Chapter 91

91

* * * *

Sancte Míchaël Archángele.

O Holy Michael, the Archangel.

defénde nos in proelio.

Defend us in battle.

Contra nequítiam et insídias diáboli esto praesídium.

Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

– Excerpt from the Prayer to Saint Michael, written by Pope Leo XIII in 1886 –

* * * *

“(Now, take my hand.)”

People were murmuring and looking at Kang Seok and Kasani, but Kasani didn't notice any of it. Kasani simply tried to steady his breathing and slowly took Kang Seok's hand. Kang Seok, gripping his hand tightly as if in a handshake, slowly pulled Kasani up.

He seemed to be careful to avoid any shock to Kasani's shoulder as he pulled. Kasani, however, didn't even realize that Kang Seok was pulling him.

Instead, as he straightened his bent knees and stood up, Kasani thought, When did I kneel down like that?

Kasani couldn't understand what was happening. His head was too dazed to comprehend the situation. It was dizzy, hot, and throbbing.

As he stood up, a dizzy spell enveloped Kasani. I want to lie down. Just as his body began to lean to one side without him realizing it, Kasani felt someone supporting his back.

What? When Kasani turned his head slightly, he saw that his calm friend, Kang Seok, was standing behind him, supporting his back. The hand supporting his back was also Kang Seok's.

As he stared blankly, one of Kang Seok's eyebrows twitched as if asking what he was doing. It was a look that said, Why aren't you moving?

“(Move.)”

“(...Am I going to die?)”

“(Nonsense. It's just a light dizzy spell. If you have time to talk, start moving your feet. My hands are expensive, you know.)”

Even in his dazed state, Kang Seok's old-fashioned tone made Kasani smile.

How could a hundred-year-old grandpa not use such a tone, and only use old words... It felt like he was talking to someone from the past.

“(Seok. Who did you learn Italian from? It's hilarious.)”

“(Hmm? Is there something wrong with my Italian?)”

“(No, it's... Well, it's not exactly a problem, but... Ha. Ha. Your tone sounds like a grandpa who's at least fifty years older than me. It doesn't match your face. It doesn't... *chuckles*.)”

In the swaying vision caused by the fever, Kasani's lips moved like a goldfish floating on the surface of the water. At the same time, the corners of Kang Seok's mouth, who was pushing Kasani's back and looking for a place to sit, twitched.

– ‘It sounds like a grandpa who's at least fifty years older than me.’

Fifty years. That was a decent estimate. The stubborn dragon coiled up inside him and the time difference with Kasani was at least 450 years.

So, fifty years could be considered a very youthful tone. Regardless, where to sit... Kang Seok turned his head.

At that moment.

“...Mr. Author!”

The figure walking over with a flustered face was Jin Yumi. In her hand was a folding chair. As soon as she unfolded the metal chair, she made Kasani, who was chuckling, sit down.

“Goodness...”

Jin Yumi, who had made Kasani sit down, shook her head.

She wasn't worried about his current symptoms.

She looked at Kang Seok with a face that said she couldn't have imagined this.

“I didn't expect the Stendhal Syndrome to occur again... We need to pay more attention to the improvements.”

Stendhal Syndrome.

It refers to the phenomenon where a person experiences breathing difficulties, dizziness, paralysis, or excitement upon seeing an outstanding work of art.

This rarely happens with domestic works, and it's not easy to witness at the scene unless it's a historically famous piece, so it's understandable that Jin Yumi and the other Bloom Art Museum staff, who followed her, didn't look flustered.

That's because they had a precedent.

The current long-term exhibition in Room 4 of the Bloom Art Museum, "The Persistence of Memory," was that precedent.

"The Persistence of Memory" not only caused Stendhal Syndrome in sensitive viewers but also triggered the David Syndrome, which involves aggressive symptoms.

Jin Yumi and the staff, who had been trained through "The Persistence of Memory," exchanged opinions on additional improvements without hesitation.

“Even though there's a glass barrier to prevent people from crossing, what if we raise it to 100 cm to make sure no one can accidentally fall over?”

“That's not a bad idea, but we need to consider the direction of the light. Are all the glass figures over 100 cm tall? Some are made based on the height of children.”

“Ah, I'll check that.”

“First, what if we reduce the number of people entering at the same time? If we can respond quickly to Stendhal Syndrome, it's manageable, but David Syndrome can affect other viewers, and the space isn't as spacious as Room 4.”

Their opinions were quickly exchanged.

Most of them were experienced staff members of the Bloom Art Museum, which made it possible.

Kang Seok, who had been watching them exchange opinions, slowly moved. Kasani, who had a cold towel wrapped around his neck and a cold water bottle in his hand, seemed to be gradually calming down.

Even though his sensitivity didn't seem that high, there was a cause-and-effect relationship when such symptoms occurred.

Italy.

Florence.

Kasani's family, who immigrated when he was young.

The building left by his parents.

Kang Seok, who had easily gauged the reason, approached Kasani, who seemed to have calmed down a bit.

“(Are you feeling better now?)”

“(...Phew. Yeah, I'm feeling better. Damn. What just happened? You looked like the Angel of Death, Michael.)”

“(Michael?)”

Michael. It had been a long time since he heard that familiar nickname. Kang Seok's lips twitched, but he suppressed a smile.

Now was the time for an explanation.

“(...So, you mean I was suddenly affected by something like Stendhal Syndrome?)”

“(Yes.)”

“(...Wow. You must have been an amazing artist.)”

Indeed, a young person who could pay for a building's worth of money wasn't going to be ordinary. Kasani, who had planned to start surfing, which he learned from his father, with that money, looked at Kang Seok with admiration.

Kang Seok scratched his nose, looking a bit embarrassed, but said it was no big deal. Just as Kasani was about to say something about Kang Seuk's habit, he saw people gathered around an empty sales counter.

It was the sales counter attached to the exit of the booth where Kang Seok's work was displayed.

Kasani, reading the English text, noticed the empty counter, the murmuring crowd, and the glances directed at him.

Kang Seok was supposed to be there, but he had come over because of Kasani.

“(Do you have to go back?)”

“(Hmm. I put up a 'Away from Desk' sign, but I should go back soon.)”

It was a spot set up for fans, so he didn't plan to be away for long. However, he couldn't ignore the murmurs coming from inside the booth where his work was displayed.

Moreover, it wouldn't be right to leave a new friend, who had recently collapsed on one knee, unattended.

Kasani nodded, understanding.

“(I'm fine now, so go ahead. They're waiting for you.)”

“(Alright.)”

Kang Seok nodded and signaled to Jin Yumi. It was a sign to let her know to inform him if anything changed.

Simone Kasani was a guest invited by Kang Seok. At least until he left the booth, Kang Seok needed to act as a direct or indirect guardian.

Jin Yumi, understanding this, nodded, assuring him that there was no need to worry. As Kang Seok watched her, he turned to leave without hesitation.

Just as he was about to, Kasani's weak voice stopped him.

“(I'll go, but can I also use that reservation kiosk?)”

Kang Seok turned his gaze.

The reservation kiosk Kasani was talking about clearly referred to Kang Seok's merchandise.

Kasani, leaning against the booth wall, looked up at Kang Seok with a pleading expression.

“(...I want one too.)”

“(I'll bring it for you. Rest for a bit.)”

“(Thanks.)”

Kang Seok nodded slightly and slowly walked towards the reservation kiosk. The waiting list already had 44 people.

Click.

After a few clicks on the kiosk, which allowed selection in either English or Korean, the waiting number changed.

Kang Seok, watching the number change, walked back to his spot, passing through the crowd.

It was time to sell merchandise again.

* * * *

Art Fair.

The place where 70% of the annual revenue of art dealers is made, the Art Fair.

As befitting a place where enormous transactions take place, the number of people filling Art Basel Miami Beach gradually increased as time passed.

Given that the Art Fair is held for only five days on average, it's structured to have a lot of people in the early stages.

The Art Basel Miami Beach exhibition, composed of seven sessions—Gallery, Cabinet, Meridians, Positions, Nova, Survey, and Edition—was filled with a mix of people: some wealthy individuals viewing private collections, some general visitors looking at the art, and some dealers looking to quickly purchase available works.

People's steps were honest.

They flocked to good works like butterflies and bees to flowers, while unattractive works were left barren like scentless flowers.

Among them, the place that was unmistakably the most crowded was... unexpectedly, the dark horse, the Bloom Museum booth in the Gallery session, where Kang Seok's work was displayed.

“Why does it seem even longer than before...?”

Ji Yoo-young, a curator of the Bloom Museum who volunteered for this year's Art Basel Miami Beach, looked around.

Given that Kang Seok was still relatively unknown among collectors, overseas relations, and art dealers, she had expected that the attention would mainly come from fans. However, Kang Seok's work was achieving an unexpectedly great popularity.

“It looks like a signing event.”

“...Indeed.”

“(Excuse me.)”

“...Yes! No, (Yes, ma'am. What do you need?)”

Ji Yoo-young whistled softly as she watched her colleague walk away. The wealthy-looking lady seemed to have finally found a piece she liked after waiting in line to view the works.

‘Is he really going to sell all the exhibition pieces in two days?’

When Kang Seok was given the booth, some of the works hadn't even been hung yet.

Thinking that he might need to take down some of the sold pieces and put up new ones later in the day, Ji Yoo-young looked around.

There had never been such a boom.

Some people in other booths were sending irritated glances at the long lines, as if they were at the launch of a new luxury brand line.

Ji Yoo-young knew exactly what those irritated glances were about. They were trying to figure out what was drawing so many people.

‘Don’t they still not get it, even after seeing this?’

Ji Yoo-young hid her amused expression. Her gaze turned to the exit of