And so, Yoo Sung-woon finished work for the day.
"To think I'd live to see the day I actually clock out."
"Did you not get off work before?"
"Something like that."
Though it feels like I'm heading home for the first time in a hundred years.
"Alright, what should we do now?"
Ji-oh answered firmly to Yoo Sung-woon, who asked with a hollow smile.
"Let's eat."
"Are you a ghost that starved to death or something? Why are you so obsessed with meals? What exactly is the problem?"
"I'm terribly sorry since you seem to have arrived in a very excited state, but saying that looking like you do only makes me worry. I think it would be best if you got some good rest first."
"Do I really look that terrible?"
Checking a hand mirror, Yoo Sung-woon nodded.
"I look terrible."
"I'm glad you admitted it so easily."
"Hah, and I even tried to finish it as fast as I could..."
"Wouldn't you say that was exactly the problem?"
Ji-oh felt sorry for the exhausted office worker. It wasn't like Ji-oh was going to run away just because he was a little late. He didn't understand why Sung-woon had to artificially increase his own workload.
Out of concern, Ji-oh asked carefully.
"Did you eat your meals on time?"
"I've been making sure to eat four meals a day."
"What did you eat?"
"Uh... sandwiches."
"And you call that a meal?"
"Our contract didn't specify the exact type of food required for a meal."
"My, how thorough of you."
Food was food, so he decided to accept it.
'It might not be a seven-course traditional meal, but it's an excellent, convenient food to carry around and eat.'
If possible, he had hoped Sung-woon would eat rice for all four meals, but Ji-oh knew that was asking too much.
As Yoo Sung-woon sluggishly took off his coat, Ji-oh took it from him. It looked like he didn't even have the strength to put his coat away.
"Why were you so busy?"
"I was busy as a Hunter, busy as a Curator, and busy as a Gardener..."
"Just hearing about it sounds like a lot of work."
"Even if I exclude the salaried work, there are still duties left to do as a Gardener."
"Hold on a second."
Ji-oh raised a hand to stop Yoo Sung-woon.
"Gardeners don't get a salary?"
"Huh? Uh... right. Strictly speaking, it's not a salary."
"Does that mean you're receiving something else instead of a salary?"
"It's a system where the government provides funds based on the research proposals we submit."
"It's a massive relief that it wasn't unpaid."
"Was our country's government just in danger for a second there...?"
Yoo Sung-woon smiled awkwardly.
'His own disciple is the president, so surely he wouldn't go as far as to overthrow it, but still.'
Anyway.
"Still... the workload has definitely decreased compared to before. I heard that not only my Snowfield but other Gardeners' Gardens have stabilized a lot too. I guess you could say it was just bad luck that it overlapped with my collector duties this time."
"Then, did you just come back from maintaining the Snowfield?"
"No, I wanted to show that part to you... I traveled around to socialize with other Gardeners as well. I didn't have any urgent matters, either. I promised to go with you to maintain the Snowfield, Ji-oh."
"Thank you for being so considerate."
Ji-oh thought.
'I don't think it was exactly a promise, but whatever.'
It was a good thing that there was still entertainment left.
"So, do you have no urgent business for the time being?"
"I dragged in and finished work from way over there across the river, so probably? Of course, I don't know what will happen if another natural disaster strikes Earth, but for now at least. Actually, as long as you just stay quiet, Ji-oh..."
"I have always been quiet."
"Thanks for the novel joke, I work to live to hear things like this."
"You are quite simple. They say you can never know the future, but right now I have no desire to be active."
"Is that an ironic prophecy? An indirect expression of your will to become active soon? I should stay on my toes, right?"
"My fickle desire to be active isn't important. More than that, I am curious about your Garden."
"Then, to my house right now...!"
"Escorting you to your house is no problem at all, but like I said earlier, I didn't mean we should head to the Garden right away. Get some rest first."
Yoo Sung-woon had once told Ji-oh he would show him 'the work of maintaining a Garden.' Even so, returning from such a long, grueling forced march of labor only to ask for yet another task... His brain had clearly overloaded from just working.
'Is this a modern office worker?'
It truly was a scary world.
"Do you need a blanket?"
"No, it's not that cold today..."
"Are you sure you don't need one?"
"Well, it would be nice to have."
And as if it had been waiting, a teddy bear approached and handed him a blanket.
"Kuu."
"Goodness."
"Kuu?"
"No, thank you."
Because it was a blanket made from a massive amount of fur, the teddy bear Sun God was barely even visible. It was almost to the level of a blanket walking over by itself, but regardless, Yoo Sung-woon felt deeply honored as he wrapped it around his body.
"Oh... it's warm..."
As Yoo Sung-woon melted on his own, Ji-oh sat him on the sofa and asked.
"Do you need any flower tea?"
"What exactly are you trying to turn me into?"
"You've come too far to be wary now, just drink it when it's offered."
"You really leave a person speechless."
For reference, water birds flew in and poured the flower tea.
"I... I think I've seen a scene like this somewhere before..."
"Where and what did you see?"
"Definitely in some data from before the Great Cataclysm... Tsk, I can't really remember."
"I don't know exactly what you saw, but it must have been something very cute and charming. Since you remembered it upon seeing my lovely water bird friends. Isn't that right?"
"Ah, it is a similar vibe... like birds flying in to help with daily life... some self-sufficient character receiving help from small animals..."
"Isn't that me?"
"...I suppose so."
Yoo Sung-woon gave up on thinking any further and enjoyed his recuperation inside the Portrait.
"What will I be in my next life, Ji-oh?"
"A beloved cat in a rich household?"
"Seeing how strangely specific that is, is that my destiny?"
"Well, growing up being loved without having to take responsibility for anything is enjoyable in its own way, isn't it?"
"At the very least, there'd be no night shifts... But I still prefer being human, keep that in mind."
"...? Yes, understood."
Ji-oh sat on the floor near the sofa where Yoo Sung-woon was lying and added.
"For the record, my next life will be a pebble in a rich household."
"It's already decided? No, rather than a sculpture, a pebble? A pebble in a rich household? Why in the world?"
"Because I have no thoughts."
"If you become a stone... that... couldn't be called a pebble..."
"Then what would you call it?"
"Like, you know. Something like a wedge of disaster."
"Could a single pebble turn into something that threatening?"
"You can do it, have some confidence. Believe in me who believes in you."
"I didn't want to believe in this sort of way."
Anyway, it was an amusing, screw-loose conversation.
"Up to what point did you eat your meals?"
"I still managed to eat up to the second one before coming."
"What time was that?"
"Three hours ago from now... so it was probably around lunch."
"Then let's have dinner."
"Is my next life possibly a pig?"
"I don't know why you are so obsessed with your next life."
"Ah, is it not that, but something white or blue like that?"
"Was that your preference? If you want, I can look into some empty spots."
"I don't particularly want to."
"I have no idea how I'm supposed to respond."
This human came back from doing nothing but night shifts and was now spouting complete nonsense. His words were disorganized and lacked logic. Ji-oh looked at Yoo Sung-woon, who had become the very image of a zombie, with sympathetic eyes before turning his head.
His gaze landed on the kitchen.
"Just how much did you look into before coming?"
"What... what, are we signing a contract? What do I have to do?"
"Your meal. If you tell me what you want, I will do my best to make it."
"Anything is fine, as long as it's fit for human consumption."
"If you put it that way, humans can eat stones too."
"Ah, that is true. In that case, something that humanity can normally eat would be nice."
"Hmm."
Ji-oh stroked his chin.
"Vegetables, seafood, meat..."
"I want to eat meat..."
"Meat... A whole barbecue? There is no menu as meaty as that."
"No, something like suyuk... nice and tender..."
TL/N: Suyuk is a Boiled pork slices
"I will show you that a whole barbecue can become as tender as suyuk. Feel the aura of the ocean's master and the current Sun God."
"I have absolutely no idea what you're going to make, but can't I just have suyuk with some random kimchi or tofu?"
"How nice it would have been if you had just said that from the beginning."
Anyway, the people of this household only gave proper answers when you pressed them for it. Really, there was no such dish as 'anything' in this world. With a reverent heart, Ji-oh stood up from his seat.
He called Dana.
"Daughter."
"Meeooww..."
"Let's go catch a pig."
"Meow."
A happy cat also knew how to hunt pigs.
"To think such an insane suyuk exists in this world."
"I'm glad you're enjoying it."
"This is really delicious, Ji-oh..."
The fat was chewy and the meat fell apart like silk along the grain; it was practically a food from the heavens.
"Wait, is it?"
"Is what?"
"I haven't died yet, so let's just say it isn't."
"Of course, you are perfectly alive and well."
"Thanks for the verification."
On top of that, it was truly incredible how the meat juices exploded in his mouth, even though it must have been boiled in water. It was an incredible taste and texture. Unique spices were deeply infused, but it wasn't the sort of scent that pierced the nose or made one dizzy.
The mild yet fundamentally solid suyuk had an excellent partner called kimchi.
"By the way, are you making kimchi these days too? The taste of this freshly made kimchi is spot on. It has plenty of red pepper powder, too. It's been a while since I had red kimchi, but this is really refreshing."
"I recently received a few heads of napa cabbage from Joo-hyun. It just so happened I had also dried some chili peppers well in the sun to make powder. So after making the kimchi, I dug a hole in a corner of the vegetable garden and buried the crocks."
"Then why isn't this fermented? As far as I know, didn't Joo-hyun gift you the cabbages a few weeks ago? For something like that, it's crisp and sweet, just like it was freshly made..."
"I wanted some of it to stay unfermented."
"Which means you have no intention of explaining the mechanics behind it, either."
"I just don't know."
The most credible guess was 'because this place is a Portrait.' It wasn't like a painting of kimchi would turn into aged kimchi just because it was left alone for a while. In the end, it seemed there was no choice but to follow the will of the master and painter, Ji-oh.
"I stir-fried the fermented ones and brought them over. And this is the tofu I made early this morning..."
"You're not planning on opening a restaurant, are you?"
"I do occasionally think about that too, but I don't think I have that level of energy just yet."
Ji-oh shook his head.
"And I feel like I'd end up eating all the food before it even goes out to the customers."
"That would be a problem."
Yoo Sung-woon nodded.
"I just thought you'd do well if you opened a side dish shop or something."
"I am good at everything."
"I know that."
"And Guild Master Seo Seo-hee made a similar suggestion."
"Right, what did she say?"
"She asked if I had any thoughts of opening a restaurant."
"Everyone really thinks the same way..."
How baffled she must have been, too.
'Well, it looks like Ji-oh is managing it well on his own...'
He no longer thought, 'Eating the food here will cause something terrible to happen' like he used to. However, that was something only Yoo Sung-woon could verify; from other people's perspectives, it would inevitably be unsettling.
Anyway, the meal was delicious. As always.
"So, are we going to see the Garden now?"
"We have to go after you digest and get some sleep."
"Are you raising me right now?"
And like that, Yoo Sung-woon was able to return to perfect condition.
"..."
And Yoo Sung-woon was bewildered.
"Ji-oh, what is all this."
"It just happened."
"I'm asking what all these guys are..."
Snow bunny friends had appeared in his Snowfield.
"I got carried away while making them."
"Ah, what are we going to do about these Midas hands."
"Is that the right word to use for a time like this?"
"It's even more baffling because they're cute."
Exquisite bunnies made of snow were looking up at Yoo Sung-woon and Ji-oh. Feeling bewildered by their sparkling eyes, Yoo Sung-woon suddenly flinched and shuddered.
"...Uh, wait a second."
"Yes, wait a second."
"Do I have to raise these guys too?"
"I will share the child support costs with you."
"Save me."
If one were to ask why the situation had ended up like this, time would have to be rewound a bit.
-x-X-x-
First, Yoo Sung-woon was delivered to the house.
"May I come in?"
"When you say it like that, it sounds like some kind of Mystery that can only enter if invited."
"It is only natural courtesy to receive permission before entering someone else's home."
"Well, I suppose... Come in."
And Ji-oh came too.
"The house is as dreary as ever."
"Still, isn't it a bit better now that there's a painting hanging?"
"It's even drearier."
"You're the one who drew this painting."
"What isn't, isn't."
"Look at that stubbornness."
Then, Ji-oh asked.
"How does a Gardener visit their Garden?"
"The method varies slightly for each Gardener. Some visit through dreams, some designate a door to use as a passage, and others pray to the Garden to summon them... It requires a bit of an agreement."
"What about you, Yoo Sung-woon?"
"Strictly speaking, the Garden is the one that summons me."
Yoo Sung-woon held up both hands.
"If I clap three times like this, I can enter the Garden. Oh, of course, just clapping isn't enough. You have to clap by overlapping your hands top to bottom, like this, to satisfy the condition."
"Is there a special meaning behind clapping three times?"
"Because people don't usually clap up to three times unless they're consciously doing it? You often clap once or twice to get someone's attention. By that logic, four or five times would be better, but that's too cumbersome."
"Then do you move your body along with your mind?"
"That also varies slightly depending on the Gardener, but I tend to move my entire body. Most Gardeners prefer this method unless there's a specific reason not to. You never know what might possess an empty body."
He crossed his arms.
"But since there's a noticeable passage right here now..."
"Will you be moving through here with me, Yoo Sung-woon?"
"Since it's my first time entering with you, it would be better to be a bit more cautious. I'll enter my usual way, so could you follow in after me? It'll be easier to handle any changes if the Gardener goes first to assess the situation."
"Do as you wish, Yoo Sung-woon."
"Then..."
Clap, clap, clap.
Three claps.
"See you later."
Yoo Sung-woon soon disappeared.
"..."
"Gurrrng."
"Looks convenient."
Ji-oh and Honey watched in admiration.
He waited a moment for Yoo Sung-woon to arrive at the Garden. It probably looked like an instantaneous transfer, but there needed to be some leeway. Then, he entered the frame.
A vast snowfield unfolded before his eyes.
"...?"
It wasn't particularly cold.
"Is this a situation like the ice warehouse?"
"Kkuguguguk..."
"Ah, it's frozen."
"Growwwlll."
"And this is a familiar situation too."
Ji-oh didn't feel the cold. He only perceived the blowing wind as refreshing. He had planned to rely on Honey if push came to shove, but that was no longer necessary. It was a relief that things were less cumbersome.
Ji-oh stroked Honey, who had turned into ice.
"Will you be able to fly alright?"
"Gurrrk."
"It's been a while since I've seen this form."
Honey still flew around freely. The only difference was that its wings, which had always been indistinguishable from its body, were now clearly visible. Its long tail feathers, like a peacock's, rattled as if made of woven, hard beads.
'Anyway, there are no issues.'
Ji-oh looked at the snowfield.
"...It really is vast."
"Gurrr."
Honey agreed.
"It's definitely going to be very different from the 'Garden' we know."
When people think of a garden, they usually imagine a space filled with flowers and trees. In those places, a gardener's job is clear. But what do Gardeners manage in a Garden like this?
And then, Ji-oh realized.
"..."
Ah, right.
"...Where is Yoo Sung-woon?"
"Kkungkkungkkungkkung..."
"Are we lost right now?"
"Growwwlll..."
"Yoo Sung-woon...!"
Yoo Sung-woon was nowhere to be seen.
He wondered where Sung-woon could have gone leaving this frail portrait behind, but no matter how much Honey looked around, Yoo Sung-woon simply wasn't there. It wasn't like he could have been deleted in transit, so there was only one answer.
"It seems we arrived first."
"Gurrrk."
"This is trouble."
And so, Ji-oh was left unattended.
"..."
"..."
"Should we build a snowman?"
He eventually decided to enjoy the moment.
How many times in life does one get to experience something so novel? Even if hundreds or thousands of times remained, the surprise and novelty of the present wouldn't change. Ji-oh was filled with confidence.
"It was fun gathering with the kids to make a 3-meter snowman when the school playground was covered in snow."
"Kkung...?"
"It snowed a lot that day. We dragged in every bit of snow we could find. Other students who saw us making it on the playground rushed out after lunch to help... That's quite a memory, too."
"Growl."
"With that in mind, how about we make a snowman?"
"Kkung."
"Then a snow duck..."
"Kkung."
"I suppose this isn't an environment where people or ducks could live."
Ji-oh was an excellent adult who knew how to be considerate even of snow sculptures. If a person were to live, they would need food, clothing, and shelter; if a duck were to live, it would need water. There was none of that here.
After thinking carefully, Ji-oh narrowed it down to a few animals. They were mostly friends who lived in burrows.
"A polar bear?"
"Kkungkkungkkung..."
"I suppose it would take a bit too long to make. How about a fox then?"
"Kkung?"
"That's too big too? What about a rabbit then?"
"Growl."
"Since you aren't that big either."
And so, Ji-oh sat down on the ground, or rather, the snowy floor. Beneath the snowfield where blizzards raged and auroras shimmered, Ji-oh began packing snow. Since he was making them, he wanted to make them well.
'If I make them out of snow, they'll be easy to destroy later and they're eco-friendly, so it shouldn't be a problem for Yoo Sung-woon.'
With that thought, Ji-oh ended up making exactly 194 intricate snow bunnies.
***
And so, they returned to the beginning.
"To think you were bored enough without me to make all these snow bunnies..."
"Initially, I intended to make them and then destroy them."
"Unless something's gone wrong with my eyes, aren't these little guys moving?"
"That's what happened."
Ji-oh felt extremely apologetic.
"I apologize once again. There's also the option of moving these little guys to our ice warehouse."
"I don't know if our snowfield can just be moved over there..."
"Would just moving the rabbits count as moving the snowfield?"
"These guys are made from the flesh of the snowfield, after all."
"Calling it flesh makes it sound a bit terrifying."
Have I been sculpting rabbits out of flesh this whole time?
"But I didn't know they would come alive and move like this."
Just because you sculpt a pig out of butcher shop meat doesn't mean it becomes a living, breathing pig. That was the logic of the dimension called Earth, and Ji-oh thought the same. But he had to admit he had been rash.
Because painting a bird with watercolors didn't turn it into a living, breathing waterbird according to Earth's logic either.
"I am sorry, Yoo Sung-woon."
"Uh... I have a lot of things I want to say, but. You really didn't know until you made all 194 of them, then?"
"When I made them and set them down, they stayed completely still, exactly as I sculpted them..."
"And then they suddenly started moving when I arrived?"
"Yes, you are exactly right."
He wondered if they had been playing innocent.
"...I understand for now."
Yoo Sung-woon thus accepted reality.
"I did freak out at first as much as I could, but the snowfield doesn't seem to be angry or having any issues equivalent to my freaking out. I didn't expect it to be this calm, but it seems you really do get special treatment, Ji-oh."
"Is there a reason for it to show favoritism toward me?"
"You're somewhat worthy of favoritism."
Let's say a person overeats. What kind of protest could a burdened stomach possibly make? In reality, 'Ji-oh's Portrait' and Yoo Sung-woon's Garden were essentially one body.
'It would be stranger if an issue arose when its own body is tinkering with its own body.'
He wasn't sure if that was an accurate analogy, though. Yoo Sung-woon still didn't know the exact relationship between 'Ji-oh's Portrait' and the Gardens.
'What kind of relationship could it be? Master and slave? Boss and subordinate? Parent and child? Or truly just parts of the same body?'
For the moment, even his snowfield showed no reaction. He had expected some sort of sign when Ji-oh visited, so this was a bit surprising.
Having finished organizing his thoughts, Yoo Sung-woon regained his smile.
"I'll expect generous child support."
"Of course, I will come periodically to groom their fur. You won't have to worry about a thing."
"You sound exactly like a son who randomly brings a stray animal home... Anyway, if that's the case, then fine."
He just had to think of it as another addition to the Garden's landscape.
'I'm not sure if it's okay to just gloss over it like that, though.'
Even if a problem occurred, it would be a matter between Mysteries, not something for Yoo Sung-woon, a mere Gardener, to agonize over.
"...Then do you want to at least watch me maintain the snowfield? Or have you already seen everything there is to see during this time?"
"That is not the case. I was so busy making snow bunnies while waiting for you that I couldn't appreciate the rest of the scenery."
"I don't know why you did that, but I'll apologize first. I'm sorry. I have no objective way to gauge the time it takes for me to transfer to the snowfield, so I didn't know it would take this long."
"I don't think it's something you need to apologize for, Yoo Sung-woon, but thank you for your consideration."
"Then we should get moving..."
Yoo Sung-woon paused just as he was about to step forward.
"...Ji-oh, don't you think they're following us?"
"It seems they want to admire you for a long time."
"What use could they possibly have from admiring me?"
Even as he said it, he understood. The fundamental attitude 'Ji-oh's Portrait' had towards humans was also 'admiration'. Since these were Mysteries created by him, they were bound to have a similar attitude.
'...Then how should these rabbits be defined? They must belong to one of Ji-oh's children, for starters. Are they my snowfield's children too? Small gardens I have to serve...?'
There were very few precedents of such moving 'creatures' appearing in a Garden. While it was said that 'creatures' acting as gatekeepers or butlers existed very rarely, it wasn't an area Yoo Sung-woon knew in detail.
'I'll have to contact the elders whenever I have time. I wonder what I need to do to get along with these rabbits.'
Pushing his puzzled feelings aside, Yoo Sung-woon guided Ji-oh.
"First... a Gardener's job isn't much. You wander every corner of the Garden and listen to its stories. And you grant its wishes. It might be easier to understand if you think of it as a kind of artwork, in terms of a collector."
"I understand that it requires management."
"Right, exactly that. Management. But on days with a blizzard like today, you have to focus quite intently to hear the voice of the snowfield. Honestly, even if I call it a voice, it's closer to understanding and accepting the owner's will as a Gardener..."
"Is it difficult to describe?"
"...Honestly, it kind of is. I've never explained something like this to someone who isn't a Gardener, and Gardeners basically know this feeling well, so there aren't many occasions to explain it anyway. I don't know how to express this sensation the Garden demands of me."
It was a whisper. Or a visible signpost, or like an intangible wall that you could only recognize once you hit it. It was too light to be called a divine oracle, and too heavy to be called a child's whining.
But this place was clearly a Garden.
"Think of a normal garden. If you leave it neglected without tending to it for a long time, it becomes an eyesore. It's the same here. You grasp things like time and weather to ensure the flowers and trees don't wither, don't grow too wild, or don't get sick... You look after it."
Yoo Sung-woon stopped at a certain spot, knelt on one knee, and brushed the floor.
"Today's work is scheduled to happen under here."
"It's cold ice. Is there seawater underneath? Or is it just ice?"
"From what I can see, it probably takes the form of water... Hmm, this shouldn't happen."
Crack—.
With a dull noise, the ice broke.
"Problems like this occur occasionally."
"Is it a problem?"
"The snowfield must remain frozen no matter what. The coldest, most static, and absolutely not flowing..."
"That's what a snowfield is."
"Right, it shouldn't melt."
Looking at the sufficiently large hole, Yoo Sung-woon spoke.
"So I have to freeze it."
"Are you heading in?"
"Want to come along?"
"...Yes."
That day, Ji-oh watched the sight of the sea turning into a glacier.
The flowing water that dared to brave the cold stopped, and soon froze over...
***
"Did you die?"
"No, a Gardener in their Garden doesn't die from something like this."
"I thought you became part of the glacier."
"Visually, that is what happened."
"Aren't you cold?"
"I'm cold enough to die."
"You love this snowfield."
"I still will even after I die."
"A Gardener..."
Ji-oh shared his impression.
"Must be lonely."
"...Honestly, it kind of is."
It was too vast here, and people were too small.
-x-X-x-
Inside the cozy igloo.
"In all my life, I never thought I'd be lighting a campfire in the Snowfield."
As Yoo Sung-woon, who was lying flat on the floor like a patient, offered an awkward smile, Ji-oh, who was neatly stacking dry branches onto the campfire, nodded.
"It's quite a romantic situation."
"Normally, people don't look for romance in a snowfield like this, do they, Ji-oh?"
"Then where does everyone else look for it?"
"Ah... you weren't joking. Geez."
Coming from the Portrait, who made jokes that hardly sounded like jokes, it was momentarily confusing.
"I don't know what your definition of romance is. Is it that different from an Earthling's?"
"An Earthling?"
"A Korean. Maybe my mouth is frozen from the cold, just let it slide."
"You do look incredibly cold, so I will be understanding. My idea of romance is nothing special. For example, going out into space to look at the stars."
"For something 'nothing special,' the scale of that romance is massive. No, usually when people say romance, don't they think of going camping somewhere, or some dreamy, romantic scene?"
"You're a more emotional person than I thought, Sung-woon. I'll keep that in mind."
"Keep that in mind for what exactly."
He genuinely couldn't predict it.
"...Well, whatever. It's nice and warm."
It was a mercy he could never have expected in the Snowfield.
Yoo Sung-woon rolled over onto his side. Moving his fingers, which were still stiff as ice, he pulled the blanket Ji-oh had given him tighter around himself. Whether it was absorbing the heat from the campfire in front of him, he felt his body temperature gradually rising.
His stomach churned.
'Is it because this warmth is so unfamiliar?'
Thinking this and that with a dulled brain, Yoo Sung-woon blinked. Raising his gaze slightly, even while lying down, he could see the Portrait across the campfire.
Even the light of the campfire didn't reflect in those pitch-black eyes. It was a Mystery that captivated Yoo Sung-woon, a Curator.
"Can you communicate with the Snowfield too?"
"To me, it just looks like a pure white snowfield."
"Are you sure you're not just ignoring it while it desperately tries to talk to you?"
"Isn't it only the Gardeners chosen by the Garden who can hear its story?"
"Strictly speaking, there are several exceptions, but you're not wrong either. Anyway, just being able to light a fire like this is something to be thankful for."
"Were you unable to even light a fire normally?"
"How would a Gardener dare to do such a thing."
That would be pure madness.
"Cold and heat are polar opposites, after all."
"Does the Snowfield get hurt if you light a fire?"
Ji-oh looked at the snow bunnies huddled closely together inside the igloo.
"They aren't melting."
"I did expect that a Mystery created from the snow of my Snowfield wouldn't die so easily."
"Yet you didn't seem entirely certain of it. Is there a reason?"
"Because the fire you lit seemed like it would be somewhat... very different."
Yoo Sung-woon smiled, clutching the blanket with one hand and holding the other close to the campfire.
"Wow, it's warm."
"It's the blessing of Prometheus."
"I'm a bit surprised you aren't denying that particular mythology."
"It's a widely known story, isn't it?"
"So you're accepting it as some kind of spin-off or something."
Not bad.
"Anyway, I'm glad your cute snow bunnies didn't melt. I've grown attached to them in this short time."
"It's this cold, they wouldn't melt that easily."
"Is that how you made them? Understood... How did we even get to this topic?"
"I asked if the Snowfield gets hurt when you light a fire."
"Sorry, I'm a bit out of it. Hmm, strictly speaking, it doesn't get hurt. It just finds it unpleasant."
'Heat' in this 'Snowfield' was a slightly complicated concept.
"In the first place, fire cannot exist here. In other words, heat cannot exist. So the water under the ice earlier shouldn't have existed either..."
"But even if it shouldn't have, didn't it exist anyway? That's why you're in this state after freezing it."
"By that logic, normal flowers and trees in a Garden shouldn't wither either, right? Ah, of course, here it's closer to the level of 'impossible' rather than just 'shouldn't be'."
"How contradictory."
"It is, I suppose. How should I explain this..."
He had never explained something like this to anyone before, so his head felt scrambled. Or maybe his frozen brain just hadn't thawed enough yet. The Gardener slowly pondered what to say to his friend in front of him.
"..."
It didn't feel as bad as he thought.
"...It's a bit complicated, but, uh, let's put it this way. This Snowfield is a sort of organism or institution with a will, right? In other words, it is the domain itself, but at the same time, it is the master. Most beings cannot disobey that master's commands."
"You must be one of those beings who cannot disobey its commands."
"Right. And those 'commands' are usually to maintain the form of the Snowfield. Do not let heat exist. Do not flow, remain still. Do not be noisy, be silent. Yeah, it's just that kind of command. It's like a law that's been established."
Yoo Sung-woon looked at the Portrait while basking in the warmth of the fire.
"Most people live like that too, right? Even if they don't know every single law of the country properly, everyone lives that way, and the world is built so they can live that way... Even if they don't know much, they just live according to the law."
Ordinary Gardens all operated in a similar manner.
"To put it simply, 'heat' is illegal here."
"Are you saying I'm committing a criminal act right now?"
"No, well, oh, hm... honestly, I don't really know either."
If his Snowfield had shown any clear reaction to 'Ji-oh's Portrait,' he might know. But no matter how much time passed or how much Ji-oh did as he pleased, he couldn't sense even a hint of a response.
"Hmm, I think we can divide it into roughly three scenarios."
"As many as three?"
"First, your actions aren't being recognized by the Garden. Second, it is illegal, but it just can't bring itself to say anything to you. Third, everything you do here is legal."
"As someone who merely came over to play in your secret place, I really know nothing, but since it's fun, it's fine."
"I'm glad you're having fun too."
He let out a hollow laugh as he said it. In Yoo Sung-woon's personal opinion, it was probably the third one.
'If you think about how Ji-oh's children react to this guy, well...'
Just looking at Honey, who was glaring at the campfire right now, made it obvious. All of Ji-oh's children liked Ji-oh. Strictly speaking, it was a stretch to call a Garden Ji-oh's child, but he figured it was roughly similar.
'If not that, it's probably treating him like a direct superior. That would be the second scenario.'
The reason he mentioned the first scenario was in case Ji-oh had hidden himself so the Garden couldn't recognize him. Sometimes, 'Ji-oh's Portrait' would perform miracles 'unconsciously' without 'perceiving' it himself.
'Either way, I suppose there's no danger in the current situation. Not for me, nor for Ji-oh. It's a rare, comfortable moment in the Snowfield.'
It's just, simply.
"..."
The fire was too warm.
"Are you getting sleepy?"
"Ah, don't people usually die if they sleep at a time like this? Falling asleep in a Garden isn't exactly a good choice. If your mind goes completely blank, you could end up getting tainted by the Garden..."
"It's different from freezing to death. It seems your exhausted body is feeling comfortable and is finally demanding sleep. Fortunately, the blanket you're wrapped in looks warm and fluffy. You can use it as a duvet."
"Your blankets have always been fantastic as duvets. The scarf you gave me was really nice too. Look, I'm wearing it right now."
"You seem very tired, so I will stay by your side. I'll keep sitting here, adding dry branches, so the campfire doesn't go out until you wake up."
"Those are very reassuring words."
"Will you sleep?"
"...It feels a bit awkward."
He felt like he shouldn't do this.
'...Am I doing something wrong right now? Even though I know I'm not, it's just, how should I put it...'
He felt anxious about the unfamiliar situation.
"..."
Even so.
"...Alright, I'll sleep just a little."
The murmur of nature draped lightly over his ears as he slipped into slumber.
His eyelids were heavy and soon closed. Yoo Sung-woon drifted off to sleep.
Naturally, this small igloo and the campfire were Ji-oh's creations.
"I never would have guessed you knew how to draw even here."
"Didn't I draw it quite well?"
"But that definitely doesn't mean I thought you knew how to build an igloo by hand."
After sleeping for a long while and waking up, Yoo Sung-woon was amazed all over again. This was truly built by his own hands.
To think he would effortlessly carve out solidly packed snow and ice and stack them up one by one. Even while out of his mind from the cold, Yoo Sung-woon had found it utterly absurd. That impression remained unchanged even after waking up from his sleep.
"Why did you insist on building the igloo yourself?"
"Ultimately, an igloo is made of snow and ice, but I thought it might be disrespectful to this Snowfield to make it with ingredients of the wrong origin, so I did it that way."
"Following the romance from earlier, now we're on to respect. And I have another question, why did you build this igloo so well? You looked far too skilled at it? Was I the only one who thought that was weird?"
"Oh, excuse me, but I have no idea why you'd think that. Doesn't everyone try building an igloo at least once in their lives?"
"I still have no idea what kind of life you've lived..."
"You don't really need to find out, as I am currently living a very good life, showing everything about myself without hiding a thing. If you're curious about my past, you can just look at me."
"Uhh, I'm always looking at you."
He felt like he was looking a bit too much, honestly.
'Starting with the fact that... you're showing way too much as well.'
Whenever he saw this guy's pitch-black eyes or heard about dungeons, his common sense would occasionally pack its bags and leave. Seeing him pride himself on doing a good impression of a human despite all that sometimes made his lips twitch.
Without realizing it, Yoo Sung-woon covered his mouth. The situation must have been amusing, as the corners were slightly raised. Catching himself, he lowered his hand again, but...
"...Don't you think we've gotten too close?"
"I believe it's too late for you to back out now."
"Hmm, I suppose so. Still, it would be nice to be born as a human in my next life."
"...? I remember that, you said you wanted to be born as a human in your next life too."
"I'm very glad you remember."
He hoped he would take it deeply into consideration.
"No, ha... what should I even say..."
Yoo Sung-woon laughed awkwardly and rubbed his neck. He was realizing just how fussy he was being right now. But he couldn't help but feel restless.
"This is really just too unfamiliar to me."
"I'm not quite sure why you're so anxious."
"Is it that obvious? That included, everything makes me anxious. I feel like I shouldn't be doing this."
"Aha, I see. I can explain exactly what that feeling is to you."
Ji-oh looked at him with sympathy.
"You are currently addicted to work."
"Ugh, am I a pervert like that? Have I finally reached the point where I'm enjoying what I can't avoid?"
"That's how workaholics always are. With a haggard face that looks like they're about to die, they chant like a mantra that they just need to do a little more, and work until dawn breaks."
"I don't think I'm at that point, Ji-oh."
"And usually, those kinds of people feel a sense of doubt when there's no work. 'Huh? Why am I not struggling?' they wonder."
Yoo Sung-woon flinched.
"...Uh..."
"They end up feeling this sense of emptiness. Since the work that was part of their life has vanished, they get anxious. And to somehow resolve that feeling, they go back to work, find comfort in it, and repeat the vicious cycle of their body getting exhausted."
"I really don't think I'm quite that bad."
"That's how addicts always talk."
"No, but..."
"Now I understand why you're so anxious."
"Why am I acting like this?"
"Because it feels weird that you aren't struggling."
"..."
He found himself somewhat speechless at that.
"Ah, well, that's..."
"Struggling, hurting, freezing, and being exhausted and fatigued all day long has become so completely ingrained in your body that you're just finding this unfamiliar. That's how I see it."
"...I guess, that's it."
He felt a little sheepish.
"But isn't that just being a masochist?"
"Since you walked the path of a slave on your own two feet, I thought you had similar tendencies."
"That's a joke, right?"
"It's a joke."
The Portrait shrugged.
"You've been like that from the start."
"Hmm, what exactly did I do...?"
"Whenever you became honest, you acted like a man on the brink of death."
"I'd like to think I've lived quite an honest life, though."
"You seem to be misunderstanding something. A person who cries when they're sad, laughs when they're happy, and rests when they're tired is being honest. The domain you mentioned seems closer to 'desire'."
"...Maybe so."
"As you said earlier, I think we've gotten quite close."
Ji-oh asked.
"Would I be able to hear your story?"
"...You are always so kind..."
He was truly consistent.
No wonder people always gathered around him, and why he was bound to become the protagonist of a tragic fate.
"..."
Perhaps due to his fatigue, the words just spilled out.
"...Haven't you ever thought you're losing out by living like that?"
Was his self-control being this weak also because he had become honest like he wished? Or was it the influence of the Mystery? Even having these thoughts that were completely uncharacteristic of a Gardener.
The Portrait spoke.
"I don't really know what part is losing out."
"Being kind to everyone, not resenting people recklessly, not blaming anyone. I mean a life where you embrace your whole self while even affirming the lives of others."
"I still don't really know which part of that is a loss."
"...Doesn't it feel too burdensome?"
"Why did that topic come up?"
"If I tell you my story."
If Yoo Sung-woon, the Gardener, tells his story.
"You will offer me kindness."
He would warmly listen to the story. This Portrait was a good listener. And a good speaker. Perhaps he would offer advice or give a gift. That was equivalent to taking responsibility for someone's time.
Ah, suddenly Yoo Sung-woon could understand Joo-hyun.
"I wish you wouldn't be affected because of me, Ji-oh..."
"Who could possibly live without being affected by anything?"
"It's possible for you."
"Telling me to stay stuck in a Portrait forever is a bit harsh."
"You are, really, exactly the same from beginning to end. It's scary."
He seemed to change, yet remained the same as he was in the beginning.
"I want you to not struggle."
Because that was a disaster.
"I want you..."
He didn't want to see anything like that.
"..."
"We're friends, aren't we?"
"...Of course, we're friends."
"Then tell me your story now."
"That's so like you."
Yoo Sung-woon smiled bitterly.
"I said something stupid, didn't I?"
"I was glad you worried for me, but I felt we needed a bit more trust."
"Alright, then where should I begin this story."
It's an unfamiliar situation.
Unfamiliarly warm air, unfamiliarly lively atmosphere. He never could have imagined he'd get such a great conversation partner, along with an audience of snow bunnies, in this freezing, desolate Snowfield.
And so, he pulls out his oldest memory.
"I was buried alive."
It was the story of being chosen by the Snowfield.
-x-X-x-
Yoo Sung-woon continued his explanation with a smiling face.
"For about 10 years after the Great Cataclysm first broke out? Korea was closer to a chaotic mess than a single nation. Just like how most overseas areas outside of Korea were lawless zones and backwaters."
He shrugged.
"Just know that it was a time when all sorts of... well, incomprehensible and illogical crimes ran rampant. I'm telling you this so you know that what I went through might not have had any meaning whatsoever."
"I understand."
"Well, to tell you the truth, I don't remember my earliest childhood well. To be exact, it'd be more accurate to say there was barely anything to describe. Because I was always locked up somewhere. It was a very dark place."
"Were you kidnapped?"
"Probably, right? It couldn't have been the work of my own flesh and blood, surely. No, of course, right. I know the possibility isn't completely zero. It was that kind of era."
It was a chaotic world.
"No, well. That's what I think, but."
In truth, Yoo Sung-woon didn't know for sure either.
"Before I got a job at the Association, I once calculated my physical age. I was probably around two years old when the Great Cataclysm broke out. I don't know exactly when I was locked up, but... still, at two years old, wouldn't you be able to use language to some extent and have some cognitive ability?"
"That's right, and they're active too."
"Thinking about it that way, it's a bit strange. Because I have absolutely no memory of seeing or learning anything before that dark space. It probably even started before the Great Cataclysm broke out."
Kidnapping and confining a newborn baby—one would normally imagine it happening after the Great Cataclysm. Because right up until the Great Cataclysm, Korea supposedly had a certain degree of public order maintained.
An awkward laugh slipped out.
"So in other words, I was either kidnapped as an infant, or my parents placed me there from the beginning..."
"Is that so."
"...Still, if it was something my biological parents did, it would be an even more horrifying thing, so I'm thinking that's not the case. It's also highly likely my memories from before I was two were erased for some reason."
"It's true that things from a young age are hard to remember."
"Yeah. I was in such a confused state without having learned anything, so I might have just forgotten all my past memories. Without any special measure or reason, just because I was too exhausted."
"That's also possible."
"But I still really don't know why such a thing happened. I do wonder what could have happened, but it's not like I'm dying of curiosity either."
Yoo Sung-woon curved his eyes as if squinting.
"Ah... I was really hungry back then. When I woke up, food was given to me, but it was literally just enough to keep me from dying."
Even though it was a food-related topic that the portrait normally reacted sensitively to, Ji-oh showed no response. Confirming this, Yoo Sung-woon stroked his neck. He recalled his faded past.
A cold and dark dirt pit where he had to grope around just to feel his food. Because he couldn't see anything, he couldn't guess the flow of time, but it was certain he had been in there for a very long time.
"I lived like that in there for a few years."
Since it was enough for his body to grow a bit, even if slowly due to malnutrition, it must have been quite a long time.
"Since there was nothing to see or learn, I didn't know any language, and though I was wearing something similar to clothes, back then I thought it was just one of my layers of skin. What could I have possibly done?"
He was truly ignorant.
"Then one day, something unusual happened."
"What happened?"
"Incredibly delicious food was given to me. I don't remember exactly what it was, but I think it was warm and fluffy. Probably the first proper food I ever ate. And..."
"And?"
"My world collapsed."
"It collapsed?"
"In a very literal, physical sense."
That not-so-wide cave, pit, or whatever it was had caved in.
"That 'being buried alive' I just mentioned comes from this. Whether it was intentional, if the ground simply shook during that chaotic time, or if it was the doing of some monster or Mystery... I still don't really know."
He didn't even try to think deeply about it.
"It was so cramped. I quickly started suffocating. As for it being dark, it was always like that so it was fine, but because I ate too much my stomach was churning. Wedged in that narrow gap, I threw up, screamed, and flailed about..."
"..."
"Then I came to the thought that I couldn't just stay like that. Should I say I was brave thanks to my ignorance? If I had learned anything, I might have been terrified by fear and given up beforehand."
But Yoo Sung-woon simply felt it was a waste of the food he threw up that day, was angry, and felt suffocated, so he wanted to escape that place.
"So I started digging out the dirt and rocks that buried me."
"Was there space to move?"
"If I felt it was too narrow, I ate them to get rid of them."
"It couldn't have tasted good."
"Since it was something I ate often, I actually had less aversion to it."
"Aha..."
"It was probably winter back then."
He didn't know what was so hard while digging. The blood flowing from his scraped fingertips quickly froze. Whether even that was just his imagination, it was truly cold.
"But it was okay. That cramped space I stayed in was always cold anyway. I was naturally resistant to the cold to begin with, and since I didn't know an environment that wasn't cold, I think it was pretty bearable."
Of course, he wouldn't be able to do it if told to do it again. Because right now, he was a normal member of society who knew what warmth was.
"In the first place, my goal back then wasn't to escape to somewhere, but rather, how should I put it... I was probably just trying to secure as much space as the area I originally stayed in. But at some point, I saw light."
"What kind of light was it?"
"It was the light of the snowfield."
The pure white thing he saw for the first time in his life.
"That became the reason I fell in love with the snowfield."
On that day, Yoo Sung-woon was chosen by the snowfield.
***
The child walked through the snowy field. He got frostbite from walking barefoot, but as time passed, it actually didn't hurt anymore, so it was fine. Captivated by the fluffy sensation he felt for the first time, the child came to love the snow.
The child looked up. It was a white world where up and down couldn't be distinguished, but it was fine. The child, who had originally lived in darkness, was simply satisfied by the fact that this place was vast. In that way, he came to love the contradiction.
The child had a low body temperature. Even though he walked the snowy field without qualification, he did not easily melt the snow, and he accepted the sight exactly as it was seen without damaging it. The child came to love this vast nature just as it was.
"..."
The child looked at the ice.
"..."
And so slowly, he looked at 'me'.
Dark-colored hair. Dark-colored eyes. But pale skin from not being able to bask in the sunlight. That day, the child recognized his own existence for the first time. He realized he looked like this and accepted it.
The moment the child realized he was alive, he was dyed white.
Pure white hair, deep blue eyes, and pale skin. Because it closely resembled his first love, the snowfield, the child learned joy.
"...?"
His breath no longer came out in a white puff.
***
"Well, isn't that what they call destiny?"
This was the story of how Yoo Sung-woon became a Gardener.
"Of course, there are many stories after that, too. I instinctively realized I shouldn't eat things in the Garden and stubbornly escaped the snowfield; I almost got beaten to death by people for casually spewing knowledge from the Garden; and as I somehow lived on with my own know-how of life, I ended up meeting the Gardeners."
"How old were you then?"
"Probably around 11 years old? People cursed at me so much, calling me a crazy demon brat, that I thought I was just a crazy bastard, but after listening to the elders, it seemed that wasn't the case. I even learned formal speech for the first time back then."
"Then how did you learn language before that?"
"It wasn't like I didn't meet other people before meeting the Gardeners. You could say it was practical terminology, I guess. Well, the words I learned back then were all practically curses, but... since all I heard were harsh words."
Yoo Sung-woon laughed jokingly.
"I told Joo-hyun before too, but because I was so poorly educated, formal speech feels really awkward to me. Even though the elders worked hard to make a proper human out of me back then, I'm still like this. I don't know why Korean has formal and informal speech separately."
"I know that it's a point foreigners often get confused by as well."
Blinking, Ji-oh asked.
"But you found your path quickly despite that, didn't you? I know you were a Research Team Leader at the Association before becoming a Curator."
"Right, I was. I somehow ended up working as an employee for the Association. I guess a Gardener's temperament doesn't go anywhere, so I eventually fell completely into the research side. But for someone like me who loves the Garden to make it a lifelong workplace... it was a place with severe Mystery abuse, I suppose?"
"Mystery abuse, what a unique expression."
"So I ended up accepting the proposal from the Bisabeol Guild Master, who often showed interest in me before. That man, he kept saying 'You aren't suited for this job' for so long... as if it really became a curse, I truly felt it didn't fit my aptitude..."
Having spoken that far, Yoo Sung-woon blinked his eyes.
"...Am I the only one talking too much?"
"I was listening carefully, though."
"Sorry, I just hope it wasn't boring to listen to. It's my first time telling a story like this to anyone."
"Didn't you tell the Bisabeol Guild Master too?"
"I briefly wrote it down as a special note when signing the contract, so he probably knows, but I've never told him directly. Even then, I've never shared such detailed parts with him."
But Yoo Sung-woon's certainty quickly dulled.
"...Ah, or not? He's so perceptive, maybe he knows even without me saying it...?"
"He is also quite peculiar."
"That's how people from the Collector are."
Wasn't Bisabeol the boss of peculiarity even among them?
"Well, anyway, that's how it was. This is how I've lived until now."
"What should I say."
"You can just speak honestly as you feel. There were probably quite a few parts that would be appalling even by today's standards, but honestly, from my perspective, it just feels like any other memory..."
"I want to feed you."
"I want to say you're truly consistent as always, but I am suddenly getting hungry too."
Is it because memories of when he starved so much came to mind?
"No, actually, it is the time to be hungry anyway."
"So there really is such a time."
"Getting hungry after maintaining a Garden is a racial trait of Gardeners. Just like how Hunters get hungry while clearing dungeons."
"It sounds like it would be fun to open a diner targeting Gardeners."
"Oh, that really... sounds fun."
It was proven like this that Yoo Sung-woon's personality was also quite something.
"When you open the shop, you have to sell to me first."
"From a restaurant owner's perspective, it's right to sell in the order customers arrive."
"Every time this happens, I really feel that you're a very rule-abiding portrait, Ji-oh."
"Did you have to bring up being rule-abiding when I'm just stating the obvious?"
Ji-oh asked.
"Would you like something to eat?"
"...Do you have something to eat?"
"I brought skewers."
"Why on earth?"
"I brought sweet potatoes too."
"Seriously, why?"
"It's only natural to have skewers and sweet potatoes when lighting a campfire."
"You and I must have lived in slightly different cultural spheres."
"That is somewhat the case."
Ji-oh nodded.
"Because I'm a person from before the Great Cataclysm."
"I never imagined it would be a different cultural sphere in that way."
Anyway, a tremendously good scent came from the skewers roasting over the campfire.
"Can't I just eat it raw?"
"You'll get a stomachache, Yoo Sung-woon."
"What's the point of having an A-rank stomach..."
"That's probably not what your stomach is there for."
"A stomach is there to digest."
"Why would you go out of your way to do that when it's busy enough being filled with delicious things?"
"Do you not even count tasteless things as food?"
He truly was a portrait who was sincere about food.
"I feel so guilty."
"You must feel like you're cooking and eating ramen past midnight."
"Oh, that's somewhat similar. What is it, the feeling of eating snacks on a blanket?"
"That sounds plausible too."
Roasting and eating meat over a campfire in a snowfield—if other Gardeners heard about it, they would ask in what way he had lost his mind to do such a thing. Honestly, it lacked any sense of reality.
But Yoo Sung-woon was a Gardener who had adapted in his own way to this hollow sense of reality.
'You can't help but adapt if you live next to Ji-oh.'
Whenever things turned out like this, he always thought, 'Whatever happens, happens.'
'Future me will pay the price.'
Though bitter, he felt at peace on the other hand. It was the peace of resignation. Holding the chicken skewers and vegetable skewers Ji-oh handed him in both hands, Yoo Sung-woon bit into them. Filled with meat juices and vegetable juices, it tasted fantastic.
The portrait asked.
"How is it?"
"When did you say you were opening that shop?"
"Thank you for the compliment, I will contact you as soon as I open it."
"My insides are warming up..."
Yoo Sung-woon blinked as he chewed on the skewer.
"..."
The crackling sound of the campfire.
The quiet voice of a friend. The rustling snow bunnies. The blizzard raging outside the igloo. The warm air trapped under the round roof. The unmelting snow and the warm-colored light of the fire. The delicious food...
"...Mhm..."
Yoo Sung-woon nodded.
"This is romantic."
"Right?"
"Want to come hang out again next time?"
"I'm glad you invited me."
"I'm the one who's... glad."
Yoo Sung-woon smiled.
"...Thank you."
Perhaps, a little awkwardly.
Just like when he first learned joy.
***
"Looking at Yoo Sung-woon like that, I had a thought."
At Ji-oh's words, Bisabeol nodded.
"Mhm, good. Tell me as much as you want. Daddy is listening."
"Gardeners definitely need a labor union."
"It seems I've been earning money all this time for this very day."
Bisabeol rolled his eyes to the side in thought.
"It is about time the welfare and treatment of Gardeners improved."
"I'd like to try making a diner for them first. What do you think?"
"Oh, wonderful. That's very full-scale."
Yoo Sung-woon remained silent at the Guild Master clapping and the portrait looking proud.
"..."
"...Yoo Sung-woon."
Joo-hyun, who had come to the Collector following Ji-oh, poked his side.
"Just what kind of ideas did you put in his head?"
"Joo-hyun, I've been thinking."
"Yes, go ahead. What are you going to say?"
"Don't you think it would be nice if something like a food stall opened in the Garden...?"
"Are you out of your mind?"
"...Gardeners are so cold and hungry..."
"..."
Hesitating, Joo-hyun subtly leaned toward the table.
"...Should I go get a list of the Gardeners?"
"Let's shake down Hae-woon first."
"Hmm... That sounds like a good idea."
"People need to eat to work."
Ji-oh nodded.
"I like it."
It felt like he would be able to paint a new picture tonight.
***
Thus, a few days later.
"Excuse me."
Ji-oh went to find Cha Eun-hyuk.
"Do you sell bunggeoppang?"
Tl/N: Bunggeoppang is Korean fish-shaped pastry
"No."
"Will you sell them when winter comes?"
"..."
Cha Eun-hyuk, who was once the bunggeoppang youth, was about to go crazy.
"...Let's resolve this with words."
It seemed it was time for the Earth to perish.
-x-X-x-
Ji-oh wasn't the only one who came to see Cha Eun-hyuk.
"I'm here as well, Eun-hyuk."
"...Please, speak comfortably."
"Shall I, then?"
Ji-oh's assigned Curator, Yoo Sung-woon, was with him.
Cha Ara, the second child of the Cha family, was out earning money. Thanks to the Collector getting permission before visiting, he wasn't too surprised, but that didn't lessen Eun-hyuk's psychological burden.
"So, what exactly brings you here?"
The other party had said they would go into detail after visiting. They mentioned the story would be too long for a phone call. They also said it wasn't a light topic. So, he had no idea why exactly they were here.
At that, Ji-oh, who was standing by the door, asked.
"May we come inside?"
"..."
Eun-hyuk silently looked back at Sung-woon as if asking, 'Is this right?' and Sung-woon nodded with a smile.
"He won't bite."
"Please reassure me a bit more convincingly than that."
"Our Hunter Seo Ji-oh might have a scary impression, but as you well know, he isn't someone who would harm a good citizen. Allowing him inside won't result in you being cursed or possessed by an evil spirit."
"Thank you for the reassurance..."
His energy felt completely drained, but regardless, Eun-hyuk had to admit it.
'He's a Divinity who treats Sol well, too... Come to think of it, when that guy summoned him before, everything ended without any major issues.'
Technically, he was like a teacher his younger brother was indebted to. Looking at it a bit more broadly—no, a lot more broadly—he held a position similar to Priest Kang Seo-dam. He had received a lot of help from him, so being on guard now would be ridiculous.
"..."
Of course, brainwashing himself like that didn't make him any less scared.
"...Yes, please come in. I don't really have anything proper to serve you, though..."
"Thank you for the consideration, but as we mentioned on the phone earlier, we don't need anything like that. Just allowing us to visit like this is kindness enough."
"Thank you for saying so, Hunter Seo Ji-oh."
It was an overwhelming situation. After all, wasn't this a visit from a 1st Class Citizen and a Divinity? Though he wondered if it was right to put a '1st Class Citizen' and a 'Divinity' on the same level, anyway...
Eun-hyuk guided the guests to the living room. He brought out cups of roasted barley tea for them. He felt he needed to observe at least the minimum level of formality. The three of them gathered around the modest table.
"Then, could you finally tell me the real reason for your visit?"
"Ah, I think it would be best if I spoke first."
Sung-woon, who was sipping his barley tea, offered the same placid smile he always wore.
"You have options, Eun-hyuk."
"The word 'options' is already coming out. I'll listen for now."
"A straightforward question, or a roundabout one."
"Uh... wouldn't it be easier for both of us if you just asked directly?"
"Then, to ask straightforwardly."
Sung-woon looked straight into Eun-hyuk's eyes and asked.
"Do you see weird things?"
"..."
Eun-hyuk, who had been dazed for a moment, was suddenly startled.
"Ah, excuse me? What?"
"I guess you do see them."
"What exactly are you talking about..."
"Something that looks like a monster, but also doesn't quite seem like one."
"...It seems you can see them too, Hunter Yoo Sung-woon?"
"I'm somewhat of a veteran in this area."
"I didn't know this was divided into a specialized profession."
"Your reaction is duller than I thought."
"I'm plenty... surprised..."
For Eun-hyuk, who rarely ever raised his voice, this level of reaction meant he truly was surprised.
"It's because there hasn't been anyone else who sees the same things I do."
"No, not that kind of dullness."
"That word doesn't really resonate with me in the first place, but... then what kind of feeling were you referring to?"
"Usually, people in your situation get treated like crazy lunatics."
"Ah, I understand what you're saying now."
Eun-hyuk nodded with a bewildered expression, as if he still couldn't believe it.
"Even I thought I'd be called crazy."
The things he saw were visible only to his eyes.
"Not only am I the only one who can see them, but they rarely affect other people or living things. Even if they do, the people who can't see them somehow... make up unlikely excuses to justify it."
"In that case, only the person telling the truth ends up looking like a psychopath."
"Yes, isn't it obvious I'd be treated that way? So, to avoid being ostracized like that, I've just pretended not to know from the very beginning. My younger siblings don't know that I can see them either."
"You must have hidden it perfectly. That's impressive."
Ji-oh, who was listening to the conversation, tilted his head.
"You hid it well."
"Hmm, exactly. It's not an easy thing to do."
Most talents with the 'aptitude' couldn't do this. How could they possibly hide what they could personally see and feel from other people?
"If they see a one-eyed puppy, most children would be fascinated or grossed out. And they would tell their parents, other family members, or friends about it. At that age, they lack the cognitive ability to think, 'Ah, even if I say this, the other person won't understand.'"
"A one-eyed puppy would be cute."
At those words, Eun-hyuk widened his eyes and blinked.
"...Is that something people normally see, too?"
"The so-called 'One-eyed Jindo' is a kind of guardian deity that often lingers around Korean children. They mostly take the form of a Jindo dog, but rarely, they appear as other breeds of dogs or even other animals. I guess what you saw when you were young took the form of a dog?"
"Yes, that's right. A black... Jindo? It was probably that. The one they talked about on the news being successfully restored. That guy was always sitting in our yard, constantly looking outside."
"In a world where Mysteries have become visible, there's no protective shield as reliable as that friend. If a sinister or aggressive Mystery visits a child's home, they bark and chase it away. The problem is that in the case of a homeless child, they won't help like that unless specifically tamed..."
"So, um, they helped me because I had a home?"
"Right. So it's no exaggeration to say it's the very first 'thing' that talents with a family encounter. Of course, once the child passes a certain age, they leave that house and move to another... or they simply vanish. I think the longest recorded case of one staying was until the child was thirteen."
Sung-woon asked, looking intrigued.
"You didn't tell your other family members about that either?"
"It was only visible to me, so how could I tell them..."
"I'm telling you, that's normally when people open their mouths. You have good self-control."
And quick-witted, too.
"It means you were already aware of societal judgment at that age."
Most talents couldn't do that. They failed to understand how others couldn't perceive what was entirely obvious to them. Naturally, conflicts arise over the senses they do not share, and they drift apart.
"Well, after getting burned a few times, everyone ends up living while pretending not to notice like that."
"I feel a bit less embarrassed knowing it's not just me."
Eun-hyuk asked with a slightly reluctant expression.
"...But how exactly did you know...? Like I just said, I've never told my family that I see 'those things.' Is there... a separate way to identify a 'talent'?"
"No, there isn't."
"Pardon?"
"There isn't."
Sung-woon smiled bitterly.
"If there was something like that, Gardeners wouldn't be working overtime like crazy."
"...Gardeners?"
"It refers to the people among us who can see 'those things' and who have come to serve something called a Garden. Well, I'll explain that gradually too. But first, I should answer what you asked, right?"
"Ah, yes, I'd appreciate it if you did."
"Like I said earlier, there's no method to finding 'talents'. They don't have some special aura that only belongs to them. It's mostly just going about my life and observing people where I think, 'Huh? Does this guy see them?' and luckily turning out to be right."
"Then... wouldn't it be hard to find even a single person in a lifetime?"
"Exactly. You seem to have noticed it too, but these 'talents' usually try not to reveal themselves. In your case, it seems you figured out that what you see is real, but there are countless talents who die after spending their whole lives thinking they suffer from delusions."
Sung-woon offered his signature placid smile and pointed at Ji-oh as if revering him.
"But this time, our Hunter Seo Ji-oh gave us a hand."
"Aha... Don't mention it. I was just lucky this time."
As if responding to the introduction, 'Hunter Seo Ji-oh' naturally pulled down his hood, and his hair soon became dyed a pale pink.
"Because I found a good 'friend'."
Above his round, smiling lips.
"Well, I am usually pretty lucky, though?"
Those curving eyes were shining colorfully like opals.
Yoo Sung-woon's Snowfield.
In that beautiful world, Ji-oh wanted to draw even more Gardens.
List of Suitable Candidates
Garden of Pleasure_Jeorge
Synchronization Rate 1%
He decided to do just that.
Fwip.
"Oops."
Sung-woon pulled Ji-oh's hood back over his head.
"..."
"..."
"...Uh..."
Sung-woon smiled broadly at Eun-hyuk, who was trying to say something.
"Did something happen?"
"Is that okay to do?"
"It's fine, he won't die. So, you were saying something happened?"
"No, nothing happened, and I didn't see anything."
"An excellent display of adult diplomacy."
Sung-woon made a whining sound at Ji-oh.
"...Ji-oh, please, let's end this peacefully. Hmm? Peacefully..."
"I think it was peaceful enough."
"Have some consideration for the tiny, cute heart of a weak working adult."
"I will be considerate."
Ji-oh obediently adjusted his hood. There was absolutely no trace of the 'something' he had shown just moments ago; he was truly his usual 'Black Cloak' self.
He asked, matching Yoo Sung-woon's earlier question.
"Did something happen just now?"
"...As I told Hunter Yoo Sung-woon, no, I don't think anything happened."
"Good, I like that."
"..."
And then, the 'something' returned once again.
Eun-hyuk's gaze met the eyes of the 'something' inside the hood that was completely filled with shadows.
Just like seeing a wild beast in the mountains during the dark night, only those eyes were visible. That gaze and those pupils were incredibly clear. Only those eyes were visible. Nothing but that mesmerizing sight.
It was very bizarre. Those myriad colors seemed to sparkle like finely crafted jewels, only to blur like smoke. Their flow resembled the flickering of a blazing fire or the beautiful wings of a butterfly.
And, also.
"...Ah..."
Only after a long while did he realize that what it had shown him was an 'eye smile.'
"...S-So..."
Stuttering, Eun-hyuk asked with an absentminded face.
"...Where were we in our conversation?"
"That Ji-oh helped find a hidden talent named Cha Eun-hyuk?"
"I don't have any more questions about exactly how you found me. I don't think a detailed explanation is necessary, so if it's alright with you, can we move on to the next topic? I just realized I asked a useless question."
"If he just Awakened, he'd be the perfect talent for the Collector, it's such a shame he's a civilian..."
Sung-woon smacked his lips.
"But it's fine, civilians can be Gardeners, too."
"Is that the reason you came to see me today? To make me become this so-called Gardener?"
"It's absolutely not something I can force upon you just because I want to, but roughly speaking, it's along those lines."
"What do I need to do? How will I receive my salary? Is it in the form of a monthly wage, or a weekly wage? Roughly how much is the annual salary? Do you provide a contract?"
"Were you holding out for something by any chance?"
"I just blurted out whatever came to mind."
Eun-hyuk wiped his face.
"Because obviously, even if you just forced me to do it, I wouldn't have a single way to resist."
"Like I just said, it's not something you can accomplish just because I tell you to. If it's alright, won't you listen to the story a little more? Even if you reject the offer, it'll be information that is extremely helpful to you, so it won't be a loss."
"...I apologize for acting so sensitive."
He let out a small sigh and gathered himself.
"To make an excuse, this situation is too overwhelming for me. No less than the Collector's Curator bringing his assigned piece over to talk about a secret I've kept hidden my entire life... it's a bit..."
"Even I would be on edge and sensitive, so don't worry too much about it. Most of all, you must have been even more startled thanks to our Hunter Seo Ji-oh's sudden action just now. I can hear your heart pounding from all the way over here."
"Even so, that doesn't erase my rudeness. I apologize once again. I wasn't raised so poorly by my elders that I have to make excuses for that..."
"Then I'll accept that apology, but we are indeed the ones who put you in a difficult situation here. So, I really wish you wouldn't worry about it so much. You understand what I'm saying, right?"
"..."
After a little time passed, Eun-hyuk nodded.
"I understand."
"Great, then let's slowly move on to the main topic."
"Was everything until now just a warm-up?"
"I suppose you could say we were trying to keep up appearances in our own way."
"For that, the impact was..."
"The impact Hunter Seo Ji-oh gave was something I didn't expect either."
"Ah, yes, I see."
"You said earlier you prefer things straightforward, right?"
Sung-woon asked.
"Do you have any thoughts of running a food stall following our Ji-oh?"
"I'm sorry, it seems I actually hate straightforward things."
"That happens."
Sung-woon, who nodded, soon laughed.
"From now on, I'll ask in a roundabout way."
"Please also provide the longest preliminary explanation possible."
"I told you the story would get long, didn't I? It'll take some time, is that okay? Do you have any schedule?"
"Thanks to you contacting me in advance about your visit, I don't really have... any schedule for the rest of today."
"If that's the case, then shall we explain things slowly as well?"
"Um, then..."
The hesitant Eun-hyuk asked.
"...What exactly are 'those things' that I see?"
Sung-woon willingly explained.
"In the Gardeners' professional jargon, they are 'Children of the Source'."
"Children of the Source? If you say children, does that mean the Source is... a parent?"
"It was simply named that way because, thinking within our human concepts, the closest relationship would be that of a parent and child. Strictly speaking, we don't know if their relationship is truly that of parent and child, a boss and a subordinate, or simply an equal, cooperative partnership."
"Then what do you know?"
"Nothing at all. These entities only started becoming visible on Earth after the Great Cataclysm. It's only been about 30 years since we became aware of them, so it's a miracle they've even been defined this far. You know it too, don't you?"
"...Ah, right. It must not be easy for people like us to interact with each other... Listening to you, it doesn't seem like there's any specific organization we belong to, either. Is that right?"
"Right, 'Gardener' can't be called a profession. But if you verify yourself as a Gardener, the government provides support when you submit a proposal. In terms of economics, and in other areas too."
"...This is a bit difficult."
"Of course, most 'talents' would be confused upon hearing this kind of story for the first time."
Sung-woon curved his eyes into a smile.
"I'll explain it to you slowly, so I'd appreciate it if you listened closely."
"...I'll do that."
Suddenly, Eun-hyuk thought that it looked similar to the 'eye smile' he had just seen.
He couldn't figure out why.