Chapter 79

79

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The head monk of Bongeunsa Temple.

Venerable Beopgyeong walked with a face like a child going to the playground to touch the sand, excited to see the hermit after a long time since the temporary exhibition. In his hand, he held a bouquet and a set of fruit juices to give to the hermit, Gangseok.

Unlike a typical exhibition, he heard that nothing could be placed in the exhibition area, but since the curator, Ryu Suheon, said that the hermit would come in person today, he could pass them on.

‘While handing these over, I’ll subtly change the topic... No, I don’t need to change it. Just inviting him to Bongeunsa Temple once would be a success.’

Venerable Beopgyeong, while walking slowly, kept his mind active, his head gleaming in the sunlight.

Visitors to the temple often said that the hermit was an artist inspired by his surroundings. If inspiration was needed for his work, then creating an environment for inspiration would be the key.

Bongeunsa Temple, a thousand-year-old temple, was known for its many annual events, fitting its location in the city.

In January, there was a tangerine festival in Jeju Island, and in December, a red bean porridge festival. On the last day of the year, there was a New Year’s event... The endless series of events meant that Bongeunsa could always showcase its unique charm, no matter when someone visited.

‘If the hermit visits, he will surely be inspired to create a Buddha statue for our Bongeunsa...!’

Thinking this far, Venerable Beopgyeong stopped walking and suddenly began to roll his prayer beads in his hand to calm his excitement.

He couldn’t show a disheveled appearance when meeting the hermit. Thinking this, Venerable Beopgyeong rolled each bead with his thumb, as if plucking a string of a zither.

Beside him, Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano, his face flushed red, was also present.

“Venerable, aren’t you going in?”

Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano looked at Venerable Beopgyeong with a puzzled expression. Despite his red face, which looked like he had drunk a lot, his expression was calm and benevolent.

“Oh, Cardinal. I apologize. I suddenly remembered a dharma talk and was reflecting on the Buddha’s teachings.”

“I see. That happens often.”

The cardinal smiled, understandingly, and took a slow step forward, as if inviting him to follow. Venerable Beopgyeong watched as the cardinal, dressed in priestly robes, passed the sign with two dragons facing each other, [Yongshin Land].

Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano.

He was a Korean-Italian who had formed a connection with Bongeunsa Temple after a visit by a German cardinal and a Japanese cardinal to Hwagyesa Temple, another temple of the Jogye Order, in 2012, where they had a tea talk with the monks.

Through several intermediaries, this connection eventually linked the head monk of Bongeunsa Temple, Venerable Beopgyeong, with Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano, who belonged to the Vatican.

Thinking this, Venerable Beopgyeong smiled, a gentle smile not much different from Cardinal Yeom Jinseok’s.

As he was about to follow Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano into Yongshin Land, he noticed two figures watching them from a distance.

Gangseok and a man with a haggard face.

– ‘I’ll come to greet you.’

Through that phone call, Venerable Beopgyeong easily guessed that the man was Secretary Ryu Suheon. His guess was confirmed as Ryu Suheon approached, beaming, to greet Venerable Beopgyeong and Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano.

“Venerable, Cardinal.”

“Hermit.”

“Brother.”

“It’s an honor to meet you. I am Secretary Ryu Suheon of the Cultural Arts Department. Please call me by my name.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Brother.”

“Isn’t this all due to our connection, Hermit?”

Ryu Suheon nodded and turned to look at Gangseok, who was slightly bowing his head.

“Hermit.”

Gangseok, bowing in response to Venerable Beopgyeong’s greeting, turned his gaze to Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano.

“Brother. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“Yes.”

His calm demeanor contrasted sharply with Venerable Beopgyeong’s excited expression.

Thinking he was a new client, but realizing he was just a visitor, Gangseok looked at Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano, who he hadn’t seen for a long time, with a calm face.

Seeing this, Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano’s face, flushed red, made him look as if he was in a very warm place, a color that seemed to forget it was early November.

Well, it doesn’t matter.

Gangseok withdrew his gaze.

If he wasn’t a client, he didn’t care.

“Hermit. As a gesture of respect for the opening of the exhibition, I prepared a small gift.”

“Really?”

Gangseok, surprised, looked at Venerable Beopgyeong’s hands. There were indeed a set of fruit juices and a bouquet. This was Bongeunsa Temple, located in the heart of Seoul...

“...Thank you.”

Gangseok, holding the fruit juice set and bouquet, looked bewildered.

Since chocolate and bouquets were banned for safety reasons, he hadn’t expected to receive anything... Looking down at the bouquet, he felt a warm feeling, as if he hadn’t received a gift for a long time.

“No, I wanted to congratulate you. But, Hermit.”

“Yes, what is it?”

At that moment, Venerable Beopgyeong, revealing his desire in his gentle eyes, spoke.

“Last time, our conversation ended abruptly, and I felt quite disappointed. If you have some time today, would you like to have a cup of tea and talk?”

Gangseok looked at his phone.

It was approaching 3 PM.

He gauged the time by the numbers on his phone screen. His eyebrows, which had formed a triangle, turned towards Venerable Beopgyeong, expressing disappointment.

“I would like to, but I have another appointment.”

Strictly speaking, Gangseok was a high school senior.

With reduced attendance requirements, he often had to handle various schedules on weekdays, much like an office worker using annual leave to handle work. Therefore, he didn’t have time for a cup of coffee with Venerable Beopgyeong.

He had only 30 minutes left for a brief greeting. It was an awkward time to go to a cafe. Shaking his head, Gangseok declined.

Venerable Beopgyeong, looking at him, bowed his head with a dejected face.

“Ah... I see.”

Like a child left alone in the playground after all his friends went home, Venerable Beopgyeong bowed his head and nodded. He couldn’t hold someone with another appointment for his own desires.

“Then, when you have time, please visit Bongeunsa Temple.”

“Yes, I will.”

“Hermit, I will go and see your work. Please finish your schedule.”

Our connection won’t end here.

Venerable Beopgyeong, quickly recovering, nodded like a kind grandfather. Bowing in response to Venerable Beopgyeong’s greeting, Gangseok nodded, as if inviting him to go in.

Then, Venerable Beopgyeong slowly turned his body.

Looking forward to the next meeting.

“Then, I will also go. If we meet again, we’ll see, Brothers.”

Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano, with a red face and a Buddha-like expression of compassion, turned to leave. He had come along because Venerable Beopgyeong had insisted, but as a Vatican official, he had no interest in Secretary Ryu Suheon, a government official, or Gangseok, an artist.

His eyes, accustomed to the heights of the Vatican, found most artists unimpressive.

As Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano and Venerable Beopgyeong walked towards the abandoned building, Ryu Suheon’s mouth dropped open.

The smell of many blended coffees filled his mouth.

“Artist, did you know Venerable Beopgyeong?”

As a non-official, Ryu Suheon knew about the temporary exhibition at Bongeunsa Temple, but he didn’t expect that the head monk and the artist were on such familiar terms.

Blink, blink.

Today, this true fan, Ryu Suheon, had intended to connect Gangseok with Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano, a Vatican official, and Venerable Beopgyeong, the head monk of Bongeunsa Temple, but the plan had come to nothing.

It was a shock.

Still, Ryu Suheon looked at Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano, who was entering the abandoned building, with a disappointed expression.

If he could connect with Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano, it would be good. But Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano seemed uninterested in Gangseok.

Gangseok, seeing this, showed a reassuring expression.

“The intention is really appreciated, but it’s fine.”

He had no lingering desire to be involved in Catholic-related projects. Why bother? Thinking this, Gangseok smiled. Although it was a very short time, he appreciated Secretary Ryu Suheon’s efforts.

The art world in South Korea is half about connections.

A world driven by money, connections, fame, academic background, and regional ties.

In this market, where overwhelming talent needs absolute time to be recognized, Secretary Ryu Suheon’s efforts to contact him and see his work quickly were deeply felt.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t help. It seems like a wasted trip.”

“No, it’s not that.”

Gangseok smiled, indicating it wasn’t just that.

His gaze was on Venerable Beopgyeong, who was slowly entering the abandoned building, and Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano, who was being restricted to enter one at a time.

Gangseok’s lips twitched.

He couldn’t maintain that attitude after seeing his work.

Especially since the work was this.

It was already a won battle.

“It’s not like there will be no gain, you know.”

With that attitude, he would have the upper hand in the next meeting. Having finished the mental battle, Gangseok suddenly exclaimed.

“By the way, Secretary.”

“Yes?”

“Do you happen to like the recent renovation? Could you recommend a company? You can give me the contact information too.”

“Recommend?”

Ryu Suheon looked surprised.

“Ah, are you planning to remodel or have some construction done?”

His surprised expression naturally turned to a beaming one. The dark circles under his eyes became more prominent as his face brightened. Looking at this, Gangseok nodded.

“Yes, I have a project.”

“Oh... I see. Ah! You moved recently, right?”

Ryu Suheon, saying this, rummaged through his pocket. He was taking out his business card holder.

Even though it was a matter of giving contact information, Ryu Suheon, who still preferred analog methods, hadn’t thought of it. He carefully took out a business card from his holder and handed it to Gangseok.

It was a high-quality card with an embossed design.

Gangseok, nodding as if checking the name and contact information out of politeness, was already moving his lips to answer Ryu Suheon’s question.

“No, not that. I’ll let you know once it’s confirmed. It’s still in the planning stage...”

Saying this, Gangseok looked up after checking the back of the card.

“Is that so?”

“Thank you for the contact information. I’ll contact you when I have the chance.”

“Yes, and please let me know when it’s confirmed. I’m curious.”

“Yes, I will. But, Secretary... I have another appointment soon. Is it okay?”

“Oh, yes. I’ll see you out.”

.

.

.

As Gangseok crossed the entrance of Yongshin Land and headed to his next appointment, Venerable Beopgyeong, with the help of the guides, walked out.

It was not easy for Venerable Beopgyeong, at his age, to navigate the pitch-black darkness alone.

“That’s why the hermit allowed only adults to enter. That’s why... sigh.”

Venerable Beopgyeong, reciting a sutra while rolling his prayer beads, shook his head to erase the memory of the rainy season from his youth.

Before Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano could ask what happened, the door creaked open again.

The preparation was surprisingly quick, despite the one-person entry restriction.

“Next person, please enter.”

Cardinal Yeom Jinseok Stefano, looking at the hooded figure gesturing to him, slowly moved forward.

“Going in.”

He would know what it was about once he experienced it.

As Cardinal Yeom Jinseok entered the abandoned building, the hooded figure closed the door.

Creak, bang!

The loud noise made Cardinal Yeom Jinseok clutch the rosary in his priestly robes. He was now in complete darkness.

‘Haunted house?’

It reminded him of the haunted houses he used to visit as a child.

At that moment, as he looked around in the darkness, a candelabra surrounded by glowing candles appeared.

— You. Ascend the stairs.

It was a deep voice, as if he were in a cave.

Cardinal Yeom Jinseok looked troubled. Was it appropriate to enjoy such worldly pleasures? He muttered to himself as he moved forward.

Slowly, he ascended the stairs, holding the railing, guided by the light of the candelabra. He muttered to himself that Venerable Beopgyeong, the head monk of Bongeunsa Temple, was more afraid of scary things than he appeared