Translator: MarcTempest
Editor: AgRoseCrystal
Chapter 560
âSo, weâve decided on the right side⦠but we need to plan for the left side.â
â/I think it would be good to sketch while thinking of the big trees or the rooted trees that we canât move./â
While Yu Seo-young and Matteo were talking, Seo-jun and the art team were explaining to the props team who would help them.
âAs you can see from the script, weâre going to draw a flower picture here.â
âYou mean on the snow?â
âYes. When it snows, the low places are buried in snow, but the high places only have snow piled up on the top.â
If you go to a snow-covered mountain, you can see that unlike the small stones that are completely buried in snow, the large stones only have white snow on the top and the original color is exposed below.
âWeâre going to use the burned wooden pillars and debris here to represent the flower stems and the surroundings.â
âWowâ¦â
The props team nodded their heads, not knowing the details, but only that they were going to draw flowers.
âSo, weâre going to make a difference between the low and high places before it snows.â
At Seo-junâs words, the props team leader looked at the front again. He saw the irregularly placed burned trees. They would look like clumps of snow when it snowed.
âTrue. If we leave it like this, it would be hard to draw.â
âFirst of all, weâre going to make the right side blank, so we have to clear everything. And on the left side, we have to clear everything except the places where weâre going to represent the flower stems. But weâre still discussing how to draw it, so I think you can just clear the right side first.â
âOkay. Got it.â
The props team members, wearing gloves, took the saws and shovels they had brought.
âWeâll help you too.â
The art team members and Seo-jun also joined them with gloves.
âThis height will be buried in snow, right?ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âYes. I think so.â
The props team and the art team went around the rough mountain on the right side and started to clear the trees and stones that were higher than a certain height.
âBe careful not to get hurt!â
âYes!â
Thatâs how it started to be cleared little by little from the right end of the mountain.
The art team member who was rolling a big stone down the mountain couldnât hide his admiration when he saw Seo-jun lifting a huge stone with ease.
âSeo-jun, do you work out?â
âWell, you never know when an action work will come in. Iâm preparing in advance by doing a little bit.â
âI see.â
He was good at acting and diligent too.
He had to do that much to become a superstar.
âSeo-jun! Can you come over here?â
âYes!â
Seo-jun seemed to be stronger than he thought, and soon he was moving with the props team, not the art team that was moving small things.
âHave some water! There are sports drinks and snacks too!â
The art team member who came back from the car went around and supplied them with food.
As time passed, the props team leader, who was sweating, bent his waist. The sun was already setting.
âLetâs call it a day!â
âYes!â
Fortunately, there wasnât much to clear because it was where the fire had been. They took breaks from time to time, but they were already able to clear two-thirds of the right side.
After dinner at the lodge.
The tired team members headed to their rooms, and the team leaders gathered at the restaurant. Seo-jun was there too.
âWeâve cleared this much.â
Yu Seo-young from the art team showed them the before and after photos. Hwang Ji-yoon nodded her head. The props team leader added his comment.
âI think we can clear everything by tomorrow or the day after.â
âI heard itâs going to snow in a few days. Do you think we can finish before then? It might be dangerous to move things when it snowsâ¦â
âThatâs right. We might slip and fall.â
âWell, if we just clear things randomly, we might finish before it snows, but thereâs an outline on the left side. We have to wait for that to come out first, then clear things according to that picture.â
The studentsâ eyes turned to Yu Seo-young at the props team leaderâs words.
âIâll try to draw it as fast as I can.â
âDonât worry. If it really doesnât work, we can just leave a few people from the filming team and call everyone else here, so take your time.â
âNo, itâs okay. Seo-jun explained it to me and I think I have a rough image of it.â
Hwang Ji-yoon nodded at Yu Seo-youngâs words.
âThen letâs end the meeting here.â
âOh, I have something to suggest.â
Hwang Do-yoon raised his hand. Everyone looked at him.
âLetâs do a courage training before it snows.â
It was inevitable that their eyes would reflexively go to Seo-jun at that remark. Seo-junâs eyes sparkled again.
âYou still havenât given up on that?â
Hwang Ji-yoon said to Hwang Do-yoon, who shrugged his shoulders.
âNo, I thought about it and Seo-jun just has to avoid playing the ghost role, right?â
âI want to do it, though.â
âHaha. Seo-jun just has to avoid playing the ghost role, right?â
âHey. Do-yoon hyung?â
Hwang Do-yoon laughed awkwardly and avoided Seo-junâs eyes, who called him.
Seo-jun said earnestly with a sincere expression.
âIâll really act without using any strength.â
âI donât trust you.â
âIâm really going to act without using any strength, okay? Really! Just! Lame!â
âThat sounds even more unbelievableâ¦â
The other team leaders agreed with that.
âNo. Thereâs a way.â
Park Woo-jin from the filming team said with a smile. Everyone looked at him curiously.
âSeo-jun has to act like an actor who canât act playing the ghost role.â
ââ¦Wowâ¦â
Seo-jun and the students exclaimed.
âThatâs a bit⦠extreme, but⦠I feel relieved.â
âMe too.â
âWhat about you, Seo-jun?â
âThat sounds fun.â
An actor who canât act playing the ghost role.
Thatâs a character you canât find in a normal work, right? Seo-jun was already interested in the role of an actor who canât act more than the ghost. He smiled brightly and answered.
âBut there are still some people who hate ghosts, so letâs just gather the ones who really want to do it.â
âAnd make sure the course is safe.â
âWe can do it at the mansion. Weâll clear all the equipment.â
Before they knew it, the meeting had turned into a courage training discussion.
***
âReady, action!â
Min-han, who was cleaning the second floor, saw the merchant coming to the mansion. Min-han ran to the gate as he saw Mr. Lee greeting the merchant.
âHello!â
The merchant nodded at Min-hanâs greeting and took out a small bundle from his luggage box. It looked like there was a wooden box inside, judging by the square shape.
âHow much is it?â
The merchant showed five fingers.
âExpensive! Well, cheaper than I expected⦠But the prices in Hanyang are high.â
Min-han took out some coins from his money pouch with trembling eyes. He cherished them so much that they were shiny. He placed five coins on the merchantâs hand.
The merchant bowed to Mr. Lee and Min-han after taking the money and left the mansion.
âMin-han, what did you buy?â
âHaha, nothing much.â
Min-han laughed awkwardly at Mr. Leeâs curiosity and quickly headed to his room with the bundle he got from the merchant.
âDonât forget to bring lunch to the young master!â
âYes!â
***
Min-han, who had received a tray of lunch from the first floor kitchen, went up to the second floor and took the bundle he had left on the living room table.
Knock knock.
He knocked on the door of the third room on the right and carefully entered without letting the light in. He closed the door tightly.
Bright outside and dark inside.
Min-han waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness and walked to the table. He vividly remembered the young master slamming his arms down here. He also recalled him crying silently in the middle of the night. His hand holding the bundle felt heavy. He wasnât sure if he was doing the right thing.
ââ¦I brought you lunch.â
He looked at the bed and saw that the young master was still lying on his back. He didnât move at all. Min-han listened quietly. He heard a very faint breathing. Thank goodness. He felt relieved.
âAndâ¦â
He put the bundle next to the tray.
Rustle-
He unwrapped the bundle and a wooden box appeared.
âI donât know much about painting⦠I looked around your room and there was nothing⦠Mr. Lee said you liked painting.â
There was no answer.
Min-han, who was babbling, touched his neck with a bit of embarrassment.
âI prepared some brushes and materials for you.â
Somehow.
He felt like the young masterâs body twitched in the darkness.
âThatâs⦠I feel good just looking at the coins. Even if I donât spend them. So I thought you might feel good if you see thisâ¦â
As if that twitch was an illusion, the young master was silent. Min-han licked his lips and ended his words with a bitter smile.
âThen Iâll leave.â
Click.
The door closed.
The camera kept watching Seo-jun, who was lying on the bed.
Brushes, materials.
Those words slowly awakened the consciousness of the nameless painter who was engulfed by the darkness.
He agreed with the faint heart that followed the manâs words.
Yes. The nameless painter felt the same way.
He felt happy just by looking at the white paper and the brush.
The excitement of thinking how to fill this blank paper, what meaning to put in the empty spaces. The thrill of putting strength in his hand, holding the brush and coloring the white paper with what he imagined. The satisfaction of seeing the completed painting.
The nameless painter missed all of that.
Even until now, when he could no longer paint.
That feeling showed on his face as he closed his eyes.
The camera captured Seo-junâs expression.
Slowly, longing and sadness began to bloom on his face that was dying without any warmth. The faint emotion gradually grew stronger. The muscles of his face trembled weakly and moved naturally to express his current feelings.
Finally, Seo-junâs expression blurred as if he was about to cry at any moment.
The nameless painter couldnât bear the wave of longing that came over him.
Rustle.
He got up with his trembling arm supporting the bed. He ignored his shaking hand and walked slowly to the table.
Next to the familiar tray, there was a wooden box he had never seen before.
Somehow his heart pounded.
He felt a bit thirsty and also a bit dizzy. His staggering steps seemed to get faster without him knowing.
He felt like he stopped breathing.
With his trembling hand (he didnât know if it was because of the aftereffect or his own heart), he grabbed the lid of the wooden box. And he opened it more carefully than ever.
ââ¦Haha!â
He saw the paper, brush, ink and inkstone neatly arranged inside the box and laughed without realizing it.
âCut! Okay! Letâs go to the next scene!â
***
A little later.
Min-han came in to clear the tray. His eyes went to the table first. The wooden box was still closed.
âI left it right next to the tray for him to seeâ¦â
He didnât even open it.
Min-han headed to the table with a disappointed face to clear the tray, when
âExcuse meâ¦â
He heard a strange voice.
âAhh!â
Min-han screamed without knowing it at the sudden voice.
âWhat, whatâ¦â
He clutched his almost-fallen heart and stood up wobbly. He turned his head. The young master, who had been lying down except when he hurt himself, was sitting on the bed. Min-han gasped.
âYou, young master?â
âI,â
He heard a rough voice, probably because he hadnât spoken for a long time.
Unlike the startled Min-han, the young master spoke calmly.
âI paint Western paintings.â
�
Min-han blinked his eyes. He knew that Eastern and Western paintings were different, but he didnât know much about the materials needed for painting.
âSo I donât use inkstone and ink.â
!!
Min-hanâs eyes shook.
âI use paper and brush, but they are completely different.â
Min-han opened his mouth wide without realizing it. His face turned red.
He spent money but the result was not good. He should have asked Mr. Lee or Mrs. Goseongdaek first, he thought, when he heard the young masterâs voice.
âBut stillâ¦â
Somehow.
The young master seemed to be smiling.
âThank you.â