Superstar From Age 0

Chapter 583

The audience’s mouths dropped open. They thought it was just a story of a painter, but it was something completely different. If they had studied history, they would have heard of it at least once,

‘The Gwangmu Declaration of Independence…’

A nameless painter reading the Gwangmu Declaration of Independence, this one scene changed the meaning of all the scenes that had preceded it in an instant.

‘Then the scenes that came before weren’t just random…’

Moviegoer’s eyes sparkled. There was nothing more exciting for a reviewer than finding out the stories hidden by the director in the work.

‘Where should I start analyzing?’

Probably from the appearance of the ‘car’, which was rare in the era of the work.

‘But first…’

The dialogue on the screen continued.

‘Let’s watch the movie first.’

Moviegoer and the audience silenced themselves and watched the movie [Fire], which revealed the hidden stories.

***

“There was a declaration in Japan last week and soon in Gyeongseong, no, Hanyang too…”

Mr. Lee spoke quietly as if someone might hear him, then met eyes with Min-han.

“Ah.”

He looked flustered. Min-han felt guilty at his expression.

“Min-han.”

Madam Go called Min-han. She had the same kind expression as always, but somehow she seemed to draw a line.

“Can you get some water from the kitchen?”

A moment. Silence passed.

Min-han, who was quick-witted, knew he had to leave the room when he saw Mr. Lee’s flustered face, no, when he heard the unfamiliar story from the young master’s mouth. But he deliberately pretended not to.

Maybe they would tell him what was going on, he thought.

But the young master, Mr. Lee, and Madam Go showed no signs of that.

“…Yes. I’ll do that.”

Min-han bit the inside of his cheek and nodded, then moved his feet. He hoped someone would stop him, but there was no sound until the door closed.

“…This is a draft…”

Thud.

The door closed and Mr. Lee’s voice was no longer audible.

Min-han’s face briefly shadowed as he headed to the kitchen on the first floor, but he shook it off as if it was a familiar thing.

***

He was lucky.

The young master started to cheer up after that letter.

“Min-han. Can you take care of the young master for a bit?”

“Yes. Sir.”

Mr. Lee and Madam Go were so busy that they ran around without a break. The number of people who came and went from the mansion also increased. They all looked busy, sweating profusely on this cold day with snow piled up, but their expressions were bright.

“…”

The brightened room again.

The young master looked at it through the window. He was holding his trembling arms and knees, looking regretful.

“How about painting, young master?”

He didn’t know what he was missing, but Min-han wished the young master would be happier. The painting tools he had been waiting for had arrived. Of course, he hadn’t touched them for over a month.

“No. I’m fine. Hyung.”

The nameless painter’s interest was only directed to the people who came and went from the mansion.

Min-han felt like he was a lonely island again. He wanted to ask what was going on, but he couldn’t open his mouth because of the stern eyes of the three people.

“…Okay. Oh, I’ll bring you lunch.”

Min-han’s voice sounded a little deflated, and the nameless painter looked back with a start, but the door was already closed. Sadness and regret filled the nameless painter’s face.

***

Thud, roll.

Min-han opened his eyes at the unfamiliar sound. He had been restless lately and had fallen asleep. Again. Thud, roll. Something was rolling.

He suddenly remembered the young master who was crying.

Was he crying alone again?

Min-han wanted to comfort the young master.

He quietly came out of the room and looked at the living room on the second floor. There was no one.

Thud, roll.

The sound came from the young master’s room. Min-han hesitated for a moment and knocked on the door.

“Young master. Aren’t you sleeping?”

There was silence for a moment, then the door opened with a swish.

The young master was smiling bitterly.

“Hyung. Are you still awake?”

“Ah, I woke up because I was thirsty and I heard a sound.”

The young master’s bitter smile deepened at the sight of Min-han rolling his round eyes. He hesitated for a moment and opened the door.

“Come in. Hyung.”

Min-han entered the room.

And he unknowingly exclaimed.

There was a ‘canvas’ that the young master had explained in front of the window where the moonlight shone, and next to the table were a palette with paint squeezed out and a brush. On the white canvas, there were irregular orange spots.

And there were also those orange spots on the floor.

When Min-han’s gaze went to the floor, the nameless painter laughed awkwardly and rubbed his hand stained with orange paint. The nameless painter’s arms were still trembling.

“My hand lost strength and the brush kept falling. I’m sorry if it was noisy.”

“Ah, no. Um… Were you painting?”

The nameless painter nodded at Min-han’s question and sat down in front of the canvas again. He looked so natural that Min-han thought the young master was born to paint.

“Yes. You said you wanted to see my painting.”

Ah…

He didn’t expect him to remember that. Min-han bit his lip as his heart swelled.

“I’m painting the sunset now. The sunset we saw together was so beautiful.”

The nameless painter picked up the brush.

His hand trembled, and so did the brush in his hand, but the nameless painter tried not to care and stretched the brush to the white canvas.

Thud, the orange spot hit a different spot than he expected, and the nameless painter let out a deep breath and opened his mouth.

“…It might take a while to finish.”

Thud, roll.

The brush fell to the floor again, and the nameless painter’s expression faded.

“Maybe I can’t finish…”

“I’ll wait.”

Min-han handed the fallen brush to the nameless painter, who was about to get up awkwardly. And he smiled brightly and said.

“I’m good at waiting. So I’ll wait until you finish.”

“…Yes.”

The nameless painter held the brush. He turned his gaze back to the white canvas.

“…You know, Hyung.”

“Yes.”

He gripped the brush harder.

The lonely face of Min-han flashed through the nameless painter’s mind.

“I can’t tell you right now.”

Min-han’s eyes widened.

“Because it’s dangerous… because it’s a dangerous time…”

The nameless painter dabbed an orange spot on the canvas again. This time it hit the right spot. A piece of the sunset that he and Min-han had seen together was captured on the canvas.

“I don’t have much time left… when it’s over… when it’s over, I’ll tell you. Hyung Min-han.”

He felt the worry and sincerity in his words. Min-han sniffed. The nameless painter’s nose also turned red.

“I got it. I’ll wait until you tell me. I told you, I’m good at waiting.”

The nameless painter smiled tearfully at Min-han’s words.

“Really… it won’t take long. Hyung.”

***

It was a late night when the rain poured down.

“Min-han!”

Min-han, who had been sleeping peacefully thanks to the conversation with the young master, opened his eyes at Madam Go’s call. Was it morning already? Did he oversleep? He checked, but it was still night.

“What’s wrong…”

“Quick, this way…!”

Madam Go lowered her voice.

Inside the mansion without a single light.

Madam Go took Min-han and headed to the young master’s room. The young master was awake too, but his face looking out the window was pale.

Thud. Thud.

Thick raindrops hit the window.

What could he see in the dark and rainy window?

Min-han also peeked down. He saw a flickering light near the mansion gate. It looked like a person. At this late hour? And Mr. Lee was standing in front of him, blocking him. He stood upright without an umbrella.

“Young master. You know, right? You have to leave through the back door right away. Min-han knows these mountains very well, so just hold on for a few days.”

“Yes. I understand.”

Madam Go spoke to the young master as she packed his belongings.

The young master looked a bit stiff, but he nodded with a familiar expression. Min-han blinked his eyes at the sight of him, which was completely different from the frail one he had seen every day.

Madam Go called Min-han.

“Min-han. You know the place where the cave is, right? Just wait there with the young master for now. I don’t know how long it will take, but there’s food inside, okay? If you run out of food or someone chases you, you know the hut on the other mountain, right? Go there and wait. Then Mr. Lee will come and get you.”

Madam Go handed Min-han a bundle of luggage. She had a strong grip on her hand. Her eyes were also fierce, like he had never seen before.

He didn’t know what was going on, but he knew it was important, and that the young master was in danger. Min-han nodded.

“Madam Go.”

Then, the nameless painter, who had been looking out the window, opened his mouth.

In the dark room.

It was a night without moonlight because of the rain, but the nameless painter’s eyes were brighter than ever. He looked sharp, unlike when he was painting.

“They’re leaving.”

“They’re leaving?”

Madam Go quickly stuck to the window. Min-han did the same. As the young master said, the two flickering lights that had been near the gate were moving away.

Thump! Thump! 

Mr. Lee, who was soaked in the rain, closed the gate. It seemed like he heard a sound that shouldn’t be heard. It was like a shout that said never to come in.

Ah…!

The young master and Madam Go, who had been holding their breaths and watching, relaxed, and their faces, which had been cold until a moment ago, disappeared and collapsed on the floor. Min-han, who knew nothing, also let out a sigh of relief without knowing it.

Moviegoer and the audience, who had felt something was wrong since Madam Go woke Min-han up and had unknowingly held their breaths and watched the situation, also relaxed and leaned back on their chairs. It wasn’t like a bomb had exploded or a gun had been pointed at them, but the tension was no joke.

Probably thanks to the actors’ passionate performances.

‘And the music fits well too.’

It was a song he had never heard before, but the heavy melody blended with the sound of rain and added to the tension. Come to think of it, the music in the previous scenes also matched the scenes without standing out.

The background music slowly lightened.

Mr. Lee, who was drenched in rain, came into the mansion. Madam Go, who had been waiting with a towel, asked.

“What happened?”

“The owner of this mansion is a Westerner, so they think they can come in as they please! I told them the boss knows some high-ranking people, and they backed off, right?”

He laughed as he wiped off the rainwater. His face looked bright. Madam Go and the young master’s faces also brightened.

“Those bastards must be desperate too. There’s not much time left, right?”

“That’s right. This time, for real…”

The nameless painter, who had nodded at Madam Go’s words, swallowed the rest of his sentence. Min-han felt that something he couldn’t understand was conveyed to the three people.

“Min-han, you did well too.”

He didn’t do anything, though.

He smiled bitterly and opened his mouth.

“…Still…I can’t know, right?”

At that, the three people’s eyes widened for a moment, then curled up.

“Kid! You’ll find out soon!”

“Yeah. Just wait a little longer.”

“It’s really not much time left. Hyung.”

The three people’s faces were brighter than ever, talking about the day they had been waiting for. Min-han also smiled brightly.

The background music also seemed to shine brightly.

The only ones who couldn’t smile were the audience who knew how history had flowed. The brighter the faces of the characters on the screen, the more the audience felt sorry for them.

As expected, the screen turned pitch black.

In the silence, Min-han’s voice was heard. It was still calm, but it was sadder because of that.

[And in March.]

[A letter arrived.]

[It was a letter announcing failure.]