Underpainting

Dawon didn’t know much about the painting packing because it was the uncles’ responsibility, and just then, Taehan finished talking to Gwangwoo and looked at Dawon.“Oh, that bastard is completely ignoring me.”“Didn’t I tell you he’s crazy?”Dawon ignored their grumbling and approached Taehan. Taehan stood there, watching Dawon limp towards him. The strange gaze that kept falling on his injured ankle made it itch.Although Dawon didn’t understand why Taehan was staring at his unimpressive leg, he had something to say to him. However, with everyone listening, Dawon wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to bring it up, so he lowered his voice and asked indirectly.“Hey, are you okay with that?”Everyone looked at Dawon, but Taehan’s expression didn’t change. He tilted his head slightly, as if urging Dawon to continue. Dawon added,“It’s obvious to me.”Taehan seemed to understand Dawon’s words. Instead of being flustered, he even smiled slightly. It seemed he had anticipated Dawon’s intention from the start and was waiting to hear what he would say.Without responding to Dawon, Taehan called for ‘Hammer Hyung.’ Just two days ago, Taehan had kicked Hammer Hyung, but now he bowed his head in gratitude for being called.“I’ve been busy with outside work lately and haven’t been able to take care of you all. You must be feeling cooped up in this countryside. I know my temper can be rough.”“No, sir.”“Starting the day after tomorrow, we’ll have to work again. Since you’re all here today, take the guys out for a drink on me. Here, take this card.”As Taehan handed over the credit card, not only Hammer Hyung but the other members also looked excited. They glanced at Dawon, whispering, ‘What does he see? A ghost?’ but quickly prepared to leave the house.When the five members left, only Dawon and Taehan remained in the high-ceilinged living room. Taehan looked at Dawon with a cold gaze and slowly approached the painting.At the top of the painting was a brightly lit torch. The flickering flames cast distinct light and shadows among the intertwined figures.Taehan’s face, as he looked at the painting, was the same. Whenever Dawon looked at him, he felt a sense of distortion, as if the shadows around Taehan were darker and more pronounced.“This person is…”“Jesus.”As Taehan pointed to the person on the right side of the painting, whose face was illuminated, Dawon immediately replied, interrupting him. With his response, Dawon’s raised finger pointed to the dark profile next to it.“And this person is Judas.”The large canvas depicted the moment of betrayal. Judas had told the people who came to arrest Jesus that the one he kissed was Jesus. Then he approached Jesus and kissed him. Taehan asked with a snake-like gaze,“More importantly, what did you see earlier?”Dawon’s hand, which had been pointing at Judas’s face, tilted further to the left. The tip of his finger, barely sticking out from the bandage, pointed to the shadowed part of the armor worn by a soldier in the painting.“What is this lens here?”“Wow, Mr. Ryu, you’re good at golf too.”Two days ago, Taehan had gone golfing with Choi Beomsik. He was the man Dawon called ‘Big Uncle.’ Even as his money supply was drying up, that pathetic man had rushed over at the news that Taehan had secured a tee time at a newly opened golf course.After a few rounds of gift-giving, Choi Beomsik opened up completely and couldn’t distinguish between what he should and shouldn’t say. During that time, Taehan managed to extract some useful information from him. This included details about the people involved in the art trade at Gugyeong Industries and the internal dynamics of Gugyeong.That information was used to bring down Gugyeong. The foolish man had no idea that the information he leaked was being used to cut off his own money supply.“It’s nothing. I only started learning golf recently.”“If you’re this good with such little experience, you’ll be a pro in no time. You should have picked up a golf club instead of a sashimi knife. Haha… Oh.”Choi Beomsik, who had been laughing, suddenly realized he might have said something wrong and fell silent. Taehan had even given him a business card from ‘Seochang Construction,’ but for some reason, Choi Beomsik was pretending not to know that Taehan was part of the organization.As Taehan silently cleaned his golf club, Choi Beomsik looked relieved, his oily lips twitching. His attempts at acting were pitiful, occasionally slipping up and saying foolish things.“Ahem, ahem. By the way, how is my nephew doing?”When the expected topic came up, Taehan replied nonchalantly,“I wouldn’t know. I haven’t been able to pay much attention to household matters lately. The staff says he’s been quiet and well-behaved.”Dawon must have been quite stiff, as the members complained, ‘That crazy guy not only limps but probably can’t speak either.’ Taehan softened the comments a bit for Choi Beomsik, who looked visibly relieved.He rambled on about everything but was careful not to mention Dawon. He tried to hide the fact that Dawon was creating forgeries and that he had been living across from Taehan’s house all along.It made sense for him to be cautious. All the money he had made beyond his means was thanks to Dawon.‘If it was so precious, he shouldn’t have brought him to my attention.’Thinking of Dawon, who was probably quietly staying in his small room, Taehan’s eyes flashed involuntarily. Choi Beomsik, intimidated by the chilling gaze, asked timidly,“Mr. Ryu, is something bothering you…?”“Oh, no. I just feel bad for not taking better care of your nephew. I’ll make sure to pay more attention when I get back.”“No, no, that’s not necessary! Just taking him in and caring for him is more than enough. He’s not very good at understanding, so if you talk to him, you’ll only end up frustrated.”Choi Beomsik exaggeratedly bad-mouthed Dawon, trying to discourage Taehan from talking to him.“He’s my nephew, but honestly, he’s quite stupid. Even I get so frustrated listening to him that I often want to hit him. Hahaha.”Seeing him casually talk like this in front of others, it was clear he had been physically abusing Dawon regularly. Taehan recalled seeing Dawon’s upper body at the hospital. His pale skin was covered in bruises of various colors—purple, bluish-green, orange, and red—like paint splattered on a canvas.Taehan was familiar with the sight of bruised skin from beatings. Yet, the sight of Dawon’s injuries was particularly unsettling. His thin, frail body had barely any unblemished spots left.Taehan clicked his tongue softly and looked at Choi Beomsik, who was laughing loudly. He was like a moth flying into a flame, oblivious to his own foolishness.‘What a pathetic fool.’However, Taehan was skilled at hiding his contempt. He continued to flatter Choi Beomsik with a smiling face and managed to extract information about the upcoming shareholder meeting at Gugyeong. It was a significant gain, but his mood remained sour.In the end, Taehan left the golf course without finishing the nine holes, using work as an excuse. He thought he would feel better resting quietly at home, away from anyone’s interference, but things didn’t go as planned.Taehan returned home earlier than expected to find the living room in disarray. Ignoring his instruction to go to the clubhouse if they wanted to gamble, the organization members had not only made a mess of the house but also done something even more outrageous.“Why are you sitting there?”Taehan was astonished to see Dawon sitting calmly at the poker table with money in front of him. It seemed they had made him join the game, intending to take advantage of him. The thugs giving cards to an innocent newcomer could only mean one thing—they wanted to fleece him.The youngest member had even set up a marker, ready to clean Dawon out. Taehan was furious that his subordinates would do something so foolish in his own home.Taehan hadn’t personally selected or trained these members. The alphas in the organization avoided being influenced by Taehan’s pheromones, so his group consisted of a minority of betas and enthusiastic alphas.Still, they all knew what Taehan liked and disliked, what he would and wouldn’t tolerate. Such behavior in his territory was unacceptable.“Go upstairs.”At Taehan’s command, Dawon stood up and surprisingly took the pile of bills. The other members didn’t protest, confirming that the money was indeed Dawon’s.As Taehan kicked and berated one of the members, he couldn’t help but wonder how Dawon, who seemed so naive, had managed to win money from these gambling addicts.The members, equally shocked, apologized but also expressed their disbelief that Dawon had turned out to be a skilled player.‘He seemed so clueless about the world. Did he used to gamble?’However, it was unlikely that anyone had taught Dawon poker. Choi Beomsik certainly didn’t have the ability. Taehan had taken him to a casino bar run by the organization the previous week and had recovered the value of all the gifts he had given him.“How did you know that was a marker? Did you read the cards without knowing what it was?”“The backs of the cards were different from each other.”Taehan immediately followed Dawon and asked. Dawon replied casually, unaware of how unusual his answer was. Taehan felt drawn into Dawon’s eyes, which held a raw, burning intensity.Looking away from Dawon’s gaze, Taehan noticed his slender shoulders and long, pale neck. He wondered why Dawon’s appearance, which he had previously found unremarkable, now captivated him. Was it the sunlight streaming through the window, or had Dawon’s cheeks filled out slightly?‘It doesn’t matter.’Taehan couldn’t just stand there, feeling overwhelmed. Shaking such a young man wouldn’t be difficult. He reached out and grabbed Dawon’s arm, as if challenging him.“Looks like you’ve been eating well.”Dawon’s visible discomfort at the mere touch confirmed his innocence. Satisfied with the reaction, Taehan smirked and turned away. The irritation he had felt since the golf course had vanished.That day, Taehan thought a lot about Dawon. His ability to distinguish markers with his bare eyes was impressive, and the memory of his soft skin lingered.Two days later, when Dawon pointed out a tiny detail in the large painting, even Taehan was surprised. He had suspected Dawon might notice the lens but hadn’t expected him to spot it so quickly and accurately.The miniature camera in the painting had been hidden by the organization’s most skilled technician. Even Taehan, who had chosen the location, couldn’t easily spot it.“Ha.”Taehan clicked his tongue, but Dawon’s expression remained unchanged. He recalled how Dawon had carefully considered his words before speaking to him earlier.‘I like his attitude.’Taehan had met many people recently—brokers connected to art auctions, investors in Gugyeong, and insiders from rival organizations. As Gugyeong Industries’ financial lifeline was being cut off, he had to act quickly.Most of the people he met were desperate but driven by greed. Few thought about how to escape their predicament. Most were either incompetent or reckless, overestimating their abilities.But Dawon was different. His keen eyes and discretion made him valuable.‘He’s too good to just paint.’Taehan found himself admiring Dawon’s small frame. He might have noticed Taehan’s interest but didn’t seem to mind. Taehan had the power to keep anyone he wanted by his side, and Dawon was no exception.However, one thing bothered him. He remembered their first meeting, when Dawon had looked at him with dry, lifeless eyes and said,“I came here today to ask for a favor. There’s someone I want to kill. He killed my mother.”The bold words, spoken with a trembling voice, still echoed in Taehan’s mind. Despite his intelligence, Dawon couldn’t have known Taehan’s true intentions.From the beginning, Taehan had no intention of granting Dawon’s request. Making someone disappear was far more complicated than creating a life, especially if that person led a normal life in society.The people Taehan had buried in his backyard were all organization members. But Choi Beomsik was different. He had dealt in forged paintings with Gugyeong Industries for years while maintaining the facade of a respectable businessman with a family. Removing such a person from society carried significant risks.Moreover, Choi Beomsik and his painting business were valuable assets. Taehan planned to disrupt the business to bring down Gugyeong Industries and then hand it over to his half-brother, Seo Gihyuk.Even though it was a dried-up organization, Guyeong Industrial still had many hidden assets. After taking over Guyeong, Taehan would have to give Seo Gihyuk a suitable share. While his vain half-brother was preoccupied with the art business, all of Guyeong’s assets under borrowed names would become Taehan’s.‘To think he made such a request in earnest. No matter how smart they are, children are still children.’Dawon’s eyes held a cat-like wariness when he looked at Taehan. There was also a venomous glint, a willingness to become a threat even at the cost of his own life if necessary.But at the same time, his eyes held a glimmer of hope. The hope that Taehan might grant his request. If he could read Taehan’s mind right now, he would be greatly disappointed.Pitiful, but it was no big deal. Taehan could lie as much as necessary. Moreover, manipulating a child like this was simple. He was a child with no one to rely on, who had rarely tasted the sweetness of the world.If Taehan kept him close, bathed him in warm, dazzling light, he would be entranced like a starving child reaching a house made of candy. Once accustomed to his new life, he might lose interest in such futile things.‘Yes, revenge and such…’For a moment, Taehan recalled the darkness buried deep within his memories, but he quickly suppressed it and spoke.“Amazing. You can see it with your naked eye?”It was meant as a kind remark, but Dawon seemed restless, as if he had taken it differently.“Ah, if you can’t see it, then most other people probably can’t either. I’m, a bit…”‘Strange,’ Dawon probably wanted to say. He certainly was a strange child. When Taehan first saw him, he felt like he was encountering an unfamiliar wild animal.“You have good eyes.”Taehan interrupted, cutting Dawon off. This time, his tone was clearly one of praise. Dawon’s slow-moving eyelids began to flutter rapidly.Unaccustomed to praise, he couldn’t even meet Taehan’s eyes, let alone respond. Yet, he didn’t seem displeased.‘This will be easier than I thought.’Taehan recalled the round back of Dawon’s head as he stared out the window at the hospital. He also remembered how calmly he’d sat among the gang members who treated him like a fool, raking in the pot.A moderate amount of curiosity and competitiveness made a child easier to handle. Give him what he wants, offer him praise if he desires it. Then this child would surely return the favor to Taehan, and more.“So, kid. How can we make that lens less noticeable? Should we move it somewhere else?”At that, Dawon scrutinized the painting again, as if wanting to prove his keen eyesight. Then, hesitantly but calmly, he explained his thoughts.“No, this is the best spot. The color is dark enough, and since it’s painted metal, it’s less conspicuous.”“Then?”“The lens is already coated with matte varnish. Adding more will degrade the image quality. It’s better to work on the canvas next to the lens to reduce the difference in texture.”“Can we touch the painting? I thought it was supposed to be as close to the original as possible.”“No, this one… isn’t like that. It was painted quickly to meet the deadline, so I used paints and drying agents that didn’t exist in that period…”Aware that Taehan had paid an exorbitant price for the painting, Dawon mumbled a little sheepishly. Taehan, who had been consciously making an effort to be agreeable, felt a genuine spark of interest.“Is this the most obviously fake one among your forgeries?”When Dawon nodded, Taehan murmured with satisfaction.“I see, good.”Perhaps puzzled by Taehan’s pleasure at having bought a counterfeit, a flicker of interest appeared in Dawon’s eyes.“This… is a painting meant for someone, isn’t it?”“Yes. Who do you think I’ll send it to?”Dawon looked thoughtful. He was naturally clever, but he’d probably never had a chance to exercise his wit, so it was natural for him to enjoy this kind of riddle. After a moment’s contemplation, he replied clearly,“A stupid person. And someone you dislike.”The answer was so accurate that Taehan couldn’t help but chuckle. Taehan had bought the painting as a gift for Seo Gihyuk.“Heh, huh… Yes. Correct.”Without realizing it, Taehan reached out and ruffled Dawon’s messy hair. Even Taehan couldn’t understand his own actions, so Dawon was visibly startled.His wide-eyed, stiff reaction was more flustered than when Taehan had grabbed him by the neck. Taehan was curious to see what expression he would make if provoked further, but he swallowed the pointless urge.“So, how do we fix it? Can you do it yourself?”“If I have the materials.”“Good. Tell me what you need, and I’ll get them for you.”Taehan removed his hand from Dawon and checked his watch. It was evening.“Let’s eat.”Taehan went to the refrigerator and took out some suitable food. As he was arranging the ingredients, he looked up and saw Dawon standing blankly in front of the painting they had just been discussing. He seemed not to have understood that Taehan’s words meant, “Let’s eat together.”“What are you doing? Come and sit down if you don’t plan to starve.”Only after this additional prompt did Dawon awkwardly move. Perhaps due to nervousness, his limp was more pronounced than usual. Even after sitting at the table, he seemed visibly uncomfortable, yet his eyes kept glancing at Taehan standing at the counter.A gaze that, while not intense, was strangely captivating. It felt odd to be observed by someone so non-threatening. Come to think of it, that’s what the boy had said from the beginning.“I’ve always been watching you.”As Taehan considered what it must have meant for this boy, who had lived on the edge of a cliff, to observe him, a strange sense of satisfaction washed over him. He almost unconsciously curled his lips into a smile.“Kid. About what you said earlier…”Taehan suddenly spoke, and Dawon, who had been watching him, flinched like someone caught stealing.“Yes?”“You said that painting used pigments that didn’t exist in that period. So, are the materials you usually use different?”Taehan had asked the question thinking it might be useful information someday, but Dawon seemed delighted to have a chance to explain what he knew. With his pale cheeks faintly flushed, he spoke about the toxic metal substances used as pigments in the past.“Those ingredients are all removed from commercially available paints. Because they’re dangerous. To get the same color, you have to make the pigments from scratch, but I didn’t have time when I painted that one.”“So, are properly made paintings toxic?”Taehan briefly considered choosing a different painting for Seo Gihyuk if that were the case. As if sensing Taehan’s thoughts, Dawon answered with a slightly amused expression.“They’re dangerous in their pigment state and when the paint is wet. Once it’s dry and a preservative is applied, it becomes safe.”Dawon calmly explained the substances that had driven countless artists to madness or illness. Listening to his quiet voice, Taehan recalled the painting storage room Choi Beomsik had shown him.Only “safe paintings,” which had undergone post-treatment, were stored there. The dangerous work was probably done by Dawon alone, in a room somewhere on the second floor that didn’t seem to have a proper door.‘It would be difficult to run this as a large-scale business. Well, that’s why they relied on this child for everything.’As he placed the oven dish on the table, Dawon’s fingers, peeking out from his bandages, caught Taehan’s eye. Unsightly hands, roughened by toxic substances, with a bent middle finger knuckle from gripping brushes too much. Taehan forced himself to look away and asked his final question.“So, the materials you use aren’t commonly used elsewhere, then.”Dawon nodded, and Taehan, having obtained all the information he wanted, tapped the utensils placed in front of him.“What are you doing? Eat. Are you planning to wait until it gets cold?”“Ah, uh, uh-huh.”Dawon awkwardly held his chopsticks. His injured hand was partly to blame, but even the way he ate suggested he hadn’t learned proper table manners. He seemed to be trying hard not to frown as he clumsily maneuvered his chopsticks and glanced at Taehan.“What are you looking at, since earlier?”At the sharp tone, Dawon quickly lowered his gaze. After a moment of hesitant silence, he murmured in a very small voice,“It’s been a while since I ate with someone, so it’s strange…”It was a quiet murmur, as if to himself, not directed at Taehan. Although he didn’t respond, Taehan felt another surge of inexplicable satisfaction.While Dawon didn’t dare look at him, Taehan scanned him with a fleeting glance. Unkempt hair. Sunken eyes with a reddish tinge at the corners. An unsteady demeanor, as if he’d never connected with the world. Even the faint scent of youth.With a crooked smile, Taehan thought,‘This will be too easy.’‘Watching someone eat… is strangely erotic.’Late in the morning, Dawon, now accustomed to long sleeps, slowly opened his eyes. His first thought, as he saw the sun shining through the curtains, was oddly suggestive.A week ago, eating with Taehan alone in the kitchen on the first floor had apparently left a strong impression on Dawon. With his unnecessarily good memory, he could vividly recall every sensation from that day.The sharp gaze that scanned him, the voice that shifted in tone from moment to moment, the heat of the freshly baked food, the scent that he couldn’t tell whether it made him feel relaxed or tense.Seeing Taehan open his neat lips and put food in his mouth, watching the muscles in his jaw and his Adam’s apple twitch slightly, Dawon was seized by an indescribable feeling. He assumed it was because it had been so long since he’d seen someone eat, but he wasn’t sure if that was the only reason.‘Was it like this with other people too?’He hadn’t eaten with his mother since he was seven. His last memory was of eating with his older brother while they painted together, but they usually ate hurriedly, driven by their work, so it felt completely different from the meal two days ago.Perhaps because he kept replaying the image of Taehan in his mind, Dawon kept dreaming about him. Dreams of Taehan stabbing his big uncle to death. The difference was that now, the sight of Taehan approaching him covered in blood wasn’t entirely frightening.‘No way. It’s just a dream. Someone’s lips can’t be that red.’Far from being afraid, Dawon, in his dream, stared blankly at Taehan’s lips, thinking strange thoughts. He was curious about what Taehan would do next as he slowly approached.‘Huh? Mister. What are you going to do to me…?’But the dream always ended there, before it could continue. Before he could figure out whether the pounding in his chest was from anticipation or frustration, before Taehan could reach him.“Huh…”It was time to wake up. Dawon sighed, as if shaking off the strange feeling from his dream. He needed more time to get ready than before. He was now somewhat used to the clean, crisp new clothes, but the bandages on his hand still felt awkward.He kept taking them off and rewrapping them whenever he washed up or felt constricted, so the bandages were loose and messy. Thinking that the owner of the house disliked untidiness, he tried to wrap them tightly, but it wasn’t easy.‘I don’t think I’ll run into him today anyway.’Dawon clumsily tied the end of the bandage and came out of the bathroom. Out of habit, he counted the dwindling number of bottles in the refrigerator, then opened the door next to his room instead of his own. Taehan’s room, without Taehan. After a moment’s hesitation, Dawon went inside and sat at the desk.‘It’s almost 9 o’clock.’Dawon turned on the laptop and desktop and logged into a brokerage firm’s HTS program. His movements were quite skillful for someone who hadn’t touched a computer until a week ago.In the meantime, Dawon had learned many things he hadn’t known before. Taehan had taught him everything. For reasons unknown, Taehan had begun teaching Dawon something new every day, assigning him tasks immediately after each lesson.Despite his limited learning, Dawon was keeping up with the teachings quite well. What Taehan taught him was far from what he would have learned in school.On the day he learned sleight of hand used in gambling, he had to identify the player’s cheating methods in a video of a blackjack game between a dealer and a player. After memorizing complex building blueprints, he had to calculate escape routes within the short time the security system was disabled.He’d been learning stock trading for three days. Taehan had given a surprisingly simple and cynical definition of it:“Don’t overthink it. It’s similar to raising your paddle at an art auction. It’s a kind of legal gambling.”Without fully understanding what “stocks” were, Dawon learned how to read charts and place orders. The charts fluctuated wildly as he repeatedly placed and withdrew orders at the timings Taehan instructed.That day, Dawon earned so much money that he wondered if the numbers he saw were real. He thought he would continue doing this, but from the next day, he was given a different task.The next day, Taehan gave Dawon the login information for several accounts holding a large quantity of a specific stock. Dawon repeatedly placed sell orders at low bids when the trading volume of that stock surged. By the closing bell, the account balances had decreased, but Taehan didn’t seem to mind.‘This isn’t about making money.’Looking at the bid patterns, it seemed someone was trying to drive up the price of that stock. Taehan had tasked Dawon with obstructing them. Once he understood the objective, Dawon was able to time his orders more precisely.“Good job, kid. You’re smart.”Yesterday afternoon, after two days of work, the target stock price had dropped significantly. Checking the charts and account statements, Taehan murmured.Over the past week, he often said things like this to Dawon. “Good job,” or “You catch on quick.” Every time Dawon heard these seemingly casual remarks, he felt like he’d swallowed a sweet poison.“Let’s stop here for today.”As Dawon’s face froze at the offhand remark, Taehan stood up and grabbed his jacket. He seemed to be going out again.Even on days when he taught Dawon something, he never stayed home all day. He would call Dawon to his room for a few hours of “study” and then leave as soon as he was done.“I’ll be leaving early tomorrow, so work like you did today, starting at opening bell. It’ll probably be over before closing bell. They’ll have almost run out of money by then.”“Even without you?”“Why? Is it difficult alone?”Dawon shook his head and looked around Taehan’s room. It was larger than the living room downstairs and furnished with almost everything, yet it felt somewhat desolate. Every object was always in its exact place, without a speck of dust, and there was no trace of human life except for the faint smell of cigarettes and Taehan’s scent.Even without the whispers of the gang members, Dawon would have known that it was rare for Taehan to allow anyone into this room.“I was wondering if it’s okay to come in here when you’re not around.”“I guess in your eyes, I look like someone who would scold you for entering my room after giving you work to do.”Taehan, ready to go out, said this while holding the doorknob. It was a gesture signaling that it was time for Dawon to leave the room. As Dawon made his way out, Taehan again fixed his gaze on the way he walked.It was an uncomfortable stare. Whenever he did this, Dawon felt like an insect with waterlogged wings, flapping helplessly as he limped. Each time, he felt the urge to walk without limping, but trying to feign a normal gait only left him drenched in sweat, making it impossible.‘Why does he keep looking? There’s nothing to see.’As the stock market opened, Dawon moved the mouse, continuing the trading patterns he had been practicing. He repeated the buying and selling mechanically, his mind elsewhere.‘Why is he making me do this? Is he trying to test me?’Thinking about Taehan always filled his mind with question marks. It had been this way since he watched him through the window before coming here, and it remained so now, even though he knew more about him.‘No, that’s… irrelevant.’But Dawon knew how to distinguish between what was important and what wasn’t. His curiosity about Taehan didn’t matter, as long as he granted his request.If Taehan was trying to test him, then he would simply take the test. He was confident he could do well. What Taehan was teaching him didn’t seem legal, but it didn’t matter since what Dawon had been doing wasn’t either.Moreover, for Dawon, who had spent over a decade repeating the same tasks in the same place, any new experience was intense and intriguing. Taehan, who kept unfolding unknown things before his eyes, seemed like the master of a new universe.‘9 o’clock.’Opening bell. Dawon’s eyes, fixed on the monitor, sharpened. The moment the chart of the target stock began to twitch, he started entering orders as he had learned yesterday.At first, it seemed like a back-and-forth struggle between Dawon and the opposing side, as it had been the previous day, but just as Taehan had predicted, the trading volume began to decrease sharply after three or four hours.Past two in the afternoon, the target stock price remained stagnant, about 10% lower than the previous day’s closing price. He was repeatedly refreshing the page just in case, when he heard footsteps in the second-floor hallway. Soon, Taehan entered, opening the door.“You finished the task as planned. No need to worry about it anymore.”He seemed to have already checked the stock price, as he didn’t ask about the progress. Then he handed Dawon a paper bag he was carrying.“The materials you asked for. Check if they’re correct.”After checking the contents, Dawon tilted his head.“These aren’t right.”“…Is that so?”“There are different types of white paint. And you brought black paint from a different manufacturer.”Taehan must have sent one of his gang members on an errand to buy the paints, judging by his quiet mutter of “stupid bastards” in response to Dawon’s words.The people in this house had seemed busy lately. After lounging around for a while, they’d suddenly started rushing off somewhere with menacing equipment.“If they’re really out of stock, there are substitutes… You can find one or the other at a large art supply store. And I prefer a more transparent oil medium.”Moreover, art supplies generally looked similar to the untrained eye. What was as familiar as breathing to Dawon seemed foreign to Taehan. Taehan, furrowing his brow slightly as if listening to a foreign language, checked his watch and said something unexpected.“It’s better to go myself.”“Huh?”“The things you need. Let’s go buy them now.”It wasn’t a complicated sentence compared to what he’d been teaching Dawon, but Dawon blinked as if he hadn’t understood.“Go outside? Together?”During his long years living in the two-story house, Dawon had always been the one who remained after everyone else had left. He almost asked, “Is that okay?” but then realized there was no problem. There was no one here to stop him from leaving. Another new experience was about to begin.“Whatever.”Dawon replied curtly, trying to hide his excitement. He thought they would leave immediately, but Taehan pointed at Dawon’s right arm with a slight frown.“Why is your bandage loose?”“Ah, this… I untied it to wash up, but it’s hard to tie it back on. I didn’t untie it without permission. The doctor said it was okay to do it occasionally now.”Dawon became unusually talkative, having been called out on something he was worried about. Taehan asked again, his frown still in place.“Dr. Park came by? What did he say?”“Just that I could probably take off the bandages this weekend.”Taehan’s eyes seemed to ask, “Again?” Dawon wasn’t sure why he was being so persistent, but the doctor had seemed to want to say something from the moment he first saw him. Dawon assumed it was about his leg, so he didn’t pay much attention. It was too late to do anything about his limp.“…I see. Anyway, you can’t go out like that. You’re supposed to be seriously injured.”“I’ll tie it back on.”As Dawon fumbled with the bandage with his left hand, Taehan sat down on the other chair in front of the desk. He then pulled the armrest of Dawon’s wheeled chair to make him face him.“Give it here.”Dawon, frozen, obediently offered his injured arm. And immediately regretted it. The moment Taehan untied the bandage, Dawon felt a strange sensation, as if his clothes had been removed.With the bandage and splint removed, Dawon’s right arm, which seemed slightly thinner than his left, was revealed. Blue veins were clearly visible beneath his pale skin, and the bones of his wrist protruded.The moment Taehan grasped his arm, Dawon twisted his shoulder and pulled back slightly, feeling a strange tickle. Taehan pulled on the armrest of Dawon’s chair again. Now their knees were touching.‘This is strange…’Taehan seemed very adept at handling bandages, but his movements were surprisingly slow as he placed the splint under Dawon’s arm and wrapped the bandage from above his elbow. It seemed like he was deliberately stalling, or maybe time was just moving exceptionally slowly.Something akin to fear bloomed in Dawon’s chest. Taehan, looking at his arm, still had the eyes of a predator handling its prey. Dawon wouldn’t be surprised if he suddenly snapped his wrist.But it wasn’t just fear; Dawon’s heart felt more like it was boiling than freezing. Knees against knees, the skin of his arm against Taehan’s fingertips. A strange thirst arose each time their body heat touched and parted. And so, he seemed to understand now.‘I was thinking this in my dreams too.’In his recurring dreams, when Taehan turned to him after stabbing his uncle with a knife, Dawon seemed to have thought that Taehan might touch him.It was strange. He’d never experienced anything like that, not even enough to imagine it in his dreams, so he didn’t know why he’d thought that.“Ugh.”Lost in thought, he suddenly felt Taehan’s fingers press precisely on the injured part of his arm.“Does it hurt?”There was no warmth in his voice. It was as if he wanted to confirm that the wound he’d inflicted was still there. The moment Dawon saw his eyes, burning like a young flame, he thought:The reason he’d made such assumptions in his dream, about things he barely knew, was because he’d read that implication in Taehan’s gaze.“…No.”Taehan continued wrapping the bandage in silence. Until the tightly pulled end of the bandage was finished with a knot, Dawon, like a captured animal, couldn’t say a word.“What are you looking around for?”His big uncle’s favorite art supply store, whose name Dawon vaguely remembered, was unexpectedly located in a large shopping mall. Upon entering, Dawon was overwhelmed.The structure, a mix of open spaces and labyrinthine corridors, was strange, but even more fascinating were the people. There were more people here than all the people Dawon had encountered in his life combined. He had thought the art auction house was crowded, but this was on a different level.“…There are a lot of people.”Overwhelmed, Dawon murmured involuntarily. He hesitated, worried that his unsteady gait would be noticeable. Taehan, without a word, started walking. After following him for a few steps, Dawon realized something was wrong and grabbed his arm.“Mister…!”Perhaps because he was already flustered, he put more force into his voice and grip than intended. Taehan looked down at him, his thick eyebrows furrowed.“Th-that’s not it. It’s that way.”Dawon had memorized the mall’s layout from a brief glance inside the elevator. Holding Taehan’s arm, he limped towards his destination. Taehan looked like he wanted to say something, but he let Dawon lead the way.After what felt like a long walk, they reached the art supply store, and Dawon was seized by a different kind of excitement. Everything he had touched, struggled with, and resented throughout his life was neatly arranged here.He walked as quickly as he could towards the displayed paints. Looking at the rows of color charts and paint tubes, he mixed the colors in his mind.‘Zinc white and crimson lake, and burnt umber for the shadows. Titanium white for the highlights.’When he looked to the side, engrossed in his thoughts, Taehan was standing next to him. His cool eyes held an ambiguous light, and his well-defined lips were firmly closed. Dawon realized that the color he was mixing was the color of those lips.Wondering what he had been thinking, Dawon snapped out of it as if waking from a dream. He quickly picked up two paint tubes and an oil medium, pretending nothing had happened.“Will this be enough?”At Taehan’s indifferent question, Dawon thought of the materials left in his workshop and the paintings he was scheduled to forge next. He felt a pang of anxiety, but nodded.“I don’t need anything else.”Once his big uncle was gone, Dawon wouldn’t have to paint anymore. He wondered what it would feel like to never paint again. What would he do then?Back outside the store, countless people were still coming and going in the mall. Smiling faces and expressionless faces, murmurs and laughter. Each person, with their own expression and walking in their own direction, had their own path, their own life.‘I…’Lost in thought again, Dawon stopped in his tracks. Taehan asked,“Is this your first time in a place like this?”It was an undeniable truth. Dawon nodded, and Taehan stroked his sharp chin, looking thoughtful.“Kid. Is there anything else you want to do?”It was the first time anyone had asked him what he wanted, so Dawon stared at Taehan’s lips, wondering if he’d heard correctly. Then he remembered a thought that had been bothering him for the past few days.“…I want to eat something.”More precisely, he wanted to say, “I want to watch you eat,” but it sounded too strange, so he rephrased it. He hadn’t meant it seriously. Taehan was always busy, and Gwangwoo, who had driven them, would be waiting in the parking lot.“It is almost dinner time.”But to Dawon’s surprise, Taehan readily agreed and started leading him somewhere.“Let’s change your clothes first.”“Huh? What…?”“That jacket has been bothering me. And your shoes too.”He strode confidently towards a clothing store in the mall. It was the direction he’d been heading towards after getting off the elevator. It seemed he hadn’t taken a wrong turn earlier; he had planned to stop by the clothing store before going to the art supply store.The staff seemed to recognize him, greeting him with bright smiles and bows. Dawon felt even more intimidated in front of the brightly lit displays of smooth clothing.“No, mister, this… I’m wearing what you told me to wear.”Taehan looked at Dawon’s jacket with cold eyes. The clothes underneath were all new, bought by Gwangwoo on Taehan’s orders, but the jacket and shoes, which he hadn’t worn inside the house, were the same old ones Dawon had brought with him.“Throw that jacket away. Change your clothes too.”Taehan pointed at a few items of clothing, giving the order, and the staff member smiled gently and addressed Dawon.“Excuse me, sir. What is your size? If you’re not sure, I can take a look if you straighten your shoulders for a moment.”Surprised and flustered by their friendly demeanor, Dawon couldn’t answer. His already hunched shoulders slumped further, and the staff member, momentarily flustered, lightly touched his arm.At that moment, Dawon’s face paled. The touch of a stranger’s hand felt strangely chilling. As Dawon’s expression froze, Taehan stepped in and answered for him.Even after new clothes were set out in the fitting room, Dawon hesitated for a long time, unable to bring himself to enter. The lighting was too bright, the people too kind; this didn’t seem like a place for him.“Um, mister.”He’d only just started speaking, but Taehan responded immediately as if he knew what Dawon was about to say.“I’d like to have your hair cut first, but do you think that would be better?”Dawon recoiled in horror at the suggestion. He’d been startled enough by having his arm touched over his clothes, but the thought of someone touching his neck with scissors sent all the blood from his face.In the end, Dawon had no choice but to change into the new clothes as Taehan wished. It felt incredibly awkward to put on unfamiliar clothes with his injured arm. It was also awkward to have someone stare at him in new clothes, and to stand in front of a full-length mirror.In the mirror stood a skinny figure in inappropriately neat clothes. His hair was messy, his ankles uneven, and the skin around his sunken eyes was red. No matter how he looked at it, he was a sorry sight.“Alright. Come here.”After seeing his reflection, Dawon realized how neatly dressed the man beside him was. He wanted to hide where no one could see him, but Taehan, with an unusually cheerful expression, pulled him by the arm.Taehan then took Dawon to a restaurant on the top floor of the mall. Having already taken in so much, the restaurant’s scenery was dazzlingly brilliant.Dawon practically pressed his nose against the window, looking out at the view. Far below, matchbox-like city buildings stretched out in rows.It was a beautiful view, but Dawon’s first thought wasn’t so beautiful. If he fell from here, he wouldn’t just end up with a limp; he would definitely die.“Is this your first time this high up?”At Taehan’s question, Dawon nodded abruptly. He felt like his morbid thoughts had been exposed. Wanting to change the subject, he lifted the glass in front of him to his lips. The moment he took a sip, his eyes widened.The transparent liquid he had assumed was water had an unexpected, strange taste. Taehan’s lips curved into a smile as he watched Dawon turn the glass this way and that, looking puzzled.