Chapter 16

16

Preparation...? Kang Seok slowly blinked his eyes.

– 'There’s nothing difficult about a solo exhibition. I’ll just hang one or two of your pieces in my solo exhibition. If they’re good, they’ll sell, and the profits will be yours.'

He hadn’t forgotten. Why would he forget? Selling paintings. He wanted to make his family rich. He planned to earn a lot of money. That’s why he remembered it well.

However, he hadn’t been able to think about what he wanted to paint.

Why?

...Hmm. Right. In his previous life, when Kang Seok was Michelangelo. Most of the time, Kang Seok received commissions.

He had to create something for God, for the Pope, for the nobles, for wealthy merchants, for cardinals, for someone, for someone. He had to paint something.

Just, his own work... Had he ever thought about that?

How refreshing.

Kang Seok’s eyes sparkled.

What will I paint?

“...Haven’t you decided yet?”

Goh Dohan asked cautiously again, looking at Kang Seok, who had stopped and bowed his head. With Kang Seok’s head down, Goh Dohan’s eyes saw him as if he had frozen.

– 'I’ll do both.'

– 'Sure. I made the proposal, so it’s up to you to accept it. Try both.'

– 'Thank you.'

– 'But if you don’t do it properly, you’re out of both.'

Is he doing this because he’s worried I might withdraw the offer if I’m not prepared? Goh Dohan stroked his chin.

For a month, Kang Seok had been acting like a completely different person, so he had forgotten, but thinking about it, Kang Seok was a bit too diligent.

If I had to describe Kang Seok so far in two sentences... He was the type who would plant an apple tree even if the world was going to end tomorrow, and if he didn’t plant the apple tree, he would act as if the world was going to end today.

'I have no intention of withdrawing.'

Goh Dohan was too excited about Kang Seok’s paintings to withdraw.

Paintings that were not bound by school exams, performance evaluations, or projects. Purely paintings he wanted to paint.

Moreover, Kang Seok’s painting speed was so fast that it was a disservice to compare him to ordinary people.

With a month left until the exhibition. Kang Seok, who could confine a living person in a painting within an hour, would easily be able to submit his work by the deadline.

'So there’s no need to be so nervous.'

Goh Dohan scooped up a spoonful of rice porridge. Even as he did so, Kang Seok’s head remained bowed.

This makes me feel like I’m the bad guy. Goh Dohan frowned.

"Hey, you can take your time thinking about it, so let’s eat first."

"......"

Kang Seok slowly blinked his eyes.

"Even if I tell you to eat."

What should I paint? Since he had been drawing men continuously, maybe he should try drawing a woman in this life. It might also be good to try drawing nature, which he had never properly touched. It would be a fresh attempt. If not... *Plop*.

*Plop?* Kang Seok, lost in thought, lifted his head.

A spoonful of rice and bean sprouts was extended in front of his eyes. Whose spoon? The spoon Goh Dohan was holding was still in the rice porridge bowl.

Kang Seok looked down. The spoon next to his soup bowl was gone. It was his spoon.

"Here!"

What is this? Why is he taking care of me? Kang Seok, flustered, reflexively took the spoon.

"Right, that’s the way."

Whatever it was, Goh Dohan now seemed relieved and finished his rice porridge. Kang Seok, flustered, put the spoon in his mouth.

The hot broth and rice grains rolled around in his mouth. *Swallow.* Kang Seok put the spoon back into his soup bowl.

It was delicious.

.

.

.

The winter sunset quickly covered the sky. It was only four o'clock. Watching the sun set, Kang Seok got up from his seat.

To receive new paper.

Perhaps because it was late, a few people were dozing off while drawing, their eyes drooping. They had been quietly drawing all day in the warm air, so it was understandable that they were sleepy.

The third-year students gathered here had all already been accepted through early admission. It was understandable that they were relaxed. Thinking this, Kang Seok walked forward.

At the end of the walkway was Goh Dohan.

"Are you going to keep drawing four sheets for each model?"

Goh Dohan asked, holding a sheet of paper. Kang Seok had already received three sheets in the afternoon, so this would be the fourth.

This way, he would end up drawing four times as much as others.

"Yes... I guess so?"

Kang Seok answered as he took the paper.

'Isn’t the purpose a portfolio?'

For a portfolio, it would certainly be better to have various compositions of the same model. And to achieve the true purpose of a portfolio, Kang Seok wanted to create a high-quality one.

That was why, despite being able to draw and rest faster than others, he continued to draw. It was natural for him.

"You’re working hard."

Goh Dohan nodded in satisfaction. He was happy that a good drawer was also diligent. If he had known Kang Seok’s true intentions, he might have made the third-year students give him a standing ovation.

However, Goh Dohan had something to say to Kang Seok.

"But if you keep drawing four sheets, the quality will improve, but it will be a big loss for you."

Why would it be a loss if the quality improves? Kang Seok looked at Goh Dohan with a questioning gaze.

Seeing that look, Goh Dohan tapped the [Art Admission] book he was looking at and answered.

"If you draw four times as much as others, your portfolio will be four times thicker. At first glance, it might seem like you’ve improved the quality, but it also means that your publishing costs will be higher. The printing costs will be higher."

"Yes."

"If the costs are evenly distributed for publication, it means your print run might be smaller than others. Is that okay?"

The third-year students, who had been looking at Kang Seok with worried eyes, now had sharp gazes.

'The teacher is asking Seok about the price.'

'Sure enough, Kang Seok is planning to publish no matter what.'

'But if the print run is smaller, that’s a loss for Kang Seok, right? The profits go to the author when it’s published.'

'Right.'

The third-year students stared at Kang Seok’s mouth, eager to hear what he would say.

And Kang Seok, meeting their expectations, said something they hadn’t expected.

"What does the initial print run matter?"

It’s going to sell like crazy anyway.

Kang Seok remembered clearly. If it sells well, there could be additional print runs. And Kang Seok was confident that his portfolio would sell.

And it would sell like crazy.

So he said with confidence.

"It doesn’t matter."

Goh Dohan, reading Kang Seok’s intention from his answer, twisted his lips. His gaze was on the paintings Kang Seok had drawn.

What does the initial print run matter? That’s right. If he’s providing such high-quality material, it would be crazy not to buy it.

"Alright, do as you wish."

"Yes."

Kang Seok took the paper and returned to his seat.

The third-year students, who had been watching, opened their mouths wide in surprise. They understood what Kang Seok meant.

'Look at that confidence.'

'Cool...!'

'That guy is really something.'

'He’s a man, a real man.'

Beyond just being confident that his paintings would be published, Kang Seok was confident that they would sell well. That confidence made the third-year students envious.

Goh Dohan was equally impressed. His eyes narrowed as he watched Kang Seok return to his seat.

The market for art admission is broad but narrow.

High-quality materials are limited, and most of them can only be obtained by joining art schools. And since you can’t join all art schools, they are limited.

Currently, the materials that everyone can access for art admission are mostly provided by two monthly magazines, [Art Admission] and [Art & Artist].

These days, information is also provided on platforms like YouTube, but compared to the college entrance exam, the market is much smaller.

Even if you subscribe to monthly magazines and scrap for years, you’ll end up with a mix of student works, research works, and promotional works.

It’s not just sketches.

Still life watercolors, figure watercolors, animation, figure sketches, detailed sketches, sculpture, design, portfolios, and more. The genres are diverse.

Naturally, the desired materials are limited, and there are many duplicates.

In that sense, Kang Seok’s paintings were a godsend. An incredible godsend.

Kang Seok’s paintings were not the kind that art students could simply demonstrate.

Just by copying those paintings a few times, students would learn a lot and their skills would improve significantly.

That’s because:

Kang Seok’s figure sketches were perfect in form, composition, atmosphere, perspective, highlight expression, texture, detailed depiction, proportion, light and shadow, and volume. Nothing was missing.

'As if he deliberately drew them that way.'

Each painting was like a textbook for admission students.

They were on a different level from the research works that college students or graduates drew as part-time jobs when they worked as instructors at the art schools they attended.

'Even deliberately drawing them that way would be difficult.'

In any case, he was an interesting guy.

Goh Dohan smiled contentedly, looking at the diamond that had temporarily fallen into his hands. Meanwhile, Kang Seok was sharpening his pencil to start a new drawing.

.

.

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"Bye! See you tomorrow!"

"Teacher! Thank you for your hard work!"

"See you tomorrow!"

5:30 PM. As Kang Seok said goodbye and looked at his watch among the crowd leaving the sketch room,

"Take care!"

"Don’t take a detour, go straight home."

"Don’t forget to post in the group chat when you get home."

"Hey, teacher! We’re not kids. We’re twenty now. Twenty."

The third-year students boasted to the teachers who were seeing them off at the door.

Come to think of it, it was already January. Kang Seok glanced at his phone. The calendar showed January.

"Twenty is still a kid."

"It’s a dangerous world, so I’m saying this. Dangerous. Go straight home. Got it?"

"Y-Yes."

While the part-time teachers were advising the students repeatedly, Goh Dohan waved at Kang Seok.

"Go."

Kang Seok nodded briefly in response to the short greeting and walked down the stairs, passing a few third-year students who were looking at him from the sketch room. The sun was setting.

I still haven’t fixed my bike light.

*Tap, tap.* Kang Seok’s steps quickened. He had to hurry before it got too dark.

* * * *

*Whirr.* The bicycle chain rolled as the wheels turned. It was a downhill road.

Kang Seok gripped the handlebars tightly. His feet were slightly off the pedals, enjoying the thrill of the fast descent.

A cold wind blew. His nose tingled. Streetlights were turning on one by one. The sky, a fierce battle between red and blue, stretched out widely.

*Whirr.*

The sky was reflected in Kang Seok’s chestnut eyes. Buildings flashed by quickly in his field of vision. He was already at the bottom of the hill, and a large intersection was visible in the distance.

Kang Seok put his feet on the pedals.

The world slowed down. People were walking briskly. *Beep, beep, beep.* The green light signal was beeping. Signs were twinkling, the moon was up, and people’s silhouettes were overlapping and disappearing.

Looking at the people still bathed in the fading sunset, Kang Seok spoke.

"Ah."

He had an idea of what he wanted to paint.

17. Dark Alley