Marso. He said he was royalty, so I was worried that he might have some connection, but I guess I was being sensitive. The test is. I have to prepare. Im going to enter next September, so I have to start now. When was the test? June. I didnt use lines in the first ce, but if I use the wall, I have to use the surface as a line. If I dont get used to this concept, the wall-based picture will only add volume to the existing picture. It wont be that hard. How do you know that? I know. Try pressing the trigger button. Its a brush shortcut. The shape of the brush changed as I pressed the button shaped like a trigger. It changed to the mostmonly used brush shapes every time I pressed it. Can I also set the brush shape? You can change it in the settings tab. This convenience is not bad, but there are so many functions that its hard to master them. I think it would be better to change it to be more intuitive. Like by talking. Youre not used to button maniption, are you? Everyone who does it for the first time will be like that. You can make this controller look like a brush with voice, right? Hmm. Arsen, make a note of that. Yes. Anything else ufortable? No. Wouldnt it be ufortable for people who wear sses to use this? Theres a separate essory for that. It seems that they developed it so that people who wear sses can use the VR device without difort. I dont y games much, so I dont know, but its obvious that they put a lot of effort into making it. Oh, this brush response is a bit slow. Thats true. Arsen. Yes, Ive recorded it. The brush I just used was marked in red. How are you going to prepare for the test? I dont know. Buy some workbooks or something? Youre rxed even though your grades are not good. How do you know my grades are not good, Marso. Its obvious. After I was born again, the words and expressions I used were so different even in the samenguage that I had a hard time. When I was younger, I had bad grades because I was adapting to it, but now its not that bad. The difficulty of the test is abnormalpared to the elementary school students in Korea. Arsen, get me the test papers for the CM1 course. Yes. Why are you buying that? I cant leave it to you, its frustrating. Study for the test in the afternoon. Chapter 214: Chapter 214: 214 Children of a New Country (2) Henri Marso squinted his eyes and checked Ko Huns test paper. Ko Hun had shown outstanding results in the FLE (French for Foreigners) course. He had the level of a local who hadpleted higher education in grammar, vocabry, spelling, and oral skills. He had expected it to some extent since he had no trouble conversing with him normally. But he also understood a certain part of the social conventions, such as gestures, as well as the general knowledge rted to French culture, such as history, geography, and literature. The teacher that Henri Marso had invited judged that Ko Hun did not need toplete the FLE course, and that he could obtain the DALF (Diploma of Advanced French Language) in a short time with a little effort. He also had above-average mathematical reasoning skills. He had mastered the French secondary education curriculum, and he had reached the level of exining the principles, not just memorizing them, after several checks. In addition, he had basic knowledge of how to manage his assets, how to avoid taxes, and so on, from the conversations he had had so far. He didnt know if it was thanks to Goseoyuls education after the ident. Henri Marso had no choice but to ept that the previous investigation result that Ko Hun had poor learning ability was wrong. Yeah. He has to be this good. He was satisfied to confirm that his only rival had a top-notch intelligence. Henri Marso looked at Ko Hun, who was exhausted after the four-hour test. The boy lying on the desk did not move a finger. Not bad. Ko Hun did not react. He had to study for the entrance and study abroad of Henri IV Middle School anyway, and he had confirmed that he could pass without any big problems, so the four-hour test was not a problem. He was just tired. Get up. No. Get up. I said no. What are you going to make me do? Arsene. Henri called his secretary. Arsene lifted Ko Hun up with ease. Having realized that resistance was futile yesterday and today, Ko Hun vowed not to do anything and rxed his body. He closed his eyes and entrusted his body for a while. He could smell a fragrant scent. He looked around and saw a high bed, a dim light, and a tray full of choctes. Arsene brought him a chocte andforted him. You will have a massage for enough time and a bath for about 20 minutes. A massage? Ko Hun asked with a chocte in his mouth. Your shoulders, neck, back muscles, and so on get stiff and fibrotic when you work for a long time at a desk or an easel. You need to have enough stretching and massage. Ko Hun tilted his head. He couldnt understand what it meant for the muscles to be fibrotic. It causes pain when the muscles in that area be fibrotic. If it gets worse, it can affect your arms and wrists, which is something you have to be especially careful about as an artist. Also, fibrosis of the neck and back muscles can reduce the blood flow to the brain, which can pose a risk of brain function decline in severe cases. The writer hopes that Ko Hun will have a healthy and longsting activity by habituating and managing a proper lifestyle from a young age. Ko Hun nodded his head silently and Arsene smiled brightly. He told you to have a rxing time after dinner. He said he would do whatever you want, so feel free to tell me. Ko Hun opened his mouth after a moment of hesitation. I want to watch a drama on a big screen on a fluffy sofa. Ill prepare it for you. A littleter. After having a massage and a bath, Ko Hun finished his dinner in ecstasy. He was exhausted physically and mentally from jogging, stretching, opening test, and solving test questions from morning, but he had a satisfying day thanks to the excellent meal and rest. Ko Hun sat in Henri Marsos private audiovisual room and decided to binge-watch the web drama that he hadnt seen for a few days. Hey. Henri Marso frowned. Why? This is 15+. Its fun. Henri Marso, who remembered Ko Hun introducing on the Alphonse Mendy Show, looked at the screen with displeasure. But today, Ko Hun deserved to enjoy his hobby after a diligent day. And even a child could watch it as long as they had a guardian with them, since it was rated 15 and up. Annoying. Henry Marso sat next to Ko Hun. Ko Hun frowned. What? Im your guardian right now, so we have to watch it together. Guardian? What are you talking about? There are no subtitles. It doesnt matter. Henry Marso checked the time. Lets watch until 9. No way. Im going to watch everything I missed today. Kids should go to bed at 9. Ko Hun barely suppressed his boiling anger and operated the remote. He couldnt ruin his unusually long day. He must have fallen asleep while watching the drama. Ugh. He came to his senses and saw that he was covered with a nket. -Is that love? Preventing me from going anywhere and interfering with my contact with anyone else? That was a line from episode 5 of . He had fallen asleep with it on and it seemed to have looped back to the beginning. Wow. He got up and saw Henry Marso watching with a sour face. What? Shh. Why are you here? Did you stay up all night? It was obvious that he had watched it all night and then reyed it from the start. -Are you crazy? Youre crazy. - -Do you know how I feel? Have you ever thought about me? I cant breathe when Im with you. I feel suffocated and frustrated. And you still say you love me? It was a scene where the mans excessive obsession caused conflict with the woman. If she had reported him, he would have been behind bars for sure. But he was very confident. -Yes. -What did you say? -Live by my side, and go crazy in front of me. -Is that. Is that what you say? Are you really crazy? -Yes! I feel like Im going crazy every time I see youughing with your grandfather. I feel like killing you and that man! He was a splendid madman. That could happen. Henry Marsos muttered words sounded scary. Beep-beep- beep-beep- The rm went off and the curtains opened. It was still dark outside. He checked the time and it was 5:30 in the morning. Henry Marso stretched and got up. Come out after you wash up. He was going to make him run again. Just sit down for a moment. Why. Arent you curious about what will happen to those two? Henry Marso nced at the screen. I dont care. Dont you want to know why shes dating that old man? Shes getting revenge. So. Why is she getting revenge? Money? He hadnt seen the next episode yet. He shook his head with a pitiful expression, trying to pique his curiosity like he did when he sold paintings at the art gallery. How could he not appreciate such a brilliant work? He looked like he felt sorry for him. Marso scowled. What. Think about it. Do you think its just money? Shes rejecting the man she loves and approaching him. Shes risking her career too. Stop wasting time and tell me. He couldntugh. It was enough to just move his eyes slightly toward the screen. As expected, Marso couldnt take his eyes off the screen. I had stayed up all night to watch it, so it must have suited my taste. And no matter how regr my life had been, I couldnt resist curiosity and interest. Hmph. Henri Marso left the audiovisual room. I didnt realize it because I always did what I wanted, but I had much more self-control than I thought. Well, thats because I had been in the spotlight since I was young. It was a pity. The door opened with a bang as I was tidying up the nket. He was probably going to scold me for beingzy again. Stop it, I got it. I looked up and saw Henri Marso stride over and sit on the sofa. Its cold outside. So? Youll catch a cold. Marceau turned on the sixth episode of . I had to pretend not to care, or he would go outside out of pride. I have to go to the salon exhibition this afternoon, so take care of your condition. It was ame excuse as someone said yesterday, but I epted it dly. The 2028 SNBA Salon Exhibition was the oldest salon exhibition among the existing ones. It was an event where every year, masters from various countries were invited to enjoy the most popr artists and artworks of the present. This year, it was even more attention-grabbing with the Art Nouveau Competition, which had a huge sess worldwide. The media focused on Henri Marso and Ko Hun, who represented the current generation of artists and had emerged likeetsst year and this year. They were expected to show what they could do with their works alone, proving their artistic and popr appeal among the popr writers of each country. Its Henri Marso! The reporters who had been waiting in front of the Louvre Museum since morning rushed forward as Henri Marsos golden Rolls-Royce appeared. As his secretary Arsen opened the back door, Ko Hun jumped out. Chrrrrrr- The sound of camera shutters rang out. Ko Hun! Look over here! Why did Ko Hun get off there? Did theye together? Wheres Henri? Who took the trophy of the Art Nouveau Competition in the end? Is it true that youre staying at Henri Marsos house? Ko Hun smiled with a healthier face than usual and dealt with the reporters. Im not staying, Im just borrowing a ce for a while. I gave back the trophy. As the reporters were distracted by Ko Hun, Henri Marso staggered out of the car. The reporters widened their eyes. Henri Marsos eyes were red and swollen, and the area around them was dark. He looked very tired, unlike his usual image of being meticulous about his self-care. Mr. Marceau, you look very exhausted. Is there a health problem? We just saw Henri Marso, the artist, arrive at the Louvre Museum. He showed a very weary look after two days of hiding, and were going to find out what happened. Mr. Marceau! Henri Marso red and lifted his head. Get lost. Chapter 215: Chapter 215: 215 Children of a New Country (3) The reporter was taken aback by the harsh words. What do you mean, this is your salon exhibition How can you tell them to get lost Thats random Whats with the temperature difference between Hoon and Henri I know Hoon is so fluffy but Henri looks exhausted Its hard to raise a kid. If you let them y with a dog, the dog gets tired too. You yed with them a lot I dont think thats it. Then what? Anyway, its not. My brother is not domestic at all. While the viewers made various guesses, Ko Hun stepped in. He couldnt sleep. There must be a big reason why Henri Marso, who was meticulous about self-care, couldnt sleep. The reporters recalled that , the winner of the Arnuvopetition, was one of the series, and wondered if it had something to do with the development of the wall-breaking project. The reporters pointed their microphones at Ko Hun and poured out questions. Is it because of the finished piece of Beauty that you said you would reveal at the salon exhibition? Is it rted to the wall-breaking project? Ko Hun shook his head. We watched a drama together yesterday. A drama? The reporters blinked. They wanted to hear what Henri Marso, who vowed to revolutionize the art world, had done for a week. They were surprised to hear that he stayed up all night because of a drama. But there were also many who were curious about the daily life of Henri Marso, who had never exposed his private life under strict security. Dont talk nonsense. As Henri tried to stop Ko Hun, one reporter didnt miss the opportunity and asked. What drama did you watch? Blood Mark. It was the title that Ko Hun had mentioned several times in his interviews and TV appearances. Some of the reporters also wanted to know what kind of drama it was, but it was hard to figure out the content because it was a drama that was not avable overseas. How did you watch it when its not yet avable in France? Well, it was amazing. There were no subtitles, but I watched it. As Ko Hun looked up at Henri Marso, all the reporters followed his gaze. Henri Marso, who had a stern expression, looked flustered for a rare moment. Whats going on? What happened? Ko Hun also asked along. What do you mean what happened? I just watched the screen. Henri Marso tried to get out of his seat, but the reporters wouldnt let go of the biggest factor of this SNBA salon exhibition. When did you learn Korean? Ko Hun asked again. What do you mean learn? I dont know. What do you mean you dont know? You understood everything. Ko Hun was sure that Henri Marso understood the dramapletely. He showed reactions that only someone who knew the story could do, such as sympathizing with the main character or swearing. Come to think of it, you sometimese to my broadcast and chat, and you seem to understand. I dont know what youre talking about. Ko Hun stared at Henri Marso and spoke in Korean. I spit in your coffee this morning. Henri Marso twitched his eyebrows. He wanted to grab him by the cor and shake him, but he was too proud to admit that he learned Korean to watch his inte broadcast. Ko Hun narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth again. You didnt know that the male leads father and the female lead dated in the past, did you? Henri Marsos eyes widened. Are you crazy! Why did you say that! See? You understand. The reporters who were watching the situation didnt know how to write an article about their conversation. Dear French citizens, beloved artists. Thank you foring to the SNBA salon exhibition. The president of the French National Art Association, Simon Chevasson, greeted us. He had a warm impression and a strong voice, so I always liked him. Hey. I turned my head when Marso called me. No. I got it. You dont look like you got it. I learned it naturally while looking for paint like ochre. Yeah. He had a tendency to obsess over strange things. I was amazed that he could digest Korean in such a short time, when it took me quite a while to learn it. He kept emphasizing why he learned it. The SNBA Salon Exhibition started with the slogan Art for Arts Sake and is celebrating its 167th anniversary this year. A long history of 167 years. Since the modern meaning of art began when the impressionist painters were active, the SNBA Salon Exhibition can be seen as parallel to modern art and history. Hey. What now? Is it true that you spit in the coffee? No. Prove it. How do I prove it? Dont believe me if you dont want to. You bastard. Cough. Cough. Marso raised his voice and the president, who was giving a speech, coughed to warn him. Marso didnt seem to want to make a big deal either, as he crossed his arms and turned his head. It would have been fun to tease him more if he really spat. I folded the brochure as I listened to the speech. The SNBA Salon Exhibition galleries are divided by country. In addition to the Art Nouveaupetition, there are works by the winners of the separatepetition and the invited artists. Of course, there is also a Korean gallery. My grandfather was invited in the Korean painting field, and I was curious what kind of works the other artists had shown. I could look around while waiting for my grandfather. Its going to be close. The award ceremony was from 4 to 6, so I didnt know if my grandfather would make it. Then, please enjoy the art for arts sake. p p p p- The guests apuded as President Chevasson greeted them. The opening ceremony was over, so I went outside to look around the Korean gallery. Marso must have had something to do, so it would be better for both of us to part here. Im going to the Korean gallery. Go. Dont you have anything to see? I do. Then go do your thing. I just have to wait until my grandfatheres. What if you get lost? Why would I get lost? Then lead the way. The Korean gallery was exhibited at the Carrousel du Louvre, so I guess I had to go left from here. Ah. As I moved my feet, Marso grabbed my neck and moved me to the right. Its this way. I followed Henri Marso and arrived at the ce where the works of Korean artists were gathered. Most of my grandfathers works were on tour, so only one piece was exhibited, the pine tree painting that I liked. I had seen it a lot, so I wanted to see the works of other artists now. Except for Jang Mi-rae, I hadnt seen much of the works of Korean artists, and the name Seo Inho caught my eye. Hmm. Henri Marso took the first step. Do you know him? I know him well. It was surprising that Marso knew someone well. Are you close? No. Of course. How do you know? It was 2013, I think. I saw his work and started preparing for the breakthrough. It was 15 years ago in 2013, and he must have been deeply impressed to remember the year. It was enough to make Marsoe up with the idea of a breakthrough himself. What kind of work was it? With an excited heart, I entered the exhibition hall and felt a shiver run down my spine to my head. Oh my God. There was a house in the exhibition hall. The three-story house was translucent, showing the inside as it was, and the interior had various rooms and furniture made of the same translucent material. As I approached, I realized it was cloth. It was a house made of very thin cloth. Thats impossible. How could this be possible? It looked like the modeling I saw on theputer during the graphic work of the movie , but it was overwhelming to face it in reality. I must have opened my mouth without knowing. I came to my senses and checked the exnation. The title was .1) Like any contemporary artist, the title was not limiting the appreciation, but opening up the room for thought. But the shock and emotion I felt when I faced the work were beyond words. Ive seen it countless times. Marso opened his mouth. I never felt beauty in instation art before I saw this persons work. It was amazing enough for Henri Marso, who had a critical eye for works, to praise. It was not only the aesthetic beauty, but also the way Seo In-ho expressed his own philosophy. No matter which direction I looked, I could see the outside and inside of the house, and even the furniture, I could tell how they were structured. It was more grand and refined than any work I had ever seen. I couldnt imagine that such a work could exist until a moment ago. Even more, there were people who went inside the and looked around. The work was not simply expressed in three dimensions, but existed, and I could understand why Henri Marso was able to conceive the breakthrough thanks to Seo In-ho. I followed Henri Marso into the . What do you think is the best way to show culture? It was a question with a fixed answer. I couldnt think of any other answer with this work in front of me. A house. Right. He said he started to express the cultural shock he felt when he moved to the US. Indeed, a house was the most vivid trace of a person. It was the space where everyday life took ce. The architectural style that had a long history and changed, and what furniture was inside, what shape they were, and where they were ced, everything was a trace. I also showed myself through . A room was a means of showing me as intuitively as a self-portrait. And he expressed it by sewing and draping very thin cloth. I couldnt help but admire. I hadnt seen many works, but it was more shocking and exciting than any contemporary art I had encountered. 1)I used Seo Do-ho and his work as a motif. Seo Do-ho (1962~): A representative artist of Korea. He started to attract attention from thete 20th century and is now a world-renowned master. He held several solo exhibitions at the Whitney Museum Philip Morris Branch, Tate Modern Gallery, Seattle Art Museum, etc. The Los Angeles Art Museum and the Texas Houston Art Museum bought and exhibited his works. *Please visit them once. Chapter 216: Chapter 216: 216 Between Art and Art (1) I was so immersed in that time flew by. I got a call from Grandpa and checked the time. It was 3:50 p.m. I went outside the exhibition hall and answered the phone. Yes, Grandpa. -Where are you? Im here. Im at the Korean Pavilion. -Okay. Come here now. I was d he didnt miss the award ceremony. He must be exhausted from traveling back and forth between Paris and Seoul in two or three days. I was worried about him. He couldnt carry a recovery capsule with him, so I had to tell him to postpone his schedule for tomorrow and rest at the hotel. He was old, but he pushed himself too hard. Did you arrive? Marso approached me. I remembered how I had rested well for two days when I saw his face. What? Please let Grandpa use your recovery capsuleter. Marsos eyebrows twisted strangely. He raised his left eyebrow and frowned his right one. You dont want to? Fine. I thought he might refuse, but fortunately he agreed. Hoon-ah. It was Grandpas voice. I felt a pressure on my body as I turned my head. He was so happy to see me after just a few days apart. If I didnt see him for a month or two, it might be dangerous. How have you been? Let me see your face. Grandpa pinched my cheek. Your face looks better? He looked a bit surprised. Thanks to the recovery capsule and the massage. Someone made me run from dawn, so I was tired. Running? 5 km. I wanted to tell him about Henri Marsos evil deed because I was happy to see him. Maybe I felt wronged too. You ran 5 km? Why was he happy? He looked surprised and pleased. I should make you exercise more. Marso intervened. You have a lot of body fat and little muscle, and you eat a lot of high-calorie food. If you keep this up, youll be obese. Hmm. Grandpa examined my body. Right. Hoon-ah, you need to exercise more. What? Exercise will make your food taste better. He was in his sixties, but he maintained his solid muscles with weight training. I forgot about that. My food tastes good now. You dont have to lift heavy things like Grandpa, but you can run a little every morning. I said the wrong thing. Ko Hun said you should rest at home today. No way. Im grateful and sorry for what Hoon did for me. How can I do that? Thank you very much. You have to study for the exam anyway. And you still have some work to do on the opening adjustment. Dont feel pressured. Exam? Grandpa was surprised and happy again. Dangerous. Its an entrance exam. I checked it yesterday and there was no problem. Its easy, so I dont need to study. Why do you decide that? I decide. Marso said, looking at Grandpa. The teachers said there would be no problem if you just understood the direction of the exam. If you prepare in advance, it wont interfere with your work activities. Is that so? When did Grandpa start trusting Marso? Something was going wrong. I heard the news that Bang Tae-hos mother had ovee her critical condition on my way to the award ceremony. Thats a relief. Yeah, it is. She said she wasing right away, so I told her to stay a few more days. I would have said the same thing. Even though she had survived a dangerous situation, she had been abroad for a long time. I would feel morefortable if she spent some time with her family. Did you stay at the Korean pavilion? Yes. I was looking at Seo In-hos work. Good. Did you see his work? Of course. Hes a year senior to Grandpa, and I always thought they would all make it big someday. His father was also a great painter. A talented parent and a talented child. He seems to be here. Should we go and say hello? Its okay. We talked enough through his work. Its not that I dont like personal meetings, but I was so impressed by that I wanted to keep it as an appreciation. If I met the artist, the message I received from would change, whether positively or negatively. The 2028 SNBA Salon Exhibition Award Ceremony will begin now. I pped along with the announcers guide. There were so many people who came up for the ceremony, but most of them were strangers to me. It meant that there were many works to learn from, and my heart was pounding again. I had felt that it was hard to approach contemporary art after experiencing the Whitney Biennial and the Arnouvo Competition. If I looked around, I would find a work that touched my heart like Seo In-hos work today. Next is the Jurys Special Award. Congrattions to Damien Carter. Damien Carter? I was surprised to hear the name of Damien Carter, who had withdrawn from the Arnouvo Competition. Grandpa also looked puzzled, as he didnt seem to know that he was here when he arrived and sat down. I wanted to ask Henri Marso what had happened, but I couldnt see anything. A man with a thick brown beard came up on the stage. Damien Carter smiled and looked around, then expressed his feelings. I took a look around the exhibition hall before the ceremony. There were only amazing works, and I felt embarrassed to be on this stage. The guests chuckled. They seemed to take Damien Carters words as a joke, but I couldnt. I couldnt ept him as he was, not just because of my prejudice against him. The SNBA Salon Exhibition Competition started and ended earlier than the Arnouvo Competition. The winners had to attend the ceremony and adjust their schedule in advance, so they would have been notified of the award beforehand. Grandpa had also received a call a month ago, so Damien Carter was likely to have known. He could have joined the SNBA Salon Exhibition even if he didnt win the Arnouvo Competition. Would he have withdrawn from the Arnouvo Competition if he hadnt participated in the SNBA Salon Exhibition? I couldnt deny that the award had eased Damien Carters burden. I didnt like it. Finally. Damien Carter changed the topic as he continued his speech. I cant help but admire the recent moves of the French National Art Association. Antermittang, Arnouvo Competition. They are really setting an example for many associations. Im deeply moved. The SNBA officials responded with smiles. I have high expectations for Henri Marso, the main character of this. He is young and powerful, and he is making the art world flourish. I also have high hopes. I hope you will continue to create such wonderful stages as today. Thank you. When Damien Carter finished his speech, the people apuded enthusiastically. I shouldnt doubt people, but I kept looking at him negatively. That was Damien Carters eptance speech. Next is The SNBA Salon Exhibition entries were introduced one by one, and the winners came up and expressed their feelings. The awards were divided into painting, sculpture, photography, and instation categories. There were the Jurys Special Award and the awards named after famous painters, such as the Louis Jillo Award and the Charles Cote Award. There were bronze, silver, and gold medals. And there was a new award added, the Special Exhibition Award. Next, we will give the Special Exhibition Award to the ten winners of the Arnouvo Competition. Pleasee up in the order of your names. It was not a matter of getting more money, but just getting one more que. By the way. Where the hell did this guy go? He had to go up on the stage, but I couldnt see what he was doing or where he was. Ill be back. Okay. My grandfather nodded with a pleased smile, and my worries about Damien Carter faded a bit. Huh? On my way to the stage, I exchanged nces with nche Fabre. I wondered how to contact her without a phone number, but I decided to ask herter. When Henri Marso kicked the door open, Chairman Simon Chevasson was startled. Cant you be more polite? You scared me! Whats going on? Chevasson sighed as he looked at the agitated Henri Marso. Sit down first. Tell me! Henri Marso insisted, and Chevasson tried to grab his hand and make him sit. The angry hero pushed him away, and Chevasson nodded and calmed him down. It was already decided. How can you undo whats done? Dont joke with me. How can the association give him an award? Henri Marso mmed the desk. While collecting information about Damien Carters withdrawal from the Arnuvopetition. He found out that Damien Carter had already been selected for the SNBA Salon exhibition. Like Ko Hun, who felt ufortable, Henri Marso also thought that Damien Carter had cleverly used thepetition rules to increase his own recognition. He didnt cheat, and its already decided. What do you want me to do with the result of the re-examination? Henri Marso clenched his fist. You know, right? What he did. How can you do that? Chevasson looked into Henris eyes and confessed his true feelings after a long hesitation. It was for your sake. What? You called Damien Carter a bastard, and it made headlines all over Europe. How do you think people will see you if you cancel the award in this situation? Why do you care? I have to care! Chevasson shouted. Chevasson Simon was afraid. The French National Art Association was not a group that Henri Marso personally controlled, as the media and the public perceived. Even though he had enough capacity to do so, Henri Marso maintained his position as a director. In a situation where this fact was not well recognized, when the French National Art Association canceled the award that they had decided to give to Damien Carter. He was very afraid of how the media and the public would see Henri Marso. Who else can deal with them besides you? Theyve been tightly united for too long. If you want to break that cartel and open a new era, you have to think about your image. Chevasson Simonforted Henri Marso. You know who youre dealing with, right? Its not just Damien Carters problem! Henri Marso could handle Damien Carter alone if he had a little time. He had enough wealth and power to do so without breaking thew. The problem was the people behind Damien Carter. Some galleries, including the Luxe Gallery, and the British Sothebys were not the problem. The art world would be turned upside down, but there were fair museums and auction houses, so there would only be a temporary gap. The problem was the people who sponsored them. So far, only Jay Jopling and a few others had been revealed, so he didnt know how many enemies he had to face. Youre the only one. The only thing that can give you strength is the media and the public! Henri Marso closed his eyes. He calmed down his excitement and looked at the situation coldly. As Chevasson Simon said, there were not many people who had the power to face them. He had to face so many enemies that he couldnt put them in one category, so he had been careful and careful. When Henri Marso regained hisposure, Chevasson opened his mouth. Dont try to fight alone. You cant reform by yourself, but you cant even start without you. You have to gather people who share your vision. Im not saying youre weak. The ones youre up against. I know. Chevasson Simon breathed a sigh of relief. Henri Marso was smart since he was young. He had not only a lot of knowledge, but also a good judgment. The only concern was his radical personality. It was fortunate that he and Michel tini were controlling his fiery temper. Topete with the cartel that dominated the art market, he needed charisma, and Henri Marsocked that aspect. I wished I had someone who could embrace me like Henri Marso, the center of attention, and his entourage. I felt sorry for myself, Chevalson Simon. Meanwhile, Henri Marso knew very well who had the hug power that hecked. Ko Hun. The cheeky brat was surrounded by people. Maybe it was because he had no prejudice when dealing with works or people. But that was uneptable. Henri Marsos era had to be the inspiration for the future. He couldnt afford to feel burdened. Dont worry about this. Ill handle it. Henri. Henri Marso opened his mouth as he met the worried gaze. Do you think I can stand something like that? Chapter 217: Chapter 217: 217 Between Art and Art (2) It wasnt because he was foolish. It wasnt because he was impulsive. He couldnt bear it because he was pure. His noble soul, who had built his own aesthetics, did not tolerate even a small stain. He couldnt stand it without washing it off. Not today. Mr. Chevasson tried to dissuade him with affection and concern, while understanding him well. Henri Marso left without answering. Mr. Chevasson looked at the closed door for a long time and shook his head. It was the age of passion. Gert Karius, a prominent German cultural critic, named the cultural phenomenon that urred in Berlin in the 2020s, centered on young musicians, Leidenschaft (passion, fervor *Leidenschaft). The artists of the Leidenschaft generation were honest with their emotions and did not hesitate to reveal them. Rather, they actively criticized and confronted thecency of the elitist and narrow-minded art world. An absurd phenomenon where music, literature, and art that even experts could not understand became art as long as they were recognized for their originality. They rebelled by raising questions about the art world that had fallen into a mere topic of conversation. A new generation that broke through the existing art world, which was full of nihilism, and emerged with endless passion and pure spirit. Art that expresses emotions intuitively and feels easier. Art that can be enjoyed without much effort by modern people who are busy with studying, working, and surviving. Art thatforts them. Art for everyone who struggles to live was the art of the Leidenschaft generation. Henri Marso also showed a simr aspect to them. His radical speech and action alienated him from the established generation, but he was ardently supported by people from their teens to their forties. Young people who were oppressed at work, school, and home felt a littleforted by Henri Marso, who pushed his beliefs without caring about others eyes. They were fed up with the society that demanded hypocritical behavior, so they liked Henri Marsos unadorned appearance. They consoled themselves, who were isted in a single room, by empathizing with Henri Marsos loneliness and distress that remained in various ces of the portrait, unlike his usual confident appearance. That was why people looked for Henri Marso and hundreds of self-portraits he painted. Henri Mr. Chevasson tried to stop Henri Marso, but on the other hand, he hoped that he was wrong. Just as the established generation, who had sneered at Henri Marso as a 19th-century painter, could not criticize him recklessly now. He also wanted tough at todays event and drink a ss of wine in the future. Its time to burst. He also thought that a turning point shoulde to the rotten art world. In the market that pursued only form destruction, originality, and topicality, the public had no choice but to turn their eyes away. In the shrinking market, young artists lost their seats. Mr. Chevasson hoped that today, the pure anger of Henri Marso, or rather, the anger of all the willing artists, would destroy the cartel that had eroded the art market. He just worried that Henri Marso might get hurt in the process. Im getting old. Mr. Chevasson chuckled. He had been working for decades to straighten out the art market, but he gradually became cautious. Was it because of his age? Or was it because he couldnt solve it until now because of this moderate attitude? Mr. Chevasson was troubled today between cheering and worrying. Henri Marso, who came out into the hallway, gasped. The muse was right. He had suspected that there was some kind of alliance between Demian Carter and Jay Jopling, but he had no evidence. He had to be careful not to act ahead of Mr. Chevassons warning, or he might face a counterattack. Crack- Henri Marso gritted his teeth. Secretary Arsen would do anything to expose Demian Carters corruption. He just needed a little more time, but the anger that had umted over the past few days didnt subside. Writer! An SNBA employee spotted Henri Marso and called out urgently. Its your turn next. It was time to receive a special exhibition award. Henri Marso licked his tongue and entered the banquet hall. I would like to thank the French National Art Association for giving me this opportunity. Thank you. Gohun finished his eptance speech. Gohun, who had been stalling until Henri Marso came, frowned slightly when he saw him. Henri Marso ignored the stares and stepped onto the podium. Next, we have Henri Marso, the winner of the Art Nouveau Contest. The guests apuded as the host announced his name. Henri Marso looked around at the people who were watching him from the center of the stage. Cameras filled the back seats, reporters crowded like hyenas, weeds and foul-smelling flowers pretending to be artists, and flies buzzing around them. He felt nauseous. Henri Marso nced at Go Soo-yeol, Seo In-ho, and Ko Hun standing behind him, then faced the front. You can tell if its a bee or a fly by looking at which flower it goes to. The host was momentarily confused by his iprehensible remark. Henri Marsoposed himself and opened his mouth again. If you want to move the pot, look carefully. See whos emitting a rotten smell and whos a fragrant flower. The media was not trustworthy. The reporters were a bunch of money-grubbers who didnt care about the truth. They were pests. As he thought so, Henri Marso saw a glimmer of hope. A small Korean media reporter, whom he had ignored at first, had sympathized with the wounded Art Nouveau Contest. If there were any reporters with a purpose here, they wouldnt flock to the rafflesia that smelled of decay, but to the fragrant flowers like bees and butterflies. Who are you referring to when you say they stink? A reporter stepped forward. If youre a bee, youd know without asking. Henri Marso looked at Damien Carter with a leisurely smile. I dont know about the flies. They think theyre flowers. They stick to them because they like the smell. They dont even know its a stench. They just rush to it because it looks the biggest in the world. The people gathered at the awards ceremony sensed a strange current flowing between Henri Marso and Damien Carter. What? Is that Damien Carter Im looking at? It was only a while ago that Henri Marso had cursed at Damien Carter. The people couldnt help but think that there was a conflict between the two artists. The reporters hurriedly intervened. Please exin your earlier statement in more detail! Is it true that you have a feud with Damien Carter? Among the many questions, one from a British daily, The Sun, caused a stir in the audience. Dont you think youre the one whos a pretentious artist? The reporter didnt back down even when everyone was too shocked to say anything. It sounds like youre talking about yourself, who became famous by stering the Paris station with ads. Can you tell us exactly who youre pointing at? Everyone in the hall was outraged. The Sun was notorious for dealing with gossip articles and criticizing celebrities without any basis. It was not something to say to the winner at the awards ceremony. Youre impatient, Mr. Marceau. Damien Carter kept his expression in check as he watched the situation. If it had been a ce where only the French media were gathered, no one would have dared to ask Henri Marso such a question. But this ce was also attended by several British media outlets sponsored by Jay Jopling. You may think Im a rafflesia in your eyes. But to me, youre a flower that grew in a greenhouse. Damien Carter judged that the environment praised by all of France had made Henri Marso more arrogant. He revealed his hostility out of nowhere in a public ce. He couldnt understand how he could act so recklessly. Speaking strongly doesnt solve everything. Damien Carter was a spoiled rich kid who had grown up without anyones interference since he was young. He just wanted to enjoy the process of learning about the world. Every flower needs someone to move the pot. As you say, I might be a fly to you. But, can you reproduce without bees and butterflies? There was no one to stand up for Henri Marso, who had always been hostile to the media and others. Moreover, it was a situation where he had to tie the knot because he had brought it up himself. Whether it was his past behavior or the recent swearing controversy, public opinion was overwhelmingly favorable to Damien Carter. If he knew how to judge the situation, he should have backed off. Your high nose will crumble. Damien Carter leaned backfortably in his chair. Who? The old man who entered the Art Nouveau Contest even though he knew he had been admitted to the Salon. Henri Marsos remark made Damien Carter lose hisposure for a moment. He almost revealed his emotions in front of dozens of reporters, something he hadnt imagined he would do. Henri Marso scolded the people who were shocked. The news of the SNBA Salon admission was broadcasted a month ago. He had plenty of time to cancel the Art Nouveau Contest. But he didnt. Damien Carter. Henri Marso red at Damien Carter. Looks like you had a bad day today, Mr. Marceau. Instead of avoiding the question, Damian Carter emphasized how angry Henri Marso was. It was an act to make himself look like a victim and the other a perpetrator. Bad news? Sure. I found out that you entered the Arnuvo Contest after winning the Salon Exhibition. Henri Marso changed the topic again. You could have withdrawn anytime since the Salon Exhibition was confirmed. Right? Marceaus voice was somewhat furious, but it was clear. So you must have resigned with some disgusting lies. You. Did you enter the contest as a backup n? You, a great master? As Henri Marso stepped down from the podium, the audience stirred. The reporters pressed the camera shutter to capture Damian Carter and Henri Marso in one scene. Was that not enough? You crawled in and took the prize? Have you no shame? Or do you think France. The Arnuvo Contest participants are a joke? Henri Marso leaned in his face. Did you think you could insult me, Henri Marso, and get away with it? Damian Carter pretended to be calm, but he couldnt calm his startled heart. He knew he was unhappy through Jay Jopling, but he never thought he would confront him in a public ce. He was too rational, and he couldnt understand or ept someone who moved beyond hismon sense. The moment he thought he didnt know what he would do, the flowers in the greenhouse became more threatening than anyone else. Damian Carter made a courageous decision to uphold the spirit of the contest. Are you denying that? Another kind reporter intervened. Henri Marso turned his head. The bastard who signed and took pictures in front of his work from the first day, what did he uphold? The reporters who ran to anything that could be a topic were also appalled by Henri Marsos attitude. Henri Marso was one of the most loved artists, but Damian Carter was also recognized as a master for a long time. He was also respected for his character, and there was nothing to gain from criticizing him publicly. Rather, he would face a bacsh. Why is he like that? Is he sane? Everyone was bewildered by Henri Marsos sudden behavior. Thats too much. Damian Carter showed a displeased expression. I just went to check if the work was well disyed and thanked those who recognized me. Really? Did someone give you a sapphire or something? Damian Carter twitched his eyebrows. So that was his n. He thought the ignorant young master was throwing a tantrum because he couldnt control his anger, but he was wrong. Henri Marso made Damian Carter, who was protected by the image of a gentleman, the topic of the whole Europe in an instant. He wondered if he was trying to frame him for using the Arnuvo Contest, but Damian Carter realized he was warning him. It wasnt a warning to him. It was a warning letter to those who sponsored the artist Damian Carter. Theres no way he has evidence. Damian Carter thought of , which he kept in his secret studio, and thought Henri Marso couldnt know the secret rted to . Moreover, he couldnt get that evidence either. Hes good. Damian Carter clenched his fist. There was something he could do without evidence. Henri Marso just mentioned the sapphire to give a warning to Damian Carters sponsors. He said it was dangerous to keep sponsoring Damian Carter. He said there would be trouble soon, so they should let go. The cartel that eroded the art world was wary of change and tried to eliminate risk, and they could easily discard individuals for that. Especially if they were useless artists. Right? Henri Marso provoked Damian again. He couldnt find the evidence, but he couldnt stand it, so he decided to strip Damian Carters facepletely. If you feel wronged, fight again. This time, put your name on it proudly. Chapter 218: Chapter 218: 218 Between Art and Art (3) Damian Carter stared into the angry eyes and thought. Hes trying to make me useless. Henri Marso was determined to make the patrons lose their interest in supporting him. It was an unimaginable way for Damian Carter, who had been loyal to his patrons and meticulous in his self-management. How did he be famous? How did he raise the prices of his works? No one could prove it, so he felt like he had been hit in the back of his head. He thought he was a naive young master. Damian Carter had to admit that he had misjudged him. I didnt expect him toe out like this. He couldnt destroy the tower he had built for a long time in an instant. Damian Carter med Henri Marso in a calm voice. You really likepetition. Is it your artistic view to surpass and defeat others? Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin. Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. Which one is the better artist? He pointed out that it was a childish question. I hope you make works that satisfy yourself, rather than hoping to be better than others and receive more love. You keep avoiding the question. Are you afraid? Henri Marso smirked. You likepetition? Im sick of your pretentious behavior. Im telling you to prove it. Youre not satisfied with your work? Me, Henri Marso? Henri Marso hated the likes of Damian Carter. He avoided the unfavorable facts and deliberately distorted the trivial matters. At the same time, he nted false impressions with usible words, making the other doubt himself. Youve been living on that gaslighting until now, but youve picked the wrong opponent. You old man. Henri Marso looked around and said. Dont you want to see? Henri Marso vs Damian Carter. A fairpetition with no penalty. Henri Marso had a keen insight into the nature of the media. They were bound to cover the issues that were hot, and the conflict between the two artists, who could be called the best of this era, was a perfect bait. Even the more friendly reporters who supported Damian Carter were watching the situation. It was a pain in the neck. Damian Carter couldnt respond easily. He scoffed at the ultimatum that Henri Marso offered, but he couldnt shake off the feeling of being cornered as the choices repeated. Not only the reporters, but also the audience, who initially found Henri Marso strange, began to show signs of expecting thepetition between the two artists. He wants to end this. Henri Marso wanted to prove that Damian Carters reputation was a hollow lie. If he lost miserably, the patrons would no longer trust Damian Carter, and he would lose the favorable eyes that had been looking at him with the thought of Damian Carters work must have some intention. Damian Carter chuckled. He didnt want to back down with a wounded pride, but the cost-benefit analysis didnt work. Damian Carter, as always, opened his mouth calmly. I see why youre so angry. You seem to have misunderstood, but its not a fight, so why dont you calm down and talk? It was a lowly act to follow the emotions and go hard. Damian Carter knew well that he had to show a generous attitude as an elder to have someone defend him. The more Henri Marso showed his rude behavior, the more he would be criticized. Werent you all surprised? Damian Carter smiled softly and offered his seat. Most of the attendees at the awards ceremony thought that Henri Marso was picking a fight for no reason. The reporters were silent at the interest that Henri Marso threw, but they didnt support him or stand up for him. In a situation where many people viewed Henri Marsos violent speech negatively, they wouldnt dare to confront Damian Carter, who was a gentleman and a master of the British art world. Its over. Damian Carter was confident that his image would improve even more with todaysmotion, and he thanked the young French artist. Its not a misunderstanding. A sharp voice intervened. The attention that had been focused on Henri Marso and Damian Carter shifted to a boy. It was Ko Hun. Mr. Damian Carter keeps saying that Marceau is misunderstanding, but I was also offended as a participant of the Art Nouveaupetition. The audience was confused. They were all afraid of getting hurt by joining the fight between the two giants. Damien Carter was shocked by what he heard. He had been confident that Goseul, his old friend, was on his side. Ko Hun? It doesnt matter if you did it out of consideration for the other contestants. Ko Hun looked at his grandfather. Goseul nodded at his pleading gaze, holding his breath. I spent months preparing to break free from the image of a young Van Gogh. Some people wanted to seed. Others needed it for their livelihood. Why did you have to participate in the special exhibition when you had already secured the Salon prize? Kid. Ko Hun didnt retort to Henri Marso. He just stared at Damien Carter. I see. You must be upset. The British master nodded as if he understood. But it was a big challenge for me too. Im just sorry I couldnt prove it. Really? Of course. Then why do you keep talking as if Marceau is young? Ko Hun didnt raise his voice or speak loudly. You dont get it, do you? If you were sincere about the Art Nouveau contest, you would know how much it hurt the person who was wronged by it. I did my best. It was really important to me. But it turned out to be nothing to you. Wouldnt you think that? Ko Hun looked around. Wasnt the SNBA Salon special exhibition for those who werent invited? The Art Nouveau contest was a chance topete fairly and earn it. Ko Hun remembered clearly what Henri Marso had said when he first announced his participation in the Art Nouveau contest. What will the others be if you go and win? He realized the meaning of those words as he participated in the Art Nouveau contest. He saw how passionate the people who were not recognized like him were, and he realized how precious that ce was. He was also desperate. He could empathize with the other contestants. Ill believe you when you say you wanted the ce that was given to those who werent invited to the Salon. You must have had your own reasons, Mr. Carter. But if you were that eager, you should understand why Marceau is angry. You should apologize, not appease him. Not only to Marceau, but also to me. And to all the Art Nouveau contestants. As Ko Hun finished speaking, the award ceremony hall became silent. The young boy didnt deny Damien Carters sincerity, nor did he utter any harsh words. If Damien Carter had a reason to participate in the Art Nouveau contest even though he had already confirmed his participation in the SNBA Salon. If he was sincere about it. He asked if he understood how much his action could hurt others. Damien Carter opened his heavy mouth after thinking for a while. I was short-sighted. Im sorry. He had no other choice. If the argument continued, he would likely undermine his own logic. It would only worsen the situation. He got me. It was time to back off. Im sorry, Marceau. Damien Carter apologized to Henri Marso. Who asked you to apologize? Hes hot-headed. I was like that when I was young, but that guy doesnt know how to moderate. Take responsibility. Do you think Im doing this to get an apology? But when I listen to him, hes right. If it was something that could be solved with an apology, he wouldnt have acted like that in the first ce. I also intervened because Marceau seemed disadvantaged, but Im not very happy to receive an apology. It was an inevitable action in the situation, but I cant be sure of Damien Carters true intentions. What should I do? Lets do it the same way here in a month. If its the same as the Art Nouveau contest, he must mean the audience vote. If you want it that much, go ahead. Itll be a fun time. Contrary to expectations, Damien Carter didnt back down either. From the impression I got from him so far, he probably had some calctions in mind. Whatever. Itll be fun. Henri Marsoughed like a viin, and nche Fabre, who was next to him, muttered that he was cool. I dont know if she likes or hates Marceau. By the same way, do you mean the vote? Wouldnt it be unfair if it was held in France! What do you think! The award ceremony, which had been quiet as a mouse, suddenly became noisy. Reporters bombarded Henri Marso and Damien Carter with questions, and they took advantage of the chaos to get off the stage. Before I went back to my grandfather, I remembered a promise I made with nche and looked around. She was right behind me. We agreed to exchange our sketchbooks. Yeah. Wait a minute. nche went somewhere and came back with a bag. She took out a fairly thick notebook and showed it to me. It said Fabres Insect Diary on the cover. Can I look? Sure. I opened it and saw that it was a sketchbook of insects. Unlike me, who recorded everything I saw, she had organized them into categories such as grasshoppers, beetles, dragonflies, earwigs, mantises, and so on. It was clear that she had treated them with care. Thats amazing. Isnt it? She lifted her head and smiled. Do you carry it around? No. She tilted her head and answered calmly. I knew I would see you today. I wondered how to contact her since I didnt have her number, but then I realized that it made sense. She woulde to receive the special exhibition award, so I should have prepared something in advance. I regretted it. Sorry. I didnt think of that. Its okay. She didnt change her expression, but she seemed a bit disappointed. I took out my smartphone. Give me your number. And your email address. She narrowed her eyes and turned her head slightly. She looked definitely disappointed. Sorry. I was out of touch. I stayed at Marsos house all the time. Why? My grandfather was busy, so I had nowhere else to stay. That must have been nice. It wasnt nice at all. Not at all? Mostly. The conversation stopped awkwardly. So, whats your number? I asked again, and her expression worsened. Why are you asking for my personal information? I was speechless for a moment. She had a point. But we have a promise, so Ill tell you. She took my smartphone and typed her number. I go to school and work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., so I dont want you to contact me for personal reasons. You can call me at lunchtime, but I wont answer when Im eating. When cant I contact you? Uh When Im sleeping? When do you sleep? It varies. How? Both Marso and she were strangely regr. I tried to live by some rules, but I didnt think I had to be so strict. Get out of here! Marsos voice echoed from afar. Chapter 219: Chapter 219: 219 Between Art and Art (4) [The rtionship between the two masters leads to a disaster] Henri Matisse and Damien Carter, who had been at odds with each other, had an argument at the SNBA Salon Award Ceremony on the afternoon of the 14th of 2028. Henri Matisse criticized Damien Carter for participating in the Art Nouveau Competition, which had confirmed his victory in the Salon, and Damien Carter defended his choice as a way of respecting the spirit of thepetition. Henri Matisse then took issue with the fact that he had been promoting his own work in front of it since the opening day of thepetition. He further challenged him to a rematch, saying, Did you withdraw after gathering votes because you had no confidence in winning? and Damien Carter epted, resulting in a contest between the two masters. The art world was divided in its reaction. Some artists, including Kohun, supported Henri Matisses point and sided with him. On the other hand, Damien Carters supporters, including art critic James Litter, argued that Henri Matisse was overreacting. Thepetition between the two masters was scheduled to take ce in January 2029, not in Britain or France, but in another country. The news of thepetition between Henri Matisse and Damien Carter quickly became a hot topic. Jay Jopling, who was checking the articles that wereing up one after another, mmed the table and got angry. How the hell do they know! Only a few people, including Jared Satchi and Jay Jopling, were rted to . He had kept it a secret, so he was afraid that the past would be revealed when Henri Matisse mentioned Sapphire. Calm down. Damien Carter lifted his teacup. You know as well as I do that theres no evidence. Jay Jopling looked around and sighed, then sat down on a chair. Are you confident? Well. Jay Jopling was annoyed by Damien Carter, who was drinking tea leisurely. Dont you know what will happen if you dont produce results? He didnt need to beat Henri Matisse. The problem was how many people would support Damien Carter in the choice between Henri Matisse and Damien Carter. Both were popr figures, but Henri Matisse was famous for having a lot of fans. If the difference in votes was serious, Damien Carters brand value would plummet. He couldnt guarantee that the sponsors would continue to support Damien Carter. I know. Then why are you acting like this? You have to make something. Jay Jopling clenched his fists. Damien Carter put down his cup. He slowly and calmly raised his head and said. Thats not like you. Jay Jopling reacted nervously to his attitude, which was rxed even in a serious situation. What do you mean? Is it important for me to make good works? Of course it is. Thats strange. Jay Jopling narrowed his eyes. Isnt it? The one who made me who I am today is saying that. I havent changed, then or now. Huh. Jay Jopling let out a long sigh. Im not in the mood for word games right now. Everyone is anxious because of that bastard Matisse. Thats what Im saying. What? If I lose gracefully, it will hurt the image Ive built up. Ive already been shaken by Matisse and Kohun. Then you should do it right! Jay Jopling shouted. Damien Carter stared at him silently, and silence fell between the two. Thats what I should say, Jay. What? Prepare well. Jay Jopling jumped up. He was furious at Damien Carters attitude, which seemed like it wasnt his business. Its you who decided to enter thepetition! You have to take responsibility for making this mess. What are you talking about! I told you. Ive always been the same. Damien Carter filled his teacup. That means Im counting on you this time. Damien Carter, holding his teacup, looked at Jay Jopling, who was breathing heavily, and said. Wouldnt you and the sponsors be in trouble if the work you paid a lot for became worthless? Michelle tini visited Henri Marsos studio. Henri Marso, who was lost in thought with Vincent van Goghs on the huge screen, was focused and didnt even notice that someone hade. Michelle looked at him and put her bag on the table. You have Hoon? Henri turned his head. He decided to stay a few more days. How did you convince Kyung Soo-yeol? Its obvious what the parents want. Henri Marso persuaded Soo-yeol with health, education, and safety as the grounds. He mentioned systematic physical management through a dedicated medical team, high-quality education, and safety from the recent Muslim terror, and Soo-yeol had no choice. Michelle chuckled after hearing the exnation. You must feel like a godfather. Henri Marso didnt answer. Michelle also silently looked at van Goghs for a while and finally brought up her purpose. I brought you the auction items of Damien Carter. Henri received the documents. It was a list of Damien Carters works that had been traded in thest 20 years. The title, date and ce of sale, buyer, hammer price, auction process, etc. were written in detail. Less than I thought. Henri nodded his head as he checked the list, which was organized into eleven pages. The most recently traded work was marked as number 22, so the officially confirmed work trade was only 22. It was too small for the mostmercially sessful artist of the 21st century, but the transaction amount per work was beyond imagination. All from Sothebys in the UK? Yeah. Except for one. They must be involved. Since he had sold his works only through Sothebys in the UK, not using other auction houses, there must have been a coalition between Damien Carter and Sothebys in the UK. I found out that the starting price was ridiculous. It never went below 3 million pounds after Eternity. Henri nodded at Michelles point. Even though was traded for 50 million pounds, it felt like he had overpriced the next work. At that time, Damien Carter was just emerging from obscurity when he sold . Sothebys in the UK, who set the auction starting price at 3 million pounds, assuming that his work would sell for at least tens of millions of pounds. It was hard to tell whether it was a bold strategy or an intended act. One more thing. Michelle tapped the table three times and activated the screen. She logged into her personal server and opened a document of 934 pages. These are the works that Damien Carter has announced so far. About 26 years. How much do you think it is? Henri narrowed his eyes. 1,360 pieces. Amazing, right? It meant that the instation artist had made and announced one work a week for 26 years. Many contemporary artists who required a lot ofbor power only conceived and directed the work, and entrusted the work to a team. Even so, making 1,360 pieces was not an easy task. There was a limit to the ideas that one person coulde up with, depending on the individual. A genius or a hard worker. Or. Did he delegate it? Thats possible too. There were often cases where he paid an unknown artist tomission a work. He announced it as his own work, but he was disgraced by either not paying the promised money or by the unknown artists change of mind. I thought this was strange. Henri looked into Michelles eyes. He announced 1,360 pieces, but only 22 were sold. Michelles doubt was valid. She continued to raise questions for Henri to think of various possibilities. At first, I thought it was because the price was set too high. There arent many people who have that much money. Henri nodded. But what about museums? There are quite a few organizations with abundant finances. Why didnt they buy them? If its a masterpiece by Damien Carter, its worth buying one. It means he didnt sell them. I think so too. Sothebys in the UK cut it off in the middle, or some of the sponsors deliberately bid higher. Henri, who couldnt find the answer, opened his mouth. Why? I couldnt understand why Damien and his patrons refused to sell their works to anyone else. If they had sold them at high prices, it would have been a simple answer: they wanted to make money. But if they didnt sell them to anyone else, the problem becameplicated. And this. Michel closed the document he had opened and opened a new one. On the table, there was a list of museums and galleries that were exhibiting Damien Carters works, along with their titles. The works that are on disy right now are only 97 points. Henri Marso frowned again. He could somehow understand the unsold works being too expensive. But Damien Carter was a famous artist whose works would have been requested by many ces for exhibition. It would have been beneficial for him as an artist to receive a generous rental fee, but he couldntprehend why the works on disy were not even 100 points. What about the rest? Henri asked about the whereabouts of the remaining 1,263 works that were not on disy. Michel shrugged his shoulders. Do you think he has them? No way. It was not an easy task for an individual to store 1,263 works. Especially for Damien Carter, who was an instation artist. Even if he was economically affluent, he had no reason to keep his works in one ce without exhibiting them. Henri Marso himself operated a personal gallery to make profits by utilizing his many works. I think Arsen should look into that. Henri nodded. As Michel pointed out, he needed to find out how the works that were not on disy were being used. It was illogical to keep them in a warehouse while spending a lot of money. Henri Marso called Arsen. Michel waited until Henri finished his call and opened his mouth when he put down his smartphone. Dont take it lightly. What? Even if Damien Carter is an artificially created artist, it doesnt mean that the people who like him will disappear. Michel didnt worry about anything else. He had known his brash personality since he was young. He didnt think that he had provoked Damien Carter at the award ceremony without any thought. He believed that he had his own reasons. He was just worried that he might think that the feelings of the people who followed Damien Carter were also false, because he doubted that he was a fabricated master. He hoped that he wouldnt becent even if he won the poprity vote. I know. Henri Marso answered calmly. He knew better than anyone how important publicity was, as he had bought all the billboards at the Paris station. Damien Carter was a unique existence in that matter. He couldnt ignore him. He just had a clear reason to not forgive him. Henri Marso couldnt forgive him for using himself, Michel, and SNBA. Michel nodded. Dont make too many enemies. You said youre a Parisian, but Damien Carter is using those people as his allies. Its separate from what he did wrong, but hes gaining power, you know. Michel didnt insist on making him join the same side, as he knew Henri well. He was not the type to be nice to others, and he didnt think he needed to. He was just sorry that he was creating obstacles for himself. Henri Marso turned his head and looked at the on the screen. Do you know why Van Gogh painted this? Van Gogh, who was admitted to the Saint-Remy mental hospital, left 150 works. He tried to regain his peace of mind by painting things he could find in the hospital, such as flowers, trees, and night sky. Michel couldnt be unaware of that fact. Henri listened to Michels exnation and shook his head. Iris doesnt need butterflies or bees. It reproduces by bursting its fruits alone, without anyones help. Henri looked at Michel in the eye. Its a self-portrait of Van Gogh, who was isted from his fellow artists and in a mental hospital, not even entering the mainstream of the art world. Why do you think so? Theres a white iris on the left, alone. Michel turned his head. "He drew himself in the iris field."1) 1)Iris (Iris), Vincent van Gogh, 1889, oil on canvas. Chapter 220: Chapter 220: Between Art and Art (5) It waste at night. Damien Carter was lost in thought as he looked at Henri Marsos hanging in the special exhibition hall of the SNBA Salon. He had thought that was a finished work, but it was actually a triptych that only conveyed its meaning, emotion, and purpose when disyed side by side. On the left, there was a painting that depicted the artists who had left their mark on art history. In the middle, there was the painting that he had presented at the Art Nouveaupetition. On the right, there was a painting that showed a sunflower reflected in Henri Marsos emerald eyes. It was a work that expressed the past through the artists of the previous era, defined the present by showing his own back, and symbolized the future with his gaze at the sunflower. From a means of conveying information to a creation. seemed to summarize the history of art, containing a long story and a reverence that made it look like three altarpieces.1) Despite being affected by yesterdays incident, Henri Marsos received rave reviews. Damien Carter nodded his head, thinking that it was a work worthy of such praise. What a wonderful painting. Damien Carter was truly amazed by Henri Marsos talent. Looking at the current art museum in 2028, after undergoing countless changes, Henri Marso was an iprehensible being. His way of using form and color was ssical, but clearly distinguished from other artists and works. He did not try to create a unique style, but rather emphasized and refined the beauty of traditional values. How happy it must be to be loved while painting like this. Damien Carter was surely envious of Henri Marso. Carter. He turned his head at the familiar voice and greeted him warmly. Detective Go. Go Soo-yeol looked at the hand that Damien Carter had extended and gently shook it. What brings you here at thiste hour? Go Soo-yeol shifted his gaze. You had the same idea, I see. I just wanted to see it quietly. Damien Carter smiled faintly and looked at again. The two masters stood side by side and admired the work in silence. How much time had passed? Go Soo-yeol broke the silence. I wonder if you remember. What do you mean? When we were undergraduates, we received a very narrow-minded education, didnt we? We couldnt ept it when they said that Mona Lisa was not art. Damien Carter chuckled. From a modern perspective, Mona Lisa could not be considered art. It was not a painting that the artist had created on his own initiative, but one that was born from amission, which contradicted the art view that emphasized the individuals subjectivity. The impression that Mona Lisa gave was not based on artistic quality, but on admiration for the astonishing painting technique. How could Mona Lisa, which was easy to think of as an art work since childhood, not be an art work? It was the first conceptual conflict that the students who entered the art college faced. Back then, I thought that was right. Art had to be subjective. But as time went by, my thoughts changed a little. Damien Carter listened attentively. I kept asking myself as I taught the students. Could Mona Lisa and The Creation of Adam really not be art? Did you find the answer? Go Soo-yeol nodded his head. They are art. The two masters looked into each others eyes. Even if they were made bymission, how they expressed it depended on the creators creativity. Haha. The artists would be shocked to hear that. Damien Carter could not agree with Go Soo-yeols words. The impression he got from Mona Lisa was not something that arose from the interaction between the work and the individual. It was a famous painting. It was painted by a famous person. It was hung in the Louvre Museum. It was not a subjective appreciation caused by such fixed perceptions, and even if he was impressed by seeing Mona Lisa directly in the Louvre Museum, the disyed Mona Lisa had a low probability of being genuine. Do you really think so? Damien Carter stoppedughing. I used to think that art was something that depended on the artist. But as I kept questioning, I wondered where the viewers had gone. I wonder if its narrow-minded to think that art depends only on the subject. If the viewer is moved, wouldnt that moment be art? Isnt there a possibility that its just a conventionalized experience? Isnt what we create also based on experience? The two people paused to organize their thoughts. Gosuyeol spoke first. The criterion that it cant be art if its not a voluntary act separates pure art from popr art. Demian Carter nodded in agreement. They looked at how past technicians made what the patrons wanted in exchange for money and how modern technicians made what the masses wanted for profit. Is there really no artistic value in popr art? Is it called popr because its not art, or does it mean art that is popr? I think theres room to think about that. Demian Carter snapped his fingers and pondered. I think thats why Marso is loved. Gosuyeol looked at . He revealed himself without reservation and functioned as a subject, while delivering a clear message. People marveled at the amazing technology and felt his thoughts and emotions at the same time. When the eyes and the heart resonated with high density, wouldnt that be what they were looking for? Gosuyeol believed that people didnte to the exhibition because of the educated art museum. He didnt think they were satisfied with vanity, self-hypnosis, and false appreciation. Hooni bothered you yesterday. Demian Carter shook his head. But I also think the same as Hooni. Gosuyeol didnt apologize. Lets try to answer todays conversation the next time we meet. He only promised the next. Im looking forward to it. Demian Carter smiled kindly. Huff. Huff. Refreshing, isnt it? Grandpa asked with joy. I had no strength to answer or stand, so I just slumped down and nodded. Ive been exercising with Grandpa every morning for a week. I knew he liked to exercise, but I didnt know he would be so happy. He looks happy these days. Tired? I nodded. If you keep it up, youll soon gain stamina and want to run more. I doubt that. I held Grandpas hand and got up. Didnt you like going up the mountain? Theres a lot to see. Walking or hiking is fun because you can slowly look around, but running is hard to like. But to eat delicious food and stay healthy, I have to run. How tragic is that? I can endure the physical pain for tomorrows food, but I cant give up high-calorie food even though I know it will hurt tomorrow. Humans are pitiful beings. Lets see. If we eat breakfast and go, itll be about right. Grandpa checked the time. Today is the day to shoot the documentary with Martin Jansen. Bang Taeho also agreed to join us at the shooting site. I want to work quickly. If I stay here, Ill have to keep running because of Sherry Gados cooking. I put that thought aside for a moment. A delicious smell that was hard to describe tempted my nose at the restaurant I found after showering. Whats that smell? I looked for Sherry Gado. I baked some bread for the first time in a while. I thered it with Izni butter. Want to try? Yes. The croissant that Sherry Gado baked was so delicious that it could revive a dead person. I wondered if I coulde back to life if I just put this to my nose even if I died from running. Can I have one more? Sure. You wont gain weight from eating one more. Your fat goes to your height anyway. Sherry Gado was right. I need to have a smooth nutrition supply during my growth period. I felt the richness of bread and butter just now, so this time I want to eat it with jam. Sherry Gado searched for the jar of walnut jam that she had made herself. She was struggling to open the tightly sealed lid when a hand suddenly appeared in front of her and snatched the jam away. She looked up and saw Henri Marso staring down at her. He seemed to be looking for some excuse to bother her, but then he opened the lid for her. How strange. Thank you. Thank you, indeed. He took a small knife and scooped a generous amount of jam. 500m. Not eating? What do you mean by that? Youll have to run at least 500m more if you eat that much. She wished Bang Tae-ho woulde soon. Good morning. Just then, her grandfather, who had finished his shower, entered the dining room. Good morning. Are you here? It smells good today. Her grandfather greeted Marso and Sherry politely and picked up a croissant. He liked walnut jam, so he didnt hesitate to spread it thickly. Henri Marso chuckled when she red at him as if to say why he didnt say anything to her grandfather. Can youpare someone who manages themselves and someone who needs to be told what to do? This guy was so annoying before, but now he acted like he was her tutor or something. Sir. She was about to say something when another butler, who had reced Arsen who was on vacation, came looking for Marso. Henri IV Middle School has asked when you can visit them. Tell them Ill go when I have time. And dont bother me. Ill let them know. ? She looked at the door where the butler had left with a vague and uneasy feeling, and her grandfather asked. Henri IV Middle School? Isnt that where Hun wants to go? Yes, it is. Why do they want you to go there? They said the art teacher was not satisfactory. What was he talking about? Do you mean youre going to give a lecture? No way! She jumped up, afraid that her grandfathers words mighte true. Triptych format. This is a format that declined after the Renaissance and the Reformation, as the power of the church diminished, but it had a long history and a great influence on Western art. A famous example of a work that used the triptychposition is Pablo Picassos . Chapter 221: Chapter 221: 221 Iris (1) Henri Matisse looked at me sharply and turned his head. I dont have time to deal with kids. Is that so? I was relieved, but strangely resentful. Its not a bad thing. You can learn a lot from teaching students. He had taught students at the university, so he must have spoken from experience. But Matisse didnt seem interested. He didnt want to waste his time on anything other than his artistic activities. Why did you contact Matisse? Thats what Im saying. It would improve the quality of education to invite a famous writer as a lecturer, but Henri Matisse was over the top. I wondered how much money they had to pay him to hire him, and he wasnt the type to be swayed by money. Is it because of Pousin? Cherie Gado asked as she put down the food. Pousin? Hes the principal of Henri IV Middle School. Hes a benefactor to Henri. What do you mean by benefactor? Matisse snorted. From my experience, he often reacted like that when he liked someone. Sure enough, Cherie Gado told me that they were close. He says that, but he really respects him. He was Henris art teacher when he was in middle school. Matisse had also graduated from Henri IV Middle School. Was he better then? What do you mean? His personality. Matisse frowned and Cherie Gado chuckled. Hes a gentleman now. Back then, no one could stop him. I couldnt imagine how unruly he was when he was young, when he was still reckless now. He became a person after meeting Pousin. Right? Hmph. He must have been a great educator to take good care of Henri Matisse in his adolescence. So, does Pousin ask you to work as a teacher? He wants to keep me by his side and nag me. I couldnt tell what kind of person he was, but he had a lot of friends, like Michel and Cherie. It was surprising that Henri Matisse had so many friends, including the chairman of the Chevasson Cimon and the principal of Pousin. Come on, lets talk while we eat. Youre going to Arles today, right? Yes. You have to eat well before you go on a long trip. Su-yeol, you too. Ha ha. Yes. Ill enjoy it. The breakfast that Cherie Gado prepared was splendid as usual. The young film director Daniel Scott was a passionate fan of Vincent van Gogh, and he had poured his passion into making the documentary for the past two years. He had repeatedly read the materials collected by Martin Jansen throughout his life, and he had visited the filming locations to organize the life story of Vincent van Gogh. He had sorted out the letters that van Gogh left and the records that those who remembered him left. He had enjoyed the process of learning new facts that he had not known before by meeting various experts and seeking their guidance. He wanted to let people know that Vincent van Gogh was not simply a madman. He wanted tofort him a little for his tragic life that he had to end himself after desperately resisting his fate. Thats why he had devoted himself to it. But did he really have to cast a child? Daniel Scott couldnt easily ept Martin Jansens request. Do I really have to do that? You dont know anything about Hoon. Youll see why Im doing this when you meet him. Daniel Scott couldnt agree with Martin Jansens words. He acknowledged his talent as a painter, but he wondered if he had to cast an Asian boy in a documentary that dealt with the life story of Vincent van Gogh. He thought it would be better to invite a painter who had studied Vincent van Gogh for a long time. But he had no choice because Martin Jansen, the investor, insisted strongly. A child exining van Gogh. Vincent van Gogh was a veryplex person. He showed a selfless side that loved others, but he also made things difficult for those around him by being stubborn sometimes. It was because of his strong ego as a painter. As I looked through the letters I exchanged with my younger brother Theodore, I could see his frustration and bitterness from not being recognized. He sounded desperate as he exined in detail how great his work was. He was too rational to be called a madman, but too human to be called an idealist. I had no idea how much a child could understand such a person. I have to cut it as much as possible. Daniel Scott reluctantly agreed to film and decided to reduce Ko Huns footage as much as possible. He thought Martin Jansen would have no choice but to ept his editing based on the flow of the documentary. Then he learned that Ko Hun had discovered Vincent van Goghsst workce in Auvers-sur-Oise. It was unbelievable. The Vincent van Gogh that Ko Hun talked about was the same van Gogh that Daniel Scott had imagined. It was an inference that only someone who saw the situation from van Goghs perspective could make. Daniel Scott left some parts of the fourth episode of , which heposed in five parts, empty, thinking that maybe Martin Jansens words were not entirely wrong. Just in case. If by any chance, Ko Hun showed him a good painting, he had secured enough time to use it. Phew. Daniel Scott exhaled the smoke and chuckled. Thats impossible. Daniel Scott looked around the filming site and thought he was having a useless expectation. I arrived at the beloved Arles. There were not many direct trains from Paris Lyon Station, and most of them were sold out, so I was worried, but Marso got me a ticket. As I got off the train and went out to the station, Bang Tae Ho was waiting for me. I hadnt seen him for only a week or so, but I was so happy to see him. Sir. Hoon. Bang Tae Ho came up to me with a smile. Did you have a good time? You look better. I had a hard time. You had a hard time? Youre being sassy because you exercised a little. Grandpa and Bang Tae Houghed out loud. I didnt know what was so funny. How about you, sir? Hmm. Im relieved. Thank you for worrying about me. Bang Tae Ho brushed my arm and bowed his waist. Thanks to you, I came back safely. Thank you. Youre wee. How is your mother? Shes recovering well and she can talk now. Thats a relief. I heard that the surgery went well, but if she could have a conversation, I wouldnt have to worry too much. I knew too well how it felt to lose a parent, so I was relieved. We got in the car that Bang Tae Ho had prepared in advance and headed to the filming site. Hoon, theres a box in the back. This one? There was a well-packed box on the back seat of the passenger seat. It was quite big. Hanna said thank you. It was a gift from Lee Hanna, the author of . I hurriedly untied the ribbon. Snacks? They were Korean snacks. The food in Korea and France had different charms, but the snacks sold at French convenience stores were so sweet that I missed Korean snacks. It was a good timing. Ill enjoy it. I tore the cone-shaped snack bag and put it on my finger. I should say hello to her. Why? You talked about The Blood Mark when you were on the showst time. I did that a few times. I mentioned it on the Alphonse Mendy Show that I appeared on recently, but Grandpa asked me what The Blood Mark was and I got in trouble. He had set up a kids lock before, but I forgot. I tried hard to exin, but I was embarrassed when he asked me how I watched it. When I actually watched it, it was not violent or provocative, but a fun drama, so I tried to persuade him, but Grandpa shook his head after watching the first episode and set up the kids lock again. I n to ask Cha Si-hyun to exin it to meter. Thanks to you, a lot of people have be interested. Even Marso saw it. Ah. A French publisher contacted me. They want to publish it. JH Cinema is also preparing for the French service. Really? Yeah. Its all because of you. Theres a coupon in the box below. I took out the snacks and found a letter and a coupon. It was a cash coupon that could be used on KakaoPage, where the novel was serialized. The letter was written by the author Lee Hanna herself. She said she wanted to meet me and thank me when she came to Korea, and she thanked me for working happily with Bang Tae-ho. I received a letter from the author of herself. I have to keep this well. The publisher said to let me know if theres any book you want to see. They want to send it to you. I thought of Lee Hannas new work . It was a novel about a college student who loved a professor, and it had a reputation for being a masterpiece that made you feel both freshness and intimacy. I wanted to read it sometime. Can I get childrens books too? They have several brands. They deal with various kinds of books. I see. I dont think I can ask for anything since my grandfather is here. It took about 10 minutes. We arrived at the shooting site shortly after driving. Su-yeol! Hun-ah! Martin Jansen weed us with open arms. He hugged my grandfather and me alternately, and greeted Bang Tae-ho. This is Daniel Scott. Apetent director. Martin Jansen introduced the documentary director. He was a Scottish man in his mid-30s, with a gaunt and smoky appearance. He had a fierce and irritable expression. His face and personality are dirty, but his skill is trustworthy. Hahaha! I couldnt tell if he was joking or serious, but Daniel Scott didnt deny it. Can we start right away? Sure. I was well informed of what I had to do. I had to draw following the works I had drawn before, and freely tell stories about Vincent and his works as if I was broadcasting on the inte. Iris, right? Daniel Scott nodded. At first, I nned to do , which many people liked, but during the Art Nouveau contest, I was asked if I could do . It was what the director wanted, and it was also a work that I had something to say. Lets see the scene then. As I sat in front of the canvas, the lights and cameras moved. Chapter 222: Chapter 222: 222 Iris (2) ¡°He seems very picky.¡± Bang Taeho said, looking at Daniel Scott, who was talking with the production staff. The staff members were listening to the director¡¯s words with great tension. ¡°Well, it¡¯s rare to find a nice person among the creators.¡± Go Suyeol chuckled and replied. Among the staff who were moving the easel and the chairs, the grandson who was preparing the paint and the brush looked cute and admirable. Bang Taeho also looked at him and brought up the topic. ¡°About what you told me before.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Although there was no one who could understand Korean, Bang Taeho lowered his voice. ¡°I asked n, the director, casually and he said he couldn¡¯t buy Damien Carter¡¯s works.¡± It was what Marcus Allen, the director of the New Tate Modern Gallery, who had contracted with Ko Hun to exhibit , had said. Go Suyeol frowned, recalling what Henri Marso had told him about Damien Carter¡¯s strange behavior. ¡°He couldn¡¯t buy them? What does that mean?¡± ¡°He said he always felt pressured by the high bids. He didn¡¯t seem to find it strange, since the prices were so high.¡± Go Suyeol couldn¡¯t easily believe that even the New Tate Modern Gallery, which was active and wealthy in securing exhibits, felt burdened. ¡®No matter how expensive they are.¡¯ He mulled over Henri Marso¡¯s suspicion and continued the question. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case for all the works?¡± Damien Carter, the mostmercially sessful artist of the 21st century. Any museum would want to exhibit at least one of his works because of his name. If the price was too high, they would want to buy a rtively cheaper work. ¡°I thought that was strange too, so I asked and he said the starting bid was over 3 million pounds.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°And even if he tried to buy the works that had lower final bidster, they wouldn¡¯te out again.¡± Go Suyeol turned his head. ¡°Does that mean there¡¯s no reselling?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There are only a few works whose whereabouts are confirmed among the auctioned items.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ What about the unsold works? There must be quite a few, since there are so many works.¡± There were several reasons why a work could be unsold at an art auction, but they were mainly divided into three categories. No one bid because ofck of interest, or the final bid was too high for the bidder to pay. Lastly, the work was forged, altered, or damaged. For these reasons, unsold works were put up for auction again and generally formed a lower price range than before. ¡°He said there were no cases of unsold worksing out again. That¡¯s why it¡¯s hard to get them.¡± ¡°Where do they keep all those things¡­¡± Go Suyeol sighed, remembering what Henri Marso had told him. Damien Carter¡¯s works were mostly not exhibited and their whereabouts were obscure. ¡°It¡¯s not only a storage problem, but also ack of willingness to sell, don¡¯t you think?¡± Go Suyeol wondered again at Bang Taeho¡¯s remark. Even though there were many weird people among the artists, it was hard to find someone who had no intention of selling their works. ¡°Is that possible? Someone who doesn¡¯t want to sell their own works.¡± Bang Taeho nodded, looking at Go Suyeol. ¡°Maybe.¡± Go Suyeol recalled the past when the works were traded only among the collectors or used for moneyundering. He had been wary of him and had not put his works up for auction. Bang Taeho nodded. ¡°I think it might be possible for the opposite reason of yours.¡± ¡°¡­You mean they had moneyundering as their purpose?¡± ¡°That could be a reason.¡± ¡°How. How could that be possible. There are not one or two people who participate in the auction.¡± ¡°What if the trading partner was decided from the beginning?¡± As Bang Taeho said, if the person who would trade the work was decided, it would look like they had no intention of selling to others. ¡°No. That can¡¯t be. There are unsold works too.¡± It was strange that the work was unsold when the buyer was decided. ¡°This is just my guess.¡± Bang Taeho looked around and said. ¡°If it¡¯s as Mr. Marso guessed, maybe it¡¯s because they couldn¡¯t form the price range they wanted.¡± ¡°What do you mean by the price they wanted?¡± ¡°If moneyundering was their purpose, they would have to raise the final bid, but if there were few or passive participants, wouldn¡¯t it be hard to form the price they wanted?¡± ¡°Right. One.¡± ¡°There have been 17 cases of artworks being damaged and unsold.¡± Soo-yeol¡¯s eyes widened. It was unbelievable that the artworks that had been auctioned at Sotheby¡¯s in Ennd were unsold due to damage. There was no way that Damien Carter¡¯s artworks would be handled so carelessly. ¡°There are hundreds of cases where the bidders couldn¡¯t pay for the expensive artworks. It happens often, but it¡¯s not a normal number.¡± Soo-yeol groaned. ¡°Why did I find out about this now? I can understand if the bidders ran away, but the media wouldn¡¯t ignore the damage-rted incidents. Carter wouldn¡¯t stay quiet either.¡± ¡°Maybe their silence means that there is a collusion between Sotheby¡¯s and Damien Carter?¡± Tae-ho¡¯s words made Soo-yeol touch his forehead. He couldn¡¯t know exactly what Damien Carter, Sotheby¡¯s, and Jay Jopling had done, but it was an iprehensible situation. ¡°Teacher.¡± Tae-ho opened his mouth. ¡°I have to uncover this. If there is any fraud, we have to root it out before it gets worse.¡± Soo-yeol looked at his grandson, who was holding a brush in front of the camera. Tae-ho also looked at him. ¡°We can¡¯t let this go on, can we?¡± Tae-ho couldn¡¯t stand the ugly art world. He felt ashamed to think that Hoone would someday find out the true identity of the greatest master of this era, if he didn¡¯t do anything. Soo-yeol felt the same way. He didn¡¯t want his grandson to repeat the pain that he had experienced. Especially now, when he was just starting to get attention from the Whitney Biennale, the Art Nouveau Competition, the SNBA Salon Exhibition, and other events. In the first half of 2029, he would participate as a concept art manager in and , which was being filmed now. It was a very important milestone for Hoone. Soo-yeol clenched his fist as he watched Hoone fill the canvas. As he started the underpainting, he heard the voice announcing the start of the shooting. He didn¡¯t know why Daniel Scott, the director, asked him to paint , but he wanted tofort those who were hurt by Damien Carter. It was a good picture for the subject. ¡°Iris was the first painting that Vincent made after he was admitted to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum.¡± He wanted to have the irises that bloomed in the garden in front of him, but they wouldn¡¯t be blooming in the middle of winter. He wondered if that ce was still there. ¡°It was May 8th, 1889, when the irises were the most beautiful.¡± He had to admit himself to the hospital when he couldn¡¯t keep his sanity due to the seizures. His illness didn¡¯t improve, but he gained some hope and courage by painting the surrounding scenery when he didn¡¯t have seizures. ¡°Iris was a sketch. He practiced observing the petals and expressing their shape and texture well, but it was well received unlike Vincent¡¯s thought.¡± He positioned the flowers. ¡°He sent it to Theo in May. He said he would exhibit it at the And¨¦pandant Exhibition in September. Although he paid to hang it, he hung it in a good ce.¡± Theo wrote in a letter, ¡°It catches the eye from afar. It¡¯s a lively and beautiful painting.¡± ¡°I found out recently that it was sold very expensively in the 80s. Vincent didn¡¯t think much of it, but he would be surprised if he knew that you liked it.¡± He often talked with his grandfather, but art was really hard to understand. The paintings that he poured his blood and sweat into didn¡¯t get any response, while the ones that he didn¡¯t think much of were revered as masterpieces. Art was something that the creator and the audience made together. He mixed a little ck paint with blue paint. ¡°There is something to be careful of before painting the flowers. Iris has no scent on the leaves. Vincent drew it clearly so that it wouldn¡¯t feel like the scent was spreading.¡± He wanted to express the sense of istion without scent, so he applied ukiyo-e, which he was influenced by at that time. He separated the border with a ck line, which was a characteristic of ukiyo-e. At that time and even now, many people thought that ck borders shouldn¡¯t be used because they didn¡¯t exist, but who would care how he painted anything if it was beautiful. He thought it was a good way to give life to the painting, even if he had to avoid it as a beginner. ¡°The reason why there is no scent is because they don¡¯t need to attract butterflies or bees. They reproduce by bursting the fruits.¡± He washed the brush once and then mixed white with blue. He took a little bit off and painted it, then mixed it a little more and painted it. ¡°Iris was afort to Vincent, who was in the hospital. He bloomed beautifully on his own without anyone¡¯s help, so he could soothe his loneliness a little, being alone in the rural hospital.¡± His rtionship with his few friends was broken and irreparable, and his body and mind were deteriorating day by day. It was a really precarious time. ¡°Everyone ignored him, so he seemed to have a pride to make a great painting somehow. He got courage from the iris.¡± I mixed a little bit of blue paint into the white paint. ¡°I wondered a lot how Vincent could have been loved. Really, a lot. And then I thought it might be because of his iris-like heart.¡± I added a white iris to the painting. ¡°It¡¯s a lively painting, but a very sad one. He said he could do it alone, but that¡¯s what lonely people say.¡± He thought he could say he was fine alone because he was deprived. He was afraid that he would be forgotten and unable to do anything if he didn¡¯tfort himself that way. Happy people can¡¯t understand his heart exactly. ¡°I enjoy painting. But when the work is done, I feel very lonely. When I stretch my back after focusing on painting for 10 or 20 hours, the surroundings are dark. The way home alone is so quiet that I feel like I¡¯m left alone in the world. Especially when I¡¯m not recognized for a long time, like Vincent. That¡¯s a feeling I never get used to.¡± For me at that time. I have something to say for the artists of this era. ¡°Vincent died without sess, but he tried hard with the mind that he could do it. He didn¡¯t give up even though he was scared and thought he might not be able to do it.¡± It¡¯s not a boast, a lie, or a persuasion. ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re wrong if the people around you don¡¯t recognize what you do.¡± I dabbed yellow in the center of the white iris. ¡°The 19th century was a time when amazing geniuses showed off their skills. Vincent envied those flowers. Sometimes he was miserable in the narrow countryside, wondering if he would be forgotten like this.¡± It seemed to go well. ¡°But he¡¯s loved now, right? He was a flower too, just as he wished. We all have to believe that we are irises ourselves.¡± I put down the brush. ¡°If you think that way. Maybe Vincent would like it if you get even a little courage.¡± I turned my head slightly and saw the camera. It was quiet around me. Daniel Scott, who had held the camera himself, slowly moved and showed his face. ¡°Perfect¡­¡± It seemed to go well in one try. Chapter 223: Chapter 223: 223 Iris (3) Daniel Scott felt like he had finally found thest piece of the puzzle. ¡®This is it.¡¯ He was thrilled to be able to cover the life of his beloved painter, but he also felt a lot of pressure. He had so much to say that it was hard to set a clear standard. At first, he wanted to gather various stories. A madman who cut off his own ear. An unfortunate painter.A master who heralded the beginning of modern art. There were already so many people who had told different stories about the painter Vincent van Gogh. It was certainly a meaningful task to organize and introduce them, but Daniel Scott wanted to add one more thing. There were many stories rted to the painter Vincent van Gogh, but he wanted to shed light on him as a human being. He wanted to tell why he had to be so desperate, rather than why he was a great painter. The only problem was how to effectively capture it on video. In that situation, he met Ko Hun through Martin Jansen¡¯s rmendation, and the boy perfectly realized Daniel Scott¡¯s wish. The director of approached Ko Hun. ¡°You did great.¡± Ko Hun was slightly puzzled by the softened tone. ¡°I was thinking of doing some interviews while touring Arles for the fourth part, would you like to join me?¡± Daniel Scott¡¯s polite attitude made Ko Hun hesitate for a moment. He didn¡¯t have much schedule afterwards, and he wanted to look around Arles, which he hadn¡¯t visited for a long time, anyway, so it didn¡¯t seem to be a big problem. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to my manager and let you know.¡± Daniel Scott nodded. As Ko Hun jumped off the chair and walked towards where Go Soo Yeol and Bang Tae Ho were, Martin Jansen sneaked up to him. ¡°How is it?¡± Daniel Scott turned his head. Martin Jansen was smiling contentedly. ¡°I think I know why he¡¯s loved.¡± ¡°Ho ho. Why is that?¡± ¡°People think of madness, excellence, sadness, death, and such images when they talk about van Gogh. That¡¯s also part of van Gogh, but there¡¯s a fact that they overlook.¡± Martin Jansen nodded in agreement. ¡°That boy knows that well. He understands it deeply, I¡¯d say. The situation, the emotion, and so on.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Thanks to him, we¡¯ll be able to include more stories.¡± Martin Jansen chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Jansen was about to turn around, but he remembered something he had forgotten and stopped. ¡°You made me pay more for his appearance fee. You better make sure of it.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°This much?¡± After handing over the additional contract and taking a walk around with his grandfather, Bang Tae Ho brought back an absurd condition. The appearance fee for the two days of additional shooting was 70,000 euros, which added up to more than 100 million won in Korean currency with the original 10,000 euros. He was startled and looked back and forth between Bang Tae Ho and Martin Jansen. ¡°He deserves this much. He¡¯s a star who won second ce in the Art Nouveaupetition.¡± Bang Tae Ho smiled confidently. He always brought unexpected conditions, whether it was the contract or the New Tate Modern contract. Unlike the previous contract, it was only one episode, and he had no preparation and just shot for two more days, but 70,000 euros. He wondered if this was okay. ¡°Is it okay?¡± He asked Martin Jansen again, and heughed heartily. ¡°Ha ha! This guy, do you think this money is too much for someone who gets millions of dors?¡± The auction was just too overheated. He still didn¡¯t know if was really worth 14 million dors. The same goes for . At the time, he was thinking that he had to sell it at any cost, so he called for 2 million euros, but looking back now, it was an absurd amount. If it weren¡¯t for Henri Matisse, who was crazy about his paintings, it would have been a proposal that wouldn¡¯t have been eaten. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, I decided it was worth it.¡± Jansen put his hand on his head. It¡¯s not worry. It¡¯s unfamiliarity. Art is something that the artist and the audience create together. I suppose they think so, but the amount they set is shocking to me now. I¡¯m grateful but also unfamiliar, because my idea of the value of my paintings is different from theirs. Maybe I didn¡¯t want to sell my works for a high price, but rather wished for someone to buy them. I think I can sort out my feelings like that now. ¡°Come on, it¡¯ste. Let¡¯s eat first. There¡¯s an amazing ce.¡± Martin Jansen took the lead cheerfully. Come to think of it, it was past dinner time. I was hungrier than usual because I kept talking. As we drove in his car, a familiar sight came into view. ¡°Ah.¡± At first, I didn¡¯t recognize it because it was dark and so different, but when we reached the Saint-Trophime Church, old memories came flooding back. ¡®It¡¯s still the same.¡¯ The faded bricks and the columns and statues that reminded me of the Corinthian style. Even the old wooden door that was dear to me. It was just like the old days. If you turn right into the alley from here, you¡¯ll see the ruins of the ancient theater, and if you walk a little further, you¡¯ll find the amphitheater. It takes less than 10 minutes from the amphitheater to the yellow house where I lived. ¡®It¡¯s a pity.¡¯ Kevin from the Van Gogh Museum told me that the yellow house was destroyed by the war. I followed Martin Jansen¡¯s guidance and kept walking. ¡°If you go this way.¡± ¡°Oh. Do you know this ce?¡± How could I not? The ce where I painted appears. As I walked on, wondering if it was possible, I felt like I had gone back 140 years. LE CAF¨¦ LA NUIT The yellow tablecloth and chairs. The wall and the awning mixed with yellow and green. On the awning, there was a green letter that said ¡®Caf¨¦ of the Night¡¯, and on the wall, I proudly wrote my name. Therge gasmp that lit up the blue night and the starry night sky above it. It was the caf¨¦ that I felt back then. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it cool? Caf¨¦ Terrace at Night. It¡¯s still open as it was back then.¡± Martin Jansen said proudly. ¡°Did you buy this ce?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been about eight years. The food was not good, so I changed everything.¡± The coffee wasn¡¯t very good when I lived there either. He must have taken over and fixed things up like Ov¨¨re Sur Uaz. ¡°Then did you paint that wall too?¡± The wall of this caf¨¦ was not lemon-colored as I had expressed in . ¡°No, that was done in the 90s.¡± ¡°They came to see the ce that Van Gogh painted and were disappointed that it was different, so they painted it the same.¡± Martin Jansen and Bang Tae-ho exined alternately. It¡¯s amazing that the color I painted to dramatically express the light of the streetmps and the stars is now a reality. ¡°Come on, there¡¯s a rmended menu, so let¡¯s go with that.¡± I also got a rmendation from Ov¨¨re Sur Uaz¡¯s La Bu Inn. He introduced me to the menu that I ate myself, and it was very delicious, so I followed Jansen¡¯s rmendation this time. It waste, so there were few customers, and the food came out quickly. ¡°Grandpa, try this.¡± ¡°Yeah. Yeah. I¡¯m eating. Is it good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious. Yes.¡± As we enjoyed ourte dinner, Daniel Scott, who had been silently moving his fork, spoke. ¡°Do you know where the irises are now?¡± I shook my head. ¡°They¡¯re in Malibu.¡± It¡¯s on the west side of Los Angeles, California, USA. They¡¯re on disy at a ce called the J. Paul Getty Museum. ¡°I thought it was bought by an individual.¡± I heard it was sold for a very high price, so I thought it was collected by a collector. I¡¯m d it¡¯s on disy. ¡°It¡¯splicated.¡± Daniel Scott uttered a cryptic word and tilted his head, and Bang Tae-ho stepped in. "It was a problem with the appraisal, right?"1 Daniel Scott nodded. ¡°The appraisal problem?¡± ¡°Before the Paul Getty Museum tried to buy the Irises, a man named n Bond owned it. How much did he sell it for?¡± ¡°$53.9 million. It was the highest price at the time in 1987.¡± Martin Jansen, the director of the Van Gogh Foundation, quickly told him the transaction price. It was still an astonishing figure. Daniel Scott exined. ¡°Ridiculously, n Bond had a debt of $5 billion. He was a guy who had no ability but went around bidding at every auction house.¡± ¡°¡­He had a debt of $5 billion?¡± I couldn¡¯t imagine what he did to incur a debt of $5 billion in the 80s. ¡°No. But how did he buy it?¡± I couldn¡¯t understand his nerve to bid $53.9 million for the painting while he had a debt of $5 billion. ¡°New York Sotheby¡¯s lent him $27 million.¡± What was that supposed to mean? ¡°The auction house lent him money?¡± ¡°It was a trick to raise the price.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°They tainted the noble message that Van Gogh left behind. Both New York Sotheby¡¯s and n Bond.¡± I was speechless at the absurdity. Grandfather opened his mouth as if he remembered the incident. ¡°They weren¡¯t quiet in the international art market either. They said the buyer and the auction house colluded to raise the price of the work.¡± It was usible enough. ¡°Ah.¡± Bang Tae-ho stirred. ¡°Teacher. By any chance¡­.¡± Grandfather met Bang Tae-ho¡¯s eyes and looked somewhat flustered. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°No. Nothing.¡± Grandfather and Bang Tae-ho shook their heads as if they were hiding something and twirled the pasta in vain. ¡°So once the price went up, when the Paul Getty Museum tried to buy it again three yearster in 1990, they had no choice but to pay the inted price of $53 million.¡± When n Bond, who was in debt, failed to pay the price of the painting, the unsold was resold at the same price as before. The same price as the one they had borrowed money and set higher. I couldn¡¯t have imagined such a thing when they said there was a problem with the appraisal. There were many loopholes in the 19th century, but the actions of those who tried to gain unfair profits were really creative. ¡°Despicable bastard.¡± Martin Jansen cursed at n Bond. ¡°He eventually got sentenced for fraud after trading M¡¯s The Stroll. His whole life was a fraud.¡± I finally understood why Daniel Scott said the situation wasplicated. ¡°Like Director Jansen said, the Irises that were tainted by those despicable bastards regained their honor today with your exnation.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Thank you very much. Van Gogh would be grateful to you too.¡± The man with a nervous expression smiled faintly. I looked at him quietly and smiled back. ¡°I should thank the director too.¡± I meant it. 1 Van Gogh¡¯s ¡®Irises¡¯ appraised at $60 million, JoongAng Ilbo, April 10, 1990, p. 12. Chapter 224: Chapter 224: 224 Iris (4) The concept of the shoot was to explore Arles and share my impressions. They said I could also ask questions if needed, but I wondered if I could pull it off with the hastily prepared script. It only had the ces to go and the questions to ask, so I felt lost. ¡°Just talkfortably like you did yesterday.¡± Director Daniel Scott added that there was no need to exaggerate or embellish anything. ¡°The script is just a guideline, not a rule.¡± I nodded at his words, saying he didn¡¯t want to make it artificial.I liked talking, so I decided to trust the director and speak freely. I moved my feet, guided by my memories. I didn¡¯t need to visit the cafe in the Forum Square again, since I had dinner there yesterday. How about the amphitheater, the background of , where people watched bullfights? Were they still doing bullfights now? The Saint-Trophime Church, which I passed by yesterday, was also a good ce to reminisce. But nothing couldpare to the yellow house, where I dreamed of an artists¡¯munity. I nned to walk slowly along the Rhone River, as I used to, and go to where the yellow house used to be. I entered the alley without paying attention to the camera. The yellow tiles on the pavement caught my eye. They had ck triangles pointing the direction. The man wearing a straw hat and carrying a load, heading somewhere, looked like a representation of my past self. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°These are blocks that guide you to ces rted to Van Gogh.¡± ¡°Can I see everything by following them?¡± ¡°Not really, they¡¯re just for reference.¡± When I turned my head and asked, Director Daniel Scott answered. I was curious and looked at the direction the signpost pointed. It was the way to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum. It was on the way to the Rhone River, so I thought it wouldn¡¯t hurt to stop by. ¡°I¡¯ll go this way first.¡± It didn¡¯t take long to get there. This ce, like the others, preserved its old appearance. It didn¡¯t look as sturdy as an Arabic building, because of the time that had passed. There was some grass growing on the entrance decoration, and the outer wall was peeling or dark. It didn¡¯t look like a hospital now. It was introduced as Espace Van Gogh (Van Gogh¡¯s ce). I passed the entrance and entered the garden. Unlike the exterior, the interior seemed to have been repainted, with a white background and bright yellow borders. It looked neat. I used to find peace in the small garden decorated in the arched corridor.1) There were no flowers because it was winter, but the flower beds and the pond were the same as before. The asylum was not a bleak ce, and I was allowed to move around freely during the permitted time. I also went out to the second floor terrace and chatted while looking at the garden. It was like a kind of nursing home. ¡°There was a flood before I was admitted here.¡± I recalled what happened when I was admitted, as I walked around the garden. ¡°I had been hospitalized several times at the municipal hospital before I came here. I got a lot of help from Rey.¡± ¡°Rey?¡± ¡°He was a doctor at the municipal hospital. He let me go out during the day so I could paint, even after I was admitted.¡± Everyone said I should be locked up, but Rey didn¡¯t take the brush away from me, and I felt a little relieved. Now that I think about it, the municipal hospital, which was so suffocating, and this Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum, were both ces for me. It was just that I was so sensitive that I couldn¡¯t even ept kindness, and there were many conflicts. ¡°Thanks to him, I was able to continue working, but there was a flood when my seizures got longer. The Rhone River overflowed and the water reached near the house.¡± ¡°That¡¯s terrible.¡± ¡°It was terrible. It would have been better if there was heating. The walls were soaked and it was very humid. The works I painted while being treated were all ruined.¡± I had done my best for each work, each piece, but when the paintings were damaged by the flood, I lost my spirit. ¡°I wondered if I had been fighting a losing battle all along, it was so hard.¡± I felt like everything in the world wanted me to die, I was so cornered. ¡°I relied on Theo all the time. My paintings didn¡¯t sell, my rtionships were all broken, and I was sick.¡± The winter wind came and went through the garden. ¡°Even in that situation, I worked hard, but when the paintings were ruined, I couldn¡¯t bear it. I got treatment, but I didn¡¯t see any signs of improvement, so I didn¡¯t know what to do.¡± Daniel Scott didn¡¯t argue, he just listened to me. ¡°Ah, maybe it was a hopeless thing from the start. Everything was against me. Maybe it was something I shouldn¡¯t have done in the first ce. Then. What am I, who can¡¯t paint? I thought that.¡± I had no meaning if I couldn¡¯t paint. I thought I had no reason to live if I couldn¡¯t paint anymore because of my seizures. "That¡¯s why I painted irises. And things like The Starry Night or cypress trees."2) ¡°Cypress trees symbolize death, don¡¯t they?¡± Daniel Scott asked me a question and steered the conversation. ¡°That¡¯s right. They are associated with sad deaths since ancient myths.¡± It was a story from Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo loved Cyparissus, who was best friends with a deer. But Cyparissus identally killed the deer with a spear he threw. Unable to bear his grief, Cyparissus wanted to die too, but Apollo wouldn¡¯t let him. Cyparissus was frustrated. If he couldn¡¯t die, he begged Apollo to make him a forever sad being. And Apollo had no choice but to turn him into a cypress tree. ¡°Do you think Van Gogh thought about death?¡± I nodded at Daniel Scott¡¯s question. ¡°I think he did.¡± I spoke and paused for a moment. If I said it like this, people would mistake me for a kid who thinks he is Vincent van Gogh. ¡°I think he could have, because he was really lonely and miserable.¡± Daniel Scott nodded and told me to continue the story. ¡°But painting cypress trees wasn¡¯t just about despair, sadness, or death.¡± ¡°What else did it mean?¡± ¡°For Vincent, painting was a process of finding answers. He could have expressed his immediate emotions, but he thought that was just expression, not meaningful.¡± It wasn¡¯t that immediate emotional expression was bad or low-quality. He just wanted to go further with his painting. ¡°There¡¯s no point in dwelling on despair. But when you paint while reflecting on yourself, your mind bes calm.¡± ¡°Like The Starry Night?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± We left the Espace Van Gogh, which was now used as a cultural center. We walked towards the Rhone River and continued the conversation. ¡°In The Starry Night, Vincent emphasized the cypress tree by painting it in the front and making it big. You could see it as a sign of death, but.¡± I looked at the camera. ¡°But it looks like the tree touches the sky, right? Like a path to the beautiful stars. Maybe he thought not to be too sad.¡± Daniel Scott and the production team listened seriously. ¡°I think so.¡± Dying is never a good thing. He did it to himself, but he would have avoided it if he could. When he painted The Starry Night, it felt like everything in the world was telling him to die. He painted the cypress tree that touched the night sky to cope with his anxiety. If he couldn¡¯t avoid it, he wanted to be ready. We hurried our steps as we listened to the ssical music ying in the square. Soon the Rhone River came into view. The road was well built so that we could walk along the river. We walked while looking at the Rhone River that reflected the sky. Daniel Scott didn¡¯t ask me any questions even when I didn¡¯t speak. He waited while capturing the atmosphere of the Rhone River with his camera. I didn¡¯t mean much by filming the documentary. But when I came to Arles, it was different from when I found Ober-sur-Oise. It was a ce I visited when I had dreams and courage, so unlike Ober-sur-Oise where I faced death, I had many memories. I felt like crying just by walking along the Rhone River and remembering the paintings I painted here. While filming the documentary, I wanted to unfold my dreams that I had suppressed. A ce where I can paint freely and be with others. I thought about it yesterday when I talked to Jansen, but what I really want is not to sell my paintings for a high price. I want to paint the pictures I want to paint peacefully, and mingle with people. The process of showing what I thought and knowing how he was. I want to find such a ce in Paris as soon as possible. I also need to find people to join me, but I don¡¯t know many people. I will always be with my grandfather. He¡¯s so busy that he might not be able to join the group, but I hope Jang Mi-rae or Henri Marso wille by sometimes. I don¡¯t know if he will keep painting, but Cha Si-hyun is always wee. nche Fabre seems like a good friend, but I don¡¯t know what she thinks, so I have to ask her. And it would be a bit lonely without Ferdinand Gonzalez. I should leave some candy for him. ¡°¡­¡± But I have to make money for that. No, I don¡¯t. It doesn¡¯t matter if we meet in a fancy building or not. As long as we share the same vision, we can have fun even in a small and shabby ce. Maybe I should look for a job ad when I go back to Paris. I thought as I walked, and soon I reached the spot where the yellow house was. Daniel Scott, who came back after seeing off Ko Hun, checked the footage he had filmed for two days over and over. ¡°Did you start already?¡± Martin Jansen asked him, offering him a coffee, if he had begun editing. ¡°No, I have something to think about.¡± Daniel Scott paused the video and blew on the hot coffee. He took a careful sip and opened his mouth. ¡°He said that drawing was a process of finding answers.¡± ¡°He did say that.¡± Martin Jansen agreed. ¡°That must be Ko Hun¡¯s artistic view.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°People have different opinions on what art is, don¡¯t they? ¡­ I liked what he said.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Some say you have to criticize social issues, some say you have to explore the original beauty, some say you have to express yourself, and so on. But his words epass them all.¡± ¡°True.¡± ¡°To Van Gogh or Ko Hun, painting is not just painting. I feel like cheering for them when I think that way.¡± Maybe it was because their struggle to survive was simr to ours. That¡¯s what Daniel Scott thought. ¡°And it also gives me courage to try it myself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they are loved by people.¡± Daniel Scott nodded. He took another sip of coffee and thought. He didn¡¯t think Ko Hun¡¯s words at the end of the documentary, that he wanted to build a yellow house and form a painter¡¯smunity with his grandfather, Jang Mi-rae, Henri Marso, nche Fabre, and other painters, were like a child¡¯s dream. It felt like it was going to happen soon. Garden of the Hospital in Arles, Vincent van Gogh, 1889, oil on canvas The Starry Night, Vincent van Gogh, 1889, oil on canvas Chapter 225: Chapter 225: 225 Sin and Punishment (1) The date changed to January 3rd, 2029. Gosuyeol visited Henri Marso for something rted to Demian Carter. He told him what he had learned through Bang Taeho and added that in 1987, n Bond had won the bid for at Sotheby¡¯s in New York. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I¡¯m suspicious.¡± Henri Marso tapped the table three times and brought up a screen. As it was a matter outside the French jurisdiction, Henri Marso, who had been investigating the case privately through Arsen, showed Gosuyeol some of the data he had received so far.¡°Hmm.¡± Gosuyeol groaned. ¡°Out of the people who bought Demian Carter¡¯s stuff, 17 of them got loans from Sotheby¡¯s in the UK.¡± Henri Marso deliberately referred to Demian Carter¡¯s works as stuff. ¡°Was it to raise the price?¡± Gosuyeol could hardly believe the facts before his eyes. That Demian Carter had colluded with the auction house to do such a thing to increase the bidding price of his works. He didn¡¯t want to believe it. ¡°That¡¯s not the fundamental reason.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Do you know the Consumer Credit Act?¡± Gosuyeol shook his head. Henri Marso manipted the table screen and searched for the Consumer Credit Act of the UK. It also showed that the Usury Law was abolished in 1854. ¡°There was aw that abolished the usury limit.¡± ¡°They abolished the usury limit? You mean there¡¯s no cap on interest?¡± Henri Marso nodded. Gosuyeol found it hard to believe that a developed country like the UK had no upper limit on loan interest. ¡°In 1974, they established a basis to regte excessive credit transactions, but it was ineffective.¡± ¡°How can such a badw remain?¡± ¡°It was revised in 2006, but debtors or installment buyers who entered into credit contracts or hire-purchase contracts exceeding 25,000 pounds for business purposes were exempted from regtion.¡± Henri Marso exined that there had been discussions to re-enact the usuryw, but it had no significant effect. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t bigger transactions be regted more?¡± ¡°When have the Brits ever been sane?¡± Gosuyeol thought that the UK and France were not much different, but he didn¡¯t bother to say anything unnecessary. ¡°So. What¡¯s the connection between that and Carter?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I wondered.¡± Henri Marso swirled the ss of kale juice. ¡°Demian Carter made something that Sotheby¡¯s in the UK sold for a high price, and some luxury galleries and wealthy people bought it with loans. But, there¡¯s no limit on the interest.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Who would benefit from this abnormal trade rtionship? Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± ¡°Sotheby¡¯s in the UK?¡± Henri Marso nodded. ¡°Logically, Sotheby¡¯s in the UK would gain the most. They sold the stuff for a high price, so they would get a lot ofmission, and they would also get interest on top of that.¡± It was a private area to know how much interest Sotheby¡¯s in the UK was getting from the luxury galleries or Carter¡¯s patrons, but considering the UKw, it was obvious that they would receive a considerable amount. ¡°The second person to benefit is Demian Carter. His stuff sells for a high price.¡± Gosuyeol nodded. ¡°The problem is the third. Why do people like luxury galleries and Jay Jopling buy Demian Carter¡¯s stuff even if they lose money?¡± Henri Marso took a sip of kale juice. ¡°The Consumer Credit Act of the UK solved that curiosity for me. Why did people with assets of billions of pounds buy Demian Carter¡¯s stuff with unreasonable loans? Because Demian Carter¡¯s stuff was worth that much to them.¡± It was suspicious to think that it was the collector¡¯s greed. ¡°Who would want to have a chopped-up shark?¡± Henri Marso asserted that Demian Carter¡¯s stuff had no aesthetic value. ¡°So I thought again from the beginning. Did they really lose money?¡± Gosuyeol had been inspired and moved by Demian Carter¡¯s works, so he didn¡¯t agree with Henri Marso¡¯s opinion. But he wanted to know the truth. ¡°So you¡¯re saying there¡¯s another reason why they had to borrow a lot of money.¡± Henri Marso agreed with Gosuyeol¡¯s point. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing to do if you¡¯re pouring money into something useless.¡± ¡°¡­Is it moneyundering?¡± Henri Marso nodded. ¡°They must have wanted to legalize as much money as possible. Half. No, even 10% would be a profit.¡± Gosuyeol opened his mouth after a long deliberation. ¡°Maybe they really wanted to own Carter¡¯s work.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unlikely, but if we keep the possibility open and think about it, the case would end with the collusion of Demian Carter and Sotheby¡¯s UK.¡± Even if the Luxury Gallery and Carter¡¯s patrons wanted to own Demian Carter¡¯s work, Demian Carter and Sotheby¡¯s UK could not escape responsibility. ¡°One more thing. If they wanted tounder money, wouldn¡¯t they have to resell it? It¡¯s rare for the traded works toe back to the market, so it doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°They might be careful, or there might be another reason.¡± ¡°Another reason?¡± Henry Marso tilted his head slightly, meaning he couldn¡¯t specify yet. ¡°It¡¯s a process of connecting the pieces we found, so we have to keep all the possibilities open. If more conclusive evidencees out, such as a contract between Sotheby¡¯s UK and the bidder, it will be clear.¡± Gosuyeol was in pain. His trust in Demian Carter was already shattered. He only had the desire to believe, so the more he approached rationally, the more his heart was choked. ¡°If the work they bought doesn¡¯te out to the market, then the work.¡± Gosuyeol closed his eyes tightly and continued. ¡°¡­There must be a separate ce to dispose of the loot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible too.¡± Gosuyeol took a long breath and put the past in his mouth. It was something he had to reveal clearly, even if it was painful. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the tail be caught if I traced back the person who owned my old painting?¡± Henry Marso narrowed his eyes. ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be many people doing that. Even if they¡¯re not the same person, they might know each other.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± "Ivan Morozov."1) He was a Russian tycoon who had bid up to $5 billion at the auction. ¡°He has my painting that disappeared.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Jansen is friends with him. He told me he saw it at his house before.¡± Henry Marso nodded. Arsene Lenc, the secretary of the Marso family, had been investigating Demian Carter, Sotheby¡¯s UK, and the Luxury Gallery for a month under Henry Marso¡¯s orders. The first goal was the contract for Demian Carter¡¯s work at Sotheby¡¯s UK. He tried to find out the conditions by disguising himself as a wealthy old man and attending the auction himself, but he always failed as the New Tate Modern Gallery did. ¡®This way is difficult.¡¯ He could infiltrate the inside as much as he wanted. He had been apetent thief for 10 years, and he hadpleted all the necessary preparations, such as obtaining the floor n of the Sotheby¡¯s UK building and checking the patrol routes of the guards. But he had to endure it because Henry Marso forbade any actions that vited thew. Arsene Lenc was troubled by his employer¡¯s demanding order. It was barely possible to follow them, as thew was vague even for tailing, so he didn¡¯t have many options. Arsene decided that he had to wait for Demian Carter¡¯s work toe in and out of Sotheby¡¯s UK. ¡®Do I have to watch for Carter¡¯s work being transported?¡¯ Demian Carter¡¯s work was scheduled to go up for auction in a week, and Arsene spent the remaining time watching who the main figures met, when and where. ¡°Ah.¡± Arsene, who was watching the building across the street at the bus stop, turned his head at the surprised voice. The fallen child got up quickly and bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He pretended to bump into him without looking ahead, and it was quite good. Arsene bent his knees and matched his eye level with the child, smiling kindly. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Arsene dusted off the child¡¯s red-cheeked clothes and took out his wallet. The child who had stolen the wallet from Arsene¡¯s pocket widened his eyes. He couldn¡¯t understand how the grandfather who seemed unable to run had taken his wallet. Arsene, disguised as an old man, took out a 50-pound note. ¡°Your acting is good, but you need more practice with your hand skills.¡± The child, whose pride was hurt, pursed his lips and red at Arsene. Arsene urged him to take the money again, and he snatched it. He might not have taken it because of his pride. Arsene remembered his past self from the child who took the money even though he was embarrassed. ¡°Be careful on your way home.¡± Arsene waved his hand with a smile, and the child who ran away as if to escape stopped. Arsene gestured again to go, and he came back and rummaged through his pocket. ¡°¡­Here, take this.¡± The boy opened his palm under my outstretched hand. It was a blue gem. ¡°I bought it. Don¡¯t say anything elseter.¡± Arsene, who was about to return the money, chuckled and nodded. It couldn¡¯t be a real gem. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a very pretty gem.¡± The boy hesitated, not knowing where to look, then backed away and went into the alley. Arsene examined the gem piece in his hand. ¡®It looks familiar.¡¯ The thing the boy gave him was a fake that could fool even Arsene, who was familiar with gem appraisal, into thinking it was a sapphire. ¡®Where did he get this?¡¯ Arsene smiled and thought he must have stolen or found it somewhere, and put it in his pocket. Then he looked at the Sotheby¡¯s building in Ennd again and widened his eyes. He quickly took out the fake sapphire and looked at it a few more times, then headed straight to the hotel he was staying at. ¡®No way.¡¯ Arsene entered the room and looked closely at the fake sapphire the boy gave him. He shone a light on it and observed the inside and outside with a magnifying ss. As a result, the craftsmanship was identical to the sapphire used in , whose whereabouts were now unknown. He could recognize it because it was his target when he was a thief in the past. ¡°How could this happen.¡± Arsene Lenc thought his memory might have been wrong because it was too long ago. He thought it was just a coincidence. But he couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that something was there. He had to find the boy before it was toote. 1)The name of the real person Ivan Morozov is borrowed, but the content of the novel is different from the truth. Chapter 226: Chapter 226: 226 Sin and Punishment (2) Arsene clenched and unclenched his fist as he sorted out his thoughts. ¡®I can¡¯t find him now.¡¯ It waste. The boy¡¯s range of movement couldn¡¯t be wide, so he could have searched for him during the time he wandered around the streets. He was smart enough to avoid the crackdown, so he would have changed his pickpocketing spot, but he didn¡¯t think he would do that every day. It was hard for him to have multiple ces of activity because of the pickpocket¡¯s habit of finding a way to escape and a ce to hide in case something went wrong. If he belonged to a group, he would have a fixed area of activity, which would make it easier to find him.Fifty pounds was enough for a day¡¯s quota. He probably went to pay his dues or to his own hideout, so he was likely to stay in one ce right now. The only problem was that it was not a conspicuous ce. ¡°¡­¡± It was impossible to find a child¡¯s hideout in London, where more than eight million people lived and buildings were densely packed. Arsene hoped for tomorrow. The next day. Arsene patiently looked around near the bus stop. He disguised himself as a young woman today, because if he looked the same as yesterday, the boy would run away as soon as he saw him from afar. He hid his legs, shoulders, and body line with a long and wide coat, and adjusted his height by slightly bending his knees. He carried his bag loosely without locking it, acting as if he was an easy target for a pickpocket. But the boy didn¡¯t show up all morning. He was annoyed by the crazy men who whistled at him, when he saw the boy he met yesterday from a distance. Arsene pretended not to notice and acted dumb, so that the boy could steal his wallet or bag. If he seeded, he would head to his hideout, and then he would follow him and ask him where he got the fake sapphire. He was wary of attracting attention from the surroundings if he grabbed him and asked him on the street. Thud- As expected. The boy bumped into him on purpose, just like yesterday. Arsene turned around, pretending to be startled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± The boy was flustered. Most people either gave him a contemptuous look or cursed at him, even if they didn¡¯t say anything. But the young woman asked him how he was with a calm voice. She helped him up after he stole her wallet from her bag, and even dusted off his dirty clothes without hesitation. The boy, who was not used to kindness, was confused by the feeling he had never felt before. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Arsene tilted his head slightly and asked him again. He had an innocent expression, as if he didn¡¯t know he had been robbed. The boy blushed and pushed the wallet into Arsene¡¯s chest. ¡°This, this was lying on the ground!¡± The boy ran away without looking back, and Arsene was puzzled. He should have run away with the wallet or the bag, so he could move to a quiet ce, but he didn¡¯t expect him to return the item. ¡°Hey, wait!¡± Arsene hurriedly chased after the boy. His smartphone rang. Henri Marso, who was working on his project, put down his scissors and checked who had interrupted his important time. It was a call from Arsene, who was in London. ¡°Behave yourself.¡± Henri Marso warned Papillon and answered the phone.1) ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± -I found him. He had received a report yesterday that he was tracking down where the fake sapphire came from, so he quickly understood what Arsene had found. ¡°Good job.¡± -It was really hard. Henri Marso frowned and checked his smartphone. Arsene, who rarely showed any emotion, said it was hard, and he wondered what had happened. ¡°What happened?¡± -Well. It¡¯s a long story. Arsene shook his head as if he didn¡¯t want to think about it and brought up the main point. -There¡¯s a ce where garbage trucks gather at the end of Cadington Street. That¡¯s where they found it. King! ¡°Stay still.¡± Henri Marso warned Papillon again and asked Arsene. ¡°Why did ite out of there?¡± -I was curious about that too, so I looked into it. ¡°You looked into it.¡± Henri Marso urged him as hebed Papillon¡¯s fur. -They don¡¯t seem to do any recycling here. I think we¡¯ll have to look through each one. Arseneined. The recycling culture in Britain had reached a point where even the sanitation workers gave up, and it wasmon to throw all the garbage in one bag. Even if the trash cans were separated, the sanitation workers would collect them all in one ce, so it was hard to figure out how the fake sapphire got to the garbage truck assembly point. ¡°Buy.¡± Henri Marso said as he brushed. -Yes? ¡°You can¡¯t do it secretly, you know.¡± -Yes, I do. ¡°Then buy the garbage collectionpany.¡± -¡­ Arsene was flustered, but then he realized that his employer was that kind of person and agreed. There must be apany that is either under the city¡¯s jurisdiction or outsourced. It seemed that buying it would make the job easier. -I understand. After finishing the call, Henri Marso adjusted the length of Papillon¡¯s fur. He couldn¡¯t stand the sight of a member of the Marceau family walking around in a mess, so he carefully wielded ab and scissors. Ko Hun, who was eating the snacks that Henri Marso had bought for him, was amazed by Papillon, who was sitting quietly. ¡°He¡¯s so calm.¡± Henri Marso gave Papillon a snack. ¡°He knows he can eat a snack if he waits. He¡¯s smart.¡± Ko Hun nodded. He seemed to have learned through repetition that he could eat a delicious snack if he endured the haircut. Henri Marso looked at Papillon from all angles and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± When Papillon turned around and looked up, Henri Marso gave him another snack as a reward. ¡°What was that phone call about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°You said you bought a garbage collectionpany.¡± ¡°I had to do that.¡± Henri Marso shook off the fur and said. ¡°Sit down.¡± Ko Hun blinked. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± Henri Marso showed him the grooming scissors and Ko Hun snorted. ¡°I thought you were being generous.¡± Ko Hun brushed off the crumbs of the snacks on his hand and got up. He couldn¡¯t entrust his hair to Henri Marso. He was sorry that he couldn¡¯t eat more snacks, but he could substitute them with the Korean snacks that writer Ihanna had sent him, so he didn¡¯t need to force himself. ¡°You don¡¯t have to exercise tomorrow morning.¡± Ko Hun, who was about to go outside, paused. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I run because Grandpa likes it, not because you tell me to.¡± Ko Hun drew a clear line, ming himself for hesitating for a moment. He was only staying for a few days until he found a ce to live, but he was very annoyed that he tried to manage his schedule. ¡°Did you say jjajangmyeon?¡± Henri Marso lifted his chin. ¡°Why jjajangmyeon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to find in Paris.¡± ¡°¡­Can you eat it?¡± ¡°Sit down.¡± There was no point in answering. There was nothing impossible for Henri Marso with money. Ko Hun, who knew that well, sat in front of the mirror with a sour face. ¡°I won¡¯t let you off if you lie.¡± Henri Marso lifted Ko Hun¡¯s hair and examined it from all sides. ¡°Just trim it. Just trim it.¡± Arsen, who had taken over a garbage collectionpany, was suspicious of the trash that one of the trucks had brought in. Underneath the semi-transparent trash bag, there was a ck bag that made it impossible to see what was inside, but there was a lot of fur stuck around it. When he opened the bag, he found a lot of animal fur that had been cut into pieces. There was no reason to chop up clothes like this. Arsen tore the bagpletely and scattered the trash inside on the floor. ¡®It¡¯s real fur.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t artificial fur. The UK had banned fur farming byw in 2000. Not only the UK, but most of the European society, where animal rights groups had a strong influence, tended to avoid using fur. Arsen, who naturally thought it was artificial fur, was flustered. ¡®Is it a rabbit?¡¯ Arsen examined one piece of fur closely and judged it to be rabbit fur. ¡®Is there a factory that deals with real fur in the middle of London?¡¯ There could be illegal groups, but Arsen couldn¡¯t easily ept it. As he continued to ponder. Arsen remembered Damien Carter¡¯s that had been exhibited at the Arnuvopetition. It was a work that preserved a rabbit in a ss box with formaldehyde. ¡®No way.¡¯ Damien Carter had clearly said that the rabbit had died naturally. Even if he had killed a living rabbit on purpose, he didn¡¯t think that much fur woulde out. He couldn¡¯t have made that much fur without making it several times. ¡°¡­No.¡± It was also worth considering where he got the rabbits. Arsen thought it was worth tracking down where the rabbit fur had been collected, and he widened his eyes as he rummaged through the trash. There was something unnatural drawn on one piece of fur. But he couldn¡¯t tell what it was because the fur was cut up. Arsen spread out all the fur pieces so that they didn¡¯t ovep, and then he put them together one by one like a puzzle. One hour. Two hours. After staying up all night, he finished the work when the sun was at its highest. There were 31 rabbits in total, and two of them had the initials D.Carter written on them. Arsen confirmed the signature that Damien Carter engraved on his work, and he was sure that Damien Carter¡¯s studio was among the routes that the garbage truck was running. He felt a sense of aplishment for finding a clue that he couldn¡¯t catch for thest five weeks. But he couldn¡¯t figure out what secret Damien Carter had. ¡®I¡¯ll find out when I go there.¡¯ Arsen couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the 31 pieces of rabbit fur for a while. 1)Papillon: butterfly. The original name is Continental Toy Spaniel. Among them, the breed with ears that rise up is called Papillon, because it looks like a butterfly. In Korea, it is like giving the name Jindo to a pet dog of the Jindo breed. Chapter 227: Chapter 227: Sin and Punishment (3) Meanwhile. Maurice Sholmes, thewyer in charge of the legal dispute of the Marso family, was also busy with the matter rted to Damien Carter. He collected,piled, and analyzed all the information rted to Damien Carter through the sources he had used as a licensed detective, the powerful support of the Marso family, and the intelligence data obtained by Arsen1 However, even he, who had dealt with numerous crimes as awyer and a detective, had a hard time figuring out what had happened between Damien Carter, the British Sotheby¡¯s, and the Sachi Gallery. Sholmes continued his thoughts while looking at the various photos he had pinned on the board. Among them, the one he focused on was , which had made Damien Carter, who was almost unknown, a star overnight. As Ko Hun and Chashi-hyun had done, some people at the time had questioned how he had obtained ten thousand sapphires. The controversy was settled when it was revealed that Daemon, a foundation established by Jared Sachi, the founder of the Sachi Gallery, was sponsoring Damien Carter.Jared Sachi had made his name known once again by discovering an outstanding artist. ¡°So it turned out to be a fake¡­¡± The reason why could be sold for a whopping 50 million pounds was the artistic value and the high-cost materials used. Since ten thousand sapphires were used, it naturally formed a high price range. Many people participated in the auction because of the strange aesthetic of harmony between the skull and the jewels, and the profound philosophy rted to Damien Carter¡¯s death. After that, Damien Carter had released a few more works using sapphires. ¡°¡­¡± Sholmes shook his head. He kept open several possibilities and assumed that the sapphires were genuine. There were two reasons to guess that the sapphires used in were genuine. The first reason was that not only the auction house, but also several external experts participated in the appraisal of the authenticity of the work. Especially, for ultra-high-priced items like , verification work was repeated for about a month before the transaction. Even if Damien Carter and the British Sotheby¡¯s had intervened, they could not buy off all the appraisers hired by the people who wanted to buy the work. For it to be possible, Jay Jopling, the bidder, had to be an aplice at the least. But that seemed unlikely for the second reason. The person who bought was Jay Jopling, Damien Carter¡¯s sponsor, and he had no benefit from buying fake sapphires. If Jay Jopling sponsored Damien for moneyundering, and Damien bought sapphires with that money and made , Jay Jopling should not have bought it. Since the money would go in twice, unless Damien Carter shared the profit in the middle, moneyundering would not be established. Also, whether it was spection or for moneyundering, he would have to dispose of someday, so if the sapphires were fake, Jay Jopling would have to take unnecessary risks. Sholmes judged that Jay Jopling would not take such a risk. ¡°Hmm.¡± He reached a dead end. Sholmes lit a cigarette and imagined what had happened between Damien Carter, Jay Jopling, and the British Sotheby¡¯s based on his hypothesis so far. ording to Damien Carter, about 600 carats of sapphires were used in . If Jay Jopling gave Damien Carter the material cost, it would be about 200,000 pounds. Damien Carter made with 200,000 pounds and registered it with the British Sotheby¡¯s. The British Sotheby¡¯s heated up the auction and raised the price of to 50 million pounds and sold it to Jay Jopling, who paid 62.5 million pounds, including a 20%mission and a 5% value-added tax2 The amount Jay Jopling invested was estimated to be about 62.7 million pounds. For this, Damien Carter had to pay a 5%mission of 2.5 million pounds to the British Sotheby¡¯s and pay taxes on the remaining 47.5 million pounds. British artists can deduct up to 80% of their art sales ie as expenses, so if they assumed the maximum, they would have paid 3.8 million pounds in ie tax at 40% on 9.5 million pounds. That is, the money left to Damien Carter was 43.7 million pounds at the most when calcted at the maximum. ¡°Hoo.¡± Sholmes exhaled a long puff of smoke. Considering the UK¡¯s capital gains tax, which taxes 40% on total capital gains over 35,000 pounds, Jay Jopling would have lost money unless he sold for at least 88 million pounds. Even if there was a slight profit due to a calction error, he, who had assets of hundreds of millions of pounds, would not have taken the risk for a few million pounds. There was only one possibility. Jay Jopling really believed that Damien Carter would be a famous artist and invested in him. If so, there was no shady business that Henri Marso had suspected. It no longer mattered whether the sapphires were genuine or fake. Vroom- Vroom- As soon as Sholmes lit his third cigarette, his smartphone vibrated. It was Arsen. Sholmes hastily answered the phone of his old enemy and reliable ally. ¡°Did you find out anything?¡± -It was so absurd that I couldn¡¯t speak. Sholz could tell from Arsen¡¯s tone that he had finally uncovered the secret. ¡°Spill it.¡± -Don¡¯t hang up the phone and open the file I uploaded. Arsenughed bitterly. Sholz logged into the independent server used by the Marso family and opened the file that Arsen had left. It was a photo of a small-scale garbage disposal nt. ¡°You became a garbage collector and now you want to brag about it?¡± -This is no joke. Sholz narrowed his eyes as he checked the photo. The garbage was made of materials that were not typical of household waste, such as ster, stone, marble, iron, leather, etc. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes and repeated the verification several times before opening his mouth. ¡°This can¡¯t be.¡± At first, he couldn¡¯t recognize them because they were broken into small pieces, but he could tell from some of the photos that they were the works of Demian Carter, who had recently announced them. -They were the ones that didn¡¯t sell at the auction. ¡°So you dispose of the ones that don¡¯t sell?¡± -I was curious where all those works that didn¡¯t sell or exhibit had gone. Arsen continued. -They all came from here. Fake sapphires, rabbit fur, you name it. They must have disposed of them because they didn¡¯t sell. ¡°Is it because of the rarity?¡± -Maybe. They might have packaged them as hard-to-scam items by deliberately reducing the volume. But that¡¯s not the problem. Open thest file. Sholz opened thest file as Arsen requested. It was a picture of , adorned with dark blue sapphires. ¡°Did you get into Jay Jopling¡¯s house already?¡± -No. It¡¯s inside the building where the garbagees out. It¡¯s Demian Carter¡¯s studio. ¡°¡­You have the stuff you sold?¡± -Demian Carter and Jay Jopling must be in cahoots. Sholz nodded. He had already assumed that the two were in league, and that Arsen had found in Demian Carter¡¯s studio was a solid proof. ¡°We can bust them for fraud.¡± -That wasn¡¯t the only thing. They did something interesting. Sholz was puzzled. -I need to talk to the author. I¡¯ll be there tomorrow morning. ¡°You¡¯ll get an earful for taking these pictures.¡± Henry Marso, who forbade any illegal activities, would not let Arsen off the hook for sneaking into Carter¡¯s studio and taking pictures. -It wasn¡¯t me who took them. ¡°Then who?¡± -There was a journalist with a sense of justice. Henry Marso frowned as he checked the evidence that Arsen had brought. He felt nauseous at the contents of the undercover report by Kim Ji-woo, the journalist who got the information from Arsen. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that Carter, Jopling, and Sotheby¡¯s in Ennd conspired and ripped off the sponsors?¡± ¡°Yes. Jay Jopling used his connections to gather sponsors and sold them Demian Carter¡¯s works. Eternity was an investment to raise Demian Carter¡¯s value.¡± When Arsen finished his exnation, Sholz added. ¡°In the process, Sotheby¡¯s in Ennd lent them money and charged up to 300% interest. Jay Jopling split half of the profits with Sotheby¡¯s and Demian Carter.¡± Henry Marso pressed his temples to ease his headache. ¡°What does it mean that they took Eternity?¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t figure that out.¡± ¡°¡­What about the sapphires and the fur?¡± ¡°They were the leftovers from disposing of the unsold ones. They probably did that because they had no ce to store them.¡± Henry Marso was disappointed in Demian Carter again. He couldn¡¯t believe that he had crushed his own works just to maintain the price. ¡®How can he call himself an artist. Carter.¡¯ Henry Marso threw the documents and closed his eyes. ¡°Go on.¡± Sholz took over. ¡°The fraud is vague, but the tax evasion is clear. They imed 80% of their expenses as losses, but there were a lot of inted parts. There were even costs that didn¡¯t actually go in.¡± "What did HMRC do until now?"3) ¡°They must have gotten something.¡± Henry Marso bit his tongue at Sholz¡¯s words. ¡°There¡¯s something amazing about moneyundering.¡± ¡°Is there more?¡± Sholz nodded. ¡°Most of the buyers had paid through ghost corporations.¡± Henri Marso was stunned to hear that the people who had bought the artworks from Damien Carter, Jay Jopling, and Sotheby¡¯s in the UK had also used Carter¡¯s group for moneyundering. ¡°Don¡¯t let any of them get away.¡± Arsene and Sholmes nodded. ¡°Make them regret it for the rest of their lives.¡± Henri Marso had no mercy for those who exploited the art world. After Brexit. London, the core of the art market, was making a fortune from art transactions. Unlike the past, when they were tied to the European Union and exempt from taxes. Now, they had to pay customs duties when they sold or bought artworks in the UK. France, Germany, and other countries, as well as the artists and collectors from those countries, had to reluctantly bear the customs duties because of the strong dominance of the UK in the art auction market. Artists could not like the UK art world, which bullied them with its overwhelming market. ¡°That¡¯s the n.¡± Arsene and Sholmes had prepared to report the matter to France, Europe, as well as the UK, North America, Asia, and other regions. As soon as Henri Marso gave the signal, they would file aint against the UK and the countries where the sponsors belonged. The tax authorities of each country would be eager to catch them. Everything depended on Henri Marso¡¯smand. ¡°That picture. Did Kim Ji-woo take it?¡± ¡°Do you know him?¡± Of course he did. He was a reporter who had bothered him several times, but his article at the Arnuvopetition was one of the few reports that Henri Marso liked. ¡°Give me the exclusive story.¡± ¡°It has to make a big ssh. You don¡¯t have to worry about thepensation, I¡¯ve paid you enough.¡± ¡°You went in and took it yourself, there must be a difference. Give me an hour at least.¡± Sholmes nodded at Henri Marso¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡± Arsene and Sholmes left the room. Henri Marso, who had finished all the preparations, waited for the showdown with Damien Carter tomorrow. He was determined to win by andslide and crush him so that he would never rise again. In 1983, France enacted the Law on Private Security and Business, which introduced the licensed detective system. In Europe, auction houses adopted a system of charging buyers as well as sellers to prevent the sellers from being overburdened with fees. Usually, they charge 20% to the buyers and 2-8% to the sellers (artists). High-ie earners who earn more than 100,000 pounds a year pay up to 40% ie tax on all ie that exceeds the limit. Artists can deduct up to 80% of their expenses. UK tax authority Chapter 228: Chapter 228: 228 Sin and Punishment (4) The venue for thepetition between Demian Carter and Henri Marso was decided to be Rotterdam, a port city in the Nethends, under the agreement of both sides. Rotterdam was bustling with cultural tourism, with attractions such as the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum, the Rotterdam International Film Festival, and modern buildings. It was also easy to ess from neighboring countries, as it had well-developed railways and roads, as well as thergest port and aviation infrastructure in Europe, making it easy to find from across the sea and other continents. The sh between the two masters that took ce at the SNBA Salon Exhibition Awards Ceremony a month ago was enough to attract the attention of art enthusiasts, beyond trivial matters. Rotterdam was crowded with hundreds of thousands of tourists out of season. ¡°Oh my.¡± Jang Mi-rae was surprised to find Ko Hun at the Parkheuvel Restaurant, their meeting ce. Ko Hun¡¯s cheeks and belly, which had been chubby a few months ago, had noticeably shrunk. ¡°Why did you lose so much weight?¡± Jang Mi-rae wrapped her hands around Ko Hun¡¯s cheeks and asked. ¡°I was abused.¡± ¡°Abused?¡± ¡°Child abuse.¡± He looked too healthy to have been abused. His shoulders had been bent from working for a long time since he was young, but his posture had been corrected. His face, which had looked tired for a young child due to insufficient and irregr sleep, had regained its color and his skin was glowing. ¡°I started exercising and I¡¯m being a crybaby.¡± Go Sooyeol exined with a chuckle. Jang Mi-rae relieved, gently touched Ko Hun¡¯s head. ¡°Why. You look good.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You got a new haircut too?¡± Ko Hun had cut his side hair short and parted his long top hair to the side. Ko Hun frowned and showed his displeasure. He believed that the hair loss he had experienced in his previous life was because he hadbed his hair back. He had kept his hair down as much as possible without cutting it. As a result, he looked sloppy, unlike a year and a half ago when his mother Lee Soojin had taken care of him. Go Sooyeol had tried to take him to the hair salon a few times, but Ko Hun had firmly refused and he had not insisted anymore. He would not have agreed if Henri Marso had not tempted him with ck bean noodles. ¡°My hair will fall out if I do this.¡± The adultsughed when the child worried about hair loss. ¡°Ha ha. It¡¯s okay. Grandpa and dad are not bald, right?¡± ¡°You never know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. A hair loss treatment that proved its efficacy came outst year. You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Bang Taeho ordered food. The group had a meal and talked about the things they had not been able to share and the stories of Henri Marso and Demian Carter. ¡°It was really amazing. It was all about Marso and Carter.¡± Jang Mi-rae mentioned the articles and videos that had been posted on the news,munity sites, forum boards, SNS, YouTube, etc. on the way. Go Sooyeol and Bang Taeho nodded and Ko Hun described the work of Demian Carter he had seen in the morning. ¡°I saw it briefly from a distance and it was an amazing pattern.¡± ¡°Pattern?¡± ¡°Stained ss. I wanted to see it up close, but there were too many people, so I¡¯m going to see it in the afternoon.¡± Ko Hun was excited by the majestic image that Demian Carter¡¯s work had conveyed even though he had only glimpsed it from afar. ¡°Hmm. What about Marso?¡± ¡°A self-portrait. You can go inside and see it, but you have to see it for yourself.¡± ¡°You can go inside?¡± ¡°He painted it on a wall. It¡¯s huge.¡± Jang Mi-rae nodded, thinking that she could experience the new technology that Henri Marso had developed. ¡°By the way, how was the documentary? Was it fun?¡± ¡°Yes. It was morefortable than I thought.¡± ¡°It must have been hard.¡± ¡°The director told me to do whatever I wanted. I did it like I was broadcasting.¡± ¡°By the way, Hoon-ah, how about the content of introducing paintings? It would be convenient to go around if you live in Paris.¡± Bang Taeho suggested a video concept to upload to the YouTube channel. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a lot of them?¡± ¡°You have to do it because everyone does. The more search volume, the more interest it means.¡± Jang Mi-rae, who had secured more than a million subscribers, backed up Bang Taeho. ¡°Even if you say the same thing, it doesn¡¯t mean anything, but not everyone sees it with the same eyes.¡± ¡°Professor Mi-rae is right. Even if it¡¯s the same material, you can easily secure views if you show differentiation. You keep looking for the areas you¡¯re interested in.¡± Ko Hun nodded at Jang Mi-rae and Bang Taeho¡¯s persuasion. I thought it would be a good opportunity to study art and also less stressful than filming the documentary . ¡°Sure. How did the exhibition go, Auntie?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m the best, right? Right, Teacher?¡± ¡°Haha. Good job.¡± Jang Mi-rae, who had pulled off a huge feat of a simultaneous global exhibition, was one of the most sessful artists of 2028. She didn¡¯t get much attention in Europe, but in Asia, North America, and South America, she was as popr as Fernando Gonzalez. Ko Hun was happy for Jang Mi-rae¡¯s big sess and asked her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do it in Paris?¡± He was curious why Jang Mi-rae didn¡¯t hold an exhibition in Paris, the city of art. ¡°The SNBA Salon was toopetitive, so the timing ovepped. Actually, I turned down the Salon because of the exhibition. I felt like I was being watched.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Is it also a market issue?¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t deny that. It¡¯s not just me doing this.¡± Ko Hun was puzzled by Bang Taeho¡¯s question and Jang Mi-rae¡¯s answer. He understood that a big exhibition like the SNBA Salon would attract less interest if it coincided with another one, but Paris was the capital of art. People who had visited the Art Nouveau Competition and the SNBA Salon were raving about the Whitney Biennale, the best art festival. He couldn¡¯t ept the market issue. ¡°People flock there, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t necessarily mean more profit.¡± Jang Mi-rae said as she ate the beet sd and the goose liver dish that came with it. ¡°The Whitney Biennale is the biggest art festival because it has the most transactions. The visitors are not that many, actually.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Bang Taeho showed Ko Hun a chart that showed the size of the art market. The US had 45%, China had 26%, and the UK had 20%, and the three countries ounted for 91% of the total art market. France had 6%, the highest among the EU countries, but it was inferior to the US, the UK, and China.1) Germany, Switzend, and Spain had 2.9%, and the other countries had only 0.1%bined. ¡°Why is there such a difference?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of the capital difference. Taxes also affect it.¡± Ko Hun, who had heard a lot of stories about the art market from Henri Marso, was puzzled. ¡°I heard that the UK was hard to trade with because of the tariffs. But they¡¯re much more than France.¡± ¡°At first, everyone thought so, but the EU regtions were stricter than expected. The higher the transaction, the more taxes they take. Europe is not that good for trading art.¡± ¡°Are the US or China better?¡± ¡°Rtively, yes. But for exhibitions, Europe is better. The unit of visitors is different.¡± The visitors were ahead in Europe. But in terms of art transactions, the US, China, and the UK were ahead. ¡°How did the UK get so big?¡± He thought that there shouldn¡¯t be much difference between France and the UK if it was a tariff issue. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because there are a lot of people who sell high-priced works like Damien Carter? He¡¯s so popr that people want to buy his works even if they have to pay the tariffs.¡± Jang Mi-rae, who didn¡¯t know what had happened between Damien Carter, Jay Jopling, and the British Sotheby¡¯s, didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. But for Ko Hun and Bang Taeho, who knew the whole story of the incident, there was nothing more serious than this. The UK, which ounted for 20% of the global art market, was expected to go downhill after Brexit, ording to Jang Mi-rae¡¯s exnation. But after nearly 10 years, the UK¡¯s art market share was the same as in 2020, and the transactions had even jumped up. They thought that it was a collusion between Damien Carter, Jay Jopling, and the British Sotheby¡¯s. They couldn¡¯t imagine how much money they hadundered. ¡°Teacher.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Jang Mi-rae looked at Ko Hun and Bang Taeho alternately and noticed something strange. ¡°What? Is something wrong?¡± Ko Hun looked at Ko Hun. He had been pretending not to know, worrying that he would be shocked, but he had decided to disclose the incident after the bidding results today, so he couldn¡¯t hide it anymore. ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon.¡± Ko Hun summarized the facts that Henri Marso had revealed and told them to Ko Hun and Jang Mi-rae. The two were shocked and their eyes widened. ¡°No. How can that happen?¡± Jang Mi-rae couldn¡¯t easily believe what Damien Carter, the most sessful artist of the 21st century, had done. She had seen cases of moneyundering with art, but it was absurd that Damien Carter, an idol to many people, had personally manipted the prices of his works. ¡°They said they secured the evidence. When theint is filed, the investigation will begin and it will be clear then.¡± Henri Marso told Go Soo-yeol that he had prepared everything for the UK tax office to start an investigation. ¡°Why?¡± Damien Carter¡¯s behavior at the Arnuvopetition and the SNBA salon exhibition did not please him. But Ko Hun, who wanted to understand his work, was shocked. He couldn¡¯t understand why he did such a thing. He asked. Go Soo-yeol shook his head. Bang Tae-ho opened his mouth heavily. ¡°Maybe he was so miserable in his unknown days that he fell for the temptation.¡± ¡°Even so, that¡¯s too much.¡± Jang Mi-rae protested the absurdity, then hesitated. She couldn¡¯t believe that Damien Carter and Jay Jopling had deliberately raised the bid price of , and sold their works to spectors and those who wanted tounder illegal money. Were Damien Carter¡¯s works, one of the most expensive works of the 21st century, really priced like that? Then what is the price of art? She was confused. ¡°¡­¡± Ko Hun silently put down his fork. The frustration and despair of the unknown days were iprehensible to those who had not experienced them. Ko Hun thought that Damien Carter might have epted Jay Jopling¡¯s proposal to escape his long unknown days, as Bang Tae-ho said. He thought that it was too harsh for an ordinary person to endure, and he might have sumbed to the temptation. But that was not right. Ko Hun couldn¡¯t forgive him as much as he deeply understood and sympathized with Damien Carter. Damien Carter smiled as he looked at the news articles and SNS posts about . Jay Jopling had captured the influential media outlets in the UK, Europe, and North America, and hired well-known critics and influencers to maintain Damien Carter¡¯s reputation. He had approached more people than usual because he felt a sense of crisis from Henri Marso¡¯s threat. And that came back as a burden. Many media and celebrities praised , and he could get more votes, but there could be glitches in management. If there was a rumor that Damien Carter had captured the media, it could lead to a worse situation than doing nothing. ¡°Why are you so restless?¡± Damien Carter said leisurely. Jay Jopling was nervous and fidgety. ¡°You pushed it too hard. If one of them slips their mouth, things could go wrong.¡± ¡°You worry too much.¡± ¡°Damien. This is not my business. Nor yours. It¡¯s ours.¡± Damien just lowered his head. Jay Jopling didn¡¯t like his calm attitude. ¡°Don¡¯t you get it yet? You have value when you are the best. You are useless if you are not the best.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Jay Jopling licked his lips. He grabbed Damien Carter¡¯s cor and pushed his face. ¡°You don¡¯t know your ce, do you? I picked you up from the gutter. Don¡¯t delude yourself. Do you think you could have gotten to where you are without me?¡± Damien Carterughed at the man who threatened him. He pushed his hand away and straightened his clothes. ¡°That¡¯s why I said it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The one who made a useless human being the greatest artist of the century. What are you worried about?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Just do as you have done.¡± Damien Carter filled his teacup without any worry. 1)The world art market share by country (based on transaction amount) in 2019@. USA 44%, UK 20%, China 18%, France 7%, Switzend and Germany 2%, Spain 1%, the rest of the countries 6%. The world art market size is 64.1 billion dors. *The US reduced the art market by imposing tariffs on Asia and Europe due to the trade war. *The UK reduced the art market by imposing tariffs on EU countries after Brexit. *France emerged as a country to rece the UK after Brexit, and it was the only country that actually grew in the art market in 2019, but the European Union strengthened regtions and tax systems, which could reduce the entire European market. Source: , Park Soo-kang, Art Management 459, 2020.12.10. , Art Basel + UBS, 36p Chapter 229: Chapter 229: 229 Sin and Punishment (5) Meanwhile. Jang Mi-rae, who had found , burst intoughter, forgetting about the matter rted to Damien Carter for a while. Henri Marso¡¯s self-portrait was 3.8 meters tall and stood out from afar. His emerald eyes shone brightly and his tightly closed mouth revealed his stubborn personality. ¡°Wow.¡± As she approached closer along the line, she couldn¡¯t help but admire Henri Marso¡¯s astonishingly borate expression. She had thought that the 3D printer was not much different from the ordinary one, but she couldn¡¯t close her mouth as she looked at the brush strokes that seemed to breathe and the hair that seemed to flutter in the wind.¡°Did you rework it?¡± Jang Mi-rae asked Ko Hun. ¡°Yes. The sensitivity is not good right now, so I have to fix it again.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. The goal is to make it to the level where there is no need to do that.¡± Jang Mi-rae nodded and walked along the moving line. As she approached the 3.8-meter-high human face that was so realistically depicted, she felt both repulsion and curiosity. It was a natural emotion to approach a huge ego. ¡°It¡¯s a bit weird.¡± Jang Mi-rae felt awkward with the unfamiliar feeling, while expecting what the inside of would be like. ¡°I feel that way every day.¡± Ko Hun responded. ¡°Every day?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve known and lived with him for a long time, so I should be used to it, but it¡¯s weird every time.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I know he¡¯s a great person and it¡¯s not a strange thing, but I feel reluctant.¡± ¡°I know what you mean.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m also curious why he¡¯s like that. And he seems to know it too.¡± Jang Mi-rae nodded. The curiosity of what was inside, while feeling unfamiliar and reluctant. Maybe was the work that best revealed himself, she thought. ¡°It will take some time, right?¡± Jang Mi-rae lifted her feet and looked ahead. There were many visitors waiting because only two people could enter at a time. ¡°He intended that too. He said it would be easier to see if he made it bigger.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°He said there aren¡¯t many people who can enter his mind.¡± ¡°Hahaha. He¡¯s crazy. Really. Seriously?¡± Ko Hun nodded seriously and Jang Mi-raeughed again. ¡°Oh, but he did a great job. It looks great from afar. He¡¯s so famous. But there¡¯s not much chance to see it from the inside.¡± Jang Mi-rae observed Henri Marso¡¯s expression style with interest. The self-portrait was the result of self-reflection. From that perspective, expressed both himself as a hero of the French art world and Henri Marso as an individual. She couldn¡¯t see the inside yet. She didn¡¯t know what he was hiding or what he wanted to show, but she felt sincerity. ¡®It¡¯s rare to see someone who expresses himself so diversely.¡¯ Jang Mi-rae looked at Henri Marso¡¯s self-portraits, which came with a new feeling every time, even though he had published more than 800 of them. ¡®He must have thought seriously.¡¯ Henri Marso showed the process of finding his identity as an individual in the modern society where he didn¡¯t know who he was or what he had to do, through more than 800 self-portraits. ¡°He¡¯s amazing.¡± Ko Hun opened his mouth. ¡°In what way?¡± ¡°The fact that he only deals with self-portraits, but his expression style changes every time.¡± Jang Mi-rae confirmed that Ko Hun had the same thought as her and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s loved. Because it¡¯s a time of uncertainty, maybe people are vicariously satisfied with Marceau.¡± ¡°Uncertain?¡± ¡°Um. It might be a bit off topic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Jang Mi-rae thought it was a hard story for a child to understand, but she remembered that Ko Hun had epted before. She thought he would understand enough and spoke. ¡°A few years ago, I couldn¡¯t even think of something like a driverless bus. There were a lot of people who couldn¡¯t adapt to the kiosk at first, but now there¡¯s no one who can¡¯t handle it.¡± After self-driving services became widespread, public transportation such as subways and buses started to operate under central control. Automation and unmanned systems also urred across all sectors of society, from service to production. The same was true for households. Robot vacuums that had undergone continuous improvement did not stop at sweeping and wiping the floor ording to the set time. They also emptied the dust bin and changed the mop on their own. In the process, humans who lost theirbor power did not know what to do and how to live. People who used to earn money and lead their lives by working felt frustrated by their inability to contribute to society and eventually regarded themselves as worthless beings. Ko Hun, who encountered such a situation at the Shuminke paint factory where automation had taken ce, nodded his head. ¡°They used to teach us that studying hard, going to a good college, and getting a decent job was happiness.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But when I got a job, it wasn¡¯t like that. I had to please my boss, work overtime every day, and I didn¡¯t know why I went through all that trouble. I didn¡¯t know why I had a job. I had plenty of time because I didn¡¯t have to do any chores, but I didn¡¯t know what to do with it.¡± Ko Hun recalled the time when he worked at the Gupil Art Gallery long ago. It wasn¡¯t exactly the same as the current situation, but he felt resentment at his daily life that only satisfied the rich¡¯s vanity. He guessed that modern people felt simr to what he felt back then. ¡°People who are excluded from thepetition are also a problem. There aren¡¯t many people who can develop and maintain technology. Europe has good welfare, so they won¡¯t starve to death, but they just eat and y.¡± Ko Hun nodded. He had already achieved his dream of a prosperous life. But having delicious food and a nice house did not satisfy all his needs. Just like Ko Hun wanted to draw andmunicate. Cha Si-hyun wished for his grandfather and father to reconcile, and Ferdiando Gonzalez wanted a society where more people loved each other. Humans who satisfied their physiological needs wished for a stable life. When survival was met, they wanted tomunicate with people, strive to be recognized by others, and be better people ordingly. Ko Hun sometimes felt sad when he saw people saying they wanted to be rich and unemployed on the inte. It meant that survival was fierce. ¡°Marso¡¯s work seems to fill the emptiness that arises from there. That person is also looking at himself so hard. What about me?¡± Me, who is not a worker. Me, who does not work, had to seriously think about who I was in this era. In a society where individual parts were prevalent. Both the parts and the individuals who could not even be parts had to love themselves more than anyone else. Otherwise, they could not survive. ¡°Can we go in next?¡± Jang Mi-rae and Ko Hun, who had been talking with , finally faced the next turn. As soon as the person in front of them came out and they got a chance to see it for 30 seconds, Jang Mi-rae eximed as she entered. ¡°Wow.¡± The inside of contained a view of Paris. It was a morning in Paris filled with hopeful light. Was this the Paris that Henry Marso, who was improving the Antermittent and developing the Open Wall, wanted to achieve? ¡°It¡¯s amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jang Mi-rae sincerely admired. 7 p.m. Alex Wood, a YouTuber who came out after seeing , jumped up. ¡°This is crazy. I¡¯m telling you, this is crazy. It was worth waiting for four hours. You guys should definitely see it if you have a chance.¡± When the viewersined about how they could go to Europe, Alex exined that seeing alone was a valuable thing. ¡°What was inside? It was Paris. It wasn¡¯t exactly the same as the photo, but it was a three-dimensional reconstruction ofndmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe that you could only recognize. It looked like the sun was just rising, and that was the feeling of the Paris he was making. With the Open Wall, I mean. I didn¡¯t know he could paintndscapes so well. He only painted self-portraits. No, wait. In a broad sense, the Paris scenery itself was a self-portrait, right? It was amazing.¡± Alex barely calmed down his excitement. ¡°The really cool thing was that it was so realistic at first that it was weird to go inside. Should I say grotesque? But as soon as I went in, wow. I got it right away. What Henry Marso was thinking right now. He said he wanted to break down the old-fashioned era and open a new one, right? It was exactly that. You know what gave me goosebumps?¡± ©¸Are you kidding? ©¸How do we know that? ©¸Don¡¯t beat around the bush and tell us. The viewers who couldn¡¯t see the inside raised their voices, and Alex quickly told the story. ¡°There was a staircase inside that you could climb up, right? When you go up there, you stand right at the pupil position, and boom. The inside is reflected in the pupil. It showed me floating above Paris. You have to feel it for yourself. Really.¡± A question about Demian Carter¡¯s work came up in the chat. ¡°Demian Carter¡¯s work was, how should I say it, not easy. It was a stained ss made of jewels like sapphire, ruby, and diamond, but what should I say. The shape was very distorted. Stained ss often expresses biblical stories, right? So I could see some intention to change something idealistic, but I wasn¡¯t sure.¡± ©¸Who do you think will win? ©¸Can¡¯t you film it?? Is it because of the king¡¯s rights? ©¸I heard the jewels are fake. ¡°That¡¯s right. It turns out the jewels were fake. Demian Carter made them himself. As for who will win¡­ Honestly, I think it¡¯s Henri Marso. Maybe it¡¯s because I have to wait and see, but there was a big difference in the lines.¡± Alexpared the two artists by his own standards. ¡°First of all, both of them attracted attention. How can you just ignore Henri Marso¡¯s face, which is 3.8 meters long? I couldn¡¯t resist. Demian Carter¡¯s work was also huge, 4 meters long, but when I saw it from afar, I was like, what is that? I had to go closer. The first impression was better for Demian Carter. Even though the jewels were fake, they shone brightly because of the lights. On the other hand, Henri Marso was a bit intimidating.¡± Alex checked his watch. ¡°But after seeing the two works, I felt differently. Henri Marso made me learn more? Admire more? Enjoy more? Something like that. And Demian Carter made me wonder, what is this? That¡¯s how I felt.¡± Since the results were about to be announced, Alex hurried to find the seminar room. ©¸Demian¡¯s articles keeping up. ©¸Isn¡¯t Henri¡¯s work at a disadvantage because fewer people have seen it? ¡°That could be true. But you have to see it for yourself to appreciate it. Oh? Wow. It¡¯s Shara Georgia. Shara! Shara!¡± Alex was delighted to see the American painter Shara Georgia standing in front of the presentation hall.1) She was a young painter who was loved for her honest and colorful palette and her deconstructive depiction on a traditionalposition. ¡°Alex.¡± ¡°Can I interview you for a moment?¡± ¡°Of course. Are you on air right now? Hello.¡± ©¸That¡¯s really Shara Georgia. ©¸Are you crazy? You know Shara? ©¸Why is she in this humble ce? ¡°What do you mean humble!¡± Alex pretended to be angry and captured Shara Georgia on camera. ¡°What brings you to Rotterdam?¡± ¡°How can I miss this event? I was curious about the breakthrough. I came to see it.¡± ¡°How was it? You look happy.¡± It was a question that reflected the fact that some artists regarded the breakthrough as nothing more than a convenient tool, while the public gave it a great response. ¡°It was amazing. Henri Marso let me experience art through the breakthrough. It felt like I traveled to Marso¡¯s Paris. It was really cool.¡± ¡°I know what you mean.¡± Alex was d that she had the same experience as him and asked her the next question. ¡°What about Demian Carter?¡± Shara Georgia shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Alex guessed that she didn¡¯t have much to say about Demian Carter¡¯s . Or it was hard to express. As Alex expected, Shara Georgia avoided answering with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m curious why he used fake jewels after using real ones until now.¡± 1)Shara Hughes(American, born 1981) Chapter 230: Chapter 230: 230 Sin and Punishment (6) Jay Jopling mmed his desk. ¡°Damn it. Damn it!¡± He had manipted public opinion at various exhibitions, including the Art Nouveaupetition, but this time he couldn¡¯t exert much power. Public opinion didn¡¯t change overnight. It was not easy to handle a task that required meticulous nning over a long time in just a month. Moreover, he couldn¡¯t talk about the works before thepetition started, so Jay Jopling didn¡¯t have many options. He resorted to questioning Henri Marso¡¯s character, but it only resonated with some insiders in Britain.In France, where Henri Marso¡¯s stock had reached its peak after the Marso Gallery shooting incident, he couldn¡¯t get any significant response. The Nethends, where Damien Carter and Henri Marso had little influence, was not even worth mentioning. He had no choice but to mobilize the media and experts he had been dealing with to criticize on the day of thepetition, but that was meaningless. People only enjoyed watching and , and they didn¡¯t care what articles were published or what experts said. They only had one day to see the two works, so they were busy experiencing them and sharing them with others. ¡®He nned it from the beginning.¡¯ Jay Jopling gritted his teeth. He had to drag it into a long-term battle for the public opinion war to work, but Henri Marso didn¡¯t give him any chance. The duration, the conditions, and even the location were the worst. The Nethends, unlike Britain and France, did not have arge art market, despite being a country with a rich culture and art. Jay Jopling had not included cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam in Damien Carter¡¯s sphere of activity. He had never worked there, so he couldn¡¯t rely on his reputation. Even if the British fans went to Rotterdam, there wouldn¡¯t be many of them. The more he thought about it, the more thoroughly calcted the schedule was. ¡®He¡¯s a cunning bastard.¡¯ Jay Jopling couldn¡¯t understand why Damien Carter epted Henri Marso¡¯s request. ¡®He thinks he¡¯s a real master.¡¯ He was anxious. He was afraid that the brand he had built, Damien Carter, would copse. ¡®If something goes wrong¡­¡¯ Jay Jopling shook his head. The sponsors he had brought in were of two kinds: those who wanted to legalize their illegally obtained funds, or spectors. The works of the master Damien Carter, purchased at Sotheby¡¯s in Britain, were attractive even considering the high tax rate. He had been selling the works, so there were more people who wanted to buy them than the number of works, and the auction price was renewed every year thanks to Sotheby¡¯s in Britain and his allies. All of that was possible because Damien Carter was the best artist. Today¡¯spetition was not a problem of losing to Henri Marso, but a problem of making the buyers realize that Damien Carter was no longer a safe asset. ¡°Mr. Chairman, the members have arrived.¡± ¡°¡­Show them in.¡± Jay Jopling clenched his teeth at the news that the members of Daemon, the sponsor group he and Jared Satchi had gathered, hade. ¡®Those greedy bastards.¡¯ They also knew how important today¡¯s event was, so they came to pressure him. When the sponsors entered the room, Jay Jopling hid his anxiety and greeted them with a smile. ¡°Nice to see you, Lord Remington. Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Jones are also here. And Mr. Wang Chen, long time no see.¡± Jay Jopling spread his arms, but the Daemon members coughed and showed their displeasure. ¡°We¡¯re not happy.¡± ¡°Ha ha. Why are you so upset?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? You must know what will happen if you mess up today.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason to worry. Don¡¯t you trust Carter?¡± ¡°Henri Marso, that young punk, has a reason to warn us openly.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just a brat who didn¡¯t get proper education.¡± ¡°How can you believe that! It¡¯s been 10 years since you said you¡¯d revise thew. How can we trust someone who only talks!¡± Jay Jopling had promised to revise the capital gains tax to lower the tax rate to keep the buyers together. If the tax rate was lowered, they could make more profits, so the buyers didn¡¯t sell the works. There were only people who wanted to buy and no sellers, so Damien Carter¡¯s works became more expensive every day. ¡°This year is for real. Don¡¯t worry and enjoy yourself while you¡¯re here.¡± Jay Jopling gestured to his staff. Saturday, January 20, 2029, 7:30 p.m. The world¡¯s attention was focused on thepetition between the two masters, which was about to be announced. Anyone who visited the Boijmans Van Beuningen Master Exhibition could participate in the vote. The vote was conducted by the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum, with the participation of the French National Society of Fine Arts (SNBA) and the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) of Britain. ¡°Wee, dear art lovers.¡± Alexandre de Mor, the director of the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum, was the host of the event. ¡°Today, two artists representing France and Britain have presented their new works at the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam. Shall we hear their stories? Please wee Damien Carter and Henri Marso.¡± The audience apuded enthusiastically. The host stood in the middle, with Henri Marso on his left and Damien Carter on his right. ¡°First, Damien Carter, you have presented a work called A Dazzling Life. Could you please tell us about it?¡± Damien Carter smiled and grabbed the microphone. ¡°Today might be the day when another life begins for me.¡± He spoke calmly, as usual. ¡°I have been dealing with jewels and death until now. Some of you said that I showed a strange image by cing meaningless jewels in front of death. And some of you said that I beautifully reinterpreted the negative meaning of death. I wonder how you saw it this time.¡± ¡°You have been using real jewels, but today you used ss that you crafted yourself.¡± ¡°It was a wonderful work. If I had known that I had such a talent, I would have be a ss craftsman.¡± The audience chuckled at Damien Carter¡¯s joke. Jay Jopling suppressed his displeasure. ¡®That¡¯s right. As long as the gap is not too big, I can somehow manage it.¡¯ He had prepared some excuses, such as Henri Marso had an advantage with ss, or one work does not define an artist, in case things went wrong. ¡°Then, Henri Marso, you have shown your second work with the title Breakthrough.¡± Alexandre de Mor handed the microphone to Henri Marso. The hero of French art looked around and opened his mouth. ¡°Today, you have experienced the same future as me.¡± Most of the audience nodded. Henri Marso was satisfied. To him, an artist was someone who showed the world. He shared his own vision with others and brought something that did not exist in the world into reality. It could be happiness, sadness, beauty, or ugliness. He loved the process of expressing the ideas that he could not say in words. ¡°Do I need to say more?¡± Alexandre de Mor smiled at Henri Marso¡¯s words. He also deeply understood what kind of future Henri Marso dreamed of, so he decided that there was no need to add anything. ¡°Thank you both for your good words.¡± A screen came down in the center of the stage. ¡°We thank you again for showing us your wonderful works, and we will announce the result of today¡¯spetition.¡± Alexandre de Mor showed the envelope with the result. ¡°There is no reward here, only the result of apetition that you staked your pride on.¡± Henri Marso stood with his chin up, and Damien Carter smiled peacefully. Jay Jopling frowned, and Go Soo-yeol calmly waited for the result. ¡°We will check the result submitted by 37,901 of you now.¡± The host opened the envelope and checked the result. He was flustered by the unbelievable result and turned his head to confirm with the staff who handed him the paper. After confirming that it was not a mistake, he still could not hide his agitation. ¡°The result of the Boijmans Van Beuningen Masters Exhibition. I will announce it.¡± The host¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°The winner is. ¡­The winner is Henri Marso with 36,113 votes!¡± As soon as the announcement was made, the voting result appeared on the screen. Boijmans Van Beuningen Masters Exhibition -Henri Marso VS Damien Carter- Henri Marso (FR, 1995) 36,113 votes Damien Carter (UK, 1975) 1,788 votes It was neither joy nor ecstasy. Everyone who visited the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum and watched the live broadcast was stunned by the overwhelming gap. ¡°Is this real?¡± Alex Wood, who was broadcasting the announcement, eximed in disbelief. He also expected Henri Marso to have an edge, but he could not ignore the reputation that Damien Carter had built up. He was a contemporary artist that Britain was proud of, and he traded at the highest price per work among the existing artists. He never expected him to sweep 95.2% of the total votes against such an opponent. Jay Jopling was no different. ¡°¡­Profit.¡± It was a result that far surpassed the worst-case scenario he had anticipated. He couldn¡¯t ept it. ¡°Ahem.¡± Jay Jopling turned his head at the unpleasant cough. The members of Daemon red at him as if they were ready to tear him apart and kill him. Jay Jopling, who had used them, lost his color. They were not just rich people. Half of the buyers were involved in criminal organizations, and he knew very well what consequences would follow if he incurred their wrath. ¡°Wait. Listen to me. Yes. It¡¯s a fraud. There¡¯s no way that¡¯s true.¡± Jay Jopling panicked and grabbed them, but it was useless. The Daemon members shook off his hand and warned him. ¡°You¡¯ll have to pay for this.¡± ¡°Calm down first. Now, wait. Wait. President Jones?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s pretend this never happened.¡± ¡°Listen to me. Ah, Mr. Wang Chen. Don¡¯t you think something is wrong, Mr. Wang?¡± ¡°You Brits sure know how to stab people in the back.¡± Damien Carter watched Jay Jopling squirm in front of the buyers on the stage and smiled bitterly. It was the moment his dream, which he had sold his soul for, ended. He closed his eyes and took a breath, then looked at Henri Marso. He smiled at the young artist who looked down at him with his chin up. ¡°You won.¡± [The Ugly Face of the British Art World] British Sotheby¡¯s involved in moneyundering Damien Carter¡¯s works traded through ghostpanies Testimony of Simon Chevalson, president of SNBA Damien Carter (54), the representative artist of British contemporary art, was caught in a situation where he colluded with British Sotheby¡¯s to deliberately raise the auction price. , which was sold for 50 million pounds at the British Sotheby¡¯s auction in 2010, was the beginning of Damien Carter¡¯s myth. At that time, Damien Carter, who was an unknown artist, received the sponsorship of Daemon, a support group formed by Jared Satchi and Jay Jopling, and presented . , which caused controversy at the time for using real human skulls and 200,000 pounds worth of jewels, was sold to Jay Jopling, the vice president of Signalwatch Co. at the time, through a fierce auction process. , which is still praised as a work that made a poor artist rise to the master of the art world, was found in Damien Carter¡¯s studio on the 15th, after being missing for 19 years. [Picture of Damien Carter¡¯s studio] In Damien Carter¡¯s studio, located in London, there was a contract that promised a highmission to British Sotheby¡¯s in return for setting the starting price of the auction at more than 3 million pounds, along with , which was sold 19 years ago. [Part of the contract between British Sotheby¡¯s and Damien Carter] Peter West, the auctioneer who handled the auction at the time, is currently refusing to be interviewed. Meanwhile, Damien Carter¡¯s studio was full of the remains of unsold works, raising suspicion. -Kim Ji-woo (Art Critic) Right after the voting results of the Boijmans Van Beuningen Master Exhibition were announced. Kim Ji-woo¡¯s article was written in threenguages: Korean, English, and French, and was posted on various portal sites. Those who initially regarded it as gossip for the purpose of views confirmed the evidence photos included in the article and were shocked. The moment the media and the public became aware of the usations rted to Damien Carter. Articles that Damien Carter¡¯s works were traded for moneyundering purposes were posted one after another in major daily newspapers in France, Germany, Switzend, and the United States. The major news in each country reported the collusion between Damien Carter and British Sotheby¡¯s as breaking news. When the British tax office announced that it had received evidence and aint that Damien Carter, Jay Jopling, and British Sotheby¡¯s had evaded taxes, the situation became uncontroble. Chapter 231: Chapter 231: 231 Crime and Punishment (7) [UK Sotheby¡¯s, the hotbed of moneyundering] [The sponsors who bought Damien Carter¡¯s works through ghostpanies exposed] [UK Sotheby¡¯s, charging up to 300% interest rate] [Is the UK Consumer Credit Act okay as it is?] [Damien Carter suspected of tax evasion] For the past month, Arsene Lenc and Maurice Sholmes had been thoroughly preparing to bring down the cartel formed by UK Sotheby¡¯s, Damon, and Damien Carter. They released new information sequentially, using the article written by Kim Ji-woo as a re. And when the chairman of SNBA, Chevalson Simon, and the director of New Tate Modern Gallery, Marcus Allen, came forward as witnesses. The art world, which had been shocked by the first news, could not regain its senses from the sessive reports. ¡°Is this fucking bullshit?¡± Alex Wood exploded. He didn¡¯t want to believe it at first, but he couldn¡¯t deny it when he saw the evidence that kepting up. ©¸This is really shocking. ©¸I don¡¯t get it. Why did Damien Carter help with moneyundering? What did heck? ©¸It was a maniption from the start. ©¸This is a crazy world. Really. What should I believe? ©¸Can you exin what¡¯s going on? ©¸This is crazy. Crazy. How much is UK Sotheby¡¯s turnover? Alex Wood¡¯s viewers were also confused and angry. ¡°I¡¯ll make a separate videoter to summarize the situation, so check it out.¡± Alex Wood sighed deeply as he continued. He didn¡¯t know how to ept this situation. ¡°You know how many people have literally shed blood and sweat to secure the market until now.¡± Alex¡¯s voice was tearful, and the chat window slowed down. ¡°They went through all that trouble to sell one painting. To attract one more person to the exhibition. You know that, right? Contemporary art was honestly nothing but a joke. No, it wasn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t, but to the general public, contemporary art was still a backward concept art. They said it was because of the frustrating people who imitated Duchamp. You know how many people tried to get rid of that image.¡± Alex Wood wiped his tears. ¡°Thanks to Ferdinand Gonzalez, who passed awayst year, conceptual art was no longer just difficult and strange. What about Bernard Buffet? Basquiat? The culture that was graffiti became art andfort thanks to their efforts. You were like that too. You asked the people around you to go to the exhibition with you. Those words, those words made it possible for the Art Nouveaupetitionst year to be so sessful.¡± Alex Wood showed the articles rted to UK Sotheby¡¯s and Damien Carter on the screen. ¡°But. But these bastards ruined it. Who¡¯s going to believe it now? The market where you can sell works for millions, tens of millions of dors if the auction house and critics collude and praise one person as a master? Even if you¡¯re moved by it, won¡¯t you doubt if it¡¯s real or fake?¡± Alex Wood zoomed in on Damien Carter¡¯s photo. ¡°I think I know why Henri Marso did that to this guy. A person of character? This bastard made even the people who were moved by his works idiots. It¡¯s not just a tax evasion case. It¡¯s not a personal deviation. How much did heugh inside? Huh?¡± ©¸Oh, now that you think about it, that¡¯s right. ©¸Henri seemed to know already. ©¸There¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t. If you look at the news right after the master¡¯s exhibition, you can tell that the people who knew already knew. ©¸That¡¯s really true. I honestly liked Damien Carter¡¯s works too, lol. What did I like? ©¸I¡¯m speechless. ©¸Yeah. I thought it wouldn¡¯t matter much even if he evaded taxes, and I didn¡¯t care much about the unfair profits he made, but that¡¯s right. It mattered. Unable to contain his anger, Alex Wood logged into his YouTube channel and searched for videos rted to Damien Carter. There were five videos, each about 10 minutes long. The views ranged from at least 80,000 to a maximum of 470,000. There were also tens of thousands ofments saying that they found their direction thanks to his appreciation of Damien Carter¡¯s works. He remembered how he had spent a long time thinking and wanting to share his understanding of him, organizing the data, writing the script, verifying the evidence, recording, and editing. ¡°That¡¯s it for today.¡± Alex Wood deleted the five videos. Public opinion was boiling. The UK government, aware of the seriousness of the case, promised a strict and swift investigation, and the UK tax office and the police moved immediately. UK Sotheby¡¯s was raided at an unprecedented speed, and arrest warrants were issued for Damien Carter and Jay Jopling. Jay Jopling was caught in a situation where he could neither do this nor that. ¡°Fuck!¡± Jay Jopling threw a ss. He didn¡¯t know if he could turn back if he entered the country with so much evidence released. Jay Jopling clenched his fist and called a senator he had a business rtionship with. But only the ringing sound came back. He also called the people he had been with at the London City Council, but no one answered. They were only interested in their own benefits, so they would never take Jay Jopling¡¯s outstretched hand. ¡°Mr. Chairman!¡± ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Your bank ounts have been frozen.¡± Jay Jopling clenched his eyes shut. ¡°Which ones?¡± ¡°HSBC, Barys, RBS. All of them.¡± The court had issued a freeze order. ording to Britishw, ounts suspected of moneyundering could be frozen without notice. ¡®This is too fast.¡¯ It all happened in just two days. If it had been like usual, he could have secured some escape funds somehow, but the court, the tax office, the police, and the media were all after him as if they had nned it. He felt reluctant to disarmpletely and return to his country. Outside the hotel, reporters were swarming, and he didn¡¯t even have the option of fleeing to a third country. ¡®No way.¡¯ Jay Jopling wondered if this was also something that Henri Marso had prepared. It felt like a repeat of the experience he had at the Boijmans Van Beuningen Masterpiece Exhibition, where he had no chance to intervene. ¡®No way. That idiot couldn¡¯t do that.¡¯ Jay Jopling tried to ignore the truth. He didn¡¯t think that someone who grew up as an orphan and couldn¡¯t even keep the manners of a noble had the brains to do that. He barely held on to his reason and looked for a way to ovee the situation. It was impossible to sneak away somewhere while the reporters were making a fuss. But the media¡¯s interest was only momentary. Jay Jopling decided to wait until the public opinion in Rotterdam subsided and then seek asylum in a non-European country. He didn¡¯t like it, but he thought he could turn the situation around as long as he had time. His British ounts were frozen, but he had enough assets distributed in various countries, including Switzend. ¡®Philippines? Brazil?¡¯ As he was thinking of a country to escape to, his smartphone rang. He thought it was one of the people he had contacted and quickly checked the number. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen this before.¡¯ Jay Jopling frowned and answered the phone. He was on high alert, and he heardughter. -You should say something when you answer the phone. Are you scared? ¡°Marceau¡­¡± Jay Jopling shook his fist in hatred. ¡°How did you get this number?¡± -Is that really what you¡¯re curious about? Henri Marso sneered. It was pathetic that the only thing he could say was how he got his phone number. A vein popped on Jay Jopling¡¯s forehead. ¡°If you just wanted to mock me, you made a big mistake.¡± -You¡¯re so stupid. Use your imagination a little more. ¡°What do you want?¡± Henri Marso didn¡¯t answer. Jay Jopling couldn¡¯t figure out what the arrogant French brat wanted. He had no reason to call him after picking a fight. ¡®No way.¡¯ Jay Jopling smirked. Most of the current reports were about Sotheby¡¯s and Damian Carter. If Henri Marso wanted something, it would probably be information about the Daemon members. Jay Jopling thought it would be a good idea to sell out the Daemon members if that was the condition for unfreezing his British ounts. ¡°You seem to be more reasonable now.¡± -Really? ¡°Let me hear your terms.¡± -Ha. Hahahahaha! Henri Marsoughed out loud for a rare asion. He couldn¡¯t find anything more ridiculous than him putting terms in his mouth when he didn¡¯t even know he was cornered. Heughed for a while and then spoke. -That was brilliant. A very entertainingedy. ¡°What did you say?¡± -You don¡¯t seem to know what to do. It¡¯s frustrating to watch a stupid human. Henri Marso chuckled. -You were going to wait until it quieted down and run away, weren¡¯t you? Jay Jopling was caught off guard and pretended to be surprised. -That¡¯s a very stupid choice. Do you think you can survive from the criminals who deceived you while living in exile? Oh, Interpol will be involved too. I swallowed my saliva. As Henri Marso said, it was urgent to confront the crime syndicate that had beenundering illegal funds through him. There was a limit to how long I could keep moving from ce to ce. ¡°Tell me.¡± Henri Marso said kindly. ¡°The best thing you can do is go back to Ennd quietly. You¡¯ll face trial and go to prison, where you¡¯ll wait to die painlessly. You¡¯ll regret what you did for the rest of your life, eating baked beans and broli.¡± His voice sharpened. ¡°You have no other choice.¡± His tone sounded like he was sentencing me to death. I was furious. ¡°Shut up! I¡¯ll tear you apart and kill you. No one who messes with me, Jay Jopling, gets away with it!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Henri Marsoughed loudly. He was grateful. If I had admitted my guilt quietly, I would have waited for the day to die in prison peacefully. But thankfully, I resisted. He couldn¡¯t be happier. ¡°Good luck.¡± As soon as the call ended, I couldn¡¯t control my anger. I couldn¡¯t stand being mocked by a brat who was only twenty years old. ¡®He thinks he won. He doesn¡¯t know who he¡¯s dealing with. I can do anything if I want to.¡¯ I clenched and unclenched my fist, thinking that I had to wait for the right opportunity. ¡°What? Oh. That¡­¡± I was pondering how to get revenge on Henri Marso, when the voice of my secretary, who sounded troubled, annoyed me. ¡°What is it!¡± I shouted, and she came closer. ¡°The hotel manager just left.¡± Jay Jopling narrowed his eyes. ¡°And?¡± ¡°He said we have to vacate the room by tomorrow¡­¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°He said they need to do some repairs inside.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nonsense. How can they do repairs when there are people staying here?¡± ¡°I was puzzled too, so I asked him why, but he was very stubborn and¡­¡± Jay Jopling had no patience for trivial matters in the face of consecutive misfortunes. ¡°Find somewhere else.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± My secretary called every hotel in Rotterdam, and heard that all the rooms were booked. It was true that there were many tourists because of the Boyman van Beuningen exhibition, but that was already two days ago. There was no way that could happen. She finally realized that her employer waspletely isted. ¡®Do I need to stay with that guy?¡¯ The doubt that crossed her mind once. ¡®What if I get into trouble because of him?¡¯ Turned into a sense of crisis. ¡®I haven¡¯t even received this month¡¯s sry.¡¯ And then she heard Jay Jopling¡¯s wallet ringing. Chapter 232 232 Sin and Punishment (8) ¡°You came.¡± Damien Carter greeted Goseoyeol. He had contacted him with the thought that it might be thest time, but he had not expected him to actuallye. The man he had admired had an angry face. ¡°Come in.¡± Goseoyeol ignored Damien Carter, who tried to take his bag and coat, and entered inside. ¡°Have a seat. I have some good tea.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Damien Carter hesitated as he was about to fill the coffee pot with water. It was what he had anticipated. He pressed the button without caring. ¡°I heard you¡¯re moving to Paris.¡± Damien Carter asked as he sat on the sofa, but Goseoyeol did not answer. Only the sound of boiling water flowed between the two. ¡°By the way, congrattions on yourte congrattions. I sincerely congratte you on winning the gold medal at the SNBA Salon. I didn¡¯t hear from you.¡± ¡°Why.¡± Goseoyeol cut off Damien Carter¡¯s words. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Damien Carter closed his eyes as he saw the sadness seeping out of the angry wrinkles. ¡°I was hungry.¡± It was like yesterday, 20 years ago. ¡°I emptied my pocket and bought two bagels. I ate one that day and half the next day. If I ate the rest, I would starve tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I had no pride or anything after starving for three days. I asked the owner of the store where I worked part-time for a loan. The wretched man gave me a month¡¯s sry for some reason. He said he was closing the business. He said I had worked hard.¡± Thud- The coffee pot button went down. ¡°I had to find a job as soon as possible. I tried everywhere, but there was no ce that would take a 35-year-old man who majored in art.¡± Damien Carter got up and went to the coffee pot. ¡°Being poor was not a sad or miserable thing. It was a scary thing. It was a thing that made me powerless in front of fear. I was just waiting to die.¡± He waited for the boiling water to cool down and scooped out the tea leaves. ¡°Then I met Jay Jopling.¡± Goseoyeol red at Damien Carter with his mouth tightly shut. ¡°He asked me if I didn¡¯t want to make big money. When I said yes, he gave me 1,000 pounds on the spot. He told me to pay the rent, eat, and n a work.¡± Damien Carter poured hot water into the teapot and set the timer as he continued his story. ¡°A weekter, he came back and asked me what kind of work I was going to make. I showed him the design I had worked hard on. It was a work with red ss attached to a skull.¡± It was the initial design of . ¡°He said that it wouldn¡¯t make a ssh like that. He told me to think more and gave me 500 pounds. He said he woulde back in a week.¡± Damien Carter poured the tea into the cup. ¡°I drew all the patterns I could think of. I wondered how I could satisfy him. I showed him about a hundred, but he shook his head. He gave me 100 pounds and said he woulde back in a week. It seemed like he was giving me thest chance.¡± Goseoyeol didn¡¯t even look at the tea that Damien Carter offered. ¡°I couldn¡¯t blow the opportunity that I had barely found. But I didn¡¯t know what to do. I tossed and turned for a week and suddenly. Really suddenly, I thought, what if I made it with real human bones?¡± Damien took a sip of the tea and continued his story. ¡°Jay Jopling loved it. He suggested that the decorations should be real jewels instead of ss. When I said I didn¡¯t have the money, he brought me 600 carats of sapphires in a few days. A monthter, he introduced me to the sponsors and opened a solo exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery.¡± ¡°Do you want to say that you didn¡¯t know what they were trying to do. Is that what you want to say?¡± ¡°No.¡± Damien didn¡¯t avoid his gaze. ¡°I knew from the beginning that they were using me. I willingly joined them.¡± ¡°Carter!¡± Goseoyeol shouted. He doubted if Damien Carter, who confessed his crime without any shame, was really the person he knew. ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed!¡± Damien Carter exhaled deeply and continued his story. ¡°It was because of some confidence.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I thought that the reason I wasn¡¯t recognized was because the marketing was wrong. It was because I had no name that I was ignored. If I just got known, everyone would recognize my work. That was my thought.¡± Damien Carter chuckled. ¡°It was a foolish delusion.¡± He sneered at his past, when he was young and immature. ¡°Just once. I waited for someone to buy my work just once. I thought that someday, someone would appreciate my work, no matter what the Daemon members did.¡± Gosuyul narrowed his eyes. ¡°But as you know, that never happened. As time passed, I began to wonder if I was wrong. Maybe it wasn¡¯t the marketing that was wed, maybe I just didn¡¯t have what it takes to seed. Or maybe art itself was an illusion. Maybe marketing was everything.¡± ¡°¡­I misjudged you.¡± ¡°But then!¡± Gosuyul stood up abruptly, and Demian Carter raised his voice for the first time. ¡°¡­But then, Marso and Ko Hun appeared. They proved that they could be loved without relying on the author¡¯s reputation.¡± Demian Carter lifted his head. ¡°I was jealous.¡± He swallowed his saliva, biting his lips as his emotions overflowed from his heart. ¡°And I was frustrated. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it was just me who wascking. Marso said to me, as if he could see through my heart. He said, if you feel wronged, try again.¡± Demian was confused. If he won thepetition with Henri Marso, it would be the victory of Jay Jopling¡¯s cartel. It would mean that his dream of being an artist, which he had longed for all his life, was invalidated by mere marketing. If he lost, it would prove his ipetence. Demian Carter could not ept either oue, and he just did his best. Like before. Like he always did. ¡°Thankfully, Marso brought a very nice work. I had to ept it.¡± ¡°Carter.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he a really kind friend? Thanks to him, I could pay for my sins. And now, I don¡¯t have to destroy my babies.¡± All the works that he had destroyed at Jay Jopling¡¯s request were his precious children. ¡°Carter.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you this to get your sympathy. I don¡¯t want to deny my guilt.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You asked me if I wasn¡¯t ashamed. Yes, I am. If I could go back to that time, I would make the same choice.¡± Demian¡¯s voice became more and more agitated. ¡°I needed money. I needed attention. I mocked the people who praised my work, even though they didn¡¯t know what I wanted to say. But I was satisfied with the fact that they saw my work. If I showed it to tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people, then one of them would recognize it!¡± He didn¡¯t have the conditions to continue his work. He barely managed toplete one piece with the money he scraped together, but he had no chance to exhibit it. ¡°But. That wasn¡¯t it.¡± He wasn¡¯t ashamed. He couldn¡¯t ovee it, even though he gave up his morality and struggled. ¡°Isn¡¯t it ridiculous? I was miserable, but at the same time, I was convinced. Yeah. No matter how many times you say a stone is gold, it won¡¯t be gold. It was just me who wascking. Just as there are people who talk nonsense because of the name, there are people who know real art.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so stupid.¡± Gosuyul opened his mouth. ¡°Are you saying that the people who chose you over Marso are all idiots? Do you think they chose you because of your name, not because they could see your work? Do you really think that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you get it yet! What you have done!¡± Gosuyul was angry. He sympathized with Demian¡¯s past. He didn¡¯t know that he was suffering so much, always smiling. He regretted that he didn¡¯t ask him once. He wished he had paid more attention to him. But that didn¡¯t justify Demian¡¯s actions. Not legally, not to himself. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel sorry for the people who liked your work? Don¡¯t you feel guilty? Don¡¯t you know that your actions have negated your admiration and your own work?¡± Gosuyul shouted with a mix of pity and anger. ¡°If you were going to do that, you should havee to me! You asked the boss to pay you back, but why didn¡¯t you say anything to me? If you were that desperate, you should have asked me for help! You were ashamed to talk to me, but you were okay with doing that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You said you would do the same thing if the situation came again. You said you weren¡¯t ashamed. Then why did you donate to charity? Did you think that would wash away your sins?¡± Demian Carter couldn¡¯t answer. ¡°If you were proud, why did you throw away the fake sapphire? Did you want someone to recognize your sapphire?¡± Gosuyul didn¡¯t believe Demian Carter. If he really didn¡¯t feel ashamed, he wouldn¡¯t have donated to charity. He wouldn¡¯t have thrown away the fake sapphire and the rabbit fur with his signature so carelessly. I never made a distorted me with sswork skills that I learned when I was too poor to afford sapphires. I never named my work made of fake jewels . Damian Carter felt his throat tighten as he realized that Go Soo-yeol knew everything he had intended. He had no idea what he had done, unaware that the person who understood him was right in front of him. But it was toote. ¡®If you were so desperate, you should understand why Marso is angry. You should apologize, notfort him.¡¯ A month ago. His heart, cracked by Ko Hun¡¯s words, finally copsed. Go Soo-yeol looked down at Damian Carter, who was shaking his shoulders, and took out a painting from the bag he brought. ¡°Hoon said this.¡± Damian Carter lifted his head. There was a single iris in a vase in front of his eyes. ¡°He said he sympathized with you if you did it because of your poverty. Because you wanted to be recognized.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But he also said he hoped you would never forgive yourself. Because you ruined all the works you had made. Even if some of your fans forgive you, he hoped you wouldn¡¯t.¡± Damian Carter clenched his fists. ¡°This is a gift from Hoon.¡± Go Soo-yeol left the hotel room without looking back. Damian Carter, who was looking at Ko Hun¡¯s , shed tears. Behind the iris in the vase, irises in the flower garden were shining brightly, each showing their own beauty. They seemed to say that you were also a beautiful flower like them, but you could never return to the field. [Damian Carter voluntarily returns to his country, admits all charges] [Damian Carter arrested at the airport, ¡°Imitted an unforgivable sin. I will ept it humbly.¡±] [Where is Jay Jopling?] [The boss and his employees] On the 30th, Emily Nelson (37), Tom Simmons (33), and Jacob Green (32), who were Jay Jopling¡¯s secretary and assistants, were arrested at S?o Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport. They were found to have persuaded Jay Jopling to withdraw $12 million to secure their escape funds before his overseas ounts were frozen, as his British ount was suspended. They will be investigated as suspects. Meanwhile, Jay Jopling has been missing for two weeks. [Jay Jopling found dead] On the 4th, the Rotterdam police received a report that a corpse was seen under the Erasmus Bridge at 7:20 a.m. and investigated the scene with an ambnce, finding a body and sending it to the hospital. The Rotterdam police exined that the corpse was identified as Jay Jopling, a British businessman, by his belongings and appearance. They added that they would investigate the circumstances of the death of Jay Jopling, who was used of illegal moneyundering and tax evasion due to his collusion with Sotheby¡¯s in the UK. Chapter 233 233 It Wasn¡¯t There, But Now It Is (1) Spring came after a particrly eventful winter. Damien Carter voluntarily returned to Ennd and underwent an investigation. He testified about his involvement with Sotheby¡¯s UK and Daemon. He was sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of twice the amount he had evaded in taxes in the first trial. He did not appeal. He received the maximum penalty for tax evasion, but his prison term was reduced because he admitted and regretted his crime and served as a court witness. Marso exined this to me. The public criticism that had red up like fire also subsided a bit when Damien Carter donated all his assets and his past was revealed. I also hoped that someday he would be forgiven by his fans. That was the only way for him to do art again. On the other hand, Jay Jopling, the mastermind, met a miserable end. He was found dead as a corpse. ording to the investigation, he was betrayed by his employee and kicked out of the hotel. He wandered around Rotterdam in the middle of winter with no money. He was confirmed to be murdered, and a man named Wang Chen, who was his partner, was identified as the prime suspect. Grandpa, Marso, and Bang Tae-ho didn¡¯t tell me much about it, so I only learned about it from the news. But I wondered if it wasn¡¯t revenge. There was spection that the investigation could be closed if the suspect died, but it didn¡¯t happen because it wasn¡¯t Jay Jopling¡¯s sole act. Sotheby¡¯s UK and Sachet Gallery were thoroughly investigated, and one media reported that both businesses had reached an irrecoverable stage. It made sense, as both ces were suspended from business and the rted parties were sentenced to prison in the first trial. Marso said that because the public opinion was so bad, the political circles also made it an issue, so unless there was a big problem, the maximum sentence would be maintained even if an appeal was filed. In the busy February, I got an early study visa from the French Embassy in Korea. In March, I bought a house in Paris 5th arrondissement, which was close to Henri IV Middle School and rtively quiet. I needed a guarantor to buy a house in France, but Pierre Malo stepped in and I was finally able to escape from Marso¡¯s vicious grip. I didn¡¯t know how lucky I was. I hoped that I could eat potato pizza and dessert as much as I wanted because Grandpa was persuaded by Marso, but even though it didn¡¯t happen, I was satisfied that I didn¡¯t have to run because of snacks. The new house was five stories, including the basement. It felt a bit too spacious for Grandpa and me to live in, but it had the advantage of not having to set up a separate studio. I renovated the garage that was used as a workshop on the first floor and disyed Grandpa¡¯s collection in the basement. There were many works that were sensitive to humidity, temperature, and light, so I put a lot of effort into the facilities. I used the second floor as a living room and kitchen, and Grandpa and I each used the third and fourth floors. But I was toozy to walk up to the fourth floor, so I mostly lived on the first and second floors. I alsondscaped the garden like the Seoul house. I looked forward to seeing how beautiful the flowers that Grandpa and I nted would bloom. I wrote that story in a letter and sealed it with a photo. ¡°Hoon-ah, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I grabbed the letter envelope and went down to the first floor. Today was the entrance exam for Henri IV Middle School. I wanted to do general admission, but they said it was easier to do activities in the art ss, so I applied for the art ss with a major in art. ording to the tutor that Henri Marso introduced me to, I should be able to pass without any trouble. I didn¡¯t need to check, because I wasn¡¯t the one who would fail the middle school entrance exam. ¡°Can I mail the letter on the way?¡± ¡°Letter?¡± I showed him the letter that had thickened as I wrote to Grandpa. ¡°I¡¯m sending it to Si-hyun.¡± ¡°Oh. Letter. Let me see. Where is the mailbox?¡± ¡°It¡¯s there when you turn the alley.¡± He nodded when I told him about the yellow mailbox I found while walking with Grandpa. He started the car. ¡°Grandpa, you used to write a lot of letters when you were young. I don¡¯t remember when I sent them.¡± It seemed that everyone was sending and receiving a lot of parcels, but they didn¡¯t write letters much. I understood that it was easy, fast, and convenient to use text messages or phone calls, but there were also advantages to letters. As I wrote each sentence carefully, I could sort out my thoughts and write everything I wanted to say. I liked to talk, so the conversation would go on endlessly, but if I wrote it, I could summarize only the necessary words, so I could have a deeper conversation than talking. ¡°Did you pack the stamps well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I learned how to send a letter to Korea on the inte. I checked it several times, so it should arrive without any problem. I put the letter in the mailbox and headed to Henri IV Middle School. It was a luxurious school no matter when I saw it. It was a school attached to Henri IV High School, and unlike the Korean elementary school that was romantically luxurious, it was baroque and luxurious. I got out of the car. ¡°It might take a while.¡± ¡°Are you worried that Grandpa will be bored?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You should worry about your exam, not something useless.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a kids¡¯ exam.¡± Grandpa patted my head. ¡°Grandpa will be talking with the principal for a bit, so don¡¯t worry and do your best.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The exam itself wasn¡¯t hard, but there were many subjects, so it would take a long time. I was d that Grandpa wouldn¡¯t be bored during that time. ¡°Hello. Wee, Hoon.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± As I entered, Margo, the staff member who guided me when I came for the admission consultation, greeted me. ¡°See youter.¡± ¡°Okay. Fighting!¡± ¡°Fighting!¡± Grandpa raised his fist and shouted ¡°fighting¡± before heading to the principal¡¯s office, so I followed him and Margoughed. ¡°By the way, Giamseong is opening today.¡± ¡°Did you know?¡± Margo remembered the release date of and cared for me. ¡°Of course. I hope it goes well.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Since it was a French novel with a French setting, there were many screenings in big cities like Paris or Marseille, and I hoped many people would watch it. ¡°It will be fun.¡± Margo showed me the movie theater ticket and smiled. ¡°Huh?¡± When I arrived at the exam room, there was no one and only one desk. ¡°Do I take it alone?¡± ¡°Yes. Just wait a moment.¡± I was the only one in the first grade and it seemed like I was the only foreign student taking the exam. Well. It was almost April, so it was a bitte to take the entrance exam. I took out my writing utensils and waited, and Margo brought the test paper. As the tutor said, the exam wasn¡¯t very difficult. ¡°Did you finish already?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There was no problem with the subjects that required knowledge, and the essay took a little time. It was a question about what contemporary art is, and I borated that the actions of all artists living in this era are contemporary art. Thanks to the tutor who taught me how to write an essay, I described it ording to the format. The remaining exam was rted to French. I was supposed to have a free question and answer session with the teacher for 20 minutes. It was like an interview. Margo took the test paper and contacted somewhere. As I waited, a skinny old man entered the ssroom. He looked much older than Grandpa, but his eyes had wisdom and will unlike his frail body. He had long hair and beard, a big nose, and small sses on it. He looked like the principal of a magic school in Scond. He must be the teacher who would interview me. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± The old man smiled and sat across from me. ¡°I heard a lot of stories from Henri.¡± ¡°Henri Marso?¡± I asked incredulously and he nodded. ¡°A troublemaker, right?¡± This guy. I don¡¯t know what he said to make him say that as soon as he saw me. Anyway, if he heard my story from Henri Marso, it must be Marso¡¯s grace that Sherry told me. ¡°Are you the principal?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°I heard it from Sherry. Marso¡¯s grace, right?¡± ¡°Ha ha. Grace. My head turned gray because of him.¡± ¡°You look good together. Dum.¡± ¡°Dum?¡± I almost called him by the name of the magic school principal teacher who carried a wooden stick. ¡°No.¡± The principal of Pusang smiled and snapped his fingers. ¡°So, what do you want to learn at our school?¡± We had exchanged greetings, so it seemed that the test had officially begun. ¡°I want to gain as much knowledge as possible.¡± ¡°Various?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Our school is a ce where talented children like you are educated. We study the fields that you are interested in depth. You also applied for the art major, didn¡¯t you?¡± I nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to study in a fixed field. I applied for the art major, but I want to have various experiences such as literature, music, society, and science rather than art.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Art is not something that can be done as a discipline of art.¡± The principal of Pusang nodded slightly as if to ask me to tell him more. ¡°Drawing is a process of getting to know myself. I have to know myself to draw my picture.¡± ¡°You mean you want to study various things to know who you are.¡± ¡°Yes. And I can also know what other people think.¡± ¡°Keep going.¡± ¡°I think art is created through exchange. Dcroix said that. Every painter summarizes the history of painting in his own way.¡± The principal of Pusang rested his chin on his hand. ¡°That means two things. It means that the painter¡¯s individuality should be respected and that he cannot exist alone.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Because it is a conversation in a broad sense. Both the act of creating and the act of exhibiting and appreciating are conversations. Conversation is a way of conveying my thoughts and feelings and getting to know the other person.¡± ¡°Conversation.¡± ¡°Yes. Two years ago, I expressed myself with a picture of a sunflower. Marso saw it and drew a shadow. I saw that shadow and came up with a picture of a gunshot.¡± If I hadn¡¯t been there, Marso wouldn¡¯t have been able to draw that expressed the emerald eyes looking at my work. I also couldn¡¯t have drawn without Edouard M¡¯s and Henri Marso¡¯s . No creation can bepletely new. Without anyone to start, they interpret the inspiration they received from somewhere as their own. And the process of someone else epting it anew. It¡¯s like a conversation. ¡°Then art sses won¡¯t mean much to you.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t answer for sure because I don¡¯t know what kind of sses this school will give me. If it¡¯s a technical part, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s very meaningful.¡± ¡°Because understanding yourself and others is more important?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The principal of Pusang smiled brightly. Chapter 234: Chapter 234: 234 It wasn¡¯t there, but it appeared (2) ¡°Art ss is not just about learning how to draw.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°You also study how art started and how it changed in different forms, and you have time to understand the structure and logic of painting. You also learn about how art works in society and there is a subject on writing too.¡± ¡°Writing?¡± ¡°As you said, art is also a kind of dialogue.¡± It¡¯s different from the academy education I knew. ¡°If you go to art college, you¡¯ll learn more things. You¡¯ll learn ssical arts like painting, woodworking, printmaking, and sculpture, but you¡¯ll also be able to study techniques using photography or media. Art is also used in many ces, such as interactive art, book art, therapy, and education.¡± ¡°What is interactif?¡± I asked about the word I heard for the first time. The principal Pusang told me it was interactive in English, but I still couldn¡¯t understand the exact meaning. Both of them seem likepound words, but I can¡¯t grasp the idea by just understanding them as actions between each other. ¡°It¡¯s literally an art that influences each other in real time. It¡¯s also interactive when a dancer improvises to a musician¡¯s performance.¡± ¡°Art that you do together?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s where actions and actions meet. You can do it with the artist or with the audience.¡± ¡°With the audience?¡± ¡°Have you ever been to a music concert?¡± I shook my head. ¡°It may seem like the musicians are ying a set performance, but it¡¯s not always like that. If the audience reacts enthusiastically, they may y more boldly and excitingly.¡± It seems like theymunicate with each other in real time. I want to know how to use it in art. ¡°I want to learn.¡± The principal Pusang nodded and checked the clock. ¡°It¡¯s almost time, but I¡¯m curious what you want to do first when you leave that door.¡± I expected him to ask me what my dream was, what my goal was, as the tutor told me to prepare, but it was unexpected. ¡°I want to eat first.¡± The principal Pusang widened his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Heh. You should eat something delicious.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to eat miche sincest night, so I looked for a ce that makes it well. There¡¯s a famous restaurant near the Luxembourg Park, have you been there?¡± A tart baked with lots of meat, chives, cheese, and butter flickered in front of my eyes. ¡°I know it well. Their Maroual cheese is the best in Paris.¡± I trust him as a local. I¡¯ll have to tell Grandpa to have miche for lunch. ¡°It¡¯ll be a great lunch. What do you want to do after lunch?¡± ¡°Go see a movie.¡± ¡°A movie?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called The Castle of Gyeam. I drew the concept art. It¡¯s opening today.¡± ¡°Oh. That sounds interesting. It¡¯s based on a novel by Maurice Lenc, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°A great lunch and a fantastic evening.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to make a poster at night.¡± ¡°A poster?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone to draw with.¡± ¡°I want to hear more. Do you need help? Or are you bored of drawing alone?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯mfortable alone.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I want to get various stimuli.¡± ¡°Stimuli. You have great artists like Grandpa and Henri by your side.¡± ¡°My future aunt told me that it¡¯s better to get various stimuli than good ones. I thought it made sense when I thought about it.¡± ¡°Keep going.¡± ¡°Potato pizza is a perfect food both in taste and nutrition. Especially Marosone potato pizza is the best.¡± ¡°You like potato pizza.¡± I nodded. ¡°But if you only eat Marosone potato pizza, you¡¯ll get used to it someday. It¡¯ll be familiar andfortable and lose its charm.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s better to eat potato pizza from various stores. You can find new joys every time.¡± ¡°Hehe. That¡¯s an interesting thing to say.¡± ¡°There are many other good foods besides that. For example, the Flemish stew, the ck bean noodles, the pork belly, or the shrimp meat that I mentioned earlier.¡± Principal Pusang tilts his head. I feel sorry that he doesn¡¯t know those delicious foods, so I end up exining the ck bean noodles, the pork belly, and the shrimp meat until the time is up. ¡°Time¡¯s up. Do you have anything else to say?¡± ¡°Would you like to draw with me, sir?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wee you anytime.¡± Mago, who came back after seeing off Ko Hun who finished the interview, returned to the exam room to tidy up the ssroom. She smiles at Nichs Pusang, who is tilting his head. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an interesting kid.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Hmm. He was a great gourmet.¡± Mago blinked. Nichs Pusang lifted his head and chuckled. ¡°He said he wanted to have various experiences rather than good ones. What do you think, teacher Mago?¡± Creativity and thinking skills were about connecting information and information. Not onlyprehensive arts like movies and games. The world of quantum mechanics that requires philosophical thinking, electronic devices designed humanistically, therapeutic acts that touch emotions, baseball viewed from social science and statistics, and so on. Highly developed technology and culture were born from the encounter of unfamiliar disciplines in the past. As it became moremon to get inspiration from other disciplines for things that could not be solved by digging into one field, the importance of integration and convergence emerged. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to think of that at his age. He¡¯s remarkable.¡± Pusang nodded. ¡°My grandfather thought the same. Usually, parents want to show their children good music and good pictures, but he was an artist, so he had a different idea.¡± Nichs Pusang considered the desire to show only elegant and refined things to children or students as the greed of parents or teachers. The good thing of the parents. The good thing of the teacher. He judged it as an act of forcing, so he helped the students to experience as many things as possible. In the process, when the student found what he liked, he provided the best environment to satisfy his intellectual curiosity. At the same time, he guided them to feel various knowledge, culture, and emotions. ¡®You can¡¯t not know.¡¯ Nichs Pusang smiled faintly, recalling the first time he met Henri Marso a long time ago. A person who climbed to a high ce had to know everything, Henri Marso, and Ko Hun, who wanted to be with many people. He was curious how the two very different geniuses could get so close. Pusang wrote Passe next to Ko Hun¡¯s name.1) Based on the original work by Maurice Lenc. Christine Norman¡¯s movie was released worldwide simultaneously. The master who made many movies a hit dealt with a steady seller novel that has been loved for a long time. With a production cost of 200 million dors, popr actor Timothee Chmet yed the lead role, and Ko Hun, the genius who rose as a star in the art world, participated as a concept art manager. The expectations for reached the highest level. Ko Hun, who wanted to feel the atmosphere of the opening day, did not attend the preview and visited the theater. He opened his eyes wide and looked around. The theater was full of people, and Ko Hun, who was short, could only see the clothes of the people. ¡°Grandpa.¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh. I¡¯m sorry.¡± There were often cases where people pushed and stepped on each other because there were so many people. ¡°Do you want to watch it next time?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you want to watch it next time!¡± ¡°We came all the way here.¡± ¡°There are too many people.¡± Kosuyul, who was looking forward to watching the movie his grandson participated in, was disappointed. But as Ko Hun said, there were too many people, and he thought his young grandson might get hurt. The two of them groaned and barely got out of the theater. They also struggled for a long time in the parking lot, and they were exhausted and had no thoughts. ¡°Let¡¯s order pizza and eat at home.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Ko Hunined regretfully. ¡°Why do they only show it in two ces when there are so many theaters?¡± ¡°They¡¯re considerate so that you can watch various movies.¡± Gosuyeol exined the difference between movie theaters in other countries and France. ¡°When a movie made by a richpany monopolizes the screens, there¡¯s less chance to see low-budget movies.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they usually limit the same theater to no more than three screens. It¡¯s to amodate people who want to see independent or art films.¡± ¡°They must have a lot of viewers.¡± I thought there would be many people who watch independent films, since the theaters that operate for profit guarantee the screens. ¡°It depends on the work. Not all independent films are bad, and not allmercial films are good.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°But the policy is to reserve a seat for anyone who wants to watch, even if it¡¯s just one person.¡± Ko Hun nodded. Even if the theater loses money, they distribute the screens so that various films can be watched, which allowed the film producers to keep making new challenges. The audience also epted the films as they were, without discriminating between independent films and films that received a lot of investment, making it a country that respects diversity, and even a country of art. The only regret was that I couldn¡¯t watch the movie at the theater. ¡°It was my first time.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Watching a movie at the theater.¡± ¡°Your first time?¡± Ko Hun nodded and Gosuyeol asked in surprise. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ever go with your mom and dad?¡± Two years ago, when he asked what a movie was, I thought he had lost his memory, but the situation was different now. I was puzzled that my grandson, who had regained his memory, had never watched a movie at the theater. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to see Spongebob, which I¡¯ve seen enough on Newtube, on a big screen.¡± It was when I was born again and had no knowledge of the culture of movies. I didn¡¯t feel the need to go to the theater to watch animation, which I could easily watch on TV, tablet, or smartphone. It was also because the movie that Gohaesung and Lee Sujin wanted to show their son was the theater version of Spongebob. ¡°Still, though. Your mom and dad worked in the movie industry.¡± Ko Hun shrugged his shoulders. He enjoyed seeing the concept art more than watching the movies that his parents participated in the production. ¡°Can I watch it tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll probably be better than now on a weekday morning. Check if there are any tickets left.¡± Ko Hun took out his smartphone. He installed the application and searched for for tomorrow¡¯s date. ¡°There are seven tickets left for the first show, but the rest are sold out.¡± ¡°You better buy them right away.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Can you do it?¡± ¡°I learned from Si-hyun.¡± Ko Hun, who had be familiar with the method of paying with his smartphone while purchasing the novel and drama , bought the movie tickets. ¡°Did you buy them?¡± ¡°Yes. I did, but.¡± Ko Hun tilted his head. ¡°Can¡¯t you choose your seat?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it is in France. The first person to arrive can sit wherever they want.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ko Hun realized why the theater was crowded with people. ¡°Was that why they were standing in line?¡± ¡°Yeah. If they could reserve seats, they wouldn¡¯t have to fuss like that.¡± People who wanted to watch popr movies in good seats lined up early. Unlike the Korean theaters, where they could spend time around and find the theater ording to the movie screening time, people had to flock to the theater. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t care where I sit, as long as I can watch it.¡± Ko Hun clenched his teeth, thinking that he might have to get up early tomorrow morning. passe (F): pass Chapter 235: Chapter 235: 235 It wasn¡¯t there, but it appeared (3) ¡°Hello.¡± Ko Hun turned on his personal broadcast. He had been doing this asionally for the past year, and now he was quite skilled at adjusting the camera and lighting angles. ©¸Pingha ©¸Wow! Live broadcast! ©¸The Castle of Giants is awesome! ©¸What are you doing today? ©¸Please tell us about Henri Matisse. ©¸I want to eat pork belly rice. Ko Hun¡¯s YouTube channel Pingoo, which had reached 100,000 subscribersst year, had grown significantly thanks to the Art Nouveaupetition. Unlike the past, which was irregr, he posted videos regrly and set the date for live broadcasts, and the number of people looking for live broadcasts was close to 3,000. ¡°What does Pingha mean?¡± Ko Hun asked as he squeezed the paint. ©¸It means Pingoo Hi. ©¸It means Pingoo Hi. ©¸Have you seen The Castle of Giants? Ko Hun chuckled at the word that he added a greeting to the YouTube channel name Pingoo. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. I went to the theater, but there were too many people, so I came back.¡± Ko Hun talked about how crowded the area around the theater was and prepared to draw a poster. ¡°I¡¯m going to see it tomorrow at the first time, but there weren¡¯t many seats then.¡± A chat window popped up saying that Toby Chmet, the lead actor of The Castle of Giants, was cool when he stole the painting. ¡°Ah, no talking about the movie. There are people who haven¡¯t seen it, so don¡¯t do that. I don¡¯t know how to kick you out, so don¡¯t do it.¡± ©¸Don¡¯t know how to kick out????? ©¸Ah, my mouth is itching. ©¸What if you say that??? You have to say you know even if you don¡¯t??? ©¸Don¡¯t do it. Really don¡¯t. ©¸But it¡¯s already out as a novel, is there such a thing as a spoiler? ©¸It¡¯s different from the novel. ©¸I want to eat pork belly rice. ©¸What are you drawing today? ©¸Are you not working out with Henri Matisse anymore? ¡°It¡¯s different from the novel. The time is short, so the way of proceeding is different, and the ending can be different too.¡± A viewer who participated in the production asked if he didn¡¯t know the movie content. ¡°Yes. I saw the script, but they changed a lot during the shooting. I was doing something else when they were filming, so I didn¡¯t see it. Yes, the Art Nouveaupetition. Today I¡¯m going to draw a poster.¡± Ko Hun put a canvas and a 4-cut paper (545mm x 394mm) on the easel. At first, he answered every word that ¡®pork belly rice¡¯, who came to the broadcast every time and wanted to eat pork belly rice, and ¡®Matisse pat pat¡¯, who was curious about what he did with Henri Matisse, but now he ignored them quite familiarly. ¡°Last time, I said I was looking for someone to draw with. I¡¯m going to draw a poster and stick it in front of my house.¡± Ko Hun stuck out his mouth and pondered. ©¸No???? Who looks for people with posters these days???? ©¸You¡¯re sticking it in front of your house ??? ©¸Wouldn¡¯t it be faster to find it on Instagram or Pingoo channel bulletin board? ©¸Post a job ad! ¡°I think it would be nice if someone lives near my house. Don¡¯t youe to see the poster? There are a lot of bulletin boards.¡± Ko Hun, who was enthusiastic, asked worriedly at the unexpected reaction. ©¸Online is too well done. ©¸I don¡¯t know about Paris. ©¸Try it! There¡¯s nothing wrong with doing it! ©¸I¡¯ve never seen anyone draw a poster by themselves since elementary school. ©¸What is elementary? ©¸Old man¡­ Ko Hun checked the chat and moved his pencil. ¡°The poster should be eye-catching. The purpose is to draw attention and clearly convey the meaning by drawing it big and simple. For the same reason, what color you use and how you arrange it are also important.¡± Ko Hun nodded his head as he sketched with a very light line without any strength in his hand. He showed the yellow, ck, and red paint tubes to the camera. ¡°I¡¯m going to use only these three colors. I could use blue, but I¡¯ll think about it while I draw. I¡¯m going to use primary colors as much as possible. I¡¯ll do it with high saturation so that it contrasts with ck.¡± Ko Hun drew a sunflower in the middle and three hands drawing petals. ¡°There are two painters who can¡¯t be left out when ites to posters. Do you know Toulouse Lautrec?¡± The chat window was flooded with Lee Eung and Nee Eun. ¡°Sometimes they have exhibitions in our country, so if you have a chance, please go and see them. You can think of them as the people who started poster-like media art.¡± Ko Hun painted with colors as he promoted his old friend. ¡°He¡¯s a painter named Alphonse Muhara. I met him at Marso¡¯s house a while ago and he¡¯s really amazing.¡± Several question marks popped up in the chat window. ¡°I¡¯ll cover himter. Please be patient for those who don¡¯t know him. Can you tell me a little bit?¡± Ko Hun hesitated for a moment and opened his mouth. ¡°Every painter has a different aesthetic and you can¡¯t say which work is the most beautiful. But I think there¡¯s no one who approached beauty as purely as Alphonse Muhara.¡± Ko Hun wrote ¡°Join us¡± at the top of the poster. As he was about to write his contact information at the bottom, the viewers flooded the chat window withments. ©¸Don¡¯t do it! Don¡¯t do it! ©¸Why are you writing your phone number! ©¸You¡¯re in trouble! ©¸[Baek Yu-jin donated 10,000 won]: Don¡¯t write your phone number! Ko Hun, who was too busy writing his phone number to pay attention to the chat window, was startled by the sound of the donation alert and turned his head. ¡°Why?¡± Ko Hun looked at the chat window with curiosity. ©¸Why do you mean why. Weird people will keep calling you. ©¸You¡¯re exposing your personal information. ©¸You¡¯ll get a lot of prank calls. ©¸It¡¯s lucky if you only get prank calls. They¡¯ll ask you to lend them money because they¡¯re having a hard time, and if you don¡¯t, they¡¯ll say they¡¯ll kill you or something. ©¸There are people like that? ©¸People who are famous and look rich all go through that. ©¸There are more than 3,000 people in this room, and if they each send you one text, you won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight. ¡°Ah.¡± Ko Hun nodded. He had enough experience with people who didn¡¯t make sense, so he understood what the viewers were worried about. ¡°Then what should I do? I have to contact them to meet them. Oh, I can ask them to send me a letter. I can just tell them to put it in the mailbox in front of my house.¡± ©¸It¡¯s a good thing that everyone in this room cares about Ko Hun. If there were bad guys in this room, they wouldn¡¯t have stopped him. ©¸A letter?????? ©¸What kind of letter ?? ©¸He might be 12 years old. ©¸Just tell them to send you an email. Ko Hun nodded and wrote [email protected] as his contact information at the bottom of the poster. ¡°Is that okay?¡± The viewers repeated yes. ©¸But meeting is also a problem. ©¸How can you trust and meet someone you met on the inte? ©¸Really. What if they do something bad to Ko Hun because he¡¯s young and rich? ©¸You have to be sure of their identity. ©¸There are too many crazy people these days. You have to be careful. You¡¯re still young. ©¸Honestly, even adults have to be careful when meeting strangers these days. ©¸Can¡¯t you just do it by yourself? Or find someone you know. ©¸Draw with Henri Marso. Ko Hun, who didn¡¯t realize the problem at first, became serious as he remembered the shooting incident at Marso Gallery. He felt uneasy about meeting someone he didn¡¯t know. ¡°I can meet them with my grandfather.¡± Some viewers tried to dissuade him. ¡°It¡¯s okay. As long as they¡¯re human, my grandfather will win.¡± Ko Hun thought of his grandfather, who had muscles that were about to burst, and reassured the viewers. ¡°I need to write the conditions more specifically. First of all, I¡¯ll reject criminals.¡± The viewers agreed with him. ¡°What else would be good?¡± ©¸Healthy people would be good. Physically or mentally. ©¸Don¡¯t discriminate against disabled people. Just say people without diseases. ©¸Good. Good. ©¸Why not people with diseases? ©¸Oh, that¡¯s true. Then let¡¯s say we prefer healthy people. ©¸How do you prove that you¡¯re healthy??? ©¸Usually, if you donate blood often, you get checked. They¡¯ll contact you separately if something goes wrong with your blood. Ko Hun nodded as he read the chat window. ©¸O type is sociable and good. ©¸Pseudo science again;; ©¸Let¡¯s see MBTI. How about ISFP or ESFJ? I should also consider the age. It would be better to find someone around my age, not too different. Don¡¯t ept anyone who smokes. The smell is very stressful. And the trash is a problem too. No alcoholics or drug addicts either. There were too many things I didn¡¯t know in the chat window. ¡°Are O types sociable?¡± Some people said it was a superstition, and some said it seemed usible even without evidence. ¡°What is MBTI?¡± Ko Hun tilted his head at the word personality type test. ¡°There¡¯s something like that? How do I see it?¡± The viewers asked Ko Hun to take the MBTI test himself. He didn¡¯t feel like it at first, but one viewer donated 100,000 won and asked him to do it, so he couldn¡¯t refuse. ¡°I¡¯ll try it. Do I just go here?¡± Ko Hun put down his brush and sat in front of theputer. As soon as he essed the MBTI website and answered the questions, he became serious. He carefully wrote down his answers until the end, and then the word ENFP came out. ©¸Oh, that¡¯s surprising ©¸Me too. I thought you were ISFP ©¸ENFP also has an artistic tendency. ¡°An enthusiastic activist?¡± He nodded at the words that he had a free mind, felt happy by forming emotional bonds with others. He was startled by the words that he sometimes misunderstood others by relying too much on his intuition. ¡°This is really amazing.¡± It reflected well the changes in his thoughts on the world and others after being reborn with a healthy body, the love of his parents and grandfather, and a stable life. He couldn¡¯t help but be surprised, as he had been misunderstood or misunderstood others by acting kindly. ¡°It¡¯s amazing, but I don¡¯t think I need to check it for sure. Everyone has a different personality, so I want to find the right person by talking to them directly.¡± Ko Hun opened the notepad program and summarized the opinions of the viewers. [Looking for someone to work with] Looking for someone who can draw. Age range is from teens to forties, and gender is irrelevant. Healthy people preferred. Alcoholics, drug addicts, smokers are politely declined. O blood type is preferred, but other blood types are also wee. Sociable people and those who want to work quietly are wee. We provide delicious snacks for free every day. Due to circumstances, we cannot leave a phone number, so please contact us by email. ¡°Was there anything else?¡± Ko Hun checked the chat window while writing the job advertisement. ©¸Why is it like this? ©¸Lololololololololololol ©¸I¡¯m going to report that job ad to the police. ©¸Write it again. It sounds like something a organ trafficker would write. Chapter 236: Chapter 236: 236 It Wasn¡¯t There, But Now It Is (4) Ko Hun discussed with the viewers and finished the poster and the slogan. The clock was pointing at nine o¡¯clock. ¡°Yawn.¡± He had developed a habit of going to bed early during the nine weeks he stayed at Henri Marso¡¯s mansion, so he felt sleepy as soon as it was nine at night. Ko Hun blinked and checked the chat window. ©¸You must be sleepy lol. So cute. ©¸Go to bed soon. ©¸I want to eat pork belly rice. ¡°Yes. I think I should go to sleep. But when do you guys sleep? Don¡¯t you have school or work today?¡± Ko Hun checked the current time in Seoul on hisputer. It was five in the morning. He had been broadcasting for two or three hours, which meant they had been watching him since three in the morning. ©¸You shouldn¡¯t ask that. ©¸Sorry, mom ?? ©¸I¡¯m unemployed, so I¡¯m fine. ©¸But isn¡¯t it ufortable to work from home? ©¸I work at night. Ko Hun lowered his head as he read the chat. ¡°Thank you very much. I appreciate you watching my broadcast and helping me find people.¡± He saw a chat asking if it wasn¡¯t ufortable to work from home. ¡°I bought a big house because I was reluctant to rent a separate studio. I don¡¯t know aboutter, but it should be fine with two or three people.¡± The viewers were puzzled. Ko Hun wouldn¡¯t have any trouble with the high real estate prices in Paris. Even alone was traded at an enormous price, and the total value of the works that Henri Marso had bought, including , was close to 20 billion won in Korean currency. The viewers recognized Ko Hun as a wealthy person, even though they didn¡¯t know how much he paid inmissions and taxes. Not to mention his grandfather Goh Sooyul, who was beyond words, and the inheritance he received from his parents, which must have been considerable, they couldn¡¯t understand Ko Hun¡¯s words. ¡°Oh, my grandfather bought the house. I could rent a studio if I wanted to, but I¡¯m saving money to build a gallery. I entrusted my money to someone Marceau introduced me to, and I¡¯m also investing in stocks and bonds.¡± ©¸How big do you want to build it? ©¸The construction cost shouldn¡¯t be that much, right? It¡¯s mostly thend price. ©¸Ko Hun, 12 years old: I¡¯m saving money to build a gallery in Paris. ©¸What did I do when I was 12¡­ ¡°I want to build something like Marceau Gallery, but the officialnd price is 150,000 euros per square meter. The actual transaction price is more expensive. Marceau told me that the construction cost was also considerable. So I¡¯m saving money.¡± ©¸The officialnd price is 495,000 euros per pyeong?? Then the actual price is about 1 billion won per pyeong?? ©¸You¡¯re rich. ©¸1 billion won per pyeong lolololololol ©¸That¡¯s insane. ¡°Yes. So I don¡¯t have that kind of money right now. Yawn. I¡¯m going to sleep. See you next week.¡± Ko Hun waved his hand and ended the broadcast. [The Fortress Breaks 10 Million Viewers! Fourth Highest Record Ever] [The Fortress¡¯s Huge Sess Brings Joy to Theaters] [World Design Takes Legal Action Against The Fortress, Illegally Leaked After a Preview in China] [World Stars Keep Posting Their Tickets for The Fortress] The movie by director Christine Norman announced a huge sess from the first day of its release. The servers of major theaters in each country were unstable due to therge number of visitors, and this was proven by the box office revenue announced at the point when the first week of its release had passed. earned an opening score of 177 million dors and ranked first in the US box office, and earned 485 million dors worldwide in the first week of its release. World Design Studio and Christine Norman Foundation continued their aggressive marketing as if they had been waiting for it. The starring actors visited various countries and attended previews and events for the fans. They alsounched products rted to Arsene Lupin, and cared for the fans to enjoy and Arsene Lupin more deeply and diversely. The setting paintings by Ko Hun, who worked as a concept art manager, were also a major source of ie. art book was sold out in all bookstores around the world on the day of its publication and repeated reprinting. The original painting exhibition attracted 10,000 visitors on the first day alone. Ko Hun, who was invited to the concept art exhibition in Los Angeles, blinked in surprise. ¡°Mister.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do this.¡± Ko Hun looked back and forth at the paint he had brought and the endless queue and said. He had nned to draw sunflowers for everyone who came to the signing event he had done at the Whitney Biennale, but he felt like he would end up like Henri Marso back then. ¡°Ha ha. You just have to write your name. Like leaving a signature on a picture. I¡¯ll like it even if it¡¯s not a sunflower.¡± Ko Hun hesitated at Bang Tae Ho¡¯s words. He felt uneasy about just writing his name for the grateful people who came from all over the US. ¡°How well did it go?¡± ¡°Amazingly. Really.¡± Bang Tae Ho said with emphasis. ¡°I checked today and it was close to 800 million dors.¡± ¡°800 million dors?¡± Ko Hun¡¯s mouth dropped open. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely, but it¡¯s impressive even if you calcte it right now. The production cost was 200 million dors and the marketing cost was 80 million dors, so the profit was 520 million dors. Usually, half of that goes to the theater.¡± Ko Hun nodded. ¡°The other half. That is, the distributionpany, the investmentpany, and the productionpany share 260 million dors. In China, there¡¯s a theater association called Wonseon that takes a bit too.¡± Bang Tae Ho exined the movie revenue distribution ratio in detail, but it was hard to follow because it was an unfamiliar concept. ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°Your running guarantee rate was 0.5%. Oh, you have to calcte it after deducting the theater and Wonseon fees. Just a moment.¡± Bang Tae Ho took out his smartphone and started calcting. ¡°It¡¯ll be about 630,000 dors.¡± Ko Hun was a bit disappointed, hoping he could make enough money to open a gallery in Paris. It was a lot of money, but he still had a long way to go. ¡°And you agreed to get 12% of the art book sales, and I heard that 310,000 copies have been sold so far.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ko Hun was surprised. He and the concept art team had squeezed 300 pages of original paintings, but he didn¡¯t expect much because they sold them at a high price of 65,000 won. He didn¡¯t know that the people who fell in love with Arsene Lupin¡¯s charm wanted to know more about the world of . ¡°That¡¯s about 2.4 billion won.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The movie is doing well, so it won¡¯t stop here. And since you own the original, you can auction itter, or rent it out like a mask.¡± As Bang Tae Ho said, was still on the rise in its third week of release. No one could predict how much revenue it would generate in the future. ¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing?¡± Bang Tae Ho smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± Ko Hun seemed to have found his way. The goal of building a personal gallery in downtown Paris was vague. He could secure funds in the near future if he sold his works as he had done so far, but he was skeptical of the overheated auction market. His grandfather Go Soo Yeol and Bang Tae Ho reassured him that spection and moneyundering were notmon, but Ko Hun wanted to reach more people. He wanted tomunicate with more people by holding exhibitions instead of selling one piece for hundreds of millions or billions of won. But he thought it would be hard to make a lot of money that way. The reason he worked hard on personal broadcasting, movies, and documentaries was to increase his ie without relying on the auction market where only the rich could participate. ¡°Mr. Ko Hun, please enter.¡± A staff member came over and announced the start of the signing event. Ko Hun, who had been lost in thought, smiled brightly. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Good luck!¡± He was quite tired after signing for two hours. He didn¡¯t hurt his hand thanks to not overdoing it likest time, but he couldn¡¯t draw sunflowers for them, so he tried to have a longer conversation with them and lost his energy. He went back to the hotel andy down on the bed without washing. Strangely enough, his body was so tired, but his mind was full of hope. He felt his heart pounding with a sense of satisfaction he had never felt before. The people who came to the Whitney Biennale signing event came again this time. Anthony White, Joshua Miller. He couldn¡¯t forget them, and they were overjoyed just by the fact that he remembered their names. ¡°Hoon, you have to wash and sleep.¡± Grandfather came into the room and he jumped up. ¡°Grandpa.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°The person who came from New York came again today.¡± Grandfather smiled brightly. ¡°That¡¯s a nice thing.¡± ¡°Yes. And I heard from Mr. Tae Ho how much I can make from The Fortress.¡± ¡°It must be a lot. How much did they say?¡± ¡°About three to three point one billion so far.¡± ¡°That much?¡± Grandpa was also surprised. I wondered if this was how my mother and father had amassed such a fortune at a young age. ¡°Selling paintings for a high price wasn¡¯t the only answer.¡± Grandpa nced at me and ruffled my hair. ¡°You sound like your dad.¡± ¡°Did he say that too?¡± He nodded. ¡°Probably. It wasn¡¯t possible with just paintings. When there was a story attached, and the characters moved, people liked it more and wanted to know more, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The power of stories. Hun, you like novels and dramas too, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s painting or music. Or even aprehensive art like movies. You need some kind of story to make people like it. That¡¯s why works with a backstory are loved.¡± I nodded. I was shocked when the paintings I had drawn as Vincent sold for hundreds of billions of won. It was only after time had passed that I understood how Vincent van Gogh¡¯s life had influenced the price of his works. The story contained in a single painting. It could be the artist¡¯s life or the process of creating the painting. Who had it after it waspleted, and how it became known, were also topics of interest. People were fascinated by it. ¡°I don¡¯t have to hope that rich people will buy it for a high price. I had a way to achieve my dream without that.¡± Grandpa breathed a long sigh and smiled. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a much harder way than that. You have to tell your own story, but in a very interesting way.¡± Grandpa was right. If I painted what the public wanted, it would be no different from when I painted what the nobles wanted in the past. I had to protect myself and make them want to hear my story. That wouldn¡¯t be easy. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± But if that was the path to my dream, I would dly walk it. Chapter 237: Chapter 237: 237 It wasn¡¯t there, but it appeared (5) -Really. Really, Lupin is so cool. Chasi-hyun was making a fuss over the smartphone. -It¡¯s because I¡¯m Lupin. Whenever Arsene Lupin escaped from a crisis in a fantastic way, the people around him would ask how such a thing was possible, and he would always utter this line. It seemed that the magical line that made any impossible thing believable looked cool. His voice was not at all simr, but he had practiced so much that his intonation and pronunciation were decent. -I wish there was more. ¡°There will be more. Not yet.¡± -Really? Really, there¡¯s a sequel? ¡°Yeah. The schedule is set.¡± -Really? When? When is it? He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence because he kept nagging. ¡°The script hasn¡¯te out yet. I think it¡¯ll take a year or two to release it.¡± -No. How can I wait. I can¡¯t wait. I felt so good that he liked it so much that I smiled. -By the way. My mom asked for an autograph. Is that okay? I felt a little embarrassed to give an autograph to my friend¡¯s mother. ¡°What autograph? I¡¯ll say hello when I go to Koreater.¡± -Huh? ¡°Huh?¡± -No. To Timothee Chmet. She must have wanted the autograph of the actor who yed Arsene Lupin, Timothee Chmet. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll ask him if I see him.¡± -I wanted you to sign it! ¡°You confused me with your words.¡± I had been to so many autograph sessionstely that I couldn¡¯t help it. -Hehehe. My mom and I bought an art book each. Sign it for meter. ¡°No.¡± My face was a little hot. I had to make sure who they wanted the autograph from the next time someone brought up the autograph. -Where are you now? Amsterdam? ¡°No, Paris.¡± -You said you were going to Amsterdam from Budapest the day before yesterday. ¡°That¡¯s right. As soon as I finish one job, another one is waiting for me. I had to go on air today, so I came back as soon as the job was over yesterday.¡± I thought I could rx until the new school year started in September, but it was a big mistake. and were both huge sesses, and the work piled up. Not only the broadcasts, but also the art book sales, original painting exhibitions, previews, events, and autograph sessions for , I went to Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, London, Berlin, Madrid, Budapest, and Amsterdam fromst week. I came back to Paris today. -It must be hard. ¡°Not really. It¡¯s fun to go around and see things, and I eat delicious things.¡± -Delicious things? ¡°They gave me chocte in a cup when I ate churros in Madrid.¡± The people of Madrid eat happiness with churros every morning. -Chocte? Melted? ¡°It¡¯s very thick.¡± -It sounds delicious. ¡°It is. It¡¯s nice to eat something I haven¡¯t tried before every time I move.¡± The new ce and its food culture give me happiness and inspiration. When the work is over, I want to go around the museums and see the scenery and eat delicious food with my grandfather like before. -That¡¯s good. But you also do broadcasts and lectures. Thanks to , I had a lot of broadcast appearances, and thanks to the documentary film , I even had to do lectures that I never had before. It was called TED Global, and I was going to appear with Henri Marso in Paris this year. ¡°That¡¯s all experience. I like talking too. I¡¯m having fun, but Tae-ho is having a hard time.¡± My grandfather apanied me to ces where I had to stay for a few days like the US, but Tae-ho took me alone to ces where I could go for a day trip in Europe. Thanks to that, he couldn¡¯t go back to Seoul for a month. -Mr. Tae-ho would like it, I think. ¡°Really?¡± -Yeah. You make a lot of money, don¡¯t you? ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± As I became more active outside, my ie increased, and of course, the amount that went to Tae-ho also increased. -So can you build a gallery now? ¡°Hardly.¡± -You¡¯re making so much money. ¡°I¡¯ll have to see after the settlement. It¡¯s not easy to earn that money.¡± I don¡¯t know how well and will do in the future, but I doubt they¡¯ll bring in billions of won each. -If it¡¯s hard to save money, why don¡¯t you find someone to do it with? Do you have to build it alone? ¡°It¡¯s hard to find someone who shares my vision. Didn¡¯t I tell you I was looking for peoplest time?¡± -Yeah. The suspicious poster. ¡°¡­¡± -Hehehe. I have a bad memory of the poster. It was because Bang Tae-ho uploaded a video of making the poster on NewTube, and it got over 3 million views, the most in the channel. There were thousands ofments saying what kind of conspiracy I was plotting, or who I was going to kidnap. I was just taking the viewers¡¯ opinions into ount, but it was humiliating. ¡°Anyway, there was no one worth it.¡± I got a lot of contacts, but most of them had ulterior motives, so it fizzled out. I was too busy to talk to everyone, but some of them asked me if they could get paid for the activity, and some of them wanted me to provide them with food and lodging. I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t understand their feelings, but I don¡¯t want to be with someone who depends on me. I want a rtionship where we walk our own paths, but watch over each other to ovee the asional loneliness. If one side is unteral, the result is not good.1) ¡°Hoon-ah, get ready.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bang Tae-ho told me the broadcast was about to start. ¡°I have to go. I¡¯ll call you again.¡± -Yeah. Do well. The Alphonse Mendy Show, the most watched TV program in France, began. The popr entertainer Alphonse Mendy greeted the audience with his neat teeth. ¡°It¡¯s the best adventure novel in France, right? The Arsene Lupin series is getting an unexpected love. Thanks to the movie The Castle.¡± The audience cheered. The movie based on the French novel was a global sess, and the Arsene Lupin series rose to the bestseller list again. It had been a month since the release, but not many people had actually seen because of the few theaters. People were reading the original novel to ease their regret. ¡°That The Castle was born from this person¡¯s hands would not be an exaggeration. I would like to introduce the painter Ko Hun, who was the concept art manager of the movie The Castle.¡± As Ko Hun appeared, the audience weed him with cheers and apuse. ¡°Hello.¡± Ko Hun shook hands with Alphonse Mendy and sat on the sofa. ¡°It¡¯s amazing. Was it eight months ago when we met?¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°In eight months, you surprised the world again. Yesterday, on the 33rd day of release, 1.5 billion dors.¡± The audience responded with astonished voices. ¡°There have been movies about Arsene Lupin before. Why was The Castle able to seed so much?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s because they interpreted the original well.¡± Ko Hun answered calmly. ¡°Christine Norman is a genius. She understood perfectly all the characters that appeared, not only Arsene Lupin, but also Isidore, Sherlock Holmes, Ganimard, Raymond, and so on.¡± ¡°She understood the characters perfectly.¡± ¡°Yes. Director Norman gave me the script and exined in detail what the characters were thinking and doing. She also told me their habits and what kind of clothes they liked to wear. She was really thorough, even why they wore those shoes.¡± ¡°It sounds impressive, but it must have been hard to work with.¡± ¡°Actually, it wasfortable. There was no ambiguity. I just drew the world in the director¡¯s head on paper.¡± ¡°Director Norman said that without Ko Hun, she couldn¡¯t have made The Castle.¡± Ko Hun smiled faintly. ¡°I think this work might prove that.¡± As Alphonse Mendy said, appeared on the screen and the audience stirred. The expressions of the characters reflected in the bullet that came out of the muzzle were vivid. ¡°It¡¯s a work that¡¯s as hot as the movie. It¡¯s a painting titled Bullet, and it was the climax scene, right?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the scene where Raymond dies from the bullet shot by the police.¡± ¡°He ran in to protect Lupin. It¡¯s one of the best scenes in the movie The Castle. How did you draw such a picture?¡± ¡°I thought a lot about it. I got the inspiration for the reflection from Marso¡¯s Shadow, and I referred to M for the twistedposition.¡± Alphonse Mendy nodded his head. ¡°Is this scene also in the actual movie? Does this kind of setting affect the movie shooting?¡± ¡°Yes. But usually, it¡¯s the director or someone with the authority to direct who asks me to draw it.¡± ¡°What about the bullet holes?¡± ¡°Not really. I came up with them myself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing. I can understand why Director Norman said the movie wouldn¡¯t have been possible without you, Ko Hun.¡± Ko Hun had received praise from various media outlets, but he couldn¡¯t get used to this kind of atmosphere. He smiled awkwardly, trying to hide his embarrassment. ¡°Let¡¯s put the movie talk aside for a bit and move on to your recent news. How have you beentely?¡± ¡°I took the entrance exam for Henri IV Middle School a while ago. Of course, I passed.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to study abroad, so I¡¯ll be staying in Paris for a while.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good news. Henri IV Middle School is one of the most prestigious schools, you know.¡± ¡°They promised me a lot of different experiences, so I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. How do you like Paris?¡± Ko Hun hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth. ¡°I was surprised.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°They take diversity very seriously. There are so many rats in ces like parks. Rats bigger than my arm.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Alphonse Mendyughed out loud. It was also one of the things that foreigners visiting Paris were most shocked by, and it was a controversial topic among Parisians. ¡°They said those rats should be protected too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a never-ending story.¡± The rats that swarmed all over the city had been a social problem for a long time. There was a conflict between those who wanted to kill the rats that threatened people¡¯s lives by biting them or spreading diseases, and those who imed that rats were also living beings that deserved protection. They had been arguing for decades without understanding each other. It was also something that confused Ko Hun, who believed that diversity should be respected. ¡°I don¡¯t know who¡¯s right, but I was surprised.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Alphonse Mendy was relieved that Ko Hun didn¡¯t touch on a sensitive issue, fearing that he might be attacked by animal rights groups. He maintained his neutrality by saying he didn¡¯t know who was right, and he didn¡¯t seem to get much criticism from either side. He changed the subject to avoid the sensitive topic. ¡°You must be getting a lot of attention with your sessive sesses in the Art Nouveau contest, Gyeamseong, and Vincent.¡± ¡°Yes. These days, everyone greets me when I go out. Actually, Gyeamseong was the most helpful, I think.¡± ¡°Haha. I knew you would seed, but I didn¡¯t expect it to go this well.¡± ¡°Yes. I remember seeingments saying that Marso was a fool, that he wasted his money, when he invested in it. I was so upset.¡± Ko Hun looked at the camera and said. ¡°Did you see? Our Marso is not a fool. He made a lot of money this time.¡± The audience and Alphonse Mendyughed loudly at Ko Hun¡¯s words. Because of his experience with Paul Gauguin. Chapter 238: Chapter 238: 238 It wasn¡¯t there, but it appeared (6) ¡°Hahaha. Yes. Author Henri Matisse says he¡¯s not a fool.¡± Alphonse Mendy summarized what Ko Hun said and Ko Hunughed. ¡°That¡¯s right. I remember that story was going around for a while. There was an article that said he invested a million dors at the time, but if that¡¯s true, he would have a pretty high return rate this time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ko Hun looked at Alphonse Mendy andughed again, then the phone rang. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Haha. It¡¯s okay. You must be getting a lot of calls from everywhere.¡±¡°It¡¯s Matisse. He must be watching.¡± ¡°Hahahat!¡± Alphonse Mendy covered his mouth with a cue card and didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Oh, really. Hahaha. That¡¯s great. I wish author Henri Matisse woulde on the show sometime and tell us the rest of the story.¡± Alphonse Mendy calmed down and continued with the question. ¡°By the way, you just said ¡®our Matisse¡¯, what does that mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a concept that¡¯s often used in Korea. Like our school, our mom and dad, our husband, wife, etc.¡± ¡°¡­Our husband?¡± Alphonse Mendy widened his eyes. The audience also looked puzzled and Ko Hun understood what they were wondering about. ¡°It¡¯s because of themunal thinking. It¡¯s not a concept of actually sharing a spouse.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Alphonse Mendy nodded. ¡°So the drama you introduced before, Blood Mark, is not amon thing in Korea either?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I thought so.¡± Ko Hun nodded and smiled. ¡°Anyway, I think it¡¯s a very cool concept. It¡¯s a feeling of bing one while respecting each other. Actually, I¡¯ve been looking for someone to draw with for a while.¡± ¡°Yes. You did. The suspicious poster.¡± Ko Hun paused and then continued the story. ¡°Yes. A lot of people contacted me, but I couldn¡¯t find anyone I liked. So far, there was only one person.¡± ¡°Is it Matisse?¡± Ko Hun nodded. ¡°We don¡¯t share the same studio, but we sometimes meet and talk about our works.¡± ¡°I see. So you work separately, but you have a kind of club where you can have deep conversations about your works.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very nice. Let¡¯s find out more about the club that Ko Hun created in the second part.¡± The next day. I heard that the wall had been updated and went to theb, and Matisse came walking cheerfully. ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± He¡¯s always cheerful whenever I see him. ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°Good morning my ass! Why didn¡¯t you answer the phone!¡± ¡°I was tired and slept. I went on the air as soon as I got back.¡± ¡°So you can talk nonsense when you¡¯re tired? Why did you make a fuss with that nonsense!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Did you say ¡®our Matisse¡¯?¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± He red at me and ran towards me. Sincest November, I¡¯ve felt that Matisse is the most fun when he¡¯s teased. He¡¯s usually serious and quiet, but he gets angry when I tease him a little. It¡¯s cute. I was curious why Michel and Arsen sometimes enjoyed teasing Matisse, but now I understand. ¡°Oh, you said you¡¯re not a fool?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why do you say the obvious!¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m teasing you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke. You think I don¡¯t know you¡¯re doing it on purpose!¡± Matisse opened his mouth wide and I put a chocte in his mouth and he frowned. ¡°¡­What is this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious. I bought it from a handmade chocte shop in Brussels.¡± He looked at the chocte box he bought as a souvenir from his trip, wondering if he liked it. ¡°Is Hoon here?¡± It was Michelle¡¯s voice. I turned my head and saw Michelle, who had tied up her long hair unlike usual, wearing sses. ¡°Here, take this.¡± She took out another chocte box from her bag. ¡°What? What is this?¡± ¡°I bought it in Brussels. It was delicious.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± Michelle took a bite and her eyes widened. Even the angry Henri Marso made the chocte quietly. ¡°It¡¯s really good. It¡¯s not too sweet.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it smooth?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s very rich.¡± She took another bite. The white chocte that covered the surface had a soft chocte cream underneath, and the vor was so amazing that I couldn¡¯t help but get drunk as soon as it spread in my mouth. As I enjoyed the sour and deep sweetness, I unknowingly emptied a box. ¡°By the way, are you still looking for someone?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you have any thoughts?¡± ¡°No.¡± Michelle smiled. She had a wide range of knowledge and experience as a curator, so she would have been a good discussion partner, but it was a pity. ¡°I had a candidate to rmend.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Vida Lavani, 16 years old. She likes drawing and is kind.¡± It¡¯s a unique name. ¡°She was with me when that happened. Do you remember?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The Muslim kid who was taken hostage when the terrorists broke into the Marso Gallery. He couldn¡¯t even scream, but we picked candy together. There was no news after that, and I was worried because the media didn¡¯t cover anything about him. ¡°I know. How do you know?¡± ¡°She works as a cleaner at the gallery. She never misses a day and is very diligent.¡± She must have started working at a young age. ¡°She asked me to teach her how to send an email a while ago, so I helped her. She saw your poster.¡± I didn¡¯t know there were people who didn¡¯t know how to send an email these days. If life is so hard that you can¡¯t afford aputer or a smartphone, it¡¯s possible, but I overlooked it. ¡°How about it? Do you want to meet her?¡± ¡°Yes. Can I go to the gallery tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yeah. Anytime.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a waste of time.¡± Marso said, eating chocte. ¡°Do you want to build a gallery? Whether you make a work or a broadcast, is this the time to care about someone else?¡± ¡°I just have to meet him as much as I don¡¯t feel burdened.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you think. How many decent people have you wanted to work with? They were all trying to get something out of it.¡± He doesn¡¯t trust people because he¡¯s been through a lot of crap. ¡°She¡¯s different. She¡¯s not the one who will burden Hoon.¡± Michelle defended Vida Lavani. ¡°I don¡¯t know that.¡± Henri Marso got up and reached for Michelle¡¯s chocte, but she pped his hand. ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡± Marso turned his head and I gave him one of mine, and he swallowed it in one bite. ¡°People who haven¡¯t eaten anything don¡¯t have greed. They just want it.¡± They only think about surviving as they are desperate. ¡°Greedes as soon as something enters your mouth. The longer the deprivation, the more you can¡¯t be satisfied no matter how much you eat.¡± It¡¯s a simple word. You can endure hunger with an empty stomach, but if you eat a little bit of something, it bes harder to endure. ¡°People are like that.¡± Marso said firmly. Maybe the Damien Carter incident had a big impact on Marso. ¡°There are people like that, but there are also people who are not. How can you live if everyone is bad?¡± I hoped that this stubborn friend would be a little more honest someday and gave him another chocte. When I visited the Marso Gallery for the first time in a long time, Vida Lavani greeted me with a bright smile as soon as I entered the building. ¡°Ko Hun!¡± I felt relieved to see him looking healthier than before, even though he was still skinny and bony. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Do you remember me?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± He opened his eyes wide and smiled happily, making me feel cheerful too. ¡°This is the best candy today.¡± Vida Lavani handed me a bunch of caramel candies. I had visited many museums and galleries, but this was the first time I enjoyed so much. He didn¡¯t exin the artwork, but I thought that if Fernando Gonzalez saw Vida Lavani, he would choose him as the best interpreter of his work. ¡°Thank you.¡± I grabbed three caramel candies, put one in my mouth and the rest in my pocket. ¡°I heard from Michelle. She wants to draw with you.¡± ¡°The director?¡± ¡°Yeah. Can we talk for a bit?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m working right now. Sorry. Hm, can youe to my house after work?¡± ¡°When do you finish?¡± ¡°6 o¡¯clock.¡± There were about two hours left. ¡°I¡¯ll look around while I wait.¡± ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll finish soon!¡± I didn¡¯t know how he could finish the work so quickly within the given time, but I understood his feelings well enough and nodded. As I entered the room to admire the artwork, Michel approached me after a while. ¡°Weren¡¯t you talking to Vida?¡± ¡°He said he was working, so I¡¯m waiting for him.¡± ¡°Talk to him. Should I call him?¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I feel like it would be a burden.¡± ording to what I heard from Michel, there was no real reason to hire him, but he felt sorry for his situation and took him in. Once he hired him, he was diligent and entrusted him with some chores. Michel wouldn¡¯t have told Vida Rabbani that, but a kid who lived on the streets wouldn¡¯t be clueless. He must know his situation very well and work even harder because of that. If I asked him to spare some time during work, he would feel anxious and ufortable. ¡°I see.¡± Michel smiled and looked at the he was admiring. It was a work that Henri Marso used his own photos to shape lilies. ¡°He¡¯s been having a hard timetely.¡± ¡°Rabbani?¡± ¡°Henri.¡± Michel turned his head and met my eyes as he was looking at . ¡°He has to worry about Antermittang and the opening. He¡¯s also working on a reform n for the auction system. He has a lot of things to do, but I think he was a bit shocked by the Damien Carter incident.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The ss that looked like sapphire. It seemed like he spilled it on purpose.¡± In the past, when he couldn¡¯t use the jewels directly, Damien Carter made the ss look like jewels. And he used the same technique he used in the past for hisst work. And that became the clue that led to the discovery of his secret workshop. ¡°Hemitted a crime and that¡¯s why he¡¯s unforgivable, but I can¡¯t hate himpletely and he seems to be struggling with that.¡± I felt the same way. I felt a contradictory emotion of sympathy and resentment. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have been like that before. He said that yesterday, but he¡¯s actually worried inside.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why he introduced Antermittang, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. He says that, but he cares about a lot of things.¡± Michel reminded me of Henri¡¯s inner thoughts once more. ¡°I know. Even if you pretend not to believe him, there¡¯s no one who cares about the artists as much as Henri.¡± Michelughed. ¡°Thank you. I feel like I smile a lot since I met you.¡± ¡°Me too. It¡¯s fun to tease you.¡± ¡°Heh. Yesterday was good.¡± I high-fived Michel. Chapter 239: Chapter 239: 239 It wasn¡¯t there, but it appeared (7) From his cheerful expression, I could tell how much Michel cared about Marso. There was a closeness between them that was hard to express, even without talking sweetly or clinging to each other. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go check it out.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Michel went up to the office. He must have spent two hours admiring Marso¡¯s work. Vida Rabani came over.I felt good seeing her face flushed with excitement. ¡°Do you want to sit over there and talk?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Vida Rabani answered energetically and ran to the garden bench. She brushed the bench with her hand and gestured for me to sit down. I felt a bit awkward. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No problem. Oh, this flower is pretty. I¡¯ve been watering it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an azalea.¡± ¡°An azalea?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a kind of rhododendron. I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s called in French.¡± It was a rare flower in Europe in the past, but my grandfather grew it in his Seoul house and I asked him about it. He said it was native to Korea and also grew in China, Japan, and other ces. The fresh leaves and seductive color were beautiful. He probably nted it for ornamental purposes. I started the conversation with a caramel candy in my mouth. ¡°I¡¯m nning to meet every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. You cane anytime on those days.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Do whatever you want. You can use the canvas and paint as much as you want.¡± I originally thought of just sharing the space, but this seemed fine. Even though it was spring, she was wearing thick pants that looked like they belonged to winter, and they were worn out. Someone must have given them to her, because the length didn¡¯t fit and the folded hem made my heart ache. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m making money.¡± Vida Rabani showed me her palm and shook her head. It felt like I had been hit hard on the head. I spoke easily out of pity, but I didn¡¯t consider what kind of effort this kid was making. At the age of fifteen or sixteen, she was earning the money for the materials herself. How passionate and determined she must be. ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡± She smiled shyly and looked embarrassed when I said it sincerely. ¡°But you¡¯re cooler. You¡¯re already hanging out with the artist.¡± ¡°Marso?¡± ¡°Yeah. I saw him at the Art Nouveau contest. Summer Night. Mido. Really. Really cool.¡± I felt good talking to this kid. ¡°Did you know it was mine?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t. Your painting was the first time I saw Summer Night. But I knew Mido was the artist¡¯s painting as soon as I saw it.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°The atmosphere? Hmm. How do I exin it? Maybe I got used to it because I¡¯m here?¡± She said she realized it after seeing hundreds of self-portraits exhibited in Marso¡¯s gallery, but that didn¡¯t exin it. Many critics and artists couldn¡¯t be sure that Mido was Henri Marso¡¯s work because of the mysterious color of ochre and the new coloring technique he learned to use it. ¡°They didn¡¯t know either. It¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Do you believe me?¡± I didn¡¯t know what she meant and was speechless for a moment. ¡°Of course I do.¡± ¡°They said why didn¡¯t I say itter. If I had participated in the event, there would have been a record.¡± She was talking about the event to guess the artist. I was going to ask why she didn¡¯t participate, but then I thought she might not have a smartphone. Instead, I changed the topic. ¡°What are you painting?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± Vida Rabani opened the paint tube. It was the Statue of Liberty illuminating the Bastille Square. She didn¡¯t paint it as it was, but added another person. The golden angel crossing the sky looked just like Henri Marso, and the gentle angel next to him looked like Michel tini. ¡°You look alike.¡± She scratched her head as I turned my head. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s the director and the artist.¡± She exined, feeling embarrassed. ¡°I used to think that I shouldn¡¯t draw pictures like that. But the author taught me. He said that I shouldn¡¯t lie to myself no matter how hard it is. He said that I should love myself even if others say anything.¡± That¡¯s what Marso said to the guy who terrorized the gallery. ¡°Michelle?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Do you know why the word ¡®miracle¡¯ was created?¡± He shook his head. ¡°The director said that it was a word that came from something that really happened. He said that it was something that no one knew, even if it seemed impossible.¡± I waited curiously to hear what he would say, and he gratefully poured out the story he had in his small chest. ¡°It¡¯s hard right now, but when I grow up, I can join Antermittang. Then I can do what I want and eat, too. Oh, do you know Antermittang?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°He said that the author made it really nice. To me, the author and the director are angels.¡± He smiled shyly and blushed. ¡°Marso and Michelle would be happy to know.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± He lived brightly without losing hope and courage in a difficult environment, and I thought I knew why Michelle rmended this kid. I wrote down my home address on a practice sheet and gave it to him. ¡°It¡¯s my house. Come when you¡¯refortable.¡± ¡°Really? Can I, can I draw with you?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Vida Lavani took a breath and looked at me, then jumped up and down. He didn¡¯t look like he was sixteen, maybe because his growth process wasn¡¯t good. I wanted to feed him properly at least on the days he came to the studio. ¡°Mo, money? I¡¯ll try to do 80 euros a month!¡± ¡°Money?¡± He nodded his head vigorously and then paused. ¡°Are you short?¡± ¡°No. Why do you take money? We¡¯re just ying.¡± ¡°But, but I want to ask you if I don¡¯t know something and I want to see how you draw. So. That¡¯s why.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that, too.¡± He teared up. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m looking for people.¡± ¡°Am I, am I really okay¡­¡± I held Vida Lavani¡¯s hand. ¡°What do you mean, you?¡± ¡°Ah. Huhu.¡± I knew thatugh was an act to hide his sadness. I squeezed his hand and said again. ¡°You¡¯re dreaming, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re working hard, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re doing well without relying on others, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re not like me. You¡¯re a great painter.¡± ¡°¡­Me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He nodded his head and pursed his lips. He gulped and tried to swallow his tears. ¡°I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t go to ces like academies. I thought I¡¯d never be a painter in my life.¡± ¡°Academy? Why can¡¯t you go to the academy?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m a Muslim. So. I thought I couldn¡¯t learn to draw. Huh.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Why can¡¯t you go to the academy if you¡¯re a Muslim?¡± I thought he couldn¡¯t go because he didn¡¯t have money and felt sorry for him, but I was speechless at the unexpected words. ¡°No. No. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Vida Lavani wiped his tears and smiled. ¡°So you met well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Grandpa asked me about Vida Lavani while we were having dinner. ¡°But why don¡¯t you look happy? Didn¡¯t you like him?¡± I shook my head. ¡°No. It¡¯s just a bit weird.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°He said he wanted to go to the academy. He said he wanted to learn something because he had never learned to draw.¡± Grandpa nodded his head as if to tell me to go on. ¡°But he said he couldn¡¯t because he was a Muslim.¡± There are strange people everywhere. I asked him if he had tried other ces, thinking that not all academies would be like that, but he just smiled silently. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that weird? Isn¡¯t this a country that recognizes and respects diversity?¡± France showed a very progressive attitude in both art and film. They gave up high profits and prevented theater monopolies to respect diversity, and there were no restrictions on any artistic works on disy. I never imagined that such things would happen in the modern world, where religious freedom is guaranteed, unlike in the past when religion was the order of the world. ¡°Let¡¯s think about it together.¡± Grandfather always said that, instead of giving me an answer, he asked me to ponder with him. ¡°Muslim terrorism is not a recent phenomenon. Many people have suffered because of it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There is a reason why people hate Muslims. They lost their property and their loved ones to them. Not many people can look at them with a good eye.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I can see where they areing from. It is wrong to hate all Muslims just because some of them did bad things, but is it an easy thing to do as I wish? I think even I, who try to be understanding, would struggle if I had my property and precious ones taken away from me. ¡°That¡¯s not the only problem. The lives of the Frenchmoners are bing more and more impoverished. To them, refugees are seen as those who steal their jobs.¡± You mean to say that it is not just a Muslim problem. ¡°There is also aw that must be obeyed in France.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°La?cit¨¦. The separation of politics and religion. In France, any religious act is prohibited in public ces.¡± La?cit¨¦. It is a philosophy that has developed since the French Revolution, and it was already established as a value when I lived as Vincent van Gogh. ¡°For example, wearing a hijab in the ssroom is also considered a vition of?cit¨¦ in France.¡± ¡°What is a hijab?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a cloth that Muslims wear on their faces. Some people see it as a religious garment, while others see it as a traditional costume.¡± I nodded. ¡°Now, from the Muslim perspective, they have to wear the hijab, but in France, it¡¯s banned. That¡¯s bound to cause conflict, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I think I understood why Grandpa wanted me to think along with him. La?cit¨¦ was the product of a struggle to pursue true freedom from the influence of the Vatican. It recognized the freedom of religion, but also established aw to prevent it from dominating human life. From the French point of view, the Muslim behavior might have seemed like an infringement on the freedom they had fought for over a long time. And the Muslims might have felt that their faith was being ignored. ¡°tini is looking after that kid because he has a good heart. But in fact, it¡¯s hard for the French to see Muslims in a good light.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± It was a difficult problem to solve, since both sides could be understood. But that didn¡¯t mean that all their actions were justified. Crime and violence could not be allowed just because they had reasons. Like Damien Carter. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean that terrorism or discrimination is right, does it?¡± Grandpa nodded. Chapter 240: Chapter 240: 240 It wasn¡¯t there, but it appeared (8) ¡°Exactly. Why not?¡± The answer to why terrorism and discrimination cannot be justified is clear. ¡°Because it takes away the freedom of others.¡± ¡°Grandpa thinks so too. Everyone can speak and act freely, but only as long as they don¡¯t harm others.¡± Only those who respect the freedom of others can truly receive respect for their own freedom. ¡°All conflicts start from there. It would be great if we could understand and respect each other, but if we want to infringe, we can¡¯t avoid it.¡± I can¡¯t just sit still when someone vites my freedom.¡°What do you think, Hoon?¡± I think I know why Grandpa exined the French position. For them, their freedom was vited, so they had to be hostile. Is it right to respond with moderation to the extreme act of killing civilians? If the other side doesn¡¯t think so, they will only suffer. I¡¯m getting more worried. Grandpa waited quietly. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly what kind of people Muslims are.¡± ¡°Grandpa doesn¡¯t either. They are divided into Sunni and Shia, and within that, they are divided into many branches.¡± ¡°What about the people whomit terrorism?¡± ¡°They are called Imic extremists rather than sects.¡± The word ¡®divide¡¯ means that there are Muslims who don¡¯t do that, so the problem lies with the Imic extremists. Their actions might provoke resentment. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°What part?¡± ¡°Why do Imic extremists terrorize ces that are not Imic countries? It¡¯s a simple crime, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Why do Muslims living in France do that? If they don¡¯t like French society, they can live separately.¡± ¡°Many people fled to Europe because of the wars and civil wars between Imic countries. They looked for jobs in the countries that colonized them in the past.¡± It¡¯s absurd. Did France also have the ghost of imperialism? ¡°Hoon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I tried to be objective, but I spoke badly of Muslims. At least Grandpa thinks so. They are really bad guys.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But is thatpletely equivalent to the discrimination issue?¡± ¡°Do you mean it¡¯s a different issue?¡± ¡°Yes. Grandpa thinks we should respond strongly to terrorism. It¡¯s a matter of life and death for me and you.¡± Grandpa sincerely thinks so. He seriously considered staying at the Marsonne house because of the safety from the terrorist threat. ¡°But hate crimes are not justified. It¡¯s true that hatred arose from Muslim terrorism, but that¡¯s not the only reason.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Well. But seeing that it¡¯s the same for Asians, I don¡¯t think terrorism is the only reason.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± When I lived in France in the past, Asian countries were mysterious ces. A world I had never experienced before. My previous generation admired Eastern Europe, and in my time, many artists were inspired by East Asian culture like ukiyo-e. Discrimination and hatred. I can¡¯t understand. ¡°Racists don¡¯t hate Muslims only. Grandpa also gets ignored sometimes, you know.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Grandpa was respected wherever he went in the world. Someone always came to pick him up at the airport, and some countries even booked a ce for him. It¡¯s hard to believe that Grandpa was discriminated against. ¡°Have you ever seen Grandpa lie to you?¡± I shook my head and Grandpa sighed deeply. ¡°Now that my name is known, there are no people who do it openly, but I can definitely say. They still exist. That¡¯s why I hesitated to send you to study abroad too early.¡± He was worried that I would experience something I shouldn¡¯t at such a young age. ¡°Grandpa can¡¯t tolerate the actions of Imic extremists. How can I ept those who say they have to kill anyone who goes against their doctrine?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to defend the racists. It¡¯s because of what my grandfather went through.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So I hope you don¡¯t ept the two problems as each other¡¯s cause and effect.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be without influence. But my grandfather warns me not to justify the two types of crimes because of the other¡¯s actions. ¡°Many smart people have thought about it, but nothing has changed.¡± An unsolvable conflict. ¡°But, grandfather thinks like this.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Even if we think we can never understand each other, there are definitely emotions that all humanity shares. I wonder if that¡¯s the only way to understand each other.¡± If they knew that others were not different from themselves, they wouldn¡¯t hate them so much. Would the Imic extremists and the racists try to understand others? If they did, would the situation have reached this point? But if there is a very small hope, I should rely on the universal emotions that my grandfather said. Whether they are Europeans, Muslims, or Koreans, their hearts would swell when they see the beautiful scenery. There must be something that humans feel, even if they live in different worlds, such as the love of parents for their children, the friendship between friends, or the thirst for their dreams. At the very least, would there be anyone who hates chocte and snacks? I want to believe that there is no one who hates music and art. It¡¯s sad that they fill their lives, which are alreadycking in love, with terror and discrimination. I¡¯m angry. The wounded will not beforted in any way until they are severely punished. As someone who was crushed under the huge power of the state, religion, society, and group, I want tofort them somehow. There would surely be people who curse me for that. Because it¡¯s unfair. It would look like I¡¯mforting the same bastards. But I want to embrace even those who think that way. Because they are also wounded. ¡°It¡¯s hard.¡± ¡°It is.¡± How hard would it be to make everyone interested in this difficult story? But I have to do it. The pity for the victims of terror and their families, and the sympathy for Vida Rabbani, who can¡¯t even live a normal life, are all my emotions. I can¡¯t lie to myself and draw any picture without feeling uneasy. I decided on the direction of my next work. Saturday. I prepared a desk and an easel for Vida Rabbani, and put some snacks on them. As I was sketching, it was lunchtime. My grandfather sent me a text message toe up and eat, so I climbed the stairs. Following the sweet and rich smell, I reached the kitchen and saw a full table of food. ¡°What is all this?¡± Beef rib stew, cabbage kimchi, and sd. It was different from what I usually ate. ¡°I paid more attention because a friend wasing.¡± ¡°You must be busy.¡± It was a pity that my grandfather had prepared it for me. I picked up a spoonful of sd and tasted it. The nutty vor was deep. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s good.¡± My grandfather also tasted it and nodded. ¡°Is it sesame?¡± ¡°It¡¯s tahini. I bought it because they said they eat it a lot in Arabia. It¡¯s not bad.¡± It would have been nice if I had a way to contact him, but it was unfortunate. I guessed how hard my grandfather had worked to prepare food that Vida Rabbani could eat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t sure when he woulde.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s fine. We can eat it ourselves. Let¡¯s sit down and eat.¡± I sat down facing my grandfather. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± I bit a piece of rib stew and the beef melted softly under the greasy sauce. The thick aroma spread in my mouth and made me dizzy. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Ha ha. Grandfather can cook now, right?¡± ¡°You could be a chef.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha. You. Eat some kimchi too.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The kimchi you made before was too salty to eat, but the recent one you pickled is excellent. Especially when eaten with braised ribs or boiled pork, it enhances the taste of the kimchi I know so much that I wonder if it¡¯s the same one. The meat and the sauce are so tender and vorful that they cool down my mouth. I can keep eating if I alternate between them. ¡°I enjoyed the meal.¡± ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t eat any more.¡± I felt like my stomach was going to burst, so I took a break and got off the chair. I collected the tes from the table and put the leftover food in the food waste disposal. I put the empty tes in the dishwasher. When I closed the side dish container and put it in the refrigerator, Grandpa smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve grown up. You¡¯ve grown up a lot.¡± ¡°Of course. That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to take turns cooking with you now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s dangerous. What if you cut your hand with a knife?¡± I had been bothered by Grandpa being the only one to set the table, so I seized the opportunity, but he didn¡¯t buy it. Cleaning andundry are all done by machines, so the only housework left is dusting, hangingundry, and walking the dog. But even that is ufortable for Grandpa. I do what I can, but it doesn¡¯t please Grandpa. ¡°So. How¡¯s your ideaing along?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking about this and that, but I can¡¯t figure it out.¡± ¡°It might help to see how other writers handled it.¡± ¡°Right. I¡¯ve been looking around, but Guernica keeps catching my eye.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Pablo Picasso¡¯s , depicting the people wounded and screaming from the Nazi bombing. It¡¯s a work that bluntly portrays the victims of the massive violence. ¡°A Nazi soldier asked Picasso. Did you paint Guernica?¡± If it were Picasso, he would have proudly said he did, even with a gun barrel in front of him. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s a painting you guys made.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s Picasso for you.¡± Vroom- Vroom I checked my smartphone, admiring the anecdote Grandpa told me. ¡°It¡¯s Michelle.¡± Grandpa nodded his head and told me to answer quickly. ¡°Yes, Michelle.¡± -Hoon, do you know what happened to Rabbani? ¡°No. What¡¯s going on?¡± -Rabbani is very sick. I got a call from his mother this morning and it seems more serious than I thought. I gasped. ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± -Well¡­ Don¡¯t be shocked. Is Grandpa with you? ¡°Yes. We¡¯re listening together.¡± -He got in trouble for painting the Guardian of Freedom. ¡°The painting got him in trouble?¡± -From their point of view, he painted an idol. It seems like some people beat him up. Badly. I was so shocked that I couldn¡¯t speak. -You don¡¯t have toe, but I¡¯ll send you the hospital address. Chapter 241: Chapter 241: 241 It wasn¡¯t there, but it appeared (9) ¡°I have to go. You said you were hurt.¡± It was strange that he said I didn¡¯t need toe when I should visit him if he was in pain. -Thanks if you do. But right now, Rabbani needs to rest too. He sounded like he was hiding something, his words not connecting well. I felt more anxious because he was usually rational and fluent in speaking. ¡°Is it serious?¡± When I asked again, Michelle¡¯s voice trembled slightly.-Can I talk to your grandfather? He seemed hesitant, but he probably thought it was hard to tell me, a child. I handed the phone to my grandfather. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± Grandpa turned off the speaker and brought the smartphone to his ear. He listened silently and his expression turned bad. He furrowed his brows and sighed in despair. ¡°I understand what you mean. Yes.¡± Grandpa closed his eyes and calmed his emotions. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°He seems to be more injured than I thought. Those bastards¡­¡± ¡°How much? Where and how did he get hurt?¡± He hesitated and didn¡¯t answer no matter how much I asked. ¡°He¡¯s my friend. I need to know.¡± When I told him one more time, he reluctantly opened his mouth. ¡°I was worried you might be shocked.¡± I couldn¡¯t guess how much he was hurt if he was worried about shocking me, a child. ¡°He said he wanted tini toe, but he hesitated.¡± ¡°I want to go.¡± Grandpa took a long breath and nodded as if he had made up his mind. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go.¡± We quickly changed clothes and got in the car. I told the navigation to go to Marcel Marceau General Hospital and it guided me right away. ¡°It¡¯s far.¡± ¡°It would have been hard to go anywhere else.¡± ¡°¡­They didn¡¯t take him?¡± Grandpa didn¡¯t deny it. It was a general hospital run by the Marceau Foundation, so he said they could have taken Rabbani, but I guess it was lucky that Michelle was with him. I just hoped it wasn¡¯t serious. I tried to suppress my anxiety and arrived at Marcel Marceau General Hospital in about 30 minutes. I could see Rabbani¡¯s name in front of the room at the end of the fifth floor corridor. Rabbani and Hina Rabbani. One of them must be his mother. I knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± It was Michelle¡¯s voice. When I opened the door, she greeted me with a distressed expression. ¡°Rabbani is.¡± As soon as I entered and saw the bed, I couldn¡¯t say anything. My body froze and I understood why Michelle hesitated and what Grandpa heard from her. ¡°Oh my God.¡± Grandpa wrapped his arm around my shoulder. Rabbani¡¯s face was swollen beyond recognition. It was not blue, but ck with bruises all over his face and body. His lips were burst and his forehead was cracked. It was hard to find a ce that wasn¡¯t hurt. Both legs and arms were in casts. I hoped it wasn¡¯t true, but Michelle bit her lower lip and squeezed my hand. ¡°You must have been surprised.¡± It didn¡¯t matter how old or young I was, I couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. The woman lying on the opposite bed was also terrible. Rabbani¡¯s mother had gauze all over her back. She must have been injured while protecting her son from the assault. ¡°How could they do this to a person¡­¡± Grandpamented. ¡°What happened?¡± Michelle shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear the details. She just called for help and said he was badly hurt.¡± ¡°Is it because of the painting?¡± Michelle nodded. ¡°What did the doctor say?¡± ¡°He said we have to wait and see. ¡­ It will get better. I¡¯m sure.¡± Michelle spoke as if she was determined to heal. That meant his condition was not good. I heard that Vida Ravani woke up two days after he was hospitalized. I wanted to visit him right away, but I was told he needed to rest, so I went to his room with my grandfather the next afternoon. ¡°Yes.¡± A woman answered cautiously when I knocked. ¡°Hello.¡± As I opened the door and entered, Vida¡¯s mother, Hina Ravani, flinched. ¡°How did you¡­¡± She looked wary. ¡°I¡¯m Goseul.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ko Hun. Vida¡¯s friend.¡± ¡°Hoon?¡± It was Vida¡¯s voice. ¡°Mom, he¡¯s the friend I agreed to draw with.¡± ¡°Oh. ¡­ Come in.¡± Hina Ravani made way for us. She took the fruit basket that my grandfather gave her nervously. I couldn¡¯t tell if she was not used to kindness, or if she disliked having visitors, or if she was displeased with me and my grandfather. As I stepped inside, I saw that Vida had not improved much. His face was still bruised and swollen, so much that his eyes were barely visible. But he was smiling. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°Yeah. Hehe.¡± Was he strong-hearted? Or did he want to hide his wounds? I felt sorry for him, who could still smile after such an ordeal, but I was also relieved that he didn¡¯t lose hisughter. ¡°Vida, can Mom go out for a bit?¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I feel a bit suffocated. I want to take a walk.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it.¡± ¡°Yeah. I, by the way¡­¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry and go ahead.¡± Hina Ravani went outside. ¡°¡­ What happened?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not nothing.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± He smiled habitually and avoided my gaze. I waited patiently, not wanting to push him, and he slowly told me his story. ¡°There are some guys who do bad things, you know.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Mom told me not to hang out with them. And I didn¡¯t like them either, so I avoided them, but they seemed to be offended.¡± Fortunately, he didn¡¯t do anything bad with them. ¡°They started to harass me since they found out I was working at the gallery. At first, a few euros would do, but they kept asking for more.¡± It was a thief¡¯s act to extort money that someone else had earned with sweat. ¡°That day, I ran away and got caught near my house.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I had no money, so they looked at my painting and said I drew an idol, and I got angry and they hit me. Mom tried to stop them, but Mom too¡­¡± Vida clenched his teeth. No matter how gentle he was, he couldn¡¯t help but be angry at the fact that his parents were hurt. My grandfather sighed. ¡°It was a mistake to provoke them. They don¡¯t even pray.¡± They not only stole money, but also beat up the poor until they were almost dead. There was no worse evil than that. ¡°But the director said he caught them. The police will punish them.¡± ¡°They better.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, but I¡¯m worried about Mom. She was already sick. She says she¡¯s okay, but she still groans when she sleeps.¡± ¡°We have to get better together.¡± ¡°Okay. I need to get better soon and work.¡± ¡°Are you thinking about work while you¡¯re like this?¡± ¡°I have to pay the hospital bills.¡± Michel tini must have paid for all the surgery, treatment, and hospitalization costs. It must have been a lot of money. It¡¯s sad that the child who hasn¡¯t recovered yet is already thinking about paying back that money. ¡°Think about getting better first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Vida Lavani answered and smiled faintly. It wasn¡¯t a smile to hide his sadness, but a genuine one. He blinked his eyes and smiled shyly again. ¡°Thank you foring.¡± ¡°We¡¯re friends.¡± He smiled again. ¡°I was so bored because I couldn¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°I know.¡± He had spent several days without being able to move his arms or legs. He must have felt frustrated. ¡°Do you want to see a picture?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Marso¡¯s?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of the author¡¯s works. I want to see something else.¡± I wonder what I should show him. ¡°Who do you like?¡± ¡°Marso, the author.¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t many who have a simr vibe to Marso.¡± ¡°Then you.¡± He doesn¡¯t seem to know many artists. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to introduce him to one by one when hees to the studioter. I want to give him a smartphone as a gift so he can look up things. ¡°Wow.¡± He liked the I showed him like a child. ¡°What is this? Is it oil painting?¡± ¡°A little different?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called ink painting. It¡¯s a picture where you use a brush very nicely. I drew it after seeing that.¡± ¡°The colors are so pretty.¡± He must have felt wronged. Angry. Sad. Resentful. Hurt. But he brightened his eyes as he talked about the picture in front of him. ¡°You must like it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The picture.¡± ¡°Yes. Because it¡¯s cool.¡± Vida Lavani, who was looking at the , opened his mouth. ¡°Mom asked me yesterday.¡± ¡°What did she say?¡± ¡°She asked me if I liked the picture so much.¡± ¡°It shows.¡± Vida Lavani hesitated for a moment and then continued. ¡°After dad passed away. Mom was sick and couldn¡¯t work. I was too young to work, so I only thought about making money quickly.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Most of the people who live in the neighborhood are like that.¡± ¡°Where do you live?¡± ¡°Montmartre district.¡± It¡¯s where I stayed for a while in the past. Now it¡¯s called the hometown of artists, where the Montmartre hill is located. ¡°But one day, someone painted a picture on the wall of Mr. Tio¡¯s house. A girl with a red balloon.¡± ¡°Balloon?¡± ¡°There was a hole in the outer wall and a red brick was round. He used it like a balloon.¡± It¡¯s an interesting attempt. ¡°That picture was by a famous person. Mr. Tio told me he sold his house very expensive when he moved out.¡± ¡°Did you want to do that too?¡± ¡°I would have liked that, but back then I was more curious than anything.¡± ¡°What was?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was such a thing as hope. I thought I might die like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But when that happened, I only thought about the picture all day and went to see the girl with the red balloon. I had nothing else to do.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I wanted to draw too, as I kept watching. I think that¡¯s how I came to love it.¡± There was no grand reason for loving it. I couldn¡¯t exin the feelings that blossomed from a very coincidental encounter. ¡°I want to see it too.¡± "It¡¯s probably Banksy."1)1)The motif is Banksy, a painter, graffiti artist, and film director from the UK. ¡°That¡¯s right. That was the name.¡± Vida Lavani agreed with Grandpa¡¯s words. ¡°He¡¯s an artist who hides his identity and works. He calls himself an art terrorist.¡± He¡¯s an interesting person. ¡°Banksy and Marso gave me hope.¡± ¡°So did the director.¡± ¡°Director tini too.¡± Grandpa seemed to confirm Vida Lavani¡¯s words and said the same. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even think of doing something as I waited for time to pass every day.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Thanks to the writer and the director, I gained faith. They said that if you believe and love yourself no matter how hard it is, miracles will happen.¡± ¡°They will.¡± Grandpa smiled kindly and cheered for Vida Lavani. Chapter 242: Chapter 242: 242 Banksy (1) Thud-thud-thud-thud- ¡°¡­¡± I thought Marso wasing to see the house, but something went wrong. Grandpa was speechless, blinking his eyes. was hanging from a rope and descending into our yard. ¡°Hoon-ah, did you ask for this?¡± ¡°No.¡±¡°Then?¡± ¡°I asked him what he wanted for a gift and he said to juste with his body.¡± I didn¡¯t expect him to send his body. Thud-thud-thud-thud- The helicopter noise was loud. ¡°Bnce yourself. Slowly! Slowlye down! Hold the rope!¡± A man standing at the front gate instructed the helicopter pilot and the people waiting in the garden with a walkie-talkie and a loud voice. ¡°Sir, where do you want me to put it?¡± The deliverypany employee asked Grandpa where to put . ¡°I wish you would take it back.¡± ¡°Ha ha. That¡¯s a funny joke.¡± ¡°Heh heh. I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Thud-thud-thud-thud- The humans who were ordered by Marso wouldn¡¯t back off quietly, and I had to put it down first so that the noisy helicopter would go away. It was lucky that the neighbors were understanding, or else there would beints soon. I pointed to the pond in the garden. ¡°Put it there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty deep. Will the pedestal be high enough?¡± ¡°Please soak it if possible.¡± ¡°Hahaha. You two like jokes.¡± The deliverypany employees ced the pedestal in the middle of the pond and put on it. It was fortunate that I hadn¡¯t raised any fish yet, or should I say that? They also installed lights around the pond. I can¡¯t stand it. I was wondering if I should sell it and use the money to build a gallery when Henri Marso arrived. He saw it ced in the middle of the pond and raised his eyebrows, nodding his head as if he was satisfied. ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°Not bad? What¡¯s not bad? It¡¯s not good at all.¡± Why does he keep marking his territory in other people¡¯s houses? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t corrode in the rain.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t worry about that at all.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll put that ridiculous umbre and raincoat on it?¡± Come to think of it, I left the SpongeBob umbre on in the Seoul house. ¡°Do you n to leave one every time we move?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Grandpa sneered, but Marso didn¡¯t blink an eye. ¡°I have to move it to your gallery when you build it.¡± ¡°Why!¡± ¡°Why? You said you wanted to exhibit my work too.¡± I did say that I wanted to exhibit the works of the paintermunity members. I was speechless and Grandpa chimed in. ¡°People will like it better if there are two works instead of one.¡± He clearly didn¡¯t want to have Marso¡¯s self-portrait in the house. ¡°What are you going to paint there?¡± Henri Marso frowned at Hoon¡¯s sketch and photo. It was a sketch of a hill filled with sunflowers and a photo of the uphill road. "It¡¯s the hill that goes up to the pink house from Dali Square."1) ¡°Why bother?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a popr tourist spot. It¡¯s better to be visible, right?¡± Henri Marso looked back and forth between Hoon and the sketch. He was curious why Hoon, who had been working on canvas until now, suddenly wanted to go out to the street. ¡°Did the city hall ask you to do it?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m going to do it with my own money.¡± ¡°Why are you wasting your money on a useless ce when you said you wanted to build a gallery?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have it, but now I do.¡± ¡°What?¡± I showed Henri Marso, who looked puzzled, the monthly settlement amount. In addition to the existing ie. There was the running guarantee and the art book sales revenue of , the Korean painting exhibition revenue, lectures, autograph sessions, broadcast appearances and appearances, and the YouTube revenue. A total of 9.14 million dors was expected to be settled. Henri Marso, who was looking at the details, tilted his head at the art book sales volume item. ¡°700,000?¡± It was hard to believe that ¡®s art book, which was sold for 60 dors per volume, sold 700,000 copies in just two months after its first publication. If 700,000 copies were sold, the total sales would be around 42 million dors. Of that, Ko Hun, who received 12% of the settlement, made more than 5 million dors from the art book alone. ¡°It¡¯s amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± I said proudly. ¡°People seem to like it because they can see the pictures in detail and the behind-the-scenes stories that are hard to know from the movie, such as the detailed settings.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to publish a personal art bookter when I have some more works.¡± At this rate, it seemed enough to build and operate a gallery in downtown Paris. ¡°Tsk.¡± Henri Marso put down the settlement statement with displeasure. His n to tear off the works that Ko Hun had hung in the Marceau Museum Ko Hun Hall, using the fact that Ko Hun was short of money, was ruined. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Shut up. Do you think this will happen often? Save it when you earn it.¡± Henri Marso picked on me for no reason. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that hard for me to do it. It didn¡¯t cost much either.¡± I exined that I got permission from the Montmartre district office through Bang Tae-ho. Henri Marso opened his mouth as he looked at the street painting that I had nned. ¡°Stop at this point if it¡¯s because of that Muslim kid. Don¡¯t try to go any further.¡± Montmartre district was an area where people from Imic cultures gathered. It was famous as a tourist attraction, being called the street of artists, but at the same time, it was the area with the highest crime rate in Paris. It was obvious that he wanted to make the atmosphere of the ce better with his paintings. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± Henri Marso red at me. ¡°Yeah.¡± I was surprised by his unexpected answer. ¡°You and Michel are both nosy, so I don¡¯t care if you take in a beggar.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being harsh again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s natural for an artist to say what he wants to say.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But do it only when you can protect yourself. What do you think will happen if you go beyond this and try to defend Muslims?¡± ¡°People who are hurt will be sad.¡± Henri Marso stopped talking at my answer. ¡°At first, I thought about drawing people who were terrorized or the pain of being discriminated against, but I realized that it wouldn¡¯t solve the problem. That¡¯s not what I want.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I just want to give a littlefort to those who are struggling to live.¡± Like a wheat field that embraced the grace of the sun. If that was not allowed, he wanted to be a grain and fill the stomachs of the poor. ¡°Rabani, and those who lost their families to terror, too. I don¡¯t want them to get hurt more.¡± Henri Marso, who understood what I was thinking when I wanted to paint on the street, felt relieved. He might have made enemies of both Europeans and Muslims if he had stepped in clumsily. ¡°It would be nice if they were happy when they walked this street.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Henri Marso answered hesitantly, and I chuckled. ¡°Were you that worried?¡± ¡°Who.¡± ¡°You just said so and now you pretend you don¡¯t know.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but tease him for lying poorly and being embarrassed. I smiled brightly and Henri Marso frowned and got up. ¡°Stop talking nonsense. Tell me about the group.¡± ¡°Group?¡± ¡°You said you made one.¡± ¡°Well, I did, but I don¡¯t have any ns to register or anything. I just want to meet and work with people who share my mind when I feel like it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s annoying without a corporation.¡± ¡°How are you going to do it?¡± ¡°What kind of activities are you nning? Exhibitions, fanzines, you said you wanted to make them. Don¡¯t you need a contract?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Ko Hun lifted his head. ¡°It would be better to set up a corporation if you want to manage sales and profits internally.¡± ¡°I guess so. We need to manage the capital and divide the ie.¡± ¡°We should split it ording to the contribution.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ko Hun thought of nche Fabre and Vida Lavani. nche Fabre, who didn¡¯t have a management contract, would get help from various activities. Vida Lavani, who would grow and contribute to the corporation, would be able to earn some money as a sry. ¡°Just so you know, I don¡¯t work with anyone else.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only you and Marso right now. What should we name it?¡± ¡°Gaebok.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you use when you work alone.¡± ¡°M&G.¡± ¡°What does M&G mean?¡± ¡°Marso and Ko Hun.¡± Ko Hun red at Henri Marso. He didn¡¯t even name his pet dog properly, he seemed to have no sense of naming. ¡°How about Sunflower of Canaan?¡± ¡°Are you naming a church?¡± ¡°Yellow House. How about painting the gallery¡¯s exterior wall yellow?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t want to hear about the little Van Gogh?¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t just sit there and give me some opinions.¡± ¡°M&G.¡± Henri Marso scribbled M&G on a paper. ¡°That sounds like Dashida.¡± ¡°What¡¯s Dashida?¡± ¡°MSG.¡± Henri Marso narrowed his eyes at the logo he wrote after Ko Hun¡¯s remark. ¡°How about Potatoes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke. Do you want to join that kind of ce?¡± ¡°They¡¯re delicious. And high in calories.¡± ¡°We¡¯re an artist group. What does calorie have to do with it?¡± ¡°How about Penguins?¡± ¡°Even a children¡¯s baseball team wouldn¡¯t use that name.¡± They argued for an hour, but they couldn¡¯t narrow down their differences. ¡°Forget the name. How are we going to generate revenue?¡± ¡°We should focus on exhibitions.¡± ¡°Where.¡± Ko Hun stared at Henri Marso. Henri Marso, who didn¡¯t understand what he meant at first, pursed his lips. ¡°You¡¯re going to put other people¡¯s works in my gallery?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you do it?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°But you did it for me.¡± Henri Marso closed his mouth. Ko Hun and some other writers couldn¡¯t bring up the word ¡®exception¡¯ in front of him. His pride wouldn¡¯t allow it. ¡°Anyway, you know it¡¯s impossible.¡± Henri Marso said firmly, and Ko Hun gave up early. It seemed easier to find another way than to persuade him, who was stubborn. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to rent a ce.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°But managing this kind of thing requires people. Do you know how to do it?¡± ¡°Why me? I can just hire people.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Hiring people costs money.¡± ¡°I have a manager.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to go back and forth between Korea and here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll settle down then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an easy thing to do, you know. You have a family. And writer Lee Hanna has to write too.¡± ¡°Write together?¡± ¡°No, not that.¡± ¡°Then. Write on paper?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯ll write on aputer.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the difference between writing in Seoul or Paris?¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Anyway, if you want to keep your manager, you have no reason to stay in Korea. It¡¯s better for him toe over here before it¡¯s toote. If he takes over the corporation and gets a sry, his ie will be stable. Right?¡± Ko Hun nodded as he sorted out his thoughts. ce DALIDA (ce Dalida: Dalida Square), La Maison Rose (La Maison Rose: The Pink House) Chapter 243: Chapter 243: 243 Banksy (2) ¡°Okay. Good luck. I¡¯ll contact you again.¡± -Yes. After hanging up, Bang Taeho organized his thoughts. As Ko Hun had said, living in Paris had its advantages. It was better to stay in Paris than to travel back and forth between Seoul and Paris, considering the cost. The expensive airfare and amodation were also a problem, and he felt like he was wasting time on the 11-hour one-way flight. Not to mention, the frequent travel and the changing time zones were exhausting.¡°Honey.¡± Bang Taeho went to the living room to find his wife, who was drained after the deadline. Lee Hanna, a writer who was trying not to think about anything,y on the sofa and answered with her eyes closed. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Do you want some juice?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Bang Taeho poured some orange juice and handed it to his wife. Lee Hanna straightened her legs and leaned back on the sofa, taking in the sugar and the fresh citrus scent. ¡°You¡¯re giving me something sweet first. It must be serious.¡± Lee Hanna turned her head and red at her husband, then smiled. His expression was very serious. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Ko Hun said he¡¯s forming a group of painters.¡± ¡°Is it like a club?¡± ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s thinking of a corporation based on artists. They work together and share the profits. Like Sunflower right now.¡± ¡°Are you going to be unemployed?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Lee Hanna chuckled and took another sip of juice. ¡°By the way, Ko Hun is amazing. He keeps trying new things. How about Henri Matisse?¡± ¡°Not right now.¡± Lee Hanna nodded. ¡°I need to look for a new artist.¡± If Ko Hun set up his own corporation, there would be no extension of the contract with her husband. Recently, Ko Hun had made a lot of money and brought in a lot of revenue for Bang Taeho¡¯s Sunflower, but now there was a crisis. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°He asked me if I could take over thepany.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Honey?¡± When his wife just stared at him without blinking, Bang Taeho called out anxiously. ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± ¡°You were surprised.¡± ¡°I was wondering if I should spit out the juice or swallow it. Why didn¡¯t I hear the sound effect? It¡¯s a clich¨¦ scene, but I need to find a different way.¡± Bang Taeho snickered. ¡°Hmm.¡± Lee Hanna held the juice in her mouth and sorted out her thoughts. Considering the size, scbility, and future of thepany, it was better to ept Ko Hun¡¯s offer. There was one year left in the three-year contract with Ko Hun. If Ko Hun wanted to start his own corporation, he couldn¡¯t extend the contract. Instead, he had to seize the opportunity to capture both Ko Hun and Matisse at the same time. Lee Hanna quickly figured out what her husband was worried about. ¡°The problem is not thepany, but going to Paris.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Tell me. You must have thought a lot before talking to me.¡± Lee Hanna put down the ss. ¡°If the artists gather, thepany will grow bigger and there will be more things to do. Otherpanies will also be interested, so the information you get will be more diverse.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°And you can save on airfare and amodation. You can also rest or do something else while traveling.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Lee Hanna just agreed, not interrupting Bang Taeho¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s all improvement. I felt it when I worked in New York and Paris. The market is really big and the scope of what you can do is different.¡± ¡°It must be.¡± ¡°Yeah. The same goes for the opening. I think there will be a big change soon. Centered around Ko Hun and Matisse.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to just watch it. I want to create a trend, not just a good exhibition. I want to do something that will be recorded in art history someday.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°By publishing a thesis on the tendencies of the two artists¡¯ works, or by inviting other artists who respond to them. I also want to actively promote it to the media and open an exhibition of Hoon and Marso¡¯s works.¡± Hanna nodded. ¡°I thought it would be something you would have to choose when Hoon builds his own gallery, but it seems to have been brought forward.¡± Taeho was dreaming. He wanted to put Hoon on a bigger stage, and he wanted to establish a solid position in the mainstream art market. It would be difficult, but he was studying hard, and he wanted to n a better exhibition and challenge other tasks like . He felt it was possible with Hoon. ¡°That¡¯s good. Why hesitate?¡± Hanna asked. Taeho looked into the eyes of his beloved wife and said. ¡°You and Yeeun are my dreams.¡± He wanted to live happily with his wife and daughter, so he wanted to hear their opinions. Hanna, who had been listening to him while asking questions, lightly grabbed his cheek. ¡°First of all, pass.¡± She would have been greatly disappointed if he had hesitated because he was worried about her and their daughter. She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of her loved one giving up his dream because of her and their child, feeling like an obstacle. Fortunately, her husband didn¡¯t seem to think so. ¡°I can¡¯t speak French. Neither can Yeeun.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask Yeeun too, but she might hate it. She just made some friends. Going to another country might be scary.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you hate it when I and Yeeun struggle?¡± ¡°Of course. Even more if it¡¯s because of me.¡± There was only one answer. ¡°Go.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Go by yourself.¡± Taeho was stunned by Hanna¡¯s conclusion. ¡°No. That¡¯s not it. How can you say that. We have to live together wherever we go.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that. We have a house in Seoul and a house in Paris. It¡¯s good to have one more house.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What about the house?¡± ¡°¡­I think I can buy an apartment with the money I made this time.¡± ¡°Did you make that much?¡± ¡°900 million?¡± ¡°Hee.¡± Hanna¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°My husband is capable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s thanks to Hoon.¡± ¡°Were you just ying? Then you should give that money back to Hoon.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± The couple joked lightly. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s good. I have a ce to go on vacation when I finish this work. I.¡± ¡°Honey¡­¡± Hanna stretched. ¡°I have my own work and Yeeun has her ownmunity. You have your own world too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re not getting divorced or sending Yeeun for adoption. What¡¯s wrong with doing what we want in our own ces. Family should support each other, not confine each other.¡± Taeho closed his eyes. That was the reason he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say let¡¯s go to Paris. He couldn¡¯t force his wife and daughter to give up their world so far, and to face a new and unfamiliar environment because of his selfishness. ¡°If Yeeun was young, I would have opposed it too.¡± Hanna continued. ¡°She¡¯s busy ying with her school friends now. She doesn¡¯t even y with me. And she knows what you and I do.¡± Taeho didn¡¯t know what to say, so he just looked at his wife. ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going without a n. You have a dream, a goal, a n, and a good enough ability. How can I stop you. You¡¯ve been offered a good position by famous artists. What are you worried about.¡± ¡°Honey.¡± ¡°If.¡± ¡°I¡¯m home!¡± As Hanna was about to set a condition, their daughter Yeeun came back from school. ¡°Sweetie, can you wash your hands ande here for a bit?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Bang Ye-eun washed her hands and came out to see her mom and dad. She noticed that the atmosphere was different from usual and clung to her mom. ¡°Why?¡± Bang Tae-ho spoke up. ¡°Dad has something he wants to do, and I¡¯m curious what you think about it.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You know what Dad does, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, he wants to do it in a bigger ce. Paris, you know? France.¡± ¡°Again?¡± The word ¡®again¡¯ hurt his heart. ¡°It¡¯s not right away, but it might take a long time. We¡¯re going to live there.¡± Bang Ye-eun¡¯s lips drooped. ¡°Dad wants to live with you, but what about you?¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Bang Ye-eun held her mom¡¯s hand tightly and answered. ¡°If we go to Paris with Dad, we¡¯ll have to say goodbye to our friends. And we¡¯ll have to learn French.¡± Bang Tae-ho didn¡¯t know how his daughter, who was in second grade of elementary school, would ept living in another country. He worried that she would be hurt by the difficulties of learning a differentnguage and culture and the problem of racial discrimination. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that he was being selfish. He was a veteran with a brilliant career as a curator and a manager, but he was a first-time parent and he didn¡¯t know how to solve this problem, how to exin it to his daughter. ¡°Can¡¯t we just live here?¡± ¡°We can.¡± ¡°Then why go?¡± ¡°You saw Dad¡¯s exhibition, right?¡± Bang Ye-eun nodded. ¡°I want to make it bigger and better. There are a lot of people who want my work.¡± Thanks to Dad¡¯s simple exnation, she understood the situation, but she didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°I just want to know what you think. There¡¯s no right answer.¡± Lee Han-na hugged her daughter. Encouraged by her mom¡¯s touch, Bang Ye-eun finally opened her mouth. ¡°I want Dad to do what he wants. But.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°¡­Mom can¡¯t y games.¡± She couldn¡¯t y racing games with Dad when he left. Every time Bang Tae-ho left the house, Bang Ye-eun yed games alone and felt lonely. ¡°Then do you want to be with Dad?¡± Lee Han-na asked. ¡°Dad doesn¡¯t know how to take a walk.¡± Lee Han-na chuckled. As her daughter said, Bang Tae-ho didn¡¯t know how to enjoy a leisurely walk. He didn¡¯t notice where the flowers bloomed, how warm the sun was, how the wind felt, what expressions the people on the street had, or where the ants were going. ¡°Then we need both Mom and Dad, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bang Ye-eun nodded. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°What do you want to do?¡± When Lee Han-na asked, Bang Ye-eun asked back. There was only one thing she could say to the two people she loved. ¡°Ye-eun, will you go with Dad? We¡¯ll y games with Dad on weekends and take walks with Mom. I¡¯ll buy you anything you want.¡± ¡°A car too?¡± ¡°A car?¡± Bang Ye-eun nodded. ¡°Not a game console, but a real car?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my dream. A driver like Lewis Hamilton.¡± Bang Tae-ho was surprised by Lee Han-na¡¯s words. He knew she liked racing games since she was young and she recently took up a hobby of children¡¯s kart, but he didn¡¯t know she dreamed of Form 1. He remembered how skillfully she handled the racing wheel and nodded. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll buy you one when you get your license.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Not a Form 1 car, though.¡± Lee Han-na smiled. ¡°Do you think you can handle all the studying? You have to learn French. And if you want to be a driver, you have to go to racing school too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± If her dream was to be a Form 1 driver, then going abroad would be better for her education. I didn¡¯t know if my daughter was aware of the harsh training andpetitive system, but I wanted to support her as best as I could if she had something she wanted to do. Eun-hana, who was listening to the mother-daughter conversation, sighed as if she had no choice. ¡°Well, I guess I have no choice. Maybe I¡¯ll write my next work with a Paris setting.¡± I was preparing various things to nt sunflowers in the square, but I had never painted a mural before, so I asked for my grandfather¡¯s help. ¡°Can I use oil paints?¡± He asked me as he picked up some acrylic paints that he had never used before. ¡°Acrylic paintsst longer.¡± ¡°Will they not fade?¡± ¡°They¡¯re better than the others. Come to think of it, I should also bring some varnish.¡± He seemed to be choosing the paints that would preserve the best, since they couldn¡¯t be permanent. ¡°Let me see¡­ I got the brushes.¡± He also brought some wet wipes and rags, probably to clean the dirty walls and streets. ¡°Do I need to bring any oil?¡± ¡°You paint with water for acrylics. If you adjust the concentration well, you can use them like oil paints.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll dry faster with water.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You have to think carefully. If you squeeze out the paints and leave them like when you paint with oils, you won¡¯t be able to use them. The brushes will get ruined too.¡± I had to paint quickly and smoothly. I was grabbing a big brush when I saw a paint can. ¡°How about painting with paint?¡± It felt like paint would be better than acrylic paints, since they were cheaper and moremonly used for building exteriors. ¡°People use a lot oftex paint. But it¡¯s a bit hard to handle if you¡¯re not used to it. It takes a lot of effort too.¡± I felt reassured that he prepared everything to suit my experience and conditions. ¡°By the way, how is Rabani doing?¡± ¡°He¡¯s getting discharged next week.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll like your painting.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± I never imagined painting on the streets before, but I hoped he would like it. ¡°If the reaction is good, I want to paint in the 15th district too.¡± ¡°Why there?¡± ¡°A lot of Koreans live there.¡± ¡°Haha. You¡¯re going to fill Paris with sunflowers, huh?¡± My heart raced at my grandfather¡¯s words. Paris full of sunflowers, it sounded exciting even in my imagination. Chapter 244: Chapter 244: 244 Banksy (3) The next day. ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s morning.¡± As soon as I felt the sunlight, I got up and woke up Grandpa. He was too tired to get up, so he shook me and pulled me into his arms. I couldn¡¯t breathe. No matter how hard I pushed, I couldn¡¯t overpower Grandpa, who could bench press 120 kg. Luckily, he let go of me when I tried to slip out from under him. ¡°What time is it¡­¡±¡°It¡¯s 6 o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°Hmm. ¡­Let¡¯s sleep a little more.¡± Grandpa closed his eyes again. He seemed exhausted, so I decided to let him sleep until I prepared breakfast. I went downstairs and took out a frying pan. I greased it and cracked three eggs into it. I sprinkled some salt and turned up the heat. In Korea, the gas valve was too high and it was inconvenient, but here it was easy to use an induction stove. ¡°Hmm.¡± Grandpa couldn¡¯t eat rice without soup, so I had to boil some. I scooped out some miso paste into a small pot and added chopped green onions and tofu. I put some bread in the toaster and took out some Nute and strawberry jam. I washed some vegetables and topped them with the dressing Grandpa made yesterday. Then Grandpa came down. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Are you awake?¡± He blinked. ¡°Did you do this? The fry too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Please eat.¡± Grandpa looked nervous and checked the miso soup. Then he smiled. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d eat a meal prepared by my grandson.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it more often.¡± ¡°Heh. You rascal.¡± Grandpa and I ate a simple breakfast and packed the rest of our stuff. I packed as many brushes as I could, and Grandpa looked puzzled. ¡°Why are you taking so many?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Acrylic paint is fine if you use it well. You¡¯re not going to paint it all today, are you?¡± ¡°Maybe I can.¡± ¡°Heh. Painting a mural is no easy task. Even if Grandpa helps you, it¡¯s impossible to finish today. It¡¯ll take a few days.¡± ¡°There might be someone to help me.¡± ¡°Who else ising?¡± ¡°No.¡± I didn¡¯t make any promises, but you never know. I packed enough brushes and snacks. We drove Grandpa¡¯s car to the square. There were quite a few people around, probably because it was a tourist spot. We found a spot below the uphill road leading to the pink house. ¡°This is no ordinary job.¡± Grandpa looked up at the uphill road andughed bitterly. It seemed like it would be too hard for Grandpa and me to do it alone. ¡°Maybe we can finish it someday if we paint one by one?¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± Grandpa loosened his shoulders and spoke confidently. I was very grateful to Grandpa for helping me with the mural preparation. First, we had to remove the dirt and debris that stuck to the wall and the road to make the paint stick well. We wiped the road with the cloth and wet wipes we brought. It was so dirty that I couldn¡¯t use the cloth again. ¡°This won¡¯t do. We¡¯ll have to find a way to bring water tomorrow.¡± ¡°Can we do that?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to get permission, but it¡¯s just a matter of connecting the water. We¡¯ll get tired before we even start painting if we have to bend over and wipe like this.¡± Grandpa was right. It would be much easier to wash the wall and the road with high-pressure water than to wipe them with a cloth. But if we painted from the bottom up like we did now, the paint would be washed away by the water. ¡°Should we paint from the top then?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It was our first time doing this, so we made a lot of mistakes. We hurriedly repacked our stuff and climbed up the hill. ¡°Is that Go Soo-yeol?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Ko Hun.¡± As I was cleaning the street, some passersby recognized me. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°What are you doing? Volunteering?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to draw a picture.¡± ¡°Here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It didn¡¯t look strange, since this was a street of artists and there were many artworks on disy. People started to gather around, but luckily they kept their distance and didn¡¯t interfere with my work. ¡°Hoon, can we start from here?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to follow the sketch. It won¡¯t turn out the same anyway.¡± ¡°Hmm. Okay.¡± I didn¡¯t n to stick to the original sketch for this street art, since there were too many variables. I wanted to draw freely as I felt. Ko Hun¡¯s scene of drawing a picture in the square became a hot topic on social media. It was a famous tourist spot, so there were a lot of people passing by, and some of them who knew Ko Hun and Go Soo-yeol posted pictures of them. ©¸So cute lol ©¸He must be having fun drawing with his grandfather lol How can he smile so brightly lol ©¸This is bad for my heart ©¸The pictures keeping and the sunflowers keep growing lol ©¸Maybe it¡¯s because of the time difference ©¸Why did the Paris City Hall, which cares so much about the city¡¯s appearance and prevents redevelopment, allow this? ©¸Maybe it¡¯s because of Ko Hun? ©¸Montmartre is originally a street of artists, so there are a lot of things like this, right? ©¸If Ko Hun and Go Soo-yeol draw a picture for them, the homeowners and merchants there would be happy, right? They wouldn¡¯t hate it lol ©¸That¡¯s it lol If this bes a hot topic, I¡¯ll go there and eat something. ©¸Right lol It¡¯s already crazy there. ©¸The merchants might be okay with it, but the homeowners might be noisy. ©¸It was a tourist spot anyway. ©¸One knows and two don¡¯t. Go Soo-yeol and Hoon drew a picture on the wall, how much do you think that house will cost? ©¸©¸?0?©´ The sunflowers that the grandfather and grandson painted on the brick wall received a great response. The street, which looked somewhat bleak with the old buildings, was brightened up with a cheerful atmosphere, and the residents also weed the two artists¡¯ actions. On the third day of the work, some of them came forward and helped Ko Hun and Go Soo-yeol work more easily by cleaning the wall and the street. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ko Hun greeted the helpers. ¡°Haha. This is nothing. Should I clean over there too?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can draw there today.¡± Go Soo-yeol looked around after drinking the cool tea that the resident brought. It was hard to clean the car. But with the high-pressure water and the residents¡¯ help, the work progress was faster than expected. ¡°It looks like we¡¯ll be done in a week.¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Ko Hun nodded as he took the cool tea from his grandfather. As he was drinking, he saw two kids approaching the drawing tools. The kids seemed interested in the different kinds of brushes and whispered to each other in wonder. ¡°Hey, no.¡± The parents stopped the kids, but Ko Hun put down his tea and approached them. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Brother, why is this brush so big?¡± One kid asked Ko Hun. ¡°Because the area to draw isrge. It¡¯s hard to draw with a small one.¡± ¡°Area?¡± The kid who didn¡¯t know the word area asked what it meant, and Ko Hun spread his arms and pointed to the uphill road. ¡°Then why is this one small?¡± Another kid asked. ¡°Because I have to do some delicate work too.¡± ¡°Delicate?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to draw small things with a big brush.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The kids, who had their curiosity satisfied, touched the brushes and looked around, and the parents were embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The kids are very curious.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been to art school for long, so I think that¡¯s why.¡± Ko Hun smiled at his parents¡¯ words. He crouched down with the children and looked them in the eye. ¡°Do you like drawing?¡± ¡°Yeah. I draw cars well.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°What about sunflowers?¡± The children shook their heads. ¡°Do you want me to teach you how to draw sunflowers?¡± The children looked up at the sunflowers that Ko Hun and Gosuyeol had drawn on the street. The flowers bloomed brightly and beautifully in yellow. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then pick up a brush each. Whatever you like.¡± Ko Hun handed the children yellow acrylic paint and drew a circle on the street. ¡°Draw a circle like this.¡± ¡°Here?¡± Ko Hun shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Wherever you want.¡± ¡°Oh, wait. Kids, you can¡¯t draw here.¡± The parents stopped them in surprise. They were happy that he was teaching the children how to draw, but they were afraid that they would ruin the work of a world-famous painter. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Do you want to try drawing too, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s draw together.¡± Ko Hun offered a brush to the parents as well. She looked around nervously and reluctantly drew a circle when the children urged her. ¡°For the leaves, use a small brush. Press the brush sideways at first and then gradually release the pressure.¡± Ko Hun pressed the brush against the edge of the circle and then pulled it out while lifting the brush. The leaves naturally became thicker and thinner. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Easy, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Just draw around like this.¡± ¡°I want to draw with a bigger brush.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine too.¡± ¡°Is this how you do it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing great.¡± Gosuyeol smiled as he watched his grandson teach the residents how to draw. On the first day, he realized why he always brought so many brushes even though he didn¡¯t need that many. ¡®He had this in mind from the beginning.¡¯ He was puzzled when he said that it wouldn¡¯t take long to fill the street with sunflowers. But it seemed like he could draw quickly if he did it like this. It wasn¡¯t to create Ko Hun¡¯s artwork. It was to give a little happiness to the people who lived here, so there was no reason for him to work alone. Rather, he could be happier by drawing together. ¡°I¡¯m done!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± ¡°Good job. Now just dot it with this.¡± Ko Hun gave the children brown paint and pointed to the center of the sunflower. ¡°Sunflower seeds?¡± ¡°Right.¡± As the children made sunflowers with Ko Hun, other children who were watching pulled their parents¡¯ clothes. Late at night, Henri Marso was having a long conversation with Simon Chevalson, the president of the SNBA association. -I see. Fortunately, Deputy Yoris was interested. ¡°He¡¯s sitting in the parliament and he hasn¡¯t made anything like this.¡± -They¡¯re moved by the votes. They don¡¯t care about the people who don¡¯t matter. ¡°Hmph.¡± -Anyway, this will take some time. It¡¯s a new bill, so there¡¯s a lot to check. ¡°I know.¡± Henri Marso ended the call. The Antermittant system for adults was simr to unemployment insurance in a broad sense. People who were not recognized as artists or children from poor families were not eligible for benefits. Henri Marso, who had obtained French citizenship through Michel tini and Ko Hun, realized that there were cases where he could not study due to poverty and racial discrimination. He decided that a new social fence was needed for the youth. He had been urging the parliamentarians to prepare a relevant bill as soon as possible. ¡®How did ite to this?¡¯ Henri Marso rubbed his nose bridge andined of fatigue as he confirmed that it was almost midnight. He wanted to wash up and go to bed right away, but there was someone waiting for him. A few minutes passed and finally there was a knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± His secretary Arsen entered the room. ¡°There was nothing particrly problematic today. The residents were so crowded that they couldn¡¯t even approach you. However.¡± Henri Marso, who had been listening to Arsen¡¯s report with his eyes closed, opened them slightly. ¡°However?¡± ¡°He started drawing with the kids who were watching. Later, there were twenty of them.¡± Asian people were always the target of crime in the Montmartre district, where security was poor. He had Go Soo-yeol with him, but he couldn¡¯t shake off his worries, so he had security attached to him, and fortunately there seemed to be no big problem. Henri Marso chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s good that nothing happened.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Send someone else from tomorrow. Take a few days off.¡± Arsen bowed his head. Chapter 245: Chapter 245: 245 Banksy (4) -Let¡¯s talk more when we get to Paris. Bang Tae-ho gave me some good news. He said he would take care of the corporate operation of the artistmunity that we haven¡¯t named yet. ¡°So, are Han-na Lee and Ye-euning to Paris too?¡± -Yeah. I¡¯ll settle down first. They have things to prepare too. They¡¯re not in a hurry. That¡¯s understandable. They have to deal with administrative procedures like visas and they have tomunicate at least basic things even if they go to anguage school.It seems better to follow Bang Tae-ho¡¯s advice and secure a ce in Paris first and thene over calmly. -By the way, you were amazing. ¡°What do you mean?¡± -Drawing at the ce de R¨¦publique. It was a riot, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°Yeah, a lot of people gathered yesterday. Some reporters came by too.¡± -It became a good issue. It was nice that you drew with the kids. Was that your n from the beginning? ¡°Well, it was too wide for me and grandpa to do it alone. I wanted to do it with everyone if possible.¡± Through grandpa¡¯s conversation. I realized that discrimination, hatred, and fear stem from ignorance. Leaving aside the people at the extremes. Both the French and the Muslims might be afraid and reluctant of each other because they don¡¯t know each other. Not all French people discriminate against races, and even more so, they don¡¯tmit hate crimes. Likewise, not all Muslimsmit terrorism. Grandpa and I looked it up. Many European cities joined the European Coalition of Cities Against Racism after 2020 and have been devising and implementing preventive measures against racism. The same goes for Muslims. The Organisation of Imic Cooperation (OIC) designated terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and IS as ¡®terrorist organizations that must be annihted¡¯. Many people are excluding extremists who cause fear and even actual damage to ordinary people. It¡¯s fortunate that the state and the group are blocking them byw, but there are definitely limits to thew and regtions. No matter how much they regte and say that they should respect and live with each other, it doesn¡¯t resonate even if it¡¯s right. Because humans judge by whether they like or dislike rather than right or wrong. Artists like me should step up andfort those who suffer between the extremes, and also be a bridge that can understand each other. See and feel the same thing. Enjoy the same thing together. If that creates even a little bit of intimacy, maybe that¡¯s where it starts. -I think it¡¯s good. If you approach them like that, the public will someday like art. Bang Tae-ho brought up a hopeful story. Yeah. I believe that as I gradually get in touch with the art that has been isted from the public, I will be able to approach them more friendly. ¡°I hope so.¡± -Yeah. See you next week then. ¡°Okay.¡± I finished the call and went downstairs. ¡°Grandpa, Tae-ho said he would take care of thepany.¡± Grandpa was loading paint on the car. He must have prepared generously since we ran out yesterday. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°We agreed to talk next week.¡± I helped grandpa move the paint and got in the car. ¡°Can we stop by the mart on the way?¡± ¡°Are you buying snacks?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± We ran out of snacks to share as much as we ran out of paint and brushes, so I bought a lot of snacks at the nearby mart. Grandpa¡¯s 2028 Ford F-150 was filled with painting tools and snacks. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Brother!¡± We arrived around 10 o¡¯clock, a littleter than usual because of the market, and I was surprised by the kids who ran up to me. They must have been waiting. ¡°What are you drawing today?¡± ¡°I, I can draw better today.¡± ¡°Are you giving us snacks today?¡± Whether they were waiting for snacks or wanted to draw, I was touched by the fact that so many kids were waiting for me from the morning. ¡°Let¡¯s eat the snacks after we clean up. Should we start with the trash?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± While the adults were scrubbing the walls and the streets with water, we were sharing some snacks. I noticed a kid who looked about ten years old. He seemed to want some snacks, but he didn¡¯te when I waved at him. Maybe he was shy. I approached him with a few snacks in mind, but he backed away slowly. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I smiled and offered him some snacks, but he hesitated and looked around. ¡°You can take them.¡± I urged him again, and he finally came closer. ¡°Did youe alone?¡± I asked him as I handed him the snacks. He nodded. ¡°Do you want to help me? I¡¯m drawing some flowers.¡± He looked confused and tried to give back the snacks. ¡°I can¡¯t draw¡­¡± I didn¡¯t want him to feel pressured, so I asked him to help me. But he seemed to think that I was giving him a task instead of a gift. I opened the snacks and gave them back to him. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t draw. There are many other kids who are drawing for the first time.¡± I looked at the other kids who were gathered around and met his eyes. He hesitated a few more times, but he nodded without saying anything. He looked so pitiful, whether it was because of his environment or his personality. But he didn¡¯t seem to hate it, so he smiled and put the snacks in his mouth. ¡°Is it good?¡± He could smile like this. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Adley¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m Hoon. Let¡¯s go.¡± I took Adley to the ce where I had the drawing tools, and the other kids came over. ¡°Are you drawing now?¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s get one brush each.¡± ¡°I want this one!¡± ¡°Aw, I wanted that one.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The kid who got the brush. The kid who showed interest in Adley. The kid who was still focused on the snacks. They were all different, but they looked happy. ¡°You can copy or draw whatever you want.¡± ¡°I want to draw a ne!¡± ¡°Good. Draw it cool.¡± There were so many kids that I couldn¡¯t keep track of them. The grandfather who was popr with the kids was also having a hard time. ¡°Are you not teaching us how to draw sunflowers?¡± ¡°We¡¯re doing it now. Come on, everyone. Dip your brushes in the paint. Just make a circle. Adley, you try too.¡± ¡°I know how to do this. You make a circle and then use a small brush like this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how you do it.¡± ¡°Yes, it is. That¡¯s what the older brother did.¡± ¡°Hoon¡¯s sunflowers are much prettier than that.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± They were bickering, but they were also sitting close together and drawing sunflowers. I felt warm in my heart. The kid who wanted to draw a ne gave up halfway and joined the others in drawing sunflowers. Adley also made some friends quickly. ¡°Adley? I¡¯m Olivier.¡± ¡°Olivier.¡± ¡°Yeah. Use this. This brush is better.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s bigger.¡± ¡°Olivier!¡± I was startled by a sudden loud voice. The other kids were also surprised and looked up like meerkats. A woman who looked like Olivier¡¯s mother came rushing over. ¡°What are you doing here? Come on.¡± She tried to drag her son away, as if he had run away from studying. ¡°I want to draw.¡± The woman nced around and pulled her son closer and whispered to him. ¡°You can¡¯t y with that kid.¡± I heard the words I didn¡¯t want to hear, as I was close by. Adley¡¯s face, which had just brightened up, darkened again. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a Muslim.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you listen to me? Come here quickly.¡± Olivia dropped her brush as she was dragged away by her mother. I picked up the brush with a bitter feeling and the kids started whispering. ¡°Is he a Muslim?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a Muslim?¡± ¡°Hey, give me more paint.¡± ¡°You did a good job!¡± The kids quickly forgot about Adley being a Muslim and went back to their own activities. Kids are much better than adults. I approached Adley, who put down his brush as if he wanted to run away. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you want to go.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But I hope you know that it¡¯s not your fault. If you want some snacks or want to draw more,e back tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re always wee.¡± Adley didn¡¯t answer and walked down the street. The YouTuber Alex Wood came to Paris to find new content for his channel. He couldn¡¯t stay still when he heard the news that Goseulyeol and Ko Hun were transforming the street of artists with the citizens. ¡°Hey, everyone. Today I¡¯m in Paris. I¡¯m on my way to Dallida Square, but do you know why I came here? Goseulyeol and Ko Hun are painting on the street. And they¡¯re doing it with the kids. ording to the article in Le Monde yesterday, they did it with dozens of people.¡± Alex read the chat as he continued his speech. ¡°Why do they bother spending their own money on something that doesn¡¯t pay? I think you¡¯re all curious about that. But honestly, you don¡¯t have to worry about Goseulyeol and Ko Hun¡¯s wealth. Oops!¡± Alex pretended to slip his tongue and covered his mouth. The chat was filled with question marks. ©¸? ©¸He crossed the line. ©¸LOL, he¡¯s right. Goseulyeol is a millionaire even without his art. Who cares about who¡¯s worried LOL ©¸Ko Hun is no joke either. His Giamseong art book is selling over 800,000 copies. ¡°I think this is really cool, aside from the money. Art is blending into everyday life. If they be more friendly like this, who knows if they¡¯ll visit the museumter?¡± Alex Wood recalled the incident that shook the art world due to Damien Carter and praised Goseulyeol and Ko Hun¡¯s actions. He thought that Goseulyeol and Ko Hun had to take the initiative to recover the art market that was tainted by tax evasion and moneyundering. ¡°Oh, there they are. I hope there are more people than yesterday. Let¡¯s go check it out.¡± Alex Wood hurried to Dallida Square. ¡°Wow.¡± Hundreds of sunflowers bloomed along the brick hill. There were very delicately drawn sunflowers, palm-sized sunflowers by the kids, and giant sunflowers as tall as adults. Different sunflowers filled the street and the wall, and the kids who were painting in their own spots. It was a sight to behold. Alex Wood and his viewers felt like they had entered another world. ©¸Crazy LOL ©¸So cute. Don¡¯t the kids look like they¡¯re stuck in a flower bed? ©¸It looks more impressive because you can see everything at once on the hill LOL ©¸I want to dress them up as bees. ©¸But there aren¡¯t as many people as I thought? ©¸Right? It looks less than what the media reported. ¡°Did you see that? I¡¯m speechless. I thought I was in a fairy tale book.¡± Alex Wood, who exaggeratedly delivered the scene, spotted Goseulyeol and Ko Hun. ¡°Oh, there they are. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll agree to an interview. But I¡¯ll try anyway. Hello! Mr. Artist!¡± Chapter 246: Chapter 246: 246 Banksy (5) As Alex Wood approached, Ko Hun recognized him and greeted him warmly. ¡°Hello.¡± The two shook hands. ¡°I¡¯m Alex Wood. I run an art channel on YouTube. Do you know?¡± ¡°Yes, I watch your videos.¡± Alex¡¯s eyes widened as Ko Hun said he watched his videos. ¡°Really? You¡¯re not just being polite?¡±¡°Really. You introduced me at the Whitney Biennale, remember?¡± ¡°Awesome!¡± Alex shoved his face into the camera. ¡°Everyone, did you hear that? Ko Hun, the artist, watches my videos. I¡¯m such a person!¡± ©¸He¡¯s made it???? ©¸He used to eat hot dogs and do mukbangs like yesterday ?? ©¸When did Alex be world ss? ©¸He probably just nced at his introduction video??? He didn¡¯t even subscribe, don¡¯t overdo it??? ©¸My chest swells with pride. ©¸Look at his face covered with paint ??? So cute??? ¡°Uh, did you subscribe too?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ko Hun shook his head and the viewers flooded the chat with ¡®hahaha¡¯ and ¡®lololol¡¯. Alex, who was used to being ridiculed by the viewers, continued the conversation without caring. ¡°Would you mind a quick interview? It¡¯ll be really quick.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The kids are waiting.¡± Ko Hun looked around the kids. ¡°Ants!¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s paint the ants red.¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well¡­ If they suddenly turn red, their mom might not recognize them.¡± ¡°Then we can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Yeah. We can¡¯t.¡± Ko Hun shrugged his shoulders and Alex Wood nodded as he watched the kids draw freely and have fun. He thought he understood why there weren¡¯t many reporters who came to interview him, even though he was such a hot topic. ¡®He thinks spending time with the kids is more important than getting more media attention.¡¯ Considering the art auction market, where the prices vary depending on how famous and how much buzz they generate, Ko Hun¡¯s behavior was hard to understand. But from the perspective of enjoying art, it was a very desirable behavior. ¡®This is the real flex.¡¯ He could have prioritized his fame and the price of his next work. But Ko Hun looked different, valuing his time with the kids more. But that didn¡¯t mean he could give up on the broadcast. ¡®Are you just going to leave?¡¯ Alex Wood, who flew from New York, came up with a good idea to find a way to cover the scene. ¡°Can I draw with you?¡± Ko Hun smiled. ¡°Sure.¡± Alex was happy and grabbed a brush. ¡°Everyone, did you hear that? I¡¯m going to coborate with Ko Hun, the artist, and Go Soo Yeol, the curator. Maybe we¡¯ll have an exhibition next year.¡± ©¸Don¡¯t be clingy??? ©¸What a bluff??? ©¸If you have an exhibition, those kids will be masters by then ¡°Kids, look. I can draw well too, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not doing it right.¡± ¡°You missed a spot here.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t draw.¡± ¡°¡­Did you say I can¡¯t draw?¡± ¡°Are you not from our country, mister?¡± ¡°Yeah. I came from America.¡± ¡°So you can¡¯t speak well.¡± Alex Wood became friends with the kids quickly. Maybe it was because there were only children, but the adults just watched. I was d he joined us. ¡°Hey! It¡¯s the weird uncle!¡± I turned my head at the familiar voice and saw Olivier, who was dragged away by his mother yesterday. He made eye contact with me and cautiously stepped towards me, avoiding the sunflowers. ¡°Bro! Can I have some snacks?¡± ¡°They¡¯re over there. Can your mome too?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then?¡± He answered confidently when I asked curiously. ¡°I just came.¡± Olivier ran down the street to his grandfather¡¯s car. He¡¯s a brave kid. ¡°Brother, I want a different green.¡± ¡°What kind of green?¡± ¡°A prettier one.¡± A prettier green. That¡¯s a hard request. I rummaged through the basket of paints and took out a few. He looked at them with a serious expression. I gave him enough time to think and tried to draw a sunflower, but a familiar voice called me. ¡°Hoon-ah.¡± Bida Lavani came up to me with a smile, looking much healthier. She must have rested and eaten well while she was hospitalized, because her skin looked better too. Someone was clinging to Lavani¡¯s back and came with her. Her sibling? ¡°Did you already get discharged?¡± ¡°Yeah. Yesterday. I¡¯m not hurting at all now.¡± I was relieved that she didn¡¯t look like she was trying to hide her sadness with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± I wondered who the kid with her was, but I recognized him when he came closer. It was Adley, who left without having much fun the day before. ¡°She said she met you and brought you along. She said you wanted toe again.¡± They seemed to know each other. ¡°Thanks foring.¡± He showed his face when I pretended to know him. I smiled warmly and he hid his face again. ¡°Hey!¡± Olivier, who brought some snacks, recognized Adley and came over. ¡°Here.¡± He shared his snacks, which was admirable. ¡°Let¡¯s go over there and draw.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Hurry up.¡± Olivier grabbed Adley¡¯s hand and headed to where the other kids were. He looked a bit flustered, but he didn¡¯t resist, so he must not hate it. Bida Lavani looked a bit surprised. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re here, you have to draw.¡± I handed her a brush and she smiled brightly, making the same expression as Adley. ¡°Okay.¡± One of the reporters who came asked me if I wanted to finish the drawings that the kids made, but I didn¡¯t want to. I didn¡¯t want to make this street painting my work. It was enough to leave it as a proof that I and the people who live in this vige were together. It would be meaningless to fix the sunflowers that the kids drew. Thanks to that, I could find some very unique sunflowers. There were sunflowers with blue centers and sunflowers with yellow leaves and stems. Some kids drew butterflies and bees, probably because they thought it was strange that there were flowers without them. ¡®I think it¡¯ll be done sooner than I thought.¡¯ I looked around and it seemed like it would take a day or two to fill up the uphill road. They said they would apply primer first, but some kids didn¡¯t understand that it would increase the adhesion between the paint and the wall, so I didn¡¯t know how far they would go. ¡°¡­¡± As I sorted out my thoughts, I saw Bida Lavani in my sight. She was looking around. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh. ¡­I¡¯m just curious.¡± She waited and then started to say what she wanted to say. ¡°There are so many adults near our neighborhood, but nothing¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Me too. And Adley.¡± I wonder what kind of life I had lived, if I was afraid of even being among ordinary people, if I felt strange. ¡°Not everyone is bad.¡± Ravani didn¡¯t answer. ¡°You¡¯ve met a lot of bad people so far, so you¡¯ll meet more good people in the future.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes, you will. Michelle and the staff at Marso Gallery are good people, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He finally smiles. ¡°You too.¡± Cha, who was embarrassed by Ravani¡¯s words and avoided his gaze. A man shouted. ¡°Olivier! What are you doing here!¡± The children flinched in surprise and the adults who were looking around also shifted their eyes. It seemed to be Olivier¡¯s father. ¡°Dad¡­¡± ¡°I told you not toe here, didn¡¯t I!¡± ¡°I was bored.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Olivier looked like he was about to cry any moment. He put down his brush weakly and greeted Adley. ¡°I have to go.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Tomorrow.¡± ¡°Olivier!¡± The man shouted again, creating a fearful atmosphere. I hated him so much, and the people who were with him on the street also showed their displeasure. Grandpa approached the man. ¡°Heh. Hello.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who draws pictures here, and the kid seems to want to y a little more. Why don¡¯t you stay with him if you¡¯re worried?¡± The man looked around and snorted. "An old man who smells like garlic on his breath. What a mess."1) ¡°What did you say?¡± I couldn¡¯t think of anything else. I was filled with the thought that the bastard who was not even human had insulted Grandpa, and as I approached him, Grandpa came and stopped me. ¡°Hoon-ah, it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°He just insulted you, Grandpa.¡± I couldn¡¯t say it out loud, so I closed my mouth and Grandpa stroked my back. ¡°There¡¯s no point in fighting with someone who doesn¡¯t listen. It¡¯s okay.¡± I know he¡¯ll nevere to his senses in his life. ¡°But I can¡¯t just let it go. I need an apology.¡± ¡°Hoon-ah.¡± Grandpa tried to calm me down again, but the man came and threatened me. ¡°What did you say just now?¡± ¡°I said you, but I should have said pig.¡± ¡°You bastard.¡± Before I could do anything, Grandpa grabbed the man¡¯s wrist. ¡°Young friend, you have a nasty mouth.¡± ¡°Hey, let go of me.¡± ¡°Apologize.¡± ¡°Aaaaah!¡± ¡°Apologize right now!¡± ¡°¡­¡± I wondered if he was the same person who said there was nothing to gain from fighting with someone who doesn¡¯t listen. He looked like he was going to break the man¡¯s wrist any moment. ¡°Gr, Grandpa.¡± I felt like something bad was going to happen, so I called Grandpa, but he blocked me with his other hand. ¡°Ow! What are you doing! Call the police! The Chinese guy is hitting someone!¡± He was talking nonsense, as if he hadn¡¯t been scolded enough. ¡°Dad! Grandpa, let go of my dad! Please!¡± Olivier clung to him and begged, and Grandpa reluctantly threw the man away. ¡°Dad! Are you okay?¡± ¡°Argh! You! How dare you do this to me? Huh? Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°You¡¯re worse than my son. I know you¡¯re the bastard who tried to hurt my grandson.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sue you. Everyone here saw it! Huh!¡± That jerk was still. ¡°Did you see that, everyone? Master Go Soo-yeol just gave a punch to that damn racist! He might be a child abuser, judging by how he treats his writer Ko Hun or his son.¡± Alex Wood, who was speaking to the camera, turned his head. ¡°12,087 people saw who tried to use violence first. You can¡¯t lie about it.¡± bicot. A derogatory term used by some French people for former North African colonies or Arabs. Chapter 247: Chapter 247: 247 Banks (6) He seemed to have no choice. The man turned around angrily. I could only hope that nothing would happen to Olivier, who had to follow his father. Grandpa seemed to have the same thought and bit his tongue. ¡°You were surprised.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have intervened. You could have gotten hurt.¡±When I told him that I was not afraid of the crazy man, but of Grandpa hurting him, he blinked. ¡°Mom, can¡¯t I y?¡± ¡°Uwaaaaah.¡± Nearby parents who were asked by their children if they could y with Adley and Vida Rabbani, children who were crying out of fear, and children who joined in the crying made a mess. ¡°Jimmy, let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°But I want to y more.¡± ¡°Next time. You cane back next time.¡± ¡°When is next time?¡± ¡°Mom, do I have to go too?¡± ¡°No. How about ying with your friends? Noel didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course. Mom likes it when Noel gets along with his friends.¡± Whether it was because they were startled, or because they didn¡¯t express it, but they were reluctant to mingle with Asians and Muslims, some parents took care of their children. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t escte to an extreme situation. Many parents allowed their children to y together. If you think about it, this ce has a high crime rate, but it is also an area where Muslims and French people have coexisted for a long time. If there were only people who hated each other, one side would have left. There must be people who understand each other here, so this ce will survive. ¡°Rabbani, Adley.¡± I called out to Rabbani and Adley, who looked dejected. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Pleasee back tomorrow.¡± Rabbani opened his mouth after hesitating. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can. What if.¡± ¡°There was no one who hated you guys.¡± ¡°I know, but.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we can lose our friends because of adults. Bring your neighborhood friends with you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Hoon-ah¡­¡± " I¡¯ll bring more delicious snacks. More paints, more brushes." When I looked up to ask for his agreement, Grandpa smiled brightly. ¡°Kids, let¡¯s call it a day.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I want to y more.¡± When I told the other kids to see them tomorrow, they gave me a desperate look. Arsene, who was taking turns guarding Ko Hun and Go Soo Yeol, was secretly flustered. As he tried to subdue the man who was trying to harm Ko Hun and Go Soo Yeol, Go Soo Yeol easily took care of the situation. The thugs who had beaten Rabbani were in jail on charges of child abuse and robbery, so there seemed to be no one to pick a fight. ¡®I should at least warn him.¡¯ Arsene chased after the man who had provoked Ko Hun and Go Soo Yeol. Meanwhile, a smallmotion that urred in the square was quickly spread through Alex Wood¡¯s live broadcast and the eyewitness ounts of the people who were there. People were outraged when Alex Wood¡¯s video revealed that a Frenchman had insulted Go Soo Yeol and tried to punch Ko Hun. ©¸There are still people like that. ©¸Let the kids y, leave them alone. ©¸Who does he think he is?????? Is he crazy? ©¸What kind of confidence is that? ©¸So who is he? ©¸Don¡¯t know ©¸He didn¡¯t say anything wrong, what¡¯s the fuss? He wanted to take his son away because he was ying with a Muslim, but that old man started it. ©¸Are you French by any chance? ©¸Why are you asking the obvious? ©¸No. I¡¯m afraid I might get to know you without realizing it. If you meet someone named Corinne, please introduce her as a racist. ©¸??????????????? ©¸Please, at least say you¡¯re not French ?? Can¡¯t you introduce yourself as British ?? ©¸You¡¯re talking nonsense. It¡¯s because of people like you that Bico and Chingchong are in trouble. ©¸Gosuyeol and Ko Hun are Korean and excellent artists. And even if they are not excellent artists, you have no reason to curse them. ©¸If you want to curse, at least know something. You look very ignorant if you just curse without knowing anything. ©¸What¡¯s wrong with what Gosuyeol said? The kids are having fun, so if you¡¯re worried, why don¡¯t you join them? ©¸It¡¯s amazing. You¡¯re defending the person who was trying to hit the kid. ©¸How old is Gosuyeol? ©¸He was born in 64, so he¡¯s 65? ©¸That¡¯s impressive. He looks good for his age. ©¸He was skinny when he was young. He must have worked out a lot. ©¸Hoon looked a bit sad when he asked the kids toe again tomorrow. ©¸They must have been surprised by what happened all of a sudden. ©¸Shall we go cheer them up tomorrow? It¡¯s not far. ©¸I live there and thanks to Ko Hun and Gosuyeol, the street is really lively. I wish you knew that most of the people living there are really grateful to them. Many people were angry about what happened to Gosuyeol, Ko Hun, and their grandchildren. It was a small constion, but Ko Hun was worried that the kids might note to the square tomorrow. It was something he started hoping that the French kids, the Muslim kids, and the kids from other countries could all get along. Ko Hun sighed as he carefully chose the chocte and snacks for the kids. Gosuyeol stroked his grandson¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Nothing will happen.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t worry about those people. I¡¯m just worried that Olivier and the other kids were scared.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve had fun these days, haven¡¯t you? They¡¯ll definitelye. Their parents said it was okay.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Worrying only made him think and feel more negatively, so Ko Hun tried to change the subject. ¡°People were surprised to see Grandpa.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you subdued a young man.¡± People were shocked by Gosuyeol, who subdued a young man, because he usually wore clothes that did not reveal his body shape, like a modified hanbok. ¡°Huhu. Grandpa is cool, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re cool. When did you start working out?¡± ¡°Hmm. Since I studied in Ennd.¡± Gosuyeol recalled his old memories and told his story. ¡°At first, I couldn¡¯tmunicate well. Korea wasn¡¯t well known back then. I had a hard time.¡± He beat around the bush, but Ko Hun understood that his grandfather had experienced racial discrimination. ¡°A senior who was with me at the time said that if I built up my body, they would bother me less. I had no friends anyway, so I only spent time at school and the gym.¡± He never thought that his grandfather, who was now a master of the art world and respected in any country, had such a time. But today¡¯s incident made him realize that there was still a discriminatory view towards Asia, Africa, and Muslims. ¡°It also made me healthier and more fun. Don¡¯t you feel good when you run a little?¡± Ko Hun shook his head. He understood what he meant, but he didn¡¯t want to repeat the exercise routine at the Marso mansion. ¡°Now that I think about it, I had a good habit, but I didn¡¯t exercise much after I moved.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Shall we run a little with Grandpa before we go tomorrow?¡± Ko Hun couldn¡¯t refuse his grandfather¡¯s request. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± The next day. He packed a lot of snacks and drawing tools because of what happened yesterday, but he couldn¡¯t fit them all in his grandfather¡¯s SUT car. He was anxious and wanted to provide a better environment for them. ¡°I have to get rid of some of this.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± He put the luggage down on one side of the garage and headed to the square. ¡°It¡¯s Hyung!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Hoon!¡± When he arrived, there were fewer people than yesterday. It had been decreasing little by little, and maybe he had expected too much from the beginning. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Yes! Grandpa, hello!¡± ¡°Hehe. Yes. Yes. You kid, what are you going to do if you take the snacks first?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry!¡± ¡°Huh? Didn¡¯t you eat breakfast?¡± ¡°I never eat breakfast!¡± I guess I¡¯ll have to prepare some bread and milk for tomorrow. ¡°Teacher! Do we start cleaning from here today?¡± ¡°Oh, yes! Thank you foring again!¡± ¡°Haha! I have a cafe in front of here. Just let me know if you get thirsty!¡± ¡°Oh, my. Thank you very much.¡± While waiting for the adults to clean the street with high-pressure water, I handed out snacks like chocte, cookies, and pies to the kids. ¡°Is Jimmy noting today? Hap.¡± ¡°Hap. It was fun ying with Olivier.¡± The kids mentioned their friends who they had been with until yesterday. Olivier¡¯s parents were out of the question, but Jimmy¡¯s parents didn¡¯t seem very positive about Muslims or Asians either. Come to think of it, I don¡¯t see Ravani and Adley either. I feel heavy in my chest, wondering if it¡¯s because of what happened yesterday. ¡°Hi.¡± I turned my head at the familiar voice and saw nche Fabre standing there. ¡°Huh?¡± I got up in surprise. ¡°How did you get here?¡± ¡°It looked fun.¡± She was wearing a jumpsuit instead of the usual blouse or skirt, and her bright blonde hair was tied up. She had several brushes in the bucket she was holding. She was thorough. ¡°Hee. Your clothes are funny.¡± ¡°It¡¯s weird. The pants and the tee are attached.¡± ¡°There¡¯s paint on it!¡± The kids reacted to the unfamiliar clothes and nche Fabre frowned. ¡°It¡¯s not funny. It¡¯s cool.¡± The kids nodded their heads as they looked into Fabre¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s cool.¡± They seemed to be overwhelmed by her force. Fabre looked around with satisfaction. ¡°Did you paint this with the kids? All of this?¡± She looked surprised, but I couldn¡¯t believe it either. We filled the street and the wall with dozens of meters in a week. ¡°There used to be more.¡± ¡°I want to do it too.¡± The kids ran to her, nodding their heads. ¡°Do you paint too?¡± ¡°Do you want a snack? Chocte?¡± ¡°Me, me! I painted that sunflower over there!¡± ¡°I want to paint too. Chocte. You didn¡¯t paint well.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t paint well? No way. Huni hyung said you painted well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lie.¡± Amang opened his mouth wide at Fabre¡¯s words. ¡°Hyung, did you lie? I can¡¯t paint?¡± ¡°No. You paint well.¡± Amang put his hands on his waist and looked proud as he pointed at it. Fabre dipped her brush in the paint. Without hesitating, she drew a sunflower with a few strokes and Amang and the kids were amazed. ¡°This is how you paint well.¡± If you look closely, both Marso and Fabre looked strangely alike. ¡°Me, me. Teach me.¡± ¡°I want to do it too.¡± ¡°Why are you different from Huni hyung?¡± She looked cold at first, but she soon became friends with the kids. My mood improved a lot thanks to Fabre. ¡°Me! I want chocte too!¡± ¡°Olivier?¡± I turned my head, wondering if it was him, and it was really Olivier. I was worried that he might have been scolded by his parents yesterday, but he looked fine as he ran over. ¡°Hi! Oh, it¡¯s the weird clothesdy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not weird. It¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°¡­Cool?¡± Olivier tilted his head at the words of Fabre and the children. ¡°Can youe with us?¡± He nodded vigorously when I approached and asked him. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Howe?¡± I wondered if he had changed his mind after yesterday¡¯s incident, but I knew it was unlikely. ¡°I don¡¯t know? Some man came and said I could go y with them. Oh, me too.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to care much about what had happened. What mattered to him was having fun and snacks with his friends. I was happy enough that Olivier was unhurt and smiling. I wished the other children would join us too. As I thought that, I picked up my brush and saw Vida Lavani walking around the alley with some kids. Chapter 249: Chapter 249: 249 yground (1) I remember Banksy as the person who painted a mural in the neighborhood where Vida Lavani lives. He hides his identity and works secretly, but he seems to be interested in this matter. ¡°It must have taken more than a day or two to paint like this.¡± I agree with Grandpa. If it was just a simple painting, he could have done it overnight. But it¡¯s impossible to draw dozens of children, each with a recognizable face. He must have been observing them for days.Not everyone supported him, but there were some who cheered him on, whichforted him. ¡°Huh? No chocte today?¡± ¡°I want some snacks.¡± The children crowded around the car and asked anxiously. ¡°Why not? There is. We¡¯ll have snackster. Who didn¡¯t have breakfast?¡± Grandpa asked and about half of them raised their hands. I heard that they didn¡¯t have breakfast yesterday, so I prepared well. It was a good idea to buy bread and milk. ¡°I¡¯ll help too.¡± Vida Lavani stepped forward and helped Grandpa. ¡°Thank you. Be careful.¡± A child who was a bit older than the others, like Vida Lavani, took the bread and milk out of the car. And nche Fabre, who had be the leader of the group, lined them up. ¡°Me! Me too!¡± ¡°You have to wait for your turn.¡± ¡°Uuuuuh.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t run and hurt yourself. It¡¯ll hurt.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°You might hurt your friend.¡± He persuades the children in a strange way. Grandpa gave bread and milk to the residents who helped clean the street and the adults who watched over the children so they wouldn¡¯t get hurt. I gave candy to the children who had breakfast, and Noel stuck out his mouth. ¡°Why? Do you want more?¡± Noel shook his head. ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we see you anymore when you finish painting this?¡± The children turned their heads as if they heard what Noel said. A few moments ago, they were joking andughing, but now their faces were worried. ¡°Of course not. When we finish painting here, we can go somewhere else and paint.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Noel asked with bright eyes. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°There, there are windmills over there!¡± ¡°I know a good ce!¡± ¡°Stairs! How about the stairs?¡± The children each suggested their favorite ces. That meant they cherished this time and hoped it wouldn¡¯t end. I¡¯m d we started this. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when it¡¯s decided. I promise.¡± Banksy, the icon and mystery of the modern art world, posted a photo on his Twist ount. It was Dallida Square in Paris, France, where sunflowers bloomed. He proved that he was the one who painted the children there with the phrase ¡®For the sweet souls¡¯. And the art world was stirred up again. ©¸Has Banksy ever done something like this with another artist? ©¸He made a weird amusement park with Damien Carter.1) ©¸¡­? ©¸Why is that criminal here? ©¸Don¡¯t misunderstand. It was just a coboration. Does working with Damien Carter make everyone a criminal? ©¸If you read his confessionter, you¡¯ll see that he also participated in various charity works out of guilt. ©¸Still, I can¡¯t forgive him. He was my idol once. ©¸But do they know each other? ©¸Maybe they know Go Soo-yeol? They both have a lot of connections with Ennd. ©¸Ko Hun, Go Soo-yeol, Banksy. A joint work. ©¸Why are you leaving out the kids? ©¸Looking at Banksy¡¯s actions, he would have done it even if he didn¡¯t know them. He¡¯s a person who criticizes terrorists and provides shelter for refugees. ©¸Right. His work is simr to Hoon¡¯s. ©¸Wow, Go Soo-yeol, Banksy, and Ko Hun? How much would that sell for if they could really sell it? ©¸They should buy some buildings ornd, but it¡¯s tricky. Those buildings are so old, but they can¡¯t rebuild them because of the paintings????? They should just register them as cultural heritageter???? ©¸No way???? ©¸But if Go Soo-yeol and Banksy participated in the work, it could really happen. They are such amazing artists. ©¸What about Ko Hun? ©¸Ko Hun too ?? ©¸What kind of painting can¡¯t our Hoon handle ?? He¡¯s good at ink painting and oil painting, and also at optical illusion andndscape painting. ??? ©¸I can only digest food well ? ©¸???????????? ©¸Pierre Malo posted something. ©¸What did he say? ©¸He said he wanted to make a frame for it, but he couldn¡¯t because hecked the skill. After Banksy directly cheered him on, Dallida Square became the biggest topic in the art world. Companies sensitive to change offered sponsorship, coboration, and advertising, and artists also joined in Ko Hun¡¯s intention. Painters and art students also visited the site and spent time with the children. ¡°It looks like it will be finished by tomorrow or the day after.¡± Ko Hun told Henri Marso the news. -But. ¡°Marso, you shoulde too.¡± -Why should I go there? Ko Hun smiled at the cold voice that came over the phone. ¡°People will like it if the best painter in Francees.¡± -Who. ¡°Right. Not France, but the best in the world.¡± Ko Hun changed his words before Henri Marso could say anything. He had less time to participate in the wall painting development because of the Dallida Square project, and he wanted to cheer him up a bit because he was very angry. -Don¡¯t tter me. You only contact me when you miss me. Do you think I¡¯m funny? ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± Ko Hun¡¯s voice became a bit gloomy. ¡°I just wanted to do it together after a long time.¡± -You should have said that from the beginning. ¡°I told you I was painting on the street.¡± -You didn¡¯t say let¡¯s do it together. ¡°You don¡¯t like crowded ces. I was afraid I might cause you trouble. It¡¯s not like there was no incident.¡± -When did I ever tell you to worry about that? ¡°I had a lot of things to do and I didn¡¯t want to make you worry. I just wanted to do it together after a long time, now that there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± Ko Hun said with a lot of regret. -Hmph. Do it with someone else. You get along well with Banksy. Henri Marso mentioned Ko Hun¡¯s SNS and YouTube channel. He left a thank you message and video for Banksy, and he replied with ament, making it a hot topic. They built friendship through the street painting at Dallida Square and online, and the interaction between Ko Hun¡¯s fans and Banksy¡¯s fans became active. ¡°I¡¯ll be sad even if everyone elsees but Marso doesn¡¯t.¡± -¡­ ¡°Marso¡¯s fans are also waiting a lot. When are youing?¡± -¡­ ¡°The finale is supposed to be done by the most important person.¡± -Shut up! The phone was cut off abruptly. Ko Hun, who sincerely hoped that Marso would join him, opened a text message with a sigh. ¡°Did it not go well?¡± Bang Tae-ho, who was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, asked. ¡°Yes. He seems to be very angry.¡± ¡°Angry?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t contact him well while I was painting on the street.¡± Bang Tae-ho tilted his head. He wondered if he needed to be that angry just because he couldn¡¯t contact him for a week or so. ¡°He said he applied NFT to Henri Marso 002. He must have wanted to tell you sooner.¡± Go Soo-yeolughed. He couldn¡¯t understand what he meant by telling him more about , which was in the middle of the pond. ¡°That¡¯s at home, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It means he gave you the original file.¡± Ko Hun couldn¡¯t understand his grandfather¡¯s words at all. "What is an original file? And what is an NFT?"2) ¡°It stands for Non Fungible Token. You know digital files can be copied as much as you want, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, for technologies that can store digital files like murals, you need to prove which one is the original. You can think of it as a technology that guarantees that.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± It meant that there was only one original among the digital files that could be copied exactly and infinitely. If the works drawn by murals were copied, it seemed possible to cope with threats like hacking if they could tell which one was genuine. Vroom- ¡°Huh.¡± Ko Hun checked the text message and smiled. He received a wee news from Arsen that Henri Marso would stop by tomorrow afternoon. ¡°He¡¯sing. Marso.¡± ¡°Then I should contact Charmant.¡± Bang Taeho mentioned the clothingpany that sponsored the costumes. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Mr. Marso will need a suit too. What size is he?¡± Ko Hun had no idea how Henri Marso would show up. He seemed to be annoyed if he didn¡¯t prepare clothes, and he seemed to be angry if he did. ¡°Large. He seems to wear that size.¡± It seemed better to get one more because he couldn¡¯t give it to him if he was sorry. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Ko Hun looked out the window. He parked his car at a nearby hotel after passing thergest shopping mall in Paris, Bugrenelli, and headed to the meeting ce with the guidance of the staff. The marketing manager of Bugrenelli Shopping Mall, Giovanna Piaf, and her team weed Ko Hun, Gosuyeol, and Bang Taeho. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Giovanna Piaf had a neat look with her ck hair tied to her neck, and she was wearing a well-tailored suit. She had a smart impression, but her eyes were shadowed and she looked a bit tired. They sat down across the table and started the conversation. Bang Taeho summarized the proposal from the Bugrenelli Shopping Mall. ¡°You said the ce is the basement za. And the period is up to a month. How do you n to deal with the mall visitors during the work?¡± ¡°We wanted to make a separate road, but we thought the work environment itself would be a good attraction. If it¡¯s a safety issue, we¡¯re going to deploy security guards, but what do you think, Mr. Ko Hun?¡± Giovanna Piaf, the manager, asked Ko Hun. Bang Taeho appreciated that she regarded Ko Hun as the main contractor. ¡°I like it. I think the citizens who watch are also part of this work. I hope you can put up some safety lines as long as they don¡¯t interfere with the work.¡± Giovanna Piaf nodded. ¡°Is the period okay with you?¡± ¡°Yes. But I really want to make sure that you don¡¯t need a design.¡± Ko Hun mentioned what he thought was the most important. The ce, time, and pay were important, but there were too many restrictions when working withpanies. They needed to go through several steps of verification, and in the case of design, they often went wrong due to the whims and misjudgments of the management. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Bugrenelli is justmissioning a mural to Ko Hun, and we don¡¯t intend to ask for anything in any way.¡± ¡°Can you specify that in the contract?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Giovanna Piaf nodded and smiled slightly. ¡°The management is also looking forward to this work. We hope that Bugrenelli will be a space that anyone can visit anytime.¡± That would lead to sales, so Ko Hun and his party didn¡¯t doubt it. ¡°There were some incidents. I guess you prepared this work because of that.¡± Bang Taeho mentioned the racial discrimination controversy indirectly. ¡°If that happens again, it will hurt Mr. Ko Hun too. I want to have some security measures in ce.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± Giovanna Piaf denied Bang Taeho¡¯s concern. ¡°But as a writer, you can¡¯t help but worry about that, so I¡¯ll prepare a prevention n for the next meeting. And a post-measure, of course.¡± Bang Taeho and Gosuyeol nodded. As argepany, Piaf, the manager, couldn¡¯t decide on apensation n on her own. Bang Taeho looked at the 1 million euros that Bugrenelli offered first and opened his mouth. ¡°How did you decide on the pay?¡± Banksy, the real person who became the motif of Banks, created Dismnd, a satire of modern society, with 58 artists in 2015. Damien Hirst was also among the 58 artists. Dismnd was open for five weeks before it was dismantled and its materials were used for refugee shelters in Cis, France. Banksy criticizes Imic extremists, but he also creates spaces for refugees, including Muslims. He strives to protect the socially disadvantaged and marginalized groups. NFT (Non-Fungible Token) A non-fungible token is a type of cryptocurrency that stores the ownership of a digital file on a blockchain, making it impossible to tamper with or counterfeit. It preserves the file permanently. Chapter 248: Chapter 248 Banksy (7) I was d to see them, as I thought they might note. ¡°Um¡­ uh¡­¡± Vida Lavani approached me and hesitated. The other Muslim kids who came with Adley also looked around nervously. I felt sorry for them, wondering how hard their lives must have been to be so cautious at their age. ¡°Wee.¡± All I could do was greet them warmly and smile. Lavani opened her mouth. ¡°I¡­ I told them we could have some snacks.¡± ¡°So what? It¡¯s true.¡± I prepared the chocte and cookies to enjoy together. I hoped they understood that it was not a payment for the painting. ¡°Adley!¡± Olivier spotted Adley and waved at him. Adley seemed happy and walked briskly towards Olivier. ¡°Can you help me with the snacks?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Lavani answered brightly. As we went to the grandfather¡¯s car and handed out the chocte and tarts, more kids gathered. There were many more than yesterday or the day before. Some of them painted with the grandfather, some of them hugged nche. Some of them painted whatever they wanted, and some of them chatted with their friends and ate snacks. ¡°Kids, have some juice and y.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± A man who ran a cafe nearby came out with his hands full of apple juice. ¡°Here, Hoon, you too.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Thank you? I¡¯m the one who should thank you. I haven¡¯t seen my kid so happy in a long time.¡± I looked in the direction the man was looking and saw a smiling child. He looked just like his dad, with curly hair and brown skin. ¡°Oh, sir. Thank you for your hard work.¡± The man offered juice to the grandfather as well. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ll drink it well.¡± There was a small incident in the middle, but in the end, we were together, whether we were Muslim, French, or Korean. If we had a little courage to approach each other, and painting and chocte, we could be this happy. -Next news. A few days ago, the painter Go Soo-yeol and Ko Hun conducted a participatory art project at Dali Square and became a hot topic. We went to the scene to report. Ko Hun and Go Soo-yeol were introduced on the evening news of TF1, thergest broadcaster in France. -This is the hill that leads to the so-called pink house from Dali Square. The painter Go Soo-yeol and Ko Hun, his grandson, have been painting sunflowers with the residents here sincest week. The uphill road, which is about 100m long, now has only about 30m left. The residents say that the street has be lively with theughter of children and the street paintings. This is Luca Perez for the 20 o¡¯clock news. The video broadcasted by TF1 20 o¡¯clock news showed children from different countriesughing and ying together. People who were tired of repeated terror and hate crimes weed the heartwarming story. ©¸Nice. ©¸Every time I watch the news, I get angry because someone cheated ormitted corruption. This is a good news for a change. ©¸Look at the kids smiling ?? I really want to give them something. ©¸But really, these days, there¡¯s no ce for kids to y with ease. ©¸Right. The world is scary, isn¡¯t it? What if something happens when they go out and y? I don¡¯t know if there are so many adults around. ©¸But are all the snacks and materials paid by Go Soo-yeol? ©¸He does it because he wants to, I guess. ©¸It¡¯s not Go Soo-yeol, but Ko Hun who started it. ©¸Can someone tell me the sponsorship ount? I want to contribute a little. ©¸Is that art? He¡¯s not even painting by himself. ©¸Critics call it participatory art. ©¸This is a bit different, but in modern art, there are many cases where teams are formed and carried out. It¡¯s too much work to do alone, so he just provides the idea. ©¸Anyway, it¡¯s really nice to see. I¡¯ve been through all kinds of things living in France, but I hope it changes a little bit like that. As the voluntary participation of residents and influencers such as Alex Wood and nche Fabre continued. The media and critics also joined in. The citizens who heard the news also weed it, and somepanies showed interest. They wanted to use the story as a raindrop in the dry daily life to promote their businesses. Ban Tae-ho, the representative of Sunflower who signed a management contract with Ko Hun, opened his email and shook his head. For this task, you asked me to edit and trante a text from Korean to English. The text is a first-person narrative about a manager who receives a proposal from a shopping mall in Paris. Here is my edited and tranted version of the text: ¡°It will take some time to go through all of this.¡± Bang Taeho stretched his neck muscles and grabbed a cold can of coffee. He sat down at his desk and opened his email. ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± Most of the messages were about sponsorships. There were sevenpanies that offered to provide snacks for Ko Hun and the children until they finished their work. Strangely enough, a children¡¯s clothing brand wanted to send them yellow and ck striped outfits as gifts. ¡°These would look pretty cute.¡± Bang Taeho imagined the children wearing the clothes like bees among sunflowers. He opened the next email. ¡°Oh.¡± It was a proposal from Beugrenelle, arge shopping mall in downtown Paris. Subject: Contact from Beugrenelle Marketing Team 1. Content: Greetings, this is Giovanna Piaf, the head of Beugrenelle Marketing Team 1. Beugrenelle has been paying attention to Ko Hun¡¯s work. We were impressed by everything he did, from the Whitney Biennale, the Art Nouveau Competition, the movie , and the sweet episode he showed at Dallida Square recently. Beugrenelle wishes that everyone who visits Paris and the diverse people who live in Paris can enjoy their leisure time. We want to create an environment where people can have fun with their family, lover, friends, or rx by themselves. And we hope that Ko Hun can join us in this endeavor. Please check the attached file for more details. Thank you. ¡°Hmm.¡± Bang Taeho finished reading all the emails and gulped down the cold coffee. ¡®Well, it makes sense.¡¯ Bang Taeho thought that Ko Hun¡¯s wishes and Beugrenelle¡¯s interests matched well. Beugrenelle was the biggest shopping mall in Paris. It was a ce where not only Parisians but also tourists visited. But it had been building an image of being thergest shopping mall for a long time, so it was not easy to attract new customers. They had already secured the customers who were willing to use their services, so their growth was bound to be slow. They seemed to have an intention to expand their customer base to Muslims and Asians to ovee this situation. Bang Taeho started to look for articles rted to Beugrenelle. [Luxury store employee, ¡°It¡¯s too expensive for a ck person to buy.¡±] [Muslims banned from entering movie theater] [Korean-French person asked ¡°Don¡¯t you eat rice with your hands?¡± and not given a spoon at a restaurant] ¡°That¡¯s harsh.¡± Some of the stores in Beugrenelle had serious racial discrimination issues, and Beugrenelle suffered a big blow to its image. He found out that the CEO of Beugrenelle had personally apologized and terminated the contracts with the problematic stores, and conducted education to prevent recurrence. They wanted to use Ko Hun¡¯s image as one of the projects to shed the image of being a shopping mall with frequent racial discrimination. ¡®I wonder if this will help Hoon.¡¯ It was not an easy decision. If Ko Hun epted this job and worked on it, and then another racial discrimination issue urred at Beugrenelle, he could get burned for no reason. There would be people who would try to bring him down anyway, so he didn¡¯t want to leave any room for that. He needed to do more research on Beugrenelle¡¯s management. Bang Taeho picked up the phone. He heard the dial tone and then Ko Hun answered. -Yes, uncle. ¡°How was today?¡± -It was crazy. The kids made a mess with the paint. It was chaos. It was impossible to keep order with dozens of kids in one ce. But his tired voice sounded strangely happy as he told him what happened today. -But why? ¡°I have a job to discuss with you. Is the teacher with you?¡± -Yes. We¡¯re listening together. ¡°Good. Do you know Beugrenelle?¡± -I think I¡¯ve heard of it. -You went therest time. The shopping mall. -Oh. I remember. ¡°Yeah. They want you to do a mural work for them. They said you can draw with the kids like you did at Dallida Square.¡± -That sounds good. ¡°Really?¡± -Yes, really. ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ll look into it more. Actually.¡± Bang Taeho told him about some of the incidents that happened at the stores in Beugrenelle. ¡°So I want to see if they really have the will to improve.¡± -I¡¯ll leave that to you, uncle. Bong Taeho smiled faintly at the thought of being trusted by Ko Hun. -But it turned out to be really necessary. ¡°What was?¡± -A ce for the kids to y. ¡°Oh.¡± -They have nowhere to go after they finish working on the Dallida Square. -They said they don¡¯t want to send them to the park because it¡¯s not sanitary. Bong Taeho nodded. Unlike some French people who considered even rats as animals to be protected, people from other countries couldn¡¯t let their children go to a park infested with rodents. There were also frequent idents of children being bitten by rats. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll look for a better ce even if the Vuegrenelli deal doesn¡¯t work out.¡± -Thank you, sir. Bong Taeho chuckled. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll contact you again. Teacher, get some rest.¡± -Thanks. You¡¯ve worked hard too. Bong Taeho took a deep breath after ending the call. ¡®I chose the right person.¡¯ Bong Taeho, who had been exposed to art since he came of age and had worked as the best curator in Korea, felt vaguely that something was changing. He had made a lot of efforts to keep art as art, but there were few things that were directly connected like this. In Bong Taeho¡¯s eyes, Ko Hun was a painter who could bring about change. If Henri Marso was preparing for a new era with new technology and powerful wealth. Ko Hun seemed to give a small courage to people to approach art works, to understand each other. And that thought was not only Bong Taeho¡¯s. How did this happen? I took a day off yesterday because it rained, but someone came and went in the meantime. There were children smiling brightly among the sunflowers. Amazingly, he had drawn the features of the children who often came, such as Olivier, Adley, Amang, Jimmy, and Noel. As I walked up the hill, I saw that nche and Rabani, me and Grandpa, and all the children who had worked here were drawn. ¡°Hey! What is this?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this you?¡± The children were amazed to find their own faces and their friends¡¯ faces. ¡°How did this happen?¡± ¡°I wonder. What happened yesterday? Arabi, did anyonee and go yesterday?¡± Grandpa asked the cafe owner who gave us drinks. ¡°No? I didn¡¯t see anyone.¡± Arabi, the cafe owner, couldn¡¯t have missed someone who drew such a big picture. Then it meant he drew it at night, but why did he have to do that? ¡°Hmm. I think I know.¡± Grandpa nodded as he looked at my portrait. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Look at this.¡± Grandpa pointed to the words someone had written next to the portrait. It said, ¡°For the sweet souls in the red balloon.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°A message from Banksy.¡± Grandpa smiled brightly. Chapter 250: Chapter 250: 250 yground (2) An employee who came out with Team Leader Giovanna Piaf handed me a document. ¡°This is the data that summarizes the outsourcing contracts for the past two years.¡± I checked the data that Bugrenelli had presented. I could see how the interior contracts, including murals and instation art, were settled at a certain level. Some of the cases were well-known enough for me to remember. ¡®So this is how they approached it.¡¯ I nodded inwardly, wanting to know how they had offered such arge amount of one million euros.Although they had only organized the information that was announced through the media, they also presented the internal reference materials, which seemed to indicate that they were actively engaged in the negotiation. ¡®I hope you think so too.¡¯ Although the information was outdated, Team Leader Giovanna Piaf showed a firm intention to contract, and I was aware of that too. I, the representative of Bang Tae-ho, opened my mouth. ¡°First of all, thank you for offering me such a good condition.¡± ¡°Please tell me.¡± Team Leader Giovanna Piaf opened her ears, staring at me. She had to secure Ko Hun, who had established a positive image by creating various incidents since the year beforest. Therefore, she offered the highest level ofpensation in the industry, and left some room for possibility. However, as apany, they couldn¡¯t blindly raise the amount ofpensation, so her goal was to find a fair line that both Bugrenelli and Ko Hun would be satisfied with. ¡°What Ko Hun wants is clear. A safe and sustainable space.¡± It was an unexpected proposal for Team Leader Giovanna Piaf, who had expected up to 1.2 million euros. I continued to convey Ko Hun¡¯s wishes. ¡°There are not many ces in Paris where children can rx. It¡¯s such a scary world.¡± There was ack of space for children to yfortably due to hygiene, safety, crime, etc. ¡°Ko Hun thought that this work with Bugrenelli could be a good example. At least for a month while doing this work, the children living in Montmartre could yfortably.¡± Although the negotiation went in apletely different direction from what was expected, Team Leader Giovanna Piaf understood what Ko Hun wanted. ¡°Do you mean that you don¡¯t want it to end as a one-time event?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded. Now that we understood each other¡¯s thoughts, it was time for Ko Hun to step in. ¡°This work might be helpful for Bugrenelli this year. The children will also cherish it as a good memory.¡± Team Leader Giovanna Piaf agreed. ¡°But I don¡¯t think it will be the same next year or the year after. I want this work to be not a simple event, but a daily life. I think that would be the same for Bugrenelli too.¡± It was as Ko Hun said. Improving thepany¡¯s image in a short period of time was not the only result. Bugrenelli¡¯s shopping mall had to be a resting ce and a yground for all 10 million people living in the Paris metropolitan area. Such an image could not be created in a moment. ¡®I know.¡¯ Team Leader Giovanna Piaf recognized that Ko Hun had urately grasped the purpose of this work. Since both sides wanted the same thing, there was no more reason to worry. ¡°I understood your intentions, sir. I think we can make more progress at the next meeting.¡± Ko Hun smiled brightly. I was d that the story went well. I didn¡¯t know about the management, but at least Team Leader Giovanna Piaf who came to the negotiation seemed to see the same future as me. It¡¯s good to make a lot of money at once, but securing a stable source of ie is more important to me now. I¡¯m preparing a new business and a gallery, so I need to prepare several holes for money toe in. It will be a good opportunity for the children who have no ce to y. But this is not enough. Bugrenelli¡¯s shopping mall might provide a ce for me a few more times, but I can¡¯t rely on it alone. They won¡¯t spend more than a billion won every month, and there are always unexpected variables. It might be a way to get work from otherpanies or district offices, but I want to operate more stably. ¡°I wonder what it would be like to make such a space in the gallery.¡± ¡°What kind?¡± Bang Tae-ho asked. ¡°Drawing with the kids. They cane and y after school.¡± ¡°It sounds like a tutoring center.¡± ¡°It would be nice to teach them something, but I¡¯d rather have a yground-like feeling.¡± ¡°Hmm. Then you have to think about the maintenance cost. You don¡¯t want to charge the parents, do you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I don¡¯t want to limit their financial situation. ¡°I wonder if we can keep getting jobs like this one.¡± ¡°It pays well, sure. But it¡¯s not a normal job. It¡¯s fine now that the parents are here with their kids. But we can¡¯t handle them all by ourselves.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. The leader knows best.¡± Grandpa nodded his head slowly. He loved kids and had a lot of energy, but he seemed to have a hard time keeping up with their stamina. ¡°Then why don¡¯t we invite the parents too?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Even on weekends. They don¡¯t have much time to spend with their children, do they?¡± ¡°That sounds like something the Ministry of Culture and Tourism should do.¡± Grandpa and Iughed at Tae-ho¡¯s remark. ¡°I saw you getting along well with Fabre and Rabbani yesterday. You have a lot inmon with them, since you¡¯re older than most of your peers.¡± Grandpa had a point. If more people joined the ¡®Potatoes¡¯, we could ask them for help. So I didn¡¯t need to worry about this job too much. ¡°But what are you going to name it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Marso again tomorrow. Fabre wants to join too, so maybe we can figure it out together.¡± We chatted about this and that until we got home. We kept talking about the Dali za, the Bugrenelli Mall, and the artists¡¯munity while we ate dinner. There was a lot to think about and a lot to do, but I felt more fulfilled than ever. The next day. I loaded up on bread, chocte, and snacks and headed to the Dali za. When I got there, I saw four food trucks parked in the za. There were crepes filled with whipped cream and strawberries, and baguettes stuffed with sausages and vegetables. Could it be from Henri Marso? ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Leader?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get any messages. I¡¯ll go ask.¡± Tae-ho went to one of the food trucks and talked to someone. Then he came back with a big smile and a wave. ¡°What did they say?¡± ¡°They¡¯re vendors from nearby who thought it would be nice to do something for the kids. They must have known it was ourst day.¡± ¡°They¡¯re giving it away for free?¡± ¡°Yes. Only to the kids.¡± I was grateful, but also a bit flustered. I turned my head and saw them waving and smiling. I had met a lot of bad peopletely, but I didn¡¯t know there were so many good ones too. ¡°Do you want a crepe?¡± The crepe truck owner asked Ollivier and Audley, who were staring nkly. The two kids nodded and he quickly made them two crepes. ¡°Can we really eat this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have any money.¡± Ollivier asked for Audley, who was too shy to speak. ¡°Ha ha! Sure. You just have to be friends with Levan, okay?¡± ¡°Huh? Are you Levan¡¯s dad? Where¡¯s Levan?¡± ¡°He¡¯s at school. He¡¯ll be back for lunch.¡± Now I realized he was the parent of one of the kids who yed here. ¡°Kids, try this too.¡± A woman offered them something and I went over. I smelled kimchi fried rice. She was too short to see over the truck, but she spoke Korean. ¡°Wee.¡± ¡°Are you Korean?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you want one?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I used to eat a lot of kimchi fried rice when my dad was alive. He wasn¡¯t good at cooking anything else, but he made delicious kimchi fried rice. My mom and I loved it. Grandpa sometimes made it for us too, and I ordered it at snack bars a few times. But it never tasted like my dad¡¯s. I missed it. I doubted hers would taste the same either. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± The food truck owner gave me a paper box with eight round fritters. ¡°Isn¡¯t this kimchi fried rice?¡± ¡°It is. But fried. Be careful, it¡¯s hot.¡± She had made balls of kimchi fried rice and fried them. ¡°Thank you.¡± I blew on it to cool it down and put it in my mouth. I can taste the sour and deep vor of the kimchi fried rice under the crispy fried coating, and the cheese inside emits a savory smell. ¡°¡­It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Right? Eat a lot.¡± ¡°Grandpa! Mister!¡± I approached Grandpa and Bantaeho, who were unloading their luggage, and put one in their mouths. At first, both of them widened their eyes as if they were surprised. ¡°Kimchi fried rice?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The texture of the fried rice, cheese, and fried batter blends exquisitely, enhancing the aroma of the stir-fried kimchi. ¡°I like the anchovies in it.¡± ¡°Anchovies? Not cheese?¡± ¡°Anchovies.¡± ¡°Grandpa ate the one with tuna in it.¡± The ingredients inside are different, too. This should be widely known. ¡°Bro, what are you eating?¡± The kids came over and showed interest. ¡°Kimchi fried rice.¡± They tilted their heads at the unfamiliar word, but they liked it when I put one in their mouths. ¡°Spicy!¡± ¡°What is this? It¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Heheheheh.¡± They sometimes stuck out their tongues because it was spicy, but they mostly liked it. Just like I did, in kimchi might not suit their taste, but stir-fried kimchi is different. ¡°I want water.¡± ¡°Where do you drink it?¡± ¡°It smells weird.¡± ¡°Wow! There¡¯s a baby fish in it.¡± ¡°I had cheese.¡± ¡°Bro, where do you eat this?¡± ¡°I want to eat more.¡± Their reactions are cute and varied. Henri Matisse frowned as he found the square while running. Dozens of kids in bee costumes were running, eating, or waving brushes around. ¡°It¡¯s Henri!¡± One kid spotted Henri Matisse and shouted, and they all ran to him without anything to do. Henri Matisse, known as a hero of the French art world through numerous media, was no different from a celebrity to the children. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°I can see your nostrils! Hehehe!¡± ¡°Mister! Did youe to draw too?¡± ¡°Do you want to eat this?¡± Henri Matisse was rarely flustered by the excessive interest of the young fans. ¡°Get out of here? Where¡¯s the kid?¡± ¡°Ahhaha. He told us to go away.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the kid?¡± ¡°We¡¯re the kids.¡± ¡°No? I¡¯m the older brother.¡± ¡°Henri, don¡¯t you wear this? They told us to wear this.¡± One kid pointed to the bee-striped tee he was wearing. ¡°Why do you want me to wear that? You, don¡¯t call me Henri, call me Matisse the artist.¡± Henri Matisse pursed his lips and the kids quickly became sad. ¡°Isn¡¯t this pretty?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty.¡± ¡°¡­My mom said it was cute.¡± ¡°Henri would look pretty if he wore this too.¡± The kids sobbed and everyone in the square turned their attention to them. ¡°Are you here?¡± Then, Ko Hun, who was wearing a bee costume, came over. ¡°You, do something about these kids. They¡¯re about to cry.¡± ¡°Why do you say bad things about what the kids like? They all like Matisse. Right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°But Henri doesn¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Mister doesn¡¯t like us.¡± ¡°He said it was weird.¡± ¡°They say I¡¯m ugly.¡± Dozens of kids were talking at once, making it impossible to think. ¡°When did I ever say I was weird and ugly? I just don¡¯t like this outfit! Stop saying my name so casually!¡± The kids flinched again as Ko Hun pushed the clothes at me. ¡°Since we¡¯re here, let¡¯s have some fun.¡± Chapter 251: Chapter 251: 251 yground (3) Henri Matisse snorted and looked up at the hill. The street, which had been somewhat bleak, looked bright thanks to the sunflowers that filled the walls and the road. The sound of childrenughing and running around was incessant, and the faces of the citizens gathered in the square were full of smiles. Henri Matisse was captivated by an inexplicable feeling. ¡°¡­¡± He was distant from things like joy, happiness, orughter. To Henri Matisse, art was war.He had struggled to rise up, grinding his teeth, for a long time when he was not recognized despite his talent. He finally bought all the billboards at the Paris station and made his name known, but that was not the end. The critics ignored Henri Matisse, who only published self-portraits, and the media regarded him as a spoiled brat who inherited the immense wealth of the Matisse family. Even the artists did not acknowledge him as an artist, saying that he had no novelty or philosophy. He could have given up. He could have seeded greatly as a politician or a businessman if he wanted, but Henri Matisse refused to remain as the heir of the Matisse family. He kept looking at himself, did not deceive himself, and protected himself even if the whole world did not acknowledge him. Only after he painted about 600 self-portraits did some people start to notice him. It was only four or five years ago that he was recognized as thest genius and hero of French painting. He could have rested a bit since he reached the top. But he did not stop. He drove out the subversive forces that had eroded the French art world, confronted the cartel that dominated the British art auction market, and worked hard to enactws for artists and students. The reason he continued the hard fight was one. He remembered the fans who supported him in the long battle. People who willingly sought Henri Matisse even when they had no knowledge of art, were not famous, had no power, and were ridiculed by the critics and the media. He wanted them to be able to find him in a better environment. He hoped that the artists who were not recognized like him could muster a little courage. A ce full of children¡¯sughter was unfamiliar to the man who had climbed to the throne through repeated struggles. ¡°Matisse?¡± Ko Hun called Henri Matisse. He came to his senses and sat on the makeshift chair prepared by Arsen. He crossed his legs and leaned back heavily. ¡°Go and y.¡± It was a strange day. [Henri Matisse visits Dali Square] On Saturday, the 26th, the painter Henri Matisse visited Dali Square. Dali Square is currently hosting a participatory art event where Parisians join together with the painter Ko Hun as the main axis. Ko Hun said in an interview with a media outlet, ¡°I hope everyone can enjoy it without being bound by race, country of origin, gender, or age.¡± This was supported by Banksy, an artist whobines social criticism and welfare, and several artists participated, and today Henri Matisse, the representative artist of France, visited the site. Henri Matisse drew his shoes near the start of the uphill road instead of sunflowers, and in the evening he set up a buffet for the children at Dali Square. The Dali Square event is scheduled to end tomorrow. The news that Henri Matisse visited the site became a big issue again. Since he could only be essed through public ces, the media flocked to Dali Square to cover his personal life and opening project. The Dali Square event, which had been somewhat quiet as Ko Hun avoided media interviews, was once again noticed by the joining of Banksy and Henri Matisse. ©¸He didn¡¯t wear a bee suit and just draped it over his shoulder. That¡¯s hisst pride????? ©¸Why is it so sweet that he¡¯s surrounded by kids???? ©¸Even though he¡¯s annoyed, they¡¯re still clinging to him???? ©¸Kids like handsome and pretty people too. ©¸Who said that. ©¸You¡¯re blocked. ©¸But what does the shoe mean? ©¸Does it mean he¡¯s gone? ©¸Doesn¡¯t it mean he¡¯s going to walk up? ©¸It looks like he¡¯s standing with his feet side by side. ©¸Maybe it means he¡¯s watching? ©¸I think it means he¡¯s watching something. He¡¯s not with them, but he¡¯s protecting them somehow. ©¸???????Henri wouldn¡¯t do that. It¡¯s like he¡¯s saying he¡¯s descended???? ©¸?????????? When art lovers were happy with the warm news. I was having a heated debate with Henri Marso. ¡°I don¡¯t like potatoes, I don¡¯t like sunflowers, I don¡¯t like ygrounds. What do you like, then?¡± ¡°M&G.¡± ¡°No way. How about Isaac?¡± ¡°Isaac?¡± Henri Marso pondered for a moment. It was the least ridiculous name among the ones I suggested. But it was a religious name, and it wouldn¡¯t fit well in the French society as a name for an organization. ¡°I feel like having some toast.¡± I turned my head at Bang Tae-ho¡¯s remark. ¡°Toast?¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± Bang Tae-ho shook his head. ¡°It won¡¯t work. You can¡¯t use a name that¡¯s hard to use in public ces. Just go with M&G.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± As Henri repeated the name Marceau&Goran, nche Fabre intervened. ¡°Yeah. Other people will join us too. Who would want to join with a name like that?¡± ¡°We only need you and me.¡± I sighed. It seemed like there was no progress with Henri. ¡°But why are you worried?¡± Fabre asked. ¡°We need to set up a corporation. To use it when we work together.¡± ¡°Not that. The name. You already decided.¡± I tilted my head slightly at the news I heard for the first time. ¡°Half-Marceau-Fabre. I¡¯m the president and you¡¯re the vice president.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Henri Marso frowned, but Fabre ignored him and continued. ¡°We agreed to work together for the Art Nouveau contest. To crush them.¡± ¡°What were you guys plotting? White hair, are you badmouthing me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me white hair. You have curly hair yourself.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Stop fighting. And I introduced her to you before. nche Fabre. Why do you call her white hair when she has a name. We¡¯re going to work together now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to work with you.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± I sighed. ¡°We have to set up a corporation before we sign a contract with the Bugrenelli shopping mall, so if you want to fight, settle on a name first and then do it.¡± ¡°Before that.¡± Henri Marso cut me off. ¡°I¡¯ll let Bang be the representative, but tini will have full authority over the exhibition-rted work.¡± Bang Tae-ho and I blinked. We had a corporation, but it didn¡¯t make sense to entrust the work to an outsider. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Do you think it makes sense for someone else to handle my work?¡± ¡°Michel is in charge of the Marceau Gallery.¡± ¡°He can handle it as a subcontractor.¡± Bang Tae-ho, who was listening to the conversation, stepped in. ¡°There¡¯s a possibility of trouble. If the corporation that Marceau belongs to gives work to the Marceau Gallery, it could be considered as unfair profit from internal transactions.¡± Marceau narrowed his eyes. He had overlooked that part because of his principle that no one but Michel tini could touch his work. Even if he didn¡¯t intend to, he had to set an example, and he couldn¡¯t leave room for misunderstanding as giving preferential treatment. ¡°You, and you. Come to mypany.¡± Henri Marso pointed at me and Bang Tae-ho. ¡°No, thanks.¡± ¡°That would be difficult.¡± Henri Marso furrowed his brows. ¡°Then what do you want?¡± I decided after thinking for a while. ¡°Let¡¯s do it separately. We can sign a separate contract when we work together.¡± ¡°We said we¡¯d do it together.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t agree on anything, starting from the name. What can we do?¡± I wondered how to calm Henri Marso down, and I realized that he was unusually quiet. Meanwhile, Henri Marso, who had a change of mind after running in the square today, took my words seriously. Our paths were clearly different. Henri Marso, who had fought against dishonesty and hypocrisy and worked passionately on his work, didn¡¯t want me to walk the same path as him. They had settled all those matters in their own generation, and Go-hoon and the kids should just have fun like they did at the Dallida Square,ughing and chatting. ¡°Are you having fun?¡± Henry Marceau asked Go-hoon with a re. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°ying with the kids.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Henry Marceau thought twice, three times, then made up his mind. ¡°Fine.¡± The thing with Damien Carter and Jay Jopling was just the beginning. He didn¡¯t want to expose his rtionship with Go-hoon to the outside and increase the threat, when he didn¡¯t know who he would have to face in the future. He knew that the future that Go-hoon would unfold would be happy and sweet, so he didn¡¯t want to burden a kid who was barely ten years old with such a thing. He had too many scars. He couldn¡¯t join them in that ce where the kidsughed and chatted, but he wanted to protect them. It was the same feeling. ¡°So, I wish you would join us, Marceau.¡± Henry frowned at Go-hoon¡¯s words. ¡°Don¡¯t change your mind once you¡¯ve decided. Being indecisive is not being thoughtful, it¡¯s being stupid.¡± ¡°How can you say that?¡± Go-hoon spoke up honestly. ¡°The kids like you, Marceau. I like you too. It doesn¡¯t make sense not to do it because of a name or aw.¡± Henry Marceau looked down at Go-hoon. ¡°Let¡¯s do this. I¡¯ll decide the name and you bring Michelle. Michelle can work for ourpany too. It¡¯s not illegal to be in two corporations, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Go-hoon answered the question with a cool reply from Bang Tae-ho. ¡°That¡¯s not the problem.¡± It wasn¡¯t a matter of name or legal issue, but he decided that they couldn¡¯t be together because they were on different paths. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do it like you. If you want to y with the kids, go ahead. I¡¯ll do it my way.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to hang out with us if you don¡¯t like it.¡± Go-hoon grabbed him again. ¡°But you like it, don¡¯t you?¡± The boy was sure. If Henry Marceau hated being with the kids at the Dallida Square, he wouldn¡¯t havee or spent time there. Because of his pride, his dignity. Or for some unknown reason, he seemed to want to keep his distance. Even though he was annoyed, he put on a bee costume and prepared a wonderful dinner for the kids. He secretly enjoyed that time, so Go-hoon couldn¡¯t push him away. nche Fabre looked back and forth at Go-hoon and Henry Marceau with a suspicious gaze. Chapter 252: Chapter 252: 252 yground (4) ¡°You must be lonely.¡± ¡°Who says I¡¯m lonely?¡± Henri Matisse denied it, but Ko Hun was sure. Art was inevitably lonely. He had to carve his own path in a way that had no definite answer. He had to constantly look back at the road he had created himself, reflect on himself, and move forward. He had to find the problem and the solution by himself.It was an utterly personal act that could never be fully understood. That¡¯s why he was so d to meet someone who understood him a little bit. ¡°It won¡¯t get better just by being together, but sometimes you miss it, don¡¯t you? Then, let go of your burden for a moment and lean on each other.¡± Because of his experience with Paul Gauguin, Ko Hun didn¡¯t hope for an idealmunity from the start. He didn¡¯t want to interfere too much with each other. He just wanted a rtionship that couldfort him. ¡°I don¡¯t need that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± nche, who had been listening to Ko Hun and Henri Matisse¡¯s conversation with suspicion, intervened. ¡°I¡¯ll just leave.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ko Hun asked in surprise. nche Fabre looked at Ko Hun and Henri Matisse alternately and made up her mind. ¡°Are you two, by any chance.¡± ¡°By any chance?¡± ¡°Tell me in advance if you have a special rtionship. I don¡¯t want to act clueless.¡± ¡°Cough.¡± Bang Tae-ho, who was drinking juice, choked. While Ko Hun was speechless with astonishment, Henri Matisse shouted. "What nonsense are you talking about since earlier!"1) ¡°No?¡± ¡°No?¡± Henri Matisse red at nche as he repeated her words, but nche couldn¡¯t erase her doubt as she listened to their conversation. You like him. You¡¯re lonely. Let¡¯s lean on each other. These were not the words to say in a normal rtionship, so she wondered if she was getting in the way of their rtionship. ¡°Why are you just standing there!¡± Henri Matisse nagged Ko Hun. Ko Hun, who was speechless with absurdity, shook his head. ¡°Matisse is special to me, but not in the way you think.¡± ¡°Cut the crap!¡± [The Art Museum that Came to Life] Ko Hunpleted another work in Montmartre, the street of artists. The work, which was participated by his grandfather Koh Soo-yeol, his colleague Henri Matisse, nche Fabre, and Banksy, was a sunflower that filled the hillside of Dalida Square, with no title. After finishing his work, Ko Hun told Le Figaro, ¡°I wanted to create a happy and warm ce for Montmartre, where people of various races live together.¡± As he said, during the ten days of work, French, ck, Muslim, and Asian people spent time together in Dalida Square. The Montmartre district office presented Ko Hun with a que of appreciation. [Modern Version of Hansel and Gretel] The painter Ko Hun drew sunflowers in Dalida Square and gave chocte, candy, and pie to the children, which became a hot topic. Aizen, who was presumed to be a resident of Montmartre, thanked Ko Hun for allowing the children who couldn¡¯t eat breakfast to eat and y. As this fact became known, somepanies held donation events and expressed their intention to continue to support Ko Hun even after he finished his work. On the other hand, art critic Tanaka Hirobumi imed that Ko Hun bribed the children to attract attention, causing controversy. He consoled Henri Matisse. He cleared up nche Fabre¡¯s misunderstanding the next day. Ko Hun, who hadn¡¯t found a name he liked yet, browsed the inte news articles and found an article rted to Tanaka Hirobumi. ¡°Tsk.¡± His grandfather, who wondered what he was looking at in the newspaper, checked Tanaka Hirobumi¡¯s nonsense and clicked his tongue. ¡°You don¡¯t need to see that.¡± ¡°I was curious.¡± Ko Hun lifted his head. ¡°He still seems interested in me.¡± Ko Hun had thought that Danaka Hirobumi, who had visited his first solo exhibition, would nevere back. ¡°He¡¯s just trying to boost his own reputation. You can ignore those guys. There¡¯s no need to get hurt by them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hurt. I was just amazed that he kept talking about me.¡± Kosuyul was worried about his young grandson. He would have been upset if he was criticized without any evidence, but he couldn¡¯t ept it when he said he was fine. ¡°What kind of paintings do Japanese artists make?¡± ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s hard to generalize a whole country.¡± Ko Hun nodded at his grandfather¡¯s words, who was a master of Korean painting but imed he didn¡¯t know anything about it. ¡°Grandpa, you liked Yoshitomo¡¯s work.¡± ¡°Yoshitomo?¡± ¡°Hara Yoshitomo. It warms my heart.¡±1 Ko Hun wrote down the name his grandfather rmended and looked for the article written by Danaka Hirobumi. He brazenly said that he had involved children in his artistic activities without paying them a fairpensation and instead gave them chocte or snacks. Some people agreed with his words and some others argued against him, saying that Ko Hun had volunteered and they shouldn¡¯t curse him. Especially, the art historian Caroline Strick said that Ko Hun was an artist who brought happiness to people with art and dessert, and had a debate with Danaka Hirobumi. ¡°Ah.¡± Ko Hun lifted his head. ¡°I decided.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°My name.¡± Kosuyul raised his eyebrows and showed interest. ¡°Choctier.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Since Danaka Hirobumi had used the word as a mockery, Kosuyul couldn¡¯t understand what his grandson¡¯s intention was to choose Choctier as his name. ¡°That¡¯s what Danaka said.¡± ¡°But you can think of it in a good way. It means someone who makes happy art like chocte.¡± Ko Hun showed his grandfather the article that Caroline Strick had posted on her personal blog. [A Bittersweet Artist, Ko Hun] Ko Hun, who had sessfully finished the Art Nouveau contest, became a hot topic again at Dallida Square recently. The news that he gathered marginalized children and drew pictures with them while sharing snacks was well-known through various media. As I had been interested in him, I visited the scene and saw the dazzling sunflowers and bees that filled the uphill road and the chocte in their hands. I couldn¡¯t help but recall his first invitation exhibition ¡®Sweet Happiness¡¯. Ko Hun, who had already presented several works, was gradually building his own domain. He also showed longing and strong will in works like and , but Ko Hun¡¯s artistic world was based on happiness. In ¡®Sweet Happiness¡¯, he recalled his memories by drawing snacks and formed a rapport between parents and children. This time, he shared his drawings and snacks on the street, out of the museum. He regarded them as a means to improve his rtionship with others, and reminded me of Fernando Gonzalez, who left and . I don¡¯t know how much more influence Ko Hun will have in the future, but I hope that his most personal artistic act will lead to interaction with others. ¡°Hmm.¡± Kosuyul put down the tablet and Ko Hun smiled and said. ¡°If this makes people happy, I have nothing more to ask for.¡± Ko Hun really thought so. Having a healthy body was not the only reason he could ovee his painful past. It was possible because he had his parents and grandfather¡¯s love. Everyone walked their own paths and no one could help them, but he could regain his strength just by having someone by his side. He hoped that the paintings hepleted through the process of oveing the tragedy and despair that came to him wouldfort those who were going through simr difficulties. He hoped they would have the courage to stand up again. Like chocte that makes you feel better when you¡¯re depressed. At the second meeting with the Bugrenelli shopping mall, Giovanna Piaf, the team leader, showed him an unexpected document. ¡°This is about the preventive measures you mentionedst time.¡± He had asked for a way to prevent racial discrimination incidents and a post-measure when they first met, but he didn¡¯t expect them to prepare it so soon. ¡°We n to conduct education once a month for the stores that have entered, and if a rted problem urs in the store, we will terminate the contract and demand marypensation.¡± It wasn¡¯t a special method, but it was the best they could do from Bugrenelli¡¯s side. ¡°If by any chance this causes damage to the writer, we will pay you three times thepensation.¡± Bang Taeho nodded for now. ¡°Please make it clear what criteria you will use to determine the damage. I don¡¯t think it will happen, but without a standard, it could be a liability use.¡± ¡°Would you be satisfied if we change it to ¡®when the hate crime is proven to be true¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s enough.¡± I¡¯m d that Bang Tae-ho took care of the details of the contract. ¡°Also.¡± Giovanna Piaf, the team leader, received the documents from the employee who came with her. ¡°You wanted a continuous exchange, but I¡¯m sure you know that neither you nor Mr. Bang can keep working on the interior design.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How about a three-year contract with one time per year? The work period andpensation are the same as before.¡± Bang Tae-ho clenched his fist. He seemed to be hesitating, but he probably had in mind that my value would increase. He was calcting whether it was necessary to set the current standard when he could sign a better contract in three years. ¡°Can we talk for a moment?¡± ¡°Of course. Do you want us to move?¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± It¡¯s convenient that they can¡¯t understand Korean. ¡°What do you think?¡± Bang Tae-ho asked for my opinion. ¡°I¡¯m happy with how it¡¯s going.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d too, but the truth is, it¡¯s unreasonable to do the same amount for three years. There¡¯s a movieing out the year after next. And I¡¯ll have an exhibition in between.¡± One million euros is enough to satisfy mepared to other painters. But Bang Tae-ho was confident that the sequel to would be a hit, and that my exhibition would be a sess. He thought I should be more greedy. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you, sir.¡± This kind of thing will happen often. I want to trust and leave it to Bang Tae-ho, as long as my intention to receive a fairpensation and continue the event is reflected. ¡°Okay.¡± Bang Tae-ho looked at Giovanna Piaf. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± "Go-hoon, the writer, will do more work in the future. He will be able to join the Grand Art Tour next year, and the sequel to The Fortress will be released the year after that."3) Giovanna Piaf¡¯s face showed no sign of wavering. She was already expecting it. ¡°I agree that there is a high possibility that it will happen as you said. However, we can¡¯t apply something that hasn¡¯t happened to thepensation.¡± Giovanna Piaf was right. Possibility is just a possibility, and it doesn¡¯t make sense to pay more money now for something that might not happen in the future. ¡°What if Go-hoon exhibits his work at all four major exhibitions next year?¡± The Grand Art Tour is Art Basel, Venice Biennale, Kassel Documenta, and M¨¹nster Sculpture Project. I don¡¯t know about the others, but I don¡¯t do sculptures. I don¡¯t know what Bang Tae-ho is thinking. ¡°Then I think he deserves to receive 1.5 million euros.¡± Giovanna Piaf thought for a moment and opened her mouth. ¡°How about the condition that he wins at all four exhibitions?¡± As they looked at each other silently. Bang Tae-ho smiled broadly. ¡°Fine.¡± I wonder if it¡¯s okay to make such a condition when I don¡¯t even know what kind of event the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project is. I¡¯m satisfied with a contract of 3 million euros for three times, but Bang Tae-ho seems to have something he believes in. ¡°Then here.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Bang Tae-ho wrote Choctier on the contract, Piaf¡¯s eyes widened. Vincent van Gogh was misunderstood because of his rtionship with Paul Gauguin. The motif is Yoshitomo Nara. Grand Art Tour. An opportunity to see the four major European exhibitions in the same year every 10 years. The most recent one was in 2017. In the world of , it is held in 2010, 2020, and 2030. Chapter 253: Chapter 253: 253 yground (5) I already knew that the contract party would not be Ko Hun, but a new corporation with Ko Hun and Henri Marso as the major shareholders, but the name was unique. Choctier was a profession that made and designed chocte. ¡°Choctier.¡± As Team Leader Piaf uttered the word, Ko Hun smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a cool name, right?¡± ¡°Yes. But.¡± Giovanna Piaf, who was very interested in the art world enough to watch Ko Hun closely, knew that it was a word used to mock Ko Hun.¡°I made it with the intention of creating sweet happiness like chocte.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± As Ko Hun exined why he named it Choctier, Team Leader Piaf nodded. Come to think of it, art history was like a history of mockery. Now, Baroque, which is known as a ssic of ssics, was a word derived from a word meaning a distorted pearl. At that time, critics used it to criticize the deformed, shy, and decorative artistic trend. Even Impressionism, which is now loved by the most people, was a word that a critic who saw M¡¯s mocked as ¡®just a bunch of impressionists¡¯. The Impressionist painters used it as their own name and gained recognition. The same was true for the Fauvists, who were led by Henri Matisse, a master who rivaled Pablo Picasso. The critic said that they used color wrongly and called them beasts. Themon point was that the words that were not recognized and ridiculed at the time were not conveyed in that sense now. Now, no one took the words impressive or beastly as mockery. Giovanna Piaf thought that this change of perception proved the victory of the artist. Maybe the word Choctier, which a critic used to mock Ko Hun, could be like that. ¡®Come to think of it.¡¯ Giovanna Piaf recalled an article written by Caroline Strick, a renowned art historian,st year. She visited the ¡®Sweet Happiness¡¯ exhibition and named Ko Hun¡¯s work and Choctism. Giovanna Piaf looked at Ko Hun. There were many artists who announced their names, but few who brought change. Piaf was sure that Ko Hun was such an artist. ¡®If I contract with Ko Hun for up to 4.5 million euros, it¡¯s a bargain.¡¯ She smiled. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a really cool name.¡± When I turned on the broadcast, 5,000 people came in. After the Art Nouveaupetition, the YouTube subscribers increased greatly by adding English and French subtitles, but the live broadcast was not much increased because it was in Korean. This was the first time that so many people came in. ©¸Pingha! ©¸Hoonha! ©¸You said you would work hard on the broadcast, but you did it in two weeks ?? ©¸Did you finish your work? ©¸I want to eat pork belly rice ©¸Professor, what lecture is today? ©¸You said you had something to announce? That person was talking about pork belly rice as soon as he came in. ¡°Hello. Yes. I turned it on today because I have something to tell you. I was busy with Dallida Square and other things. I¡¯m sorry.¡± As I apologized for not being able to broadcast often, the Dallida viewers brought up the story of the square. ¡°Thanks to you, I did well. People from our country also came. They gave me cheese-fried kimchi fried rice and it was really delicious.¡± As I told them about what happened at Dallida Square, time flew by. In the meantime, the viewers also increased to 8,000. It seemed like everyone who was going toe in came in, so I brought up the main point. ¡°As you may know from the article, I made apany with Marso. The name is Choctier.¡± ©¸Choctier?? ©¸Isn¡¯t that the nonsense that Ito Hirobumi said? ©¸Not Ito, but Tanaka ???? ©¸You finally joined with Henri Marso! ©¸What kind ofpany is it? The person who asked what was going on with Marso was particrly happy. ¡°I liked it. This time, as I gave chocte and snacks to the kids, I felt that it would be nice if my work could approach them in that way.¡± The viewers cheered me on. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of two things right now. One is to open an exhibition with painters who share my mind. Mainly those who are not noticed for making good works. Now, there are three of us, Marso and Fabre.¡± I have a few people in mind, but I need to recruit some more. Yes, the poster I drewst time. I didn¡¯t n to make it this big, but I heard it¡¯s better to form a corporation if I think about contracts, revenue sharing, taxes, and stuff like that." I introduced some of my works to the viewers who asked who Fabre was. ¡°And I¡¯m going to make a y space. On weekends, kids cane with their parents and draw and y. I¡¯m going to run it under the name yground, and I¡¯ll also work with the kids.¡± ©¸Is it like a school? ©¸I would definitely go if I could learn from Hoon and Henri. ©¸I want to go too ?? ©¸I want to eat spicy pork rice bowl ©¸Seriously. If Hoon and Henri teach, people will flock there. Our Hoon is making money!! ©¸But is he an AI? Hees in every broadcast and chats for 3-4 hours that he wants to eat spicy pork rice bowl. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to make money. I won¡¯t charge anything. If too many peoplee, I might have to do a lottery or set some conditions. For now, I want to ept kids who are from poor families or who are not well adapted to France.¡± Some viewers expressed their concern. There were some who said I should take care of my own work instead of volunteering, and some who said I should have some ie to maintain it. There were also some words I couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°What does it mean, ¡®If you keep being kind, you¡¯ll be Dooly¡¯?¡± I¡¯ve never heard that before. ©¸Wow. There¡¯s a generation that doesn¡¯t know this joke. ©¸You don¡¯t know Dooly? ©¸?? he doesn¡¯t know ©¸???????People born in 2022 entered elementary school this year???? It means that if you keep being kind, people will take it for granted and be arrogant. That must happen sometimes. Not everyone who is poor and weak is good. ¡°If that happens, Mr. Taeho will step in. And Marso is not the kind of person who would let that happen.¡± People asked me about thepany again. There were a lot of questions, probably because they were curious about me and Henri Marso starting apany together. ¡°Yes. Marso and I invested half and half. The management will be handled by Mr. Taeho of Sunflower, the managementpany I¡¯m currently contracted with.¡± ©¸You don¡¯t know what ¡®If you keep being kind, you¡¯ll be Dooly¡¯ means, but you know words like investment, management, and shares. ©¸??????Early education ©¸So are you living with Henri Marso now? ©¸But if you don¡¯t have any ie, you¡¯ll only spend money. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I got a job with the Bugrenelli shopping mall. Thanks to what I did at Dallida Square. I¡¯m going to paint a mural with the kids, and there will be an article about it.¡± There were quite a few articles in the French press, but when I looked it up in Korea, only Daehan Ilbo and Yehwa gave it to me. It seems like it hasn¡¯t been known for long. I showed the article on the screen. ©¸Up to 4.5 million euros??? ©¸You said you were going to earn tuition, but you made 6 billion won????? ©¸Our Hoon has a n! ©¸Spicy pork rice bowl is 1 million bowls¡­ ©¸Hoon, do you copy money? Can you teach me too? ©¸What is this??????? You also made the Giamseong art book, how much are you making this year???? ¡°That¡¯s right. You don¡¯t have to worry about my money. I make a lot of money.¡± It¡¯s not an empty word. I could really build a building like Marso Gallery in downtown Paris right now. ¡°There¡¯s a condition attached to it. Do you know what the Grand Art Tour is?¡± Quite a few people know. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s the year when you can see the Venice Biennale, the Kassel Documenta, the Munster Sculpture Project, and the Art Basel together. It¡¯s next year. I have to win all of them. This seems a bit difficult.¡± ©¸? ©¸Mr. Bugrenelli, what are you talking about? ©¸He¡¯s upset because he doesn¡¯t want to pay less. ©¸Why is it hard? Do it. ©¸No?????? What is this???? How can you do that???? ©¸No. The condition is a bit weird, isn¡¯t it? There are events without any entry criteria. ©¸Right? Except for the others, the Kassel Documenta is a bit of a stretch, isn¡¯t it? I heard that they usually talk and work two years in advance. And if the director doesn¡¯t call Hoon, it¡¯s over. ©¸The Munster Sculpture Project doesn¡¯t make sense either ????? Hoon is a painter, not a sculptor??? ©¸What¡¯s the standard for Art Basel? Isn¡¯t it just a ce where galleries gather and sell? ©¸I don¡¯t know much, but looking at the chat, I can tell how ridiculous this condition is. ©¸???????It¡¯s funny that you all assume that he¡¯ll win the Venice Biennale???? ©¸Right???? Venice Biennale is nothing to Hoon?? ©¸Really??? It¡¯s one of the three major biennales in the world. The viewers think the same as me. It¡¯s an absurd condition. I don¡¯t really care if I fail, since I can still get 3 million euros. But I wonder what Ban Tae-ho was thinking when he gave me such a condition. ¡°So, next month, I¡¯m going to paint a mural on the basement floor of the Bugrenelli shopping mall. And then, I think I¡¯ll be busy preparing for next year¡¯spetition.¡± I have about a year to do it. I used to paint one piece a day, but I don¡¯t know if I can prepare four pieces that suit each event. ¡°That¡¯s all I have to tell you.¡± Question marks kept popping up in the chat window. They meant to ask if I was ending the broadcast already. I checked the clock and it was only 8 o¡¯clock. I hadn¡¯t done a broadcast for two weeks, so I wanted to catch up with them, but I felt like I had to do something more. ¡°Then, let¡¯s talk about art for a change. Whose story would you like to hear?¡± Many people were mentioned. Grandpa, Marso, Hockney, Basquiat, Bresson, Picasso, Matisse, Pollock, Warhol, Kirchner, and so on. I had no idea who to choose, so I made up my mind. ¡°There are too many people you mentioned, so I don¡¯t know who to pick. So, today, I¡¯ll talk a little bit about contemporary art.¡± I had some feelings that I wanted to sort out, and I also wanted to hear what the viewers thought. ¡°How do you feel when you hear the word contemporary art?¡± A dot, a line. Art that I don¡¯t understand. Their own league. There were a lot ofments saying that it was like a rigged game of Go-Stop, and some wrote seriously about the merits of contemporary art. ¡°Before I say anything, I want to make it clear that this is just my opinion. Whatever you think, it¡¯s your freedom and your appreciation, so there¡¯s no right or wrong.¡± ©¸Yes, professor ©¸Hurry up and take notes ©¸?????Don¡¯t do that?? My viewers liked to joke around, whether it was just them or everywhere else. ¡°First of all, I think the contemporary artists and critics would agree to some extent that they don¡¯t understand it. They don¡¯t know either.¡± That¡¯s what I felt from the people I met at the Art Nouveaupetition. ¡°But, um. This might sound a bit strange, but I think art is more about approaching it emotionally than understanding it. Of course, what you mean by understanding is not that. Actually, because of that feeling, nowadays, there are not many works that arepletely iprehensible. Like the ones you mentioned, with just one dot on them.¡± The people raised question marks again. ¡°What I want to say is that you don¡¯t need to understand it. You can still approach it, even if you can¡¯t understand it.¡± I searched the inte and showed them Mark Rothko¡¯s works. Chapter 254: Chapter 254: 254 Friendly (1) Many people are interested in art, so they quickly recognize it. ©¸I know this. Mark Rothko, right? ©¸Is this a painting? ©¸I don¡¯t get it lol Mark Rothko reduced the form as much as possible and expressed his emotions with colors. ¡°That¡¯s right. Mark Rothko. He used only colors as much as possible to create an abstract painting, which is called color field abstraction. If you are a painter, you would know how hard it is to create such a deep color.¡± He applied egg on the paint, let it dry, then painted again, applied oil on top, and repeated the process of adding colors.But that process wouldn¡¯t be very impressive. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter why he painted this, how he mixed the colors, and how he painted. Mark Rothko didn¡¯t want his works to be interpreted. He wanted them to be felt.¡± After a while, some viewers left a chat saying they felt sad. Some others didn¡¯t understand why they felt sad. ¡°Some of you are moved by Mark Rothko¡¯s painting, and some of you don¡¯t understand it. This is where I want to start my story. If you can¡¯t empathize with this work, are you ignorant and uncultured?¡± When I asked directly, they all said no. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Thanks to that, it¡¯s easy to continue the story. ¡°Mark Rothko¡¯s work, as well as all other works of art, are the results of personal thoughts. Mark Rothko is recognized as a great master, but some of you might think, what is that?¡± It¡¯s because you don¡¯t feel it, some argued. ¡°That¡¯s right. Let me ask you again. Don¡¯t you have someone who doesn¡¯t get along with you at all in your life?¡± Some said it¡¯s a problem to have low empathy, and some said it¡¯s not wrong. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a great thing to be able to empathize. It¡¯s hard to have a rtionship with someone who can¡¯t. But no one can form a rapport with everyone. I can¡¯t even understand myself, how can I know exactly how others feel?¡± Some people agreed with me. ¡°There is a difference between not understanding a really bad person and not understanding someone who has different thoughts and feelings from me. I think thetter is not wrong for either side.¡± As I was about to continue the story, I saw a viewer¡¯s experience. He said he didn¡¯t know what was good about Mark Rothko¡¯s work when he didn¡¯t know much about art, but as he saw other works, he felt Rothko at some point. ¡°Thank you for your good words. But there is no reason to try to empathize with something you are not interested in and don¡¯t understand. You are busy enough with the people and things you love.¡± They all agreed. Life is too harsh, and some people are struggling to survive. Even if you have some leeway, you don¡¯t need to try hard to understand something difficult and iprehensible. There are plenty of things that suit your taste. Do you need to do that in a short life when you can live happily with the people you love? ¡°Just find the writers and works you like. There are many contemporary artists who make intuitive works like Marso.¡± All artists live in their own ways. If it suits me, I enjoy it, and if it doesn¡¯t, I don¡¯t need to criticize it. It¡¯s just a pity that contemporary art is lumped together with a negative image. Just like not all French people are racist and not all Muslims are terrorists. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a lot of experience like that? Someone who is very famous on YouTube or somewhere, but I¡¯ve never seen them before.¡± I often don¡¯t know who they are when they are introduced as amazing people. I also seem to be known in the art field, but very few people recognize me on the street. ©¸Right lol I¡¯ve never seen or heard of some singers who are supposed to be very famous lol ©¸That¡¯s because you¡¯re old¡­ ©¸Isn¡¯t it because of the hoarding? ©¸It might be because of that, but I have a lot of experience like that. ©¸I haven¡¯t seen or cared about some movies that broke 10 million viewers. ¡°In the past, there were few media, so everyone knew if they were famous there. But now there are so many things to watch. Rather than watching something that doesn¡¯t suit your taste, you can consume the culture you like. So it can be a very great and famous work for me, but not for others. I think we should ept each other¡¯s differences now.¡± The viewers gave me various examples. People who don¡¯t know the memes that aremonly used on the inte, or the differences in vocabry depending on age or membership. ¡°What is Muyaho?¡± I asked one of the things I was curious about, and many peoplemented that there was a generation that didn¡¯t know Muyaho. It was a word that came out of a representative entertainment program in Korea. ¡°Let me tell you more. I have an interesting story about this from Future Emo. Can there be a person who is smarter than artificial intelligence?¡± ©¸No. ©¸Isn¡¯t it different if it¡¯s wisdom rather than knowledge? ©¸Yeah, I think so. ©¸But that part is also very vague. Humans can¡¯t keep up with things like Go or chess since a long time ago. ©¸The ident rate of self-driving cars is also lower than that of human-driven cars. ©¸These days, the really scary thing is that there is nothing that AI can¡¯t do. A lot of people lose their jobs because of that. ©¸I don¡¯t know about other things, but not art. From things like literature, art, music toplex genres like games, movies, AI can¡¯t follow. ©¸It¡¯s an era where novels written by AI win literary awards, what the heck lol1) They are expressing various opinions. ¡°You said there are good parts and bad parts. But actually, it¡¯s hard to find someone who knows more than AI. But there is something that humans are far ahead of AI.¡± They are curious. ¡°It¡¯s that humans can judge much faster whether they know something or not.¡± Humans can¡¯t match the calction speed of AI. ¡°When you ask AI, do you know this? It searches the data inside itself and answers yes or no. But we can answer right away in less than a second.¡± ©¸Really? ©¸Why is that? ©¸First of all, I don¡¯t know anything. ©¸lololol Isn¡¯t it just saying you don¡¯t know because you don¡¯t know? ¡°The reason why humans can judge so quickly is not because they search for information, but because they judge whether they are close or not with that thing. If you are close to me, you say you know, and if you are not, you think you don¡¯t.¡± ©¸Oh. That¡¯s right. ©¸That makes sense. ©¸Right. You can tell right away whether you are close or not. ©¸AI is nothing. ¡°On the contrary, if you feel familiar, you think you know even if you don¡¯t know well. For example, there are few people who think they don¡¯t know about their mom and dad. But in fact, there are not many children who know in detail what kind of life their parents have lived. Conversely, parents also delude themselves that they know everything about their children.¡± I like art, so if someone asks me if I know about art, I will say yes. But when I think about it, I don¡¯t know much more than I know. It¡¯s absurd to say that I know all the art that is divided into so many branches. But still, I think I know art. ¡°That¡¯s how humans are not rational beings, but emotional ones. Going back to the story we were talking about, let me ask you again. Is understanding art a priority?¡± They all say no. ¡°That¡¯s right. Bing close is the first thing. What technique they use, what style they have, what story there is in this work, what secrets are hidden. You naturally want to know all those things when you be close. So art is not something you study. It¡¯s something you enjoy when you feel like you want to get close. So you don¡¯t have to look at contemporary art only negatively, or curse or me yourself for not knowing.¡± ©¸That¡¯s true. ©¸You exin how to approach diversified art very easily. ©¸Why is our Hun so smart ? ©¸Professor, the pace is too fast. ©¸I want to eat pork belly rice bowl. ©¸Listening to this exnation, I understand a bit why impressionism is so popr. It has a universal sensibility and aesthetics, so it¡¯s like a likable type of person. They seem to ept it in their own ways. There are people who don¡¯t understand, who don¡¯t empathize, and who think further, but they are all my viewers. We can¡¯t understand each other perfectly, but we feelfortable epting each other¡¯s different thoughts because we are close. The person whoes in every time I broadcast and talks about pork belly rice bowl for 3-4 hours, I would have thought he was weird if I saw him on the street, but he¡¯s a bit cute when I meet him on my broadcast. Just like I thought of Marso as a crazy guy when I first met him, but now I think of him as a very cool artist. While I was working at the Bugrenelli shopping mall, I was making gifts to give to the kids. I felt a gaze and looked up, meeting Marso¡¯s eyes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you name yourself like that to do this?¡± ¡°Why? It suits me.¡± He narrowed his eyes and looked over me, the balloons, chocte, and snacks. I found a very cool video when I searched for desserts on NewTube. You blow up a balloon and coat the surface with plenty of chocte, wait for it to harden, and then pop the balloon and take it out to make a nice chocte ball. I wanted to use that actively and make various animals with stick balloons and coat them with chocte. I also wanted to make a house made of candy and chocte from the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel with a square-shaped balloon as a base. I pumped air into the stick balloon. ¡°Please tie this up.¡± ¡°You do it.¡± ¡°It looks like it¡¯s going to burst.¡± He licked his lips. ¡°Why are you making such a fuss when you can¡¯t even tie a balloon?¡± ¡°You have Marso.¡± I held out my hand with the balloon mouth pressed, and Marso snatched it with irritation. He was a good friend who always helped me out, no matter what. As I was wondering how many more balloons I should make for practice, I heard a loud pop. A balloon had burst. Marso was still holding the balloon in a slightly startled pose. ¡°Can¡¯t you tie it?¡± ¡°The balloon is defective.¡± ¡°Here.¡± I inted another balloon and handed it to him, but he popped it again. He red at me with a temper. ¡°Did you buy these properly?¡± ¡°Balloon is balloon. Can¡¯t you do it?¡± ¡°Do you think there¡¯s anything I can¡¯t do?¡± He looked down at the balloon pieces scattered on the floor and gritted his teeth. I wondered how often Marso had a chance to tie balloons. ¡°Try again.¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you one too when I finish. Michel will like it if you give it to him, right?¡± ¡°I can just buy him chocte or whatever.¡± ¡°Is it the same as something you made yourself?¡± I gave him another balloon with air, but he whined and popped it again. ¡°This is for making chocte bars, you know. I washed them clean. Be careful.¡± ¡°Just shut up and pass them!¡± He was annoyed, but he showed some enthusiasm when I mentioned Michel. 1)Artificial intelligence that writes novels passes first round of Japanese literary prize, Maeil Business Newspaper, Hwang Hyung-kyu, Lee Ji-yong reporters, 2016.03.22. This text is written based on the assumption that the time in the story is 2029. Chapter 255: Chapter 255: 255 Close Friends (2) Michel tini came to Ko Hun¡¯s house to discuss the management policy of Choctier. Since Ko Hun and Henri Marso, the main shareholders of thepany, had clear andplementary goals, the conversation went smoothly. ¡°I think we should divide the theme hall for the joint exhibition.¡± ¡°I agree. They have such strong personalities. What are your ns if more artists join us?¡± Bang Tae Ho asked Michel about his future ns. Although he was nine years older and had more experience as a curator, Bang Tae Ho respected Michel tini, who had been active in the forefront of contemporary art. He had made Henri Marso the most famous artist in the world, and his nning skills in the Art Nouveaupetition were undeniable.He wanted to take charge of the exhibition himself, but he thought it would be better for Choctier if Michel did it. ¡°I think it would be better to base it online.¡± Bang Tae Ho was puzzled by Michel¡¯s answer. ¡°Do you mean a virtual museum?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Michel began to exin. ¡°You must know that offline exhibitions are hard to achieve resultspared to the investment.¡± Bang Tae Ho nodded in agreement. It was difficult to cover the rent, promotion, andbor costs with just the admission fees. They had to make a profit by selling the works. Michel mentioned nche Fabre, the only artist affiliated with Choctier besides Ko Hun and Henri Marso. ¡°Fabre is getting attention, but she has no solo exhibition experience. We don¡¯t know who will join uster, but it will be hard to bring in famous artists ording to our policy.¡± This was also Michel¡¯s right opinion. Famous artists were either affiliated with apany and managed by them, or some of them ran their own businesses to reduce themission. ¡°It¡¯s not good for both the two artists and the people who will join us in the future to open exhibitions without thinking, when we have to rely on Marceau and Hoon for ie.¡± ¡°So you want to test the potential online.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bang Tae Ho was worried. Virtual exhibitions were cheaper, but they were only possible after the infrastructure was built. They needed a tform, and people who used that tform, so they needed a lot of initial development and promotion costs. They also had to find professional staff. Bang Tae Ho pointed out these problems. Michel agreed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be a virtual exhibition hall. There are ces where you can make a name for yourself anywhere. Like Hoon¡¯s YouTube.¡± Michel tini thought that artists could use SNS, ormunity sites rted to drawing like DeviantArt, as good ces to work. ¡°Artists have been in an environment where they have to promote themselves for a long time. I think the people who will join us in the future also need to prove their abilities by themselves.¡± ¡°So you want to give opportunities to those who show results.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bang Tae Ho thought for a moment. It was a great condition for thepany, and it was also natural for the artists to grow by themselves. But from the perspective of the artists, they might feel neglected after signing the contract. ¡°I think we need some support for the artists.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Promoting their works, or finding good opportunities for them.¡± Michel tini was skeptical of Bang Tae Ho¡¯s suggestion. As a graduate of art school, he had seen some hard-working ssmates, but also many who worked as artists by getting rmended by their connections. He thought that artists should take the initiative themselves to weed out those whocked passion. But Bang Tae Ho¡¯s words also made sense. If there was no support for the people who were selected through the interview, that could also be a problem. ¡°The interview bes important.¡± Bang Tae Ho nodded. As Michel judged, they had to at least see the potential in the interview situation to provide the minimum support. For the development of thepany, it was effective to secure as many artists as possible ording to Michel¡¯s suggestion, and invest in those who showed results. But Ko Hun and Henri Marso didn¡¯t seem to want many members in Choctier. ¡°Well, let¡¯s talk again next time.¡± After exchanging some general ideas. Michel tini went to Ko Hun¡¯s studio. He wanted to go back with Henri Marso, but neither Ko Hun nor Henri was there. ¡®Where did they go?¡¯ I never expected the two art idiots to be anywhere else but the studio. I took out my smartphone and called them. The phone rang and Henri Marso answered. -Yeah. ¡°Where are you?¡± -Second floor. ¡°I¡¯m done. Are you staying longer?¡± -Bang! Something exploded and I pulled the phone away from my ear. I calmed my startled heart and asked suspiciously. ¡°What are you doing?¡± -Damn it. Tying balloons. -You haven¡¯t tied any. -Quiet! Ko Hun and Henri started arguing and I had no choice but to go upstairs. ¡°Can you do it properly?¡± ¡°You do it! It¡¯s not my fault they pop when you make them too big!¡± I looked around the two still bickering. Balloon pieces and chocte wrappers were scattered everywhere. The chocte that needed to be melted was left in the pot and boiling. I hurriedly turned off the induction stove. I stirred the bubbling chocte with a spat and a burnt smell rose. Ko Hun and Henri Marso were shocked to see the chocte was burnt. ¡°Did you boil it too much?¡± ¡°How can you make such a mess when you can¡¯t even do it right?¡± I put the pot down on the sink and turned around. ¡°What is this? Are you trying to start a homemade chocte business?¡± ¡°Why would I do that?¡± ¡°Then? It¡¯s not even Valentine¡¯s Day.¡± ¡°I wanted to make some for Michelle.¡± ¡°When did I say that?¡± ¡°You kept saying we should give some to Michelle.¡± Ko Hun pointed at the balloon pieces on the floor. I couldn¡¯t understand what the connection was between balloons and chocte, but there was something more important. ¡°You want to give some to me?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I was about to leave. Should I go first?¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll only get a headache if I stay here.¡± Henri Marso got up. He didn¡¯t want to tie balloons or stir chocte anymore. ¡°Store?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I want some.¡± Henri Marso frowned. ¡°Let¡¯s stop by Arsen¡¯s ce and buy some chocte on the way.¡± ¡°Make some for me.¡± Michelle said her intention tly and sat on the sofa in the living room on the second floor. She turned on the TV. ¡°I have to do it again. Can you peel some chocte for me?¡± Ko Hun urged Henri Marso, who was speechless with disbelief. ¡°We need to melt it~¡± Michelle said, leaning on the sofa. ¡°This won¡¯t work.¡± Henri Marso dered a breakup after seeding in tying balloons but failing in making animals with stick balloons. He said he would do it his way and went outside. I had no choice but to struggle alone and finished all the parts I needed. I made the head, body, four legs, and tail separately, because I thought it would be a problem to take out the balloonster if I made everything with one balloon. I carefully poured melted chocte over each balloon. It didn¡¯t spread as well as I saw in the YouTube video, and I wondered if it would have been better to dip them in arge container full of chocte. While waiting for the chocte to harden, Michelle stretched. ¡°Where are you going?¡± He grumbled and grabbed his clothes and bag. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± ¡°Yeah. I have something to prepare.¡± Michelle came over and looked at the table. ¡°Are there balloons inside these?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll make a hole and pop them.¡± They seemed to have hardened enough, so I made a small hole and popped the balloons with a needle. I checked the balloon pieces I had taken out to make sure there were no fragments left inside that the kids might eat. Fortunately, there were no holes. ¡°Oh, so this is how you put them together. That¡¯s a clever idea.¡± ¡°I learned it from NewTube.¡± It was a brilliant idea to use balloons as molds. I melted some chocte and glued the head and body together, then waited for them to dry. ¡°It looks like it will turn out well.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± It was my first attempt, so I might fail, but I wouldn¡¯t know what the problem was unless I did. ¡°Well, good luck. I¡¯ll see youter.¡± ¡°Bye.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± After Michelle left, I attached the legs, but I was having trouble with the angle. Then Henri Marso came back. He brought Arsen and some others with him, carrying loads of chocte. There were so many boxes of chocte that they formed a wall on one side of the kitchen. ¡°What is all this?¡± Marceau looked at my chocte puppy with a crooked smile and snickered. ¡°How long will it take you to make it like that?¡± He winked at Arsen. The people moved swiftly. Some of them tore open the packaged chocte and dumped it into a huge pot that I had no idea where they got it from. Some others cleaned up the messy kitchen. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s faster to sculpt.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± They nned to fill the 80cm pot with chocte, harden it, and then carve it out. It would be easier for Marceau, who was also a sculptor, to show his skills that way. ¡°When will it harden?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He had never worked with chocte before, so he had no clue. Chocte hardened rtively quickly, but it would take a lot of time for that much chocte to solidify all the way through. And he had to sculpt it too. I wondered if he could finish it today. Marceau looked around. ¡°Michelle left a while ago.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it too big, though? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to make it smaller?¡± I was curious how he would store and eat a chocte that was 80cm tall. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He seemed to have something he wanted to sculpt. I thought it would be better to take it home and make it there, but I was curious what he would make, so I didn¡¯t say anything. Chapter 256: 256 Getting Along (3) I wonder what to do with this awkward chocte puppy. Before I start over, I want to check if there are any other problems as much as possible. Even if I adjust the length of the legs, there could be another reason for it to fail. For now, I follow the n and cut off the head and upper back with a hot knife. All I have to do is fill the inside with chocte cream, candy, and snacks like wafers. Thud- ¡°Ah.¡±The puppy¡¯s head falls off, unable to withstand the weight of the cream and candy. It¡¯s partly because the weight is shifted to one side due to the leg length, but the main problem is that it¡¯s too thin. There¡¯s a limit to how thick I can coat the chocte on the balloon, so it seems hard to fill the puppy mold with chocte and snacks. I wonder why the YouTuber who did chocte crafts didn¡¯t use this good idea more actively. ¡°Hmm.¡± I¡¯m in trouble. I need a support to hold the weight of the chocte. Of course, I want to use something edible. I thought about using Pepero as rebar, but they¡¯re not sturdy enough and they¡¯ll break easily. I could carve a chunk of chocte like Marso, but it would be a problem for the kids to share that huge chocte chunk. I want to give them the fun of finding and eating various snacks inside the chocte. And it would be enjoyable to eat different things. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ I can¡¯t think of a good way right now. I give up on the puppy and decide to make a candy house using wafer snacks as walls. I melt the chocte again and see what Marso is doing. He¡¯s drawing a blueprint. He¡¯s using the time while the chocte hardens. ¡°Where¡¯s the chocte?¡± ¡°Over there.¡± Marso points to the kimchi fridge he bought from Korea. He pushed the kimchi to one side and put the chocte in the empty space. Luckily, there wasn¡¯t much kimchi, or it would have gone bad. I look at Marso¡¯s blueprint. ¡°It¡¯s not your face?¡± It¡¯s hard to tell what it is, but it¡¯s definitely not Marso¡¯s face or body. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I thought you would do that.¡± ¡°How do you expect me to eat my own face?¡± He acts sensible sometimes, even though he made over 800 self-portraits and self-sculptures. ¡°You¡¯d be too attached to eat it.¡± I wonder if he¡¯d be too disgusted to eat it. ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± I don¡¯t know much about sculpture, but I can¡¯t tell what it is at a nce. It seemsplicated and it might take a lot of work. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it melt if it takes too long?¡± ¡°I have to freeze the carving knife too.¡± ¡°I saw a video where they put it on a cold marble b.¡± Marso is in a dilemma. He thinks carefully and gives Arsene a hint. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What are you doing? Go get it.¡± Arsene looks flustered and goes outside. He has a lot to do. I¡¯m curious about the taste of the chocte Marso bought, so I put one of the leftovers in my mouth. It¡¯s quite hard. The texture is different for each chocte, but he chose a hard one on purpose to carve it. ¡°The puppy.¡± Marso looks at where I was working and finds the chocte puppy. ¡°It didn¡¯t work out. I¡¯m melting it again.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hold up.¡± ¡°You should have told me sooner if you knew.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to experience it than to know it from me.¡± He must have decided to carve it from the beginning because he knew this problem. It¡¯s the difference of experience in making sculptures. ¡°So. What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to make a house.¡± He snorts when I show him the rough sketch. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the best you can do.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Heughs triumphantly. His eyes show that he thinks he has won, and it annoys me. I had nned to stack cookies and chocte into a house shape, but I guess I have to find another way. I can¡¯t just stand there and watch him act smug. But how? He has an advantage over me in this kind of thing. It¡¯s the first time for both of us to handle chocte, and neither of us has ever made a sculpture. If I recall the skills he showed in , he will probably make a splendid chocte statue this time. I have to use my strengths too. As Ko Hun, who was deep in thought, quickly went down to the first floor, Henri Marso snickered. Ko Hun, who had shown a remarkable performance in painting that once gave him a sense of frustration, didn¡¯t have much power in chocte craft. A house made of chocte and cookies. It was just cute. ¡®That¡¯s normal.¡¯ Marso moved his hands busily, feeling like showing off his very fine chocte piece. Not long after that, Ko Hun brought a brush, oil paper, and chocte. He melted chocte of different colors and spread out the oil paper. Henri Marso, who was waiting for Arsen, watched the scene with curiosity. Ko Hun stacked wafers like bricks, and stuck cookies and cookies together with chocte. He waited for it to harden and picked up the brush. He dipped it in brown chocte and spread it over the oil paper. Henri Marso approached and examined what Ko Hun was doing. Ko Hun drew pictures using brown chocte mixed with darker chocte, and white chocte. He used different colors of chocte without mixing thempletely, making them look like wood grain. He measured the length of the wall made of wafers and cut it with a knife. He drew all four sides and put them in the freezer. ¡°¡­¡± Henri Marso easily understood Ko Hun¡¯s intention. He was thinking of recing the simple shape thatcked skill with a brush. Ko Hun¡¯s unique impasto technique was effective in expressing texture with thick chocte. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Ko Hun snorted and spread out another oil paper. He thought he would draw a wall with wood grain like before, but this time he rolled the oil paper round and put it in a cup. Henri Marso tilted his head. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Wood.¡± Henri Marso nodded inwardly after figuring out Ko Hun¡¯s intention. If he hardened the round chocte and removed the paper, it would be a cylinder. It looked like wood because he expressed the wood grain with chocte. ¡®It¡¯s not over yet.¡¯ He had room to express it more delicately by adding or painting on the cylinder. Ko Hun spread out another oil paper. It was not easy to draw leaves with chocte because of its viscosity. He tried several more times and put down the brush and went down to the first floor. Henri Marso looked at the oil paper that Ko Hun used like a canvas. He seemed to know where the boy got the idea. ¡®It¡¯s a breakthrough.¡¯ The final destination of the breakthrough was to use everything the brush touched as a canvas. Now he only reproduced what he drew on the virtual reality-based tilt canvas with a specially made 3D printer, but someday he aimed toplete a special paint and draw it directly. Even if he couldn¡¯t bepletely free, he was developing a special paint that would solidify momentarily when he met certain conditions. Chocte was simr to that. He drew on the oil paper, twisted the paper and hardened it, and he could express it in three dimensions. Henri Marso was satisfied that Ko Hun tried the work with reference to the breakthrough. He watched the boy who came back with a lot of leaves from the garden. Ko Hun washed the leaves clean and coated them thickly with chocte. The structure of the house was simple, but the exterior and the surrounding scenery seemed to be quite realistic. ¡®That¡¯s how it should be.¡¯ A small smile appeared on Henri Marso¡¯s lips. When I finished preparing roughly, Arsen brought a machine that was a little smaller than my height. I¡¯ve seen something simr at the ice cream shop. It must be something that lowers the temperature byying marble. It was delicious when I mixed ice cream, chocte, and cookies, but my heart beats when I put the frozen chocte on the machine. I should suggest trying it once I finish my work. Marso picked up the chisel and hammer he had frozen. First, he cut off the round surface and made a cube. Tap tap- Then he approached it very carefully, unexpectedly. Maybe it was because he had never handled this material before, or maybe he wanted to use the whole cube. I couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking. It was a time-consuming task, so I decided to watch him slowly while doing my own work. I took out what I had frozen in the freezer. I coated the wafers with chocte and stuck the frozen walls. It was a splendid cabin. I filled it with cookies and candy and covered the roof with the same method I used to make the walls. I drilled a hole in one side of the roof and stuck a thick stick candy. I attached white chocte that I had thinly spread and hardened on wax paper. It was a cozy house with smoke rising. But it was boring with just the house. Before nting the trees I had prepared, I poured plenty of chocte around them. It was strange to have only trees, so there should be grass too. I picked up a brush and dotted around the trees. Chocte came up every time I lifted the brush. I had to be careful not to mess up the surroundings, but if I didn¡¯t hurry, it would dry up quickly. I focused on making grass around the house and then made a path with chocte shaped like stones. I lifted my head a little to rest. Marso had made some progress. He had cut off the top and side surfaces, leaving only 2 cm of the edges, making a box shape. He was working on the inside, but there was no noticeable feature yet. I wondered what he was making. ¡°Author.¡± Arsene came out. ¡°Don¡¯t you see I¡¯m working?¡± Marso snapped, but Arsene didn¡¯t back down. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it would be better to move before it gets toote?¡± Marso lifted his head. He checked the clock he had loosened and tilted his head. It was 9 p.m. It was around lunchtime when Michelle came, but time had flown by. He must not have been hungry because he kept eating chocte while working. Come to think of it, Grandpa and Bantaeho had stopped by in the meantime. ¡°Go back. I¡¯ll stay here today.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡± Marso looked at my chocte house and narrowed his eyes, then picked up the chisel again. He was going to stay up all night. That obsession must have led him to the top of the world. He had amazing concentration. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Sleep.¡± Chapter 257: Chapter 257: 257 Close Friends (4) ¡°How can you sleep like this? Stop talking nonsense.¡± I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s saying after making such a mess. I¡¯m just getting the hang of the work and making progress, but I can¡¯t quit now. He should know how hard it is to get back into the groove once you stop working when you¡¯re immersed in it. He¡¯s just being spiteful. ¡°Take a shower and go to bed.¡± ¡°¡­¡±¡°I said go to bed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He ignores me a few times, but he eventually gives up and focuses on his own work. I get greedy and want to decorate the house as well, but I don¡¯t know if I can finish it by tonight. Henri Matisse straightened his back after sessfully making a ball in the box with only the corners left. The ball was barely attached to the eight corners, excluding the floor. He checked the time after finishing the base, and the clock pointed to 2 a.m. He climbed onto the dining table and looked at Go Hun painting with a brush. Go Hun, who had finally made a puppy, was making a bird and a child based on his skills. He realized that the reason why the chocte puppy failed was because of its weight and size, so he decided to reduce the size. But with the balloon mold, the volume could only increase, and he had to find another way. He searched for the works of choctiers and chocte artists on the inte and organized his thoughts. He adopted a method of putting melted chocte in a stic bag, cutting off a corner, and stacking it like a 3D printer. He quickly understood the technique because he had seen how a 3D printer worked many times, and he was finally able to make chocte birds, puppies, and people. It was different from his original intention, but he was gradually approaching his goal of giving joy to the children. ¡®¡­¡¯ Henri Matisse watched Go Hun, who had been concentrating for hours, for a while. He had started working around noon yesterday, so he had been doing it for 14 hours straight. He recalled his childhood and was worried about the boy. He had a personality that he had to see the end of whatever he was into, and he often had minor illnesses due to his irregr lifestyle. He couldn¡¯t give up his work, so he spent his spare time taking care of his body, but his physical condition was not very good because of his ingrained habits. He maintained his health thanks to the constant care and his own efforts, but his liver and kidney levels rose as soon as he let his guard down. ¡°¡­¡± That¡¯s why he wanted Go Hun to live a regr life for his health, but he couldn¡¯t stop him anymore. He himself knew that he was not well, but he willingly did not let go of his brush and chisel, so he thought Go Hun would be no different. People who were obsessed with something did not hear what others said around them. Go Hun drew a butterfly with chocte on wax paper and folded it slightly. He made sure that the two wings did not stick together, so that it would harden as if it was pping its wings. A strange sympathy rose in Henri Matisse¡¯s chest, which was full of worry. When he held a brush and a chisel, only the work and himself existed. He liked that loneliness. He liked the process of getting closer to the ideal, step by step, and the heart that fluttered more as he did. The satisfaction that flooded like a tidal wave when hepleted the work. Nothing could rece that. The two continued to create their own worlds. Only the sound of chocte falling in the silence, but it was more peaceful than ever. The day dawned. ¡°Ouch.¡± Go Su Yeol, who came down to the second floor, looked around the kitchen that was a mess. Chocte wrappers and wax paper, chisels, chocte pieces filled with trash cans, cookie crumbs. He couldn¡¯t tell where to start cleaning up the pots and dishes that filled the sink. He thought he would have to eat outside this morning. ¡°Huh.¡± He saw two works in his sight. One of the works on the cold marble was a chocte house made by Go Hun. It was like the house in the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel, in the middle of the forest. In the lush forest of chocte grass and chocte trees, puppies, rabbits, and butterflies were ying along the chocte road shaped like stones. It was not finished yet, but it was hard to believe that he made it in a day, it was so borate. ¡®How did he do this.¡¯ He examined how his grandson expressed the texture of the walls and nts. He nodded his head when he saw the brush and wax paper, wondering how he made the butterfly that looked like it would p its wings at any moment. He was amazed when he first saw him eat. When he used oil pastels and watercolors, Ko Hun had always used the materials effectively. This time, he seemed to have made good use of their high viscosity and fast-drying properties. On the other hand, Henri Marso¡¯s work was hard to believe even with two eyes. Marceau had carved out a sphere and depicted four scenes depending on the direction of view. From the front, two maple trees stood along the spherical surface, and a woman was sculpted between them. Turning to the right, there was a maple tree on the left and an iris field on the right. Turning another 90 degrees, there was a man standing between the iris field and Marceau¡¯s mansion. The statue in the middle had one side sculpted as a woman and the other as a man. Taking another step, the lovers were standing back to back between Marceau¡¯s mansion and the maple trees. It looked like a snowball made of chocte. This was also not yet finished, but it was hard to believe that it had been done in a day. Kosuyeolughed sarcastically as he looked at the two works and headed to the living room. He could see Henri Marso, who was asleep on the sofa with his arms crossed, and Ko Hun, who was lying long with his legs as a pillow. Two dayster. Michel was surprised to find her lover. She had been worried that he hadn¡¯t contacted her for a few days after saying he would make chocte, and when she saw a huge chocte sculpture in front of her, she was speechless. The spherical sculpture had its surface carved with trees, a mansion, and flowers, and the floor was full of irises. In the middle, Henri and Michel were standing back to back. ¡°¡­What?¡± Michel, who had no romance at all, would have been pleased if her lover had made a heart-shaped chocte, looked back and forth between the sculpture and her lover. Henri Marso cut off the top of the sphere with a heated knife. He put a grater on it and shook off the white chocte powder, and snow fell on the iris field. For the two people who had spent their time only in the mansion to avoid the eyes of the surroundings, Marceau¡¯s mansion and its grounds were a ce of memories. The summer when the irises bloomed, the autumn when the maple leaves turned red, and the especially quiet Marceau mansion on snowy days. ¡°Henri.¡± Michel called her lover. His emerald eyes were full of love. She couldn¡¯t help but fall for his asional innocence. The two kissed. They parted their lips regretfully, exchanged nces, and kissed again. After repeating this, Henri Marso pushed her away. ¡°Eat.¡± ¡°¡­This?¡± ¡°You asked me to make it.¡± Michel looked at the chocte sculpture. The sculpture that Henri Marso had worked hard on for three days was not a simple piece of art. It was a precious treasure that shaped their memories. ¡°How can I eat this?¡± Henri Marso frowned. ¡°I made it for you.¡± ¡°Still.¡± Michel hesitated and Henri picked up a knife. He was about to cut off a maple tree when Michel screamed. ¡°Wait! Wait a minute!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that. Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll go bad if you leave it.¡± ¡°Just a little more.¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Henri Marso, who had stayed up for three days and nights,ined of fatigue. He wanted to feed Michel the chocte and sleepfortably as soon as possible. ¡°Hey, wait. Take a picture. Take a picture. Hey, you idiot!¡± When Henri finally cut off a branch, Michel hit his back. Meanwhile. Kosuyeol and Bang Taeho also opened their eyes wide at the chocte house that Ko Hun had given them. A chocte penguin that looked like it was 50 cm tall was staring at them with round eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a penguin.¡± Ko Hun, who had prepared another work for his grandfather and Bang Taeho besides the for the children, was a bit disappointed by their reaction. ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± ¡°No, no.¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Ko Hun asked and Kosuyeol and Bang Taeho shook their heads in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s hard to makeplex shapes with balloons. Like a dog. But I thought a standing penguin would be simple enough.¡± ¡°Uh, uh.¡± Bang Taeho trailed off. The Penguin was filled with chocte syrup and mousse, nuts, nougat, and various candies on its belly and head. ¡°Just scoop it with a spoon.¡± Ko Hun handed a spoon to his grandfather and Bang Taeho with a smile. ¡°Please eat it all.¡± ¡°All of this?¡± Kosuyeol asked in surprise. ¡°It will go bad if you leave it.¡± ¡°Well, I guess so. But, grandpa, you can¡¯t eat all of this. It will raise your blood sugar.¡± ¡°Blood sugar?¡± ¡°Diabetes.¡± ¡°Yeah. This thing. Sigh. You spent all your money on chocte.¡± Kosuyeol stuck out his tongue. He felt dizzy at the sight of the diabetes-inducing appearance. ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± Ko Hun turned his gaze to Bang Taeho. ¡°You worked hard going back and forth between Seoul and Paris. This is your reward, so enjoy it.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Ahem. Hmm.¡± Bang Taeho sent a plea for help to Kosuyeol, but Kosuyeol avoided his eyes with a cough. ¡°My blood vessels are going to work overtime today.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to eat it all by yourself. You can put it in the fridge and eat it tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­Wouldn¡¯t it be better to take this to the mall work tomorrow?¡± Ko Hun blinked. ¡°No. I¡¯m really grateful for your thoughtfulness. I¡¯m very happy. You made this for me.¡± Ko Hun smiled brightly. ¡°I have something else to share with the kids. Please eat a lot, sir.¡± Chapter 258: Chapter 258: 258 Admission (1) I boarded the bus that Bugrenelli Mall had sponsored for the kids. Even though I didn¡¯t tell them to wear it, they were all wearing the bee outfits that the children¡¯s clothing brand Lily had given us. ¡°I ate three breads yesterday?¡± ¡°Audrey is hungry!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it so loud.¡± ¡°Audrey is hungry.¡± Olivier repeated the urgent news for Audrey, who was embarrassed.He was cute, whispering in a low voice. ¡°We¡¯ll be there in ten minutes. Can you hold on?¡± Bong Taeho asked, and Audrey nodded with difficulty. The bus stopped for a moment, and a social worker from the city hall ran off with Audrey somewhere. I was about to sit down when I met Bida Rabbani¡¯s eyes. She looked cheerful for once. We sat side by side and put a piece of chocte in our mouths. ¡°It feels like we¡¯re going on a pic.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Is this right?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°A pic.¡± I didn¡¯t understand the question for a moment. Maybe she had never been on a pic before. I nodded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a pic.¡± ¡°Are we going to fight?¡± ¡°Fi, fight?¡± nche Fabre, who was sitting in front of us, leaned her face in and Bida Rabbani flinched. ¡°It¡¯s an opportunity to show how awesome Choctier is as a group of painters. You have to get your act together. You¡¯re a Choctier too.¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m not yet.¡± ¡°Are you not going to join?¡± ¡°I want to, but¡­¡± Rabbani looked at me and Fabre. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Are you ashamed of us?¡± ¡°No! Of course not!¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rabbani didn¡¯t answer. Maybe she was worried about causing trouble because she was a Muslim, but Fabre didn¡¯t care at all. She urged her impatiently. ¡°Do you want to join or not?¡± ¡°I want to.¡± ¡°Then you have to show the boss and Hoon that you can do well this time.¡± Fabre gave me and Bong Taeho a look. It wasn¡¯t necessary to go that far, but Rabbani seemed to take Fabre¡¯s words positively. ¡°Uh, okay! I¡¯ll do my best!¡± She was more motivated than when she spoke kindly and politely. Maybe sometimes it helps to be blunt like Fabre. Bida Rabbani showed her enthusiasm. ¡°By the way.¡± I asked Fabre. ¡°You go to Henri IV High School, right?¡± She nodded. ¡°We might see each other. The principal said that high school students can study with us too.¡± Henri IV High School and its affiliated Henri IV Middle School seemed to have a lot of talented kids. They offered special lectures for students who wanted to study more deeply than the regr subjects, and the art ss by Principal Pusang was very popr. Since the time was limited, he seemed to teach middle school and high school students together. ¡°Yeah.¡± Fabre nodded. ¡°How is it?¡± He seemed like a good person from the experience I had met him before, and he was also a benefactor of Marso. But teaching was another matter. I was curious what I could learn from him. ¡°It¡¯s useful. The principal is an angel.¡± ¡°What kind of ss did you take?¡± ¡°Art therapy.¡± It was one of the subjects that Pusang had told me about. I had a vague interest in it, as I had never approached it as a systematic discipline, but only as a way of finding peace of mind by drawing pictures andforting myself. ¡°What are you learning?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not learning.¡± Fabre gave me a mysterious answer. ¡°You¡¯re not learning?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m just ying.¡± I didn¡¯t understand what he meant, so I asked him again, but he said it would be no fun if I knew and refused to say more. A littleter. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± ¡°Did you make this, bro?¡± When I showed them at the mall, the kids gathered around with sparkling eyes. It was worth the hard work. I was surprised when I peeled off a leaf. ¡°Here, try it.¡± Olivier looked at the leaf suspiciously and nced at me. ¡°It¡¯s not a leaf.¡± He seemed to have been too greedy. He didn¡¯t think it was chocte, because I had used food coloring to give it some color. He probably thought it was a fake leaf. He wouldn¡¯t believe it until he ate it, so I put it in my mouth and the kids were amazed. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± I picked up a puppy and offered it to Adelie, but she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s chocte.¡± ¡°Still. It¡¯s cute.¡± I didn¡¯t expect this reaction. I thought everyone would like the candy house, but they said they couldn¡¯t eat it because it was too cute. I was flustered. ¡°I¡¯ll just eat this.¡± One kid picked up a chocte from the mart and the others followed suit. Good intentions don¡¯t always result in positive feedback. was a failure. The kids just observed the candy house with curiosity and admiration, but they didn¡¯t eat it. I seeded in attracting their attention, but I missed the mark. I had to keep that in mind when I made other works. ¡°What?¡± Kim Ji-woo, a reporter for the magazine , was shocked to hear the news that it was going out of business. ¡°That¡¯s what happened.¡± The CEO confirmed the fact. Some bowed their heads and some bit their lips. Kim Ji-woo and the rest were at a loss for what to do with their anger and disbelief. was a small and medium-sizedpany with 17 employees, but it had been achieving positive resultstely. The magazine subscribers, which had been decreasing every month, had stabilizedpared to six months ago, and the online article views had exploded. ¡°Why? What¡¯s the problem?¡± The CEO closed his eyes. He was frustrated by the situation where he had to close the business that he had devoted his everything to, and he felt sorry for not being able to take responsibility for the employees until the end. And he was also hurt by having to tell them such a fact. Lee Sangcheol, the editor-in-chief, stepped in. He had to tell them the sad news or the truth. ¡°You must have known that we¡¯ve been in the red all along. The CEO paid for it with his own money untilst year, and then he survived on loans.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kim Ji-woo and the employees felt their hearts sink as they heard the story from Lee Sangcheol. Justst month, they had received bonuses and incentives from the CEO, but he had told them that he had borrowed money and shared it with them. They were speechless. ¡°It¡¯s not right away. We have things to sort out and you have to find new jobs, so I¡¯m telling you two months in advance.¡± The CEO spoke up. He exchanged eye contact with each and every one of them and closed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kim Ji-woo stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ll return the incentive. It¡¯s okay if I don¡¯t get paid for a month or two.¡± After graduating from college. He had never imagined that , which he had joined in pursuit of his dream, would be in such a dire situation. He knew it was hard, but he didn¡¯t bother to find out the details. It was no use knowing the negative situation, as it would only increase his worries. He thought that writing better articles as a reporter was the best he could do. In fact, it was thanks to Kim Ji-woo¡¯s performance that Yehwa was able to hold on for a few more months. Kim Ji-woo¡¯s article was widely reshared during the Artnouveau contest. The Artnouveau contest special issue sold much more than usual, giving hope to Yehwa. But Yehwa, who had focused on offline business, could not continue it. They printed 10,000 copies, but only 2,000 of them were sold, and the situation did not improve. ¡°I¡¯m fine too.¡± Some echoed Kim Ji-woo¡¯s thoughts. Some did not respond. Employees who had college tuition loans left, employees who had to pay rent, employees who had someone to take care of, none of them could wait indefinitely. It was reality. If they had confidence that the situation would improve in a month or two, they would dly sacrifice, but they did not. The representative shook his head. Even if they postponed the payroll for a while, there was no more hole for the money toe out. ¡°Thank you for everything. I¡¯ll appreciate your help for the remaining time.¡± He regretted focusing on physical magazine publishing rather than online business with his own stubbornness. It would have been different if it was his own thing. Although he hit the limit, it was something he did to achieve his dream, so he would have been proud of himself. But he could not raise his head in front of the employees who trusted and followed him. He could not let them sacrifice themselves when they had a bright future ahead. After the whole meeting. Kim Ji-woo, who returned to her seat, could not get anything done. ¡®I have to organize the source.¡¯ ¡®I have to call Hoon.¡¯ ¡®I have to go to Seo Inho¡¯s exhibition.¡¯ She had a lot of things to do in her head, but she could not grasp anything. Even after the work hours passed, the editor-in-chief, Lee Sangcheol, who saw her sitting nkly, came over. ¡°You should go home.¡± She had an unsettled word in her mouth. She did not know what to say or how to say it. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Kim Ji-woo, who went outside the building, bowed to Lee Sangcheol and walked away. Suddenly, she wanted to hear something, and when she turned her head, she saw the editor-in-chief sitting in the smoking room installed in the corner of thepany building. He was sitting with his head down, not even lighting a cigarette. Kim Ji-woo approached him. She sat next to him and lit a cigarette. The two spent some time in silence. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not okay at all. It¡¯s ruined.¡± Kim Ji-woo retorted to the constion given by the editor-in-chief. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s ruined.¡± The twoughed bitterly. ¡°Do you have somewhere to go?¡± ¡°Where would I have? You have a lot of ces to call you, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. Don¡¯t feel burdened.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The two took out new cigarettes. ¡°You¡¯re good at nning and writing articles, so you¡¯ll be fine. I mean it.¡± ¡°¡­Then what do you do. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s recognized everywhere.¡± Lee Sangcheol chuckled. ¡°If you want to keep talking about art, why don¡¯t you take this opportunity and go out?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more popr overseas. Thanks to Marso and Ko Hun, the recent art trend is good. Ennd is a bit hard, so France might be nice.¡± ¡°Where would I have a ce to ept me if I go to Europe. I just started walking in French.¡± ¡°If they don¡¯t ept you, you can do it alone. These days, there are many cases where reporters do well by criticizing. Han Yesul or Cha Chaeun.¡± Lee Sangcheol mentioned Han Yesul, a critic who became a world-renowned figure by covering various aspects of culture and art, and a famous person for music columns. But to Kim Ji-woo, it sounded like a dream. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Lee Sangcheol looked at Kim Ji-woo intently. ¡°When you interviewed for the job, you said you came because you loved art so much. Do you still?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then try to be brave. It¡¯ll be okay.¡± Lee Sangcheol handed Kim Ji-woo an envelope. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°A reply.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I have someone I know in Bozar. It¡¯s hard to get a job, but I asked him to make a column for you while telling your story.¡± Beaux Arts was a prestigious art magazine in France that Kim Ji-woo was well aware of. ¡°I was going to give it to you when you were in a good mood. But it turned out like this.¡± ¡°Editor-in-chief¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up. It could be a rejection. I haven¡¯t opened it yet.¡± Kim Ji-woo tore the envelope with a snicker. She thought it would be hard. It didn¡¯t make sense that she, who couldn¡¯t even speak French properly, would write a column for a French magazine. But she was grateful that he had tried so hard for her sake, even if it was rejected. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t even read that much?¡± Kim Ji-woo slowly lifted her head. ¡°Editor-in-chief!¡± She hugged Lee Sangcheol, the editor-in-chief, tightly. Chapter 259: Chapter 259: 259 Admission (2) The bees who had shared chocte and snacks were gathered in the basement za of the shopping mall. They recalled the fun time they had at the Dallyda za, and looked forward to what they would do and y today. ¡°What are we doing today?¡± ¡°I can draw sunflowers well now.¡± ¡°I want to draw a chicken! A chicken!¡± As one child opened his mouth, the others chimed in. The parents and social workers who followed them to protect them tried to calm them down, but it was useless.Ko Hun didn¡¯t want to stop their mouths or restrict their actions as long as they didn¡¯t do anything dangerous. He wanted them to enjoy their freedom as much as possible since they came to y. Instead of telling them to be quiet, he showed them the gold-wrapped coin choctes that he had sponsored. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I know! It¡¯s money!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that kind of money before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very, very good.¡± ¡°I saw it in aic. It¡¯s a gold coin.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a gold coin?¡± ¡°Something expensive.¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Ten bags of chocte?¡± The children¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest, and Ko Hun smiled brightly. ¡°I¡¯ll give one of these to each person who draws their own face today.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. If you draw your mom or dad, or your friend¡¯s face, I¡¯ll give you one more. The brushes and paints will be distributed by that gentleman over there.¡± As Ko Hun looked at Bang Taeho, dozens of children turned their heads at the same time. Bang Taeho waved his hand with a friendly smile. ¡°Shall we start?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± The children rushed to Bang Taeho. They grabbed brushes, paints, and oil pastels, and stuck to the wall. Gosuyeol smiled as he watched the scene. ¡°Teacher! How do I erase this?¡± ¡°Bro, how do I look?¡± ¡°Well¡­ you have two eyes.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± His heart warmed as he looked at the children ying with brushes and oil pastels. ¡°Why did you paint it green?¡± ¡°Because green is strong.¡± ¡°Strong?¡± "Don¡¯t you know the Savers?"1) ¡°I know. Then I¡¯ll do it in blue. The captain is the coolest.¡± The children painted the colors as they pleased. They drew freely ording to their preferences, which had just begun to bloom, rather than the beauty that had been learned and handed down. That¡¯s why they were happy. ¡®I was like that too.¡¯ Gosuyeol remembered the time when he enjoyed the act of drawing a long time ago. ¡®When did it start?¡¯ At some point after he passed his innocent days, Gosuyeol became obsessed with winning. After entering middle school, he was fixated on getting awards. His goal was to prove that he was better than others ording to the standards set by the established generation. There was no one to praise him for drawing what he wanted to draw. He received more praise when he won a contest hosted by a famous exhibition hall than when he won a school contest. When he won the grand prize at the World Student Art Contest, his father, who used to scold him for being a prodigal son and ruining the family¡¯s reputation, acknowledged him. For the young Gosuyeol, getting an award was the only purpose. He ran forward for a few years like that. After entering college, he realized that he hade to a very different direction from the beginning. After graduating from college, he didn¡¯t care about being better than others. He tried to find himself who had forgotten, and widened his horizons by traveling around various countries. Then people began to notice him little by little. When hepeted fiercely with others, he only had trophies by his side, but people started to gather around him from the moment hepeted with himself. Gosuyeol felt the wall every time he drew a work, but he never avoided it. Not by someone else¡¯s standards. It was to draw a work that he could be satisfied with, so he was happy to stay up for a few nights. Ten years passed like that, and he became the most prominent painter in Korea and Europe. Only then could I enjoy the painting itself, just like when I was young. It was the first time I had returned after more than 50 years. ¡®I hope you keep smiling like that.¡¯ ¡°You did a great job!¡± Led by Olivier, who always wore shorts, I went to one side of the wall and saw a rather avant-garde work. The nostrils were aligned with the eyes, and the smiling mouth took up half of the face. Next to it was a child with a small smile, covering his eyes. Adley. It was a good picture that showed how happy these two children were. ¡°Cool.¡± ¡°Right? This is our mom and dad.¡± Olivier pointed to his parents. Mom¡¯s hands were red and dad¡¯s face was not drawn, so I couldn¡¯t tell his expression. I remembered the incident that had upset Olivier before and guessed the mood. I felt heavy. ¡°You drew well.¡± I stroked Olivier¡¯s head and gave him three gold coin choctes. ¡°Wow!¡± Olivier raised both hands and bragged to his friends about the gold coin choctes. It was fortunate that he could express his emotions honestly even under oppressive parents. ¡°What about Adley?¡± ¡°This.¡± Adley moved aside and showed me his picture. ¡°This is Lavan, my brother. This is Fabre, my sister. This is my brother. This is Olivier.¡± He introduced them one by one and they looked convincing. I couldn¡¯t tell at a nce, but he captured their features well. Lavan, who had big ears, Fabre, who had very bright blond hair, me, who had round eyes, and Olivier, who always had a band-aid somewhere. ¡°You drew well.¡± I shook my head. ¡°No, you really did well.¡± I handed him five gold coin choctes, but he only took three. ¡°Why? You can take them all.¡± ¡°I like being the same as Olivier.¡± I understood that he wanted to be with his friend. ¡°Then I¡¯ll keep this for you. If you want to eat, find two and share one with Olivier.¡± He nodded. ¡°This was chocte!¡± Olivier shouted loudly. The children were startled and flocked around Olivier. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a coin but it¡¯s chocte?¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s just chocte, right?¡± ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good!¡± The news that the gold coin choctes were delicious made the childrenpete to show off their pictures. Grandpa, Bang Tae-ho, Fabre, and the parents and social workers who helped us went around and handed out gold coin choctes. Thanks to that, I got to see the pictures drawn by the children, and fortunately, they seemed to go well as I thought. The children who came here drew themselves and their precious people in pictures, showing that this ce was not divided by race or religion. There were faces with green skin, blue skin, and even robot-like faces in between. But I believed that the fact that there were children who dreamed of their own dreams here would be clearly conveyed. Pure children who were not bound by the rules and norms, ideologies that adults had made. By the way, it would take a lot of time to manage this wide ce. As it was around 4 p.m., the traffic increased, so I had to finish by applying the finisher today. ¡°Mister.¡± ¡°Yeah. We have to wrap it up soon.¡± Bang Tae-ho called the children together. The finisher, varnish, had to be spread thinly so that it wouldn¡¯t stain, so it was hard for the children to do. Grandpa, Bang Tae-ho, Fabre, and I thought of applying it properly to the pictures and around them that the children had drawn. Bida and Lavan helped us as much as they could, but they were still clumsy. I wish Marso hade. He would have been a big help. ¡°Anri!¡± ¡°King Bee!¡± ¡°Anri, Anri, did you try this? Is it really good?¡± I turned my head and saw Marso, surrounded by children, wearing a yellow suit and a tie. It was a peculiar tie, with several ck lines nting across the yellow background. ¡°How dare you call him so casually? He¡¯s Marso the writer!¡± ¡°Ahahah! He¡¯s a writer.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a writer?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard!¡± ¡°Anri, why are you so tall?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s chocte.¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± He¡¯s popr. He¡¯s loved even though he gets angry like that. That¡¯s a skill too. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wouldn¡¯te?¡± ¡°I just stopped by to buy something.¡± He answered curtly as I approached him with a happy heart. He was the kind of person who made his own clothes, shoes, and even cars, saying that he couldn¡¯t wear factory-made products as an artist. He wouldn¡¯te to a shopping mall. ¡°That¡¯s good. Can you help me paint the bunnies?¡± ¡°Help me!¡± The children shouted together. Marso frowned. ¡°What do you want me to do with these scribbles?¡± ¡°It¡¯s our job. This is also how Choctier started, right?¡± ¡°Making chocte?¡± ¡°I like chocte.¡± ¡°Anri, did you see the house Hun made? It¡¯s so cute.¡± ¡°Mine is much cooler.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Show me!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Show me! Show me!¡± He wouldn¡¯t show the sculpture he made with Michelle, leaning on his back and creating a sweet atmosphere, to anyone else. ¡°Be quiet! Do you think I made this for you?¡± He looked embarrassed between the nagging children. It was a bit amusing. Mr. Chevasson Simon, the president of the SNBA Association, turned on the TV to clear his head during work. -Next news. Choctier, founded by the artists Anri Marso and Go Hun, started a public work at a shopping mall in Paris today and became a hot topic. The citizens showed positive reactions to the innocentughter and cute murals of the children. ¡°Huh.¡± -The shopping mall official said that the purpose was to recreate the scene of harmony that they showed at Dali Square. Mr. Chevasson Simon was satisfied with the progress of Anri Marso, who would lead the French art world. He didn¡¯t sit still until a bill to protect the children was prepared, but took the initiative and stepped forward. It was not unreasonable that most of the people, as well as the association, supported Anri Marso. ¡°You¡¯re doing well.¡± The country had to be prosperous and the individual had to achieve development. They had to create a society with tolerance. A leader had to spread his arms as wide as possible to make sure there were no excluded people. Anri Marso was building his image step by step. The face of Marso, who was painting with the children around him on TV, was distorted, but he didn¡¯t look unhappy. ¡®He definitely changed.¡¯ Mr. Chevasson Simon thought that Anri Marso, who was reckless, had changed little by little since some time ago. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s thanks to that kid.¡¯ Was it because of the simr family background? Or was it because he had a talent that matched his own? The sharpness of Anri Marso, who was like a thorn that protected the rose, seemed to fade a little after meeting Go Hun. He was happy as a person who supported him, seeing the wounded lonely hero find his nest. ¡®If they work as a team, they can win.¡¯ Mr. Chevasson Simon turned off the TV and started to review the business n for a new exhibition based on the Art Nouveaupetition. 1)A parody of the movie . In the novel, Go Hun¡¯s parents participated as concept art managers. Chapter 260: Chapter 260: 260 Admission (3) ¡°Thank you for the meal.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Cha Jae-woo looked at Cha Si-hyun, who got up listlessly. He was worried sick about his only son, whose shoulders were always slumped. ¡°Did something happen at school?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He says he¡¯s fine whenever I ask.¡± Seong Hyun-joo sighed.¡°He doesn¡¯t say much, so I wonder if it¡¯s because Hoon went abroad. He¡¯s been like that ever since.¡± Cha Jae-woo nodded at his wife¡¯s guess. He must have felt lonely after his best friend left. ¡°Should we go somewhere this weekend?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t like going anywhere.¡± He wanted to cheer him up somehow, but he didn¡¯t know how. ¡°Maybe it would be better if he went out a little. Or how about sending him to France for the break?¡± Seong Hyun-joo thought for a moment and nodded. He didn¡¯t like going far, but he always followed along with Hoon. ¡°I want to go with him this time.¡± ¡°We can take a few days off, right?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t he be more upset if we came back soon?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The couple fell into a dilemma. Both of them were professional managers who had important tasks ahead of them, so they felt reluctant to take a long vacation. ¡°Can we ask Hoon¡¯s family for a favor?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve been taking care of him all this time. It¡¯s embarrassing now.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go with Si-hyun and greet them. And exin our situation.¡± Seong Hyun-joo sighed at Cha Jae-woo¡¯s words. She felt sorry for not being able to take a month or two off for her son. But there was no other way, so she nodded. ¡°What should we prepare?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± They had always sent gifts as a thank-you whenever they asked for their son, but they always came back. The couple pondered for a while and headed to their son¡¯s room. ¡°Si-hyun, can we talk to you for a bit?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cha Si-hyun opened the door and came out. His desk was full of blue tree paintings. On hisputer monitor, a Pingoo channel video was ying. The couple confirmed that their expectations were right and nodded. They sat down in the living room and asked their son. ¡°Si-hyun, do you want to go to France for the break?¡± ¡°France?¡± Cha Si-hyun¡¯s eyes lit up. Seong Hyun-joo felt relieved and exined what he could do and what was good about going to France. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ve been studying hard, so I want you to rx. You can visit museums and y with Hoon. It¡¯ll be fun, right?¡± Cha Si-hyun nodded vigorously. ¡°Then when are we going?¡± ¡°On the day of the break. Right away.¡± Cha Si-hyun hugged his mom and ran to his room, leaving his dad waiting with his arms spread. Seong Hyun-joo chuckled andforted her husband instead of her son. Cha Si-hyun entered his room and called Hoon. As soon as the call was connected, he shouted. ¡°I¡¯m going to France!¡± -France? When? Hoon, who was eating lunch, asked in a daze. ¡°For the break! July 20th!¡± -Grandpa, Si-hyun ising to visit on July 20th. -That¡¯s nice. Is it the break? -Yes. Is heing alone? ¡°No. With my parents. Are you busy then?¡± -Work is always there. Cha Si-hyun was flustered. He thought he could y with Hoon if he went to Paris, but he stopped thinking when he said he was busy. -I have to keep working because I have a lot of ces to submit next year. ¡°Can¡¯t I draw next to you?¡± -Why not. You haven¡¯t been to the Louvre and Orsay, right? Let¡¯s go together. ¡°If you¡¯re going just because of me, you don¡¯t have to.¡± Chasi-hyun hoped that Ko Hun wouldn¡¯t force himself to make time for him. He wished that his friend, who had visited the Louvre Museum and the Orsay Museum several times, wouldn¡¯t waste his time for no reason because of him. -I go there whenever I have time. ¡°Huh?¡± He was puzzled when he said that he went to the ces he had visited whenever he had time. -I can¡¯t see everything even if I go several times. The exhibits change every time. ¡°Then can I go with you?¡± -Of course. I¡¯m eating right now, so let¡¯s talkter. ¡°Okay!¡± After finishing the call, Chasi-hyun watched the video that was uploaded on the Pinggu channel. Ko Hun was drawing murals with the kids at the Dallida Square and the Bugrenelli Shopping Mall. All the art-rted YouTubers praised Ko Hun for his positive influence on society. The news also reached Korea and was briefly introduced on the news. He was overjoyed to think that he could be with his proud friend soon. Chasi-hyun, who was rolling on the bed, suddenly remembered what had happened at school. He hugged the nket and worried for a while. The phone rang. It was Ko Hun. ¡°Yeah.¡± -Why do you sound like that? ¡°Uh. Did you finish eating?¡± -Yeah. ¡°What did you eat?¡± -Grilled salmon, pumpkin sd, and pasta with shrimp. ¡°Was it bad?¡± His friend, who usually used all kinds ofpliments and hard-to-sympathize metaphors when he ate delicious food, told him his diet inly unlike usual. -It wasn¡¯t bad. What¡¯s wrong. Ko Hun asked with concern. He wanted to talk more about the fantastic oil pasta, but Chasi-hyun¡¯s voice didn¡¯t sound good. ¡°I feel sorry for Hyunwoo.¡± It was the kid who had been bothering Chasi-hyun. -Go on. ¡°He tried to get some support a while ago.¡± -Support? ¡°I don¡¯t know. From what the kids say, it seems like tuition.¡± -His family must be having a hard time. ¡°I guess so. But the other kids are bullying him.¡± Chasi-hyun told him what had happened at school for the past few days. The kids who were ying as usual changed their situation after seeing Park Hyunwoo¡¯s tuition support application. The kids who had followed Park Hyunwoo changed their attitude and started to ignore him, making him carry their bags or picking fights with him, and even preventing him from eating school meals. -He wasn¡¯t the type to just take it. ¡°At first, Hyunwoo fought back, but he couldn¡¯t say anything when the kids said they would tell his dad. They said he was going to school thanks to the tuition his parents paid.¡± -Sigh. Ko Hun sighed. He was appalled that the 11-year-old kids were threatening others with their parents¡¯ social status. He didn¡¯t know what to say when they said that the school¡¯s support policy was as if they were doing him a favor. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± -What? Chasi-hyun didn¡¯t answer. It was hard for him to tell his only friend his shameful point. -It¡¯s okay. ¡°¡­¡­You were like that too. I thought it was a punishment.¡± -Yeah. ¡°I didn¡¯t bother Hyunwoo because he was being bullied.¡± -Yeah. ¡°But it hurts to be bullied. He must be having a hard time anyway.¡± -Yeah. ¡°So I told the kids not to do that today.¡± -And then they do that to me too. I¡¯m such a fool. ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± He might feel a bit happy when misfortune befell the person who had bullied him. He might hope that he would reflect on his wrongdoing that he got back. Because I¡¯m human. Because I hate him. That¡¯s a natural reaction. But was it because of my experience of being bullied? Or because of my kind nature? Cha Si-hyun stood up for the kid who had tormented him. ¡°You¡¯re awesome.¡± -Awesome? ¡°Yes.¡± -I don¡¯t think so. ¡­ I¡¯m scared to go to school tomorrow. The world doesn¡¯t change just because I fought with the kids in my ss. Nothing changes. But for a kid whose whole life is the small world of school, saying that won¡¯t ease his worries. It would only make him feel more frustrated and misunderstood. ¡°Did you tell your parents?¡± -They would worry. ¡­ I must be a real coward. ¡°No, you¡¯re not. You¡¯re very brave.¡± -Brave? ¡°Yes. You knew, didn¡¯t you? You knew and still helped him.¡± -Well, yeah. But I couldn¡¯t even speak properly. And I¡¯m scared to go to school. What if they do that to me again tomorrow? Cha Si-hyun¡¯s voice trembled. He was worried about what would happen tomorrow, as he had been bullied before. I understood his feelings well enough to know that I couldn¡¯tfort him with irresponsible words like ¡°it¡¯s okay¡±. ¡°¡­¡± -I suck. ¡°No, you don¡¯t. You¡¯re cool.¡± All I could do now was to encourage Cha Si-hyun not to lose his courage. -I¡¯m not cool at all. I feel like crying. ¡°It¡¯s okay to cry.¡± -Huh? ¡°You can cry. You can be scared. That doesn¡¯t matter at all.¡± -I don¡¯t know. ¡°The really shameful thing is to stay silent when you know something is wrong. When Park Hyun-woo bullied you, the other kids just watched, right?¡± -¡­ Yeah. ¡°You¡¯re different from them. You stepped in when someone was in trouble. Even though you knew what would happen, even though you were afraid, you stepped in. That¡¯s really brave.¡± Cha Si-hyun didn¡¯t answer. ¡°What are you afraid of those kids who stayed silent? If they curse at you, curse back. If they hit you, fight back. You¡¯re much braver and cooler than those guys.¡± Sniff. Sniff. I heard Cha Si-hyun start to cry over the phone. He probably didn¡¯t ept everything I said. He would still be scared. But at least he would feel somefort from knowing that I empathized with his actions. I felt the same way. The critics, the colleagues, even the family didn¡¯t understand my paintings. Only Theo liked them. He supported me. Thanks to Theo, I didn¡¯t lose my courage. How much time had passed? Cha Si-hyun calmed down. ¡°And.¡± -Yeah. ¡°You should tell your parents.¡± -They would worry. I don¡¯t want to show them this. He didn¡¯t want to show them what he thought was a pathetic sight. It¡¯s natural for a child, regardless of age or status, to want to show their parents their best side. I did the same. I painted my room and self-portrait beautifully and sent them to my mother.1) But. ¡°What if they find outter that you were suffering alone? They would be more upset.¡± -¡­ ¡°And you should tell them. That you fought for a poor person. You can be proud of that.¡± It wasn¡¯t a pathetic sight. It was a matter of telling them that he was a proud son. When I said that, Cha Si-hyun hesitated for a moment and then asked again. -Really? ¡°Of course. It¡¯s obvious.¡± 1)Vincent van Goghpleted in September 1889 to celebrate his mother¡¯s 70th birthday. It was a time when he was physically and mentally exhausted, as he died less than a yearter, but van Gogh portrayed himself more neatly than in other self-portraits he painted around the same time. His cheeks were flushed with blood, his scruffy beard was neatly shaved, and his hair was neatlybed back. Wasn¡¯t it because he didn¡¯t want to worry his elderly mother? Still, his expression looked somewhat depressed. Chapter 261: Chapter 261: 261 Admission (4) ¡°Sorry for thete introduction. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Hehe. Wee.¡± Cha Si-hyun¡¯s family arrived in Paris. ¡°So you¡¯re Hun.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°You¡¯re even prettier than on TV.¡± ¡°So are you, ma¡¯am.¡±¡°Me?¡± ¡°Si-hyun bragged about you. When you were on TV.¡± I had told him that she was his mother when we watched TV together. It was a program that interviewed sessful CEOs, and she was introduced as the representative of a bicycle manufacturer. ¡°Our mother is pretty, right?¡± ¡°Oh, look at him.¡± Cha Si-hyun¡¯s mother smiled, embarrassed and pleased. When we entered the house, they gave us gifts. ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t have to do this.¡± ¡°We felt so sorry for not doing anything when Si-hyun helped us. Please ept them.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Grandpa didn¡¯t like receiving gifts from anyone, but he had no choice but to take them when they handed them to him personally. ¡°We packed some things for you, since you said you liked Korean food. With seasonings and all.¡± Grandpa, who didn¡¯t ept cash or valuables, smiled brightly when he saw the red pepper powder. ¡°Oh, wow.¡± ¡°It¡¯s from our family farm in Yeongwol. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll like it.¡± ¡°You grew it yourself?¡± ¡°Yes. My mother made it herself.¡± ¡°Oh, my. This is precious.¡± There were Korean markets in Paris, but they were expensive and didn¡¯t have much variety. He seemed happy to get some good red pepper powder and red pepper paste. ¡°We¡¯ll go upstairs.¡± I took Cha Si-hyun to the third floor. ¡°The house is amazing.¡± Cha Si-hyun went out to the terrace on the third floor and looked around, admiring it. It cost 10 million euros, so it was no wonder. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°School.¡± I had been worried all along, but he looked cheerful, so I felt a bit relieved. ¡°I told my mom and dad.¡± ¡°You did well.¡± ¡°I thought they would be disappointed, but they praised me?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± We grabbed a box of choctes and sat side by side on the sofa in the living room. As we put one in our mouths and waited, Cha Si-hyun started to talk, swinging his feet back and forth. ¡°They came and apologized first.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± It seemed that their parents had some conversation. I wondered if those bad guys who didn¡¯t hesitate to bully others when they thought they were superior really regretted it. I heard that there were many cases where their school violence records were exposed and their hard work was ruined. I wondered if they just apologized formally because they were worried about that. ¡°Did you ept their apology?¡± Cha Si-hyun shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t forgive them.¡± Time may dull the pain, but it won¡¯t erase the scars. ¡°That¡¯s natural.¡± ¡°Yeah. ¡­But they don¡¯t bother me anymore. I don¡¯t care about them either.¡± Cha Si-hyun pursed his lips. He looked like he had made up his mind. ¡°But this is delicious.¡± ¡°It is. Oh, I¡¯ll give you something more delicious.¡± I wanted tofort him a little, so I took out the choctes I had made in advance from the fridge. Cha Si-hyun¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s Gand!¡± I used the robot animation design that Cha Si-hyun liked to make them, but I simplified them because I thought the kids wouldn¡¯t eat them if they were too borate. ¡°Did you make this? How?¡± He is happier than I expected. ¡°I made this for you.¡± Chasi-hyeon examines the robot-shaped chocte. ¡°Can I really eat it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°But how do I eat it?¡± ¡°You can eat any part of it. It¡¯s all chocte and candy. Do you want me to cut it for you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It¡¯s quite big, so I cut the body horizontally first. The inside is filled with chocte, nougat, Nute, and Oreo pieces. ¡°¡­¡± He is speechless with surprise. ¡°It must be delicious.¡± It¡¯s probably the first time he sees a 28cm giant dessert in the shape of an anime character, filled with chocte and candy. ¡°Do you eat this every day?¡± ¡°Not every day.¡± Chasi-hyeon thinks hard. ¡°Is this why Marso ajusshi makes you exercise?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your belly will like it.¡± After working non-stop since the mural project at Bugrenelli shopping mall, I took a break with Chasi-hyeon. It was a good opportunity to show him the work I had only seen on the monitor, so we went to the Orsay Museum, but Chasi-hyeon was disappointed that it was too crowded and different from what he had imagined. We visited some quieter museums and before we knew it, two days had passed and Chasi-hyeon¡¯s parents returned home. Today was the day to join the members of Choctier, so I introduced Chasi-hyeon to Rabani. ¡°This is my friend, Chasi-hyeon. You met Fabre before, right?¡± Fabre pretends to know him and Chasi-hyeon smiles and replies. ¡°This is Vida Rabani.¡± ¡°Oh, hello.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Chasi-hyeon and Vida Rabani nod their heads to each other. Chasi-hyeon, who got up first, bows his head again in surprise, and Rabani, who raised his headte, is embarrassed and greets him again. It¡¯s funny. ¡°Can I film you?¡± ¡°What?¡± Rabani is startled by Fabre¡¯s request. Fabre asks Chasi-hyeon, who is not good at French, in English. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re cute.¡± ¡°Cute?¡± ¡°Try it again like before.¡± ¡°No.¡± Fabre sighs and goes to the beetlerva house he set up in one corner of the studio. It¡¯s a ritual to greet the insects before drawing. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Fabre noona is thinking.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± I don¡¯t understand her well, but she¡¯s a good kid with strong opinions and tastes. ¡°Kids, are you ready?¡± Grandpa asks from downstairs. ¡°We¡¯re going now.¡± We each take a bag with snacks and a fire pot. Chasi-hyeon carries his familiar oil pastels and sketchbook. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Bois de Boulogne Park.¡± ¡°Bois de Boulogne?¡± ¡°It¡¯s thergest park in Paris.¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty.¡± As I tell Chasi-hyeon about Bois de Boulogne Park, Fabre, who greeted thervae, joins us. ¡°It feels good to draw near the observatory.¡± Rabani also chimes in. We load everything into Grandpa¡¯s car and arrive at Bois de Boulogne Park in about 40 minutes. It¡¯s quite hot at the end of July. ¡°Wow.¡± Chasi-hyeon marvels as we walk along the park path. ¡°Kids, let¡¯s put on sunscreen first.¡± Grandpa squeezed sunscreen for me and the kids. Bida Lavani must have thought it was lotion, because she smeared it all over her face and turned her eyebrows and lips white. When Fabre and Chashi-hyun saw her andughed, Lavani looked confused and made me and Grandpaugh too. ¡°Ah.¡± The nameless grass and leaves shone with the sunlight. As I walked along the lime-green grass that smiled brightly, I felt intoxicated by the wind that swayed with the branches. Two small birds chased each other¡¯s tails over the olive and basil-colored trees. Who would think that this beautiful park was an artificial space created by architects andndscapers1? ¡°It¡¯s like a cartoon.¡± Chashi-hyun opened his mouth wide as we crossed the bridge, passed tworge rocks, and entered a small ind. The vegetation that covered the rocky ind in the middle of theke was the most beautiful green in Paris, no exaggeration. After visiting the observatory, we also saw a small waterfall and left the ind. We spread a mat by theke and took out the tools we had prepared. Fabre sketched the ducks floating leisurely on theke with thick algae. Lavani seemed to want to draw the view of the observatory and the ind. Chashi-hyun was staring nkly ahead with oil pastels and a sketchbook in his arms. He asionally closed his eyes and took deep breaths, which made me think he had chosen a good ce. ¡°Nice.¡± Even though it was a man-made space, being in a ce full of grass and trees made me feel rxed. ¡°What are you drawing?¡± ¡°Whateveres to mind.¡± Chashi-hyun tilted his head. ¡°I have to draw a piece for the Venice Biennale, but I can¡¯t think of a good idea.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you have a lot to submit next year?¡± It was because of the contract with Bugrenelli Shopping Mall. To get the extra money, he had to win awards and grades in fourpetitions that were part of the Grand Art Tour. He didn¡¯t have to take the money, but Bang Tae-ho and Grandpa said it would be a good experience. The more experience, the better, so I decided to give it a try. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What do you do when you can¡¯t think of anything? I like everything, but I don¡¯t know what to draw.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to know what to draw. ¡°It¡¯s good to think, but nothing changes if you only think. If you draw something, inspiration wille.¡± A good idea doesn¡¯te from your head. Ites naturally when you see, feel, and express repeatedly. I¡¯m here. Only when I beg and plead for you toe, you finally know where I am. ¡°This ce is just like there.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Seurat? The painting by Seurat.¡± ¡°A Sunday Afternoon on the Ind of La Grande Jatte?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It was a bit far from here, but I knew what Chashi-hyun was talking about. He felt the warm atmosphere. ¡°Oh, a dog.¡± Chashi-hyun¡¯s eyes were drawn to a dog that came out for a walk. Hoping that the soul who had suffered from the schoolwork would find somefort here, he asked the owner for permission and started to draw the dog that was petting him. ¡°Ahaha!¡± It was a peaceful morning. It must have been about two hours. We each drew pictures and came back to the mat one by one when we were hungry. Fabre had switched from drawing ducks to collecting insects, and there were three dragonflies in his empty collection box. He seemed to have caught them with his bare hands. He had a good skill. ¡°Ouch. Let¡¯s clean our hands first with this.¡± Grandpa gave wet wipes to Fabre and the kids who had dirt on their hands. We ate the sandwiches and fruits we bought on the way andy down. When Chashi-hyun and Lavaniy down, Fabre looked down at them andy down with them. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sleepy.¡± ¡°You can sleep.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never slept outside.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve slept a lot.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I didn¡¯t have a home.¡± Chashi-hyun and Fabre got up at the same time and looked down at Lavani who was lying in the middle. ¡°You have one now.¡± 1 Buttes-Chaumont Park was built by the request of Baron Haussmann, and designed and constructed by architects Adolphe Alphand, Jean-Pierre Barillet-Deschamps, and others. Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Reborn Van Gogh 262 Admission (5) I heard from Michel what kind of environment Rabani lives in. He lives with his mother in a shabby one-room building without even wallpaper, and it¡¯s full of mold. He wants to find a better house because his mother¡¯s health is not good. Michel and I tried to help him, but Rabani and his mother refused, saying they couldn¡¯t take on a debt they didn¡¯t know if they could pay back. Rabani got up quietly. ¡°I¡¯m saving up, even though it¡¯s small. Maybe someday I can go to a bigger ce.¡± ¡°You will.¡±Fabre supported Rabani. Chashi-hyun, who could understand simple conversations, also cheered him on after sensing the atmosphere. ¡°Are you working already?¡± Chashi-hyun asked awkwardly, and Rabani nodded shyly. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m cleaning at the Marso Gallery.¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°15.¡± I told Chashi-hyun, who was weak in French numbers, that he was 16 in Korean age, and he was surprised. They seemed to get along well, so I interpreted for them so they could have a good conversation. ¡°That¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°Cool?¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ve never earned money before. That¡¯s awesome.¡± Rabani scratched his neck, embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I pick up trash. I tidy up the flower beds. I hand out candy. I don¡¯t do anything special.¡± ¡°No.¡± Fabre stepped in. ¡°People who visit the Marso Gallery feel good because of that. It¡¯s something special.¡± Rabani pursed his lips between the two kids who said his work was cool and special. ¡°Yeah. Actually, I can buy pastels and sketchbooks now, and I don¡¯t have to starve.¡± Chashi-hyun and Fabre nodded at his modest bragging. Maybe it was because he felt recognized. Rabani gathered his courage and continued his story. ¡°This is just a dream. A real dream.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Someday, I want to draw warm pictures like Hoon or Marso.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing that already.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Rabani tilted his head. ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re doing.¡± I pointed to the observatory that Rabani drew today. ¡°It¡¯s warm.¡± He uses pastels very well. Maybe it¡¯s because he used one material for a long time and handled it carefully, but Rabani¡¯s pictures have a cozy sentiment that can be expressed with pastels. ¡°Time will solve the technical stuff. It¡¯s not an important era for that.¡± Fabre agreed. Well-drawn pictures are not very important among art lovers these days. Everyone can draw realistically. A good work is one that contains one¡¯s own emotions and thoughts, and how they are conveyed. ¡°Yeah.¡± Rabani answered softly, and Chashi-hyun, who was watching quietly, asked me. ¡°I still want to draw well, though?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll learn faster if you do. It won¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°You said before that you don¡¯t need to go to art school.¡± ¡°I said that because I was afraid you¡¯d lose your personality.¡± There¡¯s a big difference between having an advisor by your side or not. Art school will definitely help Chashi-hyun and Rabani reach the level they want. I also learned how to depict realistically from seeing the works of my grandfather, Jang Mi-rae, and Marso. That also expanded the area I could express. But the reason I said I didn¡¯t need to go to art school was because I remembered the Royal Academy of the past. It¡¯s the same reason why my grandfather and Jang Mi-rae worry about college entrance art, I don¡¯t need to lose my personality by jumping into uniform education. It¡¯s better than ruining yourself. I conveyed that thought, and Chashi-hyun nodded. ¡°So you mean don¡¯t follow what they teach you?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot to learn. I wish Rabbani could learn too.¡± Rabbani looked gloomy. ¡°¡­There¡¯s no one who will ept me.¡± As Rabbani¡¯s expression worsened, Chashihyun urged him to trante. He was shocked to hear that he had been rejected because he was a Muslim. ¡°Why? Did he do something bad?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± Rabbani and his parents were just trying to live their lives. He wished others would recognize that, but it wouldn¡¯t be easy as long as extremists like IS and Taliban kept carrying out terrorist attacks. They should realize that they were hurting other Muslims because of their actions. ¡°Mr. Pusang will take you in.¡± Fabre stepped in. ¡°Who is Mr. Pusang?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the principal of Henri IV Middle School. He also teaches art.¡± He had only met him once, but Marso and Fabre rmended him so highly that he must be a good teacher. ¡°I hope so.¡± Rabbani muttered. ¡°You just have to go.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a schrship system, so if you look into it, you¡¯ll find a way. Even if you can¡¯t enroll right away.¡± He could easily help him with the tuition, but he didn¡¯t want to receive one-sided support from Michel either. He had a strong sense of independence, so it would be enough to just find him a way to benefit. He would do well on his own. ¡°But I¡¯m too old.¡± ¡°Age doesn¡¯t matter. There are people of different ages in the same grade. Right?¡± He asked Fabre for agreement, and he nodded quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll lend you a book to study for the exam. I have the one I used this time.¡± He hesitated when he heard that he had a textbook that he used to prepare for the entrance exam. He would have been fine normally, but he was so serious about wanting to learn. ¡°You can do it.¡± Chashihyun cheered him on again. As he was brushing his teeth after dinner, Chashihyun said something remarkable. ¡°Rabbani is very poor, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°But he works hard. And he has a dream.¡± He must have felt something when he saw him taking the entrance-rted textbook, even though he hadn¡¯t looked into the schrship system. ¡°Can he get in?¡± He spat out the toothpaste. ¡°I¡¯ll try to find out.¡± ¡°What if he can¡¯t? What will happen to Rabbani?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t matter.¡± He rinsed his mouth with water. ¡°How can it not matter? Learning is important, you said.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep trying. If I don¡¯t give up, there will be a way. You and Fabre can help me too.¡± ¡°Dad said there are things that can¡¯t be done with just effort.¡± ¡°There are.¡± Not everything is possible. He had struggled in the past, but he eventually lost the fight against the gue. ¡°But if you don¡¯t try, nothing will change. No matter how much you, Fabre, and Michel want to help, it¡¯s useless if Rabbani doesn¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°True.¡± ¡°On the other hand, if you try hard, you can seize the opportunity thates by chance.¡± What if Rabbani hadn¡¯t caught Michel¡¯s eye? He might have been in a worse situation than he is now, worrying about his meals. He would have been harassed by the bad guys, and he might not have been able to draw pictures without money to buy pastels. But he believed that someday a path would open up if he didn¡¯t give up on his dream. Just like Michel reached out to Rabbani, who wanted to draw and live a better life. ¡°¡­¡± Chashihyun looked somewhat depressed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°You, Rabbani, Fabre, and the other kids are all doing your own thing, but I feel like I¡¯m not doing anything.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you do anything? You¡¯re good at studying.¡± There were few people as knowledgeable as Cha Si-hyun, even among adults, let alone his peers. Most Korean elementary school students had a high level of education, but Cha Si-hyun was exceptional among them. ¡°Not that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing your best in your own way.¡± He had to maintain his test scores, learn to draw, worry about how to improve the rtionship between his grandfather and father, and deal with the wounds he received from his ssmates. He was already trying hard enough, but he felt guilty for not pursuing his dream. ¡°Everyone has different situations. You can¡¯t just start working like Rabbani right now.¡± He nodded after some thought. It was true that Rabbani, who earned his own living expenses at a young age, was admirable and proud, but that didn¡¯t mean Cha Si-hyun had to follow him. They just had to do their best in their own circumstances. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m jealous.¡± ¡°Of what?¡± ¡°I want to draw with you like Rabbani or Fabre.¡± Cha Si-hyun mentioned the street paintings in the Dallida Square, unlike the mural he drew at the Bugrenelli Shopping Mall. ¡°I heard your story and saw the video, and I really wanted to do it. But I can¡¯t live here.¡± He took out a chocte from the drawer. ¡°Didn¡¯t you brush your teeth? You¡¯re eating again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s mint chocte.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simr to the taste of toothpaste.¡± The taste of other foods would be weird after brushing your teeth, but mint chocte was fine because it was already weird. He put one chocte in his mouth. ¡°Did it look fun?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Right. It was fun. I¡¯ll do it again next year.¡± Cha Si-hyun envied him. ¡°If youe during the vacation, we can do it together.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course. I can adjust that much.¡± He raised his hand and smiled. ¡°You can do that much work even if you don¡¯t live in Paris. How you draw is up to you.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± He could draw as much as he wanted, even if it wasn¡¯t Paris. ¡°The reason I came to Paris is.¡± ¡°Because of Mr. Marso?¡± ¡°That¡¯s one reason. I was curious about how the gap was developed.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Another reason is that it was the ce where I couldn¡¯t spread my dream.¡± ¡°Dream?¡± He nodded. At the end of the 19th century. He had settled on the hill of Montmartre, following his dream of bing a painter. Paris was the capital of art then and now, and Montmartre was a ce where people who were out of the mainstream gathered. Just like now, there were Muslims, poor people, and poor artists. But interestingly enough, the people who worked in Montmartre, which was full of weirdos in the eyes of the nobles, are now recorded in the history of art. ¡°Do you know? There were M, M, Degas, Vincent, Lautrec, Picasso, and Matisse in Montmartre.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The great painters who represented the 19th and 20th centuries loved the not-so-great vige. ¡°There were a lot of outsiders in Montmartre. They epted even strange people easily.¡± ¡°I guess Van Gogh would have been like that too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But? What does that have to do with it?¡± Cha Si-hyun urged him to exin, and he continued his story, soothing his painful heart. ¡°It means that it was okay to try something different. In the center of Paris, people who were not recognized and ridiculed could show their works freely in Montmartre.¡± Montmartre produced many beloved artists even now, just because different beings could coexist. ¡°Is that so important?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s important. Because I can be myself.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easier to think of it as personality.¡± ¡°Personality?¡± ¡°It¡¯s knowing who you are, and developing yourself by interacting with others. That¡¯s why your work can only get better.¡± Cha Si-hyun nodded as he listened to the story. ¡°Like you and Mr. Marso?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Chapter 263: Chapter 263: 263 Art ss (1) I spent thest month of summer traveling and painting around France with Cha Si-hyun, Fabre, and Rabani. Before I knew it, August was over. Paris weed autumn with a calm and peaceful atmosphere. The heat had disappeared and a cool breeze made it a perfect day for painting. On such a day, I was happy to run with Grandpa every morning. We ran farther than usual and settled on a bench. ¡°Here.¡± Grandpa handed me a baguette sandwich and grape juice he bought from ngery Utopia1 The sandwich tasted sweeter than honey as I ate it under the morning sun, gazing at the sparkling Seine.¡°Yum.¡± Out of all the sandwiches Utopia sold, I especially liked this duck one. The baguette was superb, the tomato and onion were fresh, and the smoked duck was juicy. It was impossible not to like it. ¡°Si-hyun must be sad to leave.¡± ¡°I can see him anytime I want.¡± Thankfully, Cha Si-hyun had a lot of fun in the past five weeks. He became friends with Fabre and Rabani, yed pranks with them, and even learned some French. ¡°He said he¡¯s going to study French. He wants to talk better with the kids next time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Fabre and Rabani, who could only say hello and thank you in Korean, also said they would study. I hoped they could have a good conversation without me next time. ¡°Mm.¡± I bit off a mouthful of sandwich and chewed it well. Then I noticed someone sitting on the next bench. He was drawing something on a sketchbook. ¡°There¡¯s someone else painting here.¡± ¡°I guess so. Maybe it¡¯s because of the nice view.¡± I didn¡¯t know this before, because I rarely came this far, but there were murals along the riverbank. I turned my head and saw a purple phrase that said JEUNE ET COOL (Young and cool)2 Youth and boldness. I pondered the meaning of the two words and finished my sandwich. ¡°Shall we get going?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± We put the trash in the bag and retraced our steps. Walking along the Seine in the autumn morning, I felt like something good would happen today. I stopped by the house, washed up quickly, and headed to Henri IV Middle School. It was the first day of school and kids my age were holding their parents¡¯ hands and gathering in front of the gate. They were all much bigger than me. I was supposed to enter CM1 (fourth grade in Korea), but I skipped CM1 and CM2 by taking a test and entered middle school (6EME ¨P sixth grade in Korea, first grade in France) right away. I was also a year older and the French kids grew faster, so there was a big difference in size. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Should I go with you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no entrance ceremony.¡± ¡°Still.¡± I had received a notice in advance and there was nothing about the entrance ceremony on it. I asked Marso and he said there was no entrance or graduation ceremony in France. ¡°It¡¯s not my first time going to school. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Hmm. Let¡¯s stay together for a while.¡± He didn¡¯t say it outright, but he seemed to be worried about racial discrimination. It was something Grandpa had experienced and since 2020, hate crimes against Asians had been increasing, so he must have been uneasy. All I could do was reassure him. If the kids bothered me, I would embrace them with love. I eventually became friends with the yground kids, so the school kids wouldn¡¯t be any different. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± Grandpa looked at his watch and said. The gate was still closed. There must have been people inside, but they kept the gate tightly shut. They seemed to care a lot about security. ¡°It¡¯s time to open the gate.¡± ¡°Can we go in together?¡± ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to go.¡± The kids and parents who were starting school today were also confused and restless. Then the gate opened. Two teachers and four security guards came out and greeted the kids. ¡°I¡¯m going in.¡± ¡°Okay. Call me if anything happens. I¡¯ll pick you up when you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°I want to take the school bus.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I followed the guide and entered the school gate. Some came with their parents, and some came alone like me. Nichs Foussaint, the principal who interviewed me, called out our names one by one and assigned us to our sses. ¡°Ko Hun, you are in Madame Amantine Margo¡¯s ss.¡± I was assigned to Margo¡¯s ss and stood in front of them. The kids stared at me. ¡°Hi.¡± As I greeted them, they approached me. ¡°Weren¡¯t you on TV?¡± ¡°Did you draw with Henri Marso?¡± ¡°You¡¯re cute.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a painter.¡± I was flustered by the sudden attention, but Margo pped her hands and diverted their gaze. ¡°Alright, everyone. Let¡¯s move to our ss. Follow me.¡± They kept asking me things on the way to the ssroom. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Why are you so small?¡± ¡°Where are you from?¡± ¡°Are you really friends with Henri?¡± ¡°Of course, we hang out together.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know him? He drew The Castle of Stone.¡± ¡°Really? You look younger than me.¡± It seemed like this would continue for a while. I was already tired. When we arrived at the ssroom, Margo handed out the school notebooks (Ca demunication). ¡°You have to have this notebook with you when you go to and from school.¡± ¡°What if I leave it at home?¡± ¡°Just tell the teacher at the gate. But don¡¯t forget to bring it with you. It¡¯s for your own good.¡± The reason they checked the notebook at the gate was probably to prevent outsiders from entering without permission. It was an existing rule, but Marso told me that they managed it strictly because of the frequent crimes against students and teachers. I followed the instructions and downloaded the textbooks on the tablet, got assigned a locker, and got a tour of the school facilities. The morning passed by quickly. The bell rang. ¡°It¡¯s lunchtime. You all know where the cafeteria is, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was lunchtime, the second thing I looked forward to after Foussaint¡¯s art ss. I wondered what kind of food they would fill the long hour and 45 minutes with. I put my bag and tablet in the locker and got up. Some kids came up to me. ¡°You¡¯re a painter, right?¡± ¡°Are you really close with Henri? Do you know his phone number?¡± ¡°Did you really draw The Castle of Stone? How?¡± They seemed to be the ones who were interested in drawing, Marso¡¯s fans, or the ones who watched the movie . ¡°Yes.¡± As I exined things to them, I felt some kids¡¯ eyes on me. They didn¡¯te close, but just red or scowled at me from afar. It was probably because I was Asian. I felt it when I lived with my grandfather in Paris. I met some ridiculous people, like a store owner who wouldn¡¯t sell me anything for no reason, or someone who bumped into my shoulder as I was standing. It was amazing and sad that someone could hate someone else just because they looked different. ¡°Do you want to eat with me?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Then do you draw after school?¡± ¡°Most of the time.¡± ¡°Today too?¡± ¡°Today I¡¯m going to see somend.¡± ¡°Land? Why are you looking atnd?¡± ¡°Just to see if there¡¯s any goodnd.¡± The kids looked at me strangely. I finished my first day at Henri IV Middle School and was about to get on the school bus, but the kids didn¡¯t get on the bus. They were looking at the other side. ¡°What is it? ¡°Whose car is that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I turned my head and saw Arsen standing next to one of Marso¡¯s most modest sedans. He waved at me when he spotted me. I wondered what was going on and approached them. Marso rolled down the window. ¡°Get in.¡± Before I could even ask why he was here, the students made a fuss. ¡°It¡¯s Henri!¡± ¡°Henri! Henri!¡± I was surprised that a painter could be so popr, but it made sense considering his fame in France. Marso waved his hand at the students. There were kids who screamed, and kids who rolled on the ground. I got in the car and asked. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Arsen started driving. ¡°Here.¡± Marso threw a document at me. It was rted to the Munster Sculpture Project, part of the Grand Art Tour. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I had to participate because of the contract with Bugrenelli Shopping Mall, but the Munster Sculpture Project had already decided on the participants, so I had to contact the curator, Casper Koenig, separately. I requested to join Marso¡¯s team, who was already scheduled to participate, and luckily he epted. I flipped through the document. It contained a message weing me to join, and a request to submit the work n by the end of the year. ¡°Have you not submitted it yet?¡± I was puzzled that the meticulous Marso had not yet nned his work. ¡°On hold. We have to make it look good, right?¡± He had nned a coborative work to allow me to join, so he put his original n on hold for now. Well, he had no choice but to do this, otherwise he couldn¡¯t add another name to the already fixed spot. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You just have to follow my instructions.¡± ¡°No way.¡± I read the brochure more and found out that we had to install our work in a public space in Munster, Germany. It was an event created to bridge the gap between public art and the masses, so understanding the ce and the people was essential. ¡°I guess I have to go and see. Munster.¡± ¡°Go this weekend.¡± ¡°Will one day be enough?¡± ¡°Stay for the weekend.¡± I nodded, thinking of asking my grandfather. ¡°So. How was it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°School.¡± ¡°It was amazing. They were very careful about security. And the food was delicious.¡± The elementary school in Korea had great food too, but Henri IV Middle School was different. It operated on a buffet system, so I could eat whatever I wanted as much as I wanted. ¡°The kids.¡± ¡°They were cute.¡± Marso frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Because they¡¯re cute.¡± All kids are cute. ¡°¡­No one bullied you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The conversation stopped. I wondered what he meant, but then I realized why he had bothered toe to the school. ¡°Did youe on purpose?¡± ¡°What.¡± He pretended not to know. He probably came to warn them not to mess with someone rted to him. My grandfather and Marso might be worried about me, since I was a 12-year-old kid with a small staturepared to my ssmates, but they were overreacting. ¡°I think I¡¯ll suffer more from tomorrow.¡± ¡°Why.¡± ¡°They already asked me how close I was to Marso, and now you did this. You saw it, right? It was a mess.¡± "I bet you think this is glorious." "It is glorious." Marso frowned. He always acted so smug, and I always agreed with him. It made him even more arrogant. But it was fun to see his reaction every time. "What''s the n for today?" "We''re going to look at somend." "Land?" "Yeah, we''re thinking of opening a gallery." * * * 1) There are two main types of bakeries in France. Bongeries that sell bread for meals and patisseries that sell pastries for snacks. Croissants, pain au choct, pain aux raisins, baguettes and other breads are usually sold at bongeries. 2) Nowadays, cool is used to mean ¡®easygoing'', ¡®awesome'', or ¡®sophisticated'', but Go-hoon understood it as ¡®bold''. Originally, cool was an adjective that meant ¡®quiet'', ¡®calm'', ¡®rational'', or ¡®indifferent'', but in 1825, it was used to mean ¡®calm'' or ¡®bold''. Then, the modern colloquial meaning of ¡®easygoing'', ¡®awesome'', or ¡®sophisticated'' started in 1933. It was a ng word used by African Americans that became popr through the famous saxophonist Lester Young in the 1930s and 1940s. Chapter 264: Chapter 264: 264 Art ss (2) Marso nodded after a moment of hesitation. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking around Montmartre.¡± He looked puzzled, as I expected. Usually, it¡¯s more advantageous to build in the core area of Paris, centered around Notre Dame Cathedral, like Marso Gallery. That was my initial thought too, so I can¡¯t me him for finding it strange. Especially since Montmartre is somewhat stagnantpared to other areas.¡°Why there of all ces?¡± Marso asked. ¡°Thend is cheap. And it has symbolism.¡± ¡°Symbolism?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the street of artists.¡± Starting with M and M. Montmartre had been a ce where non-mainstream artists gathered and worked for a long time. Small people came together and made big names for themselves, and that history continues to this day. The streets are full of people singing, drawing, and hanging out with them. Since Choctier started at ce Dalida in Montmartre, I wanted to build a gallery there too. ¡°There are many areas with reconstruction restrictions.¡± ¡°I heard that. Mr. Taeho helped me with this and that.¡± He said nothing when I mentioned that Bang Taeho helped me. He had looked down on him when we first met, but he seemed to acknowledge him quite a bittely, after watching him work a few times. We arrived at the front of the house. I exchanged nces with Arsene, who drove me. ¡°Thank you. But you don¡¯t have toe tomorrow. Marso won¡¯t have anything to worry about.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m free? I came here because of the Munster project.¡± He was stubborn, even though I knew we could talk on the phone. ¡°See you next time.¡± Before I got out of the car, I gave Marso and Arsene a piece of chocte each. I put my wrist on the gate and activated the vein recognition system and entered. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°Yes. Yes. Oh, you¡¯re here. Then I¡¯ll see you in 30 minutes.¡± When I got home, Bang Taeho was on the phone. ¡°You came early?¡± ¡°Yes. How about Grandpa?¡± As soon as I asked, Grandpa came out of his studio. He looked like he had been waiting for a long time. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°It was normal. The food was good too.¡± ¡°What about your friends?¡± ¡°I just said hello.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. You¡¯ll get along betterter. The bus came fast, huh?¡± ¡°Marso picked me up.¡± ¡°Marso?¡± ¡°For the Munster sculpture project.¡± Grandpa and Bang Taeho grinned at each other. ¡°You can participate?¡± ¡°Yes. I agreed to work with Marso.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± I was doubtful when Bang Taeho epted the proposal from the Bugrenelli shopping mall, but the problem was solved well. Sculpture was something I had never done before, and Bang Taeho suggested that I submit a work using gapyeong. The picture drawn with gapyeong was no longer distinguishable from instation art, interior art, sculpture, and painting. It was a good opportunity to inform the progress of gapyeong, and Henri Marso epted the proposal and proceeded. The Munster sculpture project organizers were also happy to exhibit the gapyeong work after . Bang Taeho¡¯s skill shone. ¡°Come on, we¡¯rete. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I headed to Montmartre with Grandpa and Bang Taeho. There were many ces with restrictions, and the area was so wide that we had to meet many people. It wasn¡¯t a problem that could be decided in a day, so I was going to take a leisurely look around. I was buyingnd and buildings. I would never see this again in my life. The third day after I enrolled. It was finally time for art ss. I was excited to hear what Nics Fouquet, the principal praised by Marso and Fabre, would tell us. I grabbed my tablet and lined up in front of the art room. Someone poked me in the right side from behind.1) I turned around and saw a kid who had been ring at me. I think his name was Jacques. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± He pretended not to know andughed with his friends. This kid must need some love. I ignored him and looked ahead, but he poked me in the right side again. Heughed when I turned around. ¡°Is it fun?¡± ¡°What are you saying? What did he say?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Should I poke him in the left side? Or should I scold him once? As I was pondering, Jacques provoked me again. ¡°What are you looking at? Look ahead.¡± I hoped he would be grateful to his grandfather, mother, and father. If they weren¡¯t there, I would have pulled his hair and stuffed it in his butt. ¡°Yeah. You like to y pranks, don¡¯t you?¡± I brushed off Jacques¡¯ arm and turned around. A sharp pain shot through my side. I grabbed his hand. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°What do you mean stop it? Are you not letting go?¡± Jacques tried to pull his hand away, but it was useless. I didn¡¯t suffer for nothing from my grandfather and Marso for the past year. I could subdue a kid who didn¡¯t even lift a dumbbell once, even if he was bigger than me. I wanted to teach him a lesson, but I had to love even this brainless kid if I wanted to deal with many people in the future. Violence can¡¯t solve any problem. I let go of his hand. ¡°If you have something to say, do it after school. I¡¯ll listen.¡± ¡°What!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± As Jacques was about to rush at me, Principal Fouquet came over. ¡°He bullied Jacques.¡± Principal Fouquet heard the kids¡¯ words and asked me. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you could tell me too, Hun.¡± ¡°He was poking me in the side from behind, so I told him to stop.¡± Before Principal Fouquet could ask anything, the kids intervened. ¡°That¡¯s a lie! Jacques was talking with us.¡± Look at them. I thought they were young, but they learned how to lie and trick others when they entered middle school. I don¡¯t know where they learned this rotten thing, but they deserved a good scolding. ¡°Then why did Hun bully Jacques?¡± Principal Fouquet asked the kids again. They seemed to have not thought that far and hesitated. ¡°Jacques, what do you think?¡± ¡°I just did.¡± ¡°Without any reason?¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯s Asian. Asians are always.¡± ¡°Jacques!¡± Principal Fouquet sternly reprimanded Jacques. ¡°Go to the principal¡¯s office right now and reflect on what you did wrong.¡± ¡°But.¡± Principal Fouquet red at Jacques with a furious face, as if he had nothing more to say. Jacques had no choice but to walk along the hallway. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the ssroom.¡± Some kids asked me if I was okay as we were going to the ssroom. I sat down and Principal Fouquet looked around and opened his mouth. ¡°I hate to hear that old people are stuck in their ways.¡± Everyone looked puzzled. ¡°Some of you here must have heard it. Your parents told you not to hang out with that friend.¡± Principal Fouquet, who had brought up his own experience, now spoke from the kids¡¯ perspective. ¡°We¡¯re friends. He¡¯s fun. Why do my parents tell me not to hang out with him? Have you ever had that experience?¡± Some kids nodded. ¡°Also. They say you must be good at studying because you go to our school. What about studying? I hate studying.¡± The kids chuckled. The tense atmosphere eased a bit. ¡°Is there anyone who likesputer games?¡± ¡°Me!¡± ¡°Good. Philip. You must have some friends who curse at you when you y games, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What do you do when they curse at you?¡± ¡°I just ignore them.¡± ¡°You have a lot of patience. But I heard that there are some very bad kids who curse at your parents these days. Did that happen to you too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What did you do then?¡± Philip hesitates. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I cursed back at them.¡± Principal Pusang nods. ¡°That¡¯s right. Philip showed a very natural reaction. You were really angry, weren¡¯t you?¡± Philip nods nervously. ¡°An educated person can tolerate some insults directed at themselves. But they can¡¯t do that when their group or someone precious to them is criticized. They feel a very strong sense of humiliation.¡± Principal Pusang seems to have a point. ¡°It¡¯s because cursing at someone¡¯s group is denying their life. If they tell you not to hang out with bad friends, what does that make me who is close to that friend? Do I have to study hard because I go to Henry IV Middle School? What if I like something other than studying? What if your parents and grandparents are ck? Is that wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Criticism to hurt someone is violence. And denying someone¡¯s origin or life is unforgivable. I hope this never happens again in our school.¡± Rather than the following story. He speaks based on what the kids might have experienced, so it¡¯s easy to understand. He¡¯s a good teacher. ¡°Then let¡¯s start the ss.¡± Principal Pusang writes art on the board. The old touchscreen is a bit slow to respond, but the viewing angle is wide enough that there is no worry of not being able to read the letters. ¡°Today we¡¯re going to study art. What is art?¡± ¡°Drawing!¡± One kid answers. ¡°That¡¯s right. Drawing. Is drawing the only art?¡± ¡°Sculpture!¡± ¡°Eiffel Tower!¡± ¡°Chandelier!¡± The kids actively answer and participate. ¡°That¡¯s right. Everything you just said is art. It¡¯s also called visual art because you can see it with your eyes, and it¡¯s also called stic art because it uses space, like the Eiffel Tower or the chandelier. Art is one of the many forms of art.¡± Principal Pusang looks around the kids and asks another question. ¡°Then one more thing. Is the picture you¡¯re going to draw today art?¡± No one answers, so he opens his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s art.¡± In France, they operate a subject-ssroom system. Students have to move to the corresponding ssroom before the next ss starts, and they have to wait in line in front of the ssroom until the teacher allows them to enter. Chapter 265: Chapter 265: 265 Art ss (3) ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what art is.¡± Principal Pusang smiled brightly. ¡°Art is not just something beautiful and amazing. Nor is it something that has a profound philosophy or meaning.¡± Some of the children tilted their heads in confusion. The children who grew up in Paris, the city of art, must have seen a lot of artworks since they were young. There were many artists who worked in France, as well as things that were plundered from other countries. And there was also street art that could be found everywhere in the city. The children of Paris grew up in art.That¡¯s why they might not understand Nana and Pusang, who called their own drawings art. ¡°Teacher!¡± ¡°Tell me, Pantin.¡± ¡°Then what is art?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very difficult question. Actually, I don¡¯t know what art is either.¡± The children were puzzled. ¡°Haha. Don¡¯t worry. There won¡¯t be a test question asking what art is.¡± At least not in the first grade. ¡°How do we learn if we don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t learn. We won¡¯t teach. We¡¯ll just do it.¡± Pusang took out an oil pastel from his desk. ¡°Let¡¯s y with oil pastels today.¡± Pusang and the assistant teacher gave each student an oil pastel set and a sheet of paper. There were 20 colors. ¡°Pick your three favorite colors.¡± The children picked their favorite colors without much hesitation. ¡®Where.¡¯ I first picked yellow and blue, and then fell into a brief dilemma. I also liked green, but I could mix yellow and blue if I needed it. If I had to add something, I needed a red color, and there was a very vivid red oil pastel. It was simr to Schmincke¡¯s cadmium red tone. ¡°It looks like everyone has chosen. Mia, what colors did you choose?¡± ¡°Orange, chick, and sky blue.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all nice colors. Why do you like orange?¡± Mia blinked her eyes and opened her mouth shyly, as if she couldn¡¯t think of a special reason. ¡°Because it¡¯s pretty.¡± ¡°Haha. Yes. It¡¯s very pretty. Then what are some things that are orange?¡± ¡°A basketball.¡± ¡°A basketball! I didn¡¯t think of that. Yes. There are orange basketballs. What else?¡± ¡°Uh. Slippers and carrots and pumpkins.¡± ¡°Good. You did very well.¡± Pusang looked around the students and asked. ¡°Is there anyone else who chose orange?¡± ¡°Me!¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Pantin. What do you think of when you think of orange?¡± ¡°Sunset.¡± ¡°Yes. Sunset is also a very beautiful orange.¡± ¡°Me!¡± ¡°Jerome also liked orange. Yes. Jerome, what do you think of when you think of orange?¡± ¡°Roof!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Pusang, I, and the other children all eximed softly. Come to think of it, there were many buildings with orange roofs.1) I wondered what he meant by asking us to choose our favorite colors, but it seemed like a time to explore the meaning and emotion of colors. Mia thought of a basketball and slippers first when she thought of orange. She probably liked basketball and had orange slippers at home. Pantin, who thought of sunset, must have had a very good experience. ¡°Why are the slippers orange?¡± ¡°I thought of tangerines when I thought of orange.¡± ¡°Sunset is really beautiful.¡± The children who chose orange, and those who didn¡¯t, were amazed by the presentations of their ssmates. Their thoughts expanded by sharing different images. Pusang also asked questions to some of the children who chose other colors, and the children raised their hands eagerly. ¡°Well, then we have about 30 minutes left for ss. Let¡¯s draw a picture with only the colors we chose for 30 minutes.¡± It felt good. When the art ss was over and it was time to go home, Jacques came back to the ssroom. It looked like he had a slight bruise around his eye. He looked at me, then turned his head and packed his stuff and left. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him.¡± Jerome came over. ¡°I went to the same school as him, and he¡¯s just like that. He can¡¯t do anything by himself.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He seemed worried as he looked at him. I wasn¡¯t worried about anything else, but I was worried that he would live his short life in such a twisted way. ¡°But.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Are you friends with Henri Marso?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jerome¡¯s eyes widened and he grinned. ¡°Then do you really work with him?¡± ¡°Well, yeah.¡± I wondered if he was a fan of Marso and wanted to ask for an autograph, and I smiled awkwardly. ¡°I love Henri Marso¡¯s paintings. I¡¯m jealous.¡± ¡°I like them too.¡± ¡°Really? Which ones do you like? I like the ones between 100 and 200.¡± He had painted over 800 self-portraits, and the fans seemed to call them by numbers. Between 100 and 200. I had no idea. ¡°I liked the Shadow.¡± ¡°Oh! The one he submitted to the Whitney Biennale? I didn¡¯t see that one.¡± ¡°He¡¯s moving it to the Marso Gallery next month.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I thought today would be quiet, but the kids flocked to the Henri Marso story. ¡°It¡¯s not easy.¡± I had been looking for a gallery site for four days, but I couldn¡¯t find a ce that I liked. Grandpa, Bang Tae-ho, and I were tired and resting at a cafe near the Dallyda za. ¡°Are there any other ces?¡± ¡°There are, but the good ones are restricted.¡± It wasn¡¯t just a problem of Montmartre. Paris was protecting old buildings for urbanndscape and cultural preservation, so it was hard to find arge site in a good location. At least residential buildings were allowed to be redeveloped and rebuilt for safety reasons, but the ces where apartments were built were not very good. Most of them were on hills or on slopes because they had settled on cheapnd a long time ago. ¡°How about up there?¡± Arabi, the cafe owner who helped me nt sunflowers at the Dallyda za, asked as he put down a chocte muffin. ¡°Up there?¡± ¡°You know Pizza Hut, right? Next to it used to be a car dealership, but it went bankrupt after electric cars came out. Thend is t and it hasn¡¯t been sold for a long time, so the price might be cheap.¡± It sounded usible, so I looked at Grandpa and Bang Tae-ho. They both seemed to have the same idea. ¡°What¡¯s the address?¡± ¡°It should be Lamarche Street.¡± ¡°Oh, I found it.¡± Bang Tae-ho brought up a satellite photo on his tablet. It was 162 Lamarche Street, and as Arabi said, the site was quiterge. It had a parking lot that could fit a lot of cars, so it wasn¡¯t unreasonable. ¡°I wish it was a little bigger.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s check it out. The phone number is.¡± Bang Tae-ho searched the inte for this and that and called the real estate agent. ¡°There¡¯s an apartment behind it. I heard they were going to demolish it because it¡¯s so old.¡± Arabi settled in and continued the story. ¡°Demolish? You mean another building ising in?¡± Grandpa asked. ¡°Well. That¡¯s how it should be, but the constructionpany went bankrupt a long time ago, so it¡¯splicated.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°If redevelopmentes in, the people who live there will have to go somewhere. But it¡¯s not even that.¡± ¡°So you mean they¡¯re demolishing it for safety reasons?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s dangerous to live there as it is. And it¡¯s burdensome to move. The people who live there are in a dire situation.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s like that, anotherpany should jump in.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. There are plenty of other ces, but why would they bother with this one? There are empty houses everywhere.¡± I don¡¯t know for sure, but the building looks old and neglected. There¡¯s no managementpany, and no new businesses are interested in moving in. Maybe it could be used as a gallery site, along with the former car dealership. ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Bang Tae-ho ended the call. ¡°We¡¯re meeting tomorrow.¡± Grandpa nodded. ¡°Stop by on your way home and take a look. You have to see it with your own eyes.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Grandpa and Bang Tae-ho looked at me. I had a mouthful of chocte muffin, so I just nodded. ¡°Then, take care.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I said goodbye to Mr. Arabi and got in the car. Lamahuk entered 162nd Street on the navigation, and it didn¡¯t take long to get there. ¡°It¡¯s close.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be easy to meet up with the kids.¡± ¡°Hmm. That would be nice.¡± Most of the kids I hung out with at Dallida Square and Bugrenelli Mall lived in this Montmartre district. If I built a gallery near Dallida Square, the yground kids would feel like they were going to the yground in front of their house. ¡°Here it is.¡± As we got out of the car, we saw an empty building and arge parking lot. It looked like it hadn¡¯t been maintained for a long time, with broken ss and piles of trash. But it seemed okay to build a gallery. ¡°It¡¯s turned into a dump.¡± Grandpa looked around and clicked his tongue. It seemed like the people living nearby were secretly dumping their trash here. ¡°How much is this ce?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask, but the price on the inte is cheaper than anywhere else.¡± ¡°There must be a reason why it¡¯s not selling.¡± Grandpa inspected the surroundings carefully. It was a lot of money, and it was for my gallery, so he approached it more cautiously than usual. I felt relieved, since I had no knowledge ofnd or buildings. ¡°As long as I don¡¯t n to resell it, isn¡¯t it better if it¡¯s cheap?¡± ¡°You never know what will happen. What if you have to sell itter?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. I could go bankrupt.¡± ¡°Kid. You should think about doing better and moving to another ce.¡± Grandpa always thought positively about anything rted to me. Moving to a better ce. That sounded like a dream that was too big. As we were looking around. ¡°No way! Why do I have to do that!¡± I heard a child¡¯s angry voice and turned my head. Jacques was being held by someone. 1)There are two theories as to why the roofs of European houses are orange. One is a hypothesis rted to the material, which is that Europeans mainly used red y with a high iron content to build their houses. The spection is that the iron in the y oxidized and turned red when it was baked. The fact that Eastern European countries with a lot of iron in their y have red and orange roofs supports this. Another hypothesis is that during World War II, they painted their roofs in red hues to indicate that they were civilian residential areas to the bombers. But considering that the roofs were already red before the war, this might not have much significance. Chapter 266: Chapter 266: 266 Art ss (4) ¡°Why are you so stubborn? You¡¯re making dad¡¯s life harder!¡± ¡°Go! Just go! Since when did you care about me!¡± There must be some backstory here. A father who wants to take his son with him and a son who rejects his father. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to that woman¡¯s house!¡± Jacques pushed his father¡¯s hand away. The man pointed his finger at his son and said firmly.¡°Jacques Vidal. Don¡¯t ever say that again. She¡¯s the person dad loves and she¡¯s going to be your new mom.¡± ¡°No!¡± From what I heard, the man had remarried. I don¡¯t know why they divorced, but it must be hard for young Jacques to ept. ¡°Fine. You don¡¯t have to call her your new mom, but juste with dad for now.¡± The man grabbed his son¡¯s wrist, but Jacques twisted his body again. He resisted stubbornly even after repeated persuasion, and the man¡¯s emotions also intensified. ¡°This is no longer your home! You don¡¯t have a mom and you don¡¯t want to live with dad, so how are you going to survive on your own!¡± Jacques clenched his mouth and red at his dad. ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± The man left his seat and Jacques copsed on the street. Even if they couldn¡¯tmunicate, it was no way to leave a kid on the street. ¡°Hoon?¡± As I felt sorry for him and tried to approach him, grandpa called me. ¡°Why? Do you know him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s in the same ss as me.¡± Grandpa nodded his head and told me to go. Jacques was sobbing and shaking his shoulders. I didn¡¯t know the situation well and I couldn¡¯t interfere with his family matters, so I just sat next to him and he turned his head. ¡°What do you want!¡± He recognized me and jumped up, wiping his tears. ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°Why are you here! This is my house!¡± I looked up at the old building behind him. It was a multi-family house. ¡°I know, but just sit down for a moment. Do you want some chocte?¡± I gave him a piece of chocte and he screamed louder than he did to his father. It was noisy. ¡°Lower your voice.¡± ¡°Go! Just go!¡± I thought he was only like that to me, but now I see he¡¯s like that to his dad and everyone else. He¡¯s consistently rude. ¡°Sit down and be quiet before I buy your house.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Think I can¡¯t?¡± I bit the chocte into his mouth and forced him to sit down. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. I came because I thought you¡¯d have trouble sleeping alone.¡± ¡°Mind your own business!¡± ¡°Tsk. Stop yelling like that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did that ever solve anything? You only get scolded. If you want to persuade someone, you have to appeal to their emotions or approach them logically. Show them your sincerity.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Have another one.¡± There¡¯s a saying in our country that you give an extra rice cake to someone you hate. I gave him a specially delicious chocte. From what I heard, this ce was no longer his home, but he was being stubborn. I could tell by the fact that he didn¡¯t go into the house and sat on the street. I couldn¡¯t leave him alone in a ce where the security was bad, so I stayed with him for a while without saying anything. He opened his mouth. ¡°What are you really?¡± He sounded scared, thinking he was left alone. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± I couldn¡¯t stay with him forever, so I wondered if I should call the police. The best thing would be for his dad toe back, but I didn¡¯t see any signs of that. He lowered his head again, so I handed him another chocte. ¡°Hoon.¡± Grandpa came over. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I think he had a fight with his dad. I¡¯m staying with him because I don¡¯t want to leave him alone.¡± I was exining the situation to my grandfather when I heard an angry voice from a distance. ¡°Are you out of your mind? What if you leave the kid behind?¡± I turned my head and saw a woman who looked Korean, approaching Jack¡¯s father and yelling at him. She spotted Jack, who was burying his face between his knees, and ran over to him. ¡°Jack!¡± Jack recognized her and got up and backed away. He acted as if he didn¡¯t want to see her at all. ¡°Are you okay? Huh?¡± He didn¡¯t answer, just red at her. The man who followed her sighed. ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Jack!¡± ¡°Leave me alone! Do you think he¡¯ll listen to you if you push him like that? Why are you doing this to him when he¡¯s already having a hard time? He¡¯s your son, isn¡¯t he?¡± The woman crouched down and faced Jack. ¡°Let¡¯s go home with dad. Okay? I won¡¯t go with you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Please. You can¡¯t stay here by yourself. You might meet bad people, and it¡¯s cold. And you¡¯re hungry, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act nice! You think I¡¯ll fall for that?¡± ¡°Jack!¡± The man came closer as if he was going to hit Jack, but the woman stopped him. The woman looked confused and upset, looking at the sky and then the ground, unable to fix her gaze. But soon she shook her head and gave a sad smile. ¡°Fine. You can think of me like that. But you can trust dad, right? Let¡¯s go with dad.¡± The man also took a deep breath and reached out his hand. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Jack.¡± ¡°Dad is a liar too. If it wasn¡¯t for dad, mom wouldn¡¯t have died! She died because of you!¡± The woman pped Jack¡¯s cheek.1) Jack was too shocked to say anything, and the woman was already shedding tears. ¡°You can¡¯t say that.¡± The woman grabbed Jack¡¯s wrist and looked into his eyes. ¡°Dad is hurting as much as you are. He loves mom as much as you do. Even if others don¡¯t understand, you know how dad feels, right? You know how much it hurts, right?¡± Jack didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°How can you say that to dad? Never. Never say that again. Do you understand?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Answer me!¡± The woman scolded Jack while crying like a chicken. I was surprised to see her do that. She must love him and want to get along with him as the son of the person she loves, but she didn¡¯t hesitate to discipline him when he did something wrong. Maybe she wanted him to grow up as a good kid more than to be liked by him. That was true love. The next day. I had just finished exercising with my grandfather and returned home when Marso called me. He said he had to postpone our n to visit M¨¹nster in Germany tomorrow. I was worried because he wouldn¡¯t dy our preliminary investigation unless it was something serious. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± -There¡¯s something. He took the smartphone away from his ear. He didn¡¯t seem to want to talk about it. ¡°I see.¡± I hung up. ¡°Grandpa, we¡¯re going to M¨¹nster next week.¡± ¡°Why? What happened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He must have had an important reason, but he should have exined it to me. He has a bad personality. ¡°Heh. You sound hurt.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hurt at all.¡± I showered and got ready for school. ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I went out to the front of the house and the school bus arrived on time. ¡°Hello.¡± As I greeted the knight and got up, the kids weed me. ¡°Over here! There¡¯s a seat here!¡± ¡°Hoon-ah! Sit here!¡± The kids were calling me from all over the ce, telling me where to sit. I looked around and saw Jack, who was sitting in the back seat and staring out the window nkly. He must have gone home, thankfully. He didn¡¯t even acknowledge me and just listened to the ss, which made Marso even more annoyed. When did he ever say he liked me? He was the one who asked me to stay in Munster for the whole weekend, but he postponed our date without exining why. The more I thought about it, the more irritated I got. ¡°I have to endure it.¡± He wasn¡¯t worth ruining my precious lunchtime. I wanted to eat some dessert to calm myself down, but there was only one slice of cheesecake per person. Nothing was going my way. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell anyone about yesterday, did you?¡± Jack came over as I was eating my cheesecake. ¡°Leave me alone. I don¡¯t have time to worry about you.¡± I had enough headache wondering why Marso had put off our date. Jack sat across from me. ¡°Um¡­¡± He put a chocte bar in front of me. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For yesterday. For teasing you. ¡­ For being Asian.¡± I looked back and forth between him and the chocte bar. Something must have happened yesterday. ¡°I can¡¯t just take one.¡± ¡°Then?¡± He hesitated when he saw the cheesecake. After a few seconds, he pushed it towards me. ¡°Fine. I forgive you.¡± He showed some sincerity, and I wanted him to grow up right, so I epted his apology. I continued eating, but he didn¡¯t go anywhere. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He scratched his head. ¡°For yesterday. For being with me when I was alone.¡± He was kind of cute and childlike now. ¡°Sure.¡± I felt a little better after having some sugar. I had an art ss after lunch, so I hoped I could get over the bad day I had because of Marso. Jack was still in front of me. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°About what you said yesterday.¡± ¡°What did I say?¡± I couldn¡¯t remember what I had said. ¡°About speaking sincerely.¡± I think I said that to persuade someone, you have to appeal to their emotions or be logical. Or you have to show your sincerity. He pointed at the chocte bar and the cheesecake he gave me. 1)¡®French parents who p their children¡¯ was a headline that often appeared in the news, as France was a country that allowed corporal punishment at home. Corporal punishment was not allowed at school, but despite the voices calling for a ban on child abuse in Europe in 1998, France had not epted it for a long time due to the influence of the child disciplinew enacted in the Napoleonic era. It was inevitable that parents would punish their children for educational purposes, and even in the 2010s, there were many cases of pping children¡¯s cheeks for discipline. However, as corporal punishment against infants became a problem, France finally banned child abuse in 2019. Chapter 267: Chapter 267: 267 Art ss (5) ¡°It¡¯s easy. When you gave this to me, it meant you were sorry, right?¡± He nods. ¡°Just be a little more honest.¡± He looks like he kind of gets it, but not really. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to lie to yourself. Don¡¯t you hate that your father is getting remarried?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± ¡°Nothing will change if you sneak off to your old house or throw a tantrum. You just have to tell him how much you love your mother, and how you¡¯re not ready to ept another mother.¡±All you need is the courage to express your thoughts and feelings honestly. Most problems between people start from very small things. Like how Marso didn¡¯t exin why he postponed our date. ¡°I. I¡¯m not good at talking.¡± ¡°There are other ways. If you¡¯re not good with words, you can write a letter. Or give him something that represents your feelings.¡± He stares at his te silently, still hesitating. ¡°From what I saw, the woman you met yesterday is ready to ept you.¡± It¡¯s the second art ss. The assistant teacher ced a basket full of wooden pieces in front of the students. ¡°Today, we¡¯re going to find some interesting wooden pieces.¡± The principal, Pusang, exined the lesson. ¡°The one who finds the most interesting piece will get a reward. It¡¯s 2 o¡¯clock now, so let¡¯s look for five minutes.¡± The kids rushed to the basket. Some were smart and dumped the whole basket, while others watched what others were picking. Interesting shapes. The simple shapes like circles, squares, and triangles were only different in color, size, and form, so they didn¡¯t catch the eye. But they all made their own reasons. ¡°This is interesting, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a circle.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s the only one with a curve, while the others are straight lines.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± The kid who chose the circle also said. ¡°This is the most interesting one!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s crooked.¡± The kid who found the parallelogram interesting because it was crooked. I wondered what to choose and found a circle with a missing piece. The other shapes were allplete, but this circle had a pizza slice shape missing. ¡°Did you all find one?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see. Jerome, what did you choose?¡± ¡°This.¡± Jerome showed a blue trapezoid. ¡°What was interesting about it?¡± ¡°It looks like a hat if you use it like this.¡± He was good at giving rtionships to two different things, like he did with the orange and the roofst time. ¡°I see. That¡¯s a good way to look at it. Jacques, what did you choose?¡± ¡°A square.¡± ¡°You found the square interesting?¡± ¡°No. Actually. I don¡¯t know.¡± Jacques said honestly. The kidsughed softly at Jacques¡¯ words, and he red at them, annoyed. Pusang patted Jacques¡¯ head. ¡°That¡¯s okay. It just means there¡¯s nothing you like in this basket.¡± Pusang asked a few more kids. There were only about 20 minutes left in the ss, and it was the same as the first and today. We learned about shapes this time, just like we shared what colors we liked and what we associated with them in the first ss. He seemed to want to give us a chance to think deeply about color and form. It was a bit disappointingpared to what I expected from what Henri Marso and nche Fabre said. But I thought it would be a good approach for the 12-13 year olds. It was education at their eye level. ¡°Oh, dear. There¡¯s only 20 minutes left.¡± Pusang checked the time and urged the assistant teacher. ¡°Now, we¡¯re going to make interesting shapes with the pieces you chose. You can make a house or a car. If you want to express a person wearing a hat, you¡¯ll need Jerome.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± I¡¯m flustered. The kids in the ss also look like they¡¯ve been hit hard on the back of their heads, blinking their eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t hurry, the ss time will be over. It¡¯s a very important performance evaluation.¡± Mr. Puseng hesitates as if he¡¯s embarrassed, then smiles at the kids. ¡°We have to hurry.¡± The flustered kids quickly match their pieces with their friends sitting next to them. One kid likes it when he matches the hypotenuse of a right triangle with another right triangle. ¡°It¡¯s done! It¡¯s a square!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a square! Go away. I¡¯m going to make something else.¡± Now I see that it¡¯s a tangram game.1) The pieces are more diverse, but the point of making different shapes with the figures is no different from tangram. If he had told me from the beginning, I would have nned ahead, but now I have to improvise. The kids try toe up with something as it¡¯s a performance evaluation. ¡°Hoon-ah! Just a moment!¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± The kidse to me and try to fit their pieces with the toothless circle I chose. But they soon give up and leave as they can¡¯t think of a way to join them. ¡°10 minutes left.¡± Mr. Puseng announces the remaining time smugly. I¡¯m flustered. I can¡¯t figure out how to use the toothless circle. I look around for a square, but most of the kids have already found their partners. ¡°5 minutes left.¡± If I hesitate any longer, I won¡¯t be able to collect any pieces, so I grab the kids who are as clueless as me. They are the ones who chose the yellow isosceles triangle and the small triangle of the same color. Just different-sized triangles. ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°We¡¯re screwed.¡± ¡°Are we getting zero?¡± Is my head this hard? ¡°We have to wrap it up soon.¡± At Mr. Puseng¡¯s words, I quickly gathered the pieces. I made the isosceles triangle the body and put the toothless circle on the vertex as the head. When I put two small triangles on top of it, the kids are happy. ¡°It¡¯s a cat!¡± ¡°A cat!¡± ¡°Teacher! We finished too!¡± ¡°I was flustered.¡± Grandpaughed when I told him what happened at school. ¡°But you did well in the meantime.¡± ¡°I just did what I could.¡± I wonder if I could have thought of something better if I had more time. I think he should have exined from the beginning that we were going to make something together. ¡°Grandpa thinks it¡¯s a very good lesson.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± ¡°Creativity is when you connect somethingpletely different. Could you think of a cat when you chose the toothless circle?¡± I shook my head. Grandpa smiled and took out his tablet. ¡°Let¡¯s see. It should be here somewhere.¡± He rummaged through the folder he used when he taught at the university and opened a document rted to creativity and gestured to me. ¡°Grandpa had this research result when he was at the university.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simr to what you did today with the tangram game. When they told the kids what to make and then gave them the tangram game, most of them made houses or cars.¡± I nodded. ¡°But when they told them to choose their favorite shape and then make something, the proportion of houses or cars decreased significantly.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°When you¡¯re told to make something, houses or cars are very easy to think of. So they all show simr results.¡± ¡°I think I get it.¡± The experiment was conducted in various ways. When they told them to choose their favorite piece and then make something, the kids made different shapes. Today, I followed Puseng¡¯s instructions and chose some interesting and strange pieces to make something out of them. I came up with a very creative shape. ¡°Our brain tends to remember words that are simr. When you think of a house, words like bed orforte to mind naturally.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So, what you associate with something right away is not very creative.¡± I realized that grandfather was right. We feel unfamiliar when we connect different concepts. "There is an artistic technique that uses this. It has a strange name too."1 Grandfather showed me a bizarre painting. There were countless men in coats floating in the air.2 ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a work by Ren¨¦ Magritte, an artist. It¡¯s called Golconda.¡± I didn¡¯t know how to react to this strange scene. People who should be on the ground were in the air. ¡°What does Golconda mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a city in India. There used to be a diamond mine there.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Diamonds have been a symbol of wealth since ancient times, along with gold. I observed the painting more closely. The men were all wearing polite hats and neat coats. ¡°When was this painting made?¡± ¡°In 1953.¡± I guessed that was the typical look of office workers at that time. They were depicted as raining from the sky, and the painting was named Golconda. It was clearly a European setting, but an Indian city. Interesting. Maybe it was a representation of the urban men who pursued wealth symbolized by diamonds. I wanted to focus more on the unfamiliar experience that the image gave me, rather than finding a meaning. I shared my thoughts with grandfather, and he nodded. ¡°Grandfather, you also find it interesting that we can¡¯t tell who those people are.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They all wore bowler hats and coats, so they were indistinguishable. Was it a sign of anonymity? Maybe it reflected the tendency of the people in the 1950s who were swept away by the huge capital and could not exist as individuals. Making it strange. It was a very fascinating technique. 1 D¨¦paysement 2 Golconda, Ren¨¦ Magritte, 1953, oil on canvas. Chapter 268: Chapter 268: 268 Meeting in a Strange ce (1) The more I know about Ren¨¦ Magritte¡¯s works, the more amazing they are. Especially the work called .1 He drew a very fine tobo pipe and wrote ¡®This is not a pipe¡¯ below it. I was quite confused when I first saw it. I couldn¡¯t tell if Ren¨¦ Magritte was mocking me or ying a prank on me. I even checked if there was any trick in the tobo pipe, but there was nothing strange. But I couldn¡¯t give up.Even though I could dismiss it as a weird painting, I was drawn to the unfamiliar image and text and stared at for hours. After a while. I gradually understood Ren¨¦ Magritte. The answer was in the title . He drew a pipe, but the image of the pipe could not be a real pipe, could it? In fact, all paintings are like that. It¡¯s a simple fact. The sunflowers I drew are just sunflower paintings, not sunflowers. Paintings and reality cannot be the same. It¡¯s not just because they don¡¯t look alike, but also because the sunflowers I see cannot beplete sunflowers. Images and words cannot fully represent reality. I and people call too many sunflowers sunflowers, but no sunflower can be the same. Images and words cannot perfectly capture an object and a concept. That is Ren¨¦ Magritte¡¯s im. Based on this idea, I can continue to think further. After the invention of the camera, the style of reproducing reality declined. Naturally, painters tried to find a reason to paint. Ren¨¦ Magritte was no exception. He drew a picture that was exactly like a real tobo pipe, and by saying that it was not a tobo pipe, he redefined the meaning of the painting. Painting is not just transferring reality to canvas, but giving it a new meaning. What a clear answer. As if to prove it, Ren¨¦ Magritte continued to experiment with various works. One of the works that I was interested in was , which Ren¨¦ Magritte painted in 1929. It was a beautiful and ordinaryndscape painting with a meadow and a mountain, except that there was a ss goblet bigger than the mountain. An image that cannot be seen in reality. That is, by making it strange, Ren¨¦ Magritte created his own world. What a brilliant idea. Nowadays, the synthesis technology is so advanced that you can create such things with photos orputer graphics. But at that time, it would have been hard to show such a scene with the photo technology.2 It was something that only a painter could do. Something that you can freely y with brushes and paints. I was immersed in Ren¨¦ Magritte¡¯s strangeness all weekend, when my appointment with Marso was canceled. ¡°Did you say you¡¯re going to bete today?¡± Monday morning. During breakfast, Grandpa asked me if the school ss endedte. I have an advanced art ss in the afternoon, so it ends an hourter than usual. ¡°Yes. It ends at 3 o¡¯clock.¡± The advanced art ss was also the reason why I entered Henri IV Middle School. Nics Poussin, a famous art educator, gave advanced lectures to art students in Henri IV High School and Middle School. I¡¯m looking forward to it as much as Marso and Fabre praised it. ¡°You¡¯ll see Fabre, too.¡± I shook my head. ¡°He won¡¯t be there today. He only takes art therapy sses.¡± ¡°Art history.¡± Grandpa scooped up a spoonful of kimchi stew and said. ¡°You¡¯re studying with Gombrich¡¯s book?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very famous.¡± I bought Ernst Gombrich¡¯s with the coupon I got from school, but Grandpa seemed to know it well. ¡°It¡¯s a good book. But you shouldn¡¯t blindly trust it.¡± I didn¡¯t know what he meant by that, since it was a book that was good enough to be used as a textbook at school. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I described it very systematically and artistically, but I couldn¡¯t exin anything about contemporary art.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s wrong. It¡¯s a book written for young people or those who don¡¯t know much about art, so it¡¯s logical and easy to understand.¡± I had a vague idea of how to take my grandfather¡¯s words. He was someone who always thought from various perspectives, so he was telling me to understand it with a critical attitude. ¡°Then I¡¯ll pick you up on time.¡± He was worried about me even though I had been alone for a week. ¡°I cane by myself. The bus drops me off in front of the house. What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You forgot.¡± My grandfather smiled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were meeting someone today?¡± I tried to recall what he said over the weekend, but I couldn¡¯t remember. I was so immersed in Ren¨¦ Magritte and his ¡®making strange¡¯ that I didn¡¯t listen to my grandfather well. ¡°Who are you meeting?¡± ¡°His name is Ralph, a friend from Italy. He said he wasing to Paris, so I wanted to have a cup of tea with him, and he said he wanted to meet you too.¡± ¡°Italy?¡± From Ennd, France, the Nethends, the United States, to Italy. There was no ce my grandfather couldn¡¯t reach. ¡°Yes. Italy.¡± He must have seen my curiosity on my face. He told me more than he asked. ¡°He¡¯s a busy person, hard to meet. He said he had some business with Mr. Simon, the president of the SNBA.¡± If he was meeting Mr. Simon Chevasson, the president of the SNBA, Ralph must be someone who worked in the art world. ¡°Is he an artist?¡± ¡°A curator. He¡¯s the director of the Venice Biennale next year.¡± ¡°Why does he want to meet me?¡± ¡°Why? He said he became a fan after seeing your Frosty Field and Summer Stream.¡± He was a big shot who would direct the Venice Biennale, and he liked my paintings. I was happy. ¡°And you¡¯re also a painter to watch out for at the Biennale next year.¡± My grandfather praised me again. ¡°I feel pressured.¡± I was preparing for the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project, but I was also worried about the work to be exhibited at the Venice Biennale. It was arge-scale event,parable to the Whitney Biennale, and there was a prize attached, so thepetition was fierce. It was not an optimistic situation, considering that my grandfather, Marso, and Jang Mi-rae were participating from my surroundings. ¡°Don¡¯t feel pressured. The prize wille naturally, so just focus on your work.¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t many people who get the prize, you know.¡± There are three major prizes at the Venice Biennale. The Golden Lion, the Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Special Award. Among them, the ones I could aim for were the Golden Lion and the Special Award. The Golden Lion was divided into three categories: the National Pavilion Award, the Individual Artist Award, and the Young Artist Award. I was hoping for the National Pavilion Award and the Young Artist Award. The Korean Pavilion, which I was participating in with my grandfather and Jang Mi-rae, had the highest chance of winning the award. I also wanted to win the Young Artist Award, which had a condition of being under 35 years old, but there seemed to be no specialpetitors except for Marso. But that was only if I thought positively. The National Pavilion Award was tightly held by France, Britain, and the United States, and Marso was the strongestpetitor no matter what anyone said. It wouldn¡¯t be easy. Meeting the director wouldn¡¯t change anything, but I wondered if I could hear what the Venice Biennale site was like. ¡°Isn¡¯t it time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I stuffed the vegetable side dish that Cha Si-hyun¡¯s parents sent by ne into my mouth and got up. I was full of thoughts about my work even during the school sses. I was hooked on the fun of cing unfamiliar objects in unfamiliar ces and giving them new meanings, and I kept having strange thoughts. What if I put beds instead of desks for the children who were tired of studying? Or what if I moved the students outside the ssroom and put them on the Eiffel Tower? Or what if I built the Eiffel Tower with children? No. Such simple ideas couldn¡¯t give any shock. ¡°¡­¡± I shook my head and shook off my thoughts. Shocking was not the only goal. I was too obsessed with the feeling of ¡®strangeness¡¯ because I was so impressed by Ren¨¦ Magritte. I was clinging to the form of putting something unexpected in a strange ce, which was nothing but a meaningless imitation. To fully digest ¡®making strange¡¯, I had to convey the message of healing the wounds and encouraging the courage. Only then would it be mine. The message and I are what matter. The form and technique are just borrowed. Just as I have regarded many painters, including Millet, as my teachers, so is Ren¨¦ Magritte. ¡°Well, then, let me introduce you to one of the painters who is currently active.¡± I must have been so fascinated by the unfamiliarity that I even saw a hallucination. As Principal Pusang turned his head, Marso entered the ssroom. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Henri! It¡¯s really Henri!¡± The students suddenly cheered and shouted. ¡°¡­?¡± What¡¯s going on here? Marso lifted his chin and scanned the ssroom. ¡°I¡¯m Henri Charpentier Ferdinand Marso, and I¡¯ll be teaching you art history for the next two weeks.¡± ¡°Woohoo!¡± It seems like it¡¯s not a delusion. The sound of the children¡¯s cheers was so loud that my ears hurt. ¡°It¡¯s really Henri!¡± ¡°How did he look like that?¡± ¡°Henri, please sign for me!¡± They seemed to know Marso well, as they dreamed of bing painters, sculptors, and other art-rted professions. Principal Pusang tried to calm the children down, but there was no sign of them settling down. By the way, he said he wouldn¡¯t do it. He said he didn¡¯t have time to teach the kids, but I never dreamed he would stand on the podium. I wonder if he canceled the weekend appointment because of this. Bang- Marso mmed the desk. ¡°Shut up. I took the time toe here, so don¡¯t waste it with useless talk.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The children answered vigorously, and Principal Pusang chuckled. I¡¯ve never heard such a lively answer. ¡°Gombrich started his book with this sentence.¡± Marso wrote on the board, "There is no such thing as art. There are only artists."3) ¡°This means that although art is defined by the word ¡®art¡¯ in each era, it has different forms and meanings, so it cannot be exined by the word ¡®art¡¯.¡± Just as Ren¨¦ Magritte said that the noun ¡®pipe¡¯ does not fully express a pipe. Gombrich also said that the word ¡®art¡¯ cannot epass the whole history of art and the actions of artists. ¡°Therefore, art history can be said to be a history of fighting with different standards for each era and person. I¡¯ll tell you who struggled how for the next four hours.¡± Marso rested his chin on both hands and warned the students who were concentrating. ¡°If you want to do art, you have to engrave it in your mind.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The children answered cheerfully, and Marso snorted and wrote Egypt on the board. 1)The Treachery of Images, Ren¨¦ Magritte, 1929, oil on canvas. He wrote ¡®Ceci n¡¯est pas une pipe (This is not a pipe)¡¯ under the picture of a tobo pipe. 2)A misunderstanding caused by Ko Hun¡¯sck of knowledge of the history of photography. The history of photo editing technology is as old as the history of photography. The first camera was invented in 1826, and the world¡¯s firstposite photo appeared in 1861. It was a photo of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, with Lincoln¡¯s face attached to the body of John Calhoun, who was tall and dignified. The first case of ¡®Photoshop¡¯ applied. *The fact that Van Gogh didn¡¯t know much about photo editing technology is just a setting of , not confirmed by facts. 3)Ernst Gombrich, The Story of Art, tranted by Baek Seung-gil and Lee Jong-soo, (Yekyong, 1997), p. 15. Chapter 269: Chapter 269: 269 Meeting in a Strange ce (2) ¡°Before that.¡± Marso looked at me and said something out of the blue. ¡°You¡¯re going to draw me from now on.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Just do as I say.¡± He had cancelled the appointment without a word, and he had broken his promise not to lecture me. And now he wanted me to draw him during ss time. ¡°I¡¯m going to attend the ss.¡±¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense. Why do I have to listen to what Marso says?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a student.¡± Marso said with his usual confidence and no doubt. "And I¡¯m a teacher."1) ¡°Hurry up and draw.¡± Henri Marso urged Ko Hun, who was speechless with disbelief, and continued the ss. ¡°This is an ancient Egyptian painting.¡± Henri Marso disyed on the touch screen board.2) ¡°It¡¯s a part of a mural found in the tomb of a man named Nebamun. It depicts a garden with a pond.¡± ¡°A pond?¡± The students who saw tilted their heads. They felt that something was wrong with the painting, even though they didn¡¯t know why. The pond was seen from above, but the fish and ducks were lying sideways on the surface of the water. ¡°You¡¯re right to see it as strange.¡± Henri Marso took the students¡¯ questions for granted and began to exin. ¡°The person who drew this picture did not draw what he saw. It¡¯s more like a map than a picture.¡± The students nodded. ¡°He wanted to show exactly where the pond was, what was in which position, and what it looked like.¡± Henri Marso pointed to a fish. ¡°If he had drawn the top view of a fish swimming in the pond, would he be able to tell what it looked like, or what kind of fish it was?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Right. The same goes for the ducks and the trees lying sideways. The ancient Egyptian painters drew things in the shape that they could recognize best.¡± The students finally understood why the Egyptian paintings looked so unfamiliar. ¡°Next.¡± Henri Marso showed the next picture. "This is a painting of bird hunting in the marshes. What¡¯s strange here?"3) Ko Hun raised his hand, but Marso ignored him and continued the exnation. ¡°How is the man in the middle who is holding a bird standing?¡± ¡°Sideways!¡± ¡°Look again.¡± The children who said he was standing sideways looked at the pharaoh again. At first nce, he seemed to be standing sideways, but when they looked closely, he was unnatural. His lower body was facing sideways, but his upper body was facing forward. Marso pointed to his feet. ¡°His feet are facing sideways, but his upper body is facing forward. The reason why he made him take such an ufortable posture is.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s easier to recognize!¡± ¡°Right.¡± Marso was satisfied with the students¡¯ answer and pointed to the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°For the same reason, his eyes are also facing forward. If he was looking sideways, he would have to draw them like this.¡± Marso drew a simple eye from the side to make it easier for the students to understand. ¡°Find more.¡± The students looked for what was strange and found that the person under the pharaoh in the middle was small. ¡°Right. The painters of this period erged and reduced the size ording to the importance. The man in the middle is the pharaoh and the one below him is his servant.¡± Marso looked around the students and said. ¡°The pharaoh is great. A great being is big. This is an abstract concept. It¡¯s not drawing things as they appear, but saying that trees look like this and fish look like this, and drawing them in theirplete form is also an abstract domain.¡± Marso wrote abstract next to the word Egypt on the board. ¡°Next is Greece.¡± He showed the statues of Greece and told the story. ¡°The ancient Greeks¡¯ faith was closely rted to sports. They regarded winning inpetitions as the grace of God. Therefore, the winners left their bodies as statues to prove that they had received the baptism of God. Of course, they wanted to look proud.¡± As Marso showed them , the students nodded.4) ¡°The human body is not perfectly proportioned, butpared to ancient Egypt, you can see that it is quite realistically depicted. The painters and sculptors of ancient Greece studied how people looked and moved, and tried to express them more beautifully. In a broad sense, this is called realism.¡± Marso wrote realism next to Greece. ¡°Art history can be understood as the history of how painters used abstraction and realism, and which one they favored. When Christianity was strong, they used more abstract concepts, and when royal power was strong, they emphasized realistic elements.¡± Marso saw Go-hoon, who was very annoyed. He was ring at Marso, wondering if he had finished his painting. ¡°As time passed, each technique developed and new ones emerged, but if you keep these two concepts in your mind, you can easily approach them. Bring me what you painted.¡± Marso wanted to exin abstraction and realism through Go-hoon¡¯s painting. Go-hoon¡¯s painting, which enjoyed drawing abstract concepts based on realism, seemed to be a good example for the children. Go-hoon reluctantly handed over the portrait he had drawn of Marso, and Marso frowned when he saw it. He had depicted the skin like wood and put on a ridiculous hat. The nose was so long that it looked like Pinhio.5) ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Go-hoon snapped back, furious that he had lied and used his position to make him paint. ¡°When did I lie?¡± ¡°You did. You said you wouldn¡¯t lecture. You said you had no time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± ¡°Then why are you here! Did youe to exploit me?¡± ¡°That inspiration threatened me!¡± The students were surprised when Henri Marso and Go-hoon suddenly started fighting. They were confused as to why the two were arguing, and as they were, Nics Poussin, the principal, quietly approached and picked up the portrait and chuckled. ¡°What a wonderful portrait.¡± The children looked at Marso, who looked like Pinhio, andughed together. ¡°Mr. Marso, you have to continue your lesson, right?¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Nics Poussin watched his student, who was grinning with the portrait that Go-hoon had drawn for him, with affection. ¡°It looks like you had a promise with Hoon.¡± He had asked him to lecture because the students wanted to meet Henri Marso, but he seemed to have postponed his promise because he was preparing for the lecture over the weekend. ¡°Mind your own business.¡± Marso took and got up. ¡°By the way, I have to ask you to teach art therapy, too.¡± ¡°What?¡± Henri Marso narrowed his eyes at the words that he had to teach art therapy as well as art history. But to Nics Poussin, he just looked cute. ¡°You¡¯re old and the hospital keeps calling you, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll fall for it again?¡± Marso recalledst Friday. He said he was not feeling well, and that there was no one else to take the lecture, so he begged him to do it. But when he met him in person today, he was perfectly fine. Poussin smiled faintly and looked at Marso. ¡°¡­Did you get the results?¡± Poussin nodded. ¡°What did they say? Huh? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°They said I should get a retest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because something is wrong that you got a retest. What is it!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about something that¡¯s not even certain.¡± Poussin calmed Marso down and sighed softly. ¡°I just don¡¯t know what to do with the art therapy ss tomorrow. I can¡¯t postpone the ss because I¡¯m going to the hospital.¡± Marso¡¯s temples throbbed. ¡°Other schools tell their students not toe when the teachers go on strike! It¡¯s not for any other reason, it¡¯s because they¡¯re sick!¡± ¡°Can you do that?¡± ¡°Damn it. The others are doing whatever they want and only the inspiration is working!¡± ¡°Everyone is busy with their own work.¡± Poussin sighed again. ¡°Come to think of it, it must be a burden for you, too. Don¡¯t worry about it and go ahead. You can dy the test a little.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! Why dy the test!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you help it?¡± Marso gritted his teeth. The old benefactor was not feeling well, but he couldn¡¯t go to the hospital with ease, and he was annoyed. ¡°I¡¯ll do it for you, so get tested right away tomorrow. Got it?¡± ¡°No. No.¡± ¡°What do you mean no!¡± Pusang was happy that his cute disciple finally decided to help him do a good deed. Meanwhile. ¡°Heh heh.¡± Gosuyeolughed out loud when he heard from Ko Hun what had happened at school today. ¡°The principal is not ordinary either.¡± ¡°I was worried because I didn¡¯t know if it was a prank or real.¡± Who could refuse when an old teacher asked for a favor, saying he had to go to the hospital because he was sick? Ko Hun understood Marso¡¯s situation well. ¡°Well, he is old.¡± ¡°He looked fine on the outside.¡± ¡°They say when you get old, you hurt where you can¡¯t see. It¡¯s good to get regr check-ups even if you don¡¯t have a serious illness.¡± ¡°Grandpa, are you healthy?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be healthy until I can y with my great-grandson.¡± ¡°Great-grandson?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to have kids when you get married?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to get married.¡± ¡°What! Why!¡± ¡°I get unhappy when I meet someone.¡± Gosuyeol couldn¡¯t understand how his grandson, who was only eleven years old, could say that he would be unhappy if he met someone. ¡°Have you ever had a girlfriend?¡± Ko Hun hesitated for a moment and lied. He didn¡¯t want to tell his grandfather about his love life in his past life. ¡°I watch dramas. It was a drama story.¡± ¡°You kid, dramas are made to be fun. They make them tragic andplicated on purpose.¡± Ko Hun nodded. ¡°You¡¯re not watching those trashy. No. Those bad dramas, are you?¡± ¡°Of course not. I don¡¯t watch them.¡± Feeling a suspicious gaze, Ko Hun quickly changed the topic. ¡°I¡¯mte. I have to meet Ralph.¡± A parody of Kim Chae-won¡¯s dialogue in episode 5 of the 2002 MBC drama . , c. 1400 BCE, author unknown , c. 1400 BCE, author unknown , c. 450 BCE, a replica of Myron¡¯s bronze sculpture. Pinhio, Carlo Collodi, 1883. Chapter 270: Chapter 270: 270 Meeting in a Strange ce (3) When we arrived at the meeting ce, Margo greeted us with a gloomy expression on his face. ¡°Ralph.¡± ¡°Seoyul.¡± The person who hugged Grandpa warmly was Ralph Rufus, the director of the Venice Biennale and the head of the Haywood Gallery, a public art museum in Ennd. He looked dignified with his charcoal-gray hair and beard. ¡°You seem to grow bigger every time I see you.¡± ¡°I have to live healthy. Are you still riding your bike?¡±¡°I gave it to my grandson. He said he wanted to rest his joints.¡± Ralph Rufus exchanged greetings with Grandpa and then squatted down to meet my eyes. ¡°You¡¯re Hoon. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Hello, Rufus.¡± He was skinny, but his handshake was strong. His eyes were lively and I liked him. ¡°You¡¯re seeing a warm world.¡± I had heard many stories about my paintings, but this was the most pleasing one. It meant that he resonated with the works I had presented so far. I thanked him and sat down. Ralph Rufus ordered a tea with milk in it, following Grandpa¡¯s rmendation, and I ordered an apple juice with carbonation. ¡°So, what did you talk about with Simon, the chairman of the association?¡± ¡°He was nning something interesting.¡± Ralph Rufus smiled. ¡°He wants to expand the Art Nouveaupetition. It was well received, so it¡¯s not unreasonable.¡± I didn¡¯t know what he meant by expanding the already international Art Nouveaupetition. It was hard enough to exhibit various works fairly at the time, and it didn¡¯t seem like he meant to increase the number of participants. ¡°Expand? How do you mean?¡± Grandpa asked the same question. ¡°He seems to want to make it apletely independent event.¡± The Art Nouveaupetition was an entrance process to participate in the special exhibition of the SNBA Salon. Butst year, the Art Nouveaupetition attracted more attention and made more profit. SNBA seemed to want to take advantage of this opportunity. ¡°He seems to want to approach it more entertainingly.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Like a live broadcast with real-time voting.¡± Money follows where people gather, and art blooms where there is money. It¡¯s an immutablew of antiquity. Artists who don¡¯t have to worry about their livelihood can freely do art as their own subject, but those who can¡¯t need at least somepensation. ¡°I see.¡± Grandpa nodded without adding anything else, probably because he agreed with that. ¡°By the way, the national pavilion said your name wasn¡¯t on the list. What happened?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The Venice Biennale. Are you taking a break this time?¡± Neither Grandpa nor I understood what Ralph was saying. ¡°I haven¡¯t even heard the news of recruitment yet. What do you mean?¡± Ralph Rufus noticed something strange and showed us the list of participants in the Korean pavilion. ¡®Choi Kyu-seo?¡¯ It was a name that sounded familiar. What was strange was that there was no one I knew well, like Grandpa, me, Jang Mi-rae, or Seo In-ho. Only Choi Kyu-seo. It was weird. I didn¡¯t know all the Korean artists, but still. ¡°That Kyu-seo guy¡­¡± ¡°There seems to be a problem. But Kyu-seo was your student, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Grandpa nodded. Now that I think about it, he was the person I met at Grandpa¡¯s retirement ceremony. He didn¡¯t seem to get along well with Jang Mi-rae. ¡°Can they decide this unterally?¡± "The Korean pavilion of the Venice Biennale is paid by the association. The artists are also selected by themissioners of each country, but I don¡¯t know who it is this year."1) Grandpa raised his head and asked who was in charge of the Korean pavilion of the Venice Biennale this year missioner: Commissioner). ¡°It was Kim, for sure.¡± When Ralph Rufus showed us the list, Grandpa groaned. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Kim Su-hyuk. Kyu-seo¡¯s husband.¡± It turned out that the chairman of the Korean Art Association and his family were using the Korean pavilion of the Venice Biennale as they pleased. ¡°So I can¡¯t participate?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can participate as a national pavilion. Is there another way?¡± Grandpa asked Ralph Rufus for advice, but there was no solution. ¡°National pavilion operations are unique to each country, so I have no way to help. It¡¯s a shame.¡± Grandpa, Jang Mi-rae, and I had a good opportunity to decorate the Korean pavilion, but it was ruined before it even started. ¡°How about participating as an individual? I¡¯ll try my best on that side.¡± Many art festivals have escaped from nationalism and regionalism, but the Venice Biennale is especially highlighted by the national pavilion exhibitions. You can tell by the fact that there are separate national pavilions with their ownmissioners and international exhibitions (main exhibitions) where the director-general ns and invites the artists. Among them, Grandpa, I, and Jang Mi-rae didn¡¯t get a chance to work at the national pavilion. Even though it was themissioner¡¯s exclusive authority, Grandpa and Jang Mi-rae, who had expressed their desire to participate in the Venice Biennale national pavilion, couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed. Fortunately, Ralph Rufus invited us, so we could participate in the international exhibition. ¡°That¡¯s what we have to do.¡± Grandpa looked lonely from the side. I came back home and heard the rest of the story with Bang Taeho. Grandpa and Jang Mi-rae had been telling the association that they wanted to participate in the Venice Biennale Korean pavilion exhibition sincest year. At that time, themissioner had not been selected yet, so they also said that they would cooperate with themissioner chosen by the nine members. But they only got a reply that they would consider it, and they didn¡¯t receive any guidance on how the work was progressing. Bang Taeho, who heard the story, was also incredulous. He snorted and got serious. ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± ¡°It is. If we let it go, this will keep happening in the future.¡± I agree with Grandpa a hundred times. Bang Taeho clenched his fist as if he had made up his mind. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°We have to publicize it. First, we collect the damage cases and provide sources to the reporters.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be easy.¡± Grandpa approached cautiously. ¡°They have their hands everywhere. The national exhibition issue also went unnoticed.¡± He was talking about the past incident where Jang Mi-rae, who was a strong candidate for the grand prize at the Korean Art Exhibition, was pushed out by Choi Kyuseo. ¡°It will be different this time. Even if they are not rted workers, there are more people who are interested in art, so there must be a way.¡± Grandpa nodded his head after pondering over Bang Taeho¡¯s words. ¡°Actually, if ites out that Kim Soohyuk selected the artists that fit his intention, there is no problem.¡± I heard that the Venice Biennale Korean pavilion is where themissioner appoints the artists. Themissioner is selected by two ex officio members (the secretary-general of the Korean Art Association, the art policy officer of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) and seven art members. They didn¡¯t vite the rules with their power, so he wanted to make sure they wouldn¡¯t be counterattacked. ¡°We have to pinpoint the problem. It¡¯s not something else, it¡¯s something that the national budget goes into.¡± Bang Taeho pointed out that there is a high possibility of corruption in the process of Kim Soohyuk being selected as themissioner. And inviting only his wife Choi Kyuseo after being appointed as themissioner is a clear problem. Grandpa also agreed with a nod. ¡°Hmm. ¡­ I¡¯ll talk to the school. You.¡± ¡°Yes. Lee Inho will write an article for sure because he is friendly with Hoon. And Kim Ji-woo from Yehwa too.¡± Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t heard from Kim Ji-wootely. I haven¡¯t contacted her since the Dallida Square and the Bugrenelli Shopping Mall. I wondered if something was wrong, and I got a message from Kim Ji-woo for the first time in a long time. ¡°Kim Ji-woo reporter ising to Paris tomorrow.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Should I tell her toe home?¡± ¡°Yes. It will definitely help.¡± While Grandpa and Bang Taeho were having a more detailed conversation, I went up to my room and called Kim Ji-woo. -Hoon! ¡°Hello.¡± -How have you been? ¡°Yes. How about you, reporter?¡± -Well. A little awkward? Hahaha. She seemed to have had some trouble. She¡¯s a healthy person who canugh even when she goes through bad things. -I got a job in Europe this time. I¡¯m going to look around for a house and stuff. ¡°What about Yehwa?¡± -It was a bit difficult. But now I can write what I want without worrying about it, so maybe it¡¯s a good thing? She has a positive attitude. ¡°It will definitely get better.¡± -Thank you. So? Can I see you tomorrow? ¡°Yes. Can we meet at my ce? Grandpa said you can stay in the guest room if you have nowhere else to go.¡± -Really? Really? ¡°Of course.¡± Kim Ji-woo screams over the smartphone. I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s so happy. -Then see you tomorrow. I think I¡¯ll arrive in the evening. ¡°Okay. Drive safely.¡± -Okay~ Thank you! After finishing the call, I wonder what I can do and call Marso. -Why. ¡°Can I see you for a moment?¡± -How long. ¡°Are you busy?¡± -¡­Damn inspiration. I have to teach tomorrow too. It¡¯s an advanced ss on art therapy, and he knows a lot. ¡°It¡¯s about the Venice Biennale. I thought Marso might have a good idea.¡± -Venice? I briefly exin the situation and Marso curses softly over the smartphone. -It must be like a pig farm. They keeping back even if you kill them. I agree. -That aside. Don¡¯t you just have to participate in the international exhibition? Do you have anything else you want to do at the Korean pavilion? ¡°I can decorate the whole exhibition hall.¡± It¡¯s a coborative work with themissioner and other artists, so I can¡¯t do whatever I want, but I think it¡¯s not bad to work within the framework of cooperation. I learned the joy of working together from my experience at Dallida Square and Bugrenelli Shopping Mall. I can make works that I never thought of by myself. -Make more national pavilions. ¡°¡­Yes?¡± -Make it. Sometimes I can¡¯t follow the conversation with Marso. This is one of those times. ¡°What do you mean?¡± -Italy has two, right? The Italian pavilion and the Vian pavilion. It¡¯s a done deal if Goseul Yeol Kyung and Ralph Rufus persuade the board. What are you worried about? ¡°¡­.¡± I¡¯m a bit hesitant about the method I never imagined, but I can¡¯t just say it¡¯s impossible if there¡¯s a precedent. If I can convince the Venice Biennale board as Marso said. I¡¯m with my respected grandpa and popr writer Jang Mi-rae, so maybe the Venice Biennale board will ept it positively. ¡°That¡¯s awesome.¡± -You just realized that. I hang up and go down to the second floor where grandpa and Bang Taeho are. The organizations and names that appear in the work are not rted to real organizations and people. Chapter 271: Chapter 271: 271 The Preliminary Battle (1) They were shocked when I told them Marso¡¯s proposal. ¡°Make another pavilion?¡± ¡°Yes. We can¡¯t participate in the international pavilion anyway as long as Kim Su-hyuk is themissioner.¡± Even if this issue bes public, it¡¯s uncertain if we can join the Venice Biennale next year. And even if Kim Su-hyuk and Choi Kyu-seo step down under public pressure, there¡¯s no guarantee that this won¡¯t happen again as long as they still hold power. Then it would be better to create a new national pavilion to get a fair chance at the Venice Biennale. As I persuaded them, Grandpa and Bang Tae-ho agreed that it was necessary.¡°There¡¯s a lot to worry about.¡± Grandpa¡¯s words were echoed by Bang Tae-ho. ¡°We have to keep doing what we nned. Convincing the Venice Biennale board is secondary.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be curious if we suddenly make another pavilion.¡± He was conscious of public opinion. Bang Tae-ho also mentioned the first thing to solve. ¡°We need a reason to set up a separate Korean pavilion.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± On the surface, it was just that themissioner who was selected through a legitimate process chose the artists, so there needs to be a justification for creating a separate Korean pavilion. The association that receives subsidies from the state denounced Kim Su-hyuk and Choi Kyu-seo for excluding other artists and taking advantage of their family ties, but they also need a reason to establish a new Korean pavilion. It wouldn¡¯t resonate with the people or other artists if we made a new one just for Grandpa, me, and Jang Mi-rae to participate. ¡°The point is to share the opportunity fairly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The problem was that the association chairman¡¯s family had concentrated authority over the Venice Biennale. Some might say that there was no big problem in the procedure, but at least from my point of view, the existing method was greatly wed. Five out of the nine people who selected the Venice Biennalemissioner were from the association. Except for the Ministry of Culture¡¯s art policy officer, the other three would have to follow the association chairman¡¯s lead, which led to this mess. It was also a problem that onemissioner had the authority to appoint the artists. ¡°The new Korean pavilion will have more than onemissioner. Wouldn¡¯t that make the opportunity more fair?¡± The space is limited. Not everyone can participate. But if there are more than onemissioner, at least it would prevent the power from being concentrated on a specific group or individual. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask them directly, but I think the artists would ept it if that¡¯s the condition. And we should select as many participants as possible.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Grandpa and Bang Tae-ho continued their thoughts and made up their minds. ¡°Let¡¯s meet with Ralph tomorrow. We might have to go to Korea.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Marso emphasized how important emotional health was in the first lecture of the art therapy course. He probably wanted to exin why we had to learn art therapy. It was quite a shocking lecture for me, who had treated my body and mind separately. When we feel hurt, stimted, or threatened, our body secretes elements like adrenaline to protect itself. This kind of threat or anxiety is called stress.1) Once we get stressed, hormones are produced that make our heartbeat faster, lower our body temperature, and damage our digestive system. We may also experience dry mouth or tongue, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, etc. And if the stress is not relieved and persists, our physical growth stops and our reproductive organs shrink. Marso exined that cortisol, a adrenal cortex hormone, is produced and lowers our immunity, making us vulnerable to viruses, bacteria, and cancer cells. I was surprised and also wondered if that was why I had been more miserable. Maybe I couldn¡¯t put down the brush for a moment because it was a way to escape from that stress for a while. I approached Marso. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re going to make a new Korean pavilion.¡± ¡°What do I care?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, Marso.¡± ¡°And you hang up the phone like that, knowing that?¡± Marsoined that the kids these days who were familiar with SNS, text messages, and voice chats had no phone etiquette. Unlike the kids these days who were used to telegrams, I had to admit that I didn¡¯t follow Marso¡¯s phone etiquette. When I heard it, I apologized, realizing that it was right to greet and end properly. ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡± I snorted. ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s no need to get worked up over something like an international exhibition.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Do you think you can express something French or Korean as an individual?¡± ¡°An individual can¡¯t represent the whole, but they can be a part of it.¡± ¡°You know well. That¡¯s all it is.¡± Many people recognize my grandfather as a master of Korean painting, but he himself says he doesn¡¯t know Korean painting. ¡°So I¡¯m trying to find out as many as possible.¡± Marso frowned. ¡°It won¡¯t make much difference if one person bes ten, but at least there will be more simrities, right?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing good about doing it with others.¡± ¡°It was fun, wasn¡¯t it? Running around the za or the Bugrenelli mall. It would be a problem if we had to do it together all the time, but sometimes it¡¯s fun to make something together.¡± Marso didn¡¯t answer. I could tell that he was changing little by little. He was cute when he was embarrassed by this kind of conversation, as if he was aware of it himself. ¡°So. Are you not going to the international exhibition, Marso?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± ¡°Everyone says that Marso should decorate the French pavilion next year.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°I saw it on the inte.¡± When I searched for Henri Marso on the French art-rtedmunity, the Venice Biennale was asionally mentioned. ¡°It¡¯s because of them.¡± ¡°Them?¡± ¡°The French pavilionmissioner is annoying, asking me to join. That¡¯s money talk.¡± ¡°Why are you annoyed? Try it. You might make some friends.¡± Marso looked like he had stepped on shit. I wished Marso, who had no friends but me, would be happier, but he looked very displeased. ¡°I don¡¯t need that.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You think you¡¯re friends with Marso. Don¡¯t you need me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± His expression changed from stepping on shit to meeting an alien. ¡°Don¡¯t do that and try it once. You never know.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Marso got up. It¡¯s a pity, but I can¡¯t force him if he thinks that way. I left the school gate. ¡°Hey.¡± Marso, who was ahead of me, called me. ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡± ¡°Go.¡± I got in the car because there was no reason to refuse when he offered me a ride. ¡°But what about Fabre?¡± I didn¡¯t see nche Fabre in the art therapy ss. ¡°She was on the attendance list.¡± Maybe she¡¯s sick or something. She said she would tease Marso, but she liked his work more than anyone else. She wouldn¡¯t miss his lecture. I¡¯ll call herter and ask how she¡¯s doing. I arrived home in no time. I couldn¡¯t just let Marso go, so I told him to have some ice cream and he followed me without a word. Ralph Lupus, my grandfather, and Bang Tae-ho were sitting in the reception room on the first floor, so I greeted them. ¡°Hello, Lupus.¡± ¡°Oh. You¡¯re back from school.¡± Lupus greeted me warmly, then looked at Marso with displeasure. ¡°Mr. Marso.¡± ¡°Director Ralph Lupus.¡± Lupus shook his hand. He didn¡¯t take off his gloves, but Marso shook hands with someone else. He must have a close rtionship or Lupus must be one of the few people Marso respects. Marso bowed his head slightly to my grandfather and exchanged greetings with Bang Tae-ho by looking him in the eye. He wasn¡¯t polite, but he looked much better than before. ¡°We were talking about the establishment of the Korean pavilion.¡± Bang Tae-ho exined the situation. He seemed interested, as it was his own proposed solution. Marso looked at Lupus for an answer. ¡°The board won¡¯t oppose it too much. But it¡¯s not without problems.¡± ¡°Problems?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to apply it right away to the biennale next year, even if we hurry. And.¡± ¡°Is it because of other countries?¡± ¡°Yes. Italy has been operating two venues as the host country, but if Korea opens two venues, there might be a fairness issue.¡± I hadn¡¯t thought of that. That was why grandfather and Bang Tae-ho looked unhappy. ¡°Ko Su-yeol and Jang Mi-rae, they have enough reasons to participate. Even if it¡¯s only for next year.¡± Marso raised another objection. He meant that a one-time event would be enough to send grandfather and Jang Mi-rae. ¡°That might be convincing, but it seems that Su-yeol wants something different.¡± As Rufus said, grandfather and I wanted the selection process to be more fair. ¡°How about doing it as an event for next year and changing it in the meantime?¡± Bang Tae-ho agreed with me as I finished. ¡°I think it¡¯s better to do as Hun says. It¡¯s better than increasing the number of venues and facing resistance. And isn¡¯t it unpleasant to bring up domestic issues abroad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing.¡± Grandfather nodded. I wanted to participate in the biennale next year, so I had to seize the opportunity, and use the time to fix the Korean Art Association. ¡°What about this idea?¡± It seemed that we had some direction, but Rufus cautiously opened his mouth. ¡°There was a talk of opening an exhibition hall with the theme of harmony. They decided to create a global hall in the national hall and invite artists without being bound by nationality.¡± Grandfather, Bang Tae-ho, Marso and I listened quietly to what Rufus was saying. ¡°But there were fewer applicants than expected. They all wanted to join their own national hall or participate as individuals, so there was a pending issue. How about using that?¡± No one gave a positive opinion, so Rufus added more. ¡°It¡¯s burdensome to open another hall anyway.¡± ¡°You mean that Hun and I should work with someone else?¡± ¡°Yes. It would be great if Marso here could help us.¡± Grandfather, Marso and I looked at each other. The atmosphere was strange. ¡°I think it would be very interesting. It¡¯s a good idea, isn¡¯t it? You also have a reason to open your own hall.¡± That was true. We needed a reason to open our own hall until the corruption of the Korean Art Association was exposed. ¡°Can we do that?¡± ¡°Of course. The national hall doesn¡¯t have to stick to the nationality. Painter Baek Dong-joon also worked in the German hall.¡± Bang Tae-ho exined that there were many cases of artists with different nationalities working in other countries. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing, but. He¡¯s a busy friend.¡± Grandfather said, looking at Marso. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be Marso.¡± Any artist with some recognition would be a topic. Francis Bacon, Sarah Georgia, Nic Patti, Hao Ren, or¡­ ¡°How about Banksy? He¡¯s a person who hides his origin, so it fits the purpose. And he would be a hot topic.¡± I came up with a great idea. ¡°Yeah. It would be perfect if he epts.¡± Rufus agreed and grandfather pursed his lips and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s really good. He has an SNS ount, so we can contact him. Rufus, is this really possible?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°No.¡± Just as the mood was getting better. Marso poured cold water. Everyone turned their heads in surprise, and he hardened his attitude. ¡°I¡¯d rather work with him than that guy.¡± ¡°They want to take Marso from the French hall, don¡¯t they? You don¡¯t have to force yourself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a force.¡± The term stress was coined and introduced by physiologist Walter Cannon in 1915. Chapter 272: 272 The Preliminary Battle (2) Andr¨¦ Mass¨¦na, the director of the French Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, had a big dilemmately. He had to hire an artist, and no one could deny that Henri Marso was the best fit for the French Pavilion. Andr¨¦ himself thought that Henri Marso was the ideal candidate, but the problem was his domineering attitude. Inviting him meant giving up his role and authority as the director of the French Pavilion. ¡°What should I do?¡± Andr¨¦ Mass¨¦na sighed. He had lost some of his prestige due to an unpleasant incident in the past, but the Venice Biennale was still the world¡¯s top art exhibition.His experience as the director of the national pavilion would give him a great boost. He wanted to prove his ability by achieving a great result. ¡®Then who should I choose?¡¯ He thought of a few names. Bernard B, Hom Eung, Dran. They were all excellent artists, but it was uncertain if they could deliver a performance as good as Henri Marso. Daniel Buren could also be expected to produce a good result as Henri Marso, but he was too old to participate. ¡°Ah.¡± Andr¨¦ Mass¨¦na sighed again. He didn¡¯t know what would happen if he hired another artist besides Henri Marso and failed to impress. The art lovers would criticize him for not inviting Henri Marso, and the industry would regard him as an ipetent who ruined his work because of his ambition. ¡®Maybe I should just.¡¯ If he formed a team around Henri Marso, he could aim for the Golden Lion Award without much trouble. He would have to give all the credit to him, but at least he could get the title of the 2029 Venice Biennale National Pavilion Golden Lion Award. After days of repeated deliberation, he came to a tentative conclusion, when Ch¨¦vasson Simon, the chairman of the association, opened the door and entered. ¡°Andr¨¦.¡± ¡°Mr. Chairman.¡± Simon greeted Andr¨¦ warmly and sat on the sofa. ¡°You must be very busy. What can I do for you?¡± ¡°I came to consult with you about the national pavilion.¡± ¡°Consult?¡± Simon asked, holding the teacup that the staff brought. ¡°Yes. I want to invite Mr. Marceau, but¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha! I wondered what it was.¡± Ch¨¦vasson Simonughed heartily when Andr¨¦ trailed off. He thought he was worried about how to hire the notoriously difficult Henri Marso. ¡°Why are you so worried? Of course you should invite him.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him, so don¡¯t worry and proceed.¡± Ch¨¦vasson Simon assured him. Henri Marso, who liked to be in the spotlight, wouldn¡¯t refuse to represent the French artists. Besides, he was considering participating in the Venice Biennale recently, so he thought he would surely join. ¡°Thank you. I need to meet him once. When would be convenient for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Marceau and let you know.¡± Andr¨¦ Mass¨¦na thanked him again. He saved himself the trouble of contacting Henri Marso separately, and everything went smoothly. ¡®Is this okay?¡¯ He felt a bit uneasy as if he had nothing to do as the director of the French Pavilion, but he felt relieved when he saw Ch¨¦vasson Simon¡¯s smiling face. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°Sure. There are some reporters outside. Talk to them well.¡± ¡°Reporters?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the deadline for submitting the list of participants for the Venice Biennale. They must be curious if Henri is participating. It would be strange if I spoke for him when you¡¯re here.¡± Andr¨¦ was touched by Ch¨¦vasson Simon¡¯s consideration. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to prepare.¡± ¡°Hah. I hope he doesn¡¯t do his best.¡± Andr¨¦ughed along and went outside. As he left the building, he saw some reporters waiting as Ch¨¦vasson Simon had said. They recognized Andr¨¦ quickly, as they were literary reporters. ¡°Are you Andr¨¦ Mass¨¦na?¡± ¡°How are you nning the national pavilion for the Venice Biennale?¡± Andr¨¦ answered the reporters¡¯ questions politely. ¡°Usually, the Biennale is focused on the artists, but the national pavilion emphasizes the characteristics of the country. I¡¯m doing my best to represent France.¡± ¡°Please be more specific.¡± ¡°I want to show what kind of art is dominant in France right now. I¡¯m focusing onmunication, so that the audience can feel the depth of French art.¡± ¡°Who are the participating artists?¡± It was an expected question. Andre Massena paused for a moment and answered with a chubby face. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can talk about French art without Henri Marso.¡± The reporters who got the answer they were waiting for started to bombard him with questions. ¡°Did you talk to Mr. Marso?¡± ¡°Is it a solo exhibition by Henri Marso?¡± ¡°How are you going to work with Marso, who has never coborated with other curators?¡± Andre Massena smiled leisurely. ¡°I haven¡¯t confirmed the list yet.¡± The reporters¡¯ faces rose with disappointment. They felt cheated by Andre Massena, who said it was not a sure thing after they got a scoop rted to Marso. ¡°But I just met Mr. Simon Chevasson, the chairman of the SNBA, and heard some good news.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Yes. You will be able to see Henri Marso¡¯s works at the Venice Biennale this year. I¡¯m nning to prepare the best environment for him to exhibit his works.¡± [Henri Marso, positive about participating in the Venice Biennale] [Venice Biennale participation list preview. Henri Marso confirmed] [Head of the French Pavilion, ¡°Henri Marso will dominate Venice.¡±] [The French Pavilion decorated around Henri Marso] [SNBA official, ¡°Henri Marso represents French art.¡±] [Henri Marso Pavilion installed in the Venice Biennale National Pavilion?] [Andre Massena, ¡°I¡¯m going to make an exhibition hall for Marso.¡±] Andre Massena¡¯s interview was soon turned into an article. The media cheered for the hero of the French art scene, who had secured his position with the Art Nouveaupetition, and also published spective articles topete for views. Some articles mixed expectations and said that the French Pavilion was the closest to the Golden Lion Award, while others talked as if Henri Marso had already confirmed his participation. Alex Wood, a YouTuber who was live streaming, didn¡¯t miss it. He nodded his head after finding the French article with a viewer¡¯s tip. ¡°This is something that can be expected. There are so many great artists in that country, but it¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that it¡¯s Henri¡¯s era right now. But I feel like Henri will do it alone. Don¡¯t you think?¡± The viewers agreed with Alex¡¯s opinion. They couldn¡¯t imagine that Henri Marso, a terrible narcissist, would cooperate with someone to decorate the exhibition hall. ¡°The French Pavilion decorated around Henri Marso¡­ It¡¯s a spective article, but it¡¯s probably true. As you and I think. In this case, he might eithere out alone, or there will be artists who support Henri.¡± A viewer asked how he looked at the Venice Biennale National Pavilion. ¡°France, the US, and Italy are strong, I guess. Korea? Korea is a bit.¡± Alex found the confirmed participation list and showed it to the viewers. ¡°Choi came out alone. I don¡¯t understand this. What about Go Su-yeol and Go Hun? I would understand if Jang came out, but it¡¯s so random that I¡¯m a bit puzzled.¡± Alex Wood looked around and corrected his words. ¡°Cancel what I just said. Actually, I don¡¯t know how great Choi is. But he¡¯s not a famous artist, at least.¡± Someone asked if it wasn¡¯t good to invite star artists to the National Pavilion. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t make sense to have a National Pavilion if the focus is on the artists, but these days there are cases like France. They put Henri Marso in front of everything. I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s the French Pavilion or the Henri Pavilion. This reporter even says it¡¯s the Henri Marso Pavilion.¡± The viewers agreed. ¡°It feels like they¡¯re just sticking him on, but they can also say that the most popr artist represents that country right now. That¡¯s why they put Henri on. And that also increases the chances of winning. They¡¯re verypetitive. The Venice Biennale. Huh? What?¡± Alex, who was telling his story, raised the chat window. It was because of the content that a viewer reported. [The formation of the fantasy troika] 18:00. Henri Marso, a French artist, officially announced his participation in the Venice Biennale National Pavilion. Henri Marso will join the ¡®Artist Pavilion¡¯ with Go Su-yeol and Go Hun, Korean artists, contrary to what was reported. The Artist Pavilion, which will be newly established in the Venice Biennale National Pavilion next year, is an experimental exhibition hall that starts from the fact that artists are building their own worlds. The attention of the ears is focused on what kind of works Henri Marso and Go Hun, who founded the paintermunity Choctier, will present with Go Su-yeol. The article that came up as a breaking news did not have much detail. ¡°¡­What about the French Pavilion?¡± Alex Wood blinked his eyes as he repeated scrolling up and down. ©¸LOL??? What about the French Pavilion?? ©¸What¡¯s the article? They said they were in the French Pavilion? ©¸Henri Pavilion without Henri?????? ©¸The trash talkers are at it again. They wrote that they knew what was going to happen, that they were specting. ©¸The articles are all being taken down lol ©¸Wow, but this is really amazing. Goseuyul, Anri, and Hun. ©¸I know, right? Isn¡¯t this the best lineup ever? ©¸Crazy. Each one of them is enough to make headlines, but now they¡¯re all in one ce. ©¸I can¡¯t really picture Anri and Hun coborating, can you? ©¸They must have a n. ©¸Lololololol Andre Massena can¡¯t be reached lololol He¡¯s not leaving his house, what to do lol ? ©¸So that¡¯s why Goseuyul and Hun didn¡¯t participate in the Korean pavilion. Sh¨¦vasson Simon felt like he had been hit on the back of his head when he saw the breaking news. He was so shocked that his eyes almost popped out as he checked the article. No matter how many times he looked, the phrase that Anri Marceau was participating in the artist pavilion did not change. He hurriedly called Marceau. -Yeah. ¡°What are you doing!¡± Sh¨¦vasson Simon rarely yelled. -What. ¡°How could you decide such a thing without telling me a word!¡± -What are you talking about. ¡°The Venice Biennale!¡± -Oh. That happened. ¡°That happened? What? How can you do this without the French pavilion? Huh!¡± -It doesn¡¯t make sense. Anri Marceau answered calmly. Sh¨¦vasson Simon, the president of the association, was furious. ¡°You knew that and you did it! I helped you with everything you did, but this is not it! How can you do this!¡± -Calm down. Your blood pressure is rising. ¡°Do I look calm right now! Tell me! What were you thinking when you did this!¡± Sh¨¦vasson Simon was not appeased. He had always supported Anri Marceau in whatever he did, but this time he could not let it go. It was outrageous that he would refuse to participate in the international art exhibition that was the pride of the nation. -If I take the French pavilion, it won¡¯t give a chance to other people. ¡°¡­¡± He was ready to scold him. But Sh¨¦vasson Simon could not say anything. -Anyway, I¡¯m not going to do what I don¡¯t want to do. Tell themissioner to take care of it. -Marceau, what about this? -Throw it away. He heard Hun¡¯s voice over the phone. -I¡¯m busy. Talk to youter. Sh¨¦vasson Simon was frozen with the phone in his hand after the call was cut off. Some feedback and suggestions: The original text is written in a casual and conversational tone, using ng, abbreviations, and emoticons. This is suitable for a web novel, but you may want to consider your target audience and genre. If you are writing for a more formal or serious setting, you may want to avoid using too much informalnguage. The original text uses a lot of dashes (-) to indicate dialogue. This is amon practice in Korean novels, but not in English ones. You may want to use quotation marks (") instead, and follow the punctuation and capitalization rules for dialogue. For example: -?. -Yeah. should be ¡°Yeah.¡± The original text also uses a lot of ellipses (¡­) to indicate pauses, hesitations, or trailing thoughts. This is not wrong, but you may want to use them sparingly and vary your sentence structures. For example, instead of: ¡°¡­¡­.¡± You could write: He was speechless. The original text switches between past and present tense, which can be confusing for the reader. You may want to stick to one tense throughout the story, unless you have a specific reason to change it. For example, instead of: ??? ?? ??? ??? ???? ???? ???. Sh¨¦vasson Simon felt like he had been hit on the back of his head when he saw the breaking news. You could write: Sh¨¦vasson Simon feels like he has been hit on the back of his head when he sees the breaking news. or Sh¨¦vasson Simon felt like he had been hit on the back of his head when he saw the breaking news. The original text uses a lot of names and terms that may not be familiar to the English reader. You may want to provide some context or exnation for them, or use a glossary at the end of the chapter or the book. For example, you could exin what the Venice Biennale, the artist pavilion, and the French pavilion are, and why they are important for the characters. Chapter 273: 273 The Preliminary Battle (3) ¡°Throw it away.¡± I had picked out a few group t-shirts to make our work more enjoyable, but they didn¡¯t seem to like them. They were very cool t-shirts with colorful flowers and butterflies on a ck background, but they told me to toss them. The owner of the clothing store must have felt hurt. ¡°What do you think, Grandpa?¡± I showed them to Grandpa, but he narrowed his eyes as if he was embarrassed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like a very good idea.¡±Bang Tae-ho nodded his head from the side. ¡°I think we should get our money back.¡± I didn¡¯t know what he meant. It was a pity, but since they all opposed, I couldn¡¯t insist and put down the shirts. I didn¡¯t get anything from today¡¯s shopping. ¡°By the way, how are we going to recruit?¡± I asked Bang Tae-ho how we were going to gather participants for the Venice Biennale. Ralph Lufers said that since it was the first time to create an artist pavilion, we could use themissioner¡¯s authority freely. ordingly, Michel and Bang Tae-ho joined us as the heads of the artist pavilion, and they were going to act as comissioners. ¡°We have to post an announcement. I¡¯ll take care of Korea, and tini¡¯s representative said he would take care of France.¡± I wanted to ept applicants from other countries, but I was sure that there would be thousands of applicants from both countries. The exhibition hall was not infinitely wide, so we had to select them inevitably. Bang Tae-ho and Michel must have a lot of worries about how to give fair opportunities. This time, we had to settle for a Korean-French alliance. ¡°Then what about the name of the exhibition hall?¡± We had to give a new name to the exhibition hall, which we had been calling the artist pavilion because there was no official name. ¡°Let¡¯s call it the French-Korean Exhibition Hall.¡± Marso came over after finishing the call. ¡°That¡¯s boring.¡± ¡°What¡¯s boring? Don¡¯t think about naming it.¡± He was always dissatisfied with my naming skills, as he was when I named Choctier. ¡°I think we should go back soon.¡± I checked the clock at Bang Tae-ho¡¯s words, and it was already past time. We had only issued a simple press release through Michel and had dinner, but it was past 7 o¡¯clock. As I hurried home with Marso, Kim Ji-woo greeted me with a wave of her hands. ¡°Hoon!¡± ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°You¡¯re growing up every time I see you. Oh, you dyed your hair. It suits you very well.¡± ¡°Hehe. Nice to see you.¡± ¡°Congrattions, Director. How did you manage to bring Henry and Hoon at the same time?¡± ¡°Haha. Marso and Hoon brought me along. Thank you.¡± Kim Ji-woo exchanged greetings with Grandpa and Bang Tae-ho. She must have been tired after arriving not long ago, but she was lively. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything, just rest.¡± ¡°Ahaha. I¡¯d like to say I¡¯m fine out of courtesy, but I¡¯m not in that situation. Thank you!¡± Kim Ji-woo bowed her waist repeatedly to Grandpa. I showed her to the guest room on the second floor. Bang Tae-ho was on the same floor, so I gave her the master bedroom with a bathroom in case she was ufortable. ¡°Then, have a good rest.¡± ¡°Wait! I have to interview you!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°Time is life.¡± Kim Ji-woo tapped the desk without even unpacking her travel bag. ¡°Then I¡¯ll bring you some juice. Is apple juice okay?¡± ¡°Totally.¡± I brought her the juice and sat down. ¡°I saw on the way that you¡¯re participating in the Venice Biennale national pavilion separately?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did that happen? There was no detailed story. Are you going with Henry? Did they propose it first?¡± ¡°I wanted to participate in the Korean pavilion originally.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°I was talking with Grandpa and Future Aunt before the Korean pavilionmissioner was decided, but as you know, it didn¡¯t work out. So I wondered if there was any other way, and Lufers suggested it.¡± ¡°Ralph Lufers? The director of the Venice Biennale?¡± ¡°Yes. The Arsenale.¡± The main exhibition of the Venice Biennale is called Arsenale, and the national pavilions are called Giardini. ¡°How?¡± ¡°I know him through my grandfather.¡± ¡°Wow. You have an amazingwork. Is that how it is when you reach that level?¡± I¡¯m also amazed by my grandfather¡¯swork. ¡°I was worried about not being able to participate in the Korean pavilion, but Marso told me to make one myself. Rufus heard that and suggested that I try what I was preparing originally.¡± ¡°It worked out well. But there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You and Professor Jang Mi-rae, teacher, were so active, but why didn¡¯t you do it with Curator Kim Suhyuk? What didn¡¯t fit?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. They just didn¡¯t answer me.¡± ¡°Hee.¡± Kim Jiwu gasps. He looks incredulous. ¡°Really? Without saying anything?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Themissioner has full authority over the national pavilion. If they don¡¯t like it, there¡¯s no other way. ¡°That¡¯s weird. Even if it¡¯s themissioner¡¯s authority, they should at least say something if they get a request, right?¡± I think the same. It¡¯s only right to exin the reason to my grandfather, who is a veteran of the art world and also a teacher to Choi Kyuseo. ¡°This is what Marso said.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°People who can think like that wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.¡± He means that if they can empathize with others, they wouldn¡¯t do that. People who can do whatever they want don¡¯t bother to care about others. They firmly believe that nothing will change no matter what others say, so they don¡¯t bother to do annoying things. It was strangely persuasive because it was Henri Marso who said it. He also doesn¡¯t care about others, but the difference between him and them is the direction. Marso, who has a minimum of consideration and leads society in a better direction, and them, who are busy filling their stomachs, are different even though they show simr attitudes. ¡°I guess. That makes sense.¡± Kim Jiwu writes something and someone knocks on the door. ¡°Reporter, this is Bang Taeho.¡± ¡°Yes. Come in.¡± Bang Taehoes in and smiles at Kim Jiwu and me alternately. ¡°You¡¯ve already started.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so curious. I was talking about the Venice Biennale.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. I wanted to tell you something about that. Do you have a minute?¡± Kim Jiwu spreads his hands and points to the chair. ¡°It¡¯s about the Korean Art Association. There was no talk about it in Korea.¡± ¡°About the selection of the artists for the Korean pavilion?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kim Jiwu hesitates for a moment. ¡°Well. The first reaction is that it¡¯s possible because it¡¯s themissioner¡¯s own authority. There are also people who cheer for them because they are a couple.¡± Bang Taeho exhales a long breath. ¡°They did a great job of marketing. The celebrity couple participated in the most prestigious biennale in the world and they were on the air several times.¡± Bang Taeho unfolds his smartphone. ¡°This is the list of participants in the international art exhibitions for thest three years.¡± Kim Jiwu leans his head forward and checks the list. I¡¯m also interested and look at it together, but I don¡¯t know many names. ¡°If you filter out the art exhibitions that the association can select, it¡¯s like this.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Kim Jiwu sighs softly. Bang Taeho opens another file and shows it. It was a list of winners of domestic artpetitions organized or judged by the Korean Art Association. ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called the Choi Kyuseo line. Most of the people who participated and won were rted to Choi Kyuseo, regardless of domestic or foreign.¡± ¡°Can I check it for a moment?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Kim Jiwu looks at the list as if he can¡¯t believe it. He searches andpares the winners repeatedly and puts down his smartphone weakly. ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡± Kim Jiwu puts his hand on the table and leans his face forward. ¡°How can this happen? It¡¯s no different from 10 years ago.¡± It seemed like she was talking about the time when Jang Mi-rae missed the grand prize at the national exhibition. ¡°Nothing has changed. The president of the association is still Choi Youngsoo, just like then.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The media also yed a role. The Jeonghan Daily repeatedly published articles that criticized the association.¡± ¡°What about them¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Reporter.¡± Bang Taeho called Kim Jiwu with a serious tone. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I think this problem needs to be solved for the Korean art world to develop.¡± Kim Jiwu¡¯s neck muscles twitched. ¡°You love art more than anyone, Mr. Reporter.¡± He nodded. He had confirmed Kim Jiwu¡¯s love for art when he was with Marso and Demian Carter. Who would infiltrate a crime den alone for the sake of article views? He believed that he did it because he wanted the truth to be revealed and because he loved art. ¡°Will you help me?¡± Kim Jiwu didn¡¯t hesitate at all. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± ¡°I have some sources, but unfortunately I¡¯m not good at writing.¡± ¡°Leave that to me.¡± Kim Jiwu pounded his chest. He was reliable. ¡°Ah, I was so nervous that I had to shoot a movie again. Do you know how scary it was in Ennd? I still get chills when I think about it.¡± ¡°Haha. I wouldn¡¯t ask you to do something like that.¡± Bang Taeho smiled faintly and spoke with a serious face again. ¡°But it¡¯s still dangerous. They won¡¯t sit still over there. They might pressure Yehwa too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m out anyway.¡± Bang Taeho tilted his head. ¡°They closed down and you¡¯re going to work in Europe. You said it was Bozar, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He exined on behalf of Kim Jiwu and Bang Taeho nodded. ¡°You got a better position.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the best ce to break a story.¡± Kim Jiwu and I looked at each other and smiled. ¡°By the way, how is the artist hall going?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to do it with French and Korean artists.¡± ¡°We¡¯re setting up a criterion because there will be a lot of applicants. We can¡¯t satisfy everyone, but we have to try.¡± Bang Taeho added an exnation. ¡°Then it¡¯s like a coboration hall between the two countries.¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯re going to participate as France-Korea alliance.¡± He opened the memo function on his smartphone and wrote ¡®France-Cor¨¦e parti¡¯. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too simple? Something more usible would be better¡­¡± ¡°Marso doesn¡¯t like unique names. But isn¡¯t this okay if you write it in Korean?¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°France-Korea party, so firecrackers.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bang Taeho and Kim Jiwu stared at me. ¡°You should change it.¡± It was a name that Koreans would never forget if they heard it, but he didn¡¯t seem to like it either. Meanwhile, in Korea, reporter Lee Inho was interviewing professor Jang Mi-rae. ¡°The next question might be a bit sensitive.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t ask.¡± Jang Mi-raeughed and waved her hand as Lee Inho was flustered. ¡°I¡¯m kidding. What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the Venice Biennale. The Korean pavilion artist was decided recently, but how are you going to participate, professor?¡± It was the question he expected. Jang Mi-rae nodded and sipped her straw. The cold coffee calmed her chest. ¡°I¡¯m going to do it with the teacher. And Hun too. Marso said he would do it too, so it should be fun.¡± Lee Inho didn¡¯t know how to ask Jang Mi-rae. He had to ask what happened in the process of selecting the Korean pavilion artist, but he didn¡¯t want to hurt her pride. As Lee Inho was restless, Jang Mi-rae smiled. ¡°Is it because of Kyu-seo?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t have any expectations anyway.¡± Jang Mi-rae shrugged her shoulders. Unlike Go Su-yeol and Ko Hun, Jang Mi-rae had given up on participating in the Korean Pavilion after Choi Kyu-seo¡¯s husband was selected as amissioner. ¡°Isn¡¯t it cute that they believe their prestigious association will be recognized on the world stage?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They¡¯re so proud of it, but they don¡¯t realize how embarrassing they look.¡± Chapter 274: Chapter 274: 274 The Preliminary Battle (4) Lee In-ho smiled bitterly at Jang Mi-rae¡¯s answer. ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°It would be different if Kyu-seo had a decent work. But he¡¯s just taking up space thanks to his family. How shameful is that?¡± Jang Mi-rae sighed deeply. ¡°I feel sorry for the students every time something like this happens.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°When I was an undergraduate, it was the same. They say it¡¯s hard to seed without connections among the kids. It¡¯s the same everywhere in the world, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not a problem, right?¡±¡°True.¡± ¡°Even public projects are the same. Even if you want to participate as a simple worker, it¡¯s hard if you don¡¯t look good to the famous artists.¡± Jang Mi-rae worried about the corruption of the art world that was connected by academic and personal ties. Public projects withrge budgets could only go to the prestigious artists. The unknown painters had no choice but to be subservient to them, hoping to leave even a small record of their work. ¡°It¡¯s a bit better now. At least there are things like SNS and YouTube to appeal and promote yourself. There are also some friends who are making their way through that.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not easy. That¡¯s why they all give up before they start, or lose their momentum after working hard. It¡¯s because of this kind of thing.¡± Jang Mi-rae thought that the deeds of Choi Young-soo, the chairman of the association, Choi Kyu-seo, and Kim Soo-hyuk, the married couple, had a negative impact on the art world. The deprivation of opportunity led to the loss of will, and eventually took away the hope from those who wanted to work as painters. Jang Mi-rae, who taught students at the university, heard suchints frequently. ¡°So, I hope this will be a small hope for them.¡± Jang Mi-rae smiled slightly. Choi Kyu-seo snickered when he heard the news of Jang Mi-rae¡¯s participation in the Venice Biennale. He found it amusing that she had to cling to someone else¡¯s ce because she couldn¡¯t get a regr exhibition hall. ¡°Mi-rae senior is also participating in an international exhibition, I see.¡± Choi Kyu-seo, Jang Mi-rae¡¯s junior in college and currently working as Choi Kyu-seo¡¯s secretary, opened his mouth. ¡°I guess so. The professor must have reached out to her. I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s so fond of her.¡± ¡°He was like that when you were an undergraduate too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡± Go Soo-yeol had always favored Jang Mi-rae, who had no taste or dignity to speak of. Choi Kyu-seo couldn¡¯t understand why he liked someone who didn¡¯t produce the works that the professors wanted, and only talked back to them. Choi Kyu-seo, who had quickly figured out what the professors wanted and never missed the top of his ss throughout his college life, felt like he had been robbed of the love he deserved. Even though he had won the grand prize at the national exhibition when he was a college student. But that was 10 years ago. Time passed and Go Soo-yeol retired from his dean position, and Choi Kyu-seo¡¯s era was gradually approaching. There was nopetition or exhibition in Korea that Choi Kyu-seo¡¯s breath didn¡¯t reach. The seniors and elders of the art world, who had treated him lightly when he was a student, now only smiled stupidly in front of Choi Kyu-seo. ¡°What if she wins an award thanks to the professor?¡± Choi Kyu-seo sneered at Baek Seol-ki¡¯s concern. ¡°You¡¯re good at everything, but you¡¯re short-sighted. There are ten people in Korea. And another ten in France. And Henri Matisse is in there too. Do you think it will work out? They¡¯re just gathering mediocre people to sell emotions.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ You¡¯re right. Heh.¡± Baek Seol-ki smiled awkwardly, feeling scolded. Choi Kyu-seo lifted one corner of his mouth as he looked at the announcement for the applicants for the France-Korea Pavilion. Too many cooks spoil the broth. Artists with strong egos, whether they were ten or a hundred, couldn¡¯t agree on anything. When they tried to gather the opinions of many, they tended to go with the ordinary ones. He thought it was much more original to work alone. ¡°Put it away.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Choi Kyu-seo threw the announcement for the applicants for the France-Korea Pavilion. Baek Seol-ki picked it up, bowed, and left the office. ¡°Sigh.¡± He let out a sigh involuntarily. He had been doing all kinds of unpleasant things for the past few years, thinking that he would get some opportunity if he stayed by Choi Kyu-seo¡¯s side. But he was getting tired. At first, Choi Kyu-seo promised to give him an exhibition if he worked hard, but now he treated him like a ve. Baek Seol-ki looked at the announcement. [Announcement for Applicants for the Venice Biennale] Hello. I am Bang Tae-ho, the comissioner of the France-Korea Pavilion at the Venice Biennale International Exhibition. We are looking for artists to fill the France-Korea Pavilion with Go Su-yeol, Ko Hun, and Jang Mi-rae. The France-Korea Pavilion is a new exhibition hall that will be established at the 2030 Venice Biennale, where we aim to conduct a discourse on the coexisting values of fusion and independence through the artists of both Korea and France. We look forward to your participation. ?Recruitment field Painting 3, Instation 3, Sculpture 1. ?Recruitment summary Content: Submission of exhibits for the France-Korea Pavilion at the 2030 Venice Biennale. Application form: Portfolio including photos and descriptions of works. Application details: Creative support fund of 5 million won per person, support for Venice amodation and round-trip airfare. Qualifications: Korean nationals under 35 years old who are artists, no disqualification for overseas travel. ?Procedure and application submission Document screening (10.3)¨CInterview (10.15)¨Ceptance notification (10.22) Application period: From September 19, 2029 (Wed) to October 3, 2029 (Wed). Application method: E-mail application [Download form] ¡ùPlease send the title in the format of Venice Biennale_Participation Application_Name. Please note that applications that do not conform to the detailed format will not be epted. ¡ùThe collected application documents will be destroyed in ordance with the Personal Information Protection Act. The outrageous creative support fund seemed to allow each artist to have their own unique work, rather than a coborative activity. Besides, there was no special qualification required except for age. Choi Kyu-seo sneered that it was a trick to gather sympathy, but to Baek Seol-gi, this was also a precious opportunity. ¡°¡­¡± Baek Seol-gi shook her head as she wondered if she should apply for a moment. She didn¡¯t know what kind of retaliation she would face from Choi Kyu-seo if she passed and participated in the Venice Biennale. She couldn¡¯t guarantee her domestic activities if she offended Choi Young-soo, the president of the Korean Art Association, Choi Kyu-seo, and Kim Su-hyuk. ¡®What the hell.¡¯ Baek Seol-gi crumpled up the recruitment announcement poster and threw it in the trash can. Meanwhile. When the announcement of the recruitment of hopeful participants for the France-Korea Pavilion at the Venice Biennale came out, the Korean artists were shocked. It was not an announcement to select a national pavilion manager, nor a content to find a contract artist. Themunity was turned upside down by the news that they were looking for a person who would participate in the Venice Biennale as an artist. ©¸I can¡¯t believe this is happening. ©¸Is the qualification requirement real? Is anyone under 35 eligible? ©¸"Application" is possible. ©¸Where is that???? You don¡¯t need any awards? ©¸They¡¯re probably doing that to get attention. It¡¯s obvious that they¡¯ll pick someone who has won some awards. ©¸Don¡¯t do it. Don¡¯t ever do it. ©¸I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s going to do it. ©¸This is crazy. No, what¡¯s with the creative support fund of 5 million won?????? ©¸There will be a lot of hopefuls because of that. ©¸Is 5 million won important right now? It¡¯s a ce where you can work with Go Su-yeol, Jang Mi-rae, Henri, and Hoon. ©¸For real?? ©¸You idiots, this is not somewhere else, this is the Venice Biennale. The most prestigious biennale in the world. Is 5 million won important? ©¸But what is the Korean pavilion and what is this? ©¸It says in the summary. It¡¯s a cooperation pavilion between Korea and France. ©¸Honestly, this won¡¯t work out well. You¡¯ll only be ying a supporting role for Go Su-yeol, Jang Mi-rae, and Ko Hun, so why bother? ©¸One work per person. ©¸What does that matter? They¡¯ll get all the attention anyway. ©¸It¡¯s amazing just to have your work hanging in the Venice Biennale. You¡¯re a blockhead. ©¸But what about the Korean pavilion then? ©¸What do you mean what about it. It¡¯s just the same. ©¸No. There¡¯s only one Golden Lion Award for the national pavilion. If Go Su-yeol, Ko Hun, and Jang Mi-rae go over there, won¡¯t the Korean pavilion not get the award? ©¸??????I would have said what I wanted to say if I had a lot of money. ©¸For real, I can¡¯t say anything because I¡¯m afraid of being sued, but would anyone who knows a little bit about art expect anything from the Korean pavilion? ©¸What? Why are you like that? As if Korea was in chaos with the recruitment of the Outcasts, France was no different. Themunity sites and forums were full of stories about the Outcasts, and nche had applied, of course. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you show up for the first art therapy ss?¡± ¡°Henri Marso was teaching.¡± ¡°Do you hate him that much?¡± He doesn¡¯t answer. I have no idea why he hates me so much. He never answers when I ask him. ¡°I¡¯m jealous.¡± Vida Lavani sighed softly as she looked at the recruitment poster. ¡°Why don¡¯t you apply? You might have a chance.¡± ¡°Me?¡± She nodded. ¡°What can I do? No way. I can¡¯t draw well.¡± ¡°So what? Anyone under 35 can apply.¡± Vida Lavani had her shorings. She had a warm sensibility, but she needed more experience. ¡°It won¡¯t work anyway.¡± ¡°Nothing will change if you think like that.¡± nche stepped in. ¡°If you say it won¡¯t work, it won¡¯t. The word ¡®miracle¡¯ was created after it actually happened.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t even have a portfolio.¡± ¡°You have a week, so you can start preparing now.¡± nche put her hand on Vida Lavani¡¯s sketchbook and said. ¡°Uh, okay.¡± The more I challenge myself, the more scared I get. Is this the right path for me? Am I really doing well? Even if I¡¯m not good, am I better than yesterday? I want to give up every time because nothing is certain. I know that too well because I¡¯ve been there. The fear and fatigue thates from feeling helpless cannot be ovee by any talent or confidence. It¡¯s impossible to resist when it swallows your ego and shakes your reason. The only way to beat that fear is with a brush and paint. You have to fill the nk canvas with your eyes wide open to gradually shake it off.1) nche knew that well. She believed that something good would happen if Vida Lavani didn¡¯t hesitate to challenge herself whenever she had a chance, even though it would be hard for her to get selected. ¡°But what does ¡®bulhandang¡¯ mean?¡± nche asked. ¡°It¡¯s an old term for France that China and Korea used. So ¡®bul¡¯ for France, ¡®han¡¯ for Korea, and ¡®dang¡¯ for party.¡± She showed her the dictionary and exined it one by one. nche nodded. ¡°I asked because the dictionary said it was a group of people who roamed around and robbed people of their wealth.¡± That¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do. At least in Korea, I¡¯m going to take away their money and power from the people who have seized the authority. Grandfather, Bang Tae-ho, Kim Ji-woo, and Jang Mi-rae are working hard to prepare, and I will do what I can. Tofort those who are disappointed with reality. And to give them courage to stand up again. 1)¡°When you face a nk canvas that stares at you like a fool, you have to draw something on it. You don¡¯t know how powerless a nk canvas can make you feel.¡± ¡°A nk canvas seems to say ¡®you can¡¯t do anything¡¯. Painters who are bewitched by the idiotic magic of the canvas end up bing fools.¡± ¡°Many painters feel fear when they stand in front of a nk canvas. On the other hand, the nk canvas is afraid of the passionate and serious painters who break its magic.¡± -A letter from Vincent van Gogh to his brother Theodore- Chapter 275: Chapter 275: 275 The Preliminary Battle (5) Since the announcement, the interest in the France-Korea joint exhibition hall has grown day by day. On the first day of receiving applications, September 19th, they said 1,400 people sent emails. Bang Tae-ho also hired some staff as he expected, but he seemed to have a hard time for a while. He was pitiful, even having to rush through his dinner, which should have beenfortable and happy. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get up first.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried you might get sick.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do it roughly. I¡¯m going to rest well after finishing this job.¡±¡°Hmm.¡± Grandfather nodded. If you work by reducing your meal time and sleep time, you will lose your health. He knows best because he feels it in his body, but the reason he willingly steps forward is one. He knows how desperate the opportunity of the France-Korea joint exhibition hall is for the artists. ¡°Director Bang, you seem to be pushing yourself too hard.¡± Kim Ji-woo also looked worried and sighed. ¡°Is there any way I can help?¡± ¡°It would be nice to do it together, but the selection process has to be fair.¡± As grandfather said. I would like to help him right away, but I can¡¯t mix any other intentions in the selection process. That¡¯s the same for me, grandfather, and Jang Mi-rae. He is wary of the unfair group bing another power group. ¡°Can¡¯t I help with the ssification? Like painting with painting. Or get rid of the ones that don¡¯t fit the style.¡± Kim Ji-woo¡¯s words also made sense, and grandfather nodded. ¡°That would be okay. Let¡¯s eat and try it.¡± We ate dinner quickly. While grandfather and Kim Ji-woo were cleaning up, I looked for Bang Tae-ho. He set up a temporary office and hired some staff, but he had to work at home every day because it was hard to handle within working hours. ¡°Have a drink.¡± I put apple juice next to him. ¡°Ah. Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you with the ssification.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be much faster if we do it together.¡± He hesitated for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll just sort out the ones that don¡¯t fit the style. I can do that much.¡± ¡°No.¡± Bang Tae-ho smiled. He looked more pitiful when he smiled like that with a tired face. ¡°Leave this to me. You have your own work.¡± I would be fine to help him for a day or two, but he refused. But I understood his feelings. The Venice Biennale France-Korea Pavilion must seed for more opportunities like this toe in the future. The way of hiring artists for national pavilion exhibitions will also be more fair, and that¡¯s what I, grandfather, and Bang Tae-ho really want. Bang Tae-ho has to work hard on nning from selecting artists. I have to do my best for the works that will be exhibited in it. He smiled lightly and looked at the monitor as I nodded. ¡°Director, I¡¯ll help you a little.¡± Kim Ji-woo came in. He said something simr to me, and he cautiously reached out to Kim Ji-woo. ¡°Uh¡­ Then can you look at this and divide it? Make folders and separate the ones that fit the style and the ones that don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Leave it to me!¡± Kim Ji-woo pped his hands and took his seat. Kim Ji-woo and I both wanted to help, but we didn¡¯t need to know more about this job. We shouldn¡¯t know. As grandfather said, it has to be fair, so we have to do simple work. Kim Ji-woo connected to Bang Tae-ho¡¯s server and downloaded the folder of the unfair applicants. He didn¡¯t like the name unfair, but it seemed easier than the long name like France-Korea joint exhibition hall. ¡°Heek.¡± Kim Ji-woo checked the number of files and was surprised. I was surprised too. I was surprised that 1,400 people applied on the first day, but the applications are over 4,000. ¡°Did you try to do this alone?¡± ¡°Haha. It¡¯s because I¡¯m doing it with the staff. It would have been easier to distinguish if I had received online support from the beginning, but I couldn¡¯t help it because of the circumstances.¡± Kim Ji-woo shakes his head. ¡°My goodness. It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t help it, it¡¯s really ridiculous. How did you n to do this?¡± Kim Ji-woo scans the folders on the server and ps his cheek. Then he created folders for painting, instation, and sculpture under the form preparation folder. ¡°I¡¯ll put the ones that don¡¯t fit the format separately. I¡¯ll sort the ones without missing content like this. Is this okay?¡± ¡°Wow. Thank you. I should pay you for this.¡± ¡°Buy me a meal tomorrow.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± Kim Ji-woo opens the application. He was curious who was participating and nced at it, and the names and brief introductions caught his eye. ¡®Kim Jinwoo.¡¯ He was someone who stopped by our house briefly two years ago. He was also a student taught by Jang Mi-rae, but he seemed to have been discharged from the military. I don¡¯t know if he is Kim Jinwoo, a graduate of Korea University of Arts, because his alma mater is not written, but the timing is likely. ¡®Baek Seolgi?¡¯ It¡¯s a delicious-looking name. Both of them left the room quietly as if they were focused. ¡°You said you¡¯d help?¡± ¡°I have something else to do.¡± Grandpa patted his head. ¡°Right. We have to work hard too.¡± It was obvious. While Bang Taeho was waging a war, Michel tini was also suffering. There were 580,000 artists registered in the French artist welfare system Antermittent. Among them, there were some who could not apply for various reasons such as working on other projects, contract issues with their agencies, illness, etc., but there was no one who did not want to participate in the Venice Biennale. The artists who gave up the national pavilion, which only a few could participate in, rushed to submit their applications, thinking that they would at least break even. Unlike Bang Taeho, who received applications online, he did not need to sort them one by one, but it was no easy task to check all the portfolios of tens of thousands with just ten people. Michel tini, who had been buried in a pile of documents for days, sighed deeply. The fever rose and his head throbbed. ¡®What time is it.¡¯ Before 4:20 p.m. He had an appointment at 4 o¡¯clock, so he wanted to close his eyes for a while until then. ¡°Make it dark.¡± The office control system, which recognized Michel¡¯s voice, turned off the lights and drew the curtains. Michel closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair for a while, and the inte rang. -Sir, Bang Taeho Choctier has visited you. ¡°Please guide him to the reception room. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± -Yes. I¡¯ll guide him. Michel closed his eyes for a moment and got up and shook his head. He tidied up his clothes roughly at the sink inside the office, and took the draft he had prepared in advance and walked out into the hallway. He opened the door to the reception room. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Michel and Bang Taeho greeted each other and smiled bitterly. They looked terrible. They knew how much trouble they were responsible for, and they could onlyugh at the dark shadows around their eyes and drooping shoulders. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not easy. It¡¯s hard to judge by portfolio alone.¡± Michel nodded. It was impossible to judge an artist by a few works. But since there was no alternative, they had topromise. ¡°But we have to do it.¡± Michel handed over the documents to Bang Taeho and disyed a perspective drawing of the joint exhibition hall in 3D graphics on the screen in the reception room. ¡°I made a draft based on what we talked aboutst time.¡± Bang Taeho looked at the building. The exhibition hall, which was divided into two floors, was dome-shaped. The ceiling of the first floor was open, so you could see the second floor when you looked up. Conversely, you could also look down at the first floor from the second floor. The railing on the second floor was installed in a circle, slightly away from the wall. They had made an effort to reduce any factors that could obstruct the view, and the center of the dome was made of ss so that the sky was visible. The concept of the Fireworks Exhibition Hall wasndscape. The works of artists from both countries were independent pieces when viewed up close, but they formed a singlendscape when viewed from afar. That¡¯s why they needed to build a new exhibition hall. ¡°It¡¯s nice. You mean we can see the sun here if we time it right?¡± Bang Tae-ho pointed to the middle part of the ss ceiling. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But can we find a suitablend that meets the conditions?¡± They couldn¡¯t tell what was there even if they found the time and ce where the sun was exactly in the middle of the exhibition hall. Depending on the situation, the cost could be quite high. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Michelle smiled faintly. Money could solve anything for Henri Marso. ¡°Haha.¡± Bang Tae-ho looked around the exhibition hall again. If everything went as nned, the visitors would be able to enjoy thendscape from anywhere in the exhibition hall. If they looked at the pieces ced close by, they could appreciate one piece of art, and if they turned their eyes to the opposite side, they could view the second and first floors like the sky and the sea. The Fireworks Exhibition Hall, which took as its motif, which was enjoyed inside the artwork, was itself a piece of art. ¡°Good. Honestly, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything more to touch. You¡¯re really the best, President tini.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. The important thing is how well you fill this ce.¡± Michelle¡¯s remark resonated with Bang Tae-ho. No matter how good the n was, the artists were the ones whopleted the exhibition. They were going to select twenty people, ten from each country, and tell them the concept of the exhibition hall. But it was uncertain how well they would digest the Fireworks Exhibition Hall. ¡°By the way, this is Hun¡¯s request.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He wants to have some snacks at the entrance of the exhibition hall. Chocte or candy.¡± It could have been taken as a consideration for the audience, but Michelle tini took it differently. It was a choctier¡¯s idea of enjoying art happily, and at the same time, it reminded him of Fernando Gonzalez. ¡°You mean 79kg?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s fine. Rather, it would be good to promote Choctier.¡± ¡°It would be fun to have snacks that sell well in France and Korea together.¡± Being able to experience snacks from other countries could also be seen as part of the exchange. ¡°Good. And.¡± Michelle signaled to ask how the work that Bang Tae-ho was in charge of was going. ¡°Yes. I thought about something like this.¡± Bang Tae-ho showed him the document. ¡°It¡¯s a hidden picture game.¡± ¡°A hidden picture game?¡± ¡°Since there are so many national pavilions, it might be hard to keep the visitors.¡± Michelle tini nodded. ¡°We¡¯re going to put different elements inside the exhibition hall every day. It could be a piece of art or a disy location.¡± Michelle listened attentively to Bang Tae-ho¡¯s suggestion. ¡°We¡¯re going to give a small gift to the person who finds it, and Hun asked me what about the artists¡¯ signatures.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°At the Whitney Biennale, Hun drew sunflowers and got a good response. Something like that.¡± Michelle chuckled. He remembered the fool who burned himself with a senseless victory urge. ¡°If we have a separate signing event, it would be a burden for the artists, so if we do it this way, it would be a prize. And they¡¯lle back to look for it again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cool. How about changing one thing for each artist? You can get the signature of the artist who changed the element.¡± It was a suggestion to add a collection element. For fans of specific artists, it would be a special motivation to visit the exhibition. Chapter 276: Chapter 276: 276 Caterpir and Pork Rice Bowl (1) It was the day of the third art therapy session. I was so excited to see what we would learn today that I went to the art ssroom as soon as I finished lunch. Marso¡¯s ssroom was so dazzling that I couldn¡¯t tell if it was a school or Nero¡¯s emperor¡¯s lounge. He decorated it with new chairs and desks, saying that he couldn¡¯t use the ones that others had used, and reced all the old facilities, making it quite out of ce. I heard that he had remodeled the ssroom as he pleased as a condition for giving lectures. As I sat down and rested my arms, bored, Marso opened the ssroom door and came in. ¡°Why are you sote?¡±¡°Late? What do you meante?¡± There were only 20 minutes left for the ss. ¡°What are we doing today?¡± ¡°Scratch.¡± Marso showed me a ck paper. When I approached, he handed me a carving knife. As I carefully scraped it off, the ck color peeled off and revealed colorful colors. It seemed like a product that was prepared in advance so that there was no need to paint over it. It was difficult to express it intentionally, but it was convenient and fun because I didn¡¯t know what color woulde out. ¡°Go get him.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The insect kid.¡± He was talking about nche Fabre. ¡°How dare you skip my ss twice?¡± He seemed to have hurt his pride. ¡®I wonder if he won¡¯te today either.¡¯ I was worried. He didn¡¯t show up for the art therapy ss for some reason. He said he wasn¡¯t sick when I asked him, and he came to the choctier meeting well, so I thought he had some personal issues. ¡°I¡¯ll call him. And he¡¯s not an insect kid, he¡¯s nche Fabre.¡± ¡°What do I care?¡± He snapped at me and I left the ssroom. He didn¡¯t answer the phone. He must havee to school, so I decided to look for him myself and left the middle school building and headed to Henry IV High School. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Ko Hun?¡± ¡°Yeah. The Arnuvo Contest. What¡¯s he doing here?¡± ¡°He¡¯s cute.¡± Some students recognized me, but they didn¡¯t approach me. ¡®What ss was he in?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t remember what ss he was in, no matter how hard I thought. I didn¡¯t think this would work, so I approached a group of students nearby. ¡°Do you know nche Fabre?¡± ¡°nche Fabre?¡± They looked like they didn¡¯t know, and one of them was about to ask someone else when another student opened his mouth. ¡°Isn¡¯t that him? The weird white-haired kid.¡± ¡°Oh. Right. He¡¯s probably in the backyard.¡± There was a hint of mockery in their attitude towards nche. It was annoying, but there was no point in talking to these kids any longer. I would bete for ss. As I headed to the back of the high school building, I could see the garden. The nts were lush, thanks to the sunlight. ¡®Ah.¡¯ nche was squatting down and giving nutrients to the flowers and trees. He was covered in dirt on his jumpsuit over his uniform. ¡°Fabre.¡± He turned around and his eyes widened. ¡°How did you get here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ss time. I came to look for you.¡± He looked at me quietly and then turned his head and continued what he was doing. He must have had a reason for his attitude for the past two weeks. I understood that he had wounds that he didn¡¯t want to show to anyone and a heart that he wanted to hide, so I didn¡¯t ask him. Instead, I looked around. I thought he might be raising insects in the backyard, but he wasn¡¯t. He seemed to be in the gardening club or had a personal hobby of growing flowers and trees. ¡®He ran out of water.¡¯ The sprayer was empty. I gave him some water out of boredom and he finally opened his mouth. ¡°Thank you.¡± He shrugged his shoulders as if it was nothing. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Radish.¡± I noticed he was growing radishes as I got closer. With the right amount of sunlight and humidity, he was cultivating radishes and it was September, so I looked around the radish patch and sure enough, there were cabbage white butterflies. ¡°Cabbage white butterflies.¡± ¡°They¡¯re pretty.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± They usually metamorphose from April to October and they¡¯re often found around nts like cabbage, kale, and radish. They have distinctive spots on a white background and they¡¯re especially cute when they flutter around. I think I know why nche is here. ¡°I thought you were raising insects when you said you were in the backyard.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± I waited for him to exin. ¡°I used to, but they kept dying, so I stopped.¡± It must have been hard to lose the ones he loved. His masterpiece was also made out of his wish to keep his goldenrod leaf beetle alive, which he had raised himself. He probably quit raising insects after he made . "My dad said if I want to be with insects, I shouldn¡¯t decorate a collecting box, but nt flowers and trees in the yard."1) ¡°That¡¯s a wise thing to say.¡± ¡°Right.¡± He nodded. It means that you shouldn¡¯t confine something to a certain frame if you want to live with it. It only hurts if you try to own itpletely, physically or mentally. Fabre¡¯s father said a very wise thing. ¡°Where did you hear that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good quote.¡± Weughed together. Maybe it was because the mood had loosened up. Fabre told me why he hadn¡¯t participated in the sses. ¡°The kids at school hate me.¡± I knew that from the article about him being bullied. I wanted to grab the reporter who spread the news of Fabre being bullied all over France. ¡°So you don¡¯t want to listen.¡± ¡°No.¡± I looked into Fabre¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t care what they say.¡± He was as defiant as ever. He didn¡¯t seem to be intimidated by being hated by many. I didn¡¯t know if he was trying to act that way, or if he had gotten used to it. But I hoped Fabre wouldn¡¯t forget how great an artist he was. ¡°Just.¡± Fabre paused for a moment. I could see the emotion he was suppressing from his trembling eyebrows and pursed lips. ¡°I don¡¯t want Henri Marso to see me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I think I know why he didn¡¯t show up for the sses. He didn¡¯t want Marso to see him being ignored and bullied by his peers. He was fine. He didn¡¯t care. But he didn¡¯t want to be exposed. Fabre, who used to say he would beat Marso as a habit, must have admired him. Maybe he wanted to be recognized as an artist by him. ¡°Marso¡¯s sses are fun.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll regret it if you miss them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s not the kind of person who looks down on people for things like that.¡± Marso had a very clear standard for judging people. He respected anyone who did their best in their work. On the contrary, he didn¡¯t treat anyone as a human being if they weren¡¯t sincere in their lives, no matter how rich or famous they were. Fabre must have known that from watching him at the choctier¡¯s gatherings. ¡°He didn¡¯t oppose you and Rabbani because he acknowledged you in his own way. Don¡¯t be disappointed or anything because someone hates you.¡± Fabre hit the ground with a hoe. ¡°If you think about it, there are more people who hate Marso.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°About 100 million.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± A smile escaped from Fabre¡¯s lips. Five minutes after the ss started, Henri Marso was angry that Ko Hun didn¡¯t show up. ¡®These damn brats dare not attend my ss?¡¯ The kids were scratching the paper they had received. As Marso, who was watching the clock with his arms crossed, was about to kick his seat, the ssroom door opened. Ko Hun and nche Fabre entered. Some of the high school students who turned their heads murmured. ¡°What¡¯s that? Did he take this ss?¡± ¡°I guess so. What was he thinking not showing up?¡± ¡°He must have been ying with bugs in the backyard. He¡¯s not even a kid. What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°He must want to stand out. Isn¡¯t he doing that because he wants to get Henri teacher¡¯s attention? Why. He followed Henri teacher before.¡± nche Fabre red at the students in the same ss. ¡°What are you going to do if you look?¡± ¡°Are you acting tough in front of the teacher?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Marso threatened the students who were chatting during the sacred lecture time. The students closed their mouths and he pointed to the scratch paper and the carving knife set. ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°What were you doing?¡± ¡°Self-portrait.¡± Ko Hun and Fabre, who had prepared their materials, found their seats. There were empty seats where the high school students were sitting, but the students did not budge, crossing their legs. Ko Hun led Fabre to sit side by side in the middle school seat. The two students soon became absorbed in their work, and some of the high school students sent mocking eyes to Fabre. ¡°¡­¡± Watching them, Henri Marso had a rough idea of what had happened to Fabre. After about 30 minutes. The students who had finished the assignment given by Marso lost their concentration and started to do other things. Marso, who saw that Ko Hun and Fabre had put down their hands, pointed to the student sitting at the far right. ¡°You. Come out and present.¡± ¡°Oh~¡± The first student who was pointed out came out awkwardly with the response of his friends. ¡°Uh. Well. It¡¯s me.¡± The high school student showed his face drawn with scratch. It was a skill worthy of an advanced learning ss for students who wanted to major in art. The proportions of the eyes, nose, and mouth were urate, and the expressions of the eyebrows and hair were also carefully expressed. He scraped off the parts that were to be painted ck, either densely or sparsely, and also adjusted the strength to create shades. The students gasped softly and the presenter smiled satisfactorily as if it was a matter of course. ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is that it?¡± The student nodded. Marso gestured for him to go in and gave his attention to nche Fabre, who was sitting upright. ¡°Next, you.¡± Fabre, who was pointed out by Marso, opened his eyes wide. ¡°Come out.¡± ¡°The way to live with birds is not to cage them, but to grow grass and trees in the yard.¡± Park Joon, ¡°I named you and ate you for a few days¡± ÖÐ, Munhakdongne, December 5, 2012. Chapter 277: Chapter 277: 277 Caterpir and Pork Rice Bowl (2) I was shocked. For the past three months, since we joined the Choctier group, Henri Marso had shown no interest in nche Fabre. Even when she thought she had painted a good picture, he didn¡¯t spare her a nce. She wanted to be like Marceau. She wanted to be acknowledged by Marceau. But every time, her pride was hurt. ¡°What are you doing?¡±Henri Marso urged her. Fabre stepped forward with her self-portrait, drawn with the scratch technique. Some of the students admired it, but most of them frowned. She had filled the paper with nine small snowdrops, magnified to the fullest. A caterpir was crawling on the colorful stem of the snowdrops, which were red, yellow, blue, and green. There was no trace of nche Fabre in the picture. The students did not think of Fabre¡¯s picture as a self-portrait. ¡°Didn¡¯t he tell you to draw a self-portrait?¡± ¡°She must really want to stand out.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t she ever get tired of this?¡± Some of the high school students mocked Fabre¡¯s picture. They couldn¡¯t understand why she had painted flowers when Henri Marso had clearly asked for a self-portrait. ¡®How annoying.¡¯ Fabre had always been like that. She liked disgusting insects. She made works by attaching corpses. She was a weirdo who did iprehensible things. The students thought she looked like a madwoman who craved attention. Sometimes they felt disgusted by her deliberate actions. And when some of the media reported her as a genius painter, they thought the adults were all fooled by her pretty face and acting. They didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Exin.¡± Marceau asked her to exin the picture, but Fabre shook her head and refused. She thought that showing it was enough, since she had put everything she wanted to say in the picture. Henri Marso smirked and sent Fabre back. He ced the two pictures that had been presented earlier on the ckboard, side by side. And he observed them for a while. The students were puzzled when the teacher didn¡¯t call the next student. Then, Marceau turned around and started his lecture. ¡°If you take the advanced art ss, you must want to do something rted to art.¡± The students didn¡¯t answer, but they nodded inwardly. There was no other reason to choose the advanced art ss while attending the prestigious Henri IV Middle and High School, which had produced many artists. Some students wanted to do traditional art like Henri Marso or Ko Hun, and some wanted to go into the design field. ¡°You.¡± Henri Marso pointed to the first student who had presented. ¡°What do you want to paint?¡± ¡°I want to paint like you, sir.¡± ¡°Think again.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll starve to death if you paint like that.¡± Henri Marso pointed to the first scratch picture. ¡°Those who were impressed by this, think again.¡± The students were shocked by his blunt words. It was more serious because it was said by Henri Marso, who was called the hero of the French art world. ¡°There are millions of people who can paint like this in France.¡± The students¡¯ eyes were filled with disbelief. The first student who had presented was among the best in the prestigious Henri IV High School. They found it hard to believe that there were millions of people who could do as much as him. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m lying?¡± Henri Marso searched for the number of people registered in the Antermittant system and showed it to them. ¡°There are 580,000 people who are recognized as artists by the state and SNBA. How many of you can graduate from college and work as artists?¡± No one could answer. ¡°There are only two in this ssroom.¡± It was obvious who he was talking about. Ko Hun, who was invited to the Whitney Biennale, won second ce in the Art Nouveau contest, and participated in , which had a record-breaking sess worldwide, and nche Fabre, who ranked tenth in the Art Nouveau contest. Only two out of a hundred. ¡°No matter how hard you try, there are hundreds of thousands of people who can draw better than you. Why? Because they have more talent, work harder, and were born earlier than you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then why are you drawing such a thing?¡± Henri Marso red at the student. The student, who had been confident with the support of his friends, could only open his mouth without saying anything. Henri Marso asked the other students around him. ¡°Is that not enough to admire?¡± His voice was full of contempt. ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough of you guys. You¡¯re proud of drawing a little in your ss, neighborhood, or among your peers, but you be ordinary in college where you gather simr people. You¡¯re nothing in society. You guys who praise such people are not even that.¡± Henri Marso put his hand on the self-portrait that the student drew. ¡°You can¡¯t draw better than anyone else no matter what you do.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m here now. Andter, there¡¯s that guy.¡± Ko Hun frowned. ¡®Why did he break it when he was doing well.¡¯ He was listening silently because he knew what Henri Marso was trying to say, but he was confused. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s unfair? Do you think I¡¯m telling you to give up if you have no talent?¡± Most of the students in the ssroom felt that way. They couldn¡¯t refute Henri Marso¡¯s words because they were true, but they couldn¡¯t help their rising feelings. ¡°Then what should we do?¡± The first student who presented asked with a rebellious tone. He wanted to draw well and was working hard, but he didn¡¯t know what to do when he said he could never draw better than anyone else. ¡°Draw something only you can do.¡± Marso said, hitting the picture. ¡°Anyone can do this kind of thing if you ask them to draw on the street. Even people who don¡¯t know anything about you can draw this much.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There will be millions of people who can draw much better.¡± Marso looked at the students¡¯ eyes filled with disbelief and dissatisfaction, and pointed to Fabre¡¯s picture. ¡°And this is a picture that only that white-haired kid can draw.¡± ¡°I can draw that too.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± The kids who had pushed Fabre away raised their voices with resentment. They drew well, but it wasn¡¯t something they couldn¡¯t imitate. They thought they could draw anything like a silver bell flower if they spent a little time. ¡°If you think the flowers you drew and this picture are the same, pack your bags and leave.¡± Henri Marso scolded the students again. ¡°I told you to draw a self-portrait. Does this look like a flower?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This is that kid. Why? Because he likes it. Because he grows this flower and is always with it.¡± Ko Hun nodded and supported Henri Marso. ¡°Draw what you feel, what you like and dislike, how you see the world, and what you create in your heart.¡± Henri Marso came down from the podium and headed to Ko Hun. Ko Hun was expressing a shaded sunflower. He left the sunflower ck and peeled off the background so that only the shadow of the sunflower could be seen. Instead, the peeled-off background was dazzling and colorful, so that you could see at a nce what the sunflower was looking at. Marso showed it to the students. ¡°If you want to be a painter, draw something no one can draw. I can¡¯t draw the world this guy is looking at. Even if you bring Picasso, Matisse, or Van Gogh, they can¡¯t draw it.¡± ¡°I did.¡± Ko Hun picked a fight. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Never mind.¡± Henri Marso took Ko Hun¡¯s picture and went forward. ¡°You don¡¯t have to think hard about what you can only draw. The only thing you know among the things you know is yourself.¡± As Ko Hun was taken aback by the sudden loss of his picture, the students were already listening to Henri Marso¡¯s lecture. They couldn¡¯t draw better than others. But they were moved by the words that they could draw what others couldn¡¯t. ¡°Think. Who are you. What do you like and what do you see. When you know that, you can be a real painter. Like me, Ko Hun, and that white-haired kid.¡± Marso took my picture away. It¡¯s the second time after . I wonder if he¡¯s using the excuse of performance evaluation too much. I would be willing to give it to him if he didn¡¯t exhibit it at the Marso Art Museum, as the lesson was excellent. The kids were pondering over the scratch paper that Marso had just handed out to them. They had already prepared their self-portraits as homework, and they seemed to have learned something from it. Drawing themselves would be a great help for the kids who dreamed of bing artists. They didn¡¯t need to use any unique techniques or materials to create an original work. The basics were to know, feel, and express themselves. They couldn¡¯t improve if they just drew things as they were taught by others, or copied them as they were. As Marso said, there was a limit to the technical skills of each individual. And it wasn¡¯t very important to reach that level first, since anyone could do it with enough effort. Some people could draw realistic pictures in a year. Some people could do it in ten years, but that was it. Unless they were special cases like Marso. The important thing was what kind of picture they drew. If they followed what others did, they would only bepared. They had to draw their own world that no one else could draw, to be the best. My picture was the best drawn by me. Marso¡¯s picture was the best drawn by Marso. The reason I didn¡¯t bother to correct Cha Si-hyun¡¯s or Rabbani¡¯s pictures was that they drew better than me. They had to love themselves. They had to trust themselves, even if others pointed fingers at them. That was the kind of lecture that Henri Marso would give. It must have been a wake-up call for the kids who ignored and shunned Fabre. They should havee to their senses, instead of crushing their individuality with words like wanting to stand out or being weird. ¡°Ko-hoon, white hair. Come to the front.¡± As the bell rang to end the ss, Marso called me and Fabre. I turned my head, wondering what was going on, and Fabre looked puzzled too. We came to the front and he gave us a piece of paper. Fabre got three. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Write a reflection.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You werete.¡± He told us to write a reflection for being a littlete to ss. It was outrageous to punish us, when we should have been rewarded for calming down the student and getting him to participate in the ss. ¡°You told me to bring him. Where is this rule?¡± ¡°Quiet.¡± Marso turned his head. ¡°You. This is thest time. If you don¡¯t show up next time, I¡¯ll expel you from the attendance book, so remember that.¡± Fabre, who used to say that he had to resist Marso, nodded obediently. The matter ended strangely. Chapter 278: 278 Caterpir and Pork Rice Bowl (3) ¡°Congrattions.¡± With thest deal with the real estate agent, I bought all thend I needed for the gallery site. My ownnd. I had some in Korea too, but that was a ce I bought to live by myself and farm after being kicked out by my grandfather, before my memory fully returned. It was a different feeling from this ce, where I wanted to build an artistmunity. ¡°Thank you.¡± I exchanged greetings with the real estate agent and checked the map I had been using.Thend I bought was marked with diagonal lines, and it included part of the old apartmentplex where Jacques lived, an abandoned car dealership, and amercial building. Fortunately, I only paid for thend value, not the building value. It was possible because the buildings were so old that they had to be demolished anyway. Bang Tae-ho persuaded thendowners well and I was able to buy thend rtively cheaply. It took some time to change the minds of the building owners, but they didn¡¯t know when they would meet another buyer, since the deal had stopped a long time ago. Bang Tae-ho took advantage of that. There was no possibility of redevelopment, the security was bad, and the surrounding market had been dead for a long time. So I bought a plot ofnd that was 8,817 square meters (about 2,667 pyeong) for an average of 3,400 euros per pyeong, which cost me a total of 9,067,800 euros. That was about 12.2 billion won in Korean currency. It was a huge amount of money, equivalent to 30% of the wealth I had saved up, excluding taxes and brokerage fees. Just 1 or 2 years ago, I couldn¡¯t even imagine spending that much money in my lifetime. If Theo had known about this, he would have been happy for me instead of being nervous. ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe it even when I was looking into it, but this is all yournd, Hun.¡± Bang Tae-ho took a deep breath and let it out. ¡°Isn¡¯t it cool?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it either.¡± I smiled and looked at him. ¡°They said it was very expensive before. You did a great job buying it.¡± They said that Montmartre had a very highnd price just 20 years ago. Originally, it was not very popr because it was far away from the city center and on a hill, but that¡¯s why many poor artists gathered and lived there. As the artists worked and spread the word, thendlords raised the rent and the poor artists had to leave. As the street artists disappeared, naturally fewer people came and all that was left were empty buildings and ridiculously high rents. That¡¯s how it ended up like this. ¡°Now it¡¯s time to start over.¡± Grandfather stroked my head and encouraged me. ¡°Yes.¡± As grandfather said, it was time to start over. I would demolish the existing buildings and build a nice building like the Marso Gallery, and do art with the members of Choctier without anyone¡¯s interference. Maybe then this ce would be crowded with people again like before. My heart was pounding. After taking the art therapy lecture, nche Fabre became very diligent. She wanted to join the Bongerie and prepared her portfolio, and I felt happy watching her. Rabani was also inspired by her and drew one piece every day. He improved quickly as he practiced more, unlike before when he couldn¡¯t draw because he had no money for materials. When I told him that, Cha Si-hyun envied him. -I want to do it too. ¡°You¡¯re doing it.¡± I knew he had organized his portfolio in his own way. -It¡¯s different. It was on the news. It¡¯s verypetitive. I looked up the Korean news and it said that thepetition rate for the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale was 2200:1. That meant that more than 15,000 people applied for seven spots. It was a chance to participate in the most prestigious biennale in the world, so it was not unreasonable. -How about Fabre noona and Rabani hyung? Do you think they can make it? ¡°I hope so.¡± -It must be hard. Cha Si-hyun understood what I was thinking. I was cheering for them, but the chances of Fabre and Rabani getting into the Bongerie were slim. It was not easy to catch the eye of Michel tini among more than 100,000 applicants. ¡°It¡¯s hard. But it¡¯s not impossible.¡± -No. I didn¡¯t expect it from the beginning. It was a ce where people representing a country gathered, so it was too much for the kids who just started. I practiced a lot while preparing for it. Maybe I¡¯ll win a prize at the Learning Art Museum Student Contest. I like your positive attitude andck of greed. ¡°Student Contest?¡± Yeah. I decided to enter the elementary division. The grand prize is one million won. It seems like an art contest organized by the museum for students. I¡¯ll use the one million won to go on a trip during winter break. Can I get a round trip with that? ¡°Just look for the cheapest one.¡± Chasi-hyeon groaned and searched for something, thenined. I like afortable seat. It takes too long. ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to get a first-ss seat.¡± I know. It¡¯s too expensive. I need to win multiple prizes. Iughed at his absurd calction. Why are youughing? He seemed to be thinking seriously. ¡°Sure. You can do it.¡± Yeah. I¡¯ll win three prizes by winter break. ¡°Okay.¡± He looked more confident since he won the gold medal at the school art contest in Korea. He probably got help from his parents, but I didn¡¯t want to burst his bubble and I also thought anything was possible, so I cheered him on. Brrr- As soon as I hung up, another call came in. It was Marso. ¡°What is it?¡± Where are you? As usual, he didn¡¯t answer and asked what he wanted to know first. I wondered who taught him phone etiquette. ¡°I¡¯m home.¡± Get ready to go to M¨¹nster. I¡¯ll pick you up. ¡°Now?¡± Yeah. ¡°No way.¡± Why. ¡°I ordered pizza.¡± Eat itter. He was unreasonable. I thought I had to go there someday after thest cancetion, but not on Sunday lunch. ¡°Let¡¯s go next Saturday. I¡¯ve been waiting for a week.¡± I decided to eat potato pizza only once a week, on Sunday lunch, for my health. I couldn¡¯t miss that opportunity. Come out in 10 minutes. He hung up. He had always been rude, but he seemed more curttely. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Grandpa came out. ¡°Marso wants me to go to M¨¹nster.¡± ¡°Now?¡± I nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll be busy for a while, so it might not be bad to go ahead. But he¡¯s in a hurry.¡± ¡°I know. I ordered pizza.¡± ¡°Pizza can be eatenter, but I have a meeting with the room representative and an architect tonight.¡± ¡°Right.¡± I was looking for someone to entrust the construction of the Choctier gallery. Grandpa stroked his chin and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s better to go ande back. It¡¯s not like I have to do anything with the person I¡¯m meeting today. I¡¯ll just talk to them and see what they¡¯re like.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to find time to go separately. You¡¯ll be busy when you start working on the joint exhibition hall.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°You can take the pizza with you. You¡¯re taking a private jet, aren¡¯t you?¡± That sounded okay. I hesitated and the doorbell rang. I went outside and saw a golden sedan waiting. ¡°Are youing back today?¡± Grandpa asked Marso. ¡°I¡¯ll be back before dinner.¡± ¡°Um, please take care of him. And make sure Hoon doesn¡¯t get lost, okay?¡± I looked back and forth between Grandpa and Marso. They didn¡¯t act like this two years ago. I had no idea when they started to trust each other so much. I preferred them not being on bad terms, but I wished they would keep some distance. ¡°Got something to say?¡± Marso asked, frowning. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s just get the pizza and go.¡± Bang Taeho was shocked to hear that Ko Hun had gone to M¨¹nster. ¡°M¨¹nster?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Even though it was an unnned trip, Kosuyeol didn¡¯t seem too worried. He just ate the potato pizza that Ko Hun had missed because of thete delivery. ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot. How you treat Mr. Marso.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a strange friend, but Hoon likes him a lot.¡± I didn¡¯t like Marso¡¯s shameless and reckless personality, but I learned a lot about his good points in thest two or three years. The best thing was that he cherished his grandson Hoon very much. Thanks to Henri Marso, Ko Hun developed a habit of going to bed early and getting up early, and he also started exercising. He also enjoyed the wide range of experiences he had wished for while living in Paris, thanks to Marso. ¡°How long would it take to go to M¨¹nster separately? It would be faster to fly there and back.¡± It took about seven hours by car from Paris to M¨¹nster. The M¨¹nster sculpture project was apetition that valued harmony with the environment, so I had to visit it someday. It would be better to go therefortably. Bang Taeho nodded. ¡°By the way, are you going to Seoul next week?¡± ¡°Yes. I have to book a ce for the interview. I¡¯m nning to go and see the interview.¡± ¡°You¡¯re working hard.¡± ¡°Haha. It¡¯s a good deal if I can work hard and exhibit a good work.¡± Bang Taehoughed heartily. He was willing to sacrifice himself if the artists from Korea could show their skills on the world stage. ¡°Right. Do you have any candidates you¡¯re interested in?¡± ¡°Yes. Actually, I don¡¯t know if I can choose even after the interview. I thought half of the 15,000 applicants would apply casually, but they didn¡¯t. They all looked so desperate that I was embarrassed.¡± Kosuyeol nodded sympathetically. ¡°It¡¯s a rare opportunity, so they all want to grab it. There might be some fortune tellers too.¡± There were ten Korean artists who could participate in the France-Korea joint exhibition hall. Three of them were already decided, which caused a controversy for a while. Kosuyeol, Jang Mi-rae, and Ko Hun were recognized as painters on the world stage, so it wasn¡¯t a big issue, but there were some people who said it was unfair. Kosuyeol knew that. ¡°No. If it weren¡¯t for you and Hoon, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to start this.¡± Bang Taehoforted Kosuyeol. Kosuyeol smiled faintly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Bang Taeho¡¯s words. ¡°Next Biennale, I¡¯ll have to apply from the documents. That¡¯s fair.¡± ¡°Are you nning to participate again after winning this time?¡± Bang Taeho joked sincerely, and Kosuyeol opened his eyes wide andughed. ¡°Hahat. That¡¯s true too.¡± Chapter 279: Chapter 279: 279 Caterpir and Pork Rice Bowl (4) ¡°Let¡¯s see. They should have arrived by now.¡± Go Soo-yeol checked his watch. It had been about an hour since his grandson left. He wondered if he had reached M¨¹nster, Germany. He waited for a call from Ko Hun, who had promised to contact him when he arrived. ¡°You must be worried.¡± ¡°Of course. How can I be at ease? But Hoon needs to learn how to travel alone, so I have no choice but to let him go.¡± Bang Tae-ho nodded.He understood both the parental desire to keep their child close and the concern to teach them how to stand on their own. ¡°There won¡¯t be any trouble. Aren¡¯t Hoon and Marso getting along well these days?¡± ¡°Yeah. They might forget to call if they¡¯re having fun. I¡¯ll just wait.¡± Go Soo-yeol put his smartphone in his pocket. Henry Marso felt that the eyes around him had changed recently. At first, he thought it was a mistake and doubted it, but he became convinced when he heard words he had never heard before. ¡®Lately, you only bring Mr. Ko Hun¡¯s works. Is this cute Pinhio also Mr. Ko Hun¡¯s work?¡¯ Pierre Malodo. ¡®What are you talking about? Don¡¯t mind the nationality and work in France. We¡¯ll apply the Antermittang system for you. Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because of that kid?¡¯ Chevasson Simon. ¡®You seem to eat too much choctetely.¡¯ Arsene. ¡®Can you get aggravated punishment for pping someone with kimchi? ¡­ Did you just say it was a drama?¡¯ Shultz. ¡®Did you just smile? Did you smile?¡¯ Michel tini. ¡®You look like you could get married with Hoon. Don¡¯t you have anyone to date? You never talked about it before.¡¯ Even Sherry Gado, whom he loved, casually brought up things he had never mentioned before. Henry Marso, who had ignored the words around him, couldn¡¯t help but care when Sherry Gado and Michel tini said he had changed. He had fallen for chocte and trashy dramas, which were nothing but symbols of desire for the noble Marso family¡¯s jewel. He would have avoided smiling lightly in front of Michel tini, but he did it anyway. ¡®It¡¯s because of him.¡¯ Henry Marso red at Ko Hun. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ko Hun was eating a sandwich instead of pizza. He was in a bad mood because he couldn¡¯t eat potato pizza, but he barely suppressed his anger with the duck sandwich he bought from ngery Utopia. He felt a little better when he sprinkled a lot of mustard sauce on the smoked duck. ¡°¡­Is it good?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me.¡± Ko Hun was still not willing to forgive Marso, who had ruined his happy Sunday lunch. He decided not to say a word to him until he brought him potato pizza, while they were traveling in M¨¹nster. ¡°Is it good?¡± Henry Marso asked again, but Ko Hun didn¡¯t answer. It was a very strange experience for him. No one dared to treat him rudely, who had a huge fortune, a noble bloodline, and a reputation as an artist. He had inherited the title of Duke of Angou from his uncle Louis de Bourbon, and the French Ministry of Justice recognized it, so the French upper ss favored him as the sessor of the Bourbon royal family. He was thergest shareholder (31.9%) of BNP Paribas, thergest financial group and the highest average bnce in the eurozone. He was also a major shareholder of Inditex, the world¡¯srgest fashion group, and L¡¯Oreal, a cosmeticspany (7.1% and 5.3%, respectively). He was revered as a hero of the art world in France, and loved as a rare global star as a painter. There was no one who could ignore his words. ¡°Ah.¡± Henry Marso snatched the duck sandwich from Ko Hun. Ko Hun, who had barely endured the loss of his potato pizza, opened his eyes wide and red at Henry Marso. Henry Marso bit the duck sandwich as if to show off. It was not bad for amoner¡¯s food. ¡°It¡¯s not that good.¡± Henry Marso put down the sandwich and Ko Hun, who was so angry and speechless, shouted. ¡°What are you doing!¡± A momentter. Peter Neuer, the head of the publicity team for the Munster Sculpture Project, was puzzled when he went to the hangar to wee Henri Marso. Henri Marso and Ko Hun, who had just got off the private jet, were covered in yellow paint. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Peter Neuer didn¡¯t know how to greet them. He had hoped to guide them well in Munster and see their good works. ¡®Did they paint something on the way?¡¯ He had never heard of anyone painting on a ne, but he thought it was not impossible for Henri Marso, who was famous for being unique among artists. He just couldn¡¯t understand the faint smell of mustard sauce. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Marso. Mr. Ko Hun. I¡¯m Peter Neuer from the Munster Sculpture Project publicity team.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Henri Marso ignored Peter Neuer and only Ko Hun replied. ¡°Arsene.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Henri Marso gave Arsene a hint. His loyal secretary stepped forward and asked Peter Neuer for his understanding. ¡°Good day. I¡¯m Arsene Lenc. Thank you for weing us, but the artist seems a bit tired from the trip. Can we see you again in an hour?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Peter Neuer was confused. It wouldn¡¯t be too hard to meet again in an hour, but he couldn¡¯t easily ept that they were tired from a flight that took less than an hour from Paris to Munster. ¡°What are you going to do? My clothes.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have snatched my sandwich if you had endured it.¡± ¡°You ate a bite of a sandwich.¡± ¡°A bite of a sandwich? It was my lunch. The lunch I traded for a potato pizza. You must not know how precious food is because you have a lot of money. You¡¯ll get punished for that.¡± ¡°Why do you always talk so short?¡± ¡°If you want me to respect you, don¡¯t steal my food.¡± ¡°I¡¯m your teacher and you¡¯re my student. Call me teacher from now on.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s a teacher when you¡¯re taking my painting.¡± The two renowned artists were fighting over a sandwich and a potato pizza. ¡°Hmm.¡± Arsene coughed to get Peter Neuer¡¯s attention. ¡°Let¡¯s meet in front of the Munster Cathedral in an hour.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Okay.¡± After taking off his clothes stained with mustard sauce and sending them to theundry, he took a shower and put on the new clothes that Arsene had bought for him. ¡°My sleeves are short.¡± ¡°They were the closest size I could find.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Marsoined about wearing ready-made clothes. He had been grumpy for a few days, but now he was even picking a fight. I thought we had gotten closertely, but I don¡¯t know how to please him. When they arrived at the Munster Cathedral, Peter Neuer, whom they had met earlier, greeted them warmly. ¡°Did you get some rest?¡± ¡°Thanks to you.¡± He started walking side by side with Peter Neuer. ¡°Do you know about the Munster Sculpture Project?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s an event where you can freely exhibit your works around the city.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It started with the hope of making the citizens and art closer.¡± Henri Marso was walking a few steps behind with a sullen expression. He didn¡¯t know who was to me for this. ¡°It was in the 1960s. Henry Moore wanted to donate his work to Munster, but the citizens of Munster at the time didn¡¯t ept his work as art.¡± Peter Neuer told him that there was a lot of conflict between Henry Moore and the citizens. In the meantime, the city of Munstermissioned the Munster City Museum of Art to buy a work as part of the city environment project. The Munster City Museum of Art rmended George Rickey¡¯s work, which was more modern than Henry Moore¡¯s. ¡°But when they heard that they were buying a strange sculpture for 130,000 marks, the citizens couldn¡¯t stay still. They thought it was a waste of the city budget.¡± It was a simr case to the story I had with my grandfather and Jang Mi-rae. It was a problem caused by the istion of modern art. ¡°What happened then?¡± ¡°The city hall had no choice but to give up.¡± It was inevitable. The citizens wanted their precious taxes not to be wasted, and they had no reason not to oppose the trade of a meaningless sculpture for arge amount of money. ¡°Then, Busmann, the curator of the city museum of art, felt the gap between modern art and the citizens. He thought this couldn¡¯t go on.¡± As artists and the public drift apart, nothing remains. I don¡¯t like artists who say they don¡¯t want to be understood, because they are arrogant enough to think they can exist on their own. To make a work, you need money. And money doesn¡¯te out of thin air. ¡°Busmann appeared on several broadcasts and tried to make the public more familiar with contemporary art. Fortunately, the citizens of M¨¹nster appreciated his sincerity.¡± ¡°Is that how it started?¡± ¡°Yes. The M¨¹nster Sculpture Project is both an event where contemporary art reaches out to the public and where the public seeks out art.¡± ¡°What a wonderful event.¡± I smiled at Peter Neuer. He guided me around the city of M¨¹nster and introduced me to the sculptures located here and there. There were works that looked like someone had dumped construction materials, and I also got to see statues and ster figures resting around a small artificial pond. ¡°What do you think?¡± After a while of sightseeing, Peter Neuer asked me. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± It was hard to feel M¨¹nster in half a day. I had no idea what to do, so I told him honestly and he nodded as if he understood. ¡°Take your time to think about it. If possible, it would be nice to stay a few more days and think about it.¡± But I had too many things to do, like going to school, personal broadcasting, Venice Biennale, Kassel Documenta, Art Basel, and so on. ¡°That¡¯s it for the tour.¡± Henri Marso, who had been following me silently, opened his mouth. Ars¨¨ne stepped forward and greeted Peter Neuer. ¡°Thank you for your hard work today. We will arrange our schedule separately from now on. Thank you for your consideration from themittee.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I feel heavy-hearted that I couldn¡¯t be of much help.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s enough.¡± Thanks to Peter Neuer, I was able to understand what kind of event the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project was. It was just that I didn¡¯t have enough time. ¡°Well then.¡± Peter Neuer left. It was evening, and soon it would be dark around. It would be hard to look around anywhere. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Henri Marso turned his feet. He said he would go back before dinner, so I had to look for another opportunity. ¡°Ahh!¡± I was about to move on with regret, but a man suddenly popped out of the alley next to me and I was startled. The man fell down and didn¡¯t move at all. I was so shocked that I froze, and Ars¨¨ne quickly blocked me in front of me. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Ars¨¨ne protected me while keeping an eye on the fallen man. He didn¡¯t look like a homeless person by his clothes, but I had no idea what kind of bolt from the blue this was. I wondered if he was dead, but then the man reached out his hand. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He seemed to be conscious. The man slowly lifted his head and blinked his eyes. ¡°Ko Hun?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is it really Ko Hun?¡± He was a Korean. Chapter 280: Chapter 280: 280 Caterpir and Pork Rice Bowl (5) He looked young for his age, probably in his early twenties. His sses had a broken temple that was taped together. His messy hair was like a stiff brush with paint on it. His cheekbones were gaunt and dry, his skin was pimply, and his lips were chapped. He didn¡¯t look healthy at all. ¡°¡­¡± He quickly picked up his old easel, paint box, and folding chair that had fallen to the ground and got up.¡°Is it really? Really Ko Hun?¡± He tried to approach me, but Arsene stopped him. ¡°Please be polite.¡± He looked at me and Arsene alternately and opened his mouth wide. ¡°Ahhaha. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so happy. I¡¯m a YouTube subscriber.¡± He took out his smartphone and showed me the screen. I could see the sign that he had subscribed to Pingoo channel under the cracked screen. He didn¡¯t seem too surprised, so maybe he didn¡¯t break it just now. ¡°Huhii.¡± I heard a strange sound and looked up. He was covering his cheek and looking to the right. ¡°Henri! Henri Marso! Crazy. He¡¯s so handsome. CG?¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh at his honest admiration. Marso, who didn¡¯t care about the situation at all, gave him a nce. He seemed to recognize him as his fan. ¡°This is not the time. What the hell is going on? I¡¯m really d I came this way.¡± He opened his paint box in a hurry and took out a thin sheet of paper. It didn¡¯t look like a good material for making a work. Maybe it was a paper for practice. ¡°Do you draw?¡± He nodded with a smile. ¡°Can you give me an autograph? I really really like you.¡± ¡°Sure. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Ma Eunchan.¡± He wrote his name and handed it to me. He smiled again as he looked at me and the paper alternately. He didn¡¯t seem like a bad person. I felt a friendly vibe from his smiling face. ¡°What were you doing here?¡± ¡°I was working and on my way home. It¡¯s really amazing. I usually don¡¯t take this road. But today I felt like taking a detour.¡± He stretched out his hands as if he had met me. ¡°Did you fall? Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m pretty tough.¡± He didn¡¯t look like it. He looked like he would fly away if the wind blew. ¡°Work?¡± ¡°Yeah. I draw portraits around here. Oh, do you want me to draw you? I¡¯ll do it for free.¡± It was time to go. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you could do Henri Marso too.¡± ¡°Thank you, but I have to go.¡± I told my grandfather that I would be back before dinner and it was getting dark. I was about to politely decline when Marso came over. ¡°How much?¡± Ma Eunchan¡¯s eyes widened. I felt the same way. I didn¡¯t know what was going on. ¡°Huh? You can speak Korean?¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense. How much is it?¡± ¡°No, no. How can I take money from you. Just a moment.¡± Ma Eunchan unfolded his folding chair and dusted it off with his hand. Henri Marso didn¡¯t seem to like it and looked at Arsene. Arsene and his servants brought a luxurious chair for their employer who was obsessed with hygiene. He was carrying a chair with him even when he ran around the square. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Pay ording to your skill. What are you doing? Come and sit down.¡± ¡°I said I was going to go.¡± Marso checked his watch. ¡°Finish it in 30 minutes.¡± ¡°Leave it to me!¡± ¡®Wow. He speaks Korean really well.¡¯ Maeunchan was amazed by how well Henri Marso spoke Korean. His eyes were as beautiful as emeralds, and she wanted to have them. ¡°Today, you only wore half of your usual outfit.¡± Maeunchan smiled brightly as she checked Henri Marso¡¯s clothes and hairstyle, which always became a topic of conversation. Ko Hun, who was sitting next to him, was also adorable. ¡°See? You¡¯re lucky.¡± Maeunchan moved her pencil calmly in front of the two painters she loved. She had learned a lot from drawing portraits on the street for a year. She drew them a little better than they really looked. She hated it when she exaggerated their beauty, and she didn¡¯t remember them when she drew them exactly as they were. She liked to make them look slightly more handsome and add a bright atmosphere to them. ¡°I¡¯m d I tripped. If I hadn¡¯t, how could I have drawn Ko Hun and Henri?¡± She didn¡¯t care that she had fallen over her own feet while carrying an easel, a folding chair, and a paint bucket. Maeunchan hummed a tune. Meanwhile, Ko Hun, who had be a model, was observing Maeunchan. He could tell that she was in a poor environment with her shabby appearance and old tools, but she looked very happy. She moved her pencil while humming a song, and she didn¡¯t look like a working person. She was a different type of person from Henri Marso or himself, who clung to their paintings desperately. ¡°Hey! Do you want to listen to some music if you¡¯re bored?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± Maeunchan offered music to the model out of consideration. But Henri Marso, who was sitting next to Ko Hun with the purpose of being a portrait, didn¡¯t want to bother with unnecessary things. ¡°Please.¡± Maeunchan smiled brightly at Ko Hun¡¯s answer. ¡°Then I¡¯ll sing a song. I¡¯ll sing another er.¡± Ko Hun thought she would y music on her smartphone, but before he could ask, Maeunchan started singing. She chose whatever she wanted. She sang songs by popr idol groups and hit songs by singers who were no longer active. ¡®What a weird person.¡¯ She was very strange, singing and drawing on the street. She didn¡¯t sing very well, but she enjoyed it so much that it made himugh and feel good. His mood, which had been sour from arguing with Henri Marso all day, was soon relieved. ¡°By the way, do you really like potato pizza that much?¡± She suddenly asked him while singing. ¡°Yes. I do.¡± Ko Hun red at Marso once and answered. ¡°Is it that delicious? Where do they make it so well?¡± ¡°Marso¡¯s ce makes it the best. The chef and Sherry Gado make it so that I can¡¯t exin it. It¡¯s like seeing Michngelo¡¯s ceiling painting.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean, but I think I get it.¡± Maeunchan and Ko Hunughed together. They had both experienced the feeling of encountering something amazing. ¡°What about you, Mr. Marso? What food do you like?¡± ¡°Is that necessary for the painting?¡± ¡°Of course! I need to know more about you to draw you better.¡± Henri Marso agreed with Maeunchan¡¯s opinion after some thought. ¡°Kale juice.¡± ¡°Kale juice? What is that?¡± ¡°Juice made from kale.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Is it like orange juice?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit sour, but Marso drinks it with fruit. Like apples.¡± ¡°It sounds like it might be good.¡± Maeunchan, who had been chattering non-stop, became quieter as time passed. She wanted to ask more and have more conversations, but she had to focus on the painting, so she suppressed her feelings. Ko Hun, who was happy to meet her for the first time in person, didn¡¯t try to talk more when she concentrated. After the promised 30 minutes passed, Maeunchan put down her hand. She got up from the chair, looked at the painting from a distance, and nodded her head. She showed the portrait to Ko Hun and Henri Marso. ¡°How is it?¡± Ko Hun and Henri Marso raised their eyebrows as much as they could. Henri Marso had three whiskers on each cheek and cat ears on his dark brown hair. Ko Hun was in his arms with wings and antennae like a honeybee. ¡°Isn¡¯t it cute?¡± Ko Hun, who had expected a normal portrait, couldn¡¯t say anything. Henri Marso jumped up. ¡°Why did you make me sit if you were going to do this!¡± ¡°Ah, ah. I have to observe.¡± ¡°What the hell are these ears! I want to die!¡± ¡°Oh, no. Don¡¯t you like it when I draw you like this?¡± ¡°Who!¡± ¡°Pe, people. Huh? Is it weird?¡± Maeunchan looked back and forth between the portrait he drew and the angry Marso, feeling flustered. He had been drawing portraits on the street for a year. He had devised his own way of drawing because ordinary portraits didn¡¯t attract much attention. He had managed to find some customers thanks to his drawings that added animal images to the portraits. Ko Hun stepped in. ¡°Why a cat?¡± ¡°Well. It¡¯s kind of a tsundere vibe.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a dere?¡± Angry Marso growled, not understanding the word tsundere. Ko Hun also didn¡¯t understand, so he searched on his smartphone and saw an exnation that it was a word for someone who seems cold and aloof, but is actually warm and affectionate. ¡°No. This person is just someone who does whatever he wants.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same.¡± Ko Hun nodded his head after repeated answers. ¡°Then it seems simr.¡± ¡°Simr? What¡¯s simr! Get rid of it now!¡± ¡°Uh. Then should I draw you again? It, it won¡¯t take long.¡± ¡°No. I like it. Give it to me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Why are you taking it!¡± ¡°You said you didn¡¯t like it. I like it. How much do I owe you?¡± ¡°No. How can I take money. This is my true heart. As a fan.¡± Maeunchan handed over the portrait to Ko Hun with a happy heart, but Marso snatched it in the middle. Ko Hun and Maeunchan were nervous as Marso walked away briskly. ¡°What, what? He must be really angry. Is he going to throw it away?¡± ¡°He would have torn it up right here if he didn¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°He either hates it or likes it. Or both.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Arsene approached Maeunchan, who was bewildered. ¡°Thank you for your hard work. How much do you usually charge?¡± ¡°No. Really. I did it out of fan love. It¡¯s enough that you modeled for me. I was so happy.¡± ¡°The author always says that you should pay a fair price for any work.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really okay. Really.¡± Maeunchan kept refusing, but Arsene took out his wallet and pulled out two 500-euro bills. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You seem happy. Thank you for your work.¡± ¡°Oh, no. I.¡± Maeunchan couldn¡¯t hold the bills that Arsene gave him properly. His hands trembled as he suddenly received a lot of money. Ko Hun looked at Maeunchan, who was flustered, and smiled. He knew better than anyone the joy and embarrassment of selling his own painting for more than he expected. ¡°Thank you. I hope to see you again.¡± Ko Hun reached out his hand. Maeunchan shook hands with him awkwardly and stayed there until Arsene and Ko Hun were out of sight. Chapter 281: Chapter 281: 281 The Scoundrel (1) I snapped out of it when the chilly wind brushed against my face. ¡®This can¡¯t be real.¡¯ I unfolded the 1,000 euros in my hand and licked my lips. It had been a hard day. I didn¡¯t get a single customer all afternoon, and on my way home, I got a call saying I didn¡¯t have toe to my night shift anymore. ¡°¡­¡± I had tried to stay positive, but studying in Germany was not as smooth as I had hoped.Being a poor student was not conducive to learning, no matter what they said. It had been a year since I came to study at the M¨¹nster National Academy of Fine Arts. The tuition was free, but I had to pay 800 euros per semester to attend the school.1) The public health insurance fee was 85 euros per month. My small studio apartment, which was only 2.5 square meters, cost me 450 euros in rent.2) I barely spent more than 200 euros a month on living expenses, but the rent was not cheap. Sometimes I spent more than I earned. At least 17 million won a year. It was a tough reality for a poor student like me, who had no money to spare. I worked hard, painting portraits in the afternoon and working at a pub at night, but I could barely pay the rent, let alone save up. I could have breathed easier if I worked more hours, but then there would be no point ining all the way to Germany to study. To make matters worse, I lost the ce where I could work part-time, and I was slowly getting worn out by the bleak reality. ¡®He was cool.¡¯ I thought of Henri Matisse, who was sitting arrogantly next to me, as I walked. The man who walked his own path and became a world-famous painter looked very stubborn. ¡®And he was cute.¡¯ The same went for Ko Hun, who was sitting next to him. The boy who knew how to share love even after going through a hard time reached out his warm hand to me, even outside the canvas. I chuckled as I brushed my teeth in themunal shower room. I couldn¡¯t believe the magical thing that happened tonight. ¡®I don¡¯t have to worry about the rent for a while.¡¯ ¡®Why did theye to M¨¹nster? Oh, the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project. I¡¯m jealous.¡¯ ¡®¡­Should I buy some gochujang?¡¯ With some extra money, I felt relieved and thought of the spicy pork rice bowl that I had been craving. It was not easy to find ingredients like gochujang, red pepper powder, and soy sauce in M¨¹nster, where there was no Korean market. And the Korean restaurant that was there was only good in name, catering to the locals. There was a merchant who sold food items like gochujang to the students who missed Korean food, but he only came to the dormitory once a week. Of course, it was more expensive than buying it in Korea, so I gave up on it a long time ago. ¡®Whatever.¡¯ I had more options with the extra money. I could buy it online and have it shipped overseas, even if the shipping fee was high. Or I could buy it from the merchant who came to the dormitory, even if it was a bit pricey. ¡°Hmm hmm.¡± I was in a good mood as I finished showering and returned to my room. I turned on myputer and looked for overseas shipping options. My phone vibrated as I was doing that. I got an email alert and logged into my email ount on myputer. ¡°Wow.¡± It was an email from Bang Tae-ho, themissioner of the Fire and Water joint exhibition hall at the 2030 Venice Biennale. Subject: Venice Biennale National Pavilion Document Screening Result Notification Content: Greetings, artist Ma Eun-chan. I am Bang Tae-ho, themissioner of the France-Korea joint exhibition hall at the 2030 Venice Biennale. Thank you for applying to the France-Korea joint exhibition hall, and congrattions on passing the document screening. Here is the schedule for the next step. Interview date: Monday, October 15, 2029, 11 a.m. (Please let us know if you can attend, as there are many interviewees). Interview location: Seoul, Yongsan-gu, Hangang-daero XX, France-Korea joint exhibition hall interview room (There will be a guide staff in the building lounge). Interview content: You will be asked to exin your portfolio and answer some questions. Please prepare a presentation of about 5 minutes on what kind of work you will show at the Venice Biennale National Pavilion. Interview attire: Casual (cks, knit, shirt, no tie are all eptable). *Please reply by email by the 12th to confirm your attendance. *If you do not reply, you may be excluded from the interview. ¡°What a day!¡± It was an exhibition that every aspiring artist applied for. Having a record of exhibiting at the Biennale, the world¡¯s highest authority, would be a great boost for my future activities. As proof of that, thepetition rate was over 2200:1. Even though it was just passing the document screening, I was thrilled to hear that I couldpete with the senior artists who seemed like shooting stars. Ma Eun-chan checked the interview details and wondered what kind of presentation he should prepare, then chuckled. ¡°I can¡¯t go anyway.¡± He knew well that the interview ce was in Korea. He couldn¡¯t afford to pay for the round-trip airfare to take the interview. Passing the document screening meant that themissioner recognized his portfolio, and he was satisfied enough with that. ¡°¡­¡± Two 500-euro bills that Arsen gave him came into Ma Eun-chan¡¯s sight. If he looked for the cheapest flight, he would have enough money to go ande back. Whether to spend a month¡¯s rent to go for the interview, or to look for something else in that time. He didn¡¯t worry for long. It was as if the miracle of tonight happened for him to go for the interview. ¡°I¡¯m really lucky.¡± ¡°Today, you¡¯re going to draw what you want to be.¡± The instructor from the city hall gave the children an assignment. Thanks to the Paris city hall providing a ce, he could y with the children. His work at the ce de Concorde and the Beaugrenelle shopping mall received a good response. ¡°I want to draw a dinosaur.¡± ¡°Do you want to be a dinosaur?¡± ¡°Yeah. A really big dinosaur.¡± ¡°Tyrannosaurus?¡± ¡°Bigger than that.¡± Watching the children y together, he felt warm in his heart, but he also felt anxious about the submission deadline that was approaching. ¡°Can I stay like this?¡± Kim Ji-woo, who followed him for an interview, seemed to read his mind and asked. ¡°Just for a while. I¡¯m going to meet Marsoter and have a meeting.¡± Kim Ji-woo nodded and sat next to him. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem easy toe up with a good idea. I can see you¡¯re struggling too.¡± He was right. ¡°How do you do it every time?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He answered, watching the children run and chatter while drawing. ¡°I don¡¯t always have a good idea. Especially in this case.¡± He was drawing non-stop, but he still hadn¡¯te up with a concept for the works to be submitted to the Venice Biennale and the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project. ¡°Then what do you do?¡± ¡°I look a lot, think a lot, and draw a lot. And if that doesn¡¯t work, I just stay still without thinking.¡± ¡°Are you a genius?¡± He shook his head. ¡°I never thought I was better than anyone else. If I were a genius, wouldn¡¯t I be able to give an answer to anything easily?¡± ¡°Hmm. It depends on the criteria, I guess.¡± That was also true. "Why. There¡¯s a saying that genius is made of 99 percent effort and 1 percent inspiration."3) ¡°Is there such a saying?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something a guy named Edison said.¡± I don¡¯t know what he does. ¡°I think effort is more important.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because there is no artwork born without effort.¡± All the people who were called geniuses turned out to be tremendous hard workers. M and M. Klimt and Matisse, Picasso too. ¡°I want to be a firefighter.¡± ¡°Cool. I want to be a house builder.¡± ¡°What kind of house?¡± ¡°A house that scolds thieves when theye in.¡± The children were talking and growing their dreams. Maybe if that child keeps having the inspiration to be a firefighter and keeps working hard for it, he will surely be a great firefighter in 20 years. ¡°Ah.¡± I had a good idea. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± He went outside and contacted Marso, who sent him a car right away. He organized his thoughts on the way to Marso¡¯s mansion. What would be the best thing to fit in with the city of M¨¹nster and its people? It was a question that I had no idea how to answer, since I had never lived there. Especially since I was recently obsessed with Ren¨¦ Magritte and wanted to create a work that applied his ¡®making strange¡¯ technique, I had to struggle between the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project and my personal taste. ¡°Marso!¡± As I opened the door, Marso turned his head. His beard was scruffy. It was a sign that he had been working and worrying for several nights, since he was usually very neat. He probably hadn¡¯t decided what to submit for the Venice Biennale and the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project. ¡°What¡¯s the fuss as soon as you arrive?¡± ¡°Look.¡± I showed him a sketch I had drawn on my tablet. Marso frowned at the children I had drawn over the photo of the M¨¹nster City Hall. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°They are children.¡± ¡°I can see that.¡± Marso looked at the sketch again. He didn¡¯t seem to understand what I meant by drawing children in suits entering the City Hall. He was deep in thought, and I looked for another photo. This time, it was the M¨¹nster Fire Station. I drew children in fire suits climbing on the fire truck, and Marso leaned in. He should have noticed by now, I thought, and he opened his mouth. ¡°Are you going to use real children from M¨¹nster as models?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Marso nodded. ¡°Do you understand what I mean?¡± ¡°Roughly.¡± I trusted that Marso would get my intention. The City Hall and the Fire Station were ces for adults. They were ces where people dealt with politics and rescued people from dangers like fire, so they were distant from children. ¡°D¨¦paysement.¡± Marso agreed with my answer. ¡°And it¡¯s something very M¨¹nster-like.¡± ¡°Right.¡± It was fun to find new meanings through making strange, but I also wanted to make a work that suited M¨¹nster. I wondered if there was anything rted to M¨¹nster that I could think of differently, and I saw some children talking about their dreams. ¡°The people of M¨¹nster will like it too. And they will think again.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think they will be more kind if they think of their own children working there? And it will create a sense of familiarity.¡± These days, everyone is angry wherever they go. They burst like balloons touched by a needle. It means that they have no room in their lives, so I feel sorry for both the angry and the hurt. But there are also people who ignore and trample on others by iming their rights and moral superiority. It seems to be called ¡®gapjil¡¯ in our country, but Europe is no different. I wish they would think once. You never know, your child might be in the ce of the person you are tormenting. ¡°Maybe they will be more careful if they think that our children will work here when they grow up.¡± I also hoped it would be a warning to those who work unscrupulously. They might find out someday that their children know what they did wrong. ¡°And it will be a good memory for the parents and the children.¡± It would also be a great story to tell if their once-in-a-lifetime experience was exhibited in one corner of M¨¹nster. The best thing to match M¨¹nster was the people who lived there, so it also matched the purpose of the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project. And it was in line with my personal wish. ¡°How is it?¡± Marso looked me in the eye. ¡°¡­Not bad.¡± ¡°Then shall we do it together?¡± We had agreed to cooperate andplete it if one of us came up with a good idea. Marso nodded reluctantly. 1)There is no tuition fee for German universities, but you have to pay for transportation, legal support services, student council, school construction, bike rental, administrative agency operation, etc. that you can use for one semester. *The amounts introduced in the text are based on the intion rate predicted by applying the amounts between 2015 and 2020. 2)Compared to France and the UK, the rent in Germany is rtively cheap. 3)*Inspiration, as Edison said, can be interpreted as motivation in the context, and therefore the sentence ¡°What it boils down to is one percent inspiration and ny-nine percent perspiration.¡± can be understood as a statement that it is important to work hard with motivation. *There is a possibility of misunderstanding in the interpretation that effort is useless without inspiration or that effort is more important. Chapter 282: Chapter 282: 282 The Scoundrel (2) I had been recruiting models for the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project for a week. More people applied than I expected, and I was on my way to meet a boy who wanted to be a firefighter like his dad. ¡°His name is Pippi. Pippi Becker.¡± ¡°Pippi?¡± Marso asked. It was an unusual name that meant a small puppy, and he seemed puzzled. ¡°He got it from a ser yer¡¯s name.¡±Pippi was the nickname of Felix, a ser yer who yed for Prussia M¨¹nster, and his grandfather, who was a fervent fan of his, gave him the name. ¡°That makes sense for a German.¡± I guess there are a lot of Germans who like ser. ¡°The French like it too. Do you have a team you support, Marso?¡± ¡°Paris FC.¡± I nodded, but I didn¡¯t know anything about ser. ¡°They¡¯re going to move up to Ligue 1 this year.¡± ¡°Ligue 1?¡± He exined that it was roughly divided into upper and lower leagues. ¡°They¡¯re moving up this year.¡± He sounded like they hadn¡¯t been able to move up to the upper league for a long time. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Because they are.¡± He emphasized it as if he was really looking forward to it. I didn¡¯t know Marso liked ser. ¡°I listen to music these days.¡± ¡°Music? What kind?¡± ¡°Berlin Philharmonic. I like Beethoven¡¯s symphonies conducted by Wilhelm Furtw?ngler. And Baudouin¡¯s Mahler.¡± Marso nodded. He must also enjoy listening to the Berlin Philharmonic, since he rmended it to me once. ¡°You have to go there and listen for yourself.¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll have a chance someday.¡± ¡°Go soon. You never know when he¡¯ll retire.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s retiring?¡± ¡°Wilhelm Furtw?ngler.¡± ¡°I read an article that he signed a five-year contractst year.¡± Marso tilted his head slightly. ¡°An old man over eighty?¡± ¡°He must be healthy.¡± There were somements on the article saying that it was elder abuse. Marso probably thought the same. As we talked about our hobbies, we arrived in M¨¹nster. We moved to a car that Arsen had prepared in advance at the hangar. When we reached the fire station, we saw a middle-aged man with a sturdy physique and a lively boy. They must be Julian Becker, the firefighter of M¨¹nster, and his son Pippi Becker. ¡°Are they the ones?¡± ¡°Yes! Hello!¡± I greeted them warmly. ¡°Hello.¡± We exchanged greetings with the father and son and settled in a small space inside the fire station. Julian Becker checked Marso¡¯s business card several times, as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°I¡¯m a bit nervous, to be honest. I don¡¯t know how this works, since my son applied for it. Model, you say?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Arsen stepped in and briefly exined the situation. Unlike his son, Julian Becker didn¡¯t seem to have much interest in the art world, but luckily he seemed to have heard of Henri Marso¡¯s name. He even asked if he was really the person who appeared on the news. ¡°Is it okay to model for such great people¡¯s works?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who protects M¨¹nster. I¡¯m the one who wants to ask you a favor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job. Haha.¡± Heughed awkwardly, as if embarrassed, as I persuaded him again. ¡°That¡¯s right. My dad is so cool.¡± Pippi Becker chimed in. It must be scary to jump into a fire for the sake of others. But he called it his duty, like Julian Becker. PP Becker, who is proud of his father like that, is a truly wonderful father and son. ¡°How do you feel about having your sculpture disyed in front of the fire station?¡± ¡°Well, I guess everyone will be amazed, right? Haha.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to have a negative view of the Munster sculpture project, which relieved me. I heard there was a lot of resistance at first, but now it seems to have be a city festival. ¡°Then, how do I go about it in detail?¡± ¡°Do you have a picture of PP when he was your age?¡± ¡°My picture?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Julian Becker tilted his head. I got a picture of Julian Becker when he was about 10 years old and returned to Paris. I also had pictures of the fire station from various angles, and I asked PP Becker to pose as much as possible and took new ones. As a bonus, I also got information on what kind of uniforms and equipment the Munster firefighters wore and used. I had all the information I needed for the work, so I only had to execute it. I could imagine the scene of 10-year-old Julian Becker and 10-year-old PP Becker together as soon as I read the story. It was going in a slightly different direction from my original intention, but I thought there was enough trace left. ¡°Arsene.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Look for a picture of the Munster fire station 30 years ago.¡± Arsene left the room. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± I asked him curiously, and Marso showed me a picture of the fire station on the table screen. He split it in half and left the right side as it was and applied a ck and white filter to the left side. ¡°Ah.¡± I think I know what he¡¯s thinking. As expected, Marso added a picture of Julian Becker¡¯s childhood to the left side in ck and white, and put a picture of his son PP Becker on the right side. ¡°That¡¯s nice. How about Julian and PP holding the water hose together?¡± ¡°There should be a connecting part.¡± Marso moved the pictures and roughly sketched out the design. It felt good. Even though it was something I started with my own idea, Marso made the theme very clear. The bond with family. The continuity of the past, present, and future. The unique atmosphere of Munster. My intention to show love and care based on the idea that everyone is a neighbor is well blended. I¡¯ve felt it since , but I¡¯m always amazed by Marso¡¯sposition skills like . It¡¯s an enviable talent. ¡°¡­¡± But there was still a lot to be done. The fact that I had to express this in sculpture was also a big problem. Marso just tapped the table and didn¡¯t open his mouth. There was a gap, so the expression itself wouldn¡¯t be difficult, but I couldn¡¯t put a big structure in front of the fire station. In case of emergency, fire trucks and ambnces should be able to pass easily, so I shouldn¡¯t make it too big to block the road. ¡°Ah.¡± Henry Marso pondered over and over. He wanted to paint half of the fire station building in the style of 30 years ago, but the authorities wouldn¡¯t allow it. Once he was blocked by the wall, he couldn¡¯t think of a good idea. ¡°Ah.¡± Cha Ko Hun, who kept tapping the table, eximed as if he had thought of something. When Henry looked at him, Ko Hun jumped out of his chair. He brought back the ster models he had bought to teach Desange to the yground kids, such as Vida Rabani, Adley, and Olivier. Henry opened his mouth as he watched Ko Hun put arge cone and a small cone in front and back. ¡°Perspective.¡± ¡°Yes. From the kids¡¯ point of view, you don¡¯t have to make it the actual size. It¡¯s also an opportunity for adults to see it from the kids¡¯ eye level.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Henry chewed on Ko Hun¡¯s idea. If he looked at it from the kids¡¯ eye level, he could make the old fire station smaller than the actual fire station building. He could also make it very small by keeping enough distance. Although the location and the view would be limited, it was a way to solve the realistic problem and give depth to the work. Following , , and , Ko Hun changed the perspective and idea again. ¡®He always does this.¡¯ Henry Marceau looked at Ko Hun, who always surprised him with his lively ideas. Ko Hun¡¯s first work was a painting that borrowed the shape of a sunflower to paint his emotions. He couldn¡¯t look away from the sorrow that welled up from the depths of his heart as he watched it. and were the same. Even though that was enough, Ko Hun kept changing. The boy who used to convey rhythm, narration, and emotion with just his brush strokes and colors. He changed his way of expressing his emotions every time, from , , , to his submission for the Munster Sculpture Project. It was an enviable talent. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What did you ask?¡± Henry Marceau had admitted his inferiority towards Ko Hun a long time ago. He decided to love himself, who was drawn to the boy¡¯s paintings. The narcissist who couldn¡¯t forgive himself for feeling such a lowly emotion finally learned to love himself. Then, the inferiority that burst out of his heart no longer bothered him. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡®Oh, I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ Baek Seolgi arrived at the interview hall for the Venice Biennale France-Korea Joint Exhibition Hall and hesitated in front of the building entrance. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ If she joined the France-Korea Joint Exhibition Hall, which was practically opened by Koh Sooyul and Jang Mi-rae, she would be at odds with Choi Kyuseo. Baek Seolgi, who had been watching Choi Kyuseo since her college days in Korea, knew him well. He seemed to have more pride than anyone else, but he felt inferior to Jang Mi-rae. ¡®He won¡¯t leave me alone.¡¯ Baek Seolgi stomped on the ground. If she, who had been working as a close junior and secretary, left him for Jang Mi-rae, she didn¡¯t know how Choi Kyuseo, who already had a victim mentality, would react. ¡®Should I just go back?¡¯ Baek Seolgi changed her direction. If things went wrong, she might have to give up her domestic activities. It would be better to wait for an opportunity under Choi Kyuseo. She wandered around the building, unable to decide. ¡®No. I haven¡¯t even passed yet.¡¯ ¡®And I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll get another chance like this.¡¯ ¡®And¡­¡­.¡¯ More than anything, she didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity to participate in the most prestigious biennale. She doubted if she would have the same chance in two years, and she couldn¡¯t waste another two years. ¡®Yeah. Honestly, what did I do wrong? I did everything he told me to do for five years. He was too much.¡¯ She had been holding a grudge against Choi Kyuseo, who had demanded all kinds of personal things, holding the exhibition as a hostage. ¡°Sigh.¡± As she was indecisive, time kept passing. ¡®Yeah. Just do it. Try it and see. How long are you going to be scared?¡¯ Baek Seolgi headed to the waiting room for the interviewees with determination. She was afraid of Choi Kyuseo¡¯s revenge and worried about the interview, but she didn¡¯t want to give up. ¡®Yeah. I¡¯m not dead yet.¡¯ She didn¡¯t have any impressive exhibition records, but she had won some awards and received recognition from her peers when she was an undergraduate. She knew thepetition would be fierce, but she thought she was a good artist too, and tried to rx by thinking she had a chance. Baek Seolgi closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The smell of spicy pork over rice entered her nose. ¡®¡­¡­What is this smell?¡¯ She opened her eyes and turned her head slightly, and saw a scruffy-looking man happily smiling with a rice burger in his mouth. Chapter 283: Chapter 283: The Scoundrel (3) ¡®Is that how you came?¡¯ I was puzzled. If you came to the interview, you shouldn¡¯t look shabby, but the young man with a buzz cut didn¡¯t seem to care about impressing others. His white shirt and paint-stained jeans looked like he had just left his work. ¡°Baek Seol-gi.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ma Eun-chan?¡± ¡°Yes!¡±¡°Please prepare for the next two.¡± Baek Seol-gi took a deep breath after being notified of the next order. She was bothered by the man who would enter the interview room with her, but it was not the time to spare a nce. She tried to ovee her nervousness by recalling the contents she had prepared for a few days. The pressure of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and the fear of Choi Kyu-seo, could not break her desire to live as a painter. On the other hand, Ma Eun-chan was also determined. ¡®It¡¯s okay.¡¯ He had ironed the white shirt he hadn¡¯t taken out for a long time, shaved for the first time in a while, and went to the bathhouse as soon as he arrived in Korea to look good to the interviewer. He didn¡¯t have time to eat a proper pork rice bowl, but he could satisfy his regret with a rice burger. He was in better condition than ever. ¡°Baek Seol-gi, Ma Eun-chan. Pleasee in.¡± Baek Seol-gi and Ma Eun-chan bowed their heads and greeted the guide and entered the interview room. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hello!¡± Baek Seol-gi smiled and looked into the eyes of the interviewer. ¡°Nice to meet you. Please sit down.¡± The interviewer Bang Tae-ho offered chairs to the two. ¡®I¡¯ve seen him a few times, but I¡¯m still nervous.¡¯ Baek Seol-gi swallowed her saliva. As she had been active as Choi Kyu-seo¡¯s secretary, she had often participated in big and small events in the art world, and she was acquainted with Bang Tae-ho. He was the former chief curator of the Learning Art Museum and currently the representative of Choctier, founded by Ko Hun and Henri Marso. He was a person who was widely recognized for his ability in Korea. It was inevitable that she would be nervous. ¡°Let¡¯s start with Baek Seol-gi.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You wrote about your study abroad in France on your application. How will that experience affect this exhibition?¡± ¡°Since it is an exhibition that both Korea and France participate in, not onlynguagemunication but also connection points are needed within the work. I think it will be helpful as I have experienced both countries.¡± ¡°What are your strengths, Baek Seol-gi?¡± Bang Tae-ho watched carefully how Baek Seol-gi would answer. It was true that studying abroad in France was somewhat advantageous for the joint exhibition, but there were too many people who had the same conditions. There was no reason to select him just because he had studied abroad. ¡°Can I exin it with my work?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Baek Seol-gi, who asked for permission, showed the most confident work in her portfolio on the screen. Bang Tae-ho raised his eyebrows. The painting titled had red paint raining down on a long horizontal canvas. He didn¡¯t paint with a brush, but he set up the canvas and induced the paint to drip down. Behind the red paint, a man and a woman holding hands stood with pale faces. The faces of the two were lightly painted in dark blue, and there were cracks on their faces, which looked very grotesque. The man¡¯s chin was loose and the woman¡¯s elbow was deformed. They were expressed like joint dolls, adding to the gloom with the red paint that rained down and the pale skin. ¡°I expressed the depression of the French people.¡± Bang Tae-ho nodded and listened to Baek Seol-gi¡¯s words. ¡°The red rain bes a window bar and gives a sense of istion, and you can see that the two people have been deprived of their freedom from the blue faces. The reason I didn¡¯t paint the empty background white is to symbolize that they are not equal to others.¡± It was a word that used the colors of the French g.1) The joints that looked like dolls seemed to show that the French people were not respected as human beings. Baek Seol-gi showed the next work. It was titled . It was a point of view that looked down on the two from above. The man and woman who faced each other with a bar table in the middle were lying down and looking at each other.2) They hugged each other at a distance where their lips almost touched but not. The woman wrapped her left arm around the man¡¯s neck and her right arm around his shoulder. The man ced his hands on the woman¡¯s hair and waist. The man¡¯s fingers, stained with grease, and the woman¡¯s fingers, painted with ck manicure, looked like a grotesque contrast. The woman¡¯s blue hair and the man¡¯s red face resembled a yin-yang symbol. ¡°I wanted to express the sorrow of our people.¡± Baek Seol-gi started to exin her work, but Bang Tae-ho did not pay much attention. He did not need to hear the exnation to appreciate the descriptive quality of the work. He could guess the depth of Baek Seol-gi¡¯s thoughts from the emotions conveyed by the painting. ¡®Wow.¡¯ Ma Eun-chan, who was with him, was also mesmerized by Baek Seol-gi¡¯s painting. He knew that there were many talented people gathered here, but he had not seen a painting that shook his heart like this recently. ¡°I¡¯m also working on a painting with the national g as a motif, and I n to exhibit a figurative painting that captures the national sentiment at the Venice Biennale national exhibition. I hope it will be a wonderful gift for both our country and France.¡± As Baek Seol-gi finished her presentation, Ma Eun-chan pped his hands. It was an act of goodwill and respect for the painter who showed him a good painting. Baek Seol-gi, who did not expect to receive apuse from herpetitor, widened her eyes. ¡®What¡¯s with him?¡¯ She could not understand Ma Eun-chan, who was sending apuse with his eyes as bright as a seal. Bang Tae-ho bit his lips and tried to hold back theughter that was leaking out. ¡°I heard you well. Thank you for your hard work.¡± Then he shifted his gaze to Ma Eun-chan and asked him. ¡°Mr. Ma Eun-chan, you are attending the M¨¹nster National Academy of Fine Arts, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Is there any problem with your work activities?¡± ¡°Not at all! If there is a problem, I can take a leave of absence!¡± Baek Seol-gi, who had barely calmed her mind after the presentation, nodded inwardly at Ma Eun-chan¡¯s words. Taking a semester off was not important. If she could participate in the Venice Biennale, she had to do more. ¡°You have no exhibition experience. You said you draw portraits on the street?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve been doing it as a part-time job for about a year. I draw about 5 to 6 people a week. Sometimes more than twice a day. They all like it.¡± He liked his lively attitude, but it was not a remarkable thing. But the reason why he called the college student who had no exhibition or award history to the interview room was because of his interesting style. Bang Tae-ho nced at the portfolio that Ma Eun-chan submitted and lifted his head. ¡°Then let¡¯s hear your presentation that you prepared.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± ¡°It is.¡± The process of preparing for the M¨¹nster sculpture project was quite tough. After arguing several times a day, they were finally making some progress. But then Marso suggested to throw away the work they had done so far and do somethingpletely different. He argued with patience. ¡°We agreed to do it small in the front.¡± ¡°You wanted to do it big too, as long as there was no traffic problem.¡± ¡°We said it had to match the environment.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to do it on the original building.¡± ¡°Do you think it makes sense to build a new fire station?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± He was speechless. ¡°If we build a new one, it will lose its symbolism. It has to be connected to that building.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be physically attached. It just has to be meaningful.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it has to match the environment. Not make a new one!¡± He could notmunicate with him at all, so he parted ways andined to his grandfather about what happened today. Heughed cheerfully. ¡°Both sides have a point.¡± ¡°Not at all. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t want topromise. Hoon, you wanted to install it in front of the fire station at first, didn¡¯t you?¡± He did. It was his idea after seeing the photo that Marso synthesized. He wanted to create a timeline from the entrance of the fire station to the building. So that people could naturally see the history of the M¨¹nster fire station as they walked. Marso seemed to have the same idea, so he insisted. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a clear idea.¡± At first, he thought he could express it somehow with a wall, but he couldn¡¯t find a good way. "Marso didn''t find the answer, did he?" "Building ten fire stations doesn''t seem like the answer to me." "Huh?" Marso''s solution was to build several fire stations on a veryrge open space. That way, we could keep walking and see how the fire stations and the Becker brothers changed over time. "I don''t know how muchnd you want to use, but we don''t have time to do all that. The residents won''t like it either." "That''s true." Grandpa seemed to agree with me. "I''m curious too." "¡­." "Hehe. Let''s see what happens." "I won''t do it Marso''s way unless there''s a better option." I went back to my room and prepared for the broadcast. Bang Tae-ho was too busy to upload YouTube videos, so I had to do live broadcasts until I found an editor. I turned on the broadcast and waited for enough people to join while ying the Berlin Philharmonic''s performance that I recently enjoyed listening to. When I came back from the bathroom, there were already 4,000 people connected. "Hello, everyone." ©¸Hoon! ©¸Ping! ©¸Is it okay to broadcast so often? ©¸Forbes'' top channel that makes you anxious if you work hard ©¸Don''t you have to prepare for the M¨¹nster sculpture project and the Venice Biennale? ©¸You''re also going to school. ©¸And ying at the yground. ©¸What''s the yground? ©¸ying with the kids. Like Dallyeoda Square. "It''s okay. I just came back from working with Marso. Don''t worry, I''m doing this when I have free time." They seemed to worry that I would neglect other things if I did broadcasts as well as being busy. ©¸Broadcasting is also work, right????? ©¸No, I''m not worried about other things, I''m worried about your health.?? ©¸Is it a genius thing to work without worrying about your body? ©¸Hoon is still 13 years old. You shouldn''t overdo it. "I''m having fun with you guys. I don''t think of it as work." When I said it was my break time, the viewers flooded me with question marks. ©¸You''re still young, but you''ll get sick when you get older. ©¸Are you sleeping well? ©¸I ate spicy pork rice bowl!!!! ©¸How is it working with Marso? The spicy pork rice bowl viin, no, Ma Eun-chan finally ate the spicy pork rice bowl. The day after I came back from M¨¹nster, I mentioned on the live broadcast that I would draw a portrait for the viewers, and Ma Eun-chan responded. I didn''t think the spicy pork rice bowl viin was Ma Eun-chan, so I was surprised as well as the other viewers. There were many people who thought he was an AI or a chatbot because he always typed that he wanted to eat spicy pork rice bowl. As I was about to ask him how he ate it, the Marso viin asked me about working with Marso and I remembered the thing I had forgotten. "Listen. This is what happened a while ago." I couldn''t reveal the idea before the work was announced, so I vaguely told them the story and they allughed out loud. I felt a little better. * * * 1)Blue symbolizes freedom, white symbolizes equality, and red symbolizes friendship. 2)I got the motif from the poster of the movie . Chapter 284: Chapter 284: 284 The Scoundrel (4) Bang Tae-ho narrowed down the list of candidates to 20 out of the 100 he interviewed. He was exhausted from working and sleeping less for almost two weeks, but he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the applications. Every sentence. Every word showed the applicants¡¯ passion. ¡®They must be desperate.¡¯ He would try to amodate the writers as much as possible so they could show their skills, but there were also limitations because of the different way of proceeding from the usual. He wasn¡¯t sure if he had to set a standard because many writers were crowded in a limited space.Still, more than 15,000 people applied. Bang Tae-ho shook his head to clear his mind and looked over the applications, portfolios, and interview records again. ¡®Baek Seol-gi.¡¯ He thought she looked familiar, and she turned out to be Choi Gyu-seo¡¯s secretary. ¡®She was good.¡¯ The two works that Baek Seol-gi showed represented the people of Korea and France. She seemed to be interested in social issues, but she focused more on the emotional state of the people affected by them than on the phenomena themselves. He couldn¡¯t express how he felt, so he just swallowed his emotions, but the shock was indescribable when they were tantly revealed. ¡®I don¡¯t understand.¡¯ Bang Tae-ho couldn¡¯t understand why Baek Seol-gi hadn¡¯t received much attention until now. Her paintings were worthy of high praise from the critics, and at the very least, they should have had a good response from the audience. ¡®How can someone like her have no experience?¡¯ The world was so dependent on connections that he could have thought it was because of that, but she was with Choi Gyu-seo. When she was young, she won quite a few awards and her works were good, so it wouldn¡¯t have been hard for Choi Gyu-seo to give her a small opportunity if he wanted to. There must have been some reason. Bang Tae-ho remembered Baek Seol-gi, who bravely continued her presentation despite shaking hands, and moved her resume to the left. She was the first one to pass. ¡°Hm.¡± Bang Tae-ho smiled as he checked the next person. Among the many applicants, Ma Eun-chan stood out. He didn¡¯t have any special experience, but it wasn¡¯t a w. There were hardly any people who met the condition of being an artist under 35 and had a decent experience. He paid attention to whether they had creativity, passion, and something that could attract interest, and Ma Eun-chan was a painter who aroused curiosity. Ma Eun-chan showed two portraits, one of Ko Hun and the other of Henri Matisse. Ma Eun-chan expressed Ko Hun with a brush, sunflowers, penguins, and bees. The penguins lined up in a row formed a ck horizontal stripe, and below that, he drew a lot of bees to make it look like a yellow horizontal stripe. He repeated that to draw a T-shirt. He filled the skin of his face with apricot-colored, pink sunflowers. The brush that dripped paint looked like hair, and from a distance, it looked like Ko Hun, and from close up, you could observe the brush, sunflowers, penguins, and bees. Henri Matisse was the same. He was made of banknotes, emeralds, self-portraits, ser balls and cats, and gold. He used the objects that symbolized him as dots or surfaces toplete the portrait. ¡®Is it a portrait or a still life?¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what kind of work Ma Eun-chan would present in Venice, but he wanted to see it. Bang Tae-ho thought about it one more time and put Ma Eun-chan¡¯s resume on top of Baek Seol-gi¡¯s. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Neither I nor Matisse could say anything to the result that wepleted after fighting for two weeks after meeting the Becker brothers. He held out his palm and Matisse silently sped his hand. It started with me snapping at Matisse, who insisted on building a fire station, ¡®Why, why don¡¯t you just make a movie?¡¯ And he really did. He used the M¨¹nster fire station building as a giant screen and projected the footage, and it looked better than expected. It was a pity that he could only see it at night, but he was satisfied. He built a fake building that looked exactly like the M¨¹nster fire station, and drew props, building exterior walls, and Becker brothers on the openings and repeated filming. The appearance of the fire station changed and the growth of Julian Becker and Pippi Becker was shown every 30 minutes. If it wasn¡¯t for Matisse, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to think of or do such a thing. The opening work alone was overwhelming, and if Matisse hadn¡¯t hired a constructionpany and a movie productionpany, I would have had to aim for the next exhibition instead of next year. It was the power of money. Peter Neuer, the head of the promotion team for the Munster Sculpture Project, was also wide-eyed and speechless. ¡°I want to disy the fake building and the sculpture separately. Is there a suitable ce for that?¡± Arsene asked Peter Neuer on behalf of me and Marso. ¡°Yes?¡± He seemed to have missed it. ¡°I¡¯m asking if there is a separate space to disy the fake building and the sculpture that we used for the shooting.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Of course. But, if they are the actual size¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. We just made them in the same proportion.¡± ¡°Then there shouldn¡¯t be a big problem. Haha! This is amazing. I never imagined that you would approach it this way.¡± I felt the same. was the most proud work of this year, next to the Dali za. ¡°We did a great job.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Marso seemed to agree. We told Peter Neuer the precautions for the exhibition and boarded the ne. It waste and I fell asleep quickly, feeling satisfied with the splendidpletion of and the fatigue umted over time. ¡°You did well.¡± I thought I heard Marso say something special in my sleep. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I have something else to do. I want to quit.¡± Choi Kyu-seo red at Baek Seol-gi. He couldn¡¯t understand why she wanted to quit when he was busy preparing for the Venice Biennale. It was pathetic. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Don¡¯t you know what¡¯s going on right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Baek Seol-gi just bowed her head and said nothing. Choi Kyu-seo was frustrated by her. He sighed and snapped. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a vacation when this is over. Just hang in there.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer?¡± ¡°I. It¡¯s really important.¡± Baek Seol-gi couldn¡¯t bring herself to say that she was going to participate in the France-Korea joint exhibition. She knew too well how Choi Kyu-seo would react. She couldn¡¯t sleep well. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She just repeated the apology. ¡°Seol-gi.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Look at me.¡± Baek Seol-gi lifted her head. Choi Kyu-seo spoke softly, seeing her terrified face. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Tell me.¡± Baek Seol-gi lowered her head again. She knew from experience that she had to be careful when Choi Kyu-seo acted nice. ¡°You know me, right?¡± It was a threat, telling her to stop before he lost his patience. Baek Seol-gi had no choice but to open her mouth. ¡°I¡­ France.¡± Choi Kyu-seo frowned. ¡°Speak clearly. What?¡± ¡°France. Joint exhibition with France. ¡­I want to do it.¡± Choi Kyu-seo took a moment to sort out his thoughts. He couldn¡¯t easily ept the situation. Baek Seol-gi, who had been working as his secretary since graduating from college, wanted to participate in the France-Korea joint exhibition. ¡°Did Jang Mi-rae contact you?¡± ¡°No, no! No!¡± Choi Kyu-seo stared at Baek Seol-gi as if he was going to devour her. He urged her to exin this abnormal situation. ¡°I. I really wanted to do it. So I applied. And. I got epted. So.¡± Baek Seol-gi¡¯s hand trembled. She wanted to copse on the spot. She had no strength to stand. ¡°Ha.¡± Her fear escted with Choi Kyu-seo¡¯sughter. ¡°What did I say?¡± Choi Kyu-seo got up and moved to the sofa in the center of the office. ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Sit down. I¡¯m not angry with you.¡± As Baek Seolgi sat on the edge of the sofa, Choi Kyuseo took her hand and caressed it. His touch was so gentle that it gave her goosebumps. ¡°Se.¡± That was the nickname Choi Kyuseo used to call Baek Seolgi when they were in college. ¡°Yes, yes. Writer-nim.¡± ¡°What do you mean, writer-nim? It¡¯s just the two of us here.¡± Baek Seolgi closed her mouth. ¡°Se. Do you remember our promise?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I said I would open a solo exhibition for you.¡± She couldn¡¯t answer. ¡°Did you think I forgot?¡± She shook her head. Choi Kyuseo smiled and patted Baek Seolgi¡¯s hand. ¡°Why don¡¯t I understand your feelings? I know you too well. I¡¯m angry too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s impressive. Bang Taeho liked your painting, didn¡¯t he?¡± It was an unexpected reaction. Baek Seolgi lifted her head. ¡°What are you surprised about? Of course. Did you show him the g?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Yeah. I thought so. I would have chosen you too.¡± Choi Kyuseo held Baek Seolgi¡¯s hand with both hands. She was so startled that she tried to pull her hand away, but he didn¡¯t let go. ¡°Of course I want to show you my good painting. I understand. I wanted to show off my brother¡¯s work too.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I wanted to show off. Last year, I was too focused on the Gwangju Biennale and the teacher¡¯s solo exhibition. This year, I¡¯m a bit busy preparing for the Venice Biennale.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I was going to talk to you after finishing next year¡¯s work. I wanted to surprise you, so I didn¡¯t say anything. You must have felt left out.¡± Baek Seolgi looked into Choi Kyuseo¡¯s eyes and doubted. She didn¡¯t know what to do, because he seemed like the senior who had treated her so well back then. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Choi Kyuseo grinned. ¡°I think I should have that ambition. My painting is good. I want to show it. How can I do without that feeling. Right?¡± Baek Seolgi nodded cautiously and Choi Kyuseo gently let go of her hand. ¡°I don¡¯t like you being used. I wish you were the protagonist.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°You know. There¡¯s the teacher and Jang Mi-rae. And there¡¯s Soojin sunbae¡¯s son. Do you think Bang Taeho will treat the other writers fairly?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even if he does, people will flock to the teacher¡¯s work.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stand to see your work being used as a decoration.¡± Baek Seolgi lowered her head. It was as Choi Kyuseo said. She thought that the rest would be nothing but extras in the joint exhibition, where there were Gosuyeol, Jang Mi-rae, and Ko Hun. Themissioner would also n the exhibition around them, and moreover, Bang Taeho was the head of thepany founded by Ko Hun. ¡°You can be the protagonist.¡± Choi Kyuseo tilted his head and observed Baek Seolgi. She bit her lips and her eyes trembled. She looked confused. ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± He meant it. Baek Seolgi was a thorn in his eye for Choi Kyuseo, who couldn¡¯t ept Jang Mi-rae, who was his college mate and had surpassed him. She was a junior. She was from a humble background and she had painted something he couldn¡¯t imagine. He couldn¡¯t let her go ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s prepare well and open the exhibition next year. At the Museum of Learning.¡± Choi Kyuseo held out his pinky finger. Baek Seolgi looked back and forth between Choi Kyuseo¡¯s eyes and the symbol of the promise, and opened her mouth. Her voice trembled because of the resentment that had umted over the past few years. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Chapter 285: Chapter 285: 285 The Viin (5) It was a word that I squeezed out of courage. But Choi Kyu-seo was still smiling. His expression was like soothing a child who was throwing a tantrum, and Baek Seol-gi felt more and more intimidated. ¡°Do you know why I brought you here?¡± He spoke in a gentle voice. ¡°I did it because I didn¡¯t want to leave you in that disgusting school. When you win an award, they only congratte you in front of you, but they talk bad about you behind your back. The professors? They¡¯re just using the students who want to make a spec.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie.There were people who congratted him on his prize, but there were also unfounded rumors that he had received Choi Kyu-seo¡¯s help. Some professors didn¡¯t even pay him and used the students for their own work, and they often excluded them from the list. ¡°Instead of that, I wanted you to stay by my side and learn how things work here, and make your own work without worrying about money. I wanted you to grow steadily.¡± It wasn¡¯t easy to major in Western painting and find a stable job. Although he started with the minimum wage, he steadily raised his sry and now he had a decent ie. Many people looked at him with envy as he followed Choi Kyu-seo. ¡°Seol.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I know. You did it with your own strength, so of course you want to do it. I¡¯m so happy, too. How do you feel?¡± Choi Kyu-seo chuckled. ¡°But you know from your social life, right? It¡¯s not easy to be a full-time artist.¡± There were a lot of aspiring artists, but only a few could work as artists. Among them, only a handful could hold solo exhibitions. Solo exhibitions didn¡¯t mean sess either. Many aspiring artists envied them, but they also ended their careers after a single exhibition. He had seen countless people who made great works but couldn¡¯t even shine for a moment. ¡°I know you¡¯re impatient. It¡¯s hard, so I know you¡¯re happy to get some recognition like this. But I want you to go far, Seol.¡± Baek Seol-gi was confused. It seemed like Choi Kyu-seo was right. If he didn¡¯t get attention at the Venice Biennale, there was no future. ¡®You should worry.¡¯ Choi Kyu-seo smirked. He knew Baek Seol-gi¡¯s weakness very well. He knew that if their rtionship changed because of this, he wouldn¡¯t be able to work in the Korean art world. Not a young age. Financial worries. Anxiety about whether he could achieve something at the Venice Biennale, and uncertainty about what to do afterwards. Choi Kyu-seo took advantage of that. He had learned from a young age how to deal with people. It was no use forcing or nagging them, he had to show them what they wanted. Desperate people had no choice but to cling to him. Without knowing that they were dependent on him, believing that he could get them someday. ¡°Me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Baek Seol-gi lifted his head. He met Choi Kyu-seo¡¯s warm eyes and felt like he had done something wrong. He was grateful and sorry for him, who was trying to correct him from going the wrong way. He was confused. He couldn¡¯t decide whether to believe him or not, that he had misunderstood him for the past few years, and that he was actually caring. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can make mistakes. You¡¯re human.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The really bad thing is not repenting even though you know it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And there¡¯s no one more foolish than making a mistake knowing what will happen.¡± Tears welled up in Baek Seol-gi¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re like that, Seol. If I did, I wouldn¡¯t have brought you here. You know me.¡± ¡°Sir.¡± Choi Kyu-seo sighed as if he had no choice. ¡°Do you need to walk the hard way?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just trust me and follow me. Do you think I would make you do something bad?¡± Choi Kyu-seo told him not to bother going back. He said it would be easy if I just followed him a few steps behind on the smooth path he had prepared for me. ¡°Right?¡± Choi Kyu-seo urged me to answer. I looked at him and slowly shook my head. He had given me an answer when I was hesitating at the crossroads of choice. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°¡­What is?¡± ¡°I can do it by myself.¡± Choi Kyu-seo red at me with cold eyes as I got up from my seat. ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me. Do you know what you¡¯re doing right now?¡± ¡°Yes. I do.¡± I bowed my head and left the office without looking back. ¡°Ha.¡± Choi Kyu-seo sneered. He couldn¡¯t understand why I chose the hard way over the stable one. ¡®How stupid can you be?¡¯ If I had just taken what he gave me, he would have continued to adore me as he had until now. But now that I had turned away. He couldn¡¯t let me go. Meanwhile. I reached the elevator and leaned against the wall, feeling my legs give out. ¡®I messed up.¡¯ I wondered if Choi Kyu-seo was right. I had followed him with that thought from the beginning and regretted it for the past five years. I had to please him in every way, or he wouldn¡¯t let me have an exhibition. I had to go out and pick him up in the middle of the night without a word ofint. I never had a weekend off. I felt how miserable it was to live depending on someone else. As I was thinking that. I heard him say that I just had to follow him and realized that I had been relying on him all this time. ¡®Freedom is like that. It¡¯s not good because it brings better results, but because it¡¯s good in itself.¡¯ ¡®Only those who fight fiercely can attain freedom. And all the artists we know have fought like that.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s no such thing as a good experience. You have to try to experience as many things as possible.¡¯ That¡¯s what I used to tell my students over and over. ¡®I was wrong from the start.¡¯ I admitted that it wasn¡¯t just Choi Kyu-seo who used me, but I also tried to use him. It was just a matter of power difference and that¡¯s why I suffered. ¡®I have to fix it now.¡¯ I decided to walk without leaning on anyone. ¡°¡­¡± I got on the elevator and clenched the USB drive in my pocket. ¡®I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t use it.¡¯ It was a weapon I prepared in case Choi Kyu-seo threatened me. It contained some of the evidence and circumstances of his corruption, but I didn¡¯t want to show it. I knew too well that the media was on his side and I had no power to sway public opinion. ¡®I¡¯m not clean either.¡¯ I had turned a blind eye to what he had done, even if it was because of his coercion. I couldn¡¯t lift my head as I walked out of the building. ¡°Arghhhhh.¡± Kim Ji-woo tore his hair as he sorted out his interview materials. He had followed Bang Tae-ho to Korea and tried to uncover the corruption of the Korean Art Association, but he had no ie to speak of. Everyone he suspected to be involved kept their mouths shut. It was too much to write an article with just the circumstantial evidence he got from Bang Tae-ho. ¡°Sigh.¡± Hey down on his desk and spaced out. His phone rang. It was Bang Tae-ho. ¡°Yes. Director.¡± -Are you okay to talk? ¡°Sure. What¡¯s up?¡± -I made an appointment with the writers for a meeting, and I thought it would be nice if you came too. Kim Ji-woo jumped up. ¡°Great! Of course.¡± -Haha. We¡¯re meeting at the office the day after tomorrow. 3 o¡¯clock. He didn¡¯t need to check his schedule. I would have postponed anything else if I could cover the first orientation of the Firestarters. ¡°I¡¯ll go. For sure.¡± -Okay. And there¡¯s something else I want to ask you. ¡°Yes?¡± -The truth is, the writers we selected are not very well-known. ¡°Oh. I see. That makes sense.¡± They had chosen writers under 35 years old, after all. The only artists under 35 who were getting attention in Korea were Jang Mi-rae, Choi Kyuseo, and Ko Hun. -I hope they can get some exposure in Europe before the Venice Biennale starts. Kim Ji-woo nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. That¡¯s only natural. I was nning to cover the Firestarters anyway, since I¡¯m interested in them.¡± -Haha. Thank you. I¡¯ll have some portfolios ready for you to see when youe the day after tomorrow. ¡°Okay!¡± -By the way, about that name, Firestarters. ¡°Ahaha. Hoon kept calling them that, so I guess it stuck with me. The official name is too long, the France-Korea Joint Exhibition.¡± -It¡¯s a bit awkward on the inte these days. ¡°Hey. It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not like everyone sees them negatively. What. There are real firestarters out there.¡± He was referring to the Korean Art Association and the couple Choi Kyuseo and Kim Soohyuk. -Well, that¡¯s good then. How¡¯s the situation over there? ¡°Sigh. Honestly, not much progress. I have suspicions, but no evidence. And no one inside is willing to tip me off.¡± -I see. Bang Taeho was also frustrated. -Anyway, let¡¯s cheer up. I¡¯ll see you the day after tomorrow. ¡°Okay. Take care.¡± Kim Ji-woo hung up and looked over the list of the Korean Art Association members. He had marked the ones he had met with a red line, but there were not many names left. ¡®What will happen?¡¯ He tapped his cheek to clear his mind and started to prepare for the interview the day after tomorrow. He needed some basic knowledge to decide what to ask the writers. ¡®Kim Youngil. Yuraim. Park Junsu.¡¯ He had been in the art world for a long time, so he had heard their names at least, even if he didn¡¯t know them well. ¡®Ma Eunchan?¡¯ Kim Ji-woo narrowed his eyebrows at the name he had never heard before. He couldn¡¯t know every artist, so he searched the inte, but only irrelevant documents came up. The only information he could find was the age written on the list that Bang Taeho had sent him. 20 years old. ¡®Is he a college student? Impressive.¡¯ Kim Ji-woo thought he would ask his colleagues if they knew this college student named Ma Eunchan and circled his name. ¡®Baek Seolgi? Who¡¯s Baek Seolgi?¡¯ It was an umon name, so he wouldn¡¯t have forgotten it if he had heard it. ¡®I¡¯m a bit surprised. Why are there so many people I don¡¯t know?¡¯ Kim Ji-woo searched the inte for Baek Seolgi. ¡°That looks delicious.¡± There were several pictures of baekseolgi, a fluffy rice cake. ¡°Beans are a waste.¡± He saw a baekseolgi made with mung beans among the pictures and shook his head as he logged into NewTube. He thought that if they were active, they might be mentioned on NewTube. But there were only videos about how to make baekseolgi. ¡®She¡¯s 29 this year, she must have started her career a while ago.¡¯ As he scrolled down the screen, he started to see videos of Choi Kyuseo. ¡®Oh, bad luck.¡¯ He was about to close the inte window when the word baekseolgi caught his eye. It was written as the nner¡¯s name in the description of Choi Kyuseo¡¯s video. ¡°Huh?¡± The name was also on other videos. There was no proof that it was the same person as the Firestarter participant, but it was a rare name, so he started to watch the videos. ¡®Is this her?¡¯ In one of the vlog videos, a woman who looked like a secretary appeared briefly. She was exining Choi Kyuseo¡¯s schedule. She looked like she was in herte twenties. ¡°¡­No way. Why would Choi Kyuseo¡¯s secretary join the Firestarters?¡± Kim Ji-woo shook his head. Chapter 286: Chapter 286: 286 The Scoundrel (6) I had grown quite close to Marso after working on the Munster sculpture project for two weeks straight. He was a rascal, but I had gotten used to him after being with him for almost a year sincest winter. He would often show me his new ideas for his works. Today, he brought a sketch of his work for the Scoundrel exhibition, but it was just a in emerald. He was very talented at expressing himself, but that was not enough. His workcked the brilliantposition that Marso had always boasted. ¡°Why are you silent?¡±I wondered how to say it. We had many arguments because of my honest words, and Marso had a temper as bad as Gauguin¡¯s. It would surely lead to a fight. ¡°Tell me the truth.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± If I told him that it looked like the most worthless emerald in the world, a result of his mannerism and inted narcissism, he would attack me right away. He was good at talking. I softened it a bit. ¡°It¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°What?¡± He red at me. ¡°You emphasized the emerald too much. It¡¯s not distinctive from your other works.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He was sulking. He took the sketch and closed his mouth. He must have realized it himself. He had made over 800 self-portraits and self-awareness paintings, so no matter how talented and hardworking he was, he must have reached his limit. Maybe he had already ovee several crises. He had been active since he was young, so it was strange that he didn¡¯t have any changes at his age. Speaking of which. ¡°Marso.¡± He didn¡¯t look back. ¡°Marso.¡± He didn¡¯t answer, clearly angry. ¡°Henri.¡± Henri turned his neck like a broken doll. He wouldn¡¯t make that face even if a fly came out of his pizza. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°I said Henri.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about time, isn¡¯t it?¡± We had been together for three years and became quite close, so calling him by his name was no big deal. ¡°Anyway. How old are you now?¡± He looked me up and down. ¡°What did you eat wrong?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? How old are you?¡± He asked again, then grabbed my shoulder and shook me. ¡°I told you not to eat anything you find! What did you eat! Huh? What did you eat!¡± ¡°Ah, ah, ah.¡± ¡°Are you still taking drugs?¡± When I was painting outside, I sometimes found flowers that I could eat, and they reminded me of the old days, so I asionally ate them. He must have thought I ate something bad. I had been abstaining from drugs since I quit, but he still doubted me. ¡°Let go of me!¡± I couldn¡¯t win with strength, so I jabbed his palm and barely got away. It must have hurt, but he didn¡¯t care and stared at me. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I took out my smartphone and searched for Henri Marso. It said he was born on December 12, 1995. Today was October 30, 2029, so he was 33 years old. He had been pursuing his dream since he was 13, so he had been active for almost 20 years. He definitely needed some change. ¡°How about trying something other than self-portraits?¡± I lifted my head and saw Henri frowning. Kim Ji-woo, who came to the Scoundrel orientation, found Bang Taeho and Lee Inho, a reporter, in front of the building. ¡°Director, Inho.¡± Tae-ho Bang and In-ho Lee also recognized Ji-woo Kim and greeted her warmly. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve been doing great.¡± Ji-woo Kim looked at In-ho Lee with a smile and shrugged her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s hard to be doing well when there¡¯s too much work.¡± ¡°Haha. That¡¯s true. By the way, I heard about Ye-hwa.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°But I heard from Mr. Bang here that you got a better position.¡± ¡°Yes. I got to write a nning column for Bojar.¡± ¡°Wow. That¡¯s amazing, isn¡¯t it? Should I call you a writer now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. How are you doing these days, In-ho?¡± ¡°I¡¯m always the same.¡± ¡°I saw your articlest time and it seemed like you studied a lot.¡± ¡°Ah, sigh. There¡¯s still so much I don¡¯t know. Haha.¡± Tae-ho Bang looked back and forth between In-ho Lee and Ji-woo Kim. He wondered if they were this friendly. ¡°Are the participants still not here?¡± Ji-woo Kim, who had exchanged greetings with In-ho, asked Tae-ho. There were about 10 minutes left until the appointment time, but she was curious why Tae-ho and In-ho were outside. ¡°Some of them are waiting inside. Eun-chan Ma said he had some trouble staying in Korea for a long time, so we decided to meet next time.¡± ¡°That person! I was most curious about him. He¡¯s a college student, right?¡± Ji-woo Kim pped her hands as she recalled Eun-chan Ma and Seol-gi Baek, whom she had no information about. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s studying at the National Art University of Munster.¡± ¡°Ah~ He¡¯s a foreign student. That¡¯s impressive. He caught Mr. Bang¡¯s eye. How is it in Munster?¡± It was a question from the thought that there might be some small talk if Tae-ho had chosen him. She wanted to hear some stories about Eun-chan for when they metter. ¡°He seems to be doing well quietly. He usually draws portraits on the street.¡± ¡°Portraits?¡± ¡°Yes. He drew Hoon and Marso too.¡± ¡°Pork viin!¡± Ji-woo Kim shouted. She was a fan of famous artists¡¯ personal broadcasts and remembered the pork rice bowl viin who was famous on Hoon¡¯s broadcast. She had seen a story that he had drawn portraits of Hoon and Henri Marso on a broadcast a while ago. Tae-ho Bang and In-ho Lee blinked their eyes in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? The pork rice bowl viin.¡± Ji-woo Kim asked in disbelief and Tae-ho tilted his head. ¡°Are you talking about Hoon¡¯s broadcast viewer?¡± ¡°Yes! That person is Eun-chan.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Tae-ho, who had been busy with other things for almost a month preparing for the Viin, had no way of knowing. He had hired a professional editor to take care of the Pingoo channel video, so he didn¡¯t know what had happened in the meantime. Heughed after hearing the exnation from Ji-woo. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. He would have told me if he knew.¡± ¡°Hoon doesn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°He probably didn¡¯t say he was participating.¡± ¡°Well. He only talks about pork rice bowls.¡± In-ho, who didn¡¯t understand the pork rice bowl story, just stood there nkly. ¡°Wow. The world is small. Things turned out like this.¡± ¡°So you picked Eun-chan without knowing he was Hoon¡¯s broadcast viewer?¡± ¡°Of course. The documents were blind in the first ce. I didn¡¯t ask for personal information either.¡± He had evaluated them fairly based on their portfolios alone. ¡®Well. That¡¯s the only way.¡¯ Ji-woo understood Tae-ho, who didn¡¯t know much about the participants. ¡°Then you don¡¯t know much about Seol-gi either.¡± ¡°Oh, I know her a little.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a Cymen employee. I used to meet her sometimes when I worked at the Ba-eum Art Museum.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the gallery run by Kyu-seo Choi?¡± In-ho, who heard a familiar name for the first time in a while, asked. Cymen was apany with Kyu-seo Choi as the representative, a gallery that did both agent and management. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right. She worked as Kyu-seo¡¯s secretary.¡± Ji-woo opened her mouth wide. ¡°No way. How is that possible? Seol-gi is joining the Viin and Kyu-seo is just watching? Ugh!¡± ¡°Huh? Why, why are you like that?¡± ¡°Spy?¡± ¡°Haha. No way.¡± Ban Tae-ho paused at the story that sounded like a movie. He saw the serious look in Kim Ji-woo and Lee In-ho¡¯s eyes. ¡°No. It can¡¯t be.¡± Ban Tae-ho shook his head. He reassured Kim Ji-woo and Lee In-ho by recalling the excellence of the portfolio and the desperate expression at the presentation. ¡°He looked really desperate. If that was acting, he should be an actor, not a painter.¡± Ban Tae-ho added augh, but the two journalists, one current and one former, did not give up their doubts. ¡°But it¡¯s strange. Choi Kyu-seo wouldn¡¯t like it if he joined Bulhandang. And he¡¯s a secretary, too.¡± ¡°Oh, I heard he graduated from the art school of Korea University. He¡¯s a junior to Professor Jang and Mr. Choi Kyu-seo.¡± ¡°Then isn¡¯t it even stranger? He was always with Choi Kyu-seo, and now he¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Dreams are not easy to give up.¡± Ban Tae-ho¡¯s words made sense. ¡°I think it¡¯s one of two things.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Either he¡¯s trying to get something out of here by listening to Choi Kyu-seo, or he had some trouble with Choi Kyu-seo.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s thetter?¡± Lee In-ho agreed with Kim Ji-woo¡¯s guess. ¡°He must have seen a lot of stories rted to the Korean Art Association as a secretary.¡± ¡°He would have a lot ofints if they had a falling out. Choi Kyu-seo is notorious for his bad temper.¡± Lee In-ho and Kim Ji-woo were almost certain. Unless Choi Kyu-seo was crazy, he wouldn¡¯t hire someone to leak his idea. Baek Seol-gi was also a sane person who wouldn¡¯t take such a risk. It was natural to think that they had a falling out, since Choi Kyu-seo wouldn¡¯t let his own secretary work for Bulhandang. ¡°He might know something about his husband, too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s actually a bigger problem. The selection of themissioner for the Korean Pavilion.¡± As Kim Ji-woo and Lee In-ho were talking, Baek Seol-gi recognized Ban Tae-ho and greeted him cautiously. ¡°Hello.¡± Kim Ji-woo and Lee In-ho, who were spreading their wings of imagination, were startled and jumped up, and Baek Seol-gi also backed away. ¡°Wee.¡± Ban Tae-ho checked the time and greeted her with a smile. ¡°You came right on time. Let¡¯s go up. I¡¯ve prepared a seat on the second floor.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Oh, these are the reporters who came to cover the story. Reporter, this is Baek Seol-gi, the writer who joined us this time.¡± Lee In-ho bowed his head and greeted her. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Lee In-ho from Daehan Ilbo.¡± Baek Seol-gi was d to hear that he was from a leading daily newspaper in Korea. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Baek Seol-gi. Nice to meet you.¡± Baek Seol-gi received a business card from Lee In-ho and felt embarrassed. ¡°What do I do? I don¡¯t have a business card right now.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t work at Cymen Secretary Office?¡± Kim Ji-woo popped his face out. Baek Seol-gi was flustered, but she smiled calmly in front of the reporters. ¡°Yes. Until recently.¡± ¡°Then.¡± ¡°I quit.¡± If Baek Seol-gi¡¯s words were true, the chances of matching the two¡¯s expectations were high. Kim Ji-woo tried to calm his pounding heart and greeted her cheekily. ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry for beingte. I¡¯m Kim Ji-woo, a columnist. I used to work at Yehwa.¡± ¡°Oh. Kim Ji-woo, the reporter. I¡¯ve read a lot of your articles.¡± Baek Seol-gi, who asionally looked at Yehwa, greeted him warmly. ¡®How do I ask?¡¯ Kim Ji-woo, who couldn¡¯t catch the tail, had no intention of letting go of Baek Seol-gi. He was determined to get the evidence and testimony of the corruption and irregrities of the Korean Art Association and Choi Kyu-seo, no matter what. ¡°Really? It¡¯s hard to meet someone who reads my writing. Haha!¡± To do that, he had to reduce the emotional distance as much as possible. ¡°Mr. Ban praised you a lot. Can you tell me a little bit about your work after the orientation?¡± ¡°Oh. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Of course! It¡¯s an honor. A solo interview with someone who¡¯s participating in the Venice Biennale.¡± Kim Ji-woo smiled all over his face. Chapter 287: Chapter 287: 287 Scoundrel (7) A littleter. The participants of the joint exhibition of France and Korea at the Venice Biennale gathered in one ce. ¡°Before we start, I would like to thank you all for participating in this joint exhibition. I am Bang Tae-ho, themissioner and director.¡± There was no leisure or smile to be found among the artists who apuded. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The purchase of works was regarded as spection, and the ce for unknown artists became narrower. The works of celebrities that appeared in the media were traded more valuable than those who worked hard.Public projects were concentrated on prestigious artists, and artists without fame, connections, or funds felt suffocated. They had to have a different mindset. Bang Tae-ho was no different from them, as it was his first international exhibition. He nodded inwardly as he saw the seriousness on the faces of the artists and began to exin. ¡°The theme of this Venice Biennale is between.¡± Bang Tae-ho showed the document that Ralph Rufus, the director-general of the Venice Biennale, had sent. Baek Seol-gi wrapped her hand in front of her mouth and chewed on the word ¡®between¡¯ written on the screen. ¡°Through the sentence that distance has widened, and hatred hase instead of rupture, we can see Ralph Rufus¡¯s sense of problem.¡± Bang Tae-ho distributed the documents to the artists and continued to exin. ¡°He is sorry for the reality that the countries, races, and people are separated by various issues. He wants to deeply reflect on what should be ced and excluded between us.¡± Baek Seol-gi nodded. Ralph Rufus did not look at the rtionship rupture simply. While he enjoyed getting closer, he sometimes needed to keep a distance. He also said that sometimes he had to doubt whether there was unnecessary prejudice between him and the other person. ¡°Ralph Rufus hopes that the Venice Biennale will be a ce where these stories are exchanged.¡± The artists epted the topic that Ralph Rufus suggested in their own way. ¡°If you look at page 9 of the booklet I just handed out, you can see the exhibition hall that is currently under construction.¡± The artists turned the bookshelf at Bang Tae-ho¡¯s guide. The dome-shaped building was divided into two floors, and the works could be viewed through the space in the middle and the railing along the wall. ¡°Our country will use the first floor. There was an opinion that it would be nice to decorate the first floor as a beach and the second floor as a sky, but the details will be decided at the second orientation.¡± Yoo Ra-im, who participated in the instation section, raised her hand. ¡°Yes, Yoo Ra-im artist.¡± ¡°Will the exhibition location also be decided at the second OT?¡± ¡°We will share opinions at the second and make a final decision at the third.¡± Bang Tae-ho guided theter work. It was a schedule to meet in Venice two weekster and talk with themissioners and artists of both countries and meet again two weekster. The artists seemed to be worried, holding their arms or breathing lightly. ¡°There are many restrictions, actually.¡± Bang Tae-ho came out. ¡°The topic is clear, too. You may have topromise in many ways, not only the location you mentioned. It could be size or weight. The sound may also be limited.¡± The faces of the instation artists became somewhat gloomy. ¡°It¡¯s tricky.¡± Bang Tae-ho asked with a smile, and the artists who revealed their true feelingsughed softly. ¡°But I¡¯m proud to have selected someone who will show you a great work under these conditions.¡± The artists already knew it. It was a matter of presenting opinions with their works and proceeding with the story in one discourse. As long as themissioner and the art director set the theme, they had to follow their demands. Bang Tae-ho looked around. It seemed like there were a lot of curious things. ¡°Since the story came up, I¡¯ll answer your questions before moving on to the next story.¡± They all raised their hands without anything to do. They allughed softly and the somewhat stiff atmosphere subsided. ¡°Yoo Ra-im!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± During the break, Baek Seol-gi approached her college friend Yoo Ra-im with joy. They recognized each other and exchanged eyes during the orientation, so Yoo Ra-im also smiled and held her hand. ¡°How long has it been?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. How have you been?¡± ¡°Ha. Don¡¯t even say. It was amazing.¡± They weren¡¯t close enough to hang out together, but they were happy to see each other after a long time, as they had been active in the same club for a while. The two took a can of coffee each and exchanged greetings more friendly than in their college days. ¡°But I was really surprised, you know?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you working with Choi Kyu-seo sunbae? You know¡­ the association is not very fond of him.¡± Yura-im mumbled. It was a well-known fact that the Korean Art Association disliked the scoundrel who was involved in the Venice Biennale national exhibition. ¡°I quit.¡± Baek Seol-gi answered with a small smile and Yura-im cheered, waving her hand. ¡°Good for you. I didn¡¯t understand why you were there anyway.¡± Among the seniors, juniors, and peers, many people looked down on Choi Kyu-seo. Baek Seol-gi felt the same way, so she had nothing to say. ¡°You always badmouthed him and Mira sunbae, right?¡± Baek Seol-gi stared nkly at her friend. ¡°You didn¡¯t know? Well, I guess you wouldn¡¯t if you did.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why. You won a prize in a contest held by some constructionpany a while ago, didn¡¯t you?¡± Baek Seol-gi recalled the event from her sophomore year in college. She had won the grand prize in a nationwide college art contest sponsored by a prominent constructionpany. She received 5 million won as a prize money, and the constructionpany gifted Baek Seol-gi¡¯s work to the apartment residents, which made the news. It was the first time Baek Seol-gi received recognition from society, and it was also the time when she distanced herself from the people at school. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He was spreading nonsense that you wouldn¡¯t have won if you didn¡¯t use your connections. He said he had some insider at the constructionpany or something.¡± Baek Seol-gi¡¯s eyes shook. She couldn¡¯t believe that the person who started the rumor that tormented her was Choi Kyu-seo. ¡®People are like that. They try to drag you down if you¡¯re a little better than them.¡¯ ¡®You don¡¯t need to hang out with those kids. Do you think you¡¯ll see them after graduation? They¡¯re already talking behind your back.¡¯ ¡®You said you were looking for a part-time job, right? I¡¯m starting apany, soe if you¡¯re interested. You¡¯ll gain more than being with those kids.¡¯ ¡°People started talking behind your back after you left the club.¡± ¡°What did they say?¡± ¡°They said that the prize was not legit since you joined Choi Kyu-seo¡¯spany.¡± Baek Seol-gi clenched her teeth. Her fist trembled with anger. ¡°The funny thing is, he also participated in that contest.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You know Nari, right?¡± She remembered Lee Nari, who entered the same year as her but had a different major. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°She said she saw him submit his application at the department office. She said if you got the prize because of your connections, why didn¡¯t he get one too. That makes sense, right. Whatever.¡± ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Baek Seol-gi felt indignant at the fact that she had been deceived all this time. She thought she knew Choi Kyu-seo better than anyone else from working with him, but she didn¡¯t know anything. ¡®He really has no bottom. Choi Kyu-seo.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m d you got out of there. Really.¡± Baek Seol-gi turned her head. ¡°I missed hearing your stories. I thought you would do the best among us.¡± She was afraid of other people¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t want to get hurt. Her old friend, who had distanced herself from her because of Choi Kyu-seo¡¯s harassment, still treated her sincerely. ¡°But how could no one tell me anything? That¡¯s too much.¡± She had no one to confide in. She had also kept her distance from the people she used to hang out with. ¡°No. Thank you.¡± Baek Seol-gi smiled. ¡®Did you want to be the protagonist?¡¯ And she couldn¡¯t forgive Choi Kyu-seo, who had mocked her until the end. After the orientation, Kim Ji-woo moved to a quiet cafe with Baek Seol-gi. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Baek Seol-gi dly handed over her portfolio. Kim Ji-woo was d to see what kind of work Baek Seol-gi was doing, since she had been inactive since graduating from college. ¡°Wow.¡± Kim Ji-woo couldn¡¯t help but exim as she saw the . The sensualposition of the two people embracing each other and looking down, and the rough brush strokes that left clear marks were impressive. ¡°It¡¯s really amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°How did you endure all this time?¡± Kim Ji-woo asked sincerely. As an artist, she would have wanted to show her work to the world, but she wondered how she never came forward. At the same time, she also intended to find out what had happened between her and Choi Kyuseo. ¡®She won¡¯t tell me easily.¡¯ She had to be careful. If she was still on good terms with Choi Kyuseo, there was no need to say anything, and if they had fallen out, she couldn¡¯t ignore Choi Kyuseo, who dominated the Korean art scene. She didn¡¯t think she would spill such a sensitive story to someone she met for the first time today. ¡®How do I coax her?¡¯ Kim Ji-woo approached cautiously. ¡°I would be so proud if I were you.¡± Kim Ji-woo said casually, and Baek Seolgi smiled. ¡°I know. I was foolish.¡± ¡°I have a real eye for talent. I think you¡¯ll make a big hit this time. Really. Even though I look like this, I¡¯ve discovered a lot of people.¡± ¡°I know. Like Hoon.¡± ¡°Did you see Hoon¡¯s article too?¡± ¡°Of course. You wrote the first one, right? I¡¯m a big fan.¡± ¡°Ahahaha.¡± Kim Ji-woo felt embarrassed and drank her coffee. It was rare to meet a reader, and even rarer to remember her name. And to hear the word ¡®fan¡¯ for the first time in her life, she felt strange. ¡°I read the Damien Carter article too.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°It was awesome. I thought undercover reporting was something that only happened in movies.¡± ¡°I think I was pretty cool back then too. Haha!¡± ¡°Really. You were connected to the Luxury Gallery, Sotheby¡¯s, and Damien Carter.¡± Baek Seolgi also took a sip of her coffee and lifted her head. ¡°Weren¡¯t you scared?¡± ¡°I was. I still am.¡± Kim Ji-woo quietly grabbed a tissue and started to crumple it. ¡°Damien Carter and Jay Jopling are in prison, but I don¡¯t know what will happen when theye out. And the sponsors are still there.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But this is my job.¡± Kim Ji-woo smiled awkwardly. She used to lose sleep over the fear of retaliation, and she was still getting psychiatric treatment, but she felt it was something she had to do. She thought she would regret it for the rest of her life if she ignored the Damien Carter case. Baek Seolgi looked at Kim Ji-woo again. She was different from the serious and critical articles and columns she wrote. She seemed a bit restless when she met her in person. And when she recalled the Damien Carter case, she showed signs of anxiety, tearing up the poor tissue. But she trusted her attitude of considering the exposure of the corruption in the art world as her own task, even though she was afraid. She also trusted her ability as a journalist who recorded millions of views. ¡°In Korea too.¡± Kim Ji-woo lifted her head at Baek Seolgi¡¯s words. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What would you like to do if there was something simr in Korea?¡± Chapter 288: Chapter 288: 288 Scoundrel (8) Interference and bribery in the assignment of judges for the Korean Art Grand Exhibition. Misappropriation and personal use of national subsidies by Cymen Gallery. Involvement in the selection of the Artist of the Year Award by Seonghan Ilbo. Purchase of personal real estate with national subsidies and membership fees by the Korean Art Association. ¡°¡­¡± Kim Ji-woo couldn¡¯t close his mouth as he received a USB sh drive from Baek Seol-gi. The files he collected were only a part of the corruptionmitted by Choi Young-soo, the chairman of the Korean Art Association, and his daughter Choi Kyu-seo and Kim Soo-hyuk, a married couple. She warned him that the evidence was not perfect either.But Kim Ji-woo thought it was more than enough source to use as an article. ¡°He¡¯s out of his mind. What the hell is this?¡± He was speechless. Chairman Choi Young-soo assigned the judges for therge-scalepetition like the Korean Art Grand Exhibition as he pleased, and gave awards to whoever he wanted. He not only took care of his daughter Choi Kyu-seo and the association members, but also received money from those who wanted to win the awards in exchange for promising them. ¡®This is ridiculous. Ridiculous. What is this?¡¯ Cymen Gallery, run by Choi Kyu-seo, was also abnormal. She registered as apany that operates for the purpose of expanding art business from the Korean Art Association, and received 100 million won of national subsidies every year to her personal ount. ¡®The rich get richer.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t all. Chairman Choi Young-soo¡¯s influence also worked in the selection of the Artist of the Year Award and the Work of the Month by Seonghan Ilbo. And the most astonishing thing was that Choi Young-soo used the national subsidies that came out in front of the Korean Art Association as his personal investment fund. ¡®He has connections with Kim Dong-yoon, awmaker of Goryeo Party. And Seonghan Ilbo and OBC too.¡¯ Baek Seol-gi asked him to be careful. It was worrisome as an individual to deal with a congressman, a powerful daily newspaper, and a broadcasting station. But Kim Ji-woo didn¡¯t think it was a big problem. Korea, which had gone through many incidents, knew how to deal with criminals. Especially, they were furious beyond ideology about stealing national taxes or unfair things. Naturally, there were power institutions and media that watched the eyes of the people. Especially, the National Daily, whichpeted with Seonghan Ilbo, would report this big. Kim Ji-woo called Lee In-ho. As soon as the call rang, Lee In-ho answered with a cheerful voice. -Yes. Mr. Ji-woo. Did you get home well? ¡°Yes. Do you have time?¡± -Now? Kim Ji-woo checked the clock. It was pointing at 8 p.m. ¡°Yes. I have something to tell you.¡± -Oh. Then where should we meet? Kim Ji-woo hesitated for a moment. There were too many eyes to talk outside. ¡°Pleasee to my house. I¡¯ll send you the address.¡± -Yes? Your house? ¡°Yes. I want to talk quietly.¡± -Oh, okay. Then. After finishing the call, Kim Ji-woo sighed. It was not something he could solve alone by being greedy. Seonghan Ilbo and OBC, which wererge media outlets, could only be confronted by media outlets with different tendencies. And Kim Dong-yoon, a congressman of Goryeo Party, would be taken care of by Si Party and Baekje Party on the opposite side. ¡®Should I contact Baekje Party? Or maybe the ruling party¡­¡¯ As he continued his thoughts, the bell rang. Kim Ji-woo opened the door and widened his eyes. Lee In-ho, holding a bouquet of flowers and wine, looked at Kim Ji-woo¡¯s face and stammered. ¡°I haven¡¯t greeted you properly today since we met for the first time in a long time. You¡¯ve been in Paris for a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And I couldn¡¯t just congratte you with words for getting serialized in Bozar.¡± He made up excuses as they came to his mind, but anyone could see that he came to confess. He had been in touch with him often and had a good atmosphere, so he took today¡¯s meeting as a signal and asked carefully. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s so.¡± ¡°Thank you for the meal.¡± ¡°Sure. Take it easy.¡± ¡°I will.¡± He finished dinner and went straight to his studio. I have been thinking about the theme of the Venice Biennale for a few days, but it is not easy. There is no such thing as the same rtionship with different people. I love my grandfather so much, but I can¡¯t be the same as my mother and father. Henry, Si-hyun, Rabbani, Fabre are all friends, but I can¡¯t see them together. With that thought, I can¡¯t decide what kind of rtionship to draw and I¡¯m just ying with the brush. I cleared my head and put paint on the canvas. The autumn leaves I saw while walking with my grandfather this morning were so beautiful. When I face the graceful figure of the maple tree dyed like a sunset, my heart sinks and I feel depressed. Maybe it¡¯s because the green leaves are ripe and fall soon. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because that beauty won¡¯tst long. Come to think of it, the sunset is the same. I set the position of the mountain and the sea in the distance, and put a maple tree branch in front of me. It¡¯s sunset, so the shadows have to fade, so the maple color doesn¡¯t show well, but that¡¯s not important. I made a hole in the dark maple leaf with the shadow. The sunset will shine through, so the color is not different from the maple. I stopped the brush and stepped away from the canvas for a moment to observe the picture. I identally painted the sunset and the maple together, but it might be a good picture if I touch it well. The maple that resembles the sunset. Did it drink the light every day and turn red? Did it miss the sun that left? Was it like a sunflower that resembled the sun by looking up at it? Having such a delusion made me feel very close to each other. I sat back in the chair and moved the brush as my hand went. ¡®Come to think of it.¡¯ The sun that repeats rising and setting every day and the maple that changes color and falls every year live in different times. They can¡¯t be the same. But if the end is simr, can¡¯t they be together? It coincides with what Ferdinand Gonzalez said with two wall clocks. Rtionships are really cool. The sun and the maple tree are so far apart, but they resemble each other. I suddenly wondered how far the sun was and searched it. The distance between the earth and the sun is 149,597,870.696 km. How much did they love each other that they could resemble each other so much over such a long distance? I can¡¯t grasp how far 149,597,870.696 km is, but it¡¯s probably not farther than the underworld. Or if you can convert 200 years of time into distance, maybe it¡¯s not farther than that. The sun and the maple also share their hearts, but can¡¯t I be with Theo who died? Can¡¯t I feel my mother and father? Physical distance is not an obstacle when youmunicate with someone. It¡¯s just that the earth rotates, so depending on the direction of your heart, you can face each other or get away. It¡¯s important what¡¯s between them, like a sr eclipse that covers the sun with the moon. By the way, I heard that I can see a ring eclipse next June, so don¡¯t forget to watch it. ¡°Hoo.¡± The maple that holds the sunset. Its graceful figure is so pitiful. I have to draw it differently tomorrow. ¡°How is it?¡± Henry Marso, who faced Kohun¡¯s , was speechless. It was tears. The tears that the sun shed fell on the canvas and spread as they were. Henry Marso was captivated by the intense maple leaves that burned like fire and couldn¡¯t take his eyes off. , , , Kohun had been criticized for hispositional aspects recently, but this time it was different. reminded him of Kohun¡¯s first work . He told the story with a strong color as if he had painted pure emotions. ¡®He finally found his ce.¡¯ Henry Marso finally judged that Kohun had established his own style. Until , he showed a tendency to absorb, change and develop various styles. touched the depths of his heart as and did. Longing. At first, he thought it was a feeling for his parents who died too early. But after and , he realized that it was not all. The regret and the sad feeling for his brother Theodore in his first life. The sad feeling of drawing his parents. The embarrassment of being alone in the era when the heavens and the earth opened, and the difficulty of getting attached to various countries while moving around. Kohun¡¯s longing wasplex. As a stranger, Henri Marso could not know everything, but he could understand Ko Hun a little when he saw . ¡®Is this how Klimt felt?¡¯ Henri Marso finally had some sympathy for Gustav Klimt. He recalled the anecdote of how the young artist, who had said that new artists must rise by stepping on the old ones, hadmented that his own time hade too soon when he saw his disciple Egon Schiele. Henri Marso opened his mouth after a long admiration. ¡°You¡¯re submitting this to Venice?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Henri Marso looked at again and asked. ¡°Why this title?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the distance between the sun and the earth.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too long.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s too far.¡± Henri Marso red at Ko Hun, who shrugged his shoulders and snorted. He took another look at and got closer to what Ko Hun meant. He guessed that he wanted to talk about two beings that were together despite being so far apart. ¡°Don¡¯t keep it.¡± ¡°Is it bad?¡± ¡°No.¡± Henri Marso paused for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s great.¡± Ko Hun¡¯s eyes widened. It was something that could note out of Henri Marso¡¯s mouth. The boy checked the expiration date of the chocte that Henri Marso had given him earlier. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I wondered if it was spoiled.¡± They looked at each other for a while and then looked away. ¡°Why do you tell me not to keep it if you like it?¡± ¡°Sell it.¡± ¡°This?¡± ¡°Yes. How much do you want?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to sell it. I¡¯ll submit it and then disy it in my galleryter.¡± ¡°How much do you want?¡± ¡°I said I don¡¯t want to sell it.¡± Ko Hun firmly refused. He needed a work to disy in his gallery that was under construction, and he especially liked . He didn¡¯t have many works left that he had published so far. ¡°Sell it.¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t have anything to disy.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Henri Marso frowned. He didn¡¯t buy the excuse that the guy who drew one piece every day had nothing to disy. But Ko Hun also had a point, since he couldn¡¯t draw a satisfying work every day to disy. ¡°You took them all!¡± Chapter 289: Chapter 289: 289 The Scoundrel (9) nche Fabre and Vida Rabani gasped at the painting in front of them. It was the title of the painting, and also the distance between the earth and the sun. The canvas was dark as pitch, except for the maple leaves hanging from the branches that shone like the sunset. It was almost dusk, so the back of the leaves should have been shadowed and the background should have been tinted with the evening glow, but it was the opposite. Vida Rabani couldn¡¯t understand what it meant. But without knowing it, he felt a stir in his heart at the sight of the brightly colored maple leaves. He remembered the sunset of the day when he walked home with his mother after she finished her work, when she was still healthy.nche Fabre felt the same as the boy. The maple leaves that glowed in red, yellow, and sometimes white were indescribably sad. She recalled the days when she spent time alone until her father came to pick her up. She would sit on the school yground and watch the insects crawling on the ground, and before she knew it, the shadows grew longer. Her father would ask her if she liked the insects so much, but the truth was, she was waiting for his shadow. Tears welled up in Fabre¡¯s eyes. Unable to control his emotions, Vida Rabani wiped his tears repeatedly. When the two friends showed their tears, Ko Hun, who was initially surprised, brought them tissues. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± nche Fabre wiped around her eyes and said. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I cried from seeing a painting.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Vida Rabani agreed. ¡°Marso¡¯s paintings are so enviable and cool, but Hoon¡¯s painting is something warm.¡± Vida Rabani was a fervent fan of Henri Marso. The hero¡¯s works were so amazing that they made the boy¡¯s heart beat. On the other hand, Ko Hun¡¯s works made him think of something. Not the memory of the experience, but the emotion he experienced. ¡°Hoon is a colorist.¡± Ko Hun smiled softly and shared choctes with his friends. ¡°I think I did well. I worked really hard.¡± ¡°How?¡± At Fabre¡¯s question, Ko Hun thought of the 17 practice pieces he had done. He couldn¡¯t find the color he wanted, so he decided toyer the paint after repeating the painting. ¡°Iyered the paint. It came out naturally as I did it, and it turned out better than what I intended.¡± ¡°How did youyer the paint?¡± Rabani asked. ¡°Dry and apply. Or crumble it and paint it when it¡¯s more dry. I failed a lot and got one right.¡± Rabani looked at again. He was amazed to think that the depth he felt from the maple leaves was the result of repeating the work of painting and drying the paint. ¡°What does the title mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the distance between the earth and the sun.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Even though they¡¯re so far apart, they can resemble each other. I thought that was cool.¡± Vida Rabani nodded. ¡°Shall we go down?¡± nche Fabre put the chocte in her mouth and got up from her seat. They had spent an hour eating snacks and sharing their weekly stories when they arrived home, so Ko Hun and Rabani were puzzled. ¡°I want to draw.¡± Jang Mi-rae, an assistant professor of painting at Korea University of Arts, was troubled by her own painting. She didn¡¯t like it. She crossed her arms and tilted her head, looking at it from a distance and trying to sort out her thoughts, but she couldn¡¯te up with a good solution. ¡°Hmm. No.¡± Jang Mi-rae put down the canvas. She hadn¡¯t been able to draw a satisfying picture since she burned everything atst year¡¯s exhibition, but she wasn¡¯t impatient at all. She still loved painting. And she believed that someday the muse woulde, as it always had, if she worked hard. Jang Mi-rae wanted to change her mood, so she turned on Petrushka by Gao Wang, her favorite pianist, and put water in the coffee pot. When the water started to boil, someone came to her studio. It was Inari, her junior and assistant at the university. ¡°Oh my. Oh my.¡± ¡°Are you here? Coffee?¡± ¡°Coffee? What is this? It looks like a pigsty.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡± Inari frowned at the overflowing recycling bin and trash can. She took off her coat and tried to clean up the mess, but Jang Mi-rae stopped her. ¡°Just leave it. I¡¯ll do itter.¡± ¡°Whenter? It gets worse every time Ie.¡± ¡°After the Venice Biennale submission?¡± ¡°That¡¯s half a yearter!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Jang Mi-rae had no choice but to empty the bin and the can with Inari. They washed their hands and sat down with fresh coffee. Inari looked around the studio full of all kinds of junk andforted herself that she should be d there was a ce to sit. Jang Mi-rae was Inari¡¯s most respected senior. She was admired by her students as a professor and loved by the world as an artist. But as a person, she was veryzy. She was usually so enviable that anyone would want to be like her, but when she got into her work, she became a different person. Inari nced at the works scattered around the studio and opened her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How can you be sozy and yet work so hard on your paintings?¡± Jang Mi-rae blinked and shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°It gets annoying after a while. Oh, this is delicious.¡± Jang Mi-rae nibbled on the donut that Inari had bought. The soft texture and the grape jam inside went well with the coffee. ¡°But what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I came to see if you were alive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still teaching, you know.¡± ¡°The students who take your ss say you¡¯re going to die.¡± ¡°Haha. Really? Do I look that bad?¡± Inari examined Jang Mi-rae. She had been working hard on her works since she was confirmed to participate in the Venice Biennale national pavilion. She skipped meals and didn¡¯t sleep properly, and she looked terrible. ¡°Take it easy.¡± ¡°Thanks. I appreciate it.¡± Jang Mi-rae picked up another donut. She always liked them, but she devoured the big donut in no time. It seemed like she hadn¡¯t eaten anything today. ¡°How do you endure it when you have a schedule like this?¡± Jang Mi-rae shook her head. ¡°I do what I can. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Inari narrowed her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just. I don¡¯t know when it wille, so I keep doing what¡¯s in front of me. If I don¡¯t do this, it won¡¯te.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Inspiration.¡± Jang Mi-rae pointed to her forehead with her index and middle fingers. It was an action that was supposed to look cool. ¡°Where did you see that? Don¡¯t do that in front of the students.¡± Jang Mi-rae deted at the scolding from her junior. Inari chuckled. Inari, who had seen Jang Mi-rae up close, knew her ordinary and somewhatcking side well. But at the same time, she also knew why she was recognized as one of the best artists in the world. Her work clothes were so dirty that she didn¡¯t know when she had washed them, she didn¡¯t eat properly, and her studio was a mess. But at least when it came to painting, she was more serious than anyone else. She had built up such a reputation that she could afford to take a break, but Jang Mi-rae didn¡¯t. She pushed herself even though she had such a great talent. Inari wasn¡¯t sure if Jang Mi-rae¡¯s genius could be exined by the word talent. Jang Mi-rae, who neglected even the basic aspects of life and wielded her brush, seemed to live for painting. ¡°Is it not going well? You¡¯ve never had this before.¡± Inari asked with concern. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s taking longer this time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Jang Mi-raeforted Inari, who was looking at her with a worried expression. ¡°You can take it easy, you know. Your work is good enough.¡± It was a sad thing to say. It would have been enough to make headlines just by having Jang Mi-rae¡¯s name on it. The media and critics were already focusing on The Outcasts, a coboration between Go Sooyeol, Henri Marso, Jang Mi-rae, and Ko Hun. But Jang Mi-rae shook her head firmly. She couldn¡¯t afford to be careless with a work that she was going to publish under her own name. She didn¡¯t want to show a picture that she didn¡¯t like, even if she had a reputation to back her up. ¡°By the way, did you hear?¡± Jang Mi-rae asked as she picked up her fourth donut. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Seolgi. Baek Seolgi. She joined The Outcasts.¡± ¡°How can you call her that, too? There are even articles calling her that these days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Anyway, don¡¯t you know anything about Seolgi? She was your ssmate.¡± Jang Mi-rae was curious about Baek Seolgi, who she missed the first orientation because of a lecture. She wasn¡¯t close to her, but she remembered her as someone who drew very impressive pictures. ¡°I heard from Lime. She seems to have quit Cymen.¡± ¡°Really? Why?¡± ¡°Lime said she and Choi Kyuseo didn¡¯t get along well. She didn¡¯t even know he was badmouthing her.¡± Jang Mi-rae nodded and grabbed her fifth donut. ¡°Stop eating! If you¡¯re going to do that, eat some rice! You¡¯ll eat them all if I leave you alone!¡± ¡°They¡¯re delicious.¡± Jang Mi-rae tried to suck on her fingers covered with sugar powder, but she saw Inari¡¯s eyes and wiped them with a tissue. ¡°Still, I¡¯m d.¡± ¡°Because they broke up?¡± ¡°Well, that too. But she didn¡¯t give up on drawing.¡± Jang Mi-rae stretched. Inari, who had been drawing steadily while working as a teaching assistant without giving up on her dream of being a painter, silently watched Jang Mi-rae. ¡°I think people like you, Lime, and Seolgi are cool.¡± ¡°What do you mean? I would have gone full-time if I sold my work.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± Jang Mi-rae nodded at Inari¡¯s words. It was obvious that anyone would do that if they could make a living from their work. But that was rare. Jang Mi-rae thought that those who epted reality and did their own work while pursuing their dreams would someday see the light. ¡°It¡¯s hard to draw while working. I do that.¡± Jang Mi-rae proudly said, pushing her chest out. It was her pride in herself, who was juggling teaching, research, and personal activities. Inari smiled inwardly, even though no one recognized her. ¡°Is that a brag?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m awesome.¡± Inari finally chuckled. She was literally awesome. ¡°At least eat some rice.¡± ¡°Yeah. ¡­My stomach feels a bit queasy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you ate so many donuts on an empty stomach. My goodness. How many did you eat? Five?¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, I¡¯ve only had coffee since the day before yesterday.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Shall we go eat kimchi stew? With egg rolls.¡± Jang Mi-rae smiled brightly. Chapter 290: Chapter 290: 290 The Scoundrels (10) November 20th. It was getting chilly when I headed to Venice, Italy, to meet the scoundrels. It was my first time visiting, but I quickly understood why it was called the city of water1 The blue sky and the green sea. The white buildings with red roofs were intertwined. I thought it was a city connected to the canals, but there were also waterways between the buildings, so I could move around by water taxi or water bus. I was captivated by the unfamiliar scenery.I unpacked my luggage at the hotel and went out to find an eel restaurant in the old town. The old town didn¡¯t have proper roads for vehicles, so I had to walk or use a water taxi or a water bus. ¡°Walking would be faster.¡± ¡°But we came all this way, we have to take a boat!¡± My grandfather, who had visited Venice several times, said that the water bus was slow because of the speed limit, but Jang Mi-rae insisted. ¡°I want to ride it too.¡± I joined in, and my grandfather and Bang Tae-ho didn¡¯t force us. ¡°Then let¡¯s take a taxi.¡± We looked for a taxi that was faster than the bus, but it was just a small boat with a motor. Jang Mi-rae and I were disappointed for a moment, as we wanted to ride a gond, but soon we admired the view beyond the cold wind. ¡°It¡¯s awesome, right?¡± I nodded eagerly. ¡°I wonder if the others areing safely.¡± ¡°Yes. I checked the departure and arrival times. They all left from Korea together, so they should be brought to the hotel well. I¡¯ll just have to pick up Ma Eun-chan separately.¡± My grandfather and Bang Tae-ho, who had visited several times, talked about the scoundrels. ¡°Hoon-ah, do you know?¡± Jang Mi-rae, who was looking around, turned around with a whoosh. ¡°What?¡± ¡°ude M loved this ce.¡± I didn¡¯t know that ude M, the master of impressionism, had anything to do with Venice. ¡°He said it was a city too beautiful to express in a painting.¡± ¡°I think I know what he meant.¡± It was a truly splendid city. ¡°He painted it well. How many pieces did he paint?¡± I¡¯ll have to look it upter. I was enjoying the cruise for a while, when I started to see things I hadn¡¯t seen before, enchanted by the exotic atmosphere. Things like candy wrappers were floating on the water. Sometimes a bad smell came up. ¡°Ha ha. The canals are like sewers, so they¡¯re not clean.¡± My grandfather told me why the canals of Venice were so dirty, as I looked around with a grimace. The romance was gone. We got off the taxi and walked a bit. When we entered the eel restaurant that my grandfather had visited several times, a handsome man came up and greeted Jang Mi-rae. ¡°How can I help you? Camellia Bianca.¡± 2 He was fluent and witty in English, probably because he was doing business in a tourist spot. Jang Mi-rae blinked a few times and pointed at herself. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Is there anyone more lovely than you here?¡± He¡¯s crazy. ¡°Right here. My son.¡± Jang Mi-rae smiled and looked at me. I was bewildered, wondering what he was talking about, when the staff looked at Jang Mi-rae, Bang Tae-ho, and me alternately and chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I didn¡¯t mean anything else.¡± My grandfatherughed and ordered the food, then scolded him. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Sorry. You heard him. He¡¯s crazy.¡± That¡¯s true. My mother liked Jang Mi-rae too, so she would forgive him for one lie. ¡°I have to buy a cheesecake for my mother next year.¡± ¡°A big one.¡± We agreed to give my mother a cheesecake that she liked on the anniversary next year, when someone approached us. It was an Italian man with sses and neatlybed hair. ¡°Excuse me. Are you¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Are you Go Su-yeol? The Korean one.¡± The old man greeted me with a smile. I was surprised that he pronounced my name quite urately, considering how difficult it was. ¡°Yes, I am. How do you know me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been a fan of yours since 2009. If you don¡¯t mind, could I ask for your autograph?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I exchanged nces with Jang Mi-rae. I had gained some fame, and Jang Mi-rae didn¡¯t need to mention it, but the old man was still amazing. It was 2009 when he participated in the Venice Biennale with a work called . ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Thank you, too. Enjoy your lunch.¡± The old man unfolded his napkin after finishing his conversation with the fan. ¡°By the way, Henri also liked you since then.¡± ¡°Did he go to the Venice Biennale?¡± The old man, who had said Venice, deliberately said Venezia. He seemed to be careful not to make the locals ufortable since he came here. I should be careful, too. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already 20 years ago. How do you remember that?¡± A strong impression from childhood stays in the memory for a long time. ¡°By the way, where is Marso? I thought you were close, but did you decide toe separately?¡± Jang Mi-rae looked for Henri. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Huh. They seemed to have a fight.¡± I felt unpleasant just thinking about it and stayed quiet. Bang Tae-ho answered instead. Jang Mi-rae asked again in surprise. ¡°Why? Why did you fight?¡± ¡°He wants me to sell everything I submit. He even took the ones I drew for school assignments. At this rate, I won¡¯t have any paintings to exhibit even if I open a gallery.¡± Jang Mi-rae chuckled. ¡°What? Was it a lovers¡¯ quarrel?¡± ¡°No.¡± I denied it with a serious face, but I only looked cute. He giggled. ¡°But I guess it¡¯s a dilemma. If you put it up for auction, Marso will buy it all.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be a big problem if I had the attitude of selling it anyway, but I realized that the auction house didn¡¯t suit me after . I like money, but what I really want is tomunicate through paintings. If I could have a gallery like Henri and exhibit my works as much as I want andmunicate with people, I would be happy even if I made less money. ¡°Who knows? Maybe there will be a more passionate fan than Marso.¡± ¡°There might be such a person, but whether that person will bid more than Marso is another question, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Marso is a huge rich man, but there are many people with money. And he doesn¡¯t buy all of my paintings.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°He seems to have some that he particrly likes. Right?¡± Bang Tae-ho was right about that. I sold 29 works through auctions and consignment sales, and Marso bought , , and . He also took seven paintings that I didn¡¯t announce to the public, such as and . ¡°The problem is that he took the ones I drew at school.¡± ¡°That¡¯s weird. He¡¯s a jerk, but he¡¯s not the kind of person who would steal.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± He returned the paintings of other kids, but he wouldn¡¯t tell me why he didn¡¯t return mine. I don¡¯t care about the others, but I really want to show to other people. ¡°It¡¯s strange. Marso said something when you had your solo exhibition. He said your paintings should be seen by more people.¡± ¡°Yeah. That happened. That¡¯s why you were able to hang it at the Whitney Biennale, right?¡± Now that I think about it, that¡¯s true. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s the kind of person who would say one thing and do another, but I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking. -How is it? Oliver Walker, the construction manager of the Marso Art Museum, showed the inside of the annex with his camera. Henri Marso nodded, confirming that the work was progressing as requested. The white walls were nned to be painted with sunflowers and bees by Ko Hun and the kids from the yground. ¡°Just keep going like this.¡± -Okay. If there are any changes, please contact me by the end of this week. ¡°Sure.¡± After ending the call, Henri met Michelle¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I was curious.¡± The Marso Museum was a space to exhibit the works that Henri had collected. He had separated the ces to disy new works at the gallery and previous works and collections at the museum. As the number of works increased, the Marso Gallery alone was not enough for the exhibition space, and there were too many works that he regretted storing in the annex of his residence. Historical artifacts. In addition to national treasures or equivalent works, he also collected works by contemporary masters like Go Suyeol, and they were to be exhibited in chronological order. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d build an annex. Do you like Hoon that much?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Michelle chuckled. She thought she knew what the adorable idiot was thinking. He didn¡¯t just like the paintings of the genius boy, he was happy to meet a friend who resembled him. He denied it, but Henri and Ko Hun were simr in many ways. They had genius talents and were diligent workers, and they were born in wealthy environments but lost their parents. Both of them showed mature aspects that were admirable on one side, but they had childish sides in human rtionships. Was it their original personality? Or was it because they had never met someone they could talk to? But Henri Marso was definitely changing. After meeting Ko Hun, the man he only knew with canvas, he started to smile and get angry more often, expressing his emotions. He forced Ko Hun to follow a tight schedule, saying he cared about his health. He congratted him for winning all the awards at the Grand Art Tour, which was a series of art exhibitions, and collected the paintings he submitted as performance evaluations to build an annex. His methods were immature, but his intentions were clear. Michelle was happy and proud that Henri¡¯s world, which he had only opened to her and his mother Sherry Gado, was gradually expanding, but she was also a little sad. ¡°What about me?¡± Michelle buried her back in the chair and put her fingers behind her head. When Henri, who was reading a news article, looked up, she pulled her chin. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°No.¡± Henri turned his eyes back to the article and frowned. ¡°Tell me quickly.¡± ¡°I said no, okay?¡± 1)The Pce of Ducal, Auguste Renoir, 1881, oil on canvas 2)The name of the flower. The meaning of the flower is lovely you Chapter 291: Chapter 291: 291 Courage (1) While Ko Hun was in Venice, nche Fabre and Vida Rabani met separately to paint. ¡°I wonder if Hoon and Mr. Marso have met by now.¡± Vida Rabani suddenly brought up the topic of the Burning Dawn. Fabre checked the clock and nodded slightly. He looked somewhat bitter. ¡°It¡¯s a shame.¡± Rabaniforted Fabre. They both applied for the French Pavilion and the Burning Dawn, but they failed to ovee the fiercepetition.He had seen how hard they had prepared, and he wished that Fabre could at least join them. ¡°I wasn¡¯t disappointed.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I deserved it.¡± He had painted every day, hoping to share the stage with Henri Marso, but the reality was harsh. At first, he was angry and looked up the artists who joined the French Pavilion and the Burning Dawn. There were some famous artists and some less known ones, but he couldn¡¯t deny their portfolios that were made public. Themissioners and artistic directors of each national pavilion did their best. And the selected ones had the qualifications to represent their countries. nche Fabre was more angry at himself, who was socking that he couldn¡¯t even raise an objection, than at the fact that he couldn¡¯t join the national pavilion. ¡°¡­¡± Rabani smiled softly as he watched Fabre mix the colors silently. ¡°You¡¯ll make it next time.¡± Fabre nodded at Rabani¡¯s encouragement. He vowed to create a work that everyone would have to acknowledge, like the artists who participated in this Venice Biennale. ¡°You too.¡± Rabaniughed awkwardly at Fabre¡¯s words. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine as I am.¡± After meeting Michel tini. And painting with Ko Hun and nche Fabre, Vida Rabani smiled more often. Unlike the times when he didn¡¯t know how to live, he now had a job, painted, and got a schrship offer that would allow him to go to school next year. He thought it was greedy to ask for more, since miracles had already happened several times. ¡°You said you wanted to do art.¡± ¡°Yeah. But.¡± Hecked confidence. Ko Hun showed amazing works every time, like , and Fabre also tried something different every week. He was happy to meet them, but for Rabani, it was also an opportunity to realize his own limits. He thought he could cheer for them as a friend, but not join them. ¡°I can¡¯t do it like Hoon or you. Yeah¡­¡± Fabre stared at Rabani. He knew what his friend was thinking. He had been discriminated against for being a Muslim, and he had never challenged himself confidently because of that. The application for the Burning Dawn was also something that Ko Hun and Fabre pushed him to do. ¡°You¡¯re right. You can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Right. Hehe.¡± ¡°Don¡¯tugh.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, sorry.¡± Fabre felt sorry for his friend, who tried tough off his words and apologized first. ¡°But you have warmth. Sometimes your paintings make me feel warm, like Hoon¡¯s.¡± ¡°Uh¡­?¡± ¡°You can do it if you work hard. Henri Marso did too. He said anyone can learn the technical stuff.¡± Fabre recalled Henri Marso¡¯s lecture. Rabani respected him too, so he believed his words would reach him. ¡°The important thing is to paint your own picture. You¡¯re already doing that.¡± ¡°I. ¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Come on.¡± Rabani avoided his gaze. Fabre grabbed his friend¡¯s face and looked him in the eye. ¡°If you work hard. If you do well, they¡¯ll recognize you.¡± Fabre¡¯s eyes were very serious. Rabani flinched and pulled back, avoiding his gaze. ¡°I can¡¯t paint well. And I¡¯m ugly.¡± ¡°You can do well if you work hard. Looks don¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Muslim¡­¡± ¡°tan Ibrahimovic, Shaquille O¡¯Neal, and J Jackson are also Muslims.¡± Rabani looked up. ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°Ser yer, basketball yer, singer. They¡¯re famous.¡± Fabre didn¡¯t know much about tan Ibrahimovic, Shaquille O¡¯Neal, or J Jackson. He had just memorized their names while looking for sessful examples of Muslims for his friend. He wanted to tell Rabani someday that there were people among Muslims who were respected and lived wonderful lives. He believed firmly that Rabani was not a bad friend. Many people cursed Im and Fabre couldn¡¯t look kindly at those who killed people and subjugated women. It was only natural. But he couldn¡¯t think that Rabani was like those people, so he looked into it. He found out why there were so many Imic countries with severe gender discrimination and criminal groups thatmitted terrorism. It was because the leaders interpreted Sharia (Imicw) in their favor to maintain their power. Originally, Sharia only allowed violence for the purpose of protecting oneself, and exined that men and women were perfectly equal before God. As he learned more about Im and saw and felt that Rabani was a friend who loved and respected others, Fabre felt relieved. He was d to confirm that his precious friend was not a bad person. ¡°Me too. You can do it too.¡± Rabani hesitated to answer. He appreciated Fabre¡¯s warm heart, but hecked courage because of his experience of being bullied and despised. ¡°Hoon told you, right? He showed you at Dallida Square and Bugrenelli Shopping Mall.¡± Fabre tried to persuade him again. At Dallida Square, Olivier¡¯s parents said that they shouldn¡¯t hang out with Muslims. At Bugrenelli Shopping Mall, a radical animal rights group came out and protested that Go Soo-yeol and Ko Hun shouldn¡¯t eat dogs. But in the end, Dallida Square became known as a new tourist spot. Bugrenelli Shopping Mall became a ce where children could yfortably. ¡°You can do it.¡± He didn¡¯t want to lose. He couldn¡¯t give up his beloved insects just because the school kids pointed fingers at him and said he was dirty and weird. They didn¡¯t know anything and insulted him for trying to be like Henri Marso, but he believed that someone who would recognize him would appear someday. He couldn¡¯t copse as if he admitted the violence and criticism he had received so far. ¡°You can¡¯t lose.¡± Fabre said as if he was determined, but he couldn¡¯t shake off all his fears with a few words. Nothing changed. He still received unpleasant stares when he went outside. But he was able to muster up courage because he had Ko Hun and Fabre, who was encouraging him as a friend by his side. ¡°Yeah.¡± [The Outcasts, First Meeting in Venice] Today, the Korea-France joint pavilion at the 2030 Venice Biennale has its first official schedule. Bang Tae-ho (CEO of Choctier), the jointmissioner and artistic director, said that he arranged the meeting to share the positions of the two countries. The eyes of the ears are focused on what kind of work the Korea-France joint pavilion, which includes Go Soo-yeol, a master of Korean painting, Jang Mi-rae, a professor at Korea University, Ko Hun, the grandson of Go Soo-yeol, and Henri Marso, a famous French writer, will present. ©¸They must be preparing slowly. ©¸Of course. It¡¯s only six months left until the opening on May 22 next year. ©¸????? Look at the article title ?? The Outcasts ??? Are they crazy ??? ©¸The reporter is a subscriber of Pingoo channel ©¸????? Hoon always says The Outcasts on the broadcast, so now everyone calls them that ???? ©¸How can The Outcasts be more anticipated than the Korean pavilion? ©¸The Outcasts are better than the Korean pavilion thates out of hearsay. ©¸Hearsay? Do you know how many awards Choi Kyu-seo has won? You don¡¯t know anything and you say hearsay. ©¸? ©¸You say that because you know, right? ©¸Link [Commissioner Kim Soo-hyuk, ¡°Choi Kyu-seo is the best talent to fill the Korean pavilion.¡±] ©¸Search Choi Kyu-seo and Venice Biennale. There are dozens of articles. ©¸That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. You don¡¯t know how amazing it is to take charge of the Korean pavilion alone ??? ©¸Ha. If I had a lot of money, I would say it bluntly. ©¸Choi Kyu-seo won a lot of awards. But who among the artists acknowledges him? Jang Mi-rae is famous for winning awards? ©¸Please, I beg you, do it moderately. Aren¡¯t you ashamed? Do you think it¡¯s really amazing if you say it¡¯s amazing? Look at Go Soo-yeol and Jang Mi-rae. How about Hoon? They don¡¯t say anything. Who would believe you if you bring your husband¡¯s words and say it¡¯s amazing? ©¸The abovement is not wrong at all. The couple came out on the broadcast and beautified what they did together. It was disgusting. ©¸Honestly, aren¡¯t they a couple scam? ©¸Wow. I couldn¡¯t say it because I had no money. I¡¯m jealous. ©¸I captured this. I¡¯ll send it to the author¡¯spany, so delete it before you beg in front of the author. ©¸LOL, you captured it and then tell me to delete it. ©¸Why are you guys like this in thements? What¡¯s wrong with Choi Kyu-seo and Kim Su-hyuk doing the Korean pavilion? ©¸Exactly. It¡¯s weird. ©¸You¡¯re just jealous. Honestly, Choi Kyu-seo is someone who can promote Korean art like Go Su-yeol and Jang Mi-rae. There was a controversy over Choi Kyu-seo in every article rted to the Venice Biennale. People who knew well the corruption of the art world were displeased with Choi Kyu-seo and Kim Su-hyuk, but people who learned about them through TV programs could not understand. They were envious of the two sessful people who lived a luxurious life and participated in the world-ss art exhibition by themselves. ¡°They did well.¡± Kim Ji-woo, who was watching the reaction, licked his lips. Choi Kyu-seo, who had seeded in image making by using his connections and business rtionships, was regarded as the main actor of Korean art development. ¡®Where.¡¯ Kim Ji-woo checked the clock and turned on the TV. It was time to see the results of his efforts based on Baek Seol-gi¡¯s tip for thest two weeks. As he watched NBC News with an anxious mind. The news he had been waiting for was delivered. -Next news. The Korean Art Association has been exposed to have received unfair requests for judging domestic artpetitions. Reporter Lee Seung-gyeom covered this. The screen changed. -November 4th. A person rted to the domestic artpetition, Mr. A, reported the situation of the unfair request from the Korean Art Association. It is about giving awards to those who organized thepetition in exchange for money. A person with voice distortion and mosaic processing was caught on the screen. It was the person rted to the artpetition that Kim Ji-woo had barely persuaded. -The winners were predetermined, so follow them. I had to do that to get support from the association. -Mr. A said that he had to receive support from the association to continue thepetition, and he had to give awards to those who the association had pointed out. -I had no choice but to follow. If not, I couldn¡¯t hold the contest at all. We have to make a living too. -Mr. A, who also runs an art museum, said that he could not hold the nextpetition or hire artists affiliated with the association if he did not ept the association¡¯s request. Kim Ji-woo moved his eyes to theputer monitor as he watched the news. As soon as he logged into thergest domestic artmunity, the reactions he had been waiting for wereing up. ©¸What is NBC News? ©¸Again, bullshit. Again. ©¸The association bastards are not satisfied with the national exhibition and do the same in otherpetitions. ©¸Look at the mess of the national exhibition and the association president didn¡¯t change. Dirty. Filthy. ©¸They said they couldn¡¯t do anything without cooperating with the association? ©¸Who is the association president? ©¸What does it mean to get money? Did they sell the awards for money? ©¸Can¡¯t you get specs without money? It¡¯s a crazy world. Really. The public opinion was boiling even though it was only the first report. Woo-woo- woo-woo- The phone rang. ¡°Yes, In-ho.¡± -Are you watching? ¡°Yes. How about you?¡± -It will be on the front page tomorrow. The Daehan Daily, one of the top daily newspapers in Korea, was going to expose the corruption of the Korean Art Association on the front page. ¡°Bosar will also post it tomorrow. About the corruption rted to the Venice Biennale.¡± Half a year until the opening of the Venice Biennale. If they dyed a little, the Korean pavilion could be decorated with criminals. Kim Ji-woo could never watch that happen. Chapter 292: Chapter 292: 292 Courage (2) The news report on the corruption scandal of the Korean Art Association through the terrestrial broadcast stirred up public opinion in no time. Choi Young-soo, the president of the Korean Art Association, also heard the news from his staff while having dinner with his younger brother and his wife. -We have no choice but to follow. Otherwise, we can¡¯t hold thepetition. We have to make a living too. When the news criticizing the Korean Art Association came on during the dinner, the secretary and the maid looked nervous as if sparks would fly. Choi Young-soo took a spoonful of soup and opened his mouth. ¡°The northern country is good today.¡± The maid smiled awkwardly and Choi Young-soo¡¯s younger brother, Choi Man-soo, asked anxiously.¡°Is this okay?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What do you mean? You have to do something. Find out who said that.¡± Choi Young-soo did not answer back and took another spoonful of soup. Then he gave a nce to the maid. ¡°Thest kimchi was good.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯ll bring it out.¡± Choi Man-soo frowned. The association had already predetermined the winners of severalpetitions, and the news was reporting on it, but the president was calmly looking for kimchi. He was frustrated. ¡°Are you going to eat now? Even if you make a counter-statement right away, it won¡¯t be enough.¡± ¡°Man-soo.¡± Choi Young-soo looked at his brother. He felt sorry for his brother who was still immature even after his sixties. ¡°You have to be calm to do big things. You can¡¯t do anything if you waver over small things.¡± ¡°Is this a small thing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a trivial andmon thing.¡± Choi Young-soo wiped his mouth. ¡°The lower ones get tired too. They have a hard time, so they have to vent like that.¡± Choi Young-soo thought that they had toin. They were human too, so they would haveints someday. They didn¡¯t say anything because they had some leeway, but he thought it was a matter of time. ¡°You have to squeeze out the pus when it forms. That¡¯s how you prevent a serious illness.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°It means you have to let them rant a little so they don¡¯t rebel.¡± Oppression was not the only solution. Sometimes, he had to give them some breathing room to avoid trouble. What Choi Young-soo feared the most was that the umtedints would lose their way and swell up. If they burst, he couldn¡¯t handle it. He had to trust the numbers of these people who would unite before he could appease them properly. ¡°Just wait and see.¡± People would curse the association when the news came out. They wouldment the world and their powerlessness and use it as a snack for drinking. And they would live as ves again. It would be solved well because it was on the news. Someone would step up. They thought so and devoted themselves to their own lives. They had no choice. The world was not easy to focus on things that had nothing to do with them. The rulers did not leave the ves alone to think differently. In the past, there were several news reports criticizing the association for thepetition-rted issues, but nothing changed much. He could cover it up in time, and there were always new news that attracted attention. Thepanies thatined that the winners were predetermined could not go any further if they wanted to receive the support money. ¡°Secretary Kim.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Deal with it as usual.¡± ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± The next day. Choi Young-soo, who got upte, unfolded the newspaper as usual. He subscribed to both of the two major daily newspapers in Korea, Seonghan Ilbo and Daehan Ilbo, and he nodded his head after reading Seonghan Ilbo. There was nothing to be found about the Korean Art Association. Instead, there was an article pointing out that eachpetitionmittee had been operating indiscriminately for the purpose of support money. He enjoyed the sunshine while drinking a cup of tea and picked up Daehan Ilbo. His forehead twitched. [Choi Young-soo, the president of the association, in controversy for investing personal real estate with operating expenses] [Korean Artists Union, uses Choi Young-soo, the president of the association, of embezzling public funds] On the 20th, Seo In-ho, a master of the art world, filed a criminalint against Choi Young-soo, the president of the Korean Art Association, on charges of misappropriating public funds. Seo In-ho, the representative of the Korean Artists Union, said that Choi Young-soo had used the association¡¯s funds for personal purposes and gained unfair benefits. Seo In-ho said, ¡°For the past 20 years, the Korean Art Association has demanded excessive fees from artists and discriminated against them in domesticpetitions and exhibitions if they did notply. I hope that the corruption of President Choi Young-soo and the association will be clearly revealed.¡± The Korean Artists Union submitted evidence and circumstances of Choi Young-soo¡¯s abuse of authority and embezzlement of public funds to the Songpa Police Station. ¡®Seo In-ho?¡¯ As Choi Young-soo crumpled the newspaper, his secretary came in. ¡°Mr. President.¡± He looked relieved, as if he hade to report on theint. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It seems that Seo In-ho has caused trouble. I don¡¯t know the exact details yet. Ouch!¡± The secretary groaned in pain as Choi Young-soo kicked his shin. ¡°Yet? What have you been doing until now!¡± Choi Young-soo shouted. It was outrageous that he had only found out about what happened yesterday today, let alone that he had not grasped the situation yet. ¡°Well, that. It was a private matter. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± Comints with political motives were usually made public. They had to gather as many reporters as possible and submit theint to make an impact. It was to inform the public of the reason for theint and sway public opinion. But he said that the article came out a dayter, which was iprehensible. ¡°Then how did you find out about these!¡± Choi Young-soo narrowed his eyes as he shook the Daehan Ilbo newspaper. ¡®Could it be that these¡­¡¯ If the Daehan Ilbo had reported the facts exclusively, it meant that the Artists Union had provided the source. Choi Young-soo sensed a bad atmosphere and pushed away the secretary who was groaning. ¡°Call Jung Kyung-il. Right now!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± The corruption of the Korean Art Association was reported for two days in a row. The first day, the suspicion of trading money for winning works, and the second day, the content that the Daehan Ilbo posted on the front page was shocking. It was thanks to Seo In-ho, who represented Korea along with Go Soo-yeol, who stepped forward and filed aint against the association. ©¸It¡¯s not just anyone, but Seo In-ho. How bad is it? ©¸The association¡¯s support fund is 4 billion won a year. ©¸I don¡¯t understand. Does that mean they ate 40 billion won for 20 years? ©¸Even if it¡¯s not that much, it¡¯s probably simr. All the associations in this country should be abolished. ©¸The association is needed to protect the rights of artists. ©¸Abolishing it is not the only solution, but the problem is that there is no check and bnce. The art world can¡¯t live without looking at the Korean Art Association, so they do whatever they want. ©¸Why doesn¡¯t this bastard Choi Young-soo get fired? He keeps making news every time I forget. ©¸That¡¯s why everyone goes abroad. Kim Ji-woo nodded as she checked the inte reaction. The public seemed to be angry as much as she, Baek Seol-ki, and many artists were. ¡®We have to do more.¡¯ Kim Ji-woo hoped that the public would pay more attention to this issue. It was not easy to solve it, as many people from the media and political circles were involved. The only solution was to keep this issue in the spotlight until it became unavoidable. That¡¯s why she nned to do things step by step, so that the fire wouldn¡¯t go out, even though she had a lot of problems to raise. Kim Ji-woo checked the clock. 1 p.m. Paris was about to greet the morning. ¡®I have to do it.¡¯ It was the first day of her serialization in the famous art magazine Bozar. She had gained some attention for filing aint against Damien Carter, but she didn¡¯t know if she could sway public opinion by publishing it in a big magazine. She didn¡¯t know how many people would care about the Korean Pavilion issue. She was anxious because there was a high possibility of being ignored. ¡®I need to let them know. At least to themittee members.¡¯ Kim Ji-woo sighed softly as she repeated putting on and taking off her nails. ¡®I¡¯ll probably get a lot of hate.¡¯ She dealt with the problem of the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale abroad. Depending on the person, they might curse her for exposing such a shameful thing. Kim Ji-woo also hesitated several times to bring this issue abroad and deal with it, but she pushed ahead because it was not just a problem of the Korean Pavilion. ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± Kim Ji-woo tried to suppress his nervousness as he prepared his next article. Meanwhile, Ralph Lupus, who had woken up early in the morning, brewed some coffee and looked at the water of Venice, which was still dark. He was tired from preparing for the Venice Biennale, which was half a year away, but his passion grew by the day. As he skimmed through the major newspapers while having a simple breakfast of bread and butter, he saw Kim Ji-woo¡¯s column. [Venice Biennale: National Pavilions Fail to Live Up to Their Reputation] It was a title that criticized the operation of the national pavilions at the Venice Biennale. Although he was not in charge of the pavilions, as the director of the main exhibition, Ralph Lupus could not help but be interested. He started to read the column and narrowed his eyes. The national pavilions of the Venice Biennale, the festival of the world¡¯s art lovers, boast a long history as well as their fame. Especially, the 2030 Venice Biennale, which is approaching next year, is attracting a lot of attention as many artists are participating. Among them, the joint exhibition of France and Korea, featuring Go Soo-yeol, Jang Mi-rae, Ko Hun, and Henri Marso, was the most talked-about. Go Soo-yeol, who resumed his activities in South Koreast year, proved that he was still loved by achieving a record-breaking sess in his European and North American tours. Jang Mi-rae, who also nned a simultaneous exhibition around the world at the end ofst year, was no different. Ko Hun and Henri Marso, who have shown an unusual friendship and led the big and small events of the art world for the past three years, were also curious about what kind of harmony they would show in the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project and the Venice Biennale. As a writer, I was investigating the reason why they set up a separate joint exhibition instead of using the Korean and French pavilions, and I learned why they had no choice but to do so. As a lover of art, I could not just sit and watch. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ralph Lupus reached for his sses at the paragraph that said the Korean pavilion had been run ording to the taste of the association chairman. It was a statement that the chairman of the Korean Art Association had given the positions of themissioner, the artistic director, and the artist of the Korean pavilion at the Venice Biennale in exchange for money. What¡¯s more, the chairman¡¯s daughter and son-inw took all the roles of themissioner, the artistic director, and the artist in this biennale. Ralph Lupus could not believe it. The Korean pavilion at the Venice Biennale was a historic space that thete painter Baek Dong-joon had obtained after a struggle. Thete Baek Dong-joonmented, ¡°I feel sad because there is no pavilion of my country,¡± and requested the establishment of the Korean pavilion every time the biennale was held. After winning the Golden Lion Award in 1993, he thought he had gained some influence and asked the Venice Biennale Organizing Committee to ¡°make a Korean pavilion, even if it¡¯s a bathroom in the back,¡± but was rejected. Baek Dong-joon did not give up and kept sending sketches and works of the Korean pavilion to the officials. The organizingmittee, who could no longer refuse the request of the Golden Lion Award winner, finally recognized the Korean pavilion and established it. It was the smallest and most remote exhibition hall among the various national pavilions, but it was a precious space for Koreans. It was unthinkable that the ce that the past master had achieved with blood, sweat, and passion had been abused by those who sucked the blood of the artists.1) Kim Ji-woo¡¯s column was full of resentment. It was a ce for Korean artists that the master of the previous era had obtained after a struggle, even though it was a small and secluded building. Kim Ji-woo criticized how they had run the Korean pavilion and brought up the incident that happened in 2017. The Korean pavilion, which was established in 1995, was originally a temporary building that was supposed to be demolished in 1998, but no one knew about it until it was revealed in 2017. If they did not get a re-permit, the Korean pavilion that thete Baek Dong-joon had established after a struggle might disappear from the Venice Biennale. Fortunately, the government, the association, and the artists worked hard to protect it, but it was an incident that showed how careless the association had been in handling the matter. Kim Ji-woo felt ashamed and angry as a Korean for the way the Korean pavilion was run, and demanded that the Korean Art Association wake up. He also demanded that the organizingmittee of the Venice Biennale improve the system, as this was not only the case of the Korean pavilion, but also a practice that had been going on in some other national pavilions. His heart was sincere and earnest. ¡®This can¡¯t go on.¡¯ Ralph Lupus called the chairman of the organizingmittee. 1)The process of Baek Nam-joon establishing the Korean pavilion is true. The fact that the Korean pavilion was unfairly run is fiction, and has nothing to do with reality. Chapter 293: Van Gogh Reborn 293 Courage (3) ¡°It¡¯s not an easy matter.¡± Lorenzo Giverti, the chairman of the Venice Biennale Organizing Committee, opened his mouth after reading Kim Ji-woo¡¯s column at Ralph Lupus¡¯s suggestion. ¡°As you know, the national pavilions have full authority over their own countries. We can¡¯t do anything about it. Not just the Korean pavilion, but others too.¡± He sounded calm andposed. ¡°Did you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot of stories from being in this position for a long time.¡± ¡°But how can you just watch?¡±Lorenzo Giverti sighed. ¡°I¡¯m troubled too, Ralph. I¡¯m suffering too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we have a bad incident already?¡± Ralph Lupus recalled the problem that urred during the award ceremony of the Venice Biennale. After that, the authority of the Venice Biennale plummeted, and the Whitney Biennale rose instead. Venice, which had hosted the most prestigious biennale in the world, lost not only the art market, but also the exhibition and its reputation to the United States. ¡°Think about it. What if it bes known that there was corruption in the operation of the national pavilions? I don¡¯t want to end this noble history in my time.¡± ¡°Are you saying we should just leave it as it is?¡± Lorenzo Giverti lowered his eyes and didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Listen, Lorenzo. You¡¯re the one who loves the Venice Biennale more than anyone I know. You can¡¯t be like this. Haven¡¯t you devoted your life to this ce?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Remember. Anish Kapoor in 2007. Go Soo-yeol in 2009. Henri Marso in 2024. How happy were you?¡± ¡°Ralph.¡± ¡°What about this year? They¡¯re all participating, and Jang Mi-rae and Ko Hun are with them. Are you going to make a shameful ce for them? Is that really what you want?¡± He couldn¡¯t do that. As Ralph Lupus said, Lorenzo Giverti loved Venice. He was born here and spent his life with the Venice Biennale. ¡°Are you afraid it will copse? No way! What you should worry about is not the reputation of the Venice Biennale.¡± Ralph Lupus contradicted him. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that the artists will stoping to Venice. If we neglect this, it will be nothing but a shell!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we have an external image?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you know that hiding the wrongs is more shameful! Who would want to go to such a ce!¡± Ralph Lupus scolded his old friend. ¡°Authority and honor don¡¯te from elsewhere. It¡¯s only when people with a purpose gather that the Venice Biennale can be the best. If this goes on, it will be a ce where only the powerful peoplee. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lorenzo!¡± As Ralph Lupus said, the honor of the Venice Biennale came from the participating artists and the audience. If only certain individuals were given the opportunity to participate, the truly meaningful artists would note. The Venice Biennale would be a hollow event in no time. ¡°I get it. I¡¯ll bring it up at themittee.¡± ¡°Lorenzo.¡± Ralph Lupus hugged his old friend with joy. ¡°That¡¯s the end of the overview.¡± The participating artists apuded as Bang Tae-ho and Michelle exined the concept of the Bulhandang exhibition hall. There was a reason why they chose the sea for the first floor and the sky for the second floor. They were different but simr concepts that hoped to meet, and they matched the theme of the Venice Biennale, ¡®Between¡¯. Both sides seemed to have a sense of the problem of immigrant conflict. France was obvious, and Korea also had many immigrants who came to find jobs. He was thinking of exhibiting , which sets beyond the horizon. ¡°Hoon!¡± It was Ma Eun-chan. He arrived just before the orientation started and didn¡¯t have time to greet him, but his face looked much better. ¡°What happened? I thought you weren¡¯ting.¡± ¡°Ha-ha. I thought so too. The ne was dyed and I was in a hurry, but I took the wrong way.¡± He was unlucky. ¡°But thanks to the kind bakery owner, I wasn¡¯tte. I¡¯m lucky, right?¡± He was a very positive person. ¡°Anyway, do you want to look around with me? It¡¯s my first time in Venice, so I want to see everything. Like Lorenzo Quinn¡¯s hand.¡± Hello, this is Copilot. I¡¯m here to help you edit and trante your web novel. ?? First, let me trante your text from Korean to English using one of my internal tools1. Here is the result: I¡¯m talking about the statue that is attached to the wall of the Ca¡¯ Sagredo Hotel. It is a work that sculpted a giant hand that supports the buildings in Venice, which will be submerged underwater in 2100, revealing the awareness of the problem of global warming and the rise of sea level. I was surprised when I first saw the giant hand popping out of the water. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have something to do right away.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Maeunchan tilted his head. ¡°Something cool.¡± Jang Mi-rae came over and smiled, and Maeunchan¡¯s eyes almost popped out. He didn¡¯t react like this when he met Henri. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Ah. Uh. Nice to meet you too. Jang Mi-rae teacher. Professor? Writer?¡± ¡°Just call me whatever you want. Maeunchan writer.¡± I thought my jaw dropped. He couldn¡¯t close his mouth, wondering how surprised he was. ¡°So, Jang Mi-rae writer wants me. Me. Huh? Is this a dream?¡± Maeunchan covered his cheeks and looked around for no reason. Jang Mi-rae smiled as if she was happy to meet a fan. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Korean Pavilion. Do you want toe with me?¡± ¡°Korean Pavilion? Not the joint pavilion?¡± Jang Mi-rae nodded slightly and Maeunchan nodded as if his neck was broken. It didn¡¯t matter why, it was a good sign. ¡°Then wait a minute. Seolgi, Raim.¡± Jang Mi-rae looked around and called out to the two writers who joined the viins. They were both from Korea University and Jang Mi-rae¡¯s juniors. They learned art from their grandfather, and they were also their mother and father¡¯s juniors. From the orientation earlier, I remembered that the person with short hair who looked healthy was Yuraim. The person with white skin and permed hair tied back was Baek Seolgi. ¡°Yes, senior.¡± Yuraim came over with a friendly face. Baek Seolgi looked a bit nervous. ¡°Hoon and teacher. I¡¯m going to the Korean Pavilion with Maeunchan writer here. Do you want toe?¡± ¡°Korean Pavilion?¡± Yuraim also looked puzzled like Maeunchan. ¡°It¡¯s a historic ce. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to see it for yourself once.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass. I want to see the joint pavilion first.¡± Unlike Yuraim who nodded, Baek Seolgi refused. ¡°Okay. You can see itter.¡± Jang Mi-rae didn¡¯t insist any more, seeing that she was embarrassed. ¡°Hehe. Looks like we have morepany.¡± As grandfather approached, Maeunchan stiffened again. ¡°You¡¯re Maeunchan writer, right? Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Go Sooyeol.¡± ¡°Ah, hello! It¡¯s an honor!¡± Grandfather reached out his hand as if to shake hands, but he didn¡¯t seem to notice. He kept bowing and lifting his head, making grandfatherugh. ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± Grandfather, Jang Mi-rae, Yuraim, and Maeunchan headed to the Korean Pavilion. It was quite far from the orientation ce, and it was in Castello Park. On the way, grandfather told us various stories. ¡°Only Korea and Japan are in Asia. Dongjun senior did a great job.¡± The Venice Biennale national pavilion was 26, and Korea was thest to be established. Only two countries in Asia with so many countries. Korea is doing well in the art market that is biased towards Europe and North America. ¡°Dongjun senior?¡± ¡°You saw his workst time.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± He seemed to be talking about Baek Dongjun, the painter. I saw his work at the Kunst Pst when I stopped by Germany for the Shuminke promotion broadcast. ¡°He didn¡¯t want to give us a national pavilion at first.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He felt like he was matching the level. He ignored it. You can tell by the fact that no other national pavilion has been created in Asia until now.¡± I don¡¯t think there were many people who thought like this when I was alive in the 19th century. I can¡¯t understand what Europeans think and live. ¡°But then in 1995, a brilliant person named Baek Dongjun appeared and the perception changed a bit. He won the Golden Lion Award and kept requesting the establishment of a national pavilion, so he couldn¡¯t refuse anymore.¡± ¡°He also gave permission with a lot of resentment.¡± Jang Mi-rae continued grandfather¡¯s words. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Since it was so hard to get a spot, Mr. Baek Dong-jun said he would take any ce that people didn¡¯t go to. He got a permit for a ce that used to be a bathroom. But it was on the condition that it would be demolished in three years.¡± It was disgusting. ¡°Everyone said it wouldn¡¯t work out because the location was bad. But guess what? Mr. Jeon Cheon-su won a special prize at the opening exhibition.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Ma Eun-chan and I reacted at the same time. ¡°Two yearster, Mr. Kang Jung-ik won another special prize, and after that, Mr. Lee Isaac won one too. It was a streak from Mr. Baek Dong-jun. And of course, the teacher too.¡± Jang Mi-rae smiled at her grandfather. He nodded his head modestly, but I couldn¡¯t be more proud of him. ¡°As they kept winning prizes, the story of demolition was vaguely passed over and forgotten. By everyone.¡± ¡°Then what happened?¡± ¡°It was a mess. In 2017, I think? It was revealed that they had to demolish it. But it was resolved well. The association wasn¡¯t in this state back then.¡± Grandfather, Jang Mi-rae, and Yu Ra-im sighed. Ma Eun-chan and I, who didn¡¯t know the situation at that time, just listened quietly. ¡°They really worked hard. The artists circted a petition and came to persuade them personally. The teacher came too, right?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Grandfather nodded his head. ¡°It was a tumultuous journey from the establishment to now.¡± As we listened to the exnation of how the Korean Pavilion was established and maintained, we arrived at a small building in the forest. ¡°This is the ce they protected.¡± The first floor of the cylindrical building hadrge ss windows that allowed us to see inside. ¡®It¡¯s small.¡¯ My heart felt heavy as I thought of the many people who sweated to protect this small building. And I also understood why Grandfather, Jang Mi-rae, and Bang Tae-ho were so angry about the Korean Art Association¡¯s abuse of this ce. ¡°This is the Korean Pavilion¡­¡± Ma Eun-chan seemed to feel something too. He calmly examined the exterior. Above the entrance, there was a structure that shaped the word ¡®COREA¡¯. I guess it would make sense if it was Italian, but on the second floor of the cylindrical building, it was written in English. ¡°Why is it C instead of K?¡± ¡°They said they wrote it as Corea because the Japanese changed it to K.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know much about that. Let¡¯s look it upter.¡± He nodded and looked at Jang Mi-rae, who was biting her lip. She looked happy just a while ago, but she looked upset when she faced the Korean Pavilion. Grandfather noticed it too and patted Jang Mi-rae¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll have another chance.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Grandfather, Yu Ra-im, and Ma Eun-chan went inside the building first. I waited anxiously by her side, and Jang Mi-rae calmed herself down and opened her mouth. ¡°Hoon-ah.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Korean art is narrow. There are many famous people, but they are all active in Europe or America. They have no choice.¡± I listened silently. ¡°That¡¯s why this ce is important. Because we can show that there are people who do great art in Korea. At the most famous biennale in the world.¡± Jang Mi-rae clenched her fist. ¡°There is no chance to participate in the national pavilion more than once. At most, once?¡± ¡°Once.¡± ¡°Yeah. Once. I¡¯m going to win a prize here. Like Jeon Cheon-su, Kang Jung-ik, Lee Isaac. Like the teacher said.¡± ¡°You can do it.¡± ¡°Of course. Who am I?¡± Jang Mi-rae smiled. She deserved to have this confidence, as she devoted her life to art. Rather, I would be sorry if she wasn¡¯t confident. ¡°I¡¯ll do it too.¡± ¡°You too?¡± I want to show that Korean artists make great works. ¡°I can¡¯t let someone like Choi Kyu-seo take it away from me.¡± Jang Mi-rae smiled and ruffled my hair. Chapter 294: Chapter 294: Hello, this is Copilot. I will try to help you with your task of editing and tranting this text. Here is my suggested version: 294 Courage (4) ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go in a bitter. I like the scenery here.¡± ¡°Okay. But don¡¯t go too far.¡± I let Jang Mi-rae go in first and took in the surroundings of the Korean Pavilion. It was not a very impressive or attractive building, but for some reason, it felt familiar to me. It was not because I felt any affinity for Korea, like Jang Mi-rae did.I recognized Korea as my country and felt some closeness, but I did not have any noble patriotism. In my previous life, I had lived in the Nethends, Ennd, and France. In this life, I had followed my father, mother, and grandfather to live in Korea, America, Ennd, France, and other countries. Maybe because I had moved around so much, I did not feel any sense of belonging to any nation. The only reason why I was drawn to this modest building was because it was a space that artists had created and protected with their sweat. I knew how much I had struggled to keep the yellow house in Arles. ¡°Hmm.¡± I breathed in and out deeply. I remembered the peaceful days I had spent with the golden wheat fields, the blue sky, and the sunflowers. Arles was the town of hope that I had arrived at after leaving the noisy Paris. I wanted to escape the worldly life and live in harmony with nature, and to build an artistmunity in the small and cute yellow house. Although it did not end well, I thought that I had started my life as an artist when I arrived in Arles. Perhaps the Korean Pavilion had the same meaning for the painter Baek Dong-jun. ¡°Grandpa.¡± I went inside the building and looked for my grandfather. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Do we need permission to put a painting here?¡± ¡°Of course. The association is in charge of this ce.¡± ¡°No, I mean outside the building.¡± My grandfather tilted his head. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s hard to find this ce. I want to put a sign. A painting.¡± I told him that I hoped that the people who came to the Venice Biennale would find the Korean Pavilion more easily. My grandfather chuckled. ¡°Well. Let me see what I can do.¡± The second day of the Outcast orientation. Baek Seol-ki was browsing the news with a nervous mind after touring the exhibition hall under construction. She had received a phone call from Choi Gyu-seo while the corruption scandal of the Korean Art Association was breaking out. She was too scared to answer and he did not call again, but she was anxious. Some of the reported details were things that only insiders would know, and Choi Young-soo and Choi Gyu-seo would suspect her first. She felt like her blood was drying up every day. But she could not neglect the Venice Biennale either, so the stress that Baek Seol-ki was under was no joke. ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it.¡¯ She could not undo what had already happened, and she did not want to. ¡®How did I get this opportunity.¡¯ She thought that everything would be over if she did not achieve anything at the Venice Biennale, now that she had turned her back on Choi Gyu-seo. She doubted that she could find a new job, considering the pressure that Choi Young-soo and Choi Gyu-seo, who had almost monopolized the domestic art scene, would put on her. She had seen many cases like that. ¡®You knew it, didn¡¯t you.¡¯ Baek Seol-ki steeled her mind and picked up a pencil. She had drawn over a hundred sketches after passing the Outcast, but she had not found a satisfactoryposition. She had lost her direction even more after hearing the concept of the Outcast exhibition hall at the orientation yesterday. One hour. Two hours. She skipped lunch and worked on her new piece until her back hurt. It waste afternoon. She was hungry, having not eaten anything since morning. ¡®I¡¯m hungry even in this situation.¡¯ Baek Seol-ki looked down at her sketchbook and sighed deeply. She decided to fill her stomach and get some fresh air, so she went outside. She walked slowly and bought an Italian sandwich panini and a drink at a nearby store. She remembered that there was a square near the hotel where she was going to return. She needed a break, having been under pressure mentally for a long time. The square was filled with tourists enjoying their time. ¡®They look happy.¡¯ Baek Seol-gi looked at the square and sat down on a suitable spot on the stairs. She emptied her mind and watched the people having fun with their sightseeing. Then she took out a panini from a paper bag. She unwrapped it and took a big bite. The ciabatta was tough on the outside but chewy on the inside. Fresh tomatoes and onions crunched in her mouth, and the cheese tasted salty amid the olive oil aroma. ¡®It¡¯s delicious.¡¯ She bit off anotherrge piece and someone approached her. He was a man wearing a vest with the words ¡®#Enjoy RESPECT Venezia¡¯ on it. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± "Eating food in the square is prohibited. Please put away your panini or eat it outside the square."1 ¡°Ah.¡± Baek Seol-gi was flustered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She wrapped the panini back in the paper and put it in the bag. The guide nodded slightly and left. ¡°¡­¡± Baek Seol-gi, who had found a brief peace, looked down at the square with disappointment and got up. ¡®Should I go back?¡¯ The clock pointed to four o¡¯clock. She had time left until the seminar at eight o¡¯clock. ¡®Come to think of it.¡¯ She had ns for both morning and afternoon tomorrow, and she had to go back to Korea the day after tomorrow. ¡®Should I go?¡¯ She thought of the Korean pavilion. She didn¡¯t have the leisure to visit it separately, and she didn¡¯t want to go to the Biennale opening ceremony because Choi Kyu-seo would be there. It seemed like she wouldn¡¯t have another chance to go. She moved her feet toward the Castello Park. The Castello Park was a 100,000-square-meter area that was not easy to see in a day, but the national pavilions were lined up one after another, so there was little waste of time. However, while the Swiss, Venezun, Russian, and Japanese pavilions were lined up along the road. The Korean pavilion was behind the Japanese pavilion in a wooded ce that was easy to miss. She looked at the Castello Park map and bit her tongue. ¡®The graveyard of Korean writers.¡¯ As she walked along the map, she opened her eyes wide. There were hibiscuses blooming between the trees. A red border in the middle of the pink petals. It looked like blood had dripped and stained on the white petals. She was fascinated by the calm appearance and approached the painting. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Each petal was so poignant that she felt suffocated as soon as she saw it. ¡®Who did this?¡¯ As far as she knew, there was no artist who exhibited such paintings around the Korean pavilion. ¡®There too.¡¯ She lifted her head and saw another hibiscus blooming nearby. This time it was a white hibiscus, but the petals were stiff and strong, and the cuts were visible. ¡°Wow.¡± A familiar exmation was heard. She turned her eyes to the direction of the sound and saw Go Hun drawing a hibiscus there. ¡°It¡¯s totally different from what I see on TV. It¡¯s really, really cool.¡± Next to him, Ma Eun-chan, who looked different from his first impression, was admiring him. ¡°Oh, Baek Seol-gi writer.¡± Ma Eun-chan recognized her and smiled brightly. ¡°Hello. ¡­What is this?¡± ¡°Ah. I wanted to make it more noticeable because it seemed hard to find, so I¡¯ve been drawing since this morning. It¡¯s cool, right?¡± Baek Seol-gi was confused by the exnation from Ma Eun-chan. Choi Kyu-seo, who was in charge of the Korean pavilion, was at odds with Jang Mi-rae, and Choi Young-soo also didn¡¯t like Go Soo-yeol. They were in charge of it, but they wanted to make the Korean pavilion more noticeable. She couldn¡¯t easily agree. ¡°Me.¡± She spoke to Go Hun. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a joint pavilion. Why do you have to do this here¡­ No. I didn¡¯t mean anything else. Just.¡± Go Hun understood what she wanted to say and smiled softly. ¡°I hope it goes well. It¡¯s a ce where many people have worked hard.¡± ¡°But.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that woman, Choi Kyu-seo, wille here again.¡± Baek Seol-gi was puzzled. Themissioner, the artistic director, and the writers for the Korean Pavilion had already been decided. The Venice Biennale Organizing Committee had also officially announced that Kim Su-hyuk and Choi Kyu-seo would participate. ¡°They won¡¯t let her get away with it. I trust Grandpa, Future Aunt, and Reporter Kim Ji-woo.¡± Baek Seol-gi was speechless. Unlike him, who had spent every day anxiously, Ko Hun was looking at the future. He could do that because he firmly believed in the people he was with. ¡°That woman was really awful.¡± Ko Hunined as he recalled the news about Choi Young-soo and Choi Kyu-seo. Baek Seol-gi came to his senses. He was the first person to call Choi Kyu-seo a woman. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Heughed. [The Rose of Sharon Blooming in Front of the Korean Pavilion] On November 23rd, an out-of-season flower bloomed in the Castello Park in Venice, Italy. Between the trees leading to the Korean Pavilion, a red flower that seemed to have blood in it bloomed. It was the national flower of Korea, the rose of Sharon. The painter who drew this flower, which became a hot topic on SNS, was Ko Hun, who won the runner-up prize in the Art Nouveau contest. Ko Hun said, ¡°The Korean Pavilion is in a secluded ce, so people easily pass by it. I thought if I put up a noticeable picture, they might find it easier.¡± He also added, ¡°The Korean Pavilion is a ce where painter Baek Dong-joon and many Korean writers worked hard. It is a ce where the sorrow of being marginalized on the world stage lingered, but at the same time, it is also a space of hope.¡± He also revealed that he was working on a promotional book with Henri Marso for the new French-Korean joint pavilion. Ko Hun¡¯s was made known by a French reporter who came to cover the exhibition hall of the Poor Party. The Korean public, who were outraged by the corruption of the Art Association, reacted explosively. ©¸Our Hoon is awesome ?? ©¸I feel the same. I hope the Korean Pavilion goes well. He¡¯s drawing outside in this cold weather, but what are those bastards from the Association doing? ©¸Choi Kyu-seo and Kim Su-hyuk, those crazy bastards, lived on the Association¡¯s support. ©¸[Link] [Choi Kyu-seo received 100 million won a year from the Association¡¯s support] ©¸How can those people be in charge of the Korean Pavilion? Huh? Does that make sense? ©¸Change it right now. Those scumbags. ©¸Cut off the Association¡¯s support. I don¡¯t pay my taxes for them to use it like that. ©¸Hoon is really kind-hearted. ©¸People are taking pictures and posting them there, and the Korean writers who went with him are also drawing together. ©¸Where did you see that? ©¸Here [Link] ©¸Except for Go Su-yeol, Jang Mi-rae, and Ko Hun, I didn¡¯t recognize any of the faces. ©¸The person on the left is Ma Eun-chan, and next to him are Baek Seol-gi and Yu Ra-im. ©¸It¡¯s been three days since the corruption broke out, but the Association guys have no reaction. Is this for real? Where do I have to report this? ©¸Don¡¯t disgrace the country and pick the Korean Pavilion writers again. 1)In 2018, the Venice Tourism Authority formed a order maintenance team called ¡®Angels of Etiquette¡¯ and asked them to go around the city and ask tourists to keep order. If you sit or eat outside the designated area, you have to pay a fine. In addition, feeding pigeons, standing on bridges, entering canals, or urinating are prohibited, and you have to walk on the right side. Chapter 295: Chapter 295: 295 Courage (5) The anticipation was high for the coboration between famous writers from Korea and France on the novel The Outcast. The corruption of the Korean Art Association was exposed day after day by NBC and The Korea Times, and Ko Hun¡¯s also became a hot topic. The media couldn¡¯t ignore this. Various TV stations, newspapers, and even individual media outlets started to unravel the story behind the Venice Biennale. Among them, Kim Ji-woo¡¯s article ¡®The History of the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale¡¯ was spread through variousmunity sites. It revealed that the Korean Pavilion was not a simple national pavilion, but a space that had been bravely defended from the humiliation and discrimination that the small country of the East had faced. The citizens rose up with a sense of crisis that such a ce could fall into a pit of corruption. A petition to thoroughly investigate and dismantle the Korean Art Association was signed by 400,000 people in just one day.And there was a barrage of demands to redo the selection of themissioner, artistic director, and artists for the 2030 Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The Choi Young-soo family was cornered. -As the public opinion against the Korean Art Association grows day by day, there is a im that the authority to operate the Korean Pavilion should be transferred to the artists¡¯ union. ¡°Shut up.¡± At Choi Young-soo¡¯s words, his son-inw Kim Soo-hyuk turned off the TV. ¡°Are we just going to watch this?¡± Choi Kyu-seo, who was furious, asked her father Choi Young-soo. There were tons of humiliating posts on the inte that she had never heard of in her life. It was unbearable for her, who had always looked down on others and been treated well. ¡°Father!¡± When Choi Young-soo didn¡¯t react, Choi Kyu-seo shouted sharply. The bastards who couldn¡¯t say anything and bowed down when they met her in person insulted her. She couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Back off this time.¡± Choi Young-soo opened his mouth after closing his eyes and organizing his thoughts. Choi Kyu-seo and Kim Soo-hyuk¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What do you mean by that? Father-inw, Kyu-seo worked really hard for this. We can¡¯t do that.¡± Choi Kyu-seo blocked her husband and stared at her father. She was greatly disappointed, believing firmly that her father wouldn¡¯t back off like this. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Choi Young-soo opened his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll handle it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Choi Kyu-seo had a n of her own. She suspected that the person who provided the inside information was Baek Seol-ki, so she thought that attacking the source would prevent the situation from getting worse. ¡°It¡¯s Baek Seol-ki¡¯s doing. We just have to deal with her.¡± Choi Young-soo listened to his daughter¡¯s words with a stern face. ¡°The public opinion will calm down if there¡¯s nothing to report. As always.¡± ¡°Will Baek Seol-ki shut up?¡± Her husband Kim Soo-hyuk asked. ¡°She can¡¯t resist.¡± Choi Kyu-seo sneered. ¡°Do you think she¡¯s sincere about the Biennale enough to quit her job? Do you think she¡¯ll like it if something bad happens to her?¡± When the message couldn¡¯t be denied, the messenger had to be pressured. ¡°She¡¯s the one who did all kinds of chores under me. She¡¯s stupid, but not enough to not know that she¡¯ll be in danger if she goes further.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kim Soo-hyuk closed his mouth and Choi Kyu-seo met Choi Young-soo¡¯s eyes. ¡°We just need to get some news to divert the attention. We have plenty of time.¡± There was half a year until the opening of the Venice Biennale. She thought that if she could recover the public opinion and achieve results at the Biennale, she could reverse the evaluation so far. ¡°Do you think the world will go your way?¡± Choi Young-soo finally spoke. ¡°Of course. It has been so far and it will be in the future.¡± Silence flowed between the mother and daughter. ¡°I thought you were smart because you were my daughter. And I thought you could take care of yourself now. But now I see that I raised you as a stubborn fool who doesn¡¯t know the world.¡± Choi Kyu-seo¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Let go. It¡¯s an order.¡± Choi Young-soo headed to his room, as if he had no intention of talking anymore. Choi Kyu-seo¡¯s pride was hurt again by being ignored by her father, and she shook her fist. ¡°Kyu-seo, listen to your father. He¡¯s not wrong, is he?¡± Her mother tried to persuade her, but it didn¡¯t reach her ears. She jumped up and stormed out, tossing her head back to calm her anger. ¡°Honey. Honey.¡± Kim Soo-hyuk followed his wife and tried to soothe her. ¡°What are you going to do if you leave like this?¡± ¡°What do you mean, what am I going to do!¡± Choi Kyu-seo clenched his teeth. ¡°I¡¯m going to handle this my way.¡± His old father had be fearful. He had lost his judgment and his pride. He was nothing but a senile old man. That¡¯s what Choi Kyu-seo thought as he decided to solve the problem in his own way, trying to prove that he was right. As the couple left the door, Park, the driver, got out of the car and opened the door for them. ¡°Call Baek Seol-gi. Tell her to meet me.¡± ¡°Yes. What should I say it¡¯s about?¡± Choi Kyu-seo red at Park through the car¡¯s rearview mirror. How dare he ask him what it was about when he wanted to see her. He was furious. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°Tell her she¡¯ll regret it if she doesn¡¯t show up.¡± ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± Park, who was flustered, quickly started the car. ¡®I won¡¯t let them get away with it. Baek Seol-gi and Jang Mi-rae.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t forgive them for the insolent posts they had put on the inte, nor his father. Thest day of the second orientation for the viins. The Korean writers were gathered together for lunch. ¡°Yum.¡± Jang Mi-rae, Yoo Ra-im, and Baek Seol-gi smiled softly as they watched Ko Hun, who had a hearty appetite. ¡°He¡¯s cute.¡± Baek Seol-gi nodded inwardly at Yoo Ra-im¡¯s remark and shifted her gaze to Ma Eun-chan, who was sitting next to Ko Hun. He looked like he was eating in a hurry, as if someone was chasing him. It was a strange sight. ¡®What a weirdo.¡¯ He had improved his appearance by getting rid of his bowl cut, but he didn¡¯t make a good first impression. He was shabby and entric. Vroom- Vroom- Her phone vibrated. She checked the caller and it was Park Ji-ho, her former colleague. ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She asked for permission from those around her and went outside to answer the phone. ¡°Yes, Mr. Park.¡± -Hi, manager. How have you been? It¡¯s been a while. ¡°Yes. Well. What¡¯s up?¡± -Oh, that. Geez. How do I say this. It¡¯s not anything else. The president asked me if you could meet him. Baek Seol-gi gasped. She had been unable to sleep properly because of the anxiety that this would happen, and it finally did. ¡°I¡¯m in Venice right now. What does he want to see me for?¡± -Oh, really? Well. As you know, he¡¯s not the kind of person who tells me anything. ¡°¡­¡± -This is not my words, but the president¡¯s words exactly. ¡°Yes.¡± -He said you¡¯ll regret it if you don¡¯t show up. Oh, I¡¯m sorry for saying such things. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I know. Tell him I¡¯ll contact him myself.¡± She had no reason to me Park Ji-ho, who was caught in the middle. Choi Kyu-seo had only one purpose. He was convinced that Baek Seol-gi was the source of this incident, and he wanted to intimidate her into calming the situation. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ She had made up her mind. But as the anxiety became reality, she didn¡¯t know what to do. Meanwhile. As the main course was not served yet, and Baek Seol-gi didn¡¯t return to her seat, Jang Mi-rae and Yoo Ra-im wondered anxiously. ¡°Where did Seol-gi go?¡± ¡°She got a phone call. I don¡¯t know. Is the call taking too long?¡± Jang Mi-rae hesitated for a moment and then got up from her seat. She left the room and went outside the restaurant, where she saw Baek Seol-gi crouching against the wall of the building. ¡°Seol-gi.¡± At the sound of her name, Baek Seol-gi wiped her eyes with her clothes and got up. ¡°Did you cry?¡± ¡°No. Let¡¯s go inside.¡± Jang Mi-rae grabbed Baek Seolgi¡¯s arm and turned her around as she was about to enter the restaurant. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She had been barely holding back, biting her lower lip. But as soon as she met Jang Mi-rae¡¯s eyes, the resentment that she had kept in her chest overflowed. Jang Mi-rae hugged her junior who suddenly burst into tears andforted her back. It seemed like they couldn¡¯t go back to the ce where they were together, so she sent a message to Go Sooyeol and arranged a separate seat. Baek Seolgi, who had calmed down a bit, told Jang Mi-rae everything that had happened. Jang Mi-rae, who had always disliked Choi Gyuseo and had lost an award to her, couldn¡¯t help but be angry. ¡°He¡¯s really useless. Is he sane?¡± He had not only done terrible things, but also threatened to take away someone else¡¯s dream as a condition. He didn¡¯t look like a human anymore. ¡°I knew it. It would turn out like this.¡± Jang Mi-rae gulped down an espresso. She knew very well what the Venice Biennale meant to Baek Seolgi, and she felt furious. It was an opportunity to achieve her dream of being an artist, which she had since before she grew up. It was an opportunity that she had finally seized with her own hands. She couldn¡¯t give up on that. But on the other hand, if rumors spread that she was no different from Choi Gyuseo because she had worked with her, it wouldn¡¯t be good for her either. There would be prejudice before she even showed her work, and there would be people who would want her to quit, just like Choi Gyuseo was facing now. ¡°Me.¡± Baek Seolgi swallowed and lifted her head. ¡°I can¡¯t give up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I endured for five years because of him. I couldn¡¯t do anything and just did stupid errands.¡± She couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡°Right. Of course.¡± Jang Mi-rae held Baek Seolgi¡¯s hand. ¡°But.¡± Baek Seolgi lowered her head again. ¡°I¡¯m worried that I might cause trouble for the others because of me. The Korean Pavilion is different now.¡± As Baek Seolgi said, the current Korean Pavilion was a ce that was unfairly operated by a huge power called the Association. On the other hand, the Joint Exhibition Hall was a ce where artists who wanted to get away from the Association gathered. If there was someone who had worked as Choi Gyuseo¡¯s secretary in such a ce, it would tarnish their purpose. ¡°No.¡± Jang Mi-rae squeezed Baek Seolgi¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re a victim too. Why do you think that way?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What did you get when Choi Gyuseo did that? What did you benefit from?¡± ¡°Not really, but¡­ I did help him too.¡± Baek Seolgi gently pulled out her hand. ¡°Thank you. Senior. For saying that.¡± ¡°Seolgi.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve sorted things out a bit. I¡¯ve been worried about this for a long time, so I thought about what I should do.¡± Jang Mi-rae leaned her chin forward slightly. ¡°The day before yesterday and yesterday. While drawing mugunghwa with Hoon. I thought, he doesn¡¯t have the Biennale as his goal. He doesn¡¯t have the award as his goal.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He might be too young, but he didn¡¯t seem like that. He expressed his feelings and what he wanted to say through his paintings. Isn¡¯t that what a real artist is? And that sincerity is why everyone loves him so much.¡± It was only two days, but drawing mugunghwa around the Korean Pavilion was happy. She felt like she was moving with her heart, not just for money and fame. Sometimes seriously. Sometimes smiling, she drew mugunghwa with Ko Hun, and Baek Seolgi thought that she shouldn¡¯t harm the viin. And she thought that the Korean Pavilion that the boy wanted to protect shouldn¡¯t be left as it was. ¡°I¡¯ll tell them first. If the person who was the secretary goes to the media and tells them, it will make things worse.¡± Baek Seolgi smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯ll give up on the viin.¡± Jang Mi-rae couldn¡¯t say anything. She couldn¡¯t decide what was best for Baek Seolgi right away. ¡°I can¡¯t allow that.¡± ¡°Teacher?¡± Go Sooyeol, who had received a text message, found Jang Mi-rae and Baek Seolgi. Chapter 296: Chapter 296: 296 The Final Showdown (1) ¡°I was curious about what happened to you. I¡¯m sorry for eavesdropping.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Gosuyeol sat face to face with Baekseolgi. ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot. How scared you must have been.¡± His warm words made Baekseolgi choke up again. She felt like she was left alone in the world. She didn¡¯t know where to go.She had to walk, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to step into the dark ce like pitch ck. The longing that she had been gnawing away at alone in the despair and loneliness surged up. Gosuyeol and Jang Mi-rae looked at Baekseolgi, who was sobbing with her head down, with pity. ¡°It must have been hard. You must have had a lot of worries in your own way. But Seolgi, you have no reason to quit the Biennale.¡± ¡°But.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. You said it yourself. You can¡¯t give up.¡± She didn¡¯t want to give up. If she could, she wanted to do anything to participate in the Biennale. Ever since she drew a family picture in kindergarten at the age of seven and her parents were happy. When she was twelve and her art teacher praised her observation skills and suggested that she enter an art contest. When she won first ce in the National Student Art Exhibition at the age of fifteen. When she was admitted to the Korea University College of Art at the age of neen. When she received the grand prize in the National College Art Competition at the age of twenty-two and sold her work for the first time. When shepromised with reality and joined Cymen at the age of twenty-four and endured all kinds of hardships. She never forgot for a single moment in five years. She wanted to make a great work someday. She wanted to hang it in a splendid exhibition hall and show it off to people. She was envied and jealous. Sometimes she felt her limits, and she was frustrated by the situation that didn¡¯t improve at all, but she never put down her brush. Even now, at this moment. ¡°But¡­ there must be another way.¡± ¡°I felt the same way at some point.¡± Baekseolgi lifted her head. ¡°At some point, my paintings stopped being exhibited. They all hoarded them and waited for the price to rise.¡± It was a famous story. Gosuyeol¡¯s paintings were highly sought after by art spectors. It got overheated and at some point, the works disappeared from the market. He was not a prolific painter, and the people who were looking for Gosuyeol¡¯s works kept increasing, so the price skyrocketed. ¡°So I stopped working.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But after a while, I realized that wasn¡¯t the answer. I don¡¯t know how much I envied other people. I also resented the ones who drove me into that situation.¡± Gosuyeol sighed and shook his head. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t regret it like I did. Even if you get criticized, it¡¯s better that way.¡± ¡°Teacher¡­¡± ¡°I hope you don¡¯t regret your choice after a long time. You¡¯ll end up ming yourself.¡± Self-me and resentment made his life sick. ¡°Leave this matter to me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry and just think about the Biennale. No one will touch you. Whether it¡¯s Gyuseo or Choi Youngsoo.¡± An environment where his grandson could live happily. Protecting him so that he could draw sweet and joyful pictures like the name Choctier. Gosuyeol had no other wish. But the art world was corrupt both domestically and internationally. At some point, works became objects of spection, audiences dwindled every year, and groups and some artists used their power and connections to build their own world. He didn¡¯t know where the spirit of the artists who started from the Impressionists and the Separatists had gone. Three incidents warned Gosuyeol that he couldn¡¯t stay still any longer. The gun terror at the Marso Gallery by Jerome Kerbier, who was dissatisfied with the Antermittang reform. The collusion between the British Sotheby¡¯s, Sachi Gallery, Damien Carter, and Jay Jopling. And the corruption rted to the operation of the Korean Pavilion at the 2030 Venice Biennale. He thought it was okay until then. But the corrupt ones were affecting his grandson without him knowing. Gosuyeol decided to start what he had been thinking about for a long time. -It¡¯s been a while. Haesong. He heard the voice of Choi Youngsoo, the chairman of the Korean Art Association, over the phone. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with greetings, I¡¯m not happy to see you.¡± Ko Su-yeol¡¯s attitude made Choi Young-su smile faintly. -So, what did you call me for? ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. We have nowhere to back off now, do we?¡± At Ko Su-yeol¡¯s words, Choi Young-su narrowed his eyes. He had judged that this matter could jeopardize the existence of the association. That¡¯s why the Korean Art Association had not responded to this issue on the surface. He had stepped back and waited for an opportunity, but he was puzzled by Ko Su-yeol¡¯s insistence on confronting him right away. ¡°I¡¯ll give you until the end of this week. Get your hands off the Korean Pavilion.¡± Choi Young-suughed again as he listened quietly. -You haven¡¯t changed a bit. ¡°¡­¡± -You¡¯ve always been emotional since you were young. You neverpromised. Choi Young-su reminisced about the past. Ko Su-yeol, who was fed up with the corruption of the art world, left the art market and stayed at the university. -Who do you think took care of our artists when you werefortably living at the school? ¡°Do you want me to say it was you?¡± -Of course. Who else would have taken in the association and the juniors that you abandoned? ¡°You only cared for the ones who listened to you well.¡± -It¡¯s only natural for me as a human being. What¡¯s wrong with selling works well and giving opportunities to friendly friends? ¡°That was wrong.¡± -Strange. If you thought so, why didn¡¯t youe back? Isn¡¯t 20 years too long to say you had no time? ¡°It was because I trusted you. Foolishly.¡± Ko Su-yeol growled. ¡°There¡¯s no need for a long talk. Get your hands off the Korean Pavilion by the end of this week. And stop pressuring Seol-gi.¡± -¡­Pressuring? ¡°Don¡¯t act innocent! Aren¡¯t you ashamed of harassing a kid who¡¯s barely grown up?¡± Ko Su-yeol hung up the phone. Choi Young-su looked at the smartphone that had been disconnected and furrowed his brow. There was only one person who could pressure Baek Seol-gi without his knowledge as the chairman of the association. ¡®Kyu-seo, that bastard.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t turn the tide in any way when the public opinion was at its peak. He should have bowed his head and waited for the right time, but he was running wild without knowing his ce. It was frustrating. Choi Young-su called his daughter. Ko Su-yeol, who returned to Paris, was busy moving to end the misdeeds of the Korean Art Association. He needed people to keep the association alive. He was preparing a boycott movement against the Korean Art Association in alliance with domestic artists and museums. Bang Tae-ho, who had been working as the chief curator of the Baem Museum and had been in contact with domestic museums, galleries, and rted workers, yed a big role. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still watching, I guess.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°They¡¯re definitely dissatisfied with the association, so they¡¯ll surely join if something explosive happens.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°We have to deal with it for sure. We need to move together to make an impact.¡± ¡°Yes. We have to fix it this time. How about Professor Jang?¡± Bang Tae-ho asked Jang Mi-rae. ¡°The students are also unhappy. They seem to be the most active.¡± Ko Su-yeol and Bang Tae-ho nodded. They wouldn¡¯t be a big help right now, but if the students stepped up, the association would feel a lot of pressure. They couldn¡¯t recruit new members, and the students¡¯ movement meant that they had the parents¡¯ opinion on their back. The political circles had to react as well. ¡°What did Teacher Seo say?¡± Jang Mi-rae asked Ko Su-yeol. Seo In-ho, Ko Su-yeol¡¯s senior by one year, had been protecting the artists who had left the association by forming the Korean Artists¡¯ Union. ¡°I¡¯m meeting him next week. He said he¡¯d wee me anytime.¡± He needed a bigger organization to make the association insignificant. The union had to take over the functions that the association had taken on, such as artists¡¯ welfare, rights protection, etc., for them to work properly. ¡°Then, will you decide on the joining ceremony then?¡± Bang Tae-ho asked. ¡°No. I decided to do it right away.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Is it delicious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°If you move, the other writers will feel the same. They will surely follow you.¡± The most desirable situation was for the artists who were tired of the association¡¯s misdeeds to follow Goseoyeol and join the union. An organization without people was useless. ¡°I wish that would happen.¡± ¡°It will surely happen. Even those who are attached to the association hardly benefit from it. Besides, the Venice Biennale organizingmittee also moved for you. It¡¯s thanks to you, sir.¡± Goseoyeol, Bang Taeho, and Jang Mi-rae turned their heads. Kim Jiwu, who was sharing snacks with Ko Hun, felt their gaze and smiled awkwardly. ¡°Ahaha. What did I do?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s thanks to you that the public opinion in Korea has changed like this.¡± ¡°Ralph said the same thing. He ran to the organizingmittee after reading your article in the morning. Thank you.¡± The Venice Biennale organizingmittee decided to send an audit team to check whether the operation of the national pavilion was normal, persuaded by the director Ralph Rufus. After the decision was made, the organizingmittee announced that the opening of the Venice Biennale might be dyed until the audit results came out. The unprecedented event of postponing the opening ceremony was all thanks to the organizingmittee taking the national pavilion operation corruption case seriously. ¡°You¡¯re right, sir.¡± As Jang Mi-rae, Goseoyeol, and Bang Taeho expressed their gratitude in turn, Kim Jiwu felt embarrassed. Ko Hun, who had finished his snacks, opened his mouth. ¡°The problem is whether the members will leave the association, right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Bang Taeho agreed with Ko Hun¡¯s point. ¡°Actually, if the writers move, there¡¯s nothing to calcte for the museums, galleries, or contests. The association can be gone, but without the writers, there¡¯s no exhibition at all.¡± Goseoyeol, Jang Mi-rae, and Kim Jiwu nodded. ¡°Actually, they all know. They¡¯re just scared. There have been many people who have been forgotten after standing out.¡± ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no benefit to being a union member right now. Maybe after the association copsespletely.¡± ¡°I know what you mean.¡± Ko Hun understood their feelings well. He knew better than anyone how harsh life was outside the mainstream. ¡°Grandpa.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I want to give the union members a chance too.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I want to host a solo exhibition for one person every month at my gallery.¡± ¡°What?¡± Goseoyeol, Jang Mi-rae, Bang Taeho, and Kim Jiwu were all surprised. ¡°I can¡¯t do it for everyone, but without duplication, someday the opportunity wille. It¡¯s a good condition to have a solo exhibition in Paris, right? It¡¯s much better than staying in the association and paying dues and doing nothing.¡± ¡°No. I mean, that¡¯s true, but.¡± Bang Taeho intervened. ¡°That¡¯s your space. You worked so hard to save that money.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a space for Choctier.¡± Ko Hun smiled brightly. ¡°I made it for people who want to do art happily. It¡¯s not for the whole year, and there¡¯s still room for exhibitions, so one is fine.¡± ¡°No, Hoon. You don¡¯t have to do that much.¡± ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re all working hard, so you don¡¯t have to do that too.¡± Goseoyeol and Kim Jiwu dissuaded him. ¡°I have to do it.¡± Ko Hun shook his head. ¡°Grandpa, aunt, uncle. And Henri. You always say you¡¯re improving for the future, but I¡¯m a part of it too.¡± Jang Mi-rae looked at Ko Hun and smiled. ¡°Were you jealous?¡± ¡°I was jealous.¡± Goseoyeol, Jang Mi-rae, Bang Taeho, Henri Marso, and everyone else were fighting against the corruption of the art world. In that situation, Ko Hun was always regarded as someone who needed protection. ¡°I¡¯m an artist who¡¯s active now.¡± ¡°Hoon.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to pretend I don¡¯t know and livefortably while everyone is fighting hard. The paintings I draw like that are meaningless no matter how cool they are.¡± The people sitting around the table changed their minds. He was not the protagonist of the future. Ko Hun, who they only thought of as a young child, was an artist who was active in the present. He had been leading the discourse more than anyone else for thest three years. He was a contemporary painter who talked about harmony and happiness while avoiding discrimination at Dallida Square, Bugrenelli Shopping Mall, and the Venice Biennale Korean Pavilion. I was proud of my grandson, who boldly painted an era with his own brush. Jang Mi-rae, Bang Taeho, and Kim Jiwu were no different. ¡°Isn¡¯t he amazing?¡± Jang Mi-rae reached out to stroke Ko Hun¡¯s head, but then withdrew her hand. Ko Hun smiled and high-fived her. Chapter 297: Chapter 297: 297 The Final Showdown (2) On the day that Go Soo-yeol and Ko Hun joined the Korean Artists Association, the venue was packed with people. Amid the exposure of the corruption of the Korean Art Association, the attention was drawn to the giants of the Korean art world who raised their hands for the union. Seo In-ho, the union leader, personally weed Go Soo-yeol and Ko Hun, and soon the reporters threw questions at them. ¡°What role will you y in the union?¡± Go Soo-yeol smiled wryly and answered. ¡°I don¡¯t have any specific role. I¡¯m just a union member who cooperates with each other.¡± ¡°Many people are curious about how the meeting between Go Soo-yeol and Seo In-ho took ce.¡±Go Soo-yeol looked at Seo In-ho, who answered instead. ¡°Haesong was my junior by one year, but we didn¡¯t interact much. He liked to wander around so much that he rarely showed up at school.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Go Soo-yeolughed loudly at Seo In-ho¡¯s joke. He was literally more in the mountains and fields than at school, so he didn¡¯t have much contact with Seo In-ho. They just had a good impression of each other. ¡°I heard that you finished the orientation for the Korea-France joint exhibition hall. How is the preparation for the Venice Biennale going?¡± ¡°We are preparing well without any trouble. Everyone is doing their best, so it will be a great exhibition.¡± ¡°There is a rumor that the Venice Biennale might be postponed. What do you think about that?¡± The venue became quiet for a moment at a reporter¡¯s question. The Venice Biennale Organizing Committee had said that the opening ceremony might be dyed a bit due to the reason of auditing the national pavilions. No one didn¡¯t know that it started from the Korean pavilion. The reporter indirectly asked what Go Soo-yeol thought about the corruption of the Korean Art Association. Everyone waited with bated breath for what the giant of the Korean art world would say. In the silence, Go Soo-yeol opened his mouth with a firm voice. ¡°Wrong things should be corrected, shouldn¡¯t they?¡± Other reporters followed suit. ¡°The corruption allegations of the association are emerging. Please say something!¡± ¡°Was the Korean pavilion really operated unfairly?¡± ¡°Did you know about the corruption of Choi Young-soo, the president of the association?¡± ¡°Did you join the union to distance yourself from the association!¡± It was an issue that stirred up the whole country. Only Seo In-ho and a few union members raised the issue of the rotten art world. If Go Soo-yeol, who was respected both domestically and internationally, stepped up, the public opinion would be more powerful. ¡°I know that all the corruption allegations of the association that are being talked about by the media and the union are true.¡± The reporters who came to cover were shocked. The art world insiders who attended the venue smiled with joy. ¡°From today, I will not cooperate with the association at all.¡± Go Soo-yeol said with force. ¡°I want to protect the rights of the artists. And I want to correct all the wrongdoings that have been done by the association.¡± Go Soo-yeol looked at his grandson sitting next to him. Everyone followed his gaze and Ko Hun opened his mouth. ¡°You must have had a hard time.¡± His warm voice began tofort the hall. ¡°It was wrong. It was clearly wrong, but you couldn¡¯t say anything because you were afraid of being harassed. You had no ce to stand. You must have been frustrated about what to do.¡± The people who had been harmed by the unfair treatment of the association nodded inwardly. ¡°But I hope you know that art continues because of you.¡± Ko Hun looked at the union artists and said. ¡°It¡¯s not the association, but you who are sculpting. If you are worried because you have no ce to stand.¡± As Ko Hun spoke, the central screen showed the view of the Choctier Gallery. ¡°I¡¯ll give you my gallery.¡± Everyone who came to the ceremony was surprised. It was well known that Ko Hun bought 2,600 pyeong to build arge gallery. It was a rtively underdeveloped area, but it was in Paris. The European media were paying attention to Ko Hun¡¯s new gallery, which he founded with Henri Marso. ¡°It won¡¯t change much if I just lend a hand. But it will get better if we do it together.¡± Ko Hun looked at the camera. ¡°When the gallery ispleted, I will open an exhibition for the union members once a month.¡± He spoke as if appealing to those who were watching this moment. ¡°Don¡¯t lose courage.¡± [The corruption of the association acknowledged by the giant of the art world] [Ko Hun, promises to open his gallery for marginalized artists] [Go Su-yeol, ¡°Freedom and rights are not given by others. You have to find them yourself¡±] [Don¡¯t lose courage] On the 3rd, Go Su-yeol (65) and Ko Hun (12) joined the Korean Artists Association. The Korean Artists Association, organized by Seo In-ho (66) in 2027, is a group of domestic artists. The association does not receive government subsidies or corporate sponsorship, but rather operates independently to hold exhibitions and sell artworks. This is in stark contrast to the recent investigation of the Korean Art Association for corruption allegations. At the joining ceremony, Go Su-yeol said, ¡°The association has been dishonest for a long time, and the powerless artists have been treated unfairly. The union will y a role in helping the artists protect their inherent rights.¡± ording to industry insiders, the artists were afraid of the association¡¯s retaliation and could not join the union, and the exhibitions held by the union did not receive much attention. This is why Ko Hun¡¯s grandson¡¯s remark is causing a stir. Ko Hun said he would open his gallery, which is currently being established in Montmartre, Paris, for those who were denied opportunities by the association¡¯s unfair treatment. The artists are curious about what actions they will take with the expectation that they can have exhibitions at the main stage of Choctier, an artist group founded by Ko Hun and Henri Marso. Meanwhile, Ko Hun is known to have invested most of his ie from selling artworks, advertising, film production, and the inheritance from his parents to build the Choctier gallery. Lee In-ho reporter (Daehan Ilbo) ¡°Don¡¯t lose courage.¡± Ko Hun¡¯s voice echoed loudly. He was not satisfied with using his gallery, which he invested his entire fortune in, as a yground for the neglected children, but he also offered to give one exhibition hall for the domestic artists. ©¸There is nothing more to say. ©¸It¡¯s shameful. Even a young kid is trying to share what he has, but what are the adults doing? ©¸After seeing only trashy news for the past few years, this is a heartwarming story for a change. ©¸I graduated from art school, but I was moved by Hoon¡¯s interview. I gave up now, but it reminded me of the old days. ©¸How can he do that? ©¸That¡¯s the real flex. Buying luxury goods and supercars, is that a flex? ©¸lol ©¸It would have been perfect if he didn¡¯t teach Muslims how to draw. ©¸Please stop thinking like that. Hoon and Goseul also face racial discrimination in France. They tell us to get out of their country for eating dog meat. How is that different from you hating Muslims? ©¸It¡¯s different. Are we the same as those terrorists? ©¸The terrorists are separate, aren¡¯t they? ©¸The French are so ridiculous. They eat anything from snails to whatever, but they make a fuss about eating dogs. ©¸The French are notorious for being selfish. They tried to forcibly take away the homeless¡¯s dog and sell it. ©¸This is also discrimination. If you argue with food, you be the same as them. And the people who returned the dog to the homeless were also French. ©¸Please stop fighting. Hoon also wants us to stop. ©¸Right. I¡¯m sick of it. All I see on the news is fighting. There¡¯s no one who doesn¡¯t fight. Aren¡¯t you tired? ©¸Hoon just wants to be together. His works always speak of happiness or longing. ©¸Our Hoon is awesome ?? As more people sympathized with Hoon, some groups responded and joined in. ¡°Baum Art Museum?¡± Goseul and Hoon were surprised by the news that Bang Taeho delivered. ¡°Yes. I got a call from the director. He said he got permission from the owner. He agreed to host an exhibition for the members.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the owner?¡± ¡°Baedobin.¡± ¡°Wow. This is amazing. Thank you.¡± Hoon blinked. Baedobin was a world-famous musician that Hoon knew well. He wondered how the conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic could own thergest art museum in Korea. ¡°Isn¡¯t he a conductor?¡± ¡°He¡¯s also the heir of WH Group.¡± Hoon recalled the initials WH on the front of the Baum Art Museum. ¡°If the Baum Art Museum moves, other ces will react quickly too.¡± ¡°I guess so. Hold on.¡± Goseul¡¯s phone rang. It was a call from Lee Junho, the director of the Seoul Art Museum. ¡°Yes, this is Goseul.¡± -Hi, teacher, this is Lee Junho from the Seoul Art Museum. How are you? ¡°Haha. I¡¯m always busy. What¡¯s up?¡± -Well. Director Lee sighed softly and gathered his courage. -I¡¯ve been thinking a lot after hearing your and Hoon¡¯s story. I¡¯m ashamed to admit it, but it¡¯s true that I¡¯ve been ying it safe. ¡°¡­¡± -But you know what? The association can exist or not, but how can the museum run without anything to exhibit? ¡°Hmm.¡± -I was thinking of joining the association and doing some work. I was wondering who to contact, so I called you to say hello and ask if you would be okay with it¡­ ¡°Of course, we should work together on this. I¡¯ll talk to the association and arrange a ce for you before you return to Paris.¡± -Oh, thank you. Thank you so much. ¡°Haha, don¡¯t mention it. I should be the one thanking you.¡± As soon as Go Soo-yeol finished the call, Bang Tae-ho came out. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Lee Joon-ho, the director of the Seoul Art Museum. He wants to join the association and work with us.¡± Ko Hun was happy to hear that he had contacted the Seoul Art Museum. The Seoul Art Museum, where he had exhibited his first work , was also arge ce. ¡°Haha, I know what he¡¯s up to.¡± Bang Tae-ho figured out Lee Joon-ho¡¯s intentions. The atmosphere was leaning towards the association, and the two masters representing Korea were working together, so he moved quickly to secure an exhibition. ¡°Haha, he loves paintings, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Choi Kyu-seo¡¯s eyes shook as she entered the office of the Korean Art Association. The office was filled with documents that could not be discarded. Theputers were all empty. The phone ringing and the staff¡¯s voices filled the air. ¡°Yes, sir. Why do you want to withdraw?¡± ¡°I have no choice. I have to go through a three-month probationary period. Sir? Sir?¡± The counselors tried to stop the artists from leaving by imposingplicated procedures, but it was useless. The association had to resort to ordinary office workers to deal with the endless withdrawal requests. They couldn¡¯t even prepare for the audit of the Venice Biennale Organizing Committee, let alone the police who came and took away all the PCs and important documents. ¡°Hey, wait a minute.¡± Choi Kyu-seo grabbed an association employee. ¡°What happened? Huh?¡± The employee snapped back. ¡°Don¡¯t you know the investigation results?¡± He showed hostility to someone he wouldn¡¯t normally look at. ¡°Father. Where is my father?¡± ¡°He just went to be questioned. Can you move?¡± The employee passed by Choi Kyu-seo. She couldn¡¯t ept the situation that changed overnight. She leaned against the wall with her legs giving out and stared nkly at the chaotic office for a while. Chapter 298: Chapter 298: 298 The Final Showdown (3) [Repeated requests to withdraw from the Korean Art Association] [Artists who cut ties with the association due toplicated withdrawal procedures] [Choi Kyu-seo and Kim Su-hyuk refuse toply with police summons] [Prosecutors ban Choi Kyu-seo and Kim Su-hyuk from leaving the country] [Auditors from Venice Biennale bewildered, audit target on the run] [What will happen to the Korean Pavilion?] The world was changing.Ever since I joined the Korean Artists Union with my grandfather, the artists voluntarily withdrew from the association. Following the example of the Baewoom Art Museum and the Seoul Art Museum, art museums and galleries all over the country joined us. They no longer interfered with the association and established independent rtionships with the union members. Right now, the union members¡¯ exhibitions were doing well thanks to the great interest, but joining the union didn¡¯t guarantee sess. In the end, it depended on how they showed their good works, how they organized and promoted their exhibitions. From a marketing perspective, they might beckingpared to some artists who were pushed by the association with a strong budget. But the important thing was that the people who took unfair advantage between the artists and the audience, the audience and the art museum, were gone. It was up to the artists and the art museum how the Korean art scene, which was just starting to return to normal, would grow. ¡°Tsk.¡± My grandfather, who was watching the news, clicked his tongue at the news that Choi Kyu-seo and Kim Su-hyuk couple refused toply with the police summons. ¡°Can they do that?¡± ¡°Well. They seem to be holding on, but they won¡¯tst long.¡± ¡°What happens if they don¡¯t show up?¡± ¡°Hmm. I don¡¯t know. Maybe they¡¯ll be wanted?¡± Wanted posters. My grandfather didn¡¯t seem to know, but it would be interesting to see wanted flyers with Choi Kyu-seo¡¯s face on them. ¡°What a disgrace. I don¡¯t know what this is.¡± The auditors sent by the Venice Biennale Organizing Committee arrived in Korea, but the audit target, the Korean Art Association, was on the verge of copse. I heard they were searched and seized and had to return home without anything to audit. ¡°Then what will happen to the Korean Pavilion?¡± My grandfather sighed. ¡°It might be closed.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The association was operating with government support, but the entity is gone. There¡¯s no one to manage or exhibit, so I think that¡¯s what they¡¯re saying.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. How can they do that to a ce we¡¯ve been protecting?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. The union is constantly contacting the government and the biennale, so there must be a way.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What we can do is show them that there are great artists in Korea. Can you do that?¡± It felt a bit roundabout, but there was no better way. If the Korean Pavilion could continue to show good works, if they could prove it, the Venice Biennale wouldn¡¯t close it for the sake of the box office. ¡°Your name.¡± Choi Kyu-seo red at the police who asked him. He couldn¡¯t ept the situation of being interrogated in a space of barely one pyeong, dragged here against his will. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± The police sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t talk back. Tell me your name.¡± ¡°What are you going to do if I talk back? Don¡¯t you know who I am?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Choi Kyu-seo narrowed his eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t tell cold water from hot water. Hey,dy. Where do you think this is? Are you threatening me? Get your act together.¡± It was the first time he had experienced such humiliation. ¡°Just answer the questions I ask. How can you have so many charges?¡± The police typed nervously on the keyboard. ¡°Name.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Name!¡± ¡°¡­Choi Kyu-seo.¡± ¡°Hurry up. It¡¯s going to take days.¡± ¡°What?¡± The police red at him. Choi Kyu-seo flinched and the police sighed. The country was in an uproar over the fraudulent receipt of national subsidies, embezzlement of public funds, and betrayal. There was a mountain of things to investigate. The president and the political circles urged a thorough investigation, and the higher-ups ordered to sweep away any dust. I couldn¡¯t understand what this foolish person was relying on to do this. ¡°Hey, you. You must have some faith, but even former ministers andwmakers don¡¯t do this. Huh? Get a grip.¡± Choi Kyu-seo, who had trusted thewmaker who gave him political funds and the media outlet he had established a rtionship with by cing ads, was flustered for the first time. They were not the people in the art world who had been ttering him with the name of the daughter of the president of the Korean Art Association. ¡°Just answer me. You were born on August 9, 1997. Right?¡± ¡°Why do you keep asking me what you know?¡± Choi Kyu-seo snapped as the police red at him. ¡°It¡¯s a procedure. A procedure. Just answer.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Henri Marso, a genius artist who had been actively working on his works, was recently suffering from a serious slump. He had reached his limit after making over 800 self-portraits and self-awareness paintings. He had been working on a new work concept for a month, but he couldn¡¯t find an idea that satisfied him. He had been working hard in his studio all day, thinking that Henri IV Middle School would have a vacation. He was pushed to the edge of the cliff both physically and mentally. ¡°Henri?¡± Christmas Eve morning. Michel and Kohun, who visited the studio, found Henri lying on a huge canvas. There was paint all over the canvas and Henri Marso. ¡°Hey?¡± As Michel approached Henri, he opened his eyes wide. Then he got up, but one side of his body was covered with white paint. Kohun and Michel flinched. They knew that Henri was having trouble with his new work concept and that he was originally a weird person, but his condition seemed to be getting worse. ¡°What were you doing?¡± Kohun asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you see?¡± Kohun looked at where Henri Marso had been lying. He seemed to have a lot of worries, enough to paint his body and lie down. ¡°A murder scene?¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Michelughed. As the boy said, the ce where Henri Marso had been lying looked like a ce where a corpse had been marked. Henri Marso wiped his face with a towel and sat down on a chair. ¡°What are you here for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Christmas. You¡¯ve been in the studio all the time, so let¡¯s cheer up a bit.¡± Kohun nodded and agreed with him. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not in the mood, so you have to do it. Look at yourself.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re half a corpse right now.¡± Henri Marso licked his lips. He couldn¡¯t forgive Kohun for calling him a corpse, the jewel of the noble Marso family. ¡°You.¡± Henri got up from his seat and stopped. ¡®Is this me?¡¯ He narrowed his eyes as he looked at himself in the mirror that Michel had brought out. His hair was messy and oily, and his eyes were dark. He didn¡¯t look good because he didn¡¯t eat or sleep properly due to work stress. And half of his face was covered with white paint, which was not the look of the hero Henri Marso. ¡°Who told you to go to bed early and get up early and do this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. Just wash up.¡± ¡°And eat. Don¡¯t just fill up with chocte.¡± ¡°Stop using recovery capsules.¡± ¡°And stop drinking coffee.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you clean up a bit?¡± ¡°Sleep a little. How long.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Henri Marso shouted and Kohun and Michel left the studioughing. Henri Marso, who was left alone, looked around the studio and bit his tongue. A littleter. Henri Marso, who had taken a bath, couldn¡¯t ovee the drowsiness and went into the recovery capsule. He shouldn¡¯t have abused it, but he wasn¡¯t feeling well right now, and he could sleep soundly, so Kohun and Michel couldn¡¯t stop him. The country was in an uproar over the illegal receipt of national subsidies, embezzlement of public funds, and betrayal. There were mountains of things to investigate. The president and the political circles urged a thorough investigation, and the higher-ups ordered me to sweep everything under the rug. I couldn¡¯t understand what this reckless person was relying on. ¡°Hey, you. You must have some faith, huh? Even former ministers and congressmen don¡¯t act like this. Huh? Get a grip.¡± Choi Kyu-seo, who had trusted the congressman who gave him political funds and the media outlets he had advertised with, was flustered for the first time. They were not the art world insiders who had been ttering him just because he was the daughter of the president of the Korean Art Association. ¡°Just answer me. You were born on August 9th, 1997. Right?¡± ¡°Why do you keep asking me what you already know?¡± Choi Kyu-seo snapped back as the police red at him. ¡°It¡¯s procedure. Procedure. Just answer.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Henri Marso, a genius artist who had been active in his work, was going through a serious slump. He had reached his limit after creating over 800 self-portraits and self-awareness paintings. He had been working on a new piece for a month, but he couldn¡¯t find an idea that satisfied him. He had locked himself in his studio all day, working hard, while Henri IV Middle School was probably on vacation. He was physically and mentally on the edge of a cliff. ¡°Henri?¡± Christmas Eve morning. Michel and Kohun, who visited his studio, found Henri lying on a huge canvas. There was paint everywhere between the canvas and Henri Marso. ¡°Are you awake?¡± As Michel approached Henri, he opened his eyes wide. He got up, but one side of his body was covered in white paint. Ko Hun and Michel flinched. They knew Henri was a weirdo who had been struggling with his new work ideately, but his condition seemed to be getting worse. ¡°What were you doing?¡± Ko Hun asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you see?¡± Ko Hun looked at where Henri Marso had been lying. He seemed to have a lot of trouble, enough to smear paint on his body and lie down like that. ¡°A murder scene?¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Michelughed. It looked like Henri Marso had marked the ce where he had been lying as if there had been a corpse there, just as the boy said. Henri Marso wiped his face with a towel and sat on a chair. ¡°What are you here for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Christmas. You¡¯ve been in the studio all the time, so let¡¯s cheer up a bit.¡± Ko Hun nodded and agreed with him. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood.¡± ¡°You have to do it because you¡¯re not in the mood. Look at yourself.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re half-dead right now.¡± Henri Marso licked his lips. He couldn¡¯t forgive Ko Hun for calling him a corpse, the jewel of the noble Marso family. ¡°You.¡± Henri got up from his seat and stopped. ¡®Is this me?¡¯ He narrowed his eyes as he looked at himself in the mirror that Michel had brought out. His hair was messy and greasy, and his eyes were dark. He didn¡¯t look healthy because he hadn¡¯t eaten or slept properly due to work stress. And his face was half-covered with white paint, which made him look nothing like the heroic Henri Marso. ¡°Who told you to go to bed early and get up early and you¡¯re doing this?¡± ¡°Exactly. Go wash up first.¡± ¡°And eat something. Don¡¯t just snack on chocte.¡± ¡°Stop using recovery capsules.¡± ¡°And stop drinking coffee.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you clean up a bit?¡± ¡°Get some sleep. How long has it been?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Henri Marso shouted and Ko Hun and Michel left the studioughing and teasing him. Henri Marso, who was left alone, looked around the studio and bit his tongue. A littleter. After taking a bath, Henri Marso couldn¡¯t resist the drowsiness and went into a recovery capsule. He shouldn¡¯t have abused it, but he wasn¡¯t feeling well and he could sleep soundly, so Ko Hun and Michel couldn¡¯t stop him. Instead of waking him up, we decorated the Christmas tree together while waiting for him. ¡°Are you starting construction next spring?¡± Michelle asked Ko Hun about the Choctier Gallery. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to build it better than the Marso Gallery.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. Will you invite me?¡± Michelle handed Ko Hun a ring shaped like a gift box. ¡°Of course. When will the Marso Museum bepleted?¡± ¡°I was thinking of the year after next, but it might be faster. Maybe next fall?¡± ¡°That¡¯s very fast.¡± ¡°Yeah. Henri is in a hurry.¡± Michelle wanted to tell Ko Hun about the ¡®Ko Hun Hall¡¯, but she had to hold it back. The Ko Hun Hall itself was a surprise, but there was another gift that Henri had prepared. She couldn¡¯t take away that joy. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ko Hun climbed thedder and reached for the top of the Christmas tree, but his hand didn¡¯t reach the top. He tried a few more times, but he had no choice but to hand the star to Michelle. Michelle tini climbed thedder instead and hung the star. ¡°Is Henri okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. He¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him work so hard.¡± Michelle smiled as she came down from thedder. ¡°He does that sometimes. You saw him when he made the jewel of Marso.¡± Ko Hun recalled the event from several years ago. Henri Marso, who was still thinking about how to express the statue after the exhibition started, was not much different from now. ¡°I¡¯m worried about him.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± He always took good care of his health, but when he got into his work, he ignored everything else. It was inevitable that the people around him would worry. But he didn¡¯t worry about his next work at all. He was the kind of person who would break through any wall that blocked him, or smash it if he couldn¡¯t. ¡°But he¡¯s not someone who gives up. We have to help him not to copse.¡± Ko Hun smiled at Michelle¡¯s words. He realized why Henri Marso didn¡¯t have any big problems even though he was so devoted to his work. They cheered and protected him from the side. And after he finished his work, they prepared the most amazing exhibition for him. He had nothing else to worry about. ¡°It would have been a disaster without you, Michelle.¡± ¡°Right.¡± The twoughed softly. Chapter 299: Chapter 299: 299 The Final Showdown (4) I was so exhausted from pushing myself physically and mentally that I felt sleepy as soon as I took a warm shower. Normally, I would have been fine with an hour or two of rest, but I ended up sleeping for ten hours in the recovery capsule. I pressed the bell to call for Arsene. ¡°Did you find him?¡± ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about six o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡±I was annoyed to think that I had wasted the whole day sleeping when I had things to do. I remembered the people who nagged me to take a break in the morning. ¡°Michel and the kid.¡± ¡°They cut down a tree in the morning and decorated the reception room.¡± ¡°What?¡± "It¡¯s Christmas, isn¡¯t it?"1) Arsene smiled brightly. Michel and Ko Hun had cut down a fir tree from the grounds of the Marso mansion and created a Christmas atmosphere for me, who had been secluded in my worktely. In the afternoon, nche Fabre and Vida Rabanica, members of the Choctier, came to help. Arsene was overjoyed to see that I, who had spent every Christmas alone, had made some friends. ¡°What a waste of time.¡± I got up. ¡°Why don¡¯t you enjoy yourself today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± ¡°Ko Hun and Mr. tini went to Strasbourg.¡± Strasbourg was a region that had been running a Christmas market since 1570. It was called the capital of Christmas for its variety of rted products. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever had a proper celebration? Mr. tini seemed a bit disappointed all this time, so why don¡¯t you spend some time with him today?¡± It was rare for Arsene to keep persuading me. He knew my personality well and focused on delivering information, not trying to convince me. He sincerely wished that I would spend some time with the people I loved, so he made an exception this time. As Arsene kept urging me in an unusual way, I moved my feet with annoyance. When I opened the door to the reception room, it was dark. As I looked around with a frown, the small lights that wrapped around the Christmas tree started to light up. The children were smiling under the quiet glow. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve never made anything like this before.¡± ¡°Your sock is crooked.¡± Ko Hun, nche Fabre, and Vida Rabanica rearranged the tree with their artistic sense. ¡°Are you here?¡± Michel tini came up to me with a grin. ¡°It¡¯s dark.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t show the lights if it¡¯s too bright.¡± I scanned the reception room with displeasure. The huge Christmas tree had socks, candy canes, stars, angels, bells, and lights hanging all over it. Underneath, there were several gift boxes wrapped in red ribbon, and the children were putting a wooden doll on the shelf. ¡°Henri.¡± Ko Hun waved at me. ¡°Here, take it.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s baby Jesus. You just have to put it in the middleter.¡± Ko Hun handed me a wooden doll and said. ¡°What is this?¡± "Don¡¯t you know what a creche is?"2) I knew, but I had never experienced it. Ko Hun, Michel, and Arsene all looked at me expectantly, and I hesitantly tried to put the baby Jesus doll in the middle. ¡°No, you can¡¯t. You have to put it at midnight.¡± nche Fabre scolded me. ¡°What?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a day for putting the doll. Baby Jesus is on Christmas Eve at midnight.¡± I held up the baby Jesus doll with a disgruntled look. "Merry Christmas, Henri Marso."3) ¡°Merry Christmas.¡± Michel and the children greeted me with bright smiles. ¡°Oh my, how lovely.¡± Sherry Gado, who had prepared the dinner, came looking for the drawing room. The children, who had experienced Sherry Gado¡¯s cooking skills, hurried to the dining room with Michel, leaving only Henri Marso behind, looking uneasy. ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± Sherry Gado urged Henri. He was hungry, but Henri Marso couldn¡¯t bring himself to move. The noisy children left and the quiet night came. Henri Marso was captivated by an unknown feeling and sat by the window in the drawing room. He hated loud, messy, and noisy things, but strangely enough, it wasn¡¯t a bad evening. Michel came over and handed him a warm tea. ¡°Did you have fun?¡± Henri didn¡¯t answer. He was confused. He felt like he was wavering, who had been firm in everything until now. He felt strange to ept the dinner with the noisy children and to be so rxed even though he couldn¡¯t produce any work. ¡°Are you stuck?¡± Michel asked after taking a sip of tea. His voice was in, without any worry or concern. Henri put down his teacup and looked out the window for a while. Michel didn¡¯t rush him and sat by the window with him. After a while. Henri finally opened his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°The kid calling me casually. The white-haired and the big-headed ones writing me letters.¡± Michel smiled brightly. ¡°Do you hate getting closer?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Henri Marso was facing a wall he had never experienced before. The theme of the Venice Biennale, ¡®Between¡¯, was a very unfamiliar concept to him. He had only thought about who he was, what he liked and disliked, where he was and where he wanted to go. He couldn¡¯t make any work as someone who had never thought deeply about his rtionship with others. In the meantime, his rtionship with Ko Hun suddenly progressed and he received respect and love from the students of Henri IV Middle School and High School. The white-haired and the big-headed ones, who were members of Choctier, treated him friendly and the French artists who joined the Venice Biennale joint exhibition hall also approached him with kindness. It was a strange environment for Henri Marso. Since he was young, those who came to him had the purpose of his wealth. When he grew up, they only belittled and ridiculed Henri Marso¡¯s work as being low-level. He had to fight lonely battles with those who always had to fight and win. He had fans, but he couldn¡¯t share human rtionships with them, so Henri Marso¡¯s world was confined to his mansion. Even the dozens of employees were business rtionships, so the only people he truly exchanged his heart with were his nanny Sherry Gado and Michel tini. People started to appear in his narrow world. He didn¡¯t want to let anyone in, but a boy broke in and through that gap, many people wereing in. He couldn¡¯t define his rtionship with others clearly because of that strange and weird experience. And that was why the genius Henri Marso couldn¡¯t take a single step for weeks. It wasn¡¯t easy to put someone else on the canvas that he had only drawn self-portraits. It was different from drawing himself as the center, like he did in the Art Nouveau contest with . ¡°You shouldn¡¯t think too hard.¡± Michel opened his mouth. ¡°You¡¯ve already drawn it.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Shadow.¡± It was his Whitney Biennale entry. He had drawn Ko Hun¡¯s , , and in the huge emerald eyes. ¡°You looked different. I could feel your desire to surpass Ko Hun.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Until then, you sometimes seemed inhuman.¡± Henri opened his eyes wide and Michel chuckled. ¡°Do you really need to define it? Just think of it as having more friends.¡± ¡°He and I are not friends.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± He wasplicated. He couldn¡¯t call him a rival, because he was different from those who had blocked his way until now. ¡°To me, you two are the best of friends.¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re not.¡± ¡°What do you think a friend is?¡± Henri narrowed his eyes at Michelle¡¯s question. It was a concept he had never thought about. He was an artist that the whole world admired, but his social skills were barely at the level of a toddler. He was too brilliant. He was too special. He thought and saw things differently and far ahead of others, so he couldn¡¯t fit in. Cheri Gado embraced him with love, and he fought and understood each other with Michelle tini, but he never met anyone who could talk to him at the same eye level. That¡¯s when a genius who resembled him so much appeared. Ko Hun was the only one who thought and acted at a simr level. He didn¡¯t know what a friend was, but he couldn¡¯t define it with such amon word. ¡°Anyway, no.¡± ¡°I think you are. You two are the best of friends.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Did Ko Hun not open his gift?¡± Henri Marso looked at the big box that Ko Hun had given him. ¡°He probably filled it with choctes.¡± ¡°Open it.¡± Michelle urged him, and he reluctantly got up and opened the box. There was something that looked like a frame sticking out of the cushioning material. It was a painting that Ko Hun had given him as a gift, who had said he had no work to exhibit and didn¡¯t sell or give away his paintings a few weeks ago. Henri Marso took out the frame and was speechless for a moment. The maple leaves that seemed to capture the sunset glowed softly under the light. ¡°He said he painted it while preparing for the Venice Biennale.¡± Henri Marso turned his head. ¡°Then why did he give it to me?¡± ¡°He said he painted 17 pieces, and that one was the best one besides the entry.¡± Henri Marso looked at the postcard attached to the frame. It had the title and a short message saying ¡°Let¡¯s get along well in the future.¡± ¡°137 years?¡± Henri Marso asked Michelle for an answer, but she just shrugged. ¡°He said the title of his entry was 149,597,870.696 km. The distance between the sun and the earth.¡± Henri Marso looked at again. He felt a longing for the sunset and the maple leaves that resembled each other across the unimaginable distance. He still couldn¡¯t understand the title of 137 years, but he felt like he knew what Ko Hun¡¯s rtionship was. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°The studio.¡± Henri Marso put down and headed to the studio. ¡®He must have thought of something.¡¯ His steps were urgent and clear, and Michelle was able to smile with relief. In France, it¡¯s No?l. Cr¨¨che. The nativity scene. It¡¯s a tradition that started in thete 18th century in the south of France, Provence, where they depict the birth of Jesus with y figurines. It¡¯s usually a church event, and as time goes by, the figurines increase as the story progresses. In France, it¡¯s Joyeux No?l (zhwah-yuh noh-el). Chapter 300: Chapter 300: 300 The Final Showdown (5) Spring had arrived after a long winter. Just like the sprouts that broke through the frozen ground, hope had blossomed in the Korean art scene. The government had decided to stop supporting the Korean Art Association, after receiving requests from artists, students, parents, and various citizens. The association had lost its function, as its members had dwindled and its funding had been cut off. The roles that the association had yed until then were to be distributed among different organizations. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism had temporarily taken over the external affairs, such as the operation of the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The Ministry of Culture and Education had directly taken charge of the support for eachpetition. There was a proposal to conduct the evaluation of domesticrge-scalepetitions, such as the National Exhibition, with 30% of the current artists rmended by the Korean Artists Association and 70% of the audience votes.Bang Tae-ho had realized through this association incident that the artists had to develop their own marketability, rather than relying on subsidies. He was d to hear that those who wanted to do art and depended on subsidies or national projects had realized what true freedom was. There was also a suggestion to give the subsidies that had gone to the association directly to the artists. But the artists had cited the Antermittant system in France and asked for the improvement of the current unemployment benefits system for artists, instead of subsidies. The artists who had belonged to the king, the nobility, and the church in the past had taken a step away from the government and society. -Choi Young-soo, the chairman of the Korean Art Association, was sentenced to eight years in prison in the first trial. I heard about Choi Young-soo and his family while watching the news with my grandfather. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it six years?¡± The article had said that he was sentenced to six years in prison, but the term had increased. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s not easy to get a longer sentence than the prosecution.¡± My grandfather seemed to not know what it was about. -The judge sentenced Choi, who had been sentenced to six years in prison in the first trial, saying that he had embezzled the national subsidies for personal purposes and increased his personal assets for the past 20 years, and caused irreparable damage to the art world and the artists, and that his crimes of embezzlement, breach of trust, special threats, etc. were not good. My grandfather nodded slowly. -Meanwhile, Choi Young-soo, the chairman of the association, announced that he would give up his appeal, and his sentence of eight years in prison and a fine of 11 billion won was confirmed. ¡°What does appeal mean?¡± ¡°It means asking for a retrial. He¡¯s saying that the trial was wrong and he wants it to be done again.¡± I was surprised that the man who had done such evil things for 20 years epted the court¡¯s verdict quietly. ¡°Do you think he has some other n? It¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°He must have thought that his sentence could increase in the retrial, since the public opinion was strong and the evidence was clear.¡± My grandfather smiled bitterly. ¡°He won¡¯t be able to do anything when hees out again.¡± Choi Young-soo was the same age as my grandfather, so he would be 75 years old after eight years. Even if he came out earlier, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything, since the association had lost its power. -Choi Kyu-seo and Kim Soo-hyuk, the couple who had caused controversy by operating the Korean Pavilion unfairly, were sentenced to two years and one year in prison, respectively. ¡°Only?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but react to the trial result. ¡°There¡¯s no probation.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± The modern judicial system isplicated. ¡°It means that they postpone the execution. For example, if you don¡¯tmit another crime for four years, you don¡¯t have to serve your sentence, but if you do, you go to jail. There¡¯s none of that, and the sentence is carried out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too short.¡± They had tormented hundreds, thousands of artists and monopolized the subsidies for them. ¡°They probably got that because it was their first offense. The court must have thought that they gave them a strong sentence by sending them without probation.¡± I couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°And when they serve their sentence ande out, what can they do? They followed their father and ran around recklessly, so they won¡¯t be able to live on their own skills now.¡± As my grandfather said, it would be the most cruel thing for Choi Kyu-seo. He had to live on his own, since his father had lost his power. And he had the stigma of being a criminal. He wouldn¡¯t be able to work anywhere with his art skills. I hoped that he would feel at least a little bit of the feelings of those he had pushed away without any care, as he was frustrated by reality. ¡°By the way, I haven¡¯t seen Marsotely. He used toe every day.¡± He had visited my studio like he was going to work for a while, and enjoyed and that I had given him as a Christmas presentst year. At first, I thought he liked it, but after a fortnight, I wondered if he had something else on his mind. He also showed some strange behaviors, such as taking pictures or measuring the length with a ruler, but now he had left as if nothing had happened. ¡°He must be staying in Venice.¡± ¡°Venice?¡± ¡°He said he was making something, but he didn¡¯t tell me what.¡± ¡°He must be having a hard time with his work for the Biennale. I hope you cheer him up.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I answered, but he didn¡¯t really need me to. He was the kind of person who could do everything on his own. He had a strong pride, and my support might only stress him out. All I had to do was enjoy the work that Henri hadpleted after his agony. ¡°Hoon-ah.¡± It was Bang Tae-ho¡¯s voice. He had left in the morning, saying that he had to discuss the cement of the works for the exhibition, but he seemed to have returned already. ¡°I¡¯m on the second floor.¡± Bang Tae-ho, who came up the stairs, tilted his head as if he was embarrassed. ¡°tini wants to change the location of your work. Uh¡­¡± ¡°149,597,870.696 km.¡± Bang Tae-ho blinked his eyes and shook his head, then continued. ¡°Anyway, he said he wanted to move it somewhere else.¡± The decision of where and how to disy the works was up to Bang Tae-ho and Michel. As long as it wasn¡¯t an absurd way, they didn¡¯t need to ask for my permission, so I was puzzled. Grandfather asked for me instead. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit awkward. He said it was something that Hoon had to agree on.¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°He mentioned the entrance.¡± I didn¡¯t understand what he meant. I looked at Grandfather, but he seemed clueless too. ¡°The entrance?¡± ¡°Your work. Uh¡­¡± ¡°149,597,870.696 km.¡± ¡°Oh, dear. I can¡¯t remember it either. Let¡¯s just call it Maple among ourselves.¡± ¡°Yes. He said he wanted to hang Maple on the ceiling near the entrance.¡± ¡°Then people might not see it.¡± ¡°They would see it when they leave, but it might be a bit off-putting to see it at the end.¡± ¡°Is there not enough space?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. We nned to exhibit more than 20 pieces, so we made it big.¡± The exhibition hall was thergest among the national pavilions, considering not only paintings but also sculptures and instation art. ¡°But why?¡± ¡°He said it was Marso¡¯s request. He didn¡¯t tell me the details.¡± I would understand if it was Henri, but Michel wouldn¡¯t suggest such a thing without exining. Maybe Henri didn¡¯t tell Michel either. ¡°What a strange thing. I have to meet tini.¡± ¡°No, Grandfather.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Henri must have something in mind. Please do as he says.¡± Bang Tae-ho rubbed his chin. ¡°I passed it on since he suggested it, but I¡¯m against it. Maple is a really meaningful work. It might even get a better evaluation than Frosty Millet Field, beyond being a good work.¡± ¡°I feel the same way.¡± Bang Tae-ho straightened his back. I had been cautious about approaching him, thinking that I had received more attention and love than my abilities deserved. But I was confident about . I had learned various materials and expanded the way of using colors at the same time, but was so well done that I wondered if I could draw a better work than this. Grandfather smiled as if he was proud of me, who had found confidence. ¡°Right. That¡¯s why I think it should be in the center. It would be nice to disy them all in good ces, but there¡¯s no choice since there¡¯s only one best ce. Your 149 million¡­ Maple suits it best.¡± Most of the works for the Venice Biennale had arrived at the exhibition hall. Only Henri¡¯s work was not finished yet, but Bang Tae-ho seemed to think that my work should be in the center. I was grateful. ¡°What did Michel think?¡± ¡°tini also agreed to put Maple there until yesterday. But he changed his mind in a day.¡± Bang Tae-ho showed his resentment. Michel wouldn¡¯t have been rude, considering his usual personality. He must have suggested it cautiously, not knowing the reason, but Bang Tae-ho seemed to be hurt by the fact that he wanted to show off my painting. He was reliable. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Henri won¡¯t harm me. He must have something in mind.¡± ¡°I hope so, but I still want to hear the story.¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s do as you say, sir.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll contact him.¡± -You mean well, but you have to exin why. What would Hoon think? Meanwhile, Michelle tini med Henri Marso. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to know in advance.¡± -Then you should have thought of a better excuse. Hoon was nice enough to understand, but anyone else would have fought with you by now. ¡°That¡¯s what we agreed on.¡± Michelle tini, who was on the phone with Henri, tapped her chest in frustration. She had thought Henri¡¯s idea was very sweet when she first heard it, but he acted like a fool. He had prepared a wonderful gift, but he made the person feel hurt before giving it. She didn¡¯t understand why. She tried to persuade her lovely fool once more. -You¡¯ll like it when you see it. But it¡¯s not for just anyone. ¡°I¡¯m not doing it for anyone.¡± -Ha. Sure. You¡¯re such a great lover. Bye! Henri Marso handed the phone to Arsen after ending the call and looked at the sunset of Venice. He had spent two months in Venice, working as an architect and a meteorologist, and he had just started his work recently. ¡®How about trying something other than self-portraits?¡¯ The words that the kid, who was neither a friend nor a colleague nor a rival, had thrown at him had brought a big change to him. ¡°Sir, this is the expected location.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course. Unless the weather is bad, it¡¯s certain.¡± The exhibition hall construction manager approached Henri Marso, who nodded. ¡°It seems possible thanks to the postponement of the opening.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried about the inconvenience of getting up there. Since people usually see more than one exhibition hall, I think it would be better to have two entrances, one on the basement and one on the first floor.¡± ¡°Do that. And don¡¯t forget to leave it empty.¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Henri Marso looked around the exhibition hall of the viin and took a deep breath. The work he had been preparing sincest Christmas was finally showing results. ¡°Sir.¡± Arsen called him from behind. ¡°Hoon is calling.¡± Henri took the phone. ¡°Why.¡± -What are you doing there all the time? ¡°Work.¡± -Don¡¯t you think I know that? Aren¡¯t you going to school? ¡°I¡¯m busy. I¡¯ll go next semester. Why?¡± -Rabani is looking forward to Henri¡¯s ss. It was about Vida Rabani, who had entered Henri¡¯s fourth middle school thanks to the schrship program. The boy who was nurturing his dream of bing a painter through the Marso Gallery was thrilled by the thought of learning from Henri Marso, whom he admired. Hoon told him everything from Vida Rabani¡¯s news to trivial stories, and Henri Marso listened and responded asionally. -Then I¡¯ll contact you again. ¡°Okay.¡± Henri Marso, who was looking up at the exhibition hall of the viin, opened his mouth before the call ended. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it and prepare something else. There¡¯s Art Basel too.¡± -I¡¯m not worried. The sunset was dyed like autumn leaves. Chapter 301: Chapter 301: 301 The Final Showdown (6) ¡°Please state the summary of the charges.¡± The prosecutor stepped forward. ¡°The defendant sold 97 pieces of art to the Korean Art Association through his father, who was the chairman of the association, using the association¡¯s operating funds for four years from 2025, and exhibited them in his own gallery.¡± Choi Kyu-seo had been selling his works to the Korean Art Association by taking advantage of his father Choi Young-soo¡¯s position as the chairman. Not only that, he also made unfair profits by selling his works to the association and then exhibiting them in his own gallery and reselling them. The trial proceeded and the prosecutor requested the witness to appear. Baek Seol-ki took the stand.She tried to avoid eye contact with Choi Kyu-seo, who was sitting in the defendant¡¯s seat. She answered the judge¡¯s questions in a trembling voice and swore to tell the truth as it was. The prosecutor stepped forward. ¡°I will first establish the truth. Do you have any record of being investigated by the authorities for the same content?¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°Did you work at Cymen for five years from 2024?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What kind of work did you do?¡± ¡°I worked as a secretary.¡± ¡°Whose secretary were you?¡± ¡°Choi Kyu-seo¡¯s.¡± ¡°Since you were his college senior and junior, you must know well about Cymen and Choi Kyu-seo.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Cymen bought and exhibited 166 pieces of art in thest four years. Do you know where the money came from?¡± ¡°It was the Korean Art Association¡¯s operating expenses.¡± ¡°What kind of art did you buy with the Korean Art Association¡¯s operating expenses?¡± ¡°Choi Kyu-seo¡¯s works.¡± ¡°How many pieces were there?¡± ¡°97 pieces.¡± The prosecutor secured the testimony and turned to the judge. ¡°Your Honor, the Cymen art transaction ledger submitted as evidence proves that the witness¡¯s testimony is true. The defendant disguised the sale of works that he did not actually sell and embezzled the Korean Art Association¡¯s operating funds.¡± The defense attorney cross-examined, but only confirmed the facts and could not reverse the situation. Despite everything being clearly revealed, Baek Seol-ki was afraid to look at Choi Kyu-seo in the defendant¡¯s seat. She was bound by the experience of being abused by Choi Kyu-seo for years. ¡°Please consider his first offense and treat him leniently.¡± The defense attorney finished his defense. ¡°Defendant.¡± The judge called Choi Kyu-seo. ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± Choi Kyu-seo stood up. Baek Seol-ki felt her heart tighten as she looked at his back. ¡°It is true that I did some unreasonable things while running a business and trying to make profits. But it was all for the development of the art world. The works I bought with the Korean Art Association¡¯s operating funds were not only mine, and the cases where I sold the works and exhibited them for resale were also a way of co-owning them because they were expensive. I feel wronged.¡± The judge nced at Choi Kyu-seo. ¡°Defendant. The evidence shows that the entire sales amount went to your personal ount.¡± The judge¡¯s voice was angry. ¡°Your actions were not for the art world, but for your own greed. How can you say that you were for the art world when you monopolized the funds that were formed for the sake of many artists?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Do you really repent? Don¡¯t you have someone else to apologize to?¡± The judge scolded Choi Kyu-seo, who could not say anything. ¡°¡­¡± He looked very unfamiliar to Baek Seol-ki. Choi Kyu-seo, who was always arrogant, if not confident, in front of anyone, was only bowing his head. She, who had been untouchable in the art world with her father¡¯s influence, was nothing but a criminal in society and court. Baek Seol-ki felt the fear in her chest gradually fade away. ¡°The verdict will be announced on Thursday, March 14th. The verdict will be announced even if the defendant does not attend. If you disagree, you must appeal within 7 days and submit the appeal to this court. The trial is over.¡± Baek Seol-ki watched Choi Kyu-seo being led out by the court staff and left the courtroom. ¡°You did well.¡± Yoo Ra-im came up to her. We became close after working together on the Korea-France joint exhibition, but Baekseolgi was terrified of this trial and asked me to apany her to the courtroom. ¡°I saw that he still hasn¡¯te to his senses. He thinks he did it for the sake of the art world. If it weren¡¯t for the judge, I would have given him a piece of my mind.¡± Baekseolgi smiled weakly. After the trial was over, I felt so relieved that I wanted to lie down right away. ¡°Why? Are you tired? Do you want to sit for a while before we go?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go eat something delicious.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yuraim took the wheel. As she drove slowly, she remembered the good news from yesterday. ¡°Hey, did you see that?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You know, what Choi Gyu-seo did.¡± Choi Gyu-seo had made ast-ditch effort to use Baekseolgi of stealing his work and imed that it was unfair that he was the only one punished. At one point, there were voices in the Bulhandang group calling for Baekseolgi¡¯s expulsion. She was already overwhelmed by preparing for the Venice Biennale, and the trial and the negative public opinion had drained her physically and mentally. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Yesterday, there was a post saying that it wasn¡¯t your fault. You should check out the forum.¡± I didn¡¯t know what kind of insults I would find. I had never encountered such irrational hatements before, and they made me suffer for days. I didn¡¯t feel like it, but since my friend insisted, I had no choice but to log into the art forum. ¡°Was it ¡®Baekseolgi controversy summary¡¯?¡± Yuraim told me the title of the post. It was the most upvoted post on the site. The person who wrote it introduced themselves as a graduate of the Korea University College of Fine Arts and exined the rtionship between Baekseolgi and Choi Gyu-seo. They said that Choi Gyu-seo had deceived Baekseolgi and not only devalued the award she had received, but also prevented her from participating in otherpetitions and exhibitions using the exhibition as an excuse. The people who had been victimized by Choi Gyu-seo alsomented that they had been treated the same way by him. ©¸She¡¯s a victim too, you know? ©¸She might be the biggest victim of all. ©¸If this person hadn¡¯t collected the evidence, Choi Gyu-seo would still be active. ©¸This is why you shouldn¡¯t listen to one side only. Where are all the people who were bashing Baekseolgi? ©¸Is this also this person¡¯s im? ©¸Do you think the police would have let Baekseolgi go if she had really taken or stolen something? The investigation and the trial are already done. As I read the post again from the beginning, I noticed Yuraim¡¯s trace in the photo that proved that they were a graduate of Korea University. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For this.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Baekseolgi started to shed tears, and Yuraim was flustered. ¡°Hey, why are you crying?¡± I was grateful. Relieved. Exhausted. It was hard to express it in one word. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s over. You¡¯ve submitted your work, so let¡¯s rest until the opening.¡± Baekseolgi nodded. ¡°You worked hard. Really.¡± -We received your work without any problem. Thank you for your hard work. Ma Eun-chan received a text message from Bang Tae-ho. It was about the arrival of her work for the Venice Biennale. ¡°Thank you! You also worked hard, Director! I¡¯ll leave it to you to make it awesome! Have a nice day!¡± She replied andy down on the bed. The rusty spring squeaked. She had been working non-stop for five months sincest October, and her tense body and mind finally got some rest. ¡°Ah.¡± Aplex emotion flowed out with a sigh. She still couldn¡¯t believe that her work was exhibited at the Venice Biennale. It felt even more like a dream because reality had hit her so hard. She had managed to survive on the 5 million won creative support fund from the Venice Biennale, but now she had to find a job again. ¡°I don¡¯t think one will be enough.¡± She was short on money because she had taken a long break from her part-time job. Ma Eun-chan turned on herptop to look for a job. I browsed through the job sites, thinking that I wouldn¡¯t refuse any job as long as the time and pay were right, but there weren¡¯t many jobs that I could do while attending school. Brrr- Brrr- My old phone, which I bought eight years ago, rang with difficulty. ¡°Hoon?¡± Ma Eun-chan answered the phone. ¡°Hi!¡± -Hi? ¡°It¡¯s a greeting. Why? What¡¯s up?¡± -Taeho said he received your work, so I called you. ¡°Oh, yeah. Ha~ It was really hard. It was the first time I spent so long on one thing. How about you?¡± -I submitted mine too. It seems like everyone has submitted theirs except for Henri¡¯s work. ¡°Only him? What on earth is he making?¡± -Him? ¡°He¡¯s like a big brother.¡± I was amazed that he called him a big brother so casually, even though we had only met once or twice and he was ignored by Henri. Ko Hunughed. -I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s making it in Venice, so it must be pretty big. ¡°I guess it¡¯s not a painting. I¡¯m really looking forward to it. Yours and his too. How can I wait until August?¡± Ma Eun-chanined about the postponement of the Venice Biennale. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism took over the management of the Korean Pavilion, because the Korean Art Association, which had been operating it, was sued. As a result, the Korean Pavilion, which was being reorganized, was audited along with the Greek Pavilion, the Russian Pavilion, the Venezun Pavilion, the Spanish Pavilion, the British Pavilion, the Japanese Pavilion, and the Hungarian Pavilion, where simr cases urred. The Venice Biennale Organizing Committee requested the reorganization of the national pavilions with problems and postponed the opening to August. -It¡¯lle soon if you do other things. ¡°I guess so. Oh, you must be really busy. You have to do the Kassel Documenta, the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project, and Art Basel.¡± -I prepared the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project with Henrist year. I finished the Documenta and Art Basel too. ¡°Wow. Then you have some free time. You¡¯re so diligent.¡± -Not really. I did it in advance because of the movie work. ¡°Movie?¡± -The Lupin series. Ma Eun-chan opened his mouth wide. ¡°The sequel ising out?¡± -Yes. I¡¯m going to work as a manager again, so I think I¡¯ll be busy. We¡¯re going to start next month. ¡°That¡¯s awesome. Manager is a high position, right?¡± -I¡¯m in charge of the concept art team. There¡¯s no high or low. We all work together. ¡°I see.¡± -So, I have something to tell you. ¡°Yeah?¡± -I¡¯m looking for someone to work with me on the concept art team. You submitted your work too, so how about doing it with me until you go back to school? ¡°Huh?¡± Bang bang! ¡°Shut up!¡± He was so surprised that his voice got louder. The person who lived next door banged on the wall and Ma Eun-chan whispered into the phone. ¡°Sorry. Just a sec. I¡¯ll go outside.¡± -Okay. He hurried out of the building and took a deep breath to calm his pounding heart and called Ko Hun. ¡°Hello?¡± -Yes. ¡°So. You¡¯re saying that I should join Christine Norman¡¯s work. Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± -That¡¯s right. Ma Eun-chan rolled his feet with his mouth open. He was so happy that he wanted to scream right away. ¡°But I¡¯ve never done concept art before. I don¡¯t have any experience in concept art, let alone anything else.¡± -I think you¡¯ll be good at drawing with a theme, based on what you and Henri drew. Your description is also detailed. No one has experience from the beginning. I did it for the first time two years ago. Is that bad? ¡°No? You¡¯re lying. I can do it well. No, I¡¯ll do it well! I really want to do it!¡± Ko Hunughed at Ma Eun-chan¡¯s honest answer. -Then, do you have time from next month? ¡°Yes yes!¡± -The pay won¡¯t be much. ¡°That¡¯s okay!¡± He had to make a living, so he had no choice, but he felt that the time he spent was too precious. I wanted to do something that would build my career in art, even if it meant earning less money than doing something unrted. -We can only hire newbies as part-timers. It¡¯s about $2,500 a month, is that okay with you? ¡°A month?¡± -If that¡¯s too low. ¡°No! That¡¯s enough! More than enough! I¡¯m so happy! Thank you!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s screaming in the middle of the night!¡± I looked around nervously. -Good. Then I¡¯ll let Norman know. ¡°Okay!¡± After hanging up, I looked at my phone and raised both arms in the air. ¡®This is more than just good luck.¡¯ I texted Hoon a bunch of thank you messages and ran around the boarding house yard. Chapter 302: Chapter 302: 302 The Final Showdown (7) I saw Ma Eunchan waving his hand and running towards me from afar. He always had a cheerful smile on his face, which made me feel good too. ¡°Hello, teacher! Hello, director! Hello, manager!¡± He greeted grandfather, Bang Taeho, and me in turn. Manager, huh. That sounded burdensome. ¡°Ha ha. Wee, Ma writer.¡± He looked moved by the title of writer, which I could tell at a nce.He bowed his head repeatedly to grandfather, his eyes shining brightly. Bang Taeho stepped forward. ¡°You must have worked hard. Are you ready to leave right away?¡± ¡°Yes! No problem! I¡¯m in good health!¡± That was not true at all. He looked decent enough at the orientation, but he had be pale and thin when I saw him again. He must have suffered a lot preparing for the biennale. ¡°Why?¡± He asked me with a bright smile as I stared at him. His body was not healthy, but his energy was more vigorous than anyone else¡¯s. ¡°You¡¯re too skinny. Are you eating properly?¡± ¡°Of course. I even eat meat these days.¡± ¡°Meat?¡± ¡°Currywurst.¡± I knew it was a street food that consisted of sausage with sauce and curry. It was absurd that he thought that was meat and that he got enough nutrition from it. ¡°That¡¯s not enough. Eating is so important.¡± He scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed. I couldn¡¯t let it go as someone who had trouble eating properly because of my receding gums. To keep your body functioning well, you need to sleep and eat well. Now that we were together, I had to feed him properly this time. ¡°Then go and call me.¡± Grandfather stroked my head and said. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just say it, but call me once a day. And always stay with Bang director, no matter what happens.¡± He had been busy with the Korean Artists Associationtely, but he insisted oning with me, so I had a hard time persuading him. He said I was all grown up now and not to worry, but he still treated me like a 13-year-old, so I had nothing to say. But he was relieved when he heard that Henri wasing with me. Sometimes I felt like he trusted Henri more than Bang Taeho. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll contact you when I arrive.¡± ¡°Take care!¡± I said goodbye to grandfather and headed to the hangar. Henri, who had been frail three months ago, looked healthy again, thanks to the sess of his work in Venice. I was d. ¡°Are you here?¡± ¡°It looks like things went well for you.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± He acted tough, even though he had gone through a lot of trouble. ¡°Hello, brother!¡± Ma Eunchan bowed deeply and greeted him loudly, startling me and Henri. ¡°What?¡± ¡°He he. I want to be friends with you. Can I call you brother?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a brother like you.¡± ¡°In Korea, even if you¡¯re not blood-rted, you call someone older than you brother as a sign of respect.¡± Ma Eunchan smiled sheepishly, and Marso red at me. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°I think so. Remember the drama we watched before? They called him that too.¡± ¡°The Age of Ouws?¡± Henri frowned and recalled the title of the drama we had watched together. The supporting characters had called the protagonist big brother or oyabun. ¡°Call him oyabun.¡± ¡°Yes! Oyabun!¡± ¡°Hey, wait. That¡¯s not right.¡± Bang Taeho intervened and stopped him, and Ma Eunchan opened his mouth wide. ¡°Right. I forgot. In this situation.¡± ¡°Situation?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call you big brother!¡± As soon as Maeunchan bowed his head deeply, Henri got on the ne without saying anything else. It was a good thing, whether it was because of Maeunchan¡¯s bright energy and sociability, or because Henri had a change of heart. ¡°Come on, you scoundrel. This will ruin Hoon¡¯s image¡­¡± Bang Taeho seemed to mutter something, but I couldn¡¯t hear him well. I slept soundly, ate, and slept again. When I woke up, we had arrived in Los Angeles. As soon as we arrived at Norman Studios near South Weddington Park, director Christine Norman and art director Nathan Evans came to greet us. Norman¡¯s bright blonde hair had gotten lighter, and Evans was the same as before. ¡°Norman.¡± ¡°Hoon.¡± We greeted each other warmly. Norman also greeted Bang Taeho and Henri, and weed Maeunchan. ¡°I heard about you. Nice to meet you, Mr. Ma.¡± ¡°Ah, hello! Director! I¡¯ll work hard with all my heart!¡± Maeunchan shook hands and bowed his head repeatedly. At first, I thought he was a bit too much, but there was a reason for that. He was young and still in school, and he had never worked in a proper job. So he felt even the minimum wage level of the US in 2030 was too generous. Moreover, if he helped the master Christine Norman, he could use it as a career, so for him, who had been struggling with living expenses, $2,500 a month was precious. It was not unreasonable for him to be so happy. ¡°I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I don¡¯t want any casualties.¡± ¡°Yes! I won¡¯t die!¡± Maeunchan seemed to like him with his energetic attitude. He seemed to like passionate people, as he pursued perfection in rtion to movies. ¡°You seem to get along well. And youmunicate well.¡± In Germany, many workces and universitiesmunicate in English. Fortunately, Maeunchan was familiar with German and English, so there seemed to be no big problem inmunication. ¡°Then let¡¯s go inside and talk.¡± He started talking about work as soon as we arrived, as expected of Norman. We entered the office and took our seats, and he handed out the staff scripts. The movie title was not decided yet, and the subtitle was Count of Cagliostro. ¡°Ah.¡± It was a new title, but Maeunchan seemed to know it. ¡°Have you read it?¡± Norman asked, and he nodded his head vigorously. His neck seemed to fall off if he did it a little more. ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t know what movie we were going to do, so I read all the Lupin series after I got the call.¡± Norman raised his eyebrows. I was surprised too, I knew he was motivated, but I didn¡¯t know it was this much. ¡°Really? Can you tell me how you read it?¡± ¡°It was a novel where the beginning of Arsene Lupin, the master thief, and his greatest enemy appeared. The main story of the Lupin series is definitely the Count of Cagliostro.¡± Norman leaned forward with his chin on his hand and didn¡¯t take his eyes off Maeunchan. Maeunchan exined the Count of Cagliostro to the world-renowned master with gestures and gestures. In summary, it was a novel that depicted the process of Arsene Lupin bing a master thief. When he was still a fledgling, he rescued a woman who was being tried by the people¡¯s court, and she was the Count of Cagliostro.1) Maeunchan said she was Arsene Lupin¡¯s greatest nemesis. ¡°He learned how to steal things and deceive people from Cagliostro.¡± Maeunchan was excited to exin Cagliostro. She was very beautiful, but she had too much self-love and sometimes looked like a sociopath, and I looked at Henri without realizing it, and so did Bang Taeho, Norman, and Evans. ¡°What.¡± ¡°I thought it would suit Henri.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke!¡± He had been teased for a long time, but he didn¡¯t react much, but today he shouted like before. It was fun. ¡°If Mr. Marso is okay, would you like to audition? If you agree, I¡¯ll consider changing the role to a male one.¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡± Afterughing once, I listened to the rest of the exnation. It was a story that Arsene Lupin, who went to find the treasure with Cagliostro, found out her identity and became opposed to her. Maeunchan seemed to speak well, so it seemed interesting. ¡°You really remember it in detail.¡± ¡°My parents always told me to work hard if I wanted to earn other people¡¯s money.¡± Norman smiled. ¡°The setting will be modern France, like The Castle of Gloom. We already have a built world, so we just need to follow the existing data for the main plot.¡± Norman looked at me. ¡°But I¡¯ll leave the details to you.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll do my best as always.¡± It seemed that creating the character of Caliostro was the most important task. I had to express the fine details of his appearance and behavior, and consider the best angles for each scene. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll help Mr. Mado manager well.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll work hard.¡± As I checked the rough schedule, a question popped into my mind. I asked Henri, who was watching me. ¡°Are you joining us too?¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± ¡°No?¡± He had no reason to be here if he wasn¡¯t working on the movie. Henri liked me a lot, but he wouldn¡¯te all the way from Paris to LA just to y guardian. ¡°He¡¯s the producer of this movie.¡± Norman exined on behalf of Henri. I was shocked. He was the one who didn¡¯t like me working on movie concept art, and now he invested a lot in this project. I couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°You didn¡¯t like movies, did you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for the revival of French literature.¡± ¡°Liar.¡± He said the same thing for The Castle of Gloom, but no one believed him. He was persuaded by Norman¡¯s charm and decided to invest, but this time he was involved in the whole production. ¡°I don¡¯t lie.¡± He was the worst liar I ever met. ¡°Sure you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± [Henri Marso invests 100 million dors in Christine Norman¡¯s new film!] [Ko Hun joins Norman¡¯s team] [Ko Hun, ¡°I¡¯ll capture the original novel well.¡±] [Henri Marso, ¡°I confirmed the potential through The Castle of Gloom.¡±] French artist Henri Marso invests a huge amount of money in and bes a movie producer. Christine Norman, who has been in charge of both production and direction, said, ¡°Thanks to Henri Marso, I was freed from the production cost.¡± She also said, ¡°He hired the French Bank, Chardon, and Goseong, which improved the production environment of Count Caliostro.¡± Norman Studio announced that Henri Marso delegated all the rights of movie shooting and editing to Christine Norman. Meanwhile, Ko Hun, who made headlines with Art Nouveau Contest and The Castle of Gloom, also joined this work. Ko Hun said, ¡°Working with Norman is fantastic.¡± He added, ¡°Henri Marso¡¯s eye was urate.¡± The coboration of the two artists from the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project, the Venice Biennale France-Korea Pavilion, to draws attention. The film industry was buzzing with the news of Christine Norman¡¯s second work, which recorded 1.9 billion dors in the global box office with The Castle of Gloom. ©¸?? How can an individual invest 100 million dors? ©¸Did Henri invest again because of Hoon¡­? ©¸Lol???????? ©¸How rich is Henri???? ©¸He owns 32% of BNP Paribas stock, which has a market cap of about 94 trillion won. ©¸? ©¸Part of his wealth is 30 trillion won? ©¸Wow ©¸How is that calcted? I don¡¯t know how much the total production cost is, but if it¡¯s 200 million dors, doesn¡¯t he get half of the box office revenue? ©¸Poor Hoon ??? ©¸No??? The scale is different??? Where do you find a fool who invests 100 million dors???? ©¸I saw Hoon¡¯s interview??? He shielded Henri from being called a fool by saying his eye was urate????? ©¸Henri is not a fool! ©¸But honestly, wouldn¡¯t you watch the sequel if you saw The Castle of Gloom? Even if you only watch 1/4, it¡¯s 500 million dors, and if he takes half of that, it¡¯s 250 million dors. He¡¯s not a fool, he¡¯s just trying to monopolize it. ©¸It could fail. ©¸It won¡¯t fail. Norman has the speaker. 1)The Korean trantion is Countess Caliostro, but Caliostro inherited the count title from his ancestor¡¯s daughter, so count is the correct expression, not countess. Chapter 303: Chapter 303: 303 The Final Showdown (8) ¡°Phew.¡± I was immersed in the novel for the first time in a while. As I turned thest page, I felt sleepy like the sunlight that seeped through the curtains. The novel ¡°Count of Cagliostro¡± was about Lupin, who had never run out of tricks, growing and finally ruining her in the process of confronting the Count of Cagliostro. The Count of Cagliostro, who lost to Lupin, vowed revenge on him, which was the sequel, ¡°The Revenge of the Count of Cagliostro¡±. I wanted to read it right away, but my eyelids were heavy. I decided to sleep first and thinkter.¡°Hoon-ah, Hoon-ah.¡± How long did I sleep? ¡°Time to eat.¡± I woke up in a daze at the sound of Bang Tae-ho¡¯s voice. ¡°Food.¡± I struggled to get up and Bang Tae-ho asked me with concern. ¡°Did you not sleep well? You didn¡¯t get up until this time.¡± ¡°I stayed upte reading the novel. What time is it?¡± ¡°1 o¡¯clock. Do you want to eat in the room?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I closed my eyes and fell asleep again. I startled awake and headed to the sink. ¡°Where are Henri and Eun-chan hyung?¡± ¡°Mr. Marso left in the morning and Eun-chan hyung was waiting to eat with us. I called him, so he¡¯ll be here soon.¡± ¡°Please let Eun-chan hyung eat with me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I was toozy to take a shower, so I just washed my face and brushed my teeth. To save time, I was sorting out the materials I had prepared while waiting for the food, when Ma Eun-chan knocked on the door. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Yes. How about you, hyung?¡± ¡°Me too. The bed was really soft.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d.¡± ¡°I can sleep anywhere, but if it¡¯s such a nice hotel, it would be strange not to sleep.¡± It didn¡¯t seem to affect him much, even though he had to adjust to the time difference, the changed environment, and the first time doing this. I guess I worried for nothing. ¡°But what is all this?¡± Ma Eun-chan was interested in the materials on the French costumes of the modern era, the setting paintings from , and the photo album of the old French castles. ¡°I¡¯m going to use them as references. I read the novel yesterday and I wanted to sort out what I needed in advance.¡± ¡°Wow. You read all that in one day? You must not have slept much. Did you really sleep well?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I have a fresh body, so I recover quickly. ¡°You can¡¯t keep doing that. I¡¯ll get scolded by the teacher.¡± ¡°I have to do it in a month. After that, I can¡¯t do it even if I want to.¡± ¡°Still.¡± It was tight on time because I had to go around the art events, but it wasn¡¯t so burdensome that I couldn¡¯t do it. Unlike , where I handled most of the main scenes, I only had to prepare the reference points for the designers. ¡°Are you going to check all this?¡± ¡°This is not enough. I probably have to spend a week finding and organizing the materials.¡± Ma Eun-chan couldn¡¯t close his mouth. Knock knock- There was a knock on the door. The staff put the food on the table one by one. ¡°New York steak, pecan pesto pasta. This sd can be served with tomato onion dressing or balsamic sauce, whichever you prefer. Do you need anything else?¡± ¡°No, thank you.¡± Bang Tae-ho tipped and greeted the hotel staff. There were three tes of steak, three tes of pasta, arge basket of sd, and they even brought fruit kindly. ¡°Who else ising?¡± Ma Eun-chan looked around the table and asked. ¡°No one?¡± ¡°Then who¡¯s going to eat all this?¡± ¡°Me, ajusshi, and hyung.¡± I grabbed two steaks and pasta, and Ma Eun-chan followed the food with his eyes. He looked like a meerkat. Bang Tae-ho also took a pasta for himself and invited Ma Eun-chan to eat. ¡°Let me know if you need anything.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t eat that much.¡± Ma Eunchan felt awkward as he looked at the steak and pasta that were pushed to his share. ¡°It¡¯s okay to leave some. Hoon said you should eat well, Eunchan.¡± He nodded as he ate the sd. ¡°Yum.¡± Olives, avocado, lettuce, paprika and other things mixed together in his mouth, creating a very interesting texture. The sauce made with tomatoes and onions was sweet and sour and matched well. It felt like he was looking at a painting by Henri Matisse with a sense of color. He kept eating even though he had food in his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± Ma Eunchan sliced the meat and put it in his mouth. He thought he would be happy, but his expression was stiff and he only moved his jaw slowly. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it suit your taste?¡± ¡°No?¡± Ma Eunchan took another bite and finally fell into ecstasy. He seemed to like the taste, judging by his eyes filled with joy. ¡°What is this? What is this? How can the meat be like this?¡± ¡°It must be the sirloin part.¡± I also fell in love with the charm of modern beef starting with Korean beef, and Ma Eunchan seemed to be the same. ¡°I¡¯ve never eaten anything like this before. It¡¯s really delicious.¡± ¡°Eat a lot.¡± ¡°Yes! Wow! Mm. Mm~ It¡¯s so delicious! It¡¯s so delicious, Director! Please try this!¡± Ma Eunchan offered the steak to Bang Taeho. He refused with a smile, but he finally cut a piece and gave it to him. He felt warm in his heart as he tried to share the joy he had never experienced before with the person next to him. ¡®It¡¯ll be okay.¡¯ Being poor doesn¡¯t mean being unhappy. People who are short of money be miserable when they see or experience something they have never experienced before. When they didn¡¯t know, they didn¡¯t want it, but it became their ideal with a single experience. I was like that too, and maybe Ma Eunchan will have that thought tonight. But at least for now, I can feel his warm and clear mind. I want to bring him into Choctier, who wants to make the world happy. ¡°You can eat it every day if you join Choctier.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ma Eunchan froze with a knife and fork in his hand. Bang Taeho smiled and added. ¡°It¡¯s apany that Hoon and Marso made together. You can think of it as an agency, but it¡¯s closer to amunity of artists.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ Are you scouting me right now?¡± ¡°Hoon liked your work, Eunchan.¡± He wouldn¡¯t have invited him to this event if he didn¡¯t. A little cowardly, but wanting to hold on to him, I came to America with him the next day and fed him delicious food and talked. ¡°You can eat more delicious things. Jajangmyeon is a bit hard, but I can provide you with potato pizza as much as you want.¡± ¡°Pizza?¡± ¡°You can substitute food for whatever you want.¡± Bang Taeho scooped up some sd for me. I was about to say that I could also give him snacks like chocte or tart, but I put the sd in my mouth first. The crunchy texture and sweet and sour sauce spread like a palette again. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a certain amount every month as a material cost until you sell your work or raise ie through exhibitions. Of course, you have to share 10 percent if you make a profit. I think it will be a great help for you to work on your work stably.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Bang Taeho said what I wanted to say, so I just agreed. ¡°Uh. It¡¯s just too sudden.¡± ¡°Haha. Well, yeah. I¡¯m not asking for an answer right away. Think about it slowly while you¡¯re doing this. You¡¯re going to graduate from college anyway, right? It¡¯ll be after that.¡± ¡°College¡­¡± Ma Eunchan kept putting meat in his mouth as he thought. I understand his feelings well. I can¡¯t stop eating this sd either. ¡°Yum.¡± ¡°Director, do I have to graduate from college to join Choctier?¡± ¡°Not necessarily. If you look at it that way, Hoon hasn¡¯t even enrolled yet.¡± I nodded with food in my mouth. ¡°Then. Then I want to do it! I think it would be much more educational to be with my big brother and Hoon than to earn money while going to college.¡± That¡¯s true. There are things you can only learn at school, but nothing can beat the field. What Ma Eunchan needed was experience, as he already had a solid foundation. ¡°Haha. There¡¯s no need to rush your decision. There¡¯s still time until the gallery ispleted, so please think it over and let me know.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. My parents told me to seize the opportunity when ites. They said I shouldn¡¯t hesitate or stutter when I find it, but grab it with a clear mind.¡± You are a remarkable person. ¡°Hahaha. Okay. Let¡¯s finish our meal and talk more.¡± Ma Eunchan wanted to enter the art world as soon as possible, even if it meant skipping college. He had so many things he wanted to learn that college couldn¡¯t satisfy him. ¡°We will pay you 1,500 euros per month until you make a profit. However, as we told you, we will split 10 percent of the sales or exhibition revenue with you.¡± Only 10 percentmission. Even though he didn¡¯t know the details of the industry contracts, Ma Eunchan could tell that Choctier¡¯s contract terms were favorable to the artist. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Also, there may be some asional requests from us.¡± ¡°What kind of requests?¡± ¡°You know the paintings of Dallida Square and Bugrenelli Shopping Mall, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Things like that, public works, or spending time with the kids.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no problem. I like those kids.¡± Ma Eunchan smiled brightly. ¡°You are very confident. Then let¡¯s proceed with the contract after this job is done.¡± ¡°Thank you! I appreciate your cooperation!¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Ma Eunchan shook hands with Bang Tae-ho and turned his head. Ko Hun had been organizing his materials ever since he finished his meal. Ma Eunchan approached Ko Hun and watched him work for a while. Then he suddenly had a question. ¡°Hoon-ah. Can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Uh. You sold Frosty Wheat Field for a lot of money, right?¡± Ko Hun blinked at the sudden question. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mean anything by it. But you could have sold more works at a simr price, or maybe even higher.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you?¡± Ma Eunchan wondered why Ko Hun, who made a huge ie by working alone, didn¡¯t sell his works. He had spent a lot of money to build a gallery for Choctier, but he never sold any works after Frosty Wheat Field. He made up for his ie by running a YouTube channel, holding exhibitions, selling collections, doing public works, and working on movies. Ko Hun smiled faintly. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Henri, it wouldn¡¯t have sold for that price. He can¡¯t resist my paintings.¡± ¡°Kheuk. I guess so.¡± ¡°I probably would have made tens of billions more if I had sold them. But I didn¡¯t want to rely on Henri to make money.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°If Henri doesn¡¯t like my paintings, my ie will stop. Then I¡¯ll have to paint what he wants. I don¡¯t want that.¡± ¡°There are many other people who want to buy your paintings besides him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same reason.¡± Ko Hun put down the modern French photography book. ¡°My goals are different. If I painted for money, I wouldn¡¯t care which side I was on.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°I want to work as I please and be satisfied with myself. And since I can¡¯t make a living with that alone, I look for people who like me. People who can enjoy my paintings just by looking at them, without owning them.¡± I kind of understood. It would befortable economically to have a passionate buyer or a powerful sponsor, but it would be hard to ignore their opinions. Even if they were nice people who let him work freely, he would feel shackled as an artist. What if the sponsorship was cut off? What if they stopped buying his works? He would have to move in anxiety. Anyone would do that. ¡°I also want people to be happy when they see my paintings. I don¡¯t have a desire to feel or be recognized as something amazing artistically. I just want to live andfort each other with people who share the same time. Painting is a means for me.¡± ¡°I get it.¡± I understood why he chose to go the hard way instead of the easy one. Art had longed for freedom from power throughout its long history. Now, pure art and popr art are separated, but listening to Ko Hun¡¯s words, ironically, art with the masses was truly free art. ¡°I¡¯m not making that little money, you know.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ko Hun smiled and looked back at the report. He didn¡¯t need to tell them that he had secured a million dors and a 1% running guarantee for participating in this movie project. Chapter 304: Chapter 304: 304 The Dragon¡¯s Den (9) The concept art team for the movie had reached the final stage of their work on the characters and main locations in two weeks. Thanks to the faster-than-expected progress, the props, sets, and CG staff could work with rtively more ease. Ma Eunchan was overjoyed by the new experiences he had every day. Of course, it was not easy to concretize the world of the novel based on a few ck-and-white photos from the early 20th century. The materials were limited, but the world they drew had to be perfect, even in the air and the light. So the concept art designers, including Ma Eunchan, had to work as passionate fans, historians, and scientists of the novel. Ma Eunchan showed Ko Hun thepleted vige scene where the chase took ce. ¡°Manager! How about this?¡±¡°Good. Can I see it from above too?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± It was already the fifth time. Ko Hun never epted it at once. He always wanted a few different pictures, even if he brought a usible one after using his imagination and verification work. Some designers were dissatisfied with Ko Hun¡¯s way of handling things, but the settings hepleted were never rejected by director Norman. Thanks to that, the designers also epted Ko Hun¡¯s requests positively and the team was able to proceed with the work at an exceptional speed. ¡°Ma, it¡¯s lunchtime. Let¡¯s go eat.¡± Austin Brown, who was Ma Eunchan¡¯s senior, approached him, who was working with colored pencils. ¡°Already? No wonder I¡¯m hungry.¡± Ma Eunchan turned his head to call Ko Hun, but he was already gone. ¡°The manager went out first, saying he had a meeting with director Norman.¡± He was so busy that he even used his lunchtime. Ma Eunchan was worried about the young Ko Hun. On the way to the cafeteria, Austin Brown gave Ma Eunchan some advice. ¡°It¡¯s hard to survive in this business if you can¡¯t doputer work. The manager is a special case.¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s tiring to edit with post-its.¡± Ma Eunchan agreed with Austin¡¯s words a hundred times. It was hard to edit the pictures he drew himself, so he had to stick post-its on the original and draw over them. Butpared to the people who worked by separating theyers on theputer, his efficiency was bound to be lower. ¡°So I¡¯ve been studying Photoshop all week.¡± Austin frowned. ¡°I guess you have to use it if you have no choice, but I don¡¯t rmend it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It shuts down on its own when the file size gets too big.¡± ¡°There¡¯s an auto-save feature.¡± ¡°The problem is that it also gives errors when saving. No matter how good theputer performance is, it¡¯s not optimized, so it¡¯s useless. If you don¡¯t want to break your monitor, it¡¯s better to find somethingpatible that you like. I rmend Infinity.¡± ¡°Infinity.¡± Ma Eunchan nodded and put some food on his te. As they sat face to face and ate, Austin stopped Ma Eunchan from stuffing food into his mouth. ¡°Eat slowly.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time. I have to eat fast and edit.¡± ¡°Lunchtime is an hour. No one tells you to work until you finish eating.¡± Austin couldn¡¯t understand the Asians. Manager Ko Hun and newbie Ma Eunchan both volunteered to work extra. They had a sense of responsibility to perform their assigned tasks, but he couldn¡¯t understand why they wanted to work at the expense of their health. ¡°I can¡¯t stand it.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t stand what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fun. Drawing.¡± Ma Eunchan lifted his head and smiled brightly. He liked working alone, but he also liked creating a world with others. When he looked at the work of his teammates together, it seemed like there was such a ce in France in the early 20th century. It was the same for Lupin and Cagliostro. It was not drawn realistically. The habits, gestures, ents, tastes, and other settings were so detailed that they seemed to describe someone who was living somewhere. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to draw fast? Don¡¯t you want to see the finished product?¡± Austin realized that he had misunderstood Ko Hun and Ma Eunchan until now. He thought they were living for work. But if they enjoyed the work itself, there was nothing more to say. ¡°If you get sick, you won¡¯t be able to do that fun thing. Try to have some leisure, even if it¡¯s just lunchtime.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m pretty tough.¡± Meanwhile. Henri Marso, who was having lunch and exchanging opinions with Norman, got up from his seat as the conversation ended. ¡°See you at dinner.¡± ¡°Already?¡± ¡°I¡¯m done eating.¡± Norman was worried about Ko Hun, who was trying to leave the room without looking back. He did a great job with his work, but he wondered if he was pushing himself too hard at such a young age, and what would happen if he had a breakdown. ¡°Stop there.¡± Before Norman could call out to Ko Hun, Henri Marso stepped in. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°Finish eating and go.¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± As Ko Hun opened the door, Henri Marso grabbed the boy¡¯s neck. Ko Hun was impatient to draw and hung limply, ring at him, but it was no use. Henri sat Ko Hun down on a chair and ordered a warm tea from the staff. ¡°You said you were busy?¡± ¡°There¡¯s plenty of time.¡± ¡°I still have to draw the castle. And the confrontation scene.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t bete if you finish eating. Why do you always look like this if you don¡¯t care?¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re suffering.¡± At Henri¡¯s words, Ko Hun reluctantly picked up a fork. He knew he had to take care of his body, and he did well on normal days, but he couldn¡¯t help it when he started working. He couldn¡¯t stand his hands being restless unless he drew, and his life gradually deteriorated, and Henri Marso¡¯s liver function was also much worse because of that. When Henri reminded him of that, Ko Hun, who was obsessed with his work, remembered the past and was able to calm his mind for a while. ¡°There¡¯s still time left. Is it because of the Grand Art Tour?¡± Norman asked. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. I¡¯m all prepared.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I just want to see it as soon as possible. You¡¯re the same, aren¡¯t you?¡± Norman smiled brightly. He understood that feeling more than a hundred times. As soon as it was 9 p.m., sleepiness inevitably crept in. He had to draw the kiss scene between Lupin and Caliostro, but he couldn¡¯t decide how to express them being attracted to each other while having different thoughts. He was deep in thought and absent-mindedly came to his senses when he heard the conversation between Bang Taeho and Henri Marso. They must have fallen asleep. ¡°It¡¯s hard to raise a stable ie with just exhibitions and sales. Not everyone is like Ko Hun and Mr. Marceau.¡± ¡°Keep trying.¡± ¡°So I want Choctier to y a bridging role. Like Mr. Mae Eunchan¡¯s job this time.¡± ¡°¡­Are you saying we should take on outsourcing?¡± ¡°Something like that. Thanks to Ko Hun, we have a long-term contract with the Bugrenelli shopping mall. We help them to survive by bringing in work, whether it¡¯s brand design or posters. If they can make a living, the artists will have an easier time working on their own.¡± ¡°It will also help Choctier stay afloat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll talk to Ko Hun tomorrow.¡± Bang Taeho seemed to have a lot of worries about running Choctier. He was operating it with the money that Henri and I invested, but as Bang Taeho said, there had to be some ie someday. It was hard to make a living with just exhibitions and art sales, so he introduced jobs to the affiliated artists. Like he did for Mae Eunchan. ¡°The gallery space is limited, too.¡± ¡°Ko Hun.¡± As I went out to the living room, Bang Taeho asked me with concern. ¡°Didn¡¯t you sleep? Go wash up and sleep.¡± ¡°I woke up from a nap. I heard a little bit of your conversation and I think it¡¯s better to do as you say.¡± Henri, who didn¡¯t like me participating in the movie, might be negative. ¡°That would be better.¡± Henri put down his teacup and said. Unexpected. ¡°Why.¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d hate it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s apany. There are things that can¡¯t be solved by ideals. And what you¡¯re doing doesn¡¯t seem like a bad thing either.¡± He seemed to be thinking of as he spoke. He thought that the pictures hepleted while working on the movie could also be works of art. ¡°You¡¯re the representative. If you¡¯ve set the direction, don¡¯t be swayed and do it right.¡± Marso demanded as usual, in his arrogant way. He was the kind of person who wouldn¡¯t listen to anyone if he didn¡¯t like something, but he still acknowledged Bang Taeho as the representative of Choctier. ¡°Haha. I found some ces for you. SNBA and Paris Orchestra are looking for people.¡± ¡°SNBA?¡± It was the French National Association of Arts, which had a close connection with Henri. ¡°They are preparing a newpetition. They have plenty of time, but they are looking for a way to promote it.¡± Henri nodded. ¡°What kind ofpetition is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like the Art Nouveaupetition, where they select the most popr works. They are nning to make it like a festival, with broadcasting and everything.¡± ¡°How did you find out? It¡¯s not even announced to the public yet.¡± ¡°They have amittee now. I found out by searching with interest. There are still more people who don¡¯t know.¡± Henri nodded again. He knew something that wasn¡¯t even reported in the news, and he wasn¡¯t an insider. It seemed unlikely that he could know it just by being interested. ¡°It will be held once every four years. It¡¯s still in the preparation stage, but they n to run it like the Olympics, the World Cup, or the Orchestra Competition.¡± Henri added. It was no exaggeration to call it the Art Olympics, if artists from all over the world gathered once every four years. ¡°What¡¯s the name?¡± ¡°Quadriennale of Aube.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the name?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The name of the international art exhibition that was held every four years (Quadriennale) was dawn (Aube). It seemed like Henri¡¯s trick, naming it after the dawn. ¡°Did you name it, Henri?¡± ¡°It was Chevalson¡¯s idea.¡± ¡°It sounds good for participating in the dawn. Are you going to do it, Henri?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Henri stared at me and warned me. ¡°It¡¯s still a long way off, so don¡¯t think about useless things and focus on your work now. It¡¯s 11 o¡¯clock. Go to bed.¡± ¡°I was going to do that anyway.¡± As I was about to go to my room, Henri grabbed my neck again. He did it once or twice, and now it became a habit. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Go wash up and sleep.¡± Chapter 305: Chapter 305: 305 The Final Battle (10) Christine Norman and Nathan Evans, the art director, nodded in satisfaction as they checked the concept art work. They didn¡¯t work together from the beginning like they did for , but thanks to Ko Hun¡¯s groundwork, the rest of the work seemed to be smooth. Ko Hun had transferred the cross-section of early 20th century modern France onto a t surface, and it was up to Nathan Evans and his staff to bring it to reality. Director Christine Norman¡¯s heart raced at the thought of breathing life and story into a world that didn¡¯t actually exist. ¡°You did a great job. It¡¯s amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Thanks to the materials I collected while working on The Fortress, I finished quickly.¡± ¡°If anyone could do this, neither the director nor I would have called you. Thank you.¡±Nathan Evans, the art director, praised Ko Hun repeatedly. ¡°How about staying in this field for good?¡± Nathan Evans thought of Go Hae Sung and Lee Soo Jin, the couple who led to be the most sessful series in movie history, and thought that Ko Hun could work with his parents. Christine Norman also secretly hoped for that, but she watched the situation quietly as Ko Hun shook his head. ¡°I enjoy movies, but I don¡¯t want to give up choctier. Thank you.¡± Ko Hun politely declined Nathan Evans¡¯ offer. He enjoyed tranting fixed stories into movies, such as , , and the documentary . But he couldn¡¯t express his own world, emotions, and messagespletely. He couldn¡¯t give up the work of changing the world a little bit with his fellow writers and children, and above all, he couldn¡¯t trade anything for the eyes of the people who visited his exhibitions. ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡± Nathan Evans didn¡¯t persuade him any further, as it was an impossible thing. ¡®Dobin was like that. This kid is like that too. They¡¯re not the type to belong anywhere.¡¯ Director Christine Norman felt the same regret, but she epted it as something inevitable. They had too much talent and will to keep in their arms, and even if they came into the studio, they would leave soon. ¡°So you¡¯re leaving tomorrow?¡± Norman asked. ¡°Yes. It was the 11th, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ko Hun asked Bang Tae Ho to confirm his schedule. The Munster Sculpture Project and the Kassel Documenta both opened on June 11th andsted for 100 days. He had to attend the opening ceremony, so he nned to go back to Paris right away, rest for two days, and head to Germany. ¡°By the way, I had some time left, so I drew one more thing, but I don¡¯t think I can use it.¡± Ko Hun¡¯s words raised Norman and Evans¡¯ eyebrows. They wondered what he had prepared more, as it must have been tight to do the assigned work. ¡°There¡¯s no way you had time left.¡± ¡°I drew it in my spare time before bed.¡± Ko Hun sent his eyes to Bang Tae Ho. Bang Tae Ho proudly took out a canvas and showed Ko Hun¡¯s work to Norman, Evans, and Henri Marso. As soon as they saw the canvas in front of them, they all lost their words. Arsene Lupin and the Count of Caliostro were facing each other. The two men red at each other with sabers as a boundary, as if they were about to kill each other at any moment.1) Their appearance was so contrasted with their lips touching under the de. Beyond their furrowed brows and foreheads. Lupin¡¯s lower jaw was exposed by the de. The Count of Caliostro¡¯s lips were filled with affection as he stared at Lupin with cruel eyes. The moonlight reflected on the de was so pale that it implied that the two men could never be together again. He boldly omitted the delicate description of the eyes and nose, and expressed them with rough brush strokes. The low brightness of the color made the determination and hostility of Lupin and Caliostro conveyed, while. The lower jaw that kissed the lips was softly and warmly depicted in yellow tones, even the skin texture was delicately described. The tragic story of two people who met and fell in love without knowing each other and lived as lifelong enemies. Ko Hun had captured the novel in a single scene. ¡°This is.¡± Nathan Evans couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. ¡°I thought it would be nice to have a scene like this, so I drew it, but I don¡¯t know how it would look like on the screen.¡± Ko Hun expressed his displeasure. It wasn¡¯t exactly what he drew, but a kind of abstraction that contained emotions and stories as he usually expressed things. He thought it was difficult to express it in reality. Norman smiled as he looked back and forth between Ko Hun and the picture. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that anything you can draw is possible?¡± ¡°Will it be okay?¡± Ko Hun asked eagerly. I had heard Norman, the director, say that he could film anything that could be drawn, but I doubted he could capture the that was deliberately distorted in color and shape. ¡°Well, then. Just one thing.¡± Norman narrowed his eyes and looked at Go-Hoon¡¯s . She had a movie ying in her head. It was the moment when Lupin, reminiscing about the days he loved, blocked Caliostro¡¯s sword, and Caliostro, who had turned into a de behind him, revealed his face. ¡°There will be some changes.¡± ¡°I trust you to use it well, Norman.¡± Norman smiled faintly and took a deep breath. ¡°This would make a great poster. What do you think?¡± Nathan Evans, the art director, showed his palms, indicating that he had no objections. Norman said he knew it and suggested it to Go-Hoon. ¡°I think I¡¯ll regret it if I don¡¯t use this, no matter what I choose. This is the poster for The Count of Caliostro.¡± ¡°Passion.¡± ¡°Passion. Nice.¡± Norman chewed on the title and looked at Bang Tae-Ho. It was his turn to speak, as Go-Hoon¡¯s manager. Bang Tae-Ho, who had been watching the situation, stepped forward. ¡°We¡¯ll have to talk about the contract again, since this is concept art. The director and Go-Hoon have agreed, so the only problem is the price.¡± It was a matter of granting some usage rights, including reproduction and distribution. It was hard to set a fair price, since it was not a trade of the original painting. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ Bang Tae-Ho, who had been gathering information from various sources to expand the business area of Choctier, had also looked into the poster production cost of Norman Studio. It was between 40,000 and 50,000 dors, but considering Go-Hoon¡¯s status and Norman¡¯s reaction, he thought they would ept even more. ¡°How about 400,000 dors?¡± Bang Tae-Ho raised the average price by ten times. Norman Studio would also try to find a reasonablepromise, so he intended to raise the starting price as high as possible. But Go-Hoon and Nathan Evans, who were listening, were shocked. Even when trading the original work, 400,000 dors was a huge amount that would make headlines. Even though Go-Hoon had sold for a record-breaking price, it was hard to think of that amount as the price for transferring usage rights. ¡°Sounds good.¡± Norman nodded. Go-Hoon, Nathan Evans, and even Bang Tae-Ho, who had made the first offer, were surprised by Norman¡¯s answer. ¡°The poster is the first face that people who haven¡¯t seen the movie see. If I can use such a poster, I have to pay that much.¡± ¡°Ha. Haha.¡± Bang Tae-Ho could onlyugh awkwardly. He didn¡¯t know if he was generous or confident. It was impossible unless he was sure that he made would definitely seed. ¡°Then, now.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± As Bang Tae-Ho was about to proceed with the contract, Henri Marso intervened. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Norman and Bang Tae-Ho looked at Henri Marso with curiosity, but he didn¡¯t take his eyes off . After a few seconds of setting the mood, Marceau finally opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll buy it.¡± Everyone in Norman¡¯s office was speechless. ¡°Again!¡± At the end of the silence, Go-Hoon shouted. ¡°I told you I¡¯m not selling it! You¡¯re trying to take everything again!¡± ¡°I can sell the usage rights even if I buy it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the problem, I¡¯m not selling the painting anymore. I¡¯m going to exhibit it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exhibit it for you.¡± ¡°Why would you hang it in your gallery when I have mine?¡± ¡°You¡¯re meddling and you don¡¯t have much space. Give it to me.¡± Henri Marso brought up the fact that Go-Hoon had allocated part of his gallery to the members of the Korean Artists Association and Choctier. ¡°You can hang it in turns, so stop making weird noises. Prepare the contract, Norman.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s buy the work instead of the usage rights.¡± Henri Marso requested as a producer, and Norman and Evans were embarrassed. They were in a position where they couldn¡¯t refuse or ept the producer¡¯s request without hesitation. They had enough to get some usage rights, so there was no reason to buy the work and increase the production cost. ¡°Go-Hoon doesn¡¯t want to sell it, and why do you need to increase the production cost?¡± Henri Marso didn¡¯t answer. He had no rational reason for offering his social status and money. He simply wanted to have . ¡°¡­Let¡¯s forget it ever happened.¡± I thought he would be stubborn again, but surprisingly, he backed off. I was happily having dinner after signing a contract with Norman and Poster, when he showed up. He was clearly sulking. He red at me constantly since he sat at the table. I hated the awkward situation with Bang Tae-ho and Ma Eun-chan, and I felt like I would choke if I ate any more. I put down my fork and knife. ¡°Say what you want to say.¡± He said nothing. ¡°Then eat quickly if you¡¯re not selling.¡± ¡°Why.¡± ¡°I told you. I¡¯m going to exhibit them. Isn¡¯t that enough? How much more do you want to buy?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t delude yourself. I¡¯m not buying them all because they¡¯re yours.¡± ¡°You bought most of the ones I sold.¡± I sighed involuntarily. He didn¡¯t seem to understand what I was saying. ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? If you keep buying my paintings, I¡¯ll be dependent on you. I¡¯ll end up painting what you like without knowing it.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°You never know with people. What if I run out of money? I¡¯m human too, you know?¡± Henry narrowed his eyes. I didn¡¯t know what he was thinking, but he clearly didn¡¯t believe what I said. He had his own thoughts. I was frustrated and wanted to scream, but I calmed myself down again. He annoyed me with his words and actions, but he was obviously fond of me. So was I. ¡°I¡¯m grateful and happy that you like my paintings. But that doesn¡¯t mean you can monopolize them.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather have them than let them go to someone else.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not going to anyone else, okay?¡± ¡°Then I can have them, right?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ma Eun-chan interrupted. ¡°You two are talking about the paintings, right? So what I mean is.¡± I didn¡¯t know what he was talking about. I was already irritated. Henry and I ignored him, and Bang Tae-ho patted Ma Eun-chan¡¯s shoulder and moved away. I felt sorry for making the dinner ufortable, but it was better this way. ¡°I¡¯m going to exhibit them.¡± ¡°What if they get stolen?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Damage to the paintings is moremon than you think. There are more crazy people. I¡¯ll take care of them at my museum. Hand them over.¡± ¡°Ah. So you¡¯re saying it¡¯s unsafe to put them out there?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I finally understood why he was so obsessed. He didn¡¯t know how to love because he had never been loved. He just wanted to cling and possess. ¡°That¡¯s what they call overprotection. Do you think the people you hired are perfect and everyone else can¡¯t do their job? That kind of thing can happen anywhere.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Then what about Michelle. What if she gets hurt while she¡¯s out?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I put her in the Marso Gallery.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I was speechless for a moment. If he really gave Michelle the Marso Gallery for that reason, he was a crazy stalker who only appeared in Lee Hanna¡¯s novels. ¡°What about me? How did I live if I hated selling my paintings to other people?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I made you Choctier.¡± I felt goosebumps all over. I had no idea how to deal with this madman. Sabre. A fencing sword. It can stab and sh. Chapter 306: Chapter 306: 306 The Final Showdown (11) ¡°Ahahaha.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°Ahahahah.¡± I couldn¡¯t be happier that the lovely idiot came back separately after fighting with Ko Hun. Michel tini grabbed the angry Henri and asked him. ¡°So. Huh? Ko Hun won¡¯t give you the painting anymore? Is that why you¡¯re like this?¡± There were countless tennis balls on the other side of the tennis court.¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Did you get a nosebleed? Are you okay this time?¡± ¡°I told you to shut up!¡± ¡°What are you going to do if you¡¯re sad? Huhuhu?¡± Henri shook off Michel¡¯s hand. It was a natural thing to buy and sell works and exchange them with friendly artists. It wasn¡¯t like he was going to keep it in his house and cherish it alone, he was going to exhibit it in the best museum in Paris, but Henri Marso couldn¡¯t understand why Ko Hun was so stubborn. After fighting all night, the two of them ended uping back to Paris separately. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy. So? What did he say?¡± Michel pressed him again. He was dying to know how Henri epted Ko Hun¡¯s condition. If he really wanted to buy the painting, he had to stop his activities in the Open Project and Choctier and reconsider his personal friendship. It was childish how the two geniuses fought. ¡°What did he say? He said nonsense.¡± ¡°Ko Hun?¡± ¡°He kept pushing me. Damn bastard.¡± Henri Marso threw the tennis ball high and mmed it down on the other side of the court. ¡°Isn¡¯t it you who¡¯s being pushy?¡± ¡°What?¡± Michel smiled slightly and picked up his racket. He went to the other side and pushed the balls out of the court and continued. ¡°You know. Why do you have to do that if Ko Hun doesn¡¯t like it?¡± Michel took his position and Henri threw the ball up again. He straightened his slightly bent knees and twisted his body to add speed to the racket swing. The spinning serve flew fiercely from a high position. Michel pushed the ball that was bouncing high to the outside with a backswing slice. The exchange of balls that neither of them gave in went on until Henri finally gave up a point on the 11th ball. ¡°No matter how good your intentions are, it¡¯s coercion if the other person doesn¡¯t like it. You¡¯ll be hated if you keep doing that.¡± Henri Marso threw the ball high and served. The ball spun even faster and bounced off the ground and flew out of the court. ¡°Michel.¡± Henri Marso, who scored an ace, revealed his true feelings for the first time. ¡°I hate it when you see other people.¡± Michel was a bit surprised by the unexpected words. ¡°I hate it when someone talks to you. Even more when you smile. I even hate it when you look at someone else¡¯s painting for a long time.¡± ¡°¡­Stop it. You¡¯re scaring me.¡± ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Henri Marso threw his racket and approached Michel tini. He brought his face close to hers, almost touching her nose, and asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you care if I¡¯m with another woman?¡± ¡°It¡¯s different. How can you.¡± ¡°Who decides that?¡± He couldn¡¯t understand it at all. He grew up alone in a secluded mansion and was never interfered with or restrained by anyone. He could do whatever he wanted and no one could force him to do anything he didn¡¯t want to do. Young Henri Marso was empty like a nk canvas. His grandfather, who had lost his will to live after the death of his son and daughter-inw, had no interest in his grandson and Henri had to find everything by himself. He looked at himself in the mirror and wondered who he was, why he was born, and how he should live. The beautiful emerald eyes that resembled his mother were his onlyfort. The boy began to fill his empty heart with green. He wandered alone in search of a more beautiful green, unaware that it was love for his mother. Then his grandfather died. And the canvas began to fill up a little bit after Sherry Gado, who had been his nanny, came into the mansion to take care of the boy. The nanny was different from his grandfather or other servants. Possible continuation: She was kind and warm, and she taught him many things that he didn¡¯t know. She showed him books, music, and art, and opened his eyes to a new world. She also hugged him, kissed him, and loved him in a way that he had never experienced before. She was the first person to make him feel something other than green. He was happy and grateful, but also confused and scared. He didn¡¯t know how to express his feelings, or how to deal with hers. He didn¡¯t know what was right and what was wrong, what was normal and what was not. He only knew that he wanted her, and he didn¡¯t want to share her with anyone else. He was possessive and jealous, and he didn¡¯t care about the consequences. He was reckless and selfish, and he didn¡¯t listen to anyone else. He was Henri Marso, and he was in love. He praised me whenever I aplished something, as if it were his own achievement. He scolded me severely for doing what I always did, and then he hugged me tightly. He turned my canvas, which was filled with green, into blue. Henri Marso followed Sherry Gado and formed a minimum sense of self. The field filled with an inexplicable longing and the sky opened by Sherry¡¯s love were all the boy had. Then Henri found out that Sherry had a real daughter and was greatly shocked. A dark red paint spilled over the canvas that had been filled with green and blue for a long time. He hated Sherry and her daughter. He only had Sherry for himself, but he couldn¡¯t ept the fact that she had someone else. Henri Marso regarded Michelle as an enemy. Michelle tini didn¡¯t like Henri either. To the girl who wanted to be loved enough, Henri was nothing but a jerk who took away her mother. It was natural that they hated each other. When they were in high school, they fought every day and even had fistfights disguised as boxing sparring when they couldn¡¯t settle the score with sports. Michelle tini, who won the runner-up in the high school boxing tournament hosted by Paris, was confident. He thought it was a chance to finally smash the nose of the stupid idiot. Henri Marso was also confident. He had learned various martial arts to protect himself from the trauma of being kidnapped by those who coveted his inheritance when he was young. Michelle was not easy, but he was not unbeatable. He saw a gap between her swift movements and he could overpower her. But he couldn¡¯t throw a punch. It was a strange feeling. He was sure he hated her more than anyone, but he felt like Sherry would be sad if he hit her. He had been on the ring many times, but he couldn¡¯t punch her at the decisive moment and lost every time. He couldn¡¯t tolerate any defeat, but losing to her didn¡¯t hurt his pride. It was strange. From then on, the dark red paint that spilled over Henri¡¯s canvas began to brighten. The dark red paint was covered with blue and green paint and a bright red color. ¡°Tell me. Who decides that?¡± Henri Marso grabbed Michelle tini¡¯s arms. ¡°Henri.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the same? Didn¡¯t you hate me for keeping Sherry away from home?¡± It hurt more than her arms that were held by his strong hands. It was the first time that the lovely idiot showed his feelings so honestly. ¡°Me. Is it wrong that I want to be your everything? Is it wrong that I want you?¡± Henri Marso wanted an answer sincerely. He was shaken by Michelle and Kohun, who didn¡¯t care what the petty things said. He couldn¡¯t stand it because the truth in his heart seemed to be denied. When Michelle lifted her heels and kissed him, his hands that held her lost their strength. ¡°No.¡± Michelle hugged the lovely idiot and stroked his back. ¡°It¡¯s not wrong.¡± The only thing she could say was that. The only way to teach him how to love, who didn¡¯t know how to love, was to love him more. She hugged him hard because it was not something he could understand with his head. The meadow and the sky. He thought it was a natural process that the night had brought, as the warm sun came to his canvas that made his heart beat. She believed that her lovely idiot would someday ept that process. She hoped that his time as a sunflower, who felt the sun for the first time, would flow. ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not funny.¡± Meanwhile, Kohun¡¯s grandfather, who heard the situation from his grandson, alsoughed happily. ¡°I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s like that. I¡¯m grateful and happy that he likes my paintings, but this is too much.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± ¡°Grandpa.¡± Kohunined tiredly. He was stressed out by Henri Marso, and he was a bit resentful of his grandfather who didn¡¯t know his feelings andughed. Kohun¡¯s grandfather nodded and asked. ¡°Right. Marceau went too far. But don¡¯t you know how Kohun feels, grandpa?¡± Kohun tilted his head. ¡°Isn¡¯t the reason why you don¡¯t sell your paintings like grandpa because you want tomunicate with more people than individuals?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like Marso is hoarding your works. They are well disyed in his gallery right now. What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a different issue.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t understand, grandson. You don¡¯t have to exhibit your works in your own gallery, do you? You are already exhibiting in Tate Modern and Whitney Museum.¡± Ko Hun hesitated for a moment and changed the subject. ¡°I don¡¯t like the feeling that I might be dependent on him if he keeps buying my paintings.¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible. But you and Marso are already influencing each other.¡± Gosuyeol smiled brightly as he looked at his grandson. It was a well-known fact that Henri Marso was influenced by Ko Hun through and . Ko Hun also showed that he was influenced by Marso¡¯spositional sense in and was a work that he named consciously after meeting him. ¡°¡­¡± Ko Hun was speechless and remained silent. Gosuyeol kindly continued the conversation. ¡°It¡¯s natural for painters to influence each other. I thought you knew that very well, Hoon. Why is Marso different?¡± Gosuyeol was proud of his grandson who tried to treat others without prejudice. Ko Hun always moved people around him with his warm and affectionate words and actions. He was the same to the troublemaker Henri Marso. But he couldn¡¯t understand why he wanted to distance himself from him now that they were so close. He didn¡¯t seem embarrassed. The various reasons he gave were slightly different from what he usually said. ¡°That¡¯s because.¡± Ko Hun stopped talking. He realized the contradictory feelings inside him after hearing his grandfather¡¯s words. In the past. He shared his heart with some colleagues, but none of them stayed by his side. He was reborn and received great love from his parents and grandfather. He was able to escape from all the curses that had pushed him to the edge of the cliff. He was ashamed of himself for being stubborn and not acknowledging the style of his fellow painters and forcing them to do this and that. He med himself for not keeping the line. He was sincere in giving advice because he was so close and precious, but he didn¡¯t realize that it would hurt their pride.1) He was cautious because of his many experiences of breaking up with close people. He loved everyone, but. The more precious they became, the more he instinctively drew a line and tried not to cross it. Except for his parents and grandfather, who never let go of the line, Henri Marso was the only one who crossed it. ¡°¡­¡± Gosuyeol watched his grandson who was lost in thought. He just looked at him from the side, giving him enough time to think. He wanted him to make his own judgment, even if it was a little detour. 1)Vincent van Gogh was a friend and colleague of Lepard, and he interfered with everything he did. He told him to put clothes on when he painted nudes, and to paint ck and white pictures when he painted watercolors. Then Lepard mocked and the rtionship between the two, who had been close, ended there. Chapter 307: Chapter 307: 307 The Final Showdown (12) June 11, 2030. The Kassel Documenta and the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project opened. Since he decided to attend both opening ceremonies, Ko Hun arrived in Kasselst night and stayed for a day. He had breakfast early in the morning. ¡°It looks like a lot of people came.¡± Ko Hun looked around the hotel restaurant, which was bustling even at this early hour. ¡°It seems so.¡± ¡°If you think about M¨¹nster, there must have been even more.¡±Kosuyeol agreed and Bang Taeho added an exnation. It was the year of the Grand Art Tour, which was loved by art enthusiasts. And since the Venice Biennale was postponed to August, the Grand Art Tour started with the Kassel Documenta and the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project, which was a boon for them. ¡°Is M¨¹nster close?¡± Ko Hun asked. ¡°Yeah. It takes about two hours by car. We¡¯ll attend the morning event and move to the afternoon one.¡± Bang Taeho informed him of the schedule. They had split the schedule into morning and afternoon to attend both opening ceremonies. ¡°I want to look around here too. There¡¯s nothing else tomorrow, right?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing special. You can stop by on your way back from M¨¹nster.¡± ¡°I like that. It¡¯s nice that you can go back and forth and see everything because the distance is not far.¡± Kim Jiwu, who was excited to cover the two art festivals, tore a piece of bread and said. Both events opened on the same day andsted for 100 days, so the tourists could rx and naturally visit both. Bang Taeho nodded. ¡°I guess there weren¡¯t many cases where people only visited one side, so they benefited a lot. I heard that 1.3 million people visitedst time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± It was not easy to attract more than a million people to a single art festival. There weren¡¯t that many art fans, and even the Whitney Biennale, which was the most popr art festival in the world, recorded 3.7 million people in the recent event, which was the highest number. So it was amazing that 1.3 million people visited a small city with a poption of about 300,000 for 100 days.1) ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that they don¡¯t rely on the names of the artists.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Kim Jiwu and Ko Hun echoed Kosuyeol¡¯s words. It was because of the operating method of the Kassel Documenta, which did not reveal the list of participating artists until the day of the event. The Kassel Documenta was steadily loved without depending on the fame of popr artists, and the increase in visitors meant that art itself was bing more connected with the citizens. It was what Ko Hun wanted. ¡°Then it must be a bit disappointing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The article is already out.¡± Bang Taeho unfolded his smartphone and ced it in the middle of the table. It was an article that Henri Marso and Ko Hun participated in the Kassel Documenta and the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project together. The article only had a title, which seemed to have been written hastily. [The two geniuses of the century meet again] [Henri and Hoon from the Venice Pavilion, also in Kassel and M¨¹nster] [Another disy of friendship] ¡°That¡¯s fast.¡± Kim Jiwu eximed. They had just opened today, so they wouldn¡¯t have had time to look around the exhibited works, but they quickly found Ko Hun and Henri Marso and posted an article, which showed the passion of the reporters. He had worked as a magazine reporter, but it was hard to keep up with the time race of the daily newspaper reporters. Kim Jiwu lowered his head and looked up. Ko Hun was eating his meal indifferently. ¡°Hoon, look at this.¡± ¡°I saw it.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy? It came out before the opening ceremony. That¡¯s amazing.¡± It meant that the media was paying attention, and the citizens would be interested too, so he couldn¡¯t help but be happy. But he was annoyed that all the articles linked him with Henri Marso, who had fought hard a few days ago and didn¡¯t contact him. ¡°Haha. You haven¡¯t made up yet?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. He should do it first.¡± Kim Jiwu, who didn¡¯t know the reason, tilted his head. The opening ceremony was over. It took longer than expected, so he didn¡¯t have time to look around the exhibition hall or find the works that were located around the city. ¡°I guess we have to leave right away. What should we do?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± We agreed to attend the opening ceremony of the Munster Sculpture Project, so we have to wrap up here today. ¡°Then I¡¯ll say goodbye here.¡± Kim Ji-woo seems to continue his coverage here. ¡°You¡¯re going to Munster ande back anyway. Why don¡¯t youe with us?¡± ¡°Ahaha. I have an appointment. And I want to look around slowly.¡± Kim Ji-woo crouched down and stroked my head. ¡°It would be fun to look for Huni¡¯s work. I¡¯m looking forward to it this time too.¡± He nodded with a smile and Kim Ji-woo got up and greeted Grandpa and Bang Taeho. He used to write nning articles, but now he has topose a story as a column writer, so he needs some time alone. I sympathized with him as a creator, so I didn¡¯t bother to stop him. Kim Ji-woo¡¯s back as he walked into the venue was cheerful and reliable. ¡°Huh? This reporter.¡± ¡°President? No. Teacher and Huni too.¡± I turned my head and Lee Inho reporter opened his eyes wide and leaned back. He looked flustered. Bang Taeho offered a handshake with a smile. We received a lot of help from him for the Korean Art Association work, and it was nice to meet Lee Inho, who we knew for a long time, in a strangend. ¡°What are you doing here? Oh, you came for coverage.¡± ¡°Uh. Yeah! Coverage. I came to cover. Hahaha!¡± ¡°Ha ha. I heard that it¡¯s notmon for newspapers toe and cover directly these days. You¡¯re passionate.¡± Grandpa also praised Lee Inho. I think he¡¯s a diligent person. He didn¡¯t know anything when we first met, but now he can understand what I say. He doesn¡¯t just change the sentences of other people¡¯s articles, but hees to cover every time there¡¯s an event, so his passion is amazing. ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Okay. See you again.¡± I was happy to meet an unexpected person and got in the car. ¡°I see this reporter everywhere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because it¡¯s a high-profile event. Famous writers can easily ess it and it¡¯s good for reporters¡­¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Grandpa asked when Bang Taeho trailed off. ¡°I wonder if you haven¡¯t seen Huni¡¯s work yet. Or do you still not know that Huni participated?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°If you knew he submitted, you would have asked for an interview. And I don¡¯t see the camera you always carry around.¡± He definitely had something on his head that was different from usual. His outfit was not the tight suit he always wore, but light jeans and a white cotton T-shirt. He was flustered unlike us who were happy. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go. It might bete.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± I was worried about lunch at Grandpa¡¯s words. If we have to attend the opening ceremony as soon as we arrive, it means we don¡¯t have time to eat lunch. ¡°The opening ceremony was at 1 o¡¯clock, right?¡± ¡°Hmm. Should we buy some sandwiches or something on the way?¡± I can¡¯t make do with sandwiches for lunch. Lunch should be rich and warm food. ¡°Uncle, it won¡¯t take long, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯ll be over soon. The schedule says it¡¯s until 2:30.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s eat after it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hello, this is Alex.¡± Alex Wood, who runs a YouTube channel rted to art, visited Munster. He filmed the city and people of Munster with his broadcast camera and continued his speech. ¡°Why did Ie here today? Because the Munster Sculpture Project is open, but wow. What is this?¡± Alex Wood stopped in front of a sculpture. A strange-shaped statue stood in a small garden. The marble-carved work was showing a book forward and was painted in various colors. It was very contrasted with the old-fashioned surroundings. ¡°Uh¡­ Honestly, I don¡¯t know what it means. Why is he here? Is this a heart? This is a crown. This looks like money. This book has math forms and uh¡­ I don¡¯t know what it says.¡± Alex tilted his head. The painting on the white marble was too chaotic. ©¸Is it supposed to represent a modern person? ©¸It¡¯s soplex that I can see it that way. ©¸There¡¯s too much information. It seems intentional. Alex nodded at the chat that said it was a depiction of a modern person who had obtained too much information and became grotesque. "I guess you can see it like that. It makes me want to subscribe to your channel."2) ©¸What are you saying lololol ©¸Are you trying to get more subscribers? ©¸That¡¯s so ridiculous lol These days, everything is about subscribing or liking. ¡°Let me live. Can¡¯t you just click it for me? My subscribers are decreasing! They don¡¯t have to increase, but they shouldn¡¯t decrease!¡± Alex Wood exploded when a viewer said there were more interesting broadcasts these days. ¡°What! Who! Who¡¯s more fun than me!¡± Alex Wood, who had been running an art-rted channel for a long time and had pride in it, shouted. ©¸Pingu Channel ©¸Banks ©¸Jean Francois Future ©¸I agree with Ko Hun, Jang Mi-rae, and Banks. ©¸Ko Hun¡¯s broadcast is easy to watch. ©¸Right. Ko Hun¡¯s broadcast is from the perspective of a learner, so it¡¯s really easy to understand. I¡¯ve been watching it a lot since he added subtitles. ©¸He surpassed 500,000 subscribers a while ago lol He¡¯s not much different from Alex now. ©¸Jang Mi-rae¡¯s channel is also really fun. She uploads lectures on art history and her work process, and she also broadcasts in English. ©¸Banks is the best. He came from SNS and shows his own work and talks about social issues with a distorted voice. It¡¯s so cool. ©¸Is Henri not broadcasting? ©¸As expected of our brother! Three questions in a row! ¡°No. You guys should be on my side, right? How can you do this to me?¡± ©¸[Jo is a cat has donated $1]: Let¡¯s be honest. You¡¯re a has-been, bro. ¡°Get out of here! Ban him! How dare you look at me like that! Hey, I was invited here. I got an invitation to the opening ceremony! You¡¯re the only ones who ignore me! I don¡¯t get treated like this anywhere else! You know that?¡± ©¸[Jo is a cat has donated $100]: How about now? ¡°Right. I¡¯m a has-been. Honestly, I wet my pillow with that thought. Thank you, bro.¡± Alex Wood, who had been diligently broadcasting, arrived at the opening ceremony hall and admired it. Everyone he saw was a person who had made a name for themselves in the art world. He was also moved by the many broadcasting stations that came to cover the event. ¡°Wow. The event has really grown. When I came here 10 years ago, there weren¡¯t this many people. Oh, I see Henri Marso over there. He¡¯s participating with Ko Hun this time, right? But he doesn¡¯t look very happy today either.¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± An event staff approached Alex. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m sorry, but you can¡¯t use the camera during the event.¡± ¡°Oh, I was invited here. I got permission to film. You don¡¯t know me?¡± Alex smiled broadly and looked at the staff. He thought that the Munster Sculpture Project also needed publicity, so they invited influencers like him. The staff stared at Alex and then smiled back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Whoever you are, filming is not allowed unless you are from a media outlet that we agreed on beforehand.¡± ©¸lololol What a humiliation ©¸Who do you think you are, broadcasting with only 600,000 subscribers? ©¸Hurry up and apologize lololol ©¸So embarrassing ©¸I¡¯m dying lol Does he think we don¡¯t know him? lololol Celebrity syndrome lololol ©¸His broadcast is ruined lol He can¡¯t cover the opening ceremony lololol The subscribers who were watching Alex Factory Channelughed happily as the Munster Sculpture Project opening ceremony began. 1)In 2002, it recorded 650,000 people. In 2012, it recorded 900,000 people. 2)I was very worried about how to trante this joke into English today, but I couldn¡¯t find an answer. I¡¯m sorry. Chapter 308: Chapter 308: 308 The Final Showdown (13) After the mayor of M¨¹nster gave his speech, the artistic director Leon K?nig stepped up to the microphone. The citizens and visitors warmly weed him, who had nned the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project for the fourth time in 40 years. "Thank you for being here. I¡¯m so happy to see you all again. I see Anke and Peter are here too. And the only person who has participated in this event longer than me is also with us. Mr. Einstein, say hello."1 Leon K?nig held up a small pebble, and the crowd chuckled. ¡°¡­?¡± But Ko Hun, who was not familiar with the German humor, looked around in confusion. He couldn¡¯t understand what was so funny or why they wereughing.Leon K?nig continued his speech. ¡°Forty years ago, when I first took charge of this project, not many people came to see it.¡± He looked around the artists and citizens who attended the opening ceremony. ¡°But thanks to you wonderful people, we have some amazing works this year.¡± The M¨¹nster Sculpture Project was started to bridge the gap between contemporary art and the public. Leon K?nig slowly turned his head and met the eyes of the participating artists. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± He exchanged a warm smile with Henri Marso at the end. ¡°I think any child born in M¨¹nster, where they love unique works, would be loved. That¡¯s what I thought as I imagined the future of M¨¹nster.¡± That was the theme of this year¡¯s M¨¹nster Sculpture Project. A M¨¹nster where diverse personalities are respected and the members are well cared for to form a good society. That was Leon K?nig¡¯s wish. ¡°Please enjoy yourselves.¡± Leon K?nig bowed his head and stepped away from the microphone. The attendees apuded, and the host introduced each artist by name. ¡°Last but not least, let¡¯s wee Henri Marso and Ko Hun, who submitted a work of unchanging value.¡± It was their turn to give a speech and an interview after each artist. As the host introduced the two artists, the reporters who had been curious since the start of the interview stepped forward. ¡°Excuse me. You two seem to be sitting too far apart.¡± ¡°Can you sit next to each other?¡± Fourteen artists were sitting in a row, but Ko Hun was on the right end and Henri was on the left end, making it hard to capture them in one shot. They couldn¡¯t understand why Henri Marso, who usually liked to sit in the middle, chose to sit on the left end, or why both of them looked unhappy on this joyful day. ¡°Would you mind moving your seats if it¡¯s not too much trouble?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Just leave it.¡± The host intervened, but Henri Marso refused to move. Thanks to that, Ko Hun, who had answered cheerfully and got up from his chair, felt embarrassed. ¡®Why do you have to make a scene?¡¯ The boy also felt upset and sat back in his chair. ¡°Haha. Well, let¡¯s take some questions.¡± The host tried to break the awkward atmosphere and gave the reporters a chance to ask questions. The reporters raised their hands eagerly. They had been waiting since morning to interview the hero of the French art world and the boy painter who spread happiness. The host pointed to the person sitting in the front. ¡°I¡¯m Bf from Die Welt. I have a question for Henri Marso. How was your first coboration?¡± The reporter from the German influential daily Die Welt asked. Henri Marso¡¯s recent move was a huge interest in the art world, as he had no close or coborative artists. He founded the paintermunity Choctier with Ko Hun, and even worked together, so many people were curious about how he would act in the future. ¡°Whatever.¡± Henri Marso answered coldly as usual. The reporter was flustered and didn¡¯t know what to do, so the host quickly stepped in to defuse the situation. ¡°Ahaha. How about you, Ko Hun? It was also your first coboration, right?¡± Ko Hun picked up the microphone. ¡°It was fun.¡± The host sighed in relief at the normal answer. ¡°The person you worked with pursued perfection. He changed his mind every time we agreed on something, and brought a different n the next day, so I had a lot to think about. He could have done it alone if he wanted to, but I¡¯m grateful that he gave me a chance.¡± Ko Hun smiled and finished his answer, and the opening ceremony hall froze. Gosuyul justughed bitterly, and Bang Taeho put his hand on his face and sighed. They had been anxious since the start of the opening ceremony, and now the trouble had finally erupted. ¡°Uh¡­ You two must be really close. Hahaha. Next. Next question, please.¡± The host hurriedly looked for the next questioner. Someone raised their hand from the French daily Le Figaro. ¡°I have a question for Ko Hun, the author. You coborated with Henri Marso on the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project and the Kassel Documenta, and then on the Venice Biennale. Can we expect more from you two in the future?¡± Ko Hun hesitated for a moment at the reporter¡¯s question. He had fought with Henri Marso, but it was true that he was stimted by working with him. The coboration process was not that bad. Rather, he enjoyed having afortable conversation with someone on the same level. ¡°Yes. I have a lot to learn from him and he¡¯s easy to work with. I couldn¡¯t have created the Unchanging Value without Henri.¡± It was a more rxed answer. The relieved moderator took the next question. ¡°Earlier, Ko Hun said that he was able toplete the Unchanging Value thanks to the author. How did you feel about it?¡± The reporter who was curious about the coboration process of the two geniuses asked the first question more specifically. Henri Marso, who didn¡¯t want to share his work process with Ko Hun, just frowned and didn¡¯t answer. ¡°He must not like him very much.¡± Ko Hun grumbled with hurt feelings. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Henri Marso turned his head. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Why are you talking nonsense?¡± ¡°Then you should have answered like that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You want to have all the paintings, you want to do whatever you want with your work. You seem like you can do the interview by yourself, so why don¡¯t you?¡± Ko Hun snapped. He didn¡¯t like him from the start. He deliberately sat far away, didn¡¯t take the interview for their first work together seriously, and even pushed away his hand when he tried to make up. He couldn¡¯t stand it anymore with the incident in Los Angeles. ¡°Why are you like this when you usually talk so logically and well?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not worth answering! Why are you asking me something useless that¡¯s not even about the work?¡± ¡°People can be curious! Don¡¯t you think?¡± When Ko Hun asked, the reporter who asked the question was flustered. ¡°See! You¡¯re surprised! If you¡¯re going to do this, don¡¯t ruin the mood and just go!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why? In LA, you just got on a ne by yourself as soon as we fought!¡± ¡°You made me angry!¡± ¡°So what!¡± ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t sell the painting! I¡¯m not asking for it, I¡¯m telling you to sell it. What¡¯s your stubbornness?¡± ¡°Is it all about money? Oh, I guess you can think that way if you¡¯re the kind of person who rents out a cafe because you don¡¯t like being with other people.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bring up the old story and change the subject. There would have been no problem if you had just sold me the painting!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to sell it to you! Just work and talk with me! Did I say I don¡¯t want to give it to you unconditionally? I gave you 137 years!¡± ¡°That was months ago!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping it in mind!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Have you ever given me a painting?¡± Ko Hun shouted. Unlike himself, who had given him several gifts including , Henri Marso had not given him a single one. ¡°I did!¡± ¡°What!¡± ¡°Marceau¡¯s Jewel! Henri Marso 002!¡± Ko Hun blinked. He hadpletely forgotten the statue that was full of Henri Marso¡¯s narcissism. ¡°You¡­¡± Henri Marso, who thought he had forgotten the work he had given him, couldn¡¯t continue his words in shock. ¡°Ah, no. I forgot. No.¡± ¡°You son of a bitch! What did you do to my statue!¡± ¡°It was about the painting, not the statue! Anyway!¡± Ko Hun desperately changed the subject. ¡°I don¡¯t want to make a trade rtionship! Why do you think whatever you want? Why don¡¯t you answer the phone ande here and do this!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. What did you do to my statue!¡± Ko Hun remembered that was sleeping in the basement exhibition hall. ¡°I¡¯m keeping it well without any dust.¡± ¡°How.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How!¡± ¡°¡­I put clothes on it.¡± ¡°Not that damn raincoat, right?¡± As Henry Marceau mentioned the sponge cake raincoat, Ko Hun¡¯s eyes trembled violently. ¡°This bastard!¡± [¡°Give me back what I gave you¡±] On the 11th, the opening ceremony of the Munster Sculpture Project showcased the friendship between French artist Henry Marceau and Korean artist Ko Hun. The two, who had recently quarreled, ended up shouting at each other to return the works they had gifted to each other. But the art lovers reacted that they could see how close they were. Laurent Gobert, an auctioneer from Christie¡¯s, the world¡¯srgest auction house, who attended the event, said that the value of the works they mentioned would start at least $20 million if they were to be auctioned, and described them as ¡°works that show how the two geniuses who heated up the 21st century influenced each other.¡± Meanwhile, , a joint work by Henry Marceau and Ko Hun, has been receiving a lot of love from the first day of the event. While Ko Hun and Henry Marceau were having a harmonious conversation. Their was warming the hearts of the citizens of Munster. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Mr. Becker?¡± ¡°Yeah. The kid with him must be his son. Does he want to be a firefighter?¡± ¡°He¡¯s cute.¡± The visitors were mesmerized by the sculpture of young Julian Becker and Pippi Becker holding a fire hose and putting out a fire. They could feel how much the son admired his father. And how much the father loved his son. ¡°Ha ha ha! How can they look so alike? Hey, Arthur. Come here and take a look.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s Julian.¡± ¡°Ha ha! He looks exactly like he did when he was young.¡± ¡°He¡¯s with his son, right?¡± ¡°That guy used to sing that he wanted to be a firefighter when he was young. His son must be the same, huh?¡± The people who knew Julian and Pippi lingered around and shared their memories. ¡°Wow. There¡¯s another fire station here?¡± ¡°How did they make it look so identical? I guess you can go inside.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Therge structure modeled after the Munster fire station contained many stories. It showed not only the respect for the firefighters who had protected Munster over the years. But also the trust and love between the family members who wanted to follow their father¡¯s footsteps as firefighters. When they entered the fire station, they could see the interior of the fire station changing ording to the time order, and they could see how the firefighters had lived and how the fire station had evolved. , which artistically depicted the cross-section of the lives of the Munster citizens, was a perfect decoration for the Munster Sculpture Project, which started with the aim of bridging the gap between the citizens and contemporary art. ¡°My goodness. I can¡¯t believe it. Did they really make this together?¡± ¡°They said they drew it in virtual reality with a wall-breaking device and printed it out as it was.¡± The experts also marveled at the interior of the fire station made by Ko Hun and Henry. Gondo Masuda, a Japanese art critic who looked at them with displeasure, asked Tanaka Hirobumi, who was recognized as an authority in his country. ¡°Isn¡¯t this childish?¡± Tanaka Hirobumi, who only highly praised abstract works that contained profound philosophy, thought that would not look like a proper work in his eyes. ¡°¡­¡± Tanaka Hirobumi did not answer and slowly looked around . ¡°Wow. Look at this. Honey, do you remember this?¡± ¡°The old fire station?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a fire station, is it?¡± ¡°It was like this before Lisa was born.¡± ¡°When I was young, I used to get fire education here. Did Lisa get fire education?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The couple who reminisced with their daughter. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°You were younger than us now.¡± ¡°Yeah. I didn¡¯t know because I only saw the pictures, but you had a great body.¡± The brothers who paid tribute to the young firefighter in ck and white. ¡°Grandpa! Grandpa was a firefighter too, right?¡± ¡°Heh heh. Yeah. Yeah.¡± ¡°Then are you here too?¡± ¡°No way. How could I be?¡± ¡°Dad, here.¡± ¡°Wow! Is this grandpa?¡± The grandson who was happy to see his grandfather¡¯s appearance when he was on active duty and the old man who was immersed in his old self. Tanaka Hirobumi thought that maybe this space was the ce that connected contemporary art and the public. He had never seen any museum or gallery like this. It was the first time he saw non-expert audiencesmunicate directly with the works. ¡°Teacher?¡± ¡°¡­No. Go ahead.¡± He had gone to Munster to criticize Henri Marso and Kohun. Tanaka Hirobumi was confused. ein stein (Ger: a stone) Einstein (Ger: physicist Einstein) A wordy using the same pronunciation. Chapter 309: Chapter 309: 309 The Final Showdown (14) ¡°Should we ask for his autograph?¡± ¡°He seems busy talking with Hun.¡± The opening ceremony ended in a hurry. Henry Marso and Go Hun declined the media interviews and continued their conversation. ¡°How do you expect me to store those huge things better? Not one, but three of them!¡± ¡°You boughtnd and sold it off!¡± ¡°The building hasn¡¯t even been built yet!¡±While Go Hun and Henry bickered, Go Soo Yeol, Bang Tae Ho, and Arsen Lenc watched the situation from a distance. Bang Tae Ho wanted to stop the two from fighting in front of , but Go Soo Yeol and Arsen had no intention of doing so. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we intervene?¡± ¡°Heh. Kids grow up by fighting, don¡¯t they?¡± It seemed difficult to persuade Go Soo Yeol, who just found them cute as his grandchildren. Bang Tae Ho urged Arsen. ¡°Arsen, you shouldn¡¯t be like that either. Think of Mr. Marso¡¯s image.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. He¡¯s always like that. Look.¡± Bang Tae Ho followed Arsen¡¯s secretary and looked around. The fans who surrounded Henry Marso and Go Hun didn¡¯t show any signs of displeasure or contempt. ¡°So tell me. What do you want me to do?¡± Go Hun, who was tired of Henry Marso¡¯s nagging, calmed down his excitement and asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking again!¡± He couldn¡¯t say it. He wanted to disy Go Hun¡¯s works in his own gallery, but he couldn¡¯t tell him to do so because of his pride. Go Hun pounded his chest. ¡°Tell me. What do you want? You have to talk to make me understand.¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± He didn¡¯t want to talk anymore. ¡°What do you mean, stop it?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop!¡± ¡°Finish what you started!¡± Go Hun was frustrated. He thought they could understand each other if they talked, even if they raised their voices, but Henry Marso didn¡¯t seem to want to. On the other hand, Henry Marso was also frustrated. The more they talked, the more they failed to understand each other. They were both stubborn and couldn¡¯t persuade each other. He wanted to calm down his emotions and talk rationally, but Go Hun tried to solve everything right away. ¡°I said I don¡¯t want to hear it!¡± ¡°Are you going to avoid me forever? We have to talk to make things work!¡± Go Hun shouted as there was no progress in their conversation after 30 minutes since the opening ceremony. He felt like they would drift apart forever if they didn¡¯t see each other. He had lost too many precious rtionships because of his vain pride, and he didn¡¯t want to lose this one too. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s start from the beginning.¡± ¡°What do you mean, from the beginning? We¡¯ve been talking all this time!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°What!¡± Henry Marso turned his head in annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt. But I¡¯m a really really big fan! Can I please have one autograph?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been subscribing to Marso Gallery for three years!¡± Some people came over in a group. ¡°Are you blind? Can¡¯t you see we¡¯re busy!¡± Henry Marso yelled and the fansughed out loud. ¡°He got mad at me too!¡± Henry Marso, who was fuming with anger, widened his eyes. They seemed insane to like it when he was angry. ¡°Are youughing?¡± He snapped and the fans shrank back. ¡°We, we just. We like you so much.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re sorry.¡± The fans bowed their heads and Henry Marso shouted again. ¡°Where are you going!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Give me your autograph!¡± Henri Marso snatched a paper and a pen from the person closest to him. ¡°Damn it. Name!¡± ¡°Christopher Allen!¡± ¡°Allen?¡± ¡°Allen.¡± ¡°Next!¡± Christopher Allen took the paper with a flushed face. It said, ¡®To the damn Christopher Allen.¡¯ ¡°Nils Fram! Can you please write that I¡¯m the cute Nils Fram?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Henri Marso wrote ¡®the clueless Nils Fram¡¯ and handed it to him. Nils Fram bragged to his friends. As one or two people seeded in getting an autograph, the others who were watching also rushed in. Among them were fans of Ko Hun. ¡°I¡¯m watching your YouTube!¡± ¡°Thank you. But right now.¡± ¡°Picture! Can you take a picture with me?¡± ¡°Sure. But wait a minute.¡± ¡°Guys, he¡¯s taking a picture with us!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ko Hun had to stop arguing because of the sudden crowd. The opening day of the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project. Henri Marso and Ko Hun, who were exhausted from signing all afternoon,y on their chairs. They were so drained from dealing with so many people that they had no energy to yell. ¡°We didn¡¯t even get to see anything. What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s your fault.¡± ¡°What did I do?¡± ¡°You caused amotion on the street, so they came running.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because Henri gave them autographs.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your fault.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your fault.¡± While the two were bickering with dying voices, Bang Tae-ho and Go Soo-yeol had a conversation. ¡°The invisible sculpture?¡± "Yes. It¡¯s a work by Salvatore Orau, who submitted it to the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project. Haha. It was interesting."1 Bang Tae-ho showed Go Soo-yeol the work of Salvatore Orau on his smartphone. Go Soo-yeol furrowed his brow. ¡°There¡¯s nothing there.¡± ¡°Yes. He said he made it with the air and light of M¨¹nster.¡± ¡°What does that mean? Does it mean it doesn¡¯t exist in reality?¡± ¡°Thanks to that, there¡¯s a controversy.¡± Go Soo-yeol tilted his head. He had been in the art world for a long time and had seen many cases of giving different meanings to things. But he found it hard to ept a sculpture without form and substance. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ko Hun and Henri Marso, who had been arguing, also showed interest. Bang Tae-ho turned his smartphone to them. ¡°Noi Siamo?¡± ¡°We are.¡± Ko Hun read the title in Italian and Henri told him the meaning. ¡°¡­¡± Henri Marso frowned as he checked the picture. Salvatore Orau imed that he sculpted with the sunlight, moonlight, and air of M¨¹nster, which was the most suitable sculpture for M¨¹nster, and that it was worth 100,000 euros. Ko Hun was not convinced either, but he tried to understand Salvatore Orau somehow. ¡°I can sympathize with the idea.¡± ¡°Hehe. Really?¡± Go Soo-yeol wondered how his grandson would ept the sculpture of a non-existent being. ¡°Tell your grandfather how you see it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an act of connecting M¨¹nster and its citizens. I think he wants to remind them of the value of the space itself called M¨¹nster.¡± ¡°Hmm. I guess you can see it that way.¡± ¡°He said so himself.¡± ¡°A damn nonsense.¡± Henri Marso interrupted. ¡°There is no art without conception. Without a medium, only the idea remains, and that leads to a tedious exnation.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s an interesting attempt, isn¡¯t it?¡± Henri Marso snorted. ¡°He¡¯s trying to sell a piece of paper that proves nothing for 100,000 euros. An artistic attempt? You¡¯re too naive and optimistic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m friends with you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ko Hun smiled brightly, and Henri Marso turned his head away. ¡°But are you going to sell this?¡± ¡°Yes. Actually, that¡¯s why there¡¯s more talk about it.¡± Bang Taeho answered. ¡°The Munster Sculpture Project works are purchased by the city and permanently disyed. This one has a chance too, but 100,000 euros seems too much for me.¡± Bang Taeho also had a hard time epting . Although it could be seen as a different attempt, as Orau imed, it didn¡¯t look good to him that he was trying to sell nothing but a certificate and words, as Henri Marso pointed out. ¡°Art is a scam.¡± Gosuyeol quietly joined them, and Ko Hun and Henri Marso turned their heads. ¡°That¡¯s what Baek Dongjun said.¡± "Art is a scam. Art is the scam of scams, and a very high-level scam at that."2) Bang Taeho chimed in. ¡°Hmm. And there was another guy who said something interesting. Stanley Cavell. He said that modern art has the possibility of fraud inherent in it.¡± Ko Hun was lost in thought. Decades ago, artists who fell into nihilism destroyed the form and put a title on a toilet. There was a controversy, but the art world generally epted it as art. As time passed, the self-destructive tendency faded and the conception and conception harmonized again. And now, ¡®a sculpture of nothing¡¯ appeared. It was hard to judge whether it was a scam or art. ¡°If you onlye up with original and new arguments, all the things called art are scams.¡± Henri Marso concluded. ¡°Duchamp just followed the toilet with a name. The ones who say it¡¯s not a scam are either the ones who benefit from the world created by the scammers, or the ones who are brainwashed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an unreasonable thought.¡± Gosuyeol partly agreed. ¡°But isn¡¯t it always people who judge whether it¡¯s art or not? If there are people who deny it, there will be people who ept it.¡± Listening to the conversation of his friends, Ko Hun was able to sort out his thoughts a little. What would the visitors who came to the ce where nothing was exhibited think? Could they really call it a work of art if they couldn¡¯t get any meaning without the artist¡¯s exnation? If he really wanted to express the preciousness of the space of Munster and ventte it to the citizens, he should have found another way. However. He didn¡¯t admit it, but he thought he couldn¡¯t deny it if someone epted it as art. ¡°It¡¯s hard.¡± Ko Hun chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s not art because I don¡¯t admit it. But I don¡¯t think I can understand the people who buy it either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s why contemporary art is diversified.¡± Ko Hun recalled what the art director said at the opening ceremony today. He said that since unique works were loved, any child born in Munster would be loved. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hate it. It¡¯s just different.¡± ¡°No.¡± Henri Marso disagreed with Ko Hun. Not all artists were sincere about art. Among them, there were people who really wanted to deceive others, and they were cancer cells that should be expelled from the art world. But he didn¡¯t hate Ko Hun¡¯s words, who didn¡¯t know the world. He couldn¡¯t hate or deny the boy who retorted that he was friends with him because he saw people too well. 1)Salvatore Garau. An Italian artist who presented a work called in 2021. The work was auctioned for 15,000 euros (about 20 million won in Korean currency), but it caused controversy because the sculpture did not actually exist. Salvatore Garau imed that he ¡°made it with air and spirit, even though he couldn¡¯t see it.¡± 2)A quote from Paik Nam-june Chapter 310: Chapter 310: 310 The Final Showdown (15) I had ate night because of the fight with Henri. Since it hade to this, I invited Ma Eun-chan, who lived in M¨¹nster, to have dinner with me. He ate hastily, his eyes wide open. He must have skipped meals for days. As we chatted leisurely after filling our stomachs, I heard an interesting story. There were 60,000 students in M¨¹nster, a city with less than 300,000 people2. That meant one out of every five people on the street was a student. ¡°How can there be so many?¡± ¡°This is a kind of wealthy neighborhood. But the rent and the cost of living are cheaper than other ces.¡±He meant that the city was safe and affordable. ¡°Then isn¡¯t it a nice ce to live?¡± ¡°Yeah. I love it.¡± Ma Eun-chan said he liked it. I didn¡¯t know why. ¡°Because the education environment is good.¡± Bang Tae-ho chimed in. ¡°First of all, there are many schools. I think there¡¯s even the oldest school in Europe here.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°The more schools there are, the more students there will be. And that creates a good environment, don¡¯t you think? After all, if you do business with students, the prices will be low.¡± Bang Tae-ho had a point. ¡°That¡¯s true. I didn¡¯t know it was this good before I moved in. There aren¡¯t many part-time jobs, though. But I guess I¡¯m lucky.¡± ¡°Haha. As far as I know, it was once selected as the best city to live in the world. It seems to be true.¡± Grandfather agreed with him. ¡°Yes. Really. Thendlord said that the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project also helped a lot.¡± ¡°Well, it would be beneficial economically if more outsiders came in.¡± ¡°So everyone hopes that they do it every five years, but Leon Koenig is totally against it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I was curious. The M¨¹nster Sculpture Project, which was held every ten years, seemed to have too long of an interval. From an artist¡¯s perspective, it would be better to haverge-scale events more often. And the city and the citizens would also want more frequent events that had economic effects. I couldn¡¯t understand why the art director opposed it. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ma Eun-chan shrugged. ¡°What do you think, sir?¡± Ma Eun-chan smiled brightly and asked Henri. He grimaced as he tasted the wine in his ss. He didn¡¯t like the wine. The French tended to be proud of their own products and not deal with anything else when it came to wine. Henri was no exception. He looked for wines made in Bordeaux, Rhone, or Champagne. Arsene called a staff member and ordered a new wine. Bang Tae-ho stepped in for the bewildered Ma Eun-chan. ¡°You know that the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project started with the aim of bridging the gap between the public and contemporary art, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the extension of it. In fact, there were many controversial works at this event. Let¡¯s take Noi Siamo as an example.¡± ¡°Oh! You mean the sculpture that has nothing?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s hard to say whether it¡¯s ahead of its time or unique.¡± ¡°Right. I¡¯m an artist too, but¡­¡± Ma Eun-chan trailed off. I wondered if he thought it was art, but not something he could call a ¡®sculpture¡¯. I felt the same way. ¡°I understand. I¡¯m not sure either. The citizens of M¨¹nster probably feel the same way.¡± Ma Eun-chan nodded. ¡°Director Leon Koenig says that such works need enough time to be epted.¡± ¡°You mean ten years?¡± ¡°Yes. There are some voices that want to reduce it to five or three years, but he tries to stick to ten years no matter what.¡± ¡°Haha. He said he would even go to court to keep it.¡± Grandfather added to Bang Tae-ho¡¯s exnation. ¡°Then why ten years?¡± Ma Eun-chan asked again. Henri put down his new wine and opened his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s about giving time.¡± ¡°Time?¡± ¡°Arsene, get rid of this garbage.¡± Henri didn¡¯t answer, butined about the wine. ¡°When you¡¯re 10, 20, or 30 years old, you see things differently.¡± ¡°Hmm. If that¡¯s the reason, do you really need 10 years?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a symbolic meaning of enough time. Even if we don¡¯t get along, we won¡¯t feel any distance after 10 years together.¡± When the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project opens, the whole city bes an exhibition hall. The public lives in harmony with the modern artworks disyed all over the city. The artworks that were in museums or galleriese into everyday life. As Henri said, if we spend 10 years together, we may not understand each other, but the distance will fade. I know nothing about human rtionships, but I¡¯m good at this. ¡°Damn it.¡± He doesn¡¯t like the wine again. He¡¯s trying to hold back his desire to drink more, but he¡¯s lucky. ¡°Ars¨¨ne.¡± ¡°Why do you keep drinking something that¡¯s not good for your body?¡± I stopped him from ordering another wine. ¡°Here, drink this.¡± He snorted when I gave him the grape juice I was drinking instead of wine. ¡°You drink it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Hmph. This is like a kid¡¯s joke juice.¡± ¡°Just taste it. You can order something elseter.¡± He seems to be worried after failing several times. He looked back and forth between the wine ss and the mug, then reluctantly put the grape juice to his mouth. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is it okay?¡± ¡°¡­Ars¨¨ne.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Bring me this.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ma Eunchan opened his mouth after staring at Henri. ¡°Brother, you have a surprisingly babyish taste.¡± Leon K?nig, the director of the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project, invited famous critics and docents. He had ced guides for each work to bring the public and modern art closer, and this time he nned to publish a collection of reviews. He held a small party to greet the people who helped the project on the opening day. ¡°Thank you foring. I hope you enjoy yourselves today.¡± Leon K?nig raised his ss and greeted them. As they cheered and turned around, Gary Harris, a critic who worked in the UK and the US, came up and greeted him. ¡°Congrattions. There are many great works this year.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the artists.¡± Gary Harris nodded slowly, meaning he agreed. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to ask you.¡± ¡°Please tell me.¡± ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a citizen¡¯s award this time. I was curious about your opinion as the director.¡± ¡°Ha ha. I avoided awards because they seemed to divide the ranks.¡± ¡°I knew that.¡± ¡°Yes. So I didn¡¯t want to make one, but the citizens said they wanted to express their gratitude to the artists who helped M¨¹nster.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t stop that, so I made one. It¡¯s not a prize money, but a que of appreciation, so I thought it would be okay.¡± ¡°That makes sense. If the citizens greet them voluntarily, it fits the purpose of the project.¡± ¡°Ha ha. Yes. I feel rewarded thanks to that.¡± Leon K?nig and Gary Harris raised their sses to each other. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m worried about how this event will be received. Please help me.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there already a work that has been visited by tens of thousands of people? It will be fine.¡± Gary Harris mentioned by Henri Marso and Kohun. It had been loved by the citizens and tourists of M¨¹nster since the first day of the opening, causing a sensation. Leon K?nig nodded his head with a vague expression, both pleased and ufortable. ¡°Are you bothered by Salvatore Orau?¡± Gary Harris mentioned the Italian artist. He had submitted a sculpture with nothing , which was a topic of a different meaning from . ¡°It would be a lie if I said no.¡± Leon K?nig smiled. ¡°I was worried until the end. I didn¡¯t know if it was right or wrong to exhibit that work.¡± Gary Harris looked into his eyes and drank champagne, meaning he understood. Even he, who had been a critic for a long time and had experienced and handled countless modern artworks, found it hard to judge. Should he see it as an individual¡¯s freedom? Or should he see it as a fraud, as most people thought? ¡°That¡¯s too much.¡± At the unexpected voice, the two turned their heads. ¡°Mr. Tanaka.¡± Tanaka Hirobumi, a critic from Japan, approached and greeted them. ¡°You¡¯re very firm.¡± Gary Harrismented. A critic should be careful about what he says, but he didn¡¯t hesitate to say that it was too much. It was interesting. ¡°I have to be. Salvatore Orau can¡¯t be an artist, let alone a visionary.¡± ¡°He named the air and the light. If that¡¯s not art, then naming ready-made products is also non-art, isn¡¯t it?¡± Gary Harris couldn¡¯t deny the invisible sculpture . If he didn¡¯t see as an artwork, he would also deny the ready-made, which gave new names and meanings to existing objects. ¡°Of course.¡± Tanaka Hirobumi answered again. ¡°Art has changed once again.¡± Gary Harris¡¯s eyes changed, who had first regarded Tanaka Hirobumi as a person without a countermeasure. ¡°There was a time when ready-made was epted as art, but that was already a century ago. Salvatore Orau is nothing but a mirror of Duchamp.¡± Soon, people began to gather around them. Everyone who was enjoying the celebration party had devoted their lives to art, so they were interested in the discourse between Gary Harris and Tanaka Hirobumi. ¡°Today, I saw people enjoying the unchanging value.¡± Tanaka Hirobumi mentioned the works of Henri Marso and Gohun. ¡°They just expressed what happened at the fire station, but the citizens enjoyed it in their own way. On the other hand, there were only critics and reporters like us in front of Salvatore Orau.¡± ¡°Mr. Tanaka. Art is.¡± ¡°Art is!¡± Gary Harris tried to interrupt, but Tanaka continued to speak with force. ¡°It doesn¡¯t exist. Only artists exist.¡± It was a very famous saying. Art is an illusion. If you define art, anything that deviates from that definition cannot be art. There was no definition that could embrace all the diverse works as much as the number of people who lived and who would be born. Therefore, there were only Millet, Van Gogh, Dali, Matisse, Picasso, and Duchamp. You couldn¡¯t define what art was. Only the person who made the artwork and the person who enjoyed it expanded the realm of art a little bit. ¡°Delusions that only vary the actions of the past masters are not art. They are frauds. On the other hand, look at the works of Henri Marso and Gohun. They share emotions better than anyone, even if they are not abstract.¡± was a work that interacted. The visitors understood and epted ording to their own experiences and drew out new values from it. It was an artwork that people who were not interested in art, who did not know art, enjoyed. ¡°This era clearly shows what kind of artist it epts.¡± As Tanaka Hirobumi finished his speech, Leon Koenig smiled softly beside him. ¡°I heard you well. I¡¯m looking forward to what kind of article you will write. It would be great for public art education.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Tanaka Hirobumi moved his seat and Gondo Masuda, who came with him, followed him in a hurry. ¡°Teacher! Teacher!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why did you say that? It sounds like Gohun did something great.¡± ¡°You.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Did you really have no thoughts when you saw the unchanging value?¡± Gondo Masuda blinked his eyes. ¡°People were enjoying it first. The old man, the uncle, the kids who had no interest in art.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But that¡¯s just because it¡¯s rted to them.¡± ¡°No!¡± Tanaka Hirobumi¡¯s voice echoed in the hallway. ¡°No.¡± It was something that he couldn¡¯t do no matter how hard he tried. The art world said that the art world had developed by packaging the works as investment products and increasing the transaction amount, but the reality was different. The Gpagosized art world was losing poption every year. But he witnessed for the first time the spectacle of the public approaching first. The contrasting reactions of the public to and had shocked Danaka Hirobumi. ¡°Educating? Teaching ignorant citizens? How arrogant is that?¡± ¡°Teacher.¡± ¡°Bing friends? Does that happen by just sitting there nkly? It¡¯s a relief if they don¡¯t bother me!¡± ¡°Teacher, why are you acting like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ashamed. Ashamed.¡± At the ce where the so-called critics gathered, the words that they still aimed for education came out. And the fact that they couldn¡¯t call the illusion that only repeated the past non-art. He was ashamed that he had been like that too. 1)Poption 300,000, students about 55,500 as of 2017. Chapter 311: Chapter 311: 311 The Final Showdown (16) [Choctier, pointing the direction] The Grand Art Tour, a festival for art lovers, has returned. On the 11th, the Kassel Documenta and the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project opened, and tomorrow, Art Basel will be held in Switzend. On August 1st, the Venice Biennale will also open, making it possible to enjoy an art trip across Germany, Switzend, and Italy. But who can wait until August? I, too, couldn¡¯t contain my curiosity and visited Kassel, Germany. The Kassel Documenta, which runs for 100 days and is also known as the ¡®Museum of 100 Days¡¯, started in 1955 with the aim of spreading modern art that had been suppressed by the Nazis.The Nazis considered cubism, represented by Pablo Picasso, and fauvism, by Henri Matisse, as degenerate art and did not allow them to be shown to the Germans. Professor Arnold Bode opened the Documenta to connect the Germans and art that had been severed by the Nazis, and the first edition naturally focused on cubism and fauvism. Since then, the Kassel Documenta has continued to introduce new art to Germany. It showcased pop art, minimalism, conceptual art, and other artworks that dominated the era. It was an event-like act derived from the Latin word ¡®documentum¡¯, apound of ¡®docere (to teach)¡¯ and ¡®mens (intelligence)¡¯. The Kassel Documenta showed the public what the art world recognized as art, and also lectured them on what art was. The artists who had despaired through two world wars wandered to find what art was, and the Kassel Documenta was at the forefront. It is hard to deny that the Kassel Documenta gathered the discourse of the art world and suggested the direction for art to go. ¡°Sigh.¡± Kim Ji-woo, who was writing the manuscript, let out a long breath. She had to sort out herplicated feelings after visiting the Kassel Documenta and the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project for five days. She was surprised by the unexpected number of visitors, but she was also shocked by the fact that the two events were not self-sustaining. Kim Ji-woo read the result reports of the Documenta and the Sculpture Project that she had obtained from the organizingmittee with a coffee cup in her hand. The Kassel Documenta in 2025 had a deficit of 17.8 million euros, and the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project in 2020 had a deficit of 10.3 million euros.1) It was not a one or two year thing. Even with a budget of 50 million euros from the city of Kassel, the deficit was increasing every year. ¡°Are you stuck?¡± Lee In-ho, a reporter sitting across from her, asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to solve it.¡± ¡°Tell me. Talking might help you sort it out.¡± Kim Ji-woo took a sip of coffee and opened her mouth. ¡°I wonder why they can¡¯t stand on their own.¡± ¡°Art?¡± ¡°Yes. Culture like movies, dramas, games, they grow every year.¡± ¡°Maybe because they are popr culture? They have different directions.¡± ¡°ssical music has grown a lot.¡± Lee In-ho nodded. The ssical music world was expanding greatly, centered on the Berlin Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. ¡°I feel doubtful. The Kassel Documenta and the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project have the purpose of educating the public who don¡¯t understand art. It¡¯s like¡­¡± Kim Ji-woo met Lee In-ho¡¯s eyes and smiled awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°¡­They seem to think they are special. Themselves.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°They sound reasonable. They want to narrow the gap between art and the public, and spread the philosophy based on humanities. But in the end, artists are also human. They are not special.¡± Lee In-ho quietly listened to Kim Ji-woo so that she could sort out her thoughts. ¡°No. Let me correct that. Everyone is special, but one side enlightening the public seems like a very old-fashioned idea to me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Back then, the education level of the public was low. So that might have been possible, but not now. Rather, there are many people who know more about art than artists as a hobby.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kim Ji-woo lifted her cup again. ¡°But to receive billions of won in budget from the taxes paid by the citizens, and to lose money while teaching them. How long will that be valid? That¡¯s what I thought.¡± Kim Ji-woo looked at Lee In-ho¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ha ha ha. I¡¯ll get in trouble if I write this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your opinion, Ji-woo.¡± She knew she would be challenged if she wrote a critical article about the current art world. She might even lose this job that she loved so much. The fact that she had someone to confide in her frustration was afort to her. Kim Ji-woo recalled what happened a few years ago. ¡°When I first met Hoon, he said he wanted to sell his paintings. He said that if someone wanted to buy them, it meant they were connected by the paintings.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I felt that he was someone who had something to do at that time. Usually, people would talk about what philosophy or thoughts they put into their paintings. They would want to exin how amazing they were.¡± ¡°Hoon wasn¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°Yes. He thought about the viewers. Some people might call him a money-grubber, but I heard his words differently. He wanted tomunicate through his paintings.¡± ¡°I felt the same way.¡± The two smiled at each other. Ji-woo continued his story. ¡°It was the same with the Dallida Square incidentst year. And before that, the Whitney Biennale and the Arnuvo Competition. And this year¡¯s Documenta and Sculpture Project. There were always crowds around Hoon¡¯s works.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s because of Hoon¡¯s attitude towards art. That¡¯s what I think.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why money followed him.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Ji-wooughed. ¡°So. Now, it¡¯s not about teaching what art is, or educating to make them understand. Artists should also try to reach out first.¡± ¡°I think they¡¯re already working hard on that.¡± ¡°Yes. There are many artists who are trying hard, but the big events and critics don¡¯t seem to care. It¡¯s frustrating.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you get in trouble if you wrote that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji-wooughed again. ¡°Thank you. I feel better.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± ¡°But are you okay with not doing your interviews?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You came on assignment, but you¡¯ve been with me all the time.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ well.¡± Ji-woo blinked. ¡°I was also sorting out my thoughts. Uh-ha! Ha-ha-ha!¡± Inhoughed awkwardly. He couldn¡¯t tell the truth that he took a leave of absence to see Ji-woo¡¯s exhibition of the Kassel Documenta and the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project. He had been awkward for a while after mistaking the words toe home when he submitted the article to the Korean Art Association. He couldn¡¯t see her often after she moved to Paris, France, so he wanted to make time to be with her. Ji-woo grinned. ¡°There will be a lot of work for the Grand Art Tour this time. When you¡¯re done with your busy schedule, take a vacation ande to Paris.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°We can sightsee. And date.¡± Inho¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, never mind.¡± ¡°No, no. Why would I?¡± ¡°Ah-ha-ha. You¡¯re so flustered. You¡¯re not a kid, why are you so surprised?¡± Ji-woo moved his gaze to hisptop, and Inho, who had used up his annual leave, could only cool his burning stomach with cold coffee. ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± Henri said he wasn¡¯t going to the Swiss Art Basel. Unbelievable. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± He was lying for sure. He used to be bad at lying to others, and Michel would make nonsense about gambling addiction or something, but he grew up. ¡°Don¡¯t lie. You¡¯re going to let your guard down and go. I won¡¯t fall for it if you go likest time.¡± ¡°Ha. Where do you get that confidence from?¡± He sounded like he really wasn¡¯t going, but where did he get that confidence from? It made me feel bad to hear it from him. ¡°I get it.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± Maechan stuck his face out from under the table and asked. Henri Marso looked at Maechan, who rested his chin on the table, and opened his mouth. He didn¡¯t act sharp to Maechan, whether he liked his painting or was being nice. ¡°World Art Forum.¡± ¡°Huh? Why are you going there?¡± ¡°Lecture.¡± ¡°Heh!¡± Maeun-chan sprang up from his seat. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know GAF? Global Art Forum!¡± He said GAF was short for Global Art Forum. I shook my head and he sat down next to me to exin. ¡°It¡¯s an event where big museum directors and schrs from ces like the Whitney, Tate Modern, Hermitage, and National Gallery gather.¡± ¡°What do they do there?¡± ¡°They talk about important issues in the art world. What the problems are, what the solutions are, things like that. Your brother is so awesome!¡± ¡°Of course he is.¡± Henry Marceau stroked Maeun-chan¡¯s head with a proud expression. Then he looked at me, but I had no idea what he wanted. ¡°Here.¡± Henry took something out of his pocket and gave it to Maeun-chan. ¡°Chocte?¡± ¡°Eat it.¡± ¡°¡­? Thank you.¡± Maeun-chan broke the chocte in half and gave me one piece, then stuffed the other in his mouth. I didn¡¯t want to ruin the mood of the smiling person who looked like a guardian and his pet. ¡°What are you going to talk about?¡± I was curious what he would say in front of those great people. ¡°Are you curious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then sell it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Passion.¡± It was the concept art he drew while working on the movie . He still hadn¡¯t given up, which was really stubborn. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± I turned my head, expecting a fight, but Maeun-chan stepped in. ¡°I¡¯m curious too. I¡¯ll give you mine, so please tell me. Okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your drawings.¡± He snapped. He always said things that hurt people, even when he could be nice. ¡°How can you say that? No matter what. No matter what. That¡¯s too harsh.¡± I turned my head in surprise and saw Maeun-chan sobbing as if he was about to cry. Henry seemed a bit flustered too. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°I can¡¯tpare to your brother, but I work hard too. How can you¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry, I said!¡± ¡°You told me not to give up, no matter how hard it was. You told me to love myself. How can you say that? I¡­¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Henry hesitated, then awkwardly raised his hand. He paused a few times, but eventually patted Maeun-chan¡¯s shoulder. This was a strange scene. ¡°I¡¯m going to make a new history.¡± ¡°What history?¡± ¡°Get rid of those damn things and get serious.¡± ¡°Please tell me more. I¡¯m not very smart.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Maybe Henry had found his soulmate after Sherry, Michel, and Principal Nics Foussaint. In 2017, the Kassel Documenta received a budget of 37 million euros from the city of Kassel, but incurred a deficit of 12 million euros due to reasons such as holding it in Athens. Chapter 312: Chapter 312: 312 The Final Showdown (17) June 16, 2030. The world¡¯srgest art fair, Art Basel in Switzend, is about to begin. The VIP entrance day is not until the second day, so I prepare to go to Switzend at a leisurely pace. ¡°You shoulde with us, Mr. Artist.¡± Bang Tae-ho suggests to Ma Eun-chan. ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you. Hehe.¡± His smile, which is always bright, looks a bit bitter.¡°This is the event where the artworks sell the best, so it will help your career.¡± ¡°I prefer to see the sculpture project, you know. Ahaha. Thank you, though.¡± There are many works to see at the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project, but I enjoyed them enough for five days. Besides, Ma Eun-chan, who lives in M¨¹nster, can see them anytimeter. I can¡¯t understand why he is so stubborn, and then I realize that I was too careless. ¡°We got an invitation from Choctier for the future. They even sent us ne tickets and hotel reservations. Right, sir?¡± I give Bang Tae-ho a hint. Fortunately, he catches on quickly and ys along. ¡°I sent them too many, thinking there were more artists.¡± ¡°It would be a waste to just throw them away.¡± ¡°Exactly. And Mr. Marso is not participating either, so what are we going to do?¡± Bang Tae-ho matches my rhythm. ¡°Me, me! Actually, I really want to go! Don¡¯t throw them away!¡± Thank goodness. Ma Eun-chan agrees to join us and starts packing his clothes that he left at theundry. Suddenly, Grandpa ruffles his hair roughly. ¡°Ouch.¡± ¡°Kid.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What do you mean, what?¡± He messes up his hair again. I can¡¯t lose, so I tickle his armpits, and Grandpaughs loudly and tries to shake me off. I¡¯m exhausted. Even if I grow older and reach my 20s or 30s, I don¡¯t think I can beat Grandpa with strength. ¡°Haa. Haa.¡± He lies down on the bed and breathes heavily for a while, then calls me affectionately. ¡°Hoon-ah.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Grandpa is proud of you.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re proud of yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯m proud of Grandpa!¡± Grandpa¡¯s joke is so absurd that I end upughing. Two dayster. On the ne to Switzend, I read a brochure about Art Basel. It takes less than an hour to get to Basel, but Grandpa is already asleep. ¡°Hoon-ah.¡± Ma Eun-chan whispers to me. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°This is amazing. You can lie down without tilting the seat back?¡± He points to the seat adjustment button and says. ¡°Here, eat this.¡± They gave us an appetizer, a sd, and a pork dish, but he didn¡¯t like them, so he only ate the cheesecake that came out as an appetizer. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°They gave it to me when I said I was hungry.¡± ¡°You said you were hungry?¡± ¡°You should say it too.¡± Ma Eun-chan looks around and asks the flight attendant if he can have more cheesecake. The flight attendant smiles and answers, and he opens his mouth in delight. ¡°Can I ask anytime?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I want to live here.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± We smile at each other. ¡°What are you reading?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an introduction to Art Basel.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. How is it different from a biennale?¡± He said he didn¡¯t know how an exhibition like the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project and an art fair like Art Basel were different. To be honest, I didn¡¯t know exactly what was different either, so I was reading the introduction. Apart from the fact that the works were traded and the people who came were different, it didn¡¯t seem much different from other exhibitions. How should I exin it? ¡°Uh¡­¡± I opened my mouth after thinking of an easy way to exin it. ¡°If a biennale is like a fashion show, then an art fair is like a department store? It feels like that.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Do you get it?¡± ¡°I totally get it. Oh, thank you. I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± Maeunchan said as he took the cheese cake. ¡°I think the art fair would be more fun.¡± ¡°Why? There are more experimental works at the biennale.¡± ¡°They say there are a lot of events at the Swiss Art Basel.¡± He smiled as he pointed to the part that introduced various events thatbined food and art. ¡°I¡¯ll start from here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have to go to where your work is first?¡± ¡°Taeho will sell it well for me.¡± I rented a booth under the name of Choctier and decided to sell three of my paintings and two of Henri¡¯s props. I hope they all sell, but I¡¯m not too attached. I participated because of the contract with the Bugrenelli shopping mall, but I don¡¯t have to sell paintings anymore because I have a way to make money. ¡°I¡¯ll just say hello if someone buys it. Before that, I want to see what kind of works are there.¡± ¡°There will be a lot of rich people.¡± He seemed to think that a lot of people who were financiallyfortable woulde because art works were usually traded at high prices. ¡°I thought so too, but Taeho said it¡¯s not always the case.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s rare for real rich people toe in person. They send agents.¡± ¡°Oh. I guess so.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to see their faces even if they visit.¡± Bang Taeho came out. ¡°Don¡¯t they get a lot of attention?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯re more careful. They might not like the noise. Usually, they look at the work samples in a separate ce and decide.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s no reason to go in person, right?¡± ¡°If they choose a work from the sample, they move the real thing to a private room and show it.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Do they have to do that? It¡¯s hard to understand the minds of rich people. ¡°I¡¯ll send the luggage to the hotel. You can give it to him.¡± As soon as we arrived in Basel, Switzend, we headed to the venue. There was a huge building with a shark fin color and Art Basel written in white letters. I thought there would be few people because it was a VIP entrance day, but it was crowded with people. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the booth first.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Bang Taeho and I entered as sellers and Grandpa and Maeunchan entered with VIP tickets. ¡°Wow.¡± I didn¡¯t make a sound, but I was as surprised as Maeunchan. The building that looked so big from the outside was filled with people, pirs, and works. The works were so diverse, moving, hanging from the ceiling, etc. that I couldn¡¯t focus. This was the first time I felt this way since the Whitney Biennale. "Oh! Julian Pio!"1) Maeunchan shouted as he saw the work on the right pir. It was a video of people walking. ¡°Do you know him?¡± ¡°Of course. He¡¯s very famous.¡± I shook my head. There are so many people who are introduced as famous in the art world or the YouTube world, but I don¡¯t know many of them. Maeunchan approached the work and listened. I wondered what it was and tried it, and I heard the noise of the city. Car horns, crosswalk announcements, asional conversations, etc. Now that I look at it, the people walking are also like that. It¡¯s a work that simplifies a scene of the city. I thought I could express it in this way and stood in front of the work of the person named Julian Pio for a while. ¡°It¡¯s a refined picture.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ma Eunchan nodded happily as I shared my impression. ¡°Everyone says Julian Pio¡¯s works are simple, but he¡¯s someone who thinks more about the origin than anyone else. He omits and simplifies to show what¡¯s left in the end.¡± I agree. There are many people in this work, but they are not described in detail. But even with those simple expressions, they are so distinctive that you can tell who is who. It¡¯s amazing that you can distinguish people without even facial features. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the booth first and look aroundter.¡± I followed Grandpa¡¯s words and headed to the booth. ¡°Director. Teacher, Hoon-ah.¡± Jung Ilho, the team leader of Choctier, greeted us warmly. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Oh, please. It¡¯s been crazy since yesterday.¡± I exchanged brief greetings with the staff of Choctier who prepared and managed the booth. They were all busy dealing with customers without time to ask how they were. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± Grandpa looked around the booth with satisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s so cool.¡± The booth decorated with golden sunflowers and irises was quite impressive. Should I say it¡¯s modern or minimalistic? It¡¯s very intense and colorfulpared to other booths that are simple and tidy. I didn¡¯t have time to care about the booth while working on Nana and Anglina, but they did better than I expected. They are reliable people. I think I can enjoy the sightseeing without worrying. ¡°Grandpa, I want to go there.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He took out a map and pointed to the art and food venue andughed. ¡°This kid. You didn¡¯t eat and only had snacks for a reason.¡± ¡°I have to go.¡± Cooking is an art that gives a different emotion than the art works. I can¡¯t miss thebination of art and food. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go since there¡¯s no problem. How about you, Ma?¡± ¡°I want to see the works, is that okay?¡± ¡°Why not? Let¡¯s meet hereter.¡± ¡°Okay! Hoon-ah, enjoy your food.¡± I parted with Ma Eunchan and told Bang Taeho that I was going to look around and moved on. As I looked around the venue, I noticed that there were hardly any works with prices. ¡°They must sell a lot at auctions.¡± ¡°That¡¯s usually the case. Sotheby¡¯s, Christie¡¯s, Phillips, they all join in.¡± The event where the world¡¯s three major auction houses participated showed the status of Swiss Art Basel. ¡°Don¡¯t they sell by direct contract?¡± ¡°There are cases like that too.¡± It was a bit unusual that one work was auctioned and two works were sold by direct contract. Come to think of it, Angli also put everything up for auction. It makes sense that putting them on the auction house would create a higher price. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± There was a huge chocte fountain at the entrance of the Art & Eat venue. It was a painful thing to just look at the chocte flowing down. ¡°Hoon-ah.¡± Grandpa called me and I turned my head and saw someone drawing with chocte. He didn¡¯t use a brush, but smeared chocte on his palm and drew. It was dynamic. ¡°It¡¯s so cool.¡± ¡°Hehehe. You seem to like it more than the main exhibition.¡± This ce, the Art & Eat venue, is the main exhibition for me. ¡°There¡¯s pizza too.¡± I quickly moved my eyes and oh my god. There were several pizzas shaped like pop art works with various kinds of paprika, cheese, and meat. They were even baking pizza in the back. ¡°Do you want a slice?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The staff put a slice of pizza on a te for me. I ate it with great expectation, but it didn¡¯t taste good because there was too much paprika. It looked good, but it wasn¡¯t good as a food. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s unique.¡± I couldn¡¯t say it was tasteless in front of the person who made the pizza, so I mumbled something in Korean that he wouldn¡¯t understand. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Three points.¡± I heard Korean from the next booth. I turned my head to follow the voice and saw a handsome man eating curry with a sour face. 1)Julian Opie Chapter 313: 313 The Final Showdown (18) I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. It was Bae Dovin, the conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, who had overwhelmed the audience with his pitch-ck gaze. Boring music. Annoying music. Dull music. He was a genius of the century who shattered the public¡¯s prejudice against ssical music and made them shiver deep in their hearts. I also enjoyed listening to the Berlin Philharmonic¡¯s performance after watching his live video.Christine Norman had rated her experience working with him as the best, and even the fussy Henri had rmended me to go to the concert hall and listen. ¡°Really? I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Thin. ying with chicken.¡± That was Bae Dovin, who was seriously analyzing the curry. Why? It was such a strange sight that I must have lost my mind. He turned his head as if he felt my gaze. He had a sharp expression and a bad mood, making it hard to approach him. I wanted to say hello, but I had a bad experience of being startled by a stranger talking to me, so I just watched him until the man next to him leaned his face forward. It was the pianist Choi Jihun. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Ko Hun.¡± Bae Dovin mentioned my name. I was surprised and opened my eyes wide, then moved my gaze to my grandfather and bowed my head. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Bae Dovin.¡± My grandfather greeted him nervously. ¡°Hehe. Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Koh Sooyul.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like they knew each other well, but I was surprised that he suddenly greeted me. My grandfather looked puzzled too. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from your mother.¡± ¡°Hehe. Is that so? Is your mother here too?¡± ¡°No. She doesn¡¯t do any external activities.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a shame.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send her my regards.¡± ¡°Okay. It was nice to meet you.¡± Bae Dovin and Choi Jihun exchanged light greetings and left their seats. ¡°He¡¯s grown up so much.¡± I was so flustered that I was nk, and my grandfatherughed. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a writer named Yoo Jinhee who works in Germany, and he¡¯s her son.¡± I had heard the name. She didn¡¯t do any external activities and only ran a private gallery in Berlin, but she was still considered a master. ¡°Are you close?¡± My grandfather shook his head. ¡°I met her briefly at an exhibition, but it was a long time ago. It seemed like a courtesy.¡± I was dumbfounded and just looked at the direction where he disappeared. ¡°Hoon, there¡¯s candy here too.¡± Candy is not important. It was amazing that he, who was a world-renowned musician and also the heir of thergest chaebol in Korea, was walking around normally. ¡°Did he juste to see?¡± ¡°What else could it be? His mother is a painter, so he might be interested in art.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hehe. Are you that curious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, you liked the Berlin Phil music. You should have talked to him.¡± ¡°I should have.¡± Bae Dovin and Choi Jihun sat down at one side of the restaurant. ¡°He was amazing.¡± Choi Jihun eximed after searching for Ko Hun. He was impressive enough to have a solo exhibition at a young age, but his achievements were dazzling, such as being invited to the Whitney Biennale and winning second ce in the Art Nouveaupetition. ¡°His grandfather told me.¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°He said his painting was good. He said he came here to participate and met him.¡± Bae Dovin recalled what his grandfather, Yu Janghyuk, had said. His grandfather, who had visited Kohun¡¯s solo exhibition, had praised a work called . ¡°So you came to see him? Why don¡¯t you talk to him?¡± Bae Dovin shook his head. ¡°I came to buy a birthday present for my grandfather. There¡¯s nothing to make us ufortable. It was enough to say hello.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Choi Jihunughed softly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so thoughtful. He¡¯ll be happy if you remember what he said and give him a present.¡± Bae Dovin licked his lips. ¡°Then are you going to participate in the auction?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very expensive, isn¡¯t it? The work called was sold for 14 million dors.¡± Choi Jihun opened his smartphone. ¡°They say so.¡± The food they ordered was ced between them. ¡°But isn¡¯t it too much for a birthday present?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because thepetition was fierce. It doesn¡¯t usually go up that much.¡± Bae Dovin told him the situation where the price soared as Christine Norman and Henri Marsopeted. Both of them were wealthy enough to have at least tens of billions of dors, so it was possible. ¡°How do you know so well about the art stuff when you only know music?¡± ¡°I got to hear it even if I wasn¡¯t interested, thanks to my grandfather and mother.¡± Bae Dovin was lost in thought for a moment. ¡°He seems a bit special.¡± ¡°Kohun?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Bae Dovin, who had looked for Kohun¡¯s paintings through his grandfather, had a fresh experience. , which was exhibited at the Marso Gallery, especially touched his heart. Through , who looked at the audience from the perspective of Van Gogh. He was able to experience the feeling of listening to the D minor symphony (chorus) that he wrote 200 years ago for the first time. ¡°Norman must have liked him too.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Choi Jihun shouted loudly. ¡°Why are you like that?¡± ¡°He drew the original painting of , didn¡¯t he? Why did I just realize that?¡± Choi Jihun remembered the movie he sawst year. He enjoyed watching it and found rted information, and saw an article that said that a kid named Kohun participated as a concept art manager and became a hot topic. He bought the original painting book and forgot about it. He couldn¡¯t believe it. Bae Dovin chuckled. ¡°He also participated in the next work.¡± ¡°Count Caliostro?¡± Choi Jihun asked in surprise. Christine Norman, the director, introduced as the first of the Lupin series, and said that there were two more movies left. He was even more surprised that his one and only friend had something to do with the movie. ¡°You¡¯re going to work on the OST, right? You¡¯ll see him again.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to see after the shooting is over.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡± ¡°What¡¯s too bad?¡± ¡°He¡¯s cute. And he draws well. Does he take poster requests?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Should I invite him?¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± It was an indifferent answer, but he knew it was the best affirmation for him. Choi Jihun decided to send a concert ticket to the young painter. ¡°Yes. I arrived. The auction will start soon. Yes. ¡­¡­Are you saying everything? I understand.¡± Arsene finished the call and sighed. He, who had gone on a business trip to Basel, Switzend, received a special order from his employer. It was to buy the work that Kohun put out instead of Henri Marso, who attended the World Art Forum. ¡®He won¡¯t let it go when he finds outter.¡¯ He was worried as he watched the two fight every time they met recently. He had made a friend who matched his mind, but he was afraid that the rtionship would be twisted because of his stubbornness. ¡®There¡¯s no choice.¡¯ He, disguised as a nun, calmly looked around the auction house. The big shots of the art world were not bored. ¡®It¡¯s no wonder.¡¯ Today was the most anticipated day of the Swiss Art Basel, the world¡¯srgest art market. Julian Pio, famous for his style of simplifying the description and emphasizing the characteristics of the people. Gohun, loved for his bold brush strokes and sincere sense of color. And even Egon Schiele, who was said to have made Klimt jealous, had his work up for auction. There were collectors with enormous wealth, and evenrge museums came, so thepetition seemed fierce. Arsen headed to the guide. ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± The guide checked Arsen¡¯s ID card against the list and gave him a number te. ¡®I have to figure out who¡¯s buying. And how much wealth they have.¡¯ Arsen, who had experienced many auction houses, waited for the auction to start while checking the faces of the participants. ¡®They don¡¯t talk about the works.¡¯ But as expected of an auction house where thepetition was fierce, no one said what work they were interested in. As he was about to give up and sit down, the hall became a bit noisy. ¡°That¡¯s Baedobin.¡± ¡°What¡¯s he doing here?¡± ¡°Maestro, it¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± Several people murmured and some approached the man who entered and greeted him. ¡®B?¡¯ Arsen¡¯s eyes caught the orchestra leader of the Berlin Philharmonic. He was considered one of the greatest musicians in history and the heir of the global group WH, which had a market capitalization of about 1,700 trillion won, so he couldn¡¯t help but attract attention. ¡®Why is he here¡­¡¯ Arsen narrowed his eyes and observed Baedobin. He was well-known and a musician that Henri Marso liked, so he had a rough idea of him, but he didn¡¯t know he was interested in art. If Baedobin bid on Gohun¡¯s work, it would be a tough fight. ¡®No way.¡¯ Arsen shook his head. Soon, the appointed time came and the elderly auctioneer showed up. Following the British tradition of auctioning, the auctioneer climbed onto the podium set up two steps above.1) ¡°Art lovers, wee. I¡¯m Adam dstone, the auctioneer.¡± The participants apuded as the auctioneer of Christie¡¯s announced the start. ¡°The auction will begin. You are the ones who express the people walking on the street. Julian Pio¡¯s Walking in the Morning.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± The people gasped and apuded as Julian Pio¡¯s was revealed. A middle-aged man in a suit walking with his shoulders slumped. Someone who walks like running while talking on the phone. A person who walks leisurely with a coffee and other scenes that can be seen in the city in the morning were implemented as animations (moving pictures). ¡°Walking is the most natural action. At the same time, it is also the most personal action. The artist captures the characteristics of the people in the city through the act of walking. This work, which depicts the people walking their own paths, is perhaps our portrait today.¡± Adam gave the participants enough time to appreciate . He believed that the auction would go well only if they felt the value of the work as well as the name of the artist. But he didn¡¯t waste that time. He observed the participants and figured out who was shining their eyes. ¡°The starting price of this sensual pop art work is $10,000.¡± As soon as Adam finished speaking, 100 of the 300 participants raised their number tes. Adam was secretly delighted. And Arsen swallowed his saliva as he confirmed that Baedobin did not raise his number te. 1)Christie¡¯s follows the British tradition of auctioning. The auctioneer conducts the auction from a high ce to assert his authority. The auctioneer has the right to bid, so the auctioneer¡¯s discretion, sense, and charisma are important. Christie¡¯s established a professional education institution in 1978 and taught art history, appraisal, and art administration to train auctioneers, and sold numerous works by leading the auction. Christie¡¯s most sessful auction case is Vincent van Gogh¡¯s , which was sold for $82.5 million at Christie¡¯s New York auction in 1990. Chapter 314: Chapter 314: Hello, this is Copilot. I will try to act as a web novel editor for you. Here is my edited and tranted version of your text: 314 The Final Showdown (19) ¡°Thank you for joining us again. We appreciate it.¡± Edward Jenner, the Client Rtionship Director of Christie¡¯s, the world¡¯srgest auction house, greeted Ko Hun. The art world was paying close attention to today¡¯s auction, thanks to Ko Hun, the most beloved painter of the present time, entrusting his work to them. Not only did Christie¡¯s broadcast the auction live, but major media outlets from various countries also reported on the auction situation. For Christie¡¯s, who had poured their heart and soul into preparing for this Art Basel, it was a more than wee phenomenon. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±Ko Hun smiled awkwardly. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. I know you have a negative view of auctions. I¡¯ve heard it before.¡± Edward Jenner smiled slyly. In the past three years, only two works by active artists had recorded higher bids than Ko Hun¡¯s . Edward Jenner, who was aiming for an executive position through this opportunity, had to secure Ko Hun at all costs. ¡°I thought about why you would avoid auctions, even though they are the most profitable way. Maybe it¡¯s because they are misused. Am I right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ko Hun nodded. It didn¡¯t make sense to avoid auctions because they could make a lot of money. Ko Hun was wary of his works bing spective objects through the auction market. As buying works became a way to make money rather than appreciate them, rarity and poprity became more important than aesthetics, and he thought that artists would follow that trend. That¡¯s how the art market became increasingly distant from the public, which was not what Ko Hun wanted. ¡°But there is no way to stop who will bid for what purpose, at least for now.¡± Ko Hun was disappointed. He didn¡¯t fully trust Edward Jenner, who said he would find a way to lead it in a good direction, but he had a little hope. ¡°However.¡± Edward Jenner handed him a document. ¡°We have a choice of how to use the proceeds.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°This is a press release that says we will use some of the auction proceeds for students. It will be published today.¡± Edward Jenner persuaded Ko Hun. ¡°It may not be the answer you wanted, but I think it¡¯s better to do something than nothing, if you can¡¯t achieve a perfect line. We can¡¯t deny the nature of increasing profits, nor can we infringe on the bidders¡¯ freedom, so we have to do what we can.¡± Ko Hun looked over Christie¡¯s statement. It said that they would share 10% of the auction proceeds with struggling artists and high school students. 10% of the revenue from a big auction with participants like Egon Schiele, Julian Pio, and Ko Hun was not a small amount. ¡°This might continue if it leads to a good result. But this kind of thing.¡± ¡°You mean I have to participate, right?¡± Ko Hun got to the point. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Edward Jenner nodded. ¡°Actually, neither Christie¡¯s nor Sotheby¡¯s, nor Phillips have any reason to do this on purpose. They arepanies that aim to generate profits.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But they are also in a position where they need to receive good works from artists. It¡¯s a symbiotic rtionship. The more people like you who want the auctions to be healthy, the more we have to reflect their voices to some extent.¡± Ko Hun agreed with Edward Jenner¡¯s words. The auction houses had no reason to share their profits. They moved with the pretext of the voices of the artists who sold their works at high prices. ¡°It¡¯s hard to change the big flow by moving one side alone. But I think we can move a little bit if we work together.¡± Ko Hun looked at Edward Jenner. It was not the ideal situation he wanted, but he was trustworthy, trying to get the best result within the realistic range. ¡®He should be in a high position.¡¯ Ko Hun smiled and reached out his hand. ¡°Please take good care of me.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The two shook hands. Go Soo-yeol and Bang Tae-ho watched them with satisfaction. ¡°570,000 dors. Anyone else? I¡¯ll take the bid. 570,000 dors. 570,000 dors. 570,000 dors. Sold.¡± The auction hall was filled with apuse. The third work of the day was sold for a whopping 570,000 dors. After being sold for $218,750 at Christie¡¯s New York, Julian Pio set his personal record twice today. He couldn¡¯t hide his joy as he bumped shoulders with his manager, who apanied him to the auction where he had put up three of his works, including . ¡®This is not good.¡¯ Arsen sensed a bad vibe. Even though it was the biggest art market, the works of famous artists were sold for more than twice their original prices. The people who came to the scene were all wealthy, and they were active in bidding. It was hard to predict how fierce thepetition would be for Ko Hun¡¯s new work, which had not been announced yet, but it didn¡¯t seem easy. Except for , which had recorded an exceptional price. Since then, Ko Hun had achieved good results at the Whitney Biennale and the Art Nouveau Competition. He also created a discourse by promoting racial harmony at the Dali za and the Bugrenelli Shopping Mall. Moreover, this year he participated in the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project, the Kassel Documenta, and the Swiss Art Basel, followed by the Venice Biennale, so he could expect at least $1 million or more. Arsen was not the only one who thought so. ¡°Excuse me, sir.¡± A Christie¡¯s staff member approached the auctioneer Adam dstone. As Adam leaned his ear, he whispered in a low voice. ¡°The M¨¹nster Sculpture Project Citizen Award has been decided. It¡¯s Ko Hun.¡± Adam dstone, who had sessfully sold three works in a row today, nodded in satisfaction. From his long experience, he knew that a day like today would always bring trouble. The wealthy bidders were eager to join the auction, and the works were excellent, so nothing could be better. On top of that, the situation where the most prominent artist at today¡¯s auction, along with Egon Schiele, had confirmed his award at the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project. The Christie¡¯s appraisal team had estimated Ko Hun¡¯s new work at $1.5 million to $2 million, but Adam dstone thought he could aim for more. As Adam dstone expected, the auction house began to get noisy. The news that Ko Hun had won the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project started to spread. In the midst of the disorganized atmosphere, Adam dstone started the next auction. ¡°Thank you for your patience. The next work is Ko Hun¡¯s new work.¡± Two Christie¡¯s staff members moved , which was covered with cloth, onto the podium. ¡°He is the most active artist currently, participating in the Whitney Biennale, the Art Nouveau Competition, and the SNBA Salon Exhibition.¡± Everyone knew it well, but they needed to be reminded again. To raise the value of , Adam dstone introduced Ko Hun calmly and seriously. ¡°Ko Hun, who is loved for his bold strokes and sensual colors, pursues harmony and courage. Last year, he nted flowers with children of various races at the Dali za in Paris, and this year, he organized the first joint exhibition of two countries at the Venice Biennale. He also recently seeded in narrowing the gap between art and the public through the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project.¡± He finished his exnation by mentioning the recent news. Adam dstone reached out his hand. ¡°I present to you Ko Hun¡¯s unpublished new work, Flower.¡± The moment the cloth was lifted. Everyone at the scene was speechless. How far they could bid, how much more Ko Hun would do, what value the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project Citizen Award had. They forgot all the factors they had been calcting and fell into the canvas. There were flowers blooming in bunches at the Dali za in Paris, France. Next to the elegantly bloomed chrysanthemums, the daffodils chirped cutely. The haughty trumpet flowers and lcs leaned on each other and enjoyed the sun calmly. The lush hydrangeas looked down on the water forget-me-nots that bloomed with tiny petals. The camellias and magnolias showed off their noble posture on the trees. The tulips with their cheeks flushed. The pansies stained as if they had dropped paint, and the ck petunias smiling brightly. The flowers that adorned the Dali za showed off their shapes and colors and harmonized with each other. ¡°Ko Hun said that Flower is the only work that symbolizes the Dali za.¡± Adam dstone, who thought he had given enough time to appreciate, told the value of . ¡°In a reality where countless conflicts do not cease around the world, the event at the Dali za seems unreal. And because it contains many flowers, it has all four seasons. But you can see that this strange scene is not a fantasy because it actually happened.¡± Adam dstone looked around the scene. ¡°Ko Hun¡¯s Flower, which says that they can be together withoutpromising their colors and shapes. The starting price of the work that symbolizes the happiness at the Dali za is $1 million.¡± The bidders, the media, and the gallery all doubted their ears and eyes. They couldn¡¯t believe that the starting price was $1 million, not the final price, and yet half of them raised their number tes. Arsen, who was watching the situation, bit his lower lip. ¡°Do I have $1.1 million?¡± More people raised their number tes than when he called $1 million. Arsen looked around and checked who was raising their number tes. Caroline Swede. Jill Norton. Jacqueline Stone. Richard Phillips. The famous art collectors were still watching the situation. But they were all ready to join the auction at any time, whispering with theirpanions. ¡®What about Baudouin?¡¯ Arsen found the conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic. Unlike the others who were bustling around, he calmly sat and admired the . ¡°Do we have two million dors?¡± As the bidding price reached twice the starting price, the crowd gradually thinned out, but the bidding speed did not slow down at all. ¡®The problem is them.¡¯ Arsen nced at the ones he had been watching. The self-proimed collectors also joined the bidding one by one. The savvy Christie¡¯s auctioneer did not miss that and the price soared to the sky. ¡°Four million dors. Do we have it?¡± The number of bidders sharply decreased. The situation was left to Caroline Swede, the executive and heiress of a world-ss hotel brand, Jill Norton, the major shareholder of the top US biotechpany, and Richard Phillips, the permanent director of Pineapple Inc. Fortunately, Bae Dovin seemed to have little interest in the bidding situation. ¡°I¡¯ll take it for five million dors.¡± Finally, when the hammer price reached five million dors, only the ones Arsen had been wary of remained. ¡®B seems to have no interest.¡¯ He might havee for Egon Schiele, thest work of the auction. Ko Hun was loved, but he still couldn¡¯t surpass the genius painter of Austria. ¡®Then¡­¡¯ Swede, Norton, and Phillips fought a three-way battle,peting from four million to five million dors. ¡®I¡¯ll wait for them to get tired and drop out.¡¯ Even if they were billionaires who owned billions to tens of billions of dors, there was a limit to their avable capital. It would vary from person to person, but five million dors would be close to that level, and it would be a bit nervous. In such a situation, if a newpetitor stepped in, they would feel pressured psychologically. ¡°I bid five hundred and thirty thousand dors. Do we have five hundred and thirty thousand dors?¡± Arsen did not hesitate and raised his number te, judging that it was the right time. The attention of the scene, which had been shocked, moved, and tense, was drawn to Arsen. ¡®Damn. Who is that guy?¡¯ ¡®Is he nted by Christie? Why now?¡¯ ¡®¡­Who is he?¡¯ As the bidders were confused as Arsen expected, the auctioneer who grasped the flow called the price. ¡°I¡¯ll take it for six million dors.¡± The eyes of the people gathered in the hall were as bright asnterns. No matter how much the auctioneer had the right to call the price, it was surprising that he raised it by seven hundred thousand dors at once. If he made a mistake, it could be unsold. But Adam dstone was sure. Ko Hun¡¯s Dallida Square Incident was an event that delivered a message to the world beyond Europe. He couldn¡¯t trade the Dallida Square that Ko Hun painted with Goseul, Banks, and Idols, so was the only symbol. There was no way that the symbolic work of a genius painter who would walk a path that no one had ever walked before would stop here. The collectors would not miss the work that would be recorded in the history of art in one line. As he predicted, all four bidders raised their number tes. The chat window of the auction site¡¯s live channel was about to explode. ©¸Crazy?????? ©¸Will it go to ten million dors? ©¸Art Basel is worth it. Six million dors is insane??? ©¸Why am I surprised that Henri is not here? ©¸Me too ???? Why is there no one who came out with their eyes flipped for Hoon¡¯s work?? ©¸Wow, crazy. It goes up to nine million. The auctioneer saw two number tes. One was the billionaire Caroline Swede and the other was a stranger he had never seen before. ¡®I hope it goes to Ms. Swede.¡¯ Adam dstone secretly hoped that Caroline Swede, who had a proven identity, would win the bid. The stranger looked quite wealthy, but he didn¡¯t seem to have the ability to pay more than ten million dors. He hoped that the stranger would raise the price as much as possible, and that Swede¡¯s daughter would take the . The auctioneer carefully raised the price by one hundred thousand dors each. Once, twice, three times, four times. As the auctioneer expected, both sides raised their number tes without hesitation. ¡°Do you intend to bid nine hundred and forty thousand dors?¡± The auctioneer asked Arsen. Arsen did not hesitate at all. The auctioneer, who was visibly surprised, called the price again. ¡°I¡¯ll take it for nine hundred and fifty thousand dors.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Caroline Swede, who had been fighting like a war, hesitated for a moment and raised her number te. Adam dstone, an excellent auctioneer from Christie¡¯s, did not miss that. ¡®This must be their limit.¡¯ That was the only hope I had left. That Noshinsa would either give up on the bid or not have enough money to pay for it. ¡°9.6 million dors. How about it?¡± Adam dstone asked earnestly. Arsene raised his number te without hesitation and was about to proceed with the next bid, when Adam dstone nced at Caroline Swede¡¯s expression. She was visibly grinding her teeth and fuming with anger. ¡°9.65 million dors, please.¡± Adam dstone raised the bid once more, and Caroline Swede, who had been ring at Arsene, turned her head away. ¡°9.6 million dors. 9.6 million dors, anyone?¡± There was no one. Adam dstone also asked out of procedure, but he judged that there was no one else who would bid any higher and lifted the auction hammer. ¡°I will bid. 9.6 million dors. 9.6 million dors.¡± Just as he was about to utter thest third bid. The man who was known to have the greatest wealth in the auction hall raised his number te for the first time. ¡°10 million dors.¡± The Swiss Art Basel Christie auction house was turned upside down by the words that Baedovin casually spat out. Chapter 315: 315 The Final Showdown (20) It was a clear intention. He raised the price at thest minute without participating in the biddingpetition. It meant he was determined to buy . The people were shocked and quietly watched the situation. Most of the bidders had already given up on the auction, and there was no chance of apetitor when Baedobin, a famous billionaire, stepped in personally. Arsene felt the same pressure. ¡°¡­¡± He was watching the situation closely.It wasn¡¯t Henri Marso who couldn¡¯t pay ten million dors. If he had been there, he would have bought for a hundred million dors, not ten million. The iris that bloomed proudly in the ce where Henri Marso drew his footsteps. The sunflower that smiled brightly next to it. had a special meaning for Henri Marso, not just for the reasons the auctioneer exined. But the opponent was too good. He didn¡¯t know how much Baedobin wanted , but it was too much topete on price. The bidding would repeat and the price would skyrocket. Arsene didn¡¯t know what was best for Henri Marso. ¡°Ten million dors have been offered.¡± The experienced auctioneer Adam dstone didn¡¯t give him any leeway. He temporarily abandoned Christie¡¯s traditional auction method and handed over the bidding authority to the anonymous bidder, hoping to sell at the highest possible price. ¡°Are you willing to bid higher?¡± Unable to find an answer, Arsene threw a gamble, thinking of his stubborn employer. He raised his number te, hoping that wasn¡¯t that valuable to Baedobin. ¡°Twelve million dors.¡± ¡°What, what?¡± ¡°What did he just say?¡± ¡°Did I hear that wrong?¡± The auction house, which had been in chaos, was once again swept by a huge shock. The journalists who were preparing articles about Baedobin winning for ten million dors had to open new documents. Even Christie¡¯s best auctioneer was surprised and couldn¡¯t speak easily. Arsene stared at nervously, and Baedobin, who wanted to buy at the market price, was puzzled by the unexpected situation. ¡°We¡¯ll take a short break.¡± Adam dstone stopped the auction. He said it was a break, but it was actually to check if the anonymous bidder really had the ability to pay twelve million dors. Arsene understood the auctioneer¡¯s intention and willingly got up. ¡°Please share your thoughts!¡± ¡°Where is Henri Marso? Is he not participating in this auction?¡± ¡°What is your rtionship with Master Baedobin? Do you have any personal connections?¡± ¡°Mr. Go Soo-yeol! Did you expect your grandson¡¯s work to be like this?¡± What the hell is going on? I finished the meeting and went to the auction house, and the reporters rushed in. ¡°Please keep your distance.¡± Bang Tae-ho stepped in and stopped the reporters, but they kepting. I couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on because my sight was blocked. ¡°It is predicted that it will record the highest auction price since Frosty Field, do you think it can exceed 14 million dors? What do you think?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The bidding is currently up to 12 million dors. How do you feel?¡± Another unbelievable thing happened. I only put the memories of my grandfather, Henri, the kids, and Banks in it, but 12 million dors? I can¡¯t believe it. ¡°That¡¯s too much.¡± When I answered honestly, the reporters who were asking questions stopped for a moment. Thanks to that, I felt a little alive. ¡°You said it was beyond your expectation, but the auctioneer and the critics praised it as a masterpiece that contained the message of harmony that you showed in Dallida Square. What do you think about that?¡± ¡°I did draw it like that.¡± ¡°It was also introduced as a symbolic work that connected art and the public. You won the Citizen Award at the Munster Sculpture Project, do you think it affected today¡¯s auction?¡± I don¡¯t know how these people know things I don¡¯t know. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of the Citizen Award. I¡¯d appreciate it if you gave it to me.¡± I wish someone would summarize what¡¯s going on. ¡°It must mean that the art market is healthy if Ko Hun¡¯s Flower received a fair evaluation.¡± Edward Jenner, the chief customer officer of Christie¡¯s, stepped forward. ¡°Please tell us more!¡± ¡°Christie¡¯s has decided to donate 10% of today¡¯s auction proceeds at the request of Ko Hun. We are delighted that you understand his wish for a world where everyone can live together.¡± The reporters, who had barely calmed down by Jenner¡¯s words, made a fuss again. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°We have sent press releases to some media outlets and we will also announce a statement this afternoon. It¡¯s a very meaningful event.¡± He seemed determined to make a ssh as he cared so much about this auction. ¡°This is a historic moment. Please allow the protagonist to watch the scene.¡± Jenner asked the reporters to make way for him and thanks to him, I was able to find a spot on one side. ¡°Heh, you¡¯re out of your mind, aren¡¯t you?¡± Grandpa patted my knee and asked. ¡°Yes. What on earth happened?¡± ¡°Jenner will find out soon. It seems like things went well this time too. Congrattions.¡± Bang Tae-ho congratted me in advance. As I looked around the auction hall, I saw some familiar faces. Grandpa¡¯s friend Richard Phillips was there, and so were some reporters I had interviewed a few times. Bae Do-bin and Choi Ji-hoon were also there. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± ¡°No.¡± It seemed that Henri really didn¡¯te as promised. ¡°Things got interesting.¡± Jenner came back. ¡°The bidding went up to 12 million dors, but the auctioneer paused the auction for identity verification.¡± Really, 12 million dors. It was a simr price to , which caused a stir at the time for being an absurd amount. ¡°Whopeted with whom?¡± Bang Tae-ho stepped forward and asked. ¡°Maestro Bae and an anonymous bidder.¡± I was surprised and shifted my gaze. Bae Do-bin looked annoyed by this noisy situation. ¡°Anonymous bidder?¡± ¡°We just confirmed his identity. He asked us to keep it a secret, but I think it¡¯s okay for you, the artist.¡± Jenner looked around and whispered in my ear. ¡°It¡¯s someone sent by Henri Marso.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I think it would be better if you contact him now and reveal your identity. It would be a great issue since he and B are in a bidding war.¡± Grandpa closed my mouth with his palm and I came to my senses. ¡°This guy is unbelievable.¡± ¡°Hoon, wait a minute. Mr. Jenner, can you take us to a quiet room?¡± As I took out my smartphone, Bang Tae-ho stopped me. ¡°Of course. This way.¡± As I followed Jenner to the back of the auction hall, the anonymous bidder sent by Henri sighed as he saw me. ¡°Did Henri really send you?¡± The old man gave Jenner a look and he left the room without a word. He must have acted discreetly since he revealed his identity to me despite the old man¡¯s request, hoping that the auction itself would be a hot topic. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this.¡± The old man sighed. ¡°What¡¯s going on? I¡¯m meeting you for the first time. Where is Henri right now?¡± I asked him, wondering if he meant that he wouldn¡¯te to Art Basel as a joke or a tant lie. The old man rubbed his face in self-reproach. I was about tofort him, thinking that he was worried about being med by Henri, whatever he did. But then his face crumpled and I almost thought his heart stopped. I was too shocked to make a sound and grandpa pulled me and blocked the front. Bang Tae-ho was on guard against the old man. ¡°Ha ha. Don¡¯t be surprised.¡± ¡°Arsene¡­?¡± The person who was an unmistakable anonymous bidder until a moment ago turned into a young secretary. He looked like Lupin. ¡°You were surprised, weren¡¯t you?¡± Grandpa and Bang Tae-ho also sighed in relief. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°So you sent Arsene instead ofing?¡± He didn¡¯t answer even though the situation was so clear. He was a loyal employee. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you exin what¡¯s going on?¡± Bang Tae-ho asked again and again, until Arsen decided that he could no longer avoid it and made a phone call somewhere. Soon, they could hear Henri¡¯s voice faintly. -What happened? ¡°The auction is in progress, but there¡¯s a problem.¡± -A problem? ¡°The bidder is Baedo-bin.¡± -What? ¡°Another thing is that because the price went up, Christie¡¯s asked for identity verification, so I had to inevitably reveal your name, sir.¡± -It can¡¯t be helped. If you contacted me because of the price, buy it no matter what. ¡°Buy what no matter what!¡± He shouted at Arsen¡¯s phone. -Who was that just now? ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± Arsen turned on the speakerphone and ced it on the table so they could talkfortably. ¡°Why are you doing this! I told you so many times!¡± -What does it matter to me whether you sell your painting or not. ¡°I told you several times. I don¡¯t want to owe you anything!¡± -It¡¯s not a debt. ¡°I feel that way!¡± -Arsen. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± -Tell Christie¡¯s that I¡¯m participating in your name. By phone or whatever. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°What do you mean by participating!¡± -I¡¯m tired of arguing with you over this. You put your painting on the market and I¡¯m just buying it through a fair process. Hang up. The call was cut off. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Why is Henri Marso there?¡± The auction hall was stirred up once again. It was because Henri Marso appeared on the screen that was set up on the podium. The auctioneer Adam dstone exined the situation. ¡°Thank you for your patience. Before we proceed with the auction, I would like to inform you that Mr. Raul, who has been bidding so far, has delegated all his authority to the painter Mr. Henri Marso.¡± The media and viewers who had been looking for Henri Marso, who was known to have the most works of Go-hoon, cheered. ¡°We will resume the auction from the 12 million dors that Mr. Raul bid. Mr. Baedo-bin, what is your intention?¡± -Wait. Henri Marso¡¯s voice was delivered through the speaker. -Let me say one thing. Baedo-bin opened his eyes wide. -I don¡¯t think you don¡¯t know the value of that painting. However, I can assure you that no one will cherish it more than I do. Give up. It was a surprisingly polite attitude for those who knew Henri Marso, but the intention was clear. He meant to say that he had no intention of giving up and that he should back off. Everyone¡¯s attention was focused on Baedo-bin, and he gave a sign to the auctioneer as if he was not interested. It meant to resume the auction. Chapter 316: Chapter 316: 316 The Final Showdown (21) Adam dstone and Edward Jenner were secretly delighted. They had a feeling that today¡¯s auction would be the most meaningful one in Christie¡¯s history. was a work that symbolized Choctier. After the war, the ideology, and the individual were trampled on. The artists valued their individuality and freedom more than anything else. In the process of diversification, where countless individuals looked back and cherished themselves, people suffered from the side effect ofck ofmunication. A wall that could not be broken was created among modern people who built their own walls to avoid being hurt by those who did not respect others.Through the media, loneliness and hatred grew, and human values gradually faded. In such a time, Choctier talked about love. In a world where passionate and tender love became a story in novels, dramas, and movies, Ko Hun said to love and to love more. His voice gradually reached the people and the asion that made the flowers bloom was the street painting at Dali Square. With that precious meaning, the heir of the French tycoon Henri Marso and the heir of the giant group WH, the thirdrgest market capitalization in the world,peted. They had no doubt that it would be as controversial as Vincent van Gogh¡¯s , which was traded for $82.5 million at the New York Christie¡¯s auction 40 years ago. ¡°The current price is $12 million. Do you have any intention to bid?¡± Auctioneer Adam dstone resumed the auction. ¡°$13 million.¡± -$14 million. As soon as Baedobin finished speaking, Henri Marso raised the price. The conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic opened his eyes. The most stubborn man in Berlin was ufortable. He had encountered an unexpected work at the auction house where he participated to give a gift to his elderly grandfather, and there was interference. He had seen many artworks through his mother and heard enough from the auctioneer about what meant. But before that, appealed to him especially as he cried out for humanity. Baedobin decided to exhibit at the Baum Museum, which his grandfather named bybining his surname ¡®Bae¡¯ and the ¡®um¡¯ of Museum. He had no intention of giving up. ¡°Henri Marso has bid $14 million.¡± ¡°$15 million.¡± Baedobin bid before the auctioneer asked for his opinion. -$16 million. Henri Marso was the same. The auctioneer could not intervene between the two men who red at each other and just watched the situation. ¡°$17 million.¡± When Baedobin raised the price again, Henri Marso¡¯s expression changed. He had shown his will by immediately counter-bidding, but he was wounded by his pride when the other party did not bend his will. People only looked at the sudden silence. Only auctioneer Adam dstone tried to heat up the auction. ¡°The current price is $17 million. Henri Marso.¡± -Shut up. But neither Henri Marso nor Baedobin were the ones to be fooled by the auctioneer¡¯s trick. Both of them were very annoyed, but they knew well that neither of them was an easy opponent. ¡°Hmm.¡± Bang Taeho, who was watching the situation, groaned. He could not know exactly, but both of them had tens of trillions of won in cash assets, even with their disclosed wealth. The current bid of $17 million was not the problem. The two men, who were famous for their strong pride, would not give in to each other, and the price would soar to the sky. It was not a good thing for Ko Hun. ¡°Teacher.¡± Bang Taeho called Kohoosul. Kohoosul also had a bad expression. The situation was already going dangerously. Even if it was sold right now, Ko Hun¡¯s next works were likely to be unsold. With the market price abnormally high due to , which was sold for $14 million. If was also sold for tens of millions of dors, the number of people who woulde forward to buy Ko Hun¡¯s works would decrease. There were very few people who had enough money to invest in art, and only a few of them were attracted to Ko Hun¡¯s works. If he made a mistake, Ko Hun could be what he feared, ¡®the artist who only Henri Marso buys¡¯. -Twenty. As Henri Marso was about to call $20 million. A sharp voice stopped him. ¡°Stop!¡± Ko Hun med Henri Marso. ¡°Are you out of your mind? What are you thinking, doing this?¡± -You don¡¯t know? Henri Marso asked back. -What were you thinking, putting that up for auction? Don¡¯t you know what that means? ¡°I know! That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to stop you!¡± The fact that the whole world was watching them didn¡¯t matter to them. -No. You don¡¯t know anything. Henri Marso narrowed his eyes. To him, was a work that symbolized his bond with Ko Hun. The day when countless sunflowers bloomed in the Dali Square, Henri Marso felt a strange emotion. In his world, which was no different from a battlefield, art was a means to protect himself. He couldn¡¯t even think of joy or happiness. The enemy was too many and too strong, and Henri Marso had to fight alone. He fought on, lonely, desperate, earnest, and brave, hoping that the next generation would be better, but he was human after all, and sometimes he got tired. The Dali Square was an opportunity for him to hope that the world could change and to find the courage to stand up again. That was why he willingly helped Ko Hun when he founded Choctier. -If you had any thoughts, you should have hung it in the Choctier gallery. Why are you trying to give it to someone who has nothing to do with it? Do you have any thoughts, or not? Henri Marso med Ko Hun. -I don¡¯t care about your understanding. Just shut up and don¡¯t interfere. Whether it sells for ten million dors or twenty million dors, no one will say anything to you. Henri Marso had lived with misunderstandings all his life, because he was clumsy at expressing his emotions and stubborn. He had given up on being understood by others when he was very young. He had no reason to do so, and he had the power to do so. He did what he thought was right, no matter what others said. Ko Hun felt sorry and frustrated for Henri Marso. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m doing this because of your twisted personality? I knew you had a shitty character a long time ago! If I hated you, I wouldn¡¯t have talked to you in the first ce!¡± -What? ¡°Do you think I¡¯m doing this because I¡¯m embarrassed and care about what others think? I like money too! I¡¯ve seen all kinds of things because I had no money, and I couldn¡¯t eat!¡± All eyes in the auction house turned to Ko Hun. Ko Hun, who was respected as a giant in the art world and famous for loving his grandson, was flustered. ¡°Why did I put it up? Because I have to run Choctier! I need money to give snacks to the kids. I want to give them at least one more crayon if they have nowhere to y. I want to help people who have talent and work hard like Eunchan, but don¡¯t get recognized, to have more opportunities!¡± The audience was stirred. Some were shocked that a young painter of only twelve years old was working for the sake of children and poor painters. Some were looking for who Eunchan was, whom Ko Hun mentioned. -Then what¡¯s the problem. Just use it. ¡°You!¡± Ko Hun finally said what he had been holding back. ¡°An outsider? Weren¡¯t you there? You drew it as big as a door! Are your eyes just for decoration? Why do you act like it¡¯s someone else¡¯s business! Are we strangers?¡± He thought he was the person he could rely on the most. He regarded him as the person he would draw a happy world with, but Henri Marso always acted like a stranger. When he entered the Art Nouveau contest. When he boasted about the Marso Museum, Henri Marso only saw Ko Hun as the protagonist of the next generation, not as a colleague who lived in the same era. He didn¡¯t think of growing Choctier together, he just invested his money. He wanted to be on equal footing with him. His desire to not owe him anything came from wanting to be with him. -You¡­ ¡°Shut up! Listen to me!¡± Once he broke the ice, the emotions he had been holding back poured out uncontrobly. ¡°You don¡¯t want to give it? Do you think I¡¯m doing this because I don¡¯t want you to take my painting? I like it too! You¡¯re the one who knows me best!¡± -¡­ ¡°But what¡¯s the point of buying what we drew ourselves? You blockhead!¡± -Blo, blockhead? You little brat, have you said enough? ¡°I¡¯ve said it all! Just buy it. I¡¯ll never see you again!¡± Henri Marso understood what Ko Hun thought of him, but he didn¡¯t know how to react. He just hid it by getting angry. -Who do you think you are, giving orders! ¡°Stop talking nonsense and tell me. It¡¯s me or that.¡± -What? ¡°Is that me in the picture?¡± Henri Marso couldn¡¯t answer. [Ko Hun¡¯s Flower sold for 17 million dors at Swiss Art Basel] [The highest price of the year for art auction! What does the flower mean?] [Ko Hun, ¡°That¡¯s me.¡±] [Henri Marso hung up the video call without a word. He threw the microphone during the world art forum lecture.] [Bae Dovin, ¡°I¡¯m satisfied. I bought it as a birthday gift for my grandfather. I support the love of the two painters.¡±] Henri Marso was shocked when he saw the interview article of Bae Dovin. ¡°Birthday gift? Birthday gift?¡± He was furious that Bae Dovin had bought the that symbolized their bond as a mere birthday gift. He got up with the intention of running to Berlin and grabbing Bae Dovin by the cor. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Michelle, who was with him, asked casually. ¡°Berlin.¡± ¡°What for?¡± ¡°I have to get it back. It¡¯s not something to collect for such a ridiculous reason.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Henri Marso nced at Michelle, who was trimming her nails. She looked the same as usual, but the atmosphere was strangely different. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Nothing?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe what Michelle was saying. ¡°What are you doing? You said you were leaving.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Henri grabbed the doorknob with suspicion, and Michelle sighed. ¡°Some people can¡¯t even date properly. You¡¯re making a drama out of it. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re doing this, going to Berlin and making a fool of yourself.¡± Henri turned around. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why are you acting like that?¡± ¡°What am I doing?¡± The conversation was not progressing at all. Michelle seemed to have a lot ofints, but he couldn¡¯t figure out why. ¡°Tell me quickly. Don¡¯t you know my personality?¡± ¡°So what do you want me to say?¡± ¡°You must have some dissatisfaction to act like this.¡± Michelle stared at Henri. They spent some time without talking, just looking at each other¡¯s eyes. Finally, Michelle opened her mouth. ¡°Say you love me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Henri frowned. ¡°Quickly.¡± ¡°Did you eat something wrong? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You. Do you think this is nonsense?¡± Michelle¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Why can¡¯t you say it to me when you can say it to Hoon? You shout it out loud in front of everyone. Why can¡¯t you say it to me?¡± Henri¡¯s eyes shook. ¡°If you want me, don¡¯t I have to have you too? But why do you have everything? Did you ever think about how I feel when you¡¯re with Hoon?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. How can youpare yourself to him?¡± ¡°Why? To others, I¡¯m just your business partner. But Hoon is your soulmate, right?¡± Henri Marso was confused. The person he loved the most in the world was picking a fight over something absurd. ¡°Choose.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Me or Hoon.¡± Henri furrowed his brows. He couldn¡¯t answer the same question he had been asked yesterday. ¡°Fine.¡± Michelle got up and kicked her seat. Henri grabbed her wrist and turned her around. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Let go of this.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Let go!¡± ¡°No.¡± They red at each other. ¡°Break up with Hoon.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then let go of this hand.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Do you want to date me and y with Hoon too? Why are you so selfish?¡± Michelle called him a lovely idiot. She wanted to show him how contradictory his heart was to monopolize someone. Chapter 317: Chapter 317: 317 The Final Showdown (22) ¡°Look at me, Hun. Look me in the eyes and tell me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really not true.¡± ¡°Then why did you say that?¡± Grandpa asked me for the umpteenth time. He seemed to suspect that my parents abused me because of what I said at the auction. Far from abuse, I was well-fed and happy to the point of being spoiled. I didn¡¯t know how to clear this misunderstanding.¡°I just said it out of frustration and anger.¡± ¡°No. It didn¡¯t sound like that to me.¡± As we were arguing, I saw the game console that Jang Mi-rae gave me as a gift. ¡°Game.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It was about the game. You know, in the game, it¡¯s inconvenient if you don¡¯t have money.¡± I didn¡¯t know what was inconvenient. I just picked up some things that the viewers said when I was doing inte broadcasts. Grandpa probably didn¡¯t know either, so I hoped he would let it go. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Maybe?¡± ¡°Maybe?¡± Grandpa looked doubtful again, so I steeled myself. ¡°The game is also yed by people, so there is a society. There are many things you can¡¯t do without money. Henri is always acting frustrated. I just blurted out whatever came to my mind, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± I hugged Grandpa and hurried to another room. It was a hectic day, with the auction, the interview requests, and Grandpa¡¯s misunderstanding. I thought it was all because of Henri¡¯s unnecessary stubbornness, and I couldn¡¯t calm down. I felt a bit sorry for him when I remembered that I couldn¡¯t answer him between me and . Iy down on the bed to get some sleep and turned on my smartphone. As expected, there were countless articles rted to today¡¯s auction. They all made a fuss about the highest bid of the year for an artwork. ¡°¡­¡± I used toment every night because I wasn¡¯t recognized, but now I¡¯m getting too much attention for something that was just a memory with my friends. It¡¯s a strange world to live twice. What made such a different oue? I wanted to give people a little courage and hope, then and now. But so much has changed. I got out of the disease that bound my reason and shook my emotions, and I learned what love is. Through my mother, father, and grandfather, I met countless works of art and broadened my horizons, and I devoted myself to painting in a stable environment. But that¡¯s not enough to exin what happened today. I can¡¯t exin why ¡®Vincent van Gogh¡¯ is loved. ¡°¡­¡± Yes. As Vincent or as Kohun, there are countless reasons why I am loved. But among them, the most decisive one was people. I was nothing by myself, but I was able to continue my work as Theo helped me. And I became known thanks to Gachet, who collected my paintings and letters after I died. It¡¯s the same now. I was able to live healthily thanks to my parents and grandfather, and I was able to broaden my horizons and think deeply through my grandfather and Jang Mi-rae. I was able to proceed smoothly with various things thanks to Bang Taeho, who helped me from my first solo exhibition. And I made a name for myself in the art world by meeting Henri Marso. Nothing was done by myself. I sorted out my thoughts and opened my mailbox. There were quite a few letters. One was from the Munster Sculpture Project Committee, informing me of the Citizen Award and the award ceremony, and the other was from various media outlets requesting interviews. I forwarded them to Bang Taeho. There was a congrattory letter from the Bugrenelli Shopping Mall, with a 500 euro gift card enclosed. There was also a picture file that Cha Si-hyun sent me regrly. I opened it and saw that he was getting pretty good at it. A blue branch with leaves sprouted over theke. I should call him tomorrow. ¡°¡­?¡± The sender of the most recent letter was the Berlin Philharmonic Office. Subject: Invitation to the Berlin Philharmonic Sender: Berlin Philharmonic Office Greetings, this is the Berlin Philharmonic Office contacting you. The Berlin Philharmonic is an organization that works for the coexistence of citizens and helps the needy neighbors by holding charity concerts and operating music sses and academies. Therefore, we are very interested in the activities you showed at Dallida Square. We are sending you an invitation that you can use at this year¡¯s charity concert. Pleasee and brighten up the ce. -Joel Wayne, External Cooperation Team, Berlin Philharmonic Office I didn¡¯t know that the Berlin Philharmonic also did charity work. Come to think of it, it¡¯s not strange that people who make such warm music help others. I should at least say hello since they bought at an absurdly expensive price. I downloaded the invitation to my smartphone and went to sleep. ¡°Invitation?¡± I told my grandfather, Bang Taeho, and Ma Eunchan that I had been invited by the Berlin Philharmonic while having dinner. ¡°Yes. They sent me a ticket for the charity concert.¡± ¡°When?¡± ¡°They said I can use it anytime this year.¡± My grandfather nodded. ¡°It would be nice to go after finishing your busy work. Huni likes it too.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky. It¡¯s so hard to get tickets.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go together. You too, bro.¡± Ma Eunchan, who had a mouthful of food, raised his head in surprise. ¡°Let¡¯s go together. They sent me ten tickets.¡± He swallowed hastily and drank some water. ¡°Really? Can I really do that?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Really? Really?¡± ¡°Yes, I told you.¡± ¡°No way. I thought I would never hear it in my life.¡± ¡°Are the tickets expensive?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that they¡¯re expensive, it¡¯s that there¡¯s no seats. You usually have to buy them at the beginning of the season for regr concerts. Otherwise, you can¡¯t get them.¡± Bang Taeho exined for me. They sell tickets for a whole season at once, and even then they¡¯re sold out. I could tell how much the Berlin Philharmonic was loved. ¡°But I can¡¯t keep receiving like this.¡± Ma Eunchan frowned with a fork in his hand. ¡°What do you mean by receiving?¡± ¡°I know there¡¯s no VIP invitation. I heard it yesterday while I was walking around.¡± The lie I told to avoid burdening him was exposed. I didn¡¯t know what to say, so I just watched him straighten his waist and shoulders and smile. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back as soon as I make money. I promise.¡± I wanted to say that it wasn¡¯t something I wanted to get back, but I didn¡¯t want to refuse his words that he would pay me back someday. I also wanted to pay back Theo for the debt I owed him someday, and I said it with determination, but every time he told me not to worry, I could only smile bitterly at his smile. ¡°I¡¯ll remember that.¡± ¡°Yeah! You can trust me! I¡¯m good at keeping promises.¡± He smiled softly and continued eating, when Bang Taeho brought up the schedule. ¡°The awards ceremony is on July 28th, so it would be better to go back to Paris and stay there and then stop by M¨¹nster.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s awkward to go outside. Huni, is there anywhere else you want to go?¡± ¡°No. I want to rest.¡± ¡°Ha ha. That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve been traveling for two weeks already. Ma writer, you have to sort out your life in M¨¹nster too.¡± I suggested moving to Paris when I joined Choctier. Ma Eunchan also agreed that he wanted to gain more experience than school, but he didn¡¯t talk about it in detail. ¡°I paid the rent until the 10th. I have to look for a ce in Paris too, but sigh. I forgot because I was sightseeing.¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s not good. It¡¯s not easy to find a house.¡± My grandfather thought for a moment and asked casually. ¡°Then how about living together?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel burdened. I built it too big and there are a lot of empty rooms. The current room representative and Kim writer are also staying.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Ma Eunchan hesitated. He didn¡¯t seem to be brazen enough to ept someone¡¯s favor without hesitation. ¡°But it would be ufortable if there are too many people.¡± ¡°Ha ha. It¡¯s better to be crowded than lonely. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to live separately with my family soon, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Ma Eunchan fiddled with his hands and bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for being so shameless. It doesn¡¯t seem like something I can refuse. I¡¯ll do anything, cleaning,undry, whatever. Please take care of me.¡± Different people may feel differently, but when you live without anything, you often don¡¯t see the kindness of others clearly. You might wonder if they are ignoring you. Or you might feel hurt by your pride, thinking that you look so pitiful that they pity you. But when the next month, the next week, or even tomorrow bes scary, you lose those feelings. You have to get out of your situation, so you put your pride aside and try to survive by any means. I was also like that, shamelessly borrowing money from Theo every time. I engraved in my heart how much I owed him, and vowed to pay him back someday. ¡°Sir. It¡¯s Arsen.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Henri Marso was annoyed when his secretary knocked on the door. The man who had owned everything was in a dilemma for days, having to choose between two precious people. ¡°Come in.¡± Arsen opened the door and entered the room. ¡°The Berlin Philharmonic has invited you, sir.¡± ¡°What?¡± Arsen handed Henri a letter. It was the same email that Hoon had received, but the orchestra conductor Bae Dovin had added a postscript. P.S. The that you love so much will be sent to Seoul next month, so if you have any regrets,e with your friend. Henri Marso raised his eyebrows. ¡°What, what does he mean by that?¡± Henri Marso crumpled and threw the letter, but his anger didn¡¯t subside. He clenched his teeth. As if his head wasn¡¯tplicated enough, he couldn¡¯t stand being mocked. Arsen unfolded the letter and read it aloud. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like a bad offer.¡± Henri red at Arsen. ¡°Didn¡¯t you and B both avoid bidding at Christie¡¯s auction because of your pride? You backed off because Hoon stopped you, and B bought the Flower, so both sides ended without any wounds.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°It seems like he has some intention to propose something, since he asked you toe. B probably has some idea of what the Flower means to you, sir.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Henri Marso narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you saying he wants more?¡± It was a question of whether he was asking for more money than the auction price. ¡°I don¡¯t think B would do such a petty thing. He has no reason to, and he wouldn¡¯t have invited you if he did.¡± Arsen calmed Henri down. He had been too sensitivetely, and his thoughts were going in a bad direction. If it were normal, Henri, who had listened to Bae Dovin¡¯s music for a long time, wouldn¡¯t have thought that way. Henri Marso took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to regain his reason. ¡°Fine.¡± Chapter 318: Chapter 318: 318 The Final Battle (23) A lot had happened while I was taking a break in Paris. First, writer Lee Hanna and Bang Ye-eun had finished their one-year preparation for studying abroad and finally settled in Paris. Thanks to being sold at an unbelievable price recently, Bang Tae-ho also got a fair amount of money, but I was worried that buying an apartment in downtown Paris would be too burdensome for him, but it wasn¡¯t. Writer Lee Hanna¡¯s novel , which was adapted into a drama of the same name, was a huge sess in France, and the tranted novel was also very popr. It was an interesting political thriller that kept me up all night, but I was a bit surprised that it was popr in France, where people tend to have more liberal rtionships. As more people cheated on their lovers, the abnormal possessiveness and ownership of the novel¡¯s protagonists seemed to appeal to them. But I hated anyone who was obsessed with Henri because of him. It¡¯s a strange world.Another thing was that I weed Ma Eun-chan as a guest. When he first came, he only brought one bag, and when I asked him, he said he didn¡¯t have a ce to store his works, so he couldn¡¯t even think of keeping them on canvas. He only saved his works as photos or videos, and he tore up or gave away the canvas paintings, and he only brought a few that he liked, which made me sad.1) I decided to secure enough storage space for his works when the gallery waspleted. Lastly, Henri Marso contacted me several times. He didn¡¯t mention anything about what happened in Basel, Switzend, and he suddenly asked me to go to Berlin, so I refused to go with him. I didn¡¯t hate him, but I didn¡¯t have the confidence to be with him unless he changed. As I expanded my horizons and worried about things, time passed and it was July 28th. Three days before the Venice Biennale, the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project award ceremony came. It was a prize given by the citizens of M¨¹nster, who were grateful, and it was much more valuable than the prizes I received from ces like the Art Nouveau Competition or the SNBA Salon. ¡°It¡¯s quiet.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s been over six weeks since the opening. But there are more people than I thought, right?¡± Bang Tae-ho pointed to . As he said, there were still people waiting to appreciate it even after six weeks of opening. ¡°Did you enjoy it?¡± ¡°Yes! It felt like I was at an amusement park!¡± I could hear the conversation of the family who came out after the appreciation. The building itself acted like an exhibition hall, allowing the audience to naturally feel the flow of time, which seemed to convey the intention well. The sculpture was unfamiliar, and in fact, it was ambiguous whether was a sculpture. Maybe I couldn¡¯t have made such a work without Henri. I would meet him at the award ceremony today. I wonder if we can reconcile. As I thought about it, I saw a familiar maning out of with his entourage. I approached him with a friendly feeling. ¡°Thank you foring again.¡± A stubborn face that came from deep wrinkles. A short stature. The man who trimmed his beard well raised his sses and made a strange expression. He must have been Danaka. ¡°You are¡­¡± ¡°How was it?¡± I thought a simple conversation would work, but I couldn¡¯t tell if he didn¡¯t understand me or didn¡¯t want to answer. I felt a little embarrassed and smiled, but he turned his back. I hurriedly called him to stop. ¡°Mr. Danaka.¡± The man turned around in surprise. ¡°Here. Take this.¡± I guess he didn¡¯t understand me, so I grabbed his hand and gave him two candies that I had. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± I smiled again and turned around, and Grandpa and Bang Tae-ho were on guard against Danaka. ¡°Hoon-ah. Why did you do that? You know what he did to you.¡± Grandpa scolded me with a grim face. He must have remembered that he said my painting was childish at my first solo exhibition. I didn¡¯t know it at the time, butter I found out what he meant by mentioning Choctier. ¡°But he came to see my work again.¡± ¡°Oh, boy.¡± Grandpa knew what I was thinking. He probably came to belittle me again this time, but I believe that sincerity will someday reach him as he is human. Loving is easier than hating. Meanwhile, Danaka looked down at the candy that Ko Hun gave him. ¡°That kid is definitely mocking you, sir. He¡¯s a wicked one. How can he do that without blinking an eye?¡± Everyone around him med Ko Hun, but Danaka didn¡¯t think so at all. He couldn¡¯t think that there was such an intention in that pure smile. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to answer him when he approached me so calmly and greeted me. ¡°Masuda.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Masuda Kondo replied cheerfully. ¡°Do you remember when your critique will be published?¡± ¡°I believe it will be after the award ceremony today.¡± They had adjusted the publication date of the critique collection to avoid influencing the Citizen Award. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is there a problem, sir?¡± Hirobumi Tanaka was lost in thought for a moment. He had finally realized what Kohun was pursuing through , and had written a piece to correct his past mistakes, but it had not been made public yet. He wouldn¡¯t have handed it over first just because he was the winner. To Kohun, he was still nothing but a nitpicker. He had been pressured by the association to suppress the young genius from Korea, and had forced his way through, only to be greeted warmly by him. ¡°Was that so.¡± Hirobumi Tanaka felt like he couldn¡¯t hold his pen anymore. July 28, 2030, 2 p.m. The first Citizen Award ceremony in the history of the Sculpture Project was held at the Munster City Hall. Fourteen countries from Europe came to cover the event, and Leon Koenig, the artistic director, took the microphone in front of 3,000 Munster citizens. ¡°55 years ago, our Munster received a sculpture from Henry Moore, the pioneer of abstract sculpture.¡± Leon Koenig looked around. ¡°The reaction of Munster at the time was very cold. They couldn¡¯t understand what he had made. Now it¡¯s a work that sells for tens of millions of pounds.¡± Kohun smiled faintly at Leon Koenig¡¯s words, but no one in the audienceughed. Kohun blinked his eyes in confusion. ¡°Then us Bussmann stepped up. He said that we should educate the citizens about public art, and that we should bring out the artworks that are stuck in the museums to our daily lives. That¡¯s how the Sculpture Project, which started in 1977, finally bore fruit.¡± Leon Koenig, the artistic director, turned around and spread his arms toward Kohun and Henri Marso. ¡°Henri Marso, Kohun, pleasee up.¡± As Kohun and Henri Marso got up from their seats, the citizens apuded enthusiastically. As agreed in advance, Henri Marso went to the podium first. ¡°Let me start with one thing.¡± Henri Marso asked Leon Koenig. ¡°Is an expensive work a good work?¡± ¡°Haha. Well. I can¡¯t say that for sure.¡± Henri Marso slowly turned his gaze from Leon Koenig to the citizens in front of him. ¡°Even if Henry Moore¡¯s work is worth tens of millions of pounds, its value is only recognized by the person who bought it. You don¡¯t have to understand its value. You don¡¯t even have to learn from it.¡± ¡°Uh, uh.¡± Leon Koenig and the Munster Sculpture Projectmittee were flustered, but Henri Marso didn¡¯t hesitate at all. ¡°Fortunately, unlike the organizers who are still stuck in the elitist mindset, you seem to know what is right. I¡¯ll take this award gratefully.¡± Henri Marso showed the ss que that the citizens had made for him and returned to his seat. The citizens cheered and the Munster Sculpture Project side was very displeased as Kohun stepped forward. The podium was too high to see his face, so the event assistant hurriedly removed the podium and handed him the microphone. ¡°Thank you.¡± The citizens smiled as Kohun thanked the staff. ¡°Uh. I don¡¯t know how to start, but I¡¯ll just start without any order.¡± The boy took a breath and began to tell his story. ¡°I had a fight with a precious friendst year. We had such different thoughts and we were so stubborn that we still haven¡¯t reconciled.¡± Henri Marso red at Kohun from behind. ¡°I think I¡¯m right. But I guess that friend thinks he¡¯s right too. We fought and scratched and pinched and did all sorts of things, but it was no use. I think we¡¯ll be like that for the rest of our lives. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll ever understand each other.¡± The citizens enjoyed watching Kohun and Henri, who was frowning behind him. ¡°But as time went by, I wondered if we really had to understand each other. I wonder if it¡¯s possible for someone else to fully understand each other. I don¡¯t even know myself well.¡± Kohun expressed the thoughts he had sorted out through Henri Marso, the Munster Sculpture Project, and the Swiss Art Basel. ¡°But that friend tried to make me understand him. And I might have unknowingly forced my thoughts on Henri, I mean, that friend. I¡¯m not talking about that guy.¡± Kohun tried to fix the situation hastily, but no one believed him. ¡°I get annoyed and really hate him sometimes, but when I look at the work we made together today, I think it was fun back then. I guess I¡¯ve grown fond of him. It¡¯s not that guy, really.¡± ¡°You, this!¡± Henri Marso tried to get up, but Arsen held him back. ¡°That human just said something simr. The M¨¹nster Sculpture Project is a really great event. It brought you and me together. It made us fond of art and each other. Even if we don¡¯t understand each other.¡± Ko Hun said, looking at Leon Koenig, the artistic director. ¡°I think the word ¡®education¡¯ causes some misunderstanding. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to say it¡¯s a process of getting to know each other or doing something together?¡± Henri Marso spoke vehemently, but the boy also felt uneasy about the idea of educating the ignorant masses about modern art. ¡°Thanks to you, M¨¹nster exists. And the Sculpture Project has been going on for almost 60 years. Thank you for loving it.¡± As Ko Hun bowed his head with a que of gratitude, apuse slowly spread among the citizens. [Henri Marsoshes out at the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project ceremony, ¡°Get rid of the elitist mentality.¡±] [Ko Hun, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡±] [Ko Hun and Henri Marso fight as soon as the ceremony ends] [The two genius artists of this era ring the bell] Henri Marso and Ko Hun, who received the Citizen Award at the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project, gave a sharp rebuke to the organizingmittee. Henri Marso criticized harshly, ¡°You have to get rid of the elitist mentality of educating the citizens.¡± Ko Hun used his anecdote with Henri Marso as a metaphor and said, ¡°There is no need to understand each other. It¡¯s enough to be together.¡± The two most prominent artists of this era say that art is not only something that artists provide, but also something that is created in a bidirectional way with the public. Meanwhile, Ko Hun and Henri Marso fought again that day and showed their unchanging friendship. 1)Amon problem for art students. Most art students who can¡¯t afford a studio or a storage room remove the canvas fabric and reuse the frame. For instation works or sculptures, the situation is even worse, so they save them as digital files such as videos or photos and use them for their portfolios. Chapter 319: Chapter 319: 319 The Final Showdown (24) ©¸Shall we go to the Venice Biennale? ©¸Not a bad idea. ©¸But I don¡¯t know anything about art. ©¸Then it might not be fun. ©¸No, no. There are a lot of intuitive works these days. Hoon is one of them, and so are Go Soo-yeol and Jang Mi-rae. And there¡¯s Henri and Banksy. ©¸I haven¡¯t seen you before. Are you a newbie? ©¸Yeah, I subscribed a while ago and got interested.©¸There¡¯s a lot of influxtely. ©¸We should go to the France-Korea joint pavilion. And look around other ces while we¡¯re there. ©¸Anyway, it¡¯s the year of the Grand Art Tour. If we¡¯re going to travel to Europe, we can see them all. If you¡¯re a fan of Hoon, he¡¯s exhibited in all four ces. ©¸Let¡¯s ask Hoon. He¡¯s broadcasting today, right? ©¸Yeah, he announced that he¡¯ll do a short one before going to Italy. Hoon was browsing the bulletin board during his broadcast and read a viewer¡¯s story. There were a lot of simr posts as the interest in the Venice Biennale, which opens the day after tomorrow, grew. ¡°I¡¯m a bit hesitant.¡± Hoon said, looking at the chat window. ¡°From reading your post, it seems like you¡¯ve recently developed some interest. I hope you¡¯ll find some works that you like ande when you really can¡¯t stand it anymore.¡± ©¸Hoon, you should sell it???? ©¸What if he tells them not toe?? ©¸Should I make you pork belly rice bowl for dinner? ©¸Hoon¡¯s leisure, who got 17 million dors for one work. Hoon sent a message to Maeun-chan and continued. ¡°Of course, I¡¯d be happy if even one more persones. It would be really nice. But the truth is, the Venice Biennale is a very experimental event.¡± Hoon wondered how to make a good analogy and searched for fashion magazine models. ¡°Usually, when you get interested in clothes, you look for something like this, right? But.¡± This time, he found some high-fashion show photos. He showed them photos of clothes that made people look like rectangles, a huge white shirt worn like a long dress, and so on. People kept posting question marks. ¡°The Biennale is like this. You don¡¯t even think about wearing these clothes, you feel repulsed from the start.¡± ©¸For real?? ©¸I thought Hoon was a sweet rice cake, but his analogy is spot on. ©¸What are you talking about????? ¡°So I think it¡¯s better to enjoy it slowly around you than to look for a big event. When you¡¯re really curious, then you can find it.¡± Some viewers asked him to rmend some exhibitions that are good. ¡°If you¡¯re in Korea, the Baewoom Museum or the Seoul Museum have a lot of famous works, and you can see a variety of them. They cover both Eastern and Western art, from ancient times to impressionism, cubism, and contemporary art. Overseas? Well, I liked the Orsay Museum.¡± ©¸How did you feel when you won the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project award? ©¸Right ?? Howe all the interviews are in English or French???? ¡°It was great. It was given by the people who live in M¨¹nster, not by anyone else. I was as happy as when I won the Art Nouveaupetition.¡± Hoon exined to the viewers how important the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project was. ¡°It¡¯s a really important thing. It means that art, which is separated from the public, touches everyday life and finds its ce again.¡± Hoon searched for Banksy, who was presumed to be a British painter. Soon, he found an English article about the project ¡®Better out than in¡¯ and showed it to the viewers.1) ©¸What is this? ©¸Banksy? ©¸Trantion please ©¸I came back after a long time and he¡¯s doing simultaneous interpretation. Is his manager typing his words in English in real time? ©¸Yeah, simultaneous interpretation. ©¸Hoon became a global corporation. ¡°Banksy did an experiment where he gave dozens of his paintings to a shabby-looking man and told him to sell them. They were all signed works for 60 dors.¡± ©¸??? ©¸Banksy¡¯s works for 60 dors? ©¸Even a prop would be worth 100,000 dors, and he sold them for 60 dors? ©¸Why are you always fighting with Henri? ? ©¸It must have been crazy;;; ©¸These things never happen around me. ©¸I would have lined up to buy them. Hoon smiled and shook his head. ¡°No. He only sold eight. That¡¯s better than others, but still strange, right?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe that one of the most loved painters of the present sold his work for only 60 dors and didn¡¯t get much attention for it. ¡°Everyone didn¡¯t understand. He could have made millions of dors if he sold it in a gallery. Why did he sell it for so cheap?¡± ©¸Of course ©¸I wouldn¡¯t understand either lol ©¸By the way, isn¡¯t the person who bought it lucky as hell? ¡°Banksy says he doesn¡¯t want to be swept away bymercialism if he takes money. He wants to beautify secluded ces. Isn¡¯t that cool?¡± While the viewers were sending positive messages, a donation came in. ©¸[Banksy donated 10 dors]: Dallyda Square was awesome. ©¸? ©¸These days, even the fakes spend money to imitate. ©¸For real? ©¸Is this a rare ce for a rare person? Ko Hun¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Is this for real?¡± He clicked on the ount that donated and it led to Banksy¡¯s YouTube channel. ¡°Hello. Thank you. I appreciate youing to Dallyda Square. I couldn¡¯t even greet you properly.¡± The viewers already told him in the chat that Banksy¡¯s ID had disappeared. Ko Hun continued his story with regret. ¡°Anyway, to continue what I was saying, this incident highlighted the importance of space once again. It was strange that the same work sold for tens or hundreds of millions of dors in a gallery and for tens of dors on the street.¡± ©¸Isn¡¯t it because they have no taste? ©¸Don¡¯t say that or Hoonie will scold you. ©¸You jerk lol ©¸It¡¯s not about taste, it¡¯s just that they don¡¯t care. ©¸Galleries are ces where rich people gather. It seems like they were influenced more by the people inside than the ce. ¡°You jerk. You can¡¯t say that.¡± Ko Hun teased one of the viewers with a joke. ¡°I also thought that they were influenced more by the people than the ce. The important thing is that the artists started to do art based on the concept of space rather than painting.¡± One viewer asked if it was like interior design. ¡°Simr. That¡¯s how the artists are now thinking a lot about how to fill or empty the space. That includes public art as well.¡± ©¸How do you know all this? ©¸Did you learn from your grandfather? ©¸The good thing about this broadcast is that it¡¯s like a lecture, so it¡¯s good to listen to while doing other things. ©¸Lol ©¸For real, when I listen to the lecture, I draw better and write better, but strangely, it gets boring when the lecture ends. ¡°Henri told me when we were preparing for the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project.¡± Ko Hun stopped talking. He had exchanged countless stories with the contemporary artists about how they perceived space, how far their perception was from the citizens, and what they had to do to make the citizensfortable while making . ©¸But why hasn¡¯t Henri been on the broadcasttely? ©¸Yeah. ©¸Did you really fight? ©¸Wasn¡¯t it a joke? Ko Hun came to his senses and checked the chat. ¡°No. I¡¯ll end the broadcast here today. Thank you for watching. If you stop by Venice, I¡¯ll be around the exhibition hall, so please act like you know me. I don¡¯t know your faces, so you have to greet me first. If you don¡¯t want to greet me, at least give me a hint. I prepared a gift just in case, so take it with you.¡± Ko Hun said goodbye to the disappointed viewers and turned off the broadcast. Maeunchan opened the door and came in. ¡°Do you like spicy food?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t eat it well. Are you making it yourself?¡± ¡°Yeah! I can¡¯t do anything else, but I¡¯m good at stir-fried pork. Is it okay to put a lot of onions?¡± Ko Hun nodded his head with a smile. A change came to the art criticism world as the Venice Biennale approached. Starting with art historian Caroline Strick, renowned critics such as Danaka Hirobumi focused on Ko Hun and mentioned choctism repeatedly in the academic world. After the two authorities used it, the others who had treated it as a word only used by the media had no choice but to quote it, and choctism was gradually recognized as a serious and profound trend that had to be dealt with. Among Ko Hun¡¯s acquaintances, the first person to catch such a change was Kim Jiwu, who started working as a columnist. ¡°That¡¯s something.¡± He found that a critic had quoted Danaka Hirobumi¡¯s criticism while preparing a column series on Ko Hun and Henri Marso. He didn¡¯t bother to look for it because he thought it would be a ridiculous nitpick, but when he read it, it was different from what he expected. The rivalry between countries that became more fierce than the Cold War era. Under the domination of a few giant corporations that controlled the tforms, small businesses and producers were exploited. In the increasingly harsh environment, hatred grew and their personal lives were bleak beyond measure. Those who had been pushed intopetition throughout their school days were now exhausted by excessive work and inhuman society. With their meager ie, they had nothing to do even if they gave up on dating, marriage, childbirth, social rtionships, and owning a house. Only culture, such as food, movies, games, novels, music, and art, that could be enjoyed with rtively little money, was their constion for their ruthless lives. Tanaka Hirobumi highly praised Go Hun as the painter that this era wanted, who shared small happiness, and his . It seemed that he had some motivation, as he had always dealt with the identity of human inner self and the discourse of art itself. Buuung- Buuung- The phone rang. It was a call from Bojar, his publisher. ¡°Yes, editor.¡± -How is the manuscript going? Solenn Rigo, Kim Ji-woo¡¯s editor, asked with a bright voice. ¡°Ahaha. Of course. I think I¡¯ll be done if I stay up all night.¡± -I¡¯d like to tell you to take a break, but there¡¯s not much time left. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Kim Ji-woo groaned. -Yes. Cheer up. I and the editorial department are really looking forward to this article. ¡°Hey. You¡¯re ttering me too much.¡± -Not at all. Henri Marso was undoubtedly France¡¯s top star, but he didn¡¯t like the press and was rarely covered in depth. But Kim Ji-woo persistently followed him and got an interview, and even covered Go Hun, so Bojar couldn¡¯t help but expect. -It¡¯s not easy to interview Henri Marso, right? How did you do it? ¡°Well? I just did what I always did.¡± Kim Ji-woo recalled what he had done to Henri Marso. He had just followed him with a smile until he was annoyed, but surprisingly he agreed to the interview easily. Kim Ji-woo had no idea that Henri, who had watched him introduce Go Hun, deal with the Damien Carter incident, and actively participate in the Korean Art Association, was highly evaluating him. -That¡¯s a skill too. Well, I¡¯ll leave it to you until tomorrow. Are you going to Venice in the afternoon? ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going with Hun. I¡¯ll send it to you before I leave.¡± Kim Ji-woo hung up the phone and sniffed. It smelled like spicy pork stir-fry. 1)A part of Banksy¡¯s project in New York for a month in October 2013. Banksy set up an old man as a salesman and sold paintings on one side of the road in Central Park for a day. That day, Banksy sold eight pieces of work, and gave two pieces at half price, earning a total of 420 dors. Chapter 320: Chapter 320: 320 The Final Showdown (25) ¡°Lie down.¡± Henri Marso ordered in amanding tone as he sat on the bed. Michelle tini had no choice but to watch. ¡°Wait.¡± Loyalty that obeyed anymand from the master. He felt a small satisfaction. ¡°Good boy.¡±Woof! Woof woof- Whine! Whine whine whine- Wooowooowoo- As Henri Marso tore open the jerky wrapper, nine puppies, including Papiyon, ran towards him. Henri Marso was buried under the puppies and fell over the bed. Michelle looked around. There were nine dog bowls lined up next to the door, and several balls with bite marks were scattered everywhere. Despite cleaning every day, the carpet and the nket were covered with fur and made her nose itch. She quietly closed the door after seeing the bedroom that had turned into a mess in a few days. Arsene greeted her with a bewildered look. ¡°What happened?¡± "I adopted them a few days ago from Gennevilliers. Aren¡¯t they cute?"1) Michelle spread her hands. She took a deep breath and asked again. ¡°That¡¯s too much. How many did you get?¡± ¡°Eight. The writer gets along well with them, and so does Papiyon. They¡¯re healthy and cheerful even though they were abandoned once. Isn¡¯t that admirable?¡± Arsene answered calmly, and Michelle shook her head. She hoped that Henri would have enough time to think after she gave him a harsh word. She expected him to realize that he could love without restraining and monopolizing. ¡°You¡¯ve brightened up a lot since you brought them home.¡± Arsene smiled and said. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± ¡°He¡¯s also building a house in the garden. He designed it himself.¡± Michelle touched her forehead. She was speechless. ¡°Come and see. They¡¯re mischievous, but they¡¯re cute.¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± Arsene opened his mouth with a pity. ¡°He must have been lonely, having trouble with Hoon at work and being distant from you.¡± Michelle turned her head. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to show you.¡± Arsene led the way, and Michelle followed him to Henri¡¯s studio. They entered the dark studio, and Arsene pped twice. The curtain was drawn and the light came on. ¡°¡­¡± The canvases were full. Among the sunflower paintings, there were various portraits of Michelle. In the eleven paintings, she was wearing different clothes and making different expressions, and Michelle could tell at a nce when Henri had depicted her. The clothes, shoes, watches, and other essories, as well as the atmosphere of the time, were vividly conveyed. ¡°He draws you here every night.¡± The paintings were mostly unfinished. Henri Marso, a perfectionist, rarely left his paintings iplete. He had painted them over and over again because he was not satisfied. Henri Marso was lost in thought as he watched the puppies munching on the snacks. They were faithful, even though they didn¡¯t understand much. They could stretch out their paws and lie down, and they would wag their tails and fetch the ball when he threw it. He found them adorable even when they climbed up on the bed after only a week. They filled his possessiveness a little, andforted hisplicated feelings caused by Michelle and Hoon. ¡°¡­Do you like it?¡± Munch munch munch- The puppies were focused on eating, and only Papiyon looked up at him. Henri tore another jerky and gave some to Papiyon. Henri Marso, who wasforted by the puppies, was able to calmly sort out his feelings for Michelle and Hoon. The Michelle he loved was someone who didn¡¯t rely on anyone and made herself better. She did her best to achieve her goals, not to fall behind or beat others. He cherished Hoon for the same reason. To him, who was lost in his search for identity, Ko Hun¡¯s sunflower showed him an answer he had never thought of before. Through the genius who had a talent hecked, Henri could see himself more clearly. On his vague canvas, his strengths and weaknesses were revealed, and he was able to grow more. He cherished those two people and wanted to have them, but he couldn¡¯t keep them inside him. Otherwise, neither Michelle nor Ko Hun would be able to maintain their original appearance that he had fallen in love with. Henri Marso threw a piece of jerky andy down on the bed. Papiyon came over and licked Henri¡¯s cheek. ¡°Dirty, bastard.¡± Henri stroked Papiyon¡¯s head. August 1, 2030. The Venice Biennale finally opened. There were reports of corruption and irregrities in the operation of the national pavilions, and at one point there was a proposal to close the international exhibition (Giardini) and only open the main exhibition (Arsenale). But thanks to the establishment of a joint pavilion between Korea and France, they were able to quell the opposition. Popr artists such as Go Soo Yeol, Jang Mi-rae, Ko Hun, and Henri Marso gave up the main exhibition and participated in the international exhibition, so those who advocated for the closure of the international exhibition could not be stubborn. The Venice Biennale Organizing Committee, which gained a justification, actively responded to the unpleasant incidents that urred before the event. They broke away from the practice of entrusting all operations to each country and dispatched an audit team. Rather, art lovers believed that the Venice Biennale was operating healthily, and the world¡¯srgest art festival was held in unprecedented interest. ¡°Wow.¡± Ko Hun, Cha Si Hyun, Vida Lavani, nche Fabre, and Ma Eun Chan opened their mouths wide as they arrived in Venice. Even though it was not the Arsenale and Giardini area, the streets were full of people. ¡°It¡¯s amazing! I¡¯ve never seen anything like this!¡± ¡°Can I go back?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a cicada. The crying sound is different.¡± ¡°I wish I had brought a blowpipe if I knew there were so many people.¡± Cha Si Hyun, Vida, nche, and Ma Eun Chan each eximed. ¡°Why do you need a blowpipe?¡± Ko Hun asked Ma Eun Chan. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I can make some money by doing portrait jobs?¡± Ko Hun and the kids nodded. ¡°Come on, kids. Hold hands and stick together. It¡¯s a big deal if you get lost.¡± Go Soo Yeol coaxed the kids. nche and Ma Eun Chan, who were apanied by their parents, were not worried, but Vida had never been abroad before, and Ko Hun and Cha Si Hyun were too young. They were worried that the curious kids would lose their way if they looked away. ¡°There are pigeons! They¡¯re here too!¡± Cha Si Hyun pointed at the pigeons and Vida Lavani liked it. "They¡¯re cute. They¡¯re hard to see in Paris."2) ¡°Some pigeons only eat fruits.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t eat fruits either.¡± "Come to think of it, it¡¯s time for the fat to rise and make it delicious. I wonder if there¡¯s a ce that makes pigeon pie."3) The kids and Ma Eun Chan looked at Ko Hun with wide eyes. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t eat that! It¡¯s dirty!¡± Cha Si Hyun grabbed Ko Hun and shook him. He was worried about his friend who had poor hygiene habits, such as picking up and eating sunflower seeds. ¡°You can¡¯t eat these kids. They have parasites.¡± Ko Hun smiled andforted Cha Si Hyun. Ma Eun Chan, who was staring intently at the pigeons, asked quietly. ¡°Is it really delicious?¡± ¡°Yes. It has more fat than chicken, so it¡¯s more savory.¡± Go Soo Yeol was somewhat shocked that his son and daughter-inw had fed Ko Hun a variety of things, and he led the kids. Meanwhile. Jang Mi-rae, Baek Seol Ki, and Yoo Ra Im were also enjoying the Venice Biennale as participants. They didn¡¯t have to attend the opening ceremony, so they wandered around freely and agreed to meet on the third day. The three people who found the Arsenale were amazed. "I¡¯ve seen this ce before! Canaletto!"4) ¡°Me too. They were making this bridge there. How can it be so identical?¡± ¡°Exactly! Awesome. Crazy. Really.¡± Yoo Ra Im and Baek Seol Ki looked around the surroundings with constant admiration. Except for the people, the scenery of Venice painted by the master ofndscape painting 300 years ago was not much different. ¡°Senior, you¡¯ve been to ces like this a lot, right?¡± Yoo Ra Im turned her head. She didn¡¯t hear the answer, but she could tell how happy Jang Mi-rae was by her shining eyes. ¡°No. It¡¯s my first time too. Isn¡¯t it really amazing?¡± Yoo Ra Im and Baek Seol Ki nodded their heads vigorously. "It''s such a nice day." "Isn''t it?" "Hey, can you take a picture of me over there?" The three of them walked and took photos together until they reached a garden in front of an exhibition hall. They looked around and saw that the smoke was so thick that they could barely see the building''s exterior. "What''s going on?" "Is there a fire?" They couldn''t think of it as fog. The weather was so sunny on their way here, and there was a strange smell in the air. They panicked and nced around, noticing that the other tourists were also puzzled by the situation. "Excuse me." One of the tourists called out to someone who looked like a staff member. "Is there a fire? Should we call for help?" "No, ma''am. This is a work by Lara Favaretto." "This smoke?" "Yes. Please enjoy your visit." The conversation was overheard by the others, and Jang Mi-rae, Baek Seolgi, and Yoo Raim felt relieved, but still confused. "There are so many amazing works these days." "Tell me about it. There''s even a sculpture made of air and light." "Isn''t that different from this? This one uses the concept of space." "That''s true." "My brain hurts." Yoo Raim groaned and held her head, making Jang Mi-rae and Baek Seolgi chuckle. * * * 1) SPA (Soci¨¦t¨¦ Protectrice des Animaux). An animal shelter founded in 1845. It was recognized as a public facility during the reign of Napoleon III and opened its first shelter in Gennevilliers, Paris. 2) The city of Paris has been trying to reduce the number of pigeons, as their droppings cause corrosion of old buildings. They have been makingrge nests and shaking or removing the eggs to prevent them from hatching. 3) Pigeon meat (Squab) has been used as a food ingredient for a long time in Europe and the Mediterranean coast. Since the 17th century, it has also been eaten in France and is now considered a high-quality food ingredient. Pigeon steak or roast inte summer, when the meat is plump, is a popr menu item in fine dining restaurants. 4) , Canaletto, 1732. His real name was Giovanni Antonio Canal. He was a master ofndscape painting from Venice. 5) A work exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 2019. Instation artist Lara Favaretto (born in 1973) filled the front of the central pavilion with smoke. Chapter 321: Chapter 321: 321 The Final Showdown (26) Lee In-ho and Kim Ji-woo marveled at the work , which depicted the human body with twisted LED wires. Oliver Price, an American artist, had made the arteries and veins flicker in red and blue, simting the cirction of blood. Lee In-ho observed the three LED wire humans arranged in a triangr formation and suddenly noticed their feet. They were the only parts covered with skin, but they had different colors. ¡°They¡¯re all the same person, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how I see it too.¡± Kim Ji-woo agreed without taking her eyes off .As Lee In-ho guessed, seemed to say that they were indistinguishable inside, even though they looked different on the outside. But she was more drawn to the posture of . The running motion was so dynamic that it looked like they were being chased by something. The three sculptures formed a triangle, making it seem like they were either chasing each other or running away from each other. ¡°What do you think of their posture?¡± ¡°Well, they seem to be running very hard.¡± ¡°Right?¡± The two pondered for a while and then moved on to the next work. ¡°It¡¯s nice to be able to see them at leisure.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± This Venice Biennale had departed from the usual practice of holding the opening ceremony and the award ceremony together, and had held the award ceremony separately. The opening ceremony was brief and the visitors were encouraged to focus on the works, while the major events were scheduled for a weekter. ¡°They changed it because of the tendency to view mainly the award-winning works. It¡¯s a good thing.¡± ¡°The national pavilions and the Venice Biennale organizingmittee have also changed a lot.¡± Kim Ji-woo nodded at Lee In-ho¡¯s words. The reform of the world¡¯srgest biennale, which had adhered to tradition, was proof that the efforts of the artists, the media, and the public had not been in vain. ¡°Thanks to that, we can enjoy it without any worries. I like it.¡± Kim Ji-woo smiled. Thanks to the support of two one-week tickets from her publisher Bojar, she was able to enjoy the biennale fully. It was iparable to her previous days as a painter, when she had to be grateful for just getting the airfare. With a generous schedule and food and lodging expenses, she felt like her efforts had been recognized. Lee In-ho felt embarrassed and awkwardly smiled at Kim Ji-woo¡¯s bright expression. ¡°So, do you want to go to the Giardini side? To see the Viins.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to save the fun part forter?¡± ¡°Oh. Right. Haha!¡± Kim Ji-woo giggled. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to see it properly if we go now. There must be a lot of people, right?¡± The Venice Biennale was more interested in the Viins exhibition than the main exhibition, thanks to the participation of Go Soo-yeol, Ko Hun, Jang Mi-rae, and Henri Marso. She wondered how many visitors there would be. ¡°That¡¯s true. Then, um, let¡¯s go that way.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it too hot? My goodness. Look at the sweat. Let¡¯s have a drink and rest a bit. We have plenty of time.¡± ¡°Shall we?¡± Lee In-ho hurriedly looked for a nearby cafe. He looked cute with his naive and innocent appearance, as if he had a crush on her. As Kim Ji-woo expected, the Viins exhibition was crowded from the first day. ¡°Wow. I don¡¯t think I can film this.¡± The YouTuber Alex Wood was flustered by the line that stretched to the main street. He had received a promotion request from the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project and the Venice Biennale, but there were too many people to capture each work. ¡°Everyone, I¡¯lle back to the Viins tomorrow. As you can see, it looks like I can¡¯t even get in.¡± The viewers of Alex Factory also understood the situation and had no choice. ¡°This is across from the Spanish Pavilion, right? If you go down that main street, you¡¯ll see Switzend, Venezu, Russia, Japan, Korea, Germany. I¡¯d like to see Britain and France too, but I¡¯ll go this way for now.¡± Alex Wood wiped his sweat and continued talking. ¡°Those of you who areing here, it¡¯s better to decide where you want to see. If you buy a regr ticket, you can only enter the Arsenale and the Giardini once. Ticketing? I didn¡¯t have to wait and I could buy it right awayst time, but this time it seems better to buy it online in advance. There are so many people. This is my fourth time at the Venice Biennale, you know? But this is the first time I¡¯ve seen so many people that I can¡¯t see the works.¡± Alex Wood was amazed by the crowd that was iparable to previous years. ©¸Wouldn¡¯t it be better to buy a 3-day ticket? You can¡¯t see it all in one day anyway. ©¸How about a one-week ticket? ©¸Is there a discount? ©¸What¡¯s the price? "You need at least three days to see everything. Discount? It¡¯s usually 30 euros, but students and under 16s can get it for 20 euros. A three-day pass is 55 euros. I don¡¯t rmend a week pass unless you¡¯re really into art. The catalog is too expensive. 100 euros, can you believe it? Oh, thank you Glitch for buying me the catalog and donating 50 dors."1) Alex Wood, who had visited the pavilions of Switzend, Venezu, Russia, and Japan, opened his eyes wide. ¡°Look at this.¡± Ko Hun had drawn to make it easier to find the Korean pavilion, which was located in a secluded ce. A hibiscus with bloodstains on its white petals. Alex felt a strong resilience that refused to give up despite the wounds. ©¸It¡¯s beautiful. ©¸What kind of flower is it? ©¸There¡¯s a long line here. ©¸Didn¡¯t the Korean pavilion get shut down? Who¡¯s participating? ©¸Seo In-ho. ¡°I¡¯m going to see the Korean pavilion today. I want to see Ennd and France too, but I don¡¯t think I have enough time.¡± Alex joined the line and immediately spoke to the man in front of him. ¡°Hello. I run an art-rted channel on YouTube. Can I interview you for a moment?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Nick.¡± The man with a gentle face recognized Alex and dly epted. ¡°Great. Nick, where are you from?¡± ¡°I came from Canada.¡± ¡°Canada! You came from far away. What did you see today?¡± ¡°I saw a lot. I came in here after seeing the external pavilions, but there are too many people. Haha!¡± He meant that he had visited the national pavilions outside the Arsenale and Giardini areas for free, and then bought a ticket to enter. Alex was interested in the external pavilions, which he hadn¡¯t seen yet. ¡°How did it feel?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much, but it felt like traveling the world. Even here, this flower was interesting.¡± Nick pointed to . ¡°It¡¯s a painting by Ko Hun. It¡¯s called hibiscus.¡± ¡°Hibiscus?¡± ¡°Hibiscus.¡± ¡°Hibiscus.¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting better. I hope you have a nice trip. Thank you, Nick.¡± Alex shook hands with Nick from Canada and turned around. The line had grown quickly. He spoke to the woman behind him. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Alex.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Amelia.¡± ¡°I¡¯m filming for YouTube. Can I ask you a few questions?¡± Amelia shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Where are you from?¡± ¡°Edinburgh.¡± ¡°Wow. You came from a very cool ce. Are you enjoying your trip?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s fun to talk to the guy I only saw on YouTube.¡± Alex opened his mouth wide. He couldn¡¯t say anything with joy and just moved his lips. Amelia nodded. ¡°But why aren¡¯t you happy? I¡¯m very happy!¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy too.¡± ¡°Do you want me to sign something? Or take a picture?¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like me that much, do you? Anyway. What did you see today?¡± ¡°I looked around the Arsenale lightly. It was different from before.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°When I came here 10 years ago, they only dealt with ck people. It¡¯s not like there are only ck people in the world, you know.¡± Alex widened his eyes. He was worried that Amelia might say something racist. ¡°But this time, they dealt with various people, whether they were white, ck, or Asian. Actually, there are still ck people who are discriminated against, and white people who are marginalized. And Asians, don¡¯t even get me started.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a nice thing to say.¡± ¡°What do you think, Alex?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t want to make political statements and lose my subscribers.¡± Amelia looked a bit disappointed. ¡°But I think you should have a broad perspective. Ame, you¡¯re a really cool person.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. It sounds like we¡¯re close.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we close if we talked for about five minutes? I¡¯ve never talked to my dad for five minutes.¡± Alex held out his palm and Amelia smiled and high-fived him. The day was over before I could see all the exhibits (Arsenale). I was amazed by the artworks that used shining wires to form human bodies, or thatbined four people¡¯s faces into one. There were so many interesting and creative artworks that I lost track of time. ¡°I want a burger.¡± Cha Si-hyuny on the bed and whined about burgers. Ever since I watched a video of making burgers, he had been saying he wanted to eat one, and I started to crave one too. I turned my head and asked nche, Vida, and Ma Eun-chan for their opinions, and they all seemed to agree. Burgers after dinner. It¡¯s good to be young. ¡°Grandpa, uncle.¡± I went to the living room and saw grandpa and Bang Tae-ho drinking beer and watching TV. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry and I want to order some burgers. Do you want some?¡± ¡°Hungry?¡± Grandpa nodded and stroked his chin, thinking for a moment. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°How about some fries as a snack?¡± ¡°Hmm. Sure.¡± ¡°Uncle, can you order them? Four should be enough, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Please leave out the pickle for one.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± -Today, the joint pavilion of France and Korea at the Venice Biennale opened and became a hot topic. I was about to turn away when I heard the TV mention the viins. -Forty thousand people visited the joint pavilion today, making it the most popr attraction at the Venice Biennale. ¡°There sure are a lot of people.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d it started well.¡± I tried to go there once in the middle, but there were so many people that I couldn¡¯t even get in. The organizingmittee also asked the artists to refrain from visiting the pavilion themselves, as the crowd could cause safety or viewing problems. -An art historian, Caroline Strick, who visited the joint pavilion, praised Henri Marso and Ko Hun for leading the art world. ¡°Hehe. She always says nice things about our Hoonie.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Not that I hatepliments, but sometimes they make me feel awkward. I wonder what kind of work Henri has done. He hasn¡¯t contacted me since the Munster Awards, and I don¡¯t know how to make up with him. I didn¡¯t know it was so hard to restore a rtionship after a fight, since I always drifted away from anyone I fought with. Should I go to the viins¡¯ pavilion tomorrow? He hates crowded ces, but maybe I¡¯ll see him there. I should at least show him my face. 1)As of 2019, the regr ticket price is 25 euros. For seniors over 65, it is 20 euros. For students or those under 26, it is 16 euros. A three-day pass is 48 euros. The catalog is 85 euros. Chapter 322: Chapter 322: 322 The Final Showdown (27) On the second day of the Venice Biennale, I visited the Bulhandang exhibition hall. I hoped there would be fewer people than yesterday, but it seemed everyone had the same idea. The line stretched all the way to the street. The nearby Spanish and Swiss halls looked less crowded, at least they didn¡¯t have to wait outside the building. ¡°This is a problem.¡± Bang Taeho tilted his head. Grandpa, Ma Eunchan, and I could enter as participants, but Si Hyun, Bida, and nche were just visitors.I couldn¡¯t leave them behind and go in. But it was also awkward to bring my friends along when the people who came all the way to Venice were waiting in line. ¡°Why don¡¯t wee backter? Let¡¯s look around other ces first.¡± ¡°Yeah. That sounds better than waiting here. What do you think, Mr. Fabre?¡± Grandpa seemed to agree and asked nche¡¯s parents for their opinion. ¡°Here, spray this.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Mosquito repellent. There are a lot of mosquitoes in Venice.¡± Si Hyun, Bida, and nche didn¡¯t seem to mind. nche kindly sprayed mosquito repellent on me and the kids. ¡°But don¡¯t you like mosquitoes, sis? They¡¯re insects too.¡± ¡°I hate them.¡± No one would like mosquitoes. The petals were so thick and fluffy. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off them. Baek Seolgi was standing in front of with the other mesmerized people, just like them. The single peony flower that filled the canvas seemed to emit a fragrance, so fresh and lovely. Maybe it was the seductive color that intoxicated me. Even when I closed my eyes, I could still smell it and feel the peony blooming in my chest. The peony was so shy that it gathered its delicate leaves together. When I opened my eyes again, it was boasting a beauty that nothing in the world could match, and Yuraim, who was with me, eximed. ¡°That¡¯s some power.¡± Baek Seolgi smiled faintly at the honest admiration. It felt like I was drawn into the painting, filling the 100F (162.2cm x 130.3cm) canvas. Baek Seolgi and Yuraim felt like they understood why Jang Mi-rae was so loved. She painted only one flower on such arge canvas, but the density of the painting didn¡¯t crumble at all. Rather, it had a suction power that made it seem like the flower was right in front of me. ¡°I was really surprised. It smelled like it too.¡± ¡°You too?¡± Baek Seolgi was startled by Yuraim¡¯s words. I thought it was an illusion because the painting was so beautiful and intense, but it was unbelievable that my friend who saw it with me felt the same. They turned their heads. Jang Mi-rae was smiling at Ma Eunchan¡¯s hanging next to her. I knew she was amazing, but she bewitched people with just one dot of a painting, and I saw her in a new light. ¡°Senior.¡± As Baek Seolgi and Yuraim approached, Jang Mi-rae pointed at and smiled. ¡°Look at this. It¡¯s so cute.¡± Ma Eunchan¡¯s was a painting of a rooster and a magpie, representing France and Korea respectively. The rooster and the magpie were staring at each other with their beaks touching, as if their eyes were about to meet. There was a heart-shaped gap between their necks, which were concave. Baek Seolgi and Yuraim also chuckled. ¡°Caw-caw?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a crying sound?¡± It seemed like he expressed the sound of crying with the sound of the words, just like c**k-a-doodle-doo. ¡°Do magpies cry caw-caw?¡± The three of them tilted their heads and wondered, then Yuraim came to his senses. ¡°I saw the peony. It was awesome.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really. It smelled like it too, it was amazing. Seolgi felt the same way.¡± Baek Seolgi nodded, and Jang Mi-rae burst intoughter. ¡°What did I tell you.¡± The two of them didn¡¯t know why she wasughing, so they looked puzzled. Jang Mi-rae lowered her head and exined. ¡°I sprayed perfume on it. How can a painting smell? Unless it¡¯s the smell of paint.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Yuraim froze and Baekseolgi denied it. ¡°It means that the image is so strong that it smells like the real thing. It was so cool.¡± ¡°Thanks. I appreciate it.¡± As Jang Mi-rae barely held back herughter and greeted them, Yuraim asked again. ¡°How did you paint it?¡± It was a question about the intention of the work. ¡°Nothing like that. I just wanted to paint a pretty flower.¡± Jang Mi-rae said as she looked at the people admiring . ¡°Everyone is looking for something new. Adding some brilliant ideas. But I don¡¯t know why I have to do that. What¡¯s wrong with liking pretty things?¡± Jang Mi-rae had a resentment towards the art world that had not pursued beauty for a long time. She thought that beauty could be shown enough by other media, and she could not understand those who did not pursue aesthetics. She believed that there was a beauty that only oil paintings and watercolors could express. ¡°People ask me a lot. Why do you paint flowers?¡± Jang Mi-rae turned her head and met the eyes of Baekseolgi and Yuraim. ¡°Because they¡¯re pretty.¡± This time, both of them smiled. She was one of the most loved painters in the current art world and a professor at Korea University, so it was normal to expect that she had a great reason. But Jang Mi-rae¡¯s answer was simple and her attitude was confident. ¡°Do I need to list the reasons why I like something? Liking something is not like that.¡± Jang Mi-rae moved her gaze to the entrance as she looked at Maeun Chan¡¯s . The maple leaves were dyed with the sunset without knowing the season. As evening approached, it became quite quiet as expected. There was no restaurant in Jardini where the national exhibition was held, so they had to go outside to eat dinner. Thanks to that, they were able to find the Bulhandang exhibition hall leisurely. ¡°Wow.¡± She had left the exhibition to Bang Tae Ho because she had a lot of ovepping schedules after submitting her work, but it was more impressive than she expected. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s awesome.¡± There were two pirs on both sides of the entrance to the garden. The left one was blue, the right one was red, and the white-painted exhibition hall was in the middle, which looked like the tricolor (La Tricolore: French g) at a nce. She gasped as she saw the stone path leading to the building entrance. The ck stone steps that symbolized the four symbols looked like a perfect Korean g. She felt good to see the joint exhibition hall of Korea and France. ¡°It goes down too?¡± Cha Si Hyun found the stairs going down to the basement. It was notpletely underground, but half ovepped with the ground. She was curious as she raised her head, as she had heard that it wasposed of 1st and 2nd floors. Bang Tae Ho smiled. ¡°There¡¯s a reason. Let¡¯s go in.¡± The interior was quite unique, as if they didn¡¯t want to block the view. There was a path on both sides along the round building wall, and the middle was empty. As they admired the works on disy along the path, they found stairs that could go down or up. The reason why they had to wait in line even though the inside was quite spacious seemed to be because of this structure. She heard that Henri designed it, but she wondered why he made it so inefficient. ¡°There it is.¡± Maeun Chan found his work. She also wanted to check how the painting was disyed. She looked back, but it was hard to see right away because it was hung high above the entrance. She had to go to the opposite side of the 1st floor or look down from the 2nd floor. It seemed like she could see it from the middle of the basement. She couldn¡¯t help but move her feet and slowly admire the works, and she found Jang Mi-rae¡¯s . Her peony series was always beautiful, and she forgot to go down to the basement for a moment and stared nkly. She came to her senses and moved her gaze, and she found a cute picture. It was Maeun Chan¡¯s . ¡°Caw Caw?¡± ¡°You call it caw caw. Magpies make a caw caw sound.¡± Thankfully, the artist exined it himself. They looked like they were about to fight, staring at each other with their heads together, but the space between the two birds was empty in the shape of a heart, and she couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°It¡¯s like a cartoon.¡± Cha Si Hyun¡¯sment seemed to please him. Maeun Chan smiled. She went down the stairs and looked up, and was hanging high. It was big enough to see well, but it felt strangely brighter. ¡°Uh¡­¡± I didn¡¯t notice it when I saw it from the first floor, but there are wooden pirs and roots drawn on the basement wall. ¡°Hoon-ah.¡± When Bang Tae-ho called me, I turned my head and saw a window shaped like a maple leaf, no, on the spot he pointed at. The sunset that came down obliquely through the window on the second floor wall illuminated , providing natural lighting. I was speechless with surprise. ¡°Mr. Marceau worked on it for six months.¡± ¡°What?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe what I heard and asked again. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to calcte the direction and angle of the sunset. The altitude changes depending on the season.¡± Bang Tae-ho added that Henri had mobilized several meteorologists to make the window. ¡°Pierre Malo said that when hemissioned the frame. He said he couldn¡¯t make a better frame than this exhibition hall no matter what kind of frame he made.¡± This fool. I was worried that his work wouldn¡¯te out well because he was stuck in Venice for months. I never thought he would prepare something like this. ¡°And there.¡± As my throat became heavy and I couldn¡¯t say anything, Bang Tae-ho pointed at the tree picture. ¡°There are branches and maple leaves drawn on the second floor where the maple leaves fall.¡± I nodded without a voice and Bang Tae-ho smiled brightly. ¡°Of course, by Mr. Marceau.¡± I swallowed and went up the stairs. When I reached the second floor, I could see the works of French artists and the walls and ceilings filled with maple leaves. And. On one wall where nothing was hung, Henri Marso¡¯s signature was written. Henry Marceau ¡°Hoon-ah.¡± It was Michel¡¯s voice. ¡°Michel.¡± ¡°This is.¡± Before I could share my joy of seeing him after a long time, I asked him the intention of signing on the wall. Michel smiled brightly. ¡°This exhibition hall is Henri¡¯s entry.¡± I hope this trantion is helpful for you. However, I suggest you check it for uracy and fluency, as online trantion tools may not always produce perfect results. Chapter 323: Chapter 323: 323 The Final Battle (28) [The Painter, Drawing Rtionships] The Venice Biennale opened on August 1st. The scorching heat that exceeded 30 degrees Celsius during the day could not surpass the passion of the artists and art lovers. The world¡¯srgest art festival, with 173 participating artists, broke the record of 2.7 million visitors in just five days after its opening, continuing its reputation. Among the artists representing the art world, the ones who received the most attention were Ko Hun, the genius painter from Korea, and Henri Marso, the hero of France. The two painters had shown their friendship since before the opening. They founded the paintermunity Choctier, established a joint exhibition hall for both Korea and France, and participated together in the M¨¹nster Sculpture Project and the Kassel Documenta.As everyone was curious about what kind of works they would present at the Venice Biennale, Ko Hun¡¯s and Henri Marso¡¯s were revealed. Ko Hun¡¯s is a work that depicts maple leaves that retain the sunset even at night. If you think about why he named the distance between the sun and the earth as the title, you can understand how Ko Hun thinks about rtionships. is a work that started from the idea that the maple leaves miss the sun. The maple leaves hold the sunset in their hearts during the long night, and shine again with the sunset when the sun rises. Henri Marso¡¯s exists for those maple leaves. He used the entire joint exhibition hall of Korea and France, and drew a tree with deep roots in the basement, and filled the second floor walls and ceiling with maple leaves. When the sun sets, the sunset thates through the second floor window meets exactly and shines beautifully. It was impossible not to be amazed by the architectural design sense that illuminated Ko Hun¡¯s without leaving out any of the 19 works exhibited in the joint exhibition hall. is not just a work to highlight Ko Hun. It is also a work that epasses his values, who has imed that he is the center of the past and present. You can find various works in besides the artists who participated in the joint exhibition. The stair wall is painted with the works that Henri Matisse made with paper in his old age, and the basement floor is covered with Vincent van Gogh¡¯s wheat field. You can also find the golden pattern unique to Klimt. It may be natural for him to have a bold attitude of continuing the history of painting. I spent a whole day in , which is both the joint exhibition hall of Korea and France and Henri Marso¡¯s work, without getting out of it. But suddenly I wondered why he named it , and I was able to find the answer when I left the exhibition hall. November 16, 2027. Henri Marso and Ko Hun met for the first time at the new artist exhibition held at the Seoul Art Museum in Korea. Henri Marso recognized Ko Hun¡¯s genius at first sight and bought for 2 million euros. This event made Ko Hun known to the mainstream art world, but not many people noticed that there was also a change for Henri Marso. Until then, he had explored the value of human and individual existence in modern society by presenting more than 800 self-portraits and self-awareness. He gradually turned his eyes to others. , which he presented at the Whitney Biennale, was the first work that revealed that he was conscious of Ko Hun, depicting himself looking at Ko Hun¡¯s , , and . You can also find Ko Hun¡¯s traces in , which was the winner of the Art Nouveaupetition and made three paintings into oneposition. Following the first painting that expressed the past masters and the second painting that drew his back, the third painting had a sunflower on the road to the shining future. Henri Marso told how he had changed since he met Ko Hun through . Through the two painters who influenced each other and cherished it and led to their own development, I reflect on the preciousness of rtionships. -Kim Ji-woo (Bozart) The joint exhibition hall of Korea and France received more attention than the main exhibition of the Venice Biennale. It was thanks to Ko Hun¡¯s , which expressed longing and love, and Henri Marso¡¯s , which illuminated it and sublimated it into his own part. The visitors of the exhibition hall admired Go Soo-yeol¡¯s , Jang Mi-rae¡¯s , and others. As they walked around the first floor, went up to the second floor, and went down to the basement, they naturally realized that the exhibition hall itself was a work of art. As they knew well through various expeditions what kind of rtionship Ko Hun and Henri Marso had, and came closer to them. Among the art lovers, it was said that it was worth traveling to Venice just to see the two works. ©¸Henri made the Venice Biennale his personal exhibition. ©¸He¡¯s really out of his mind???? ©¸?????It¡¯s creepy to see how far he can go with his money and skills??? ©¸The reason why is meaningful is because of the rtionship. It¡¯s amazing that he illuminates Hoon¡¯s painting without damaging other works, and it¡¯s the most Henri-like work. ©¸mj That¡¯s really amazing. ©¸The critics also said that among the self-portraits and self-awareness that Henri Marso has presented so far, this is the one that best expresses Henri Marso. ©¸It leads to a philosophical question. The reason why an individual can exist as an individual is because he is in many rtionships. ©¸What does that mean? ©¸A child of parents. A student of teachers. A friend of someone. These are the rtionships that define me. ©¸Henry said that. All art exists for the sake of oneself today. It¡¯s a crazy narcissistic and self-centered statement, but it¡¯s not wrong if you look at it personally. ©¸We¡¯ve been fighting a lottely and I was anxious, but seeing and the autumn leaves made me feel sentimental. ©¸Me too. They¡¯re not just casual friends or something like that. They seem to be each other¡¯s muses, and I liked watching them. ©¸Am I the only one who thinks differently? Honestly, I felt bad because it seemed like they made the other 18 people look like trash. They don¡¯t look that impressive either. ©¸What are you talking about??? Right now, Go Su-yeol, Jang Mi-rae, Ma Eun-chan, Baek Seol-gi, in Bernard, and Gregory Male are getting a lot of attention. ©¸You¡¯re talking nonsense without even going? ©¸Watch your mouth. I just said what I thought, why are you so aggressive? ©¸???You¡¯re talking nonsense without even going???? ©¸Ignore the troll and be cool. Hun seemed to be touched too. ©¸What happened? ©¸Alex uploaded a video review of the viin¡¯s gallery. Hun was looking up at his painting in the basement and tears were welling up in his eyes. ©¸Our friend ?? ©¸How did that old man film that????? ©¸He¡¯s a promoter?? There were a lot of people, so he filmed it in the evening, and he was lucky. ©¸Guys, look at this. [Link] ©¸What is this? ©¸It¡¯s the Marso Gallery ount. Hun¡¯s work photo was uploaded earlier. ©¸? Is this that? That. ©¸? ©¸Yeah. ©¸No, it¡¯s a different work. Hun drew several dots when he drew , and he gave one of them to Henry. ©¸????Have a beautiful love?? ©¸Why is the title 137 years? ©¸? ©¸What does 137 years mean? ©¸It means let¡¯s get along well for 137 years. Like I love you 30 million. I was about to call him, but I didn¡¯t know what to say, so I opened the text message window and wondered if I should say hello or long time no see. No matter what I wrote, it felt awkward, so I kept writing and deleting it, and before I knew it, six days had passed. It was the day of the award ceremony. I was bound to meet himter, but I didn¡¯t know how to deal with him. I buried my face in the pillow and sighed. ¡°Hun, are you up? Let¡¯s eat.¡± I got up at the sound of my grandfather calling me and went outside. ¡°Why do you look like that? Did you not sleep well?¡± I nodded and sat down at the table. I rummaged through the chicken breast sandwich and sd I got from room service, and my grandfatherughed. ¡°Kid. Are you like that because of the award?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± I didn¡¯t want to tell him that I was worried about Henry. It was the same for everyone, not just my grandfather. ¡°I¡¯ll eat well. Sir.¡± I bit into the sandwich. The roasted paprika was chewy under the soft bread, and the sweet sauce filled my mouth. There were olives between the moist chicken breast and the crispy lettuce, making the texture, taste, and aroma rich. ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± My grandfather also took a big bite and poured some milk into his ss. ¡°Grandpa watched Hun¡¯s old broadcastst night.¡± He must have watched it several times and never got tired of it. I was embarrassed because I didn¡¯t do that well. ¡°What broadcast?¡± ¡°When he promoted Shuminke.¡± My grandfather poured some milk for me too. ¡°He answered a question about how he studied art. He said that it¡¯s overwhelming to try to learn everything from the beginning. So he said that all you need is a small courage to have a normal conversation. Not a big courage. A small courage.¡± He seemed to know what I was worried about. ¡°Sir.¡± I just nodded and put the sandwich in my mouth again. Ma Eun-chan¡¯s eyes widened. The reason why Ko Hun and Henri Marso, who met in the waiting room, were not fighting as usual, but rather cold to each other, was because of what had happened. They sat side by side, not even looking at each other. The other writers who participated in the contest pretended not to notice, but they were all focused on Ko Hun and Henri Marso. Ko Hun, who had lifted and lowered his head, finally opened his mouth slightly. ¡°Do you want some chocte?¡± Henri ignored him, and Ko Hun licked his lips and took out a chocte. He wanted to eat something sweet to ovee the awkward situation. As soon as the boy put the chocte in his mouth, Henri reached out his hand. ¡°¡­There was only one.¡± The two looked at each other and then turned their heads away. The atmosphere became more awkward, and the people in the waiting room fidgeted with their hands. Ko Hun tried to say something, but he sighed every time he opened and closed his mouth. Michel gave him a hint out of frustration, but Henri acted dumb and did not answer. However, he also noticed that Ko Hun¡¯s attitude had changed from before. ¡°It¡¯s in the bag.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Silence fell between them again. To get closer, they needed a small courage to ovee the awkwardness, and Ko Hun finally opened his mouth. ¡°I saw it. That. 2 years and 8 months.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t say anything, but he forced himself to say it. ¡°Thank you.¡± Henri did not answer. He didn¡¯t expect Ko Hun to say that, and he felt ticklish by his gratitude. ¡°Can you say something?¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Their eyes met, and Henri turned his head. ¡°Are you going to keep doing this? Aren¡¯t you ufortable?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Ko Hun got up and raised his voice, then frowned in disbelief. Henri warned him. ¡°I¡¯m telling you. I¡¯m not apologizing.¡± He didn¡¯t want to apologize for wanting to have Ko Hun¡¯s painting. Michel, Arsen, and even Sherry and Pusang Principal told him to apologize to Ko Hun, but he didn¡¯t feel like it. When everyone was disappointed by Henri¡¯s words, Ko Hun sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± He said as he sat back down. ¡°It¡¯s not anyone¡¯s fault.¡± Henri turned his head. He had never heard that his possessiveness was not wrong. ¡°I just. I want to do it together like when we prepared for the sculpture project.¡± Chapter 324: 324 The Final Showdown (29) The Venice Biennale award ceremony was underway. Journalists from 71 countries around the world hade to cover the event, and the official broadcast of the Venice Biennale had over 2 million simultaneous viewers. All the art lovers felt an unusual atmosphere. A wind of change was blowing, centered around the genius who revealed himself to the world three years ago and the hero who led the art world to the right path. Amidst the excitement and anticipation. The Venice Biennale promotional video was yed. Leonardo da Vinci, Michngelo, Raphael Sanzio, Jean-Fran?ois Millet, ude M, Winslow Homer, Paul C¨¦zanne, ude M, Auguste Renoir, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Edvard Munch, Gustav Klimt, Suzanne Vdon, Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Marcel Duchamp, Xu Beihong, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, Francis Bacon, Amrita Sher-Gil, Egon Schiele, Kim Chang-yeol, Paik Nam-june, Basquiat, etc.1The faces of the artists who had moved humanity regardless of the East and West passed by, and the representative artists of the 2030 Venice Biennale followed. When the video ended, the director of the Biennale, Ralph Rufus, took the stage. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, wee to Venice. Thank you for your support from afar, dear art lovers. I¡¯m d to see you. I¡¯m Ralph Rufus.¡± The attendees apuded in response, and the word ¡®Between¡¯ appeared on the front screen. ¡°Myself and the curators of each pavilion and 173 artists prepared this Venice Biennale with the theme of between, rtionship.¡± Ralph Rufus switched the screen with a remote control, and soon the faces of the visitors of the Venice Biennale were shown. ¡°And thanks to you, the Biennale waspleted.¡± It was not a one-sided event by the artists and the organizers, but a sessful event thanks to the visitors. ¡°I hope you all receive blessings, and I will start the award ceremony.¡± The attendees apuded again. ¡°They said they would give it to ten people this time, right?¡± Lee In-ho, a reporter who came to the scene, asked Kim Ji-woo quietly. ¡°Yes.¡± The biggest prize at the Venice Biennale was the Golden Lion, which was divided into three categories: the best artist, the lifetime achievement, and the national pavilion. One of the young artists under 35 received the Silver Lion. And a special prize was given to the noteworthy national pavilion, artist, curator or critic. The Venice Biennale board announced that they would give special prizes to six people this year, expanding the chances of winning. ¡°Everyone seems nervous.¡± Lee In-ho looked around and said. ¡°Of course. Their future will change with one prize.¡± The Venice Biennale judges wereposed of representatives of the art world from their respective positions. This year, prominent art historians Caroline Strick, Whitney Museum director Eric Dauer, New Tate Modern Gallery director Marcus Allen and others participated in the judging. As they were selected by the leaders of the art world, they could also get exhibition opportunities from themter, and the fact of winning at the world¡¯srgest art fair was a great help to their lives as artists. ¡°Special mention.¡± Ralph Rufus opened the card with the names of the winners and smiled. ¡°National pavilion, the US pavilion. Congrattions.¡± In the midst of the enthusiastic cheers, Sarah Georgia and her fellow artists, and the US pavilion curator jumped up. Sarah Georgia seemed to have never thought that she would receive the prize, and her eyes were wide open with confusion and joy. ¡°She finally reaped the fruits after being noticed for years.¡± Lee In-ho pped his hands and turned his head. He pretended to know the artist that Kim Ji-woo often mentioned, but heughed when she was happy as if it was her own business. ¡°Right? I knew she would make it someday.¡± Kim Ji-woo congratted Sarah Georgia while the curator special prize went to the one who took charge of the Belgian pavilion. ¡°This year, we have four special prizes for the artists.¡± Ralph Rufus paused for a moment. ¡°Julia Curtis, Louis Hallowell, Toyin Ojih Odut, Nic Patti. Congrattions.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± The artists who learned of their winning celebrated with their colleagues and went up to the stage. Ralph Rufus introduced each of the special mention winners and handed them the certificates and ques. As the atmosphere warmed up, a subtle tension flowed among the artists. No one could predict who would receive the Silver Lion, the highest prize for young artists under 35. Kim Ji-woo, who was happy with Sarah Georgia¡¯s winning, also waited anxiously for the announcement. ¡°What do you think?¡± Lee In-ho asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Not only Kim Ji-woo, but no one could predict. The whereabouts of the Silver Lion were obscure as young painters who were loved worldwide, such as Henri Marso, Jean Mi-rae, and Ko Hun, participated in the national pavilion. Among the artists who participated in this exhibition, Francis Bacon, Hao Ren, Nic Patti and others had high chances, but none of them stood out. Ralph Rufus checked the winner. ¡°If I may add my personal opinion, this was the fairest and the boldest judgment ever.¡± As everyone was puzzled. Ralph Rufus announced the winner of the Silver Lion Award. ¡°Jang Mi-rae! Congrattions!¡± As everyone was shocked, Jang Mi-rae froze with her eyes wide open. She could only look at her disyed on the frontrge screen. ¡°Peony is a work that expresses the most primal instinct for beauty, and Jang Mi-rae has deconstructed and recreated the flower, a symbol of beauty, to pursue a new aesthetics.¡± Ralph Rufus began to read the judges¡¯ments. People soon understood why Ralph Rufus had added his remark and apuded her with respect and admiration. Her acquaintances shook Jang Mi-rae, who was stunned. ¡°Senior!¡± ¡°Mi-rae!¡± ¡°Aunt!¡± ¡°Huh? Huh? Huh?¡± ¡°Congrattions! Really!¡± The artists who had participated in the Fools¡¯ Party and Seo Inho, who had participated in the Korean Pavilion, were happier than the winner. As Ralph Rufus pushed her back to the stage and handed her the silver lion trophy made of silver, people cheered as if they were leaving the award ceremony. Jang Mi-rae stood awkwardly in front of the microphone. ¡°Thank you.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. No one expected Jang Mi-rae, who did not participate in this exhibition (Arsenale), to receive the Silver Lion Award. ¡°Uh. I¡¯m so surprised that I can¡¯t speak well. I should have had a drink beforeing up. There¡¯s champagne on the table.¡± Everyone took Jang Mi-rae¡¯s joke as a joke because it was such a shocking event. Jang Mi-rae also caught her breath and said what she had kept in her heart. ¡°It¡¯s a happy thing to receive an award. But I¡¯ve had more times when I couldn¡¯t, so this ce is not veryfortable.¡± It was well-known that she had protested against the unfair judging and sshed red paint on the judges. ¡°I painted the most precious picture for me, and so did the other people here. I want to share today¡¯s glory with everyone who filled the Venice Biennale with beauty. Thank you.¡± As Jang Mi-rae finished her speech, a wave of apuse filled with respect swept over. ¡°That was a wonderful speech. Congrattions to Jang Mi-rae again.¡± Ralph Rufus checked the list. The atmosphere in the hall, which had been warmed by Jang Mi-rae¡¯s speech, became tense again. Jang Mi-rae¡¯s winning of the Silver Lion Award implied that the Golden Lion Award would include not only Arsenale but also Giardini. ¡°Next is the Lifetime Achievement Award.¡± It was the first and most honorable award of the Golden Lion Award at the world¡¯srgest art exhibition. ¡°Shara Hughes. Congrattions.¡± Shara Hughes, a British instation artist, was named. ¡°Shara Hughes understands space with her original insight. Windows and mazes make modern people, who spend most of their lives in buildings, perceive windows, the boundary between inside and outside of buildings, in a new way.¡± The cheers were so loud that Ralph Rufus¡¯s reading of the judging was not heard. ©¸She got it, Shara Hughes. ©¸I wish Goseoyeol had gotten it ? ©¸Goseoyeol already got the Golden Lion Award ???? ©¸Shara Hughes is amazing too. She was a bit overshadowed by Damien Carter, but she¡¯s been getting recognizedtely. ©¸?? If you look at her career, Goseoyeol is unbeatable, but Shara Hughes is amazing too. 40 years. ©¸Goseoyeol getting the national pavilion is more important. Then it¡¯s the second Golden Lion Award. ©¸The national pavilion Golden Lion Award will go to the Fools¡¯ Party, right? ©¸??. Noparison. ¡°The national pavilion will go to the Fools¡¯ Party, right?¡± Lee Inho asked. ¡°Of course. Who else would get it if not Hoon and Henri. It¡¯s not like other works are missing. There are also Master Goseoyeol and Professor Mi-rae.¡± Kim Jiwu snorted and said. The Golden Lion Award for the national pavilion had to go to the Korea-France joint pavilion, whether by work or poprity. ¡°I think you all expected this result.¡± Ralph Rufus smiled and checked the winner. ¡°France-Korea joint pavilion. Congrattions.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Ma Eunchan cheered and jumped up. People who were sitting politely, people who were cheering with Ma Eunchan, and Henri Marso who was farting with his legs crossed, all expressed their joy in different ways. All the artists who participated in the Korea-France joint exhibition felt like they had everything in the world. ©¸Of course, it feels good. ©¸Right? LOL ©¸Honestly, it¡¯s iparable to other ces where only 1-3 people participate. Especially this time, it was the best ever. ©¸Hoon is so cute holding his grandfather¡¯s hand and going up ?? ©¸He won the Golden Lion Award at 13 years old ?? ©¸It wasn¡¯t an individual award, though???? ©¸What Hoon regretted was that there were too manypetitors. There were also Henry, Jang Mi-rae, Francis, Hao, and Nic for the Silver Lion Award, which is given to those under 35. ©¸Henry already won itst time. ©¸They gave it to someone who wasn¡¯t even a participant in the exhibition, so they could give it twice. ©¸They said they would remove any qualifications or limitations for the award. ©¸Hoon should aim for the next one. He¡¯s still too young, honestly. ©¸Are they crazy? It¡¯s amazing that he won the Golden Lion Award, but they¡¯re saying he didn¡¯t win an individual award. ©¸???????Hoon was the representative???? The participating artists of the Bulhandang all made sure that Hoon could stand on the glorious stage. Hoon, who was asked to give his eptance speech, lowered the microphone himself. ¡°Thank you.¡± Everyone looked at the genius painter with a warm expression. ¡°My grandfather said it, and I always think that I should be humble, but I don¡¯t think so today.¡± Hoon smiled and showed the trophy made of gold. ¡°We were awesome.¡± Peopleughed and cheered loudly. All 173 participants experienced the Korea-France joint exhibition and couldn¡¯t deny Hoon¡¯s words. If the Golden Lion Award had gone to another national pavilion, they would have doubted the fairness. Not to mention Go Soo-yeol¡¯s and Jang Mi-rae¡¯s . And the emotions that Henry Marceau¡¯s and Hoon¡¯s brought. People sincerely congratted the Bulhandang. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy to prepare. There were so many artists, so Michel and Mr. Taeho really worked hard for us.¡± Hoon mentioned the names of each and every one of the artists who did their best, starting with Michel tini and Bang Taeho, who were the artistic directors. ¡°It was really fun to work. I hope this opportunity goes to not only me, but also other people. The joint exhibition, too. I hope there are more exhibition halls. So that everyone can smile happily.¡± Hoon showed the Golden Lion Award again. ¡°That was the speech of Hoon, the artist. I thought I had done everything I had to do while conducting this award ceremony, but Hoon gave me onest assignment. I¡¯ll take responsibility and tell the organizingmittee.¡± Hoon and the artists cheered again at Ralph Rufus¡¯s promise. ¡°And finally, thest one.¡± Ralph Rufus¡¯s audience quieted down. ¡°The 2030 Venice Biennale. Thest Golden Lion Award winner is!¡± After a brief pause. Ralph Rufus named the new era¡¯s protagonist. ¡°Henry Marceau of 2 Years and 8 Months!¡± Michel covered his mouth. Hoon turned his head quickly. ¡°Hmph.¡± The Bulhandang artists, who were crossing their legs and folding their arms, ran to Henry, who was acting arrogant after hearing the news of the Golden Lion Award. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± ¡°Henry! Henry!¡± ¡°Henry! Henry!¡± ¡°Move!¡± As the Bulhandang artists rejoiced, Ralph Rufus opened his mouth again. ¡°And. Uh¡­ 149,597,870.696km of Hoon! Congrattions!¡± The people who were about to lift Henry Marceau with a stretcher froze. The audience was buzzing. Hoon himself was surprised by the unprecedented joint award. ¡°Both of you, pleasee up and give your eptance speech.¡± Ralph Rufus called Henry Marceau and Hoon to the stage, and Henry Marceau handed the microphone to Hoon first. Hoon blinked his eyes and opened his mouth. ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m up here again.¡± Peopleughed loudly. 1)In this novel, I mentioned Francis Bacon and Baek Dong-joon, who is based on Paik Nam-june, but I decided to use their real names instead of pseudonyms in the list above. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!