Chapter Text
The man walking on the street corner wrapped his body in a trench coat. With the strong wind blowing in the passageway between the buildings, he could only draw his head down into his collar and quicken his pace.
He carried a rather small bag, which looked like photography equipment, and it was quite heavy. He walked with fairly steady steps, and his legs—long, slender, and elegant—were visible outside his trench coat. This sense of proportion softened the sorrowful look on his face.
Yes, he did have a sorrowful expression on his face.
It was an expression of being endlessly troubled, as if one would collapse at the slightest bit more complexity.
He was quite handsome, with fair skin and delicate features, making him look like the most handsome type from a medieval vampire movie. His sorrowful expression made him walk briskly down the street as if he desperately needed to drink blood.
In fact, he just wanted to hide in his small apartment.
The small apartment was warm and cozy, and even though it was a bit messy, it was a safe haven for him to retreat into his own mental world.
This cozy little apartment is divided into two areas: a small lounge area where you can just enough room to tuck in a sofa, and a double bed and walk-in closet on the other side. The floor is covered with a simple rug, plus a small kitchenette. It's a slightly luxurious little apartment for a single working professional like him—compact yet perfectly appointed.
An electric piano was crammed into the small room.
He can play the piano. He learned it when he was a child and played it quite well. Even now, whenever his classical soul is rekindled, Schubert's Impromptu Op. 90, No. 2 will be the melody flowing from his fingertips.
The man, whose face was as pale as a vampire's, managed to stagger through the cold wind and then seek refuge in his small sanctuary.
After entering the house, he dejectedly placed the heavy photography equipment on the coffee table, then slumped into the sofa, not even taking off his trench coat. He felt that he had exhausted his last bit of strength.
After a few minutes, as if his drained battery had ticked up by three percent, enough to pull him back from the edge of exhaustion, he moved his body, gathered his strength, took off his trench coat, ran his hand through his hair, and finally snapped out of his trance.
He took out his camera and reviewed his work for the day.
It was a wedding, and he was the photographer at the wedding.
He took out his camera and reviewed his work for the day.
It was a wedding, and he was the photographer at the wedding.
It's boring, tedious, and tiring, and the pay is low. It's not that he's picky. This job really isn't a good fit for him.
Other photographers might enjoy interacting with people at the wedding reception: "Come on! Stand in a line! Let's have a big laugh!" "So beautiful! Keep going!" "..." He had absolutely no interest. He didn't want to talk to anyone, let alone try to cheer anyone up.
These were not the things he wanted to photograph. The noise of the wedding, the perfunctory smiles of the people, and the commercialism of the unions were not what he wanted to get close to.
Jaehyun harbors a grand dream of becoming a renowned artist.
He abandoned his business management major, ignored his family's advice, and focused on working as a part-time photographer.
Getting started was certainly difficult, but he was confident in his aesthetic sense and participated in some photography competitions, winning small prizes, though he hadn't yet won anything truly significant. To make ends meet and keep his little home, he gritted his teeth and started using part-time job websites, taking on jobs that paid quickly. In his spare time, he continued to pursue his artistic vision, hoping to capture breathtaking masterpieces that would move both himself and others.
All I can say is that this drudgery is exhausting and annoying. Take today's wedding photoshoot, for example. He'd been busy all day, starting early in the morning, trying his best not to get tired of the sights while surrounded by people. His smile was practically stiff. And now, after finally finishing, he still has to scrutinize these mundane people and things, organize the photos, and send them out. "Don't blame me for thinking this way," he thought. Weddings are beautiful in themselves, but once the people being photographed associate it with responsibility and monetary compensation, the enjoyment fades significantly.
Other types of commissions are fine, like street photography of beautiful women or the currently popular candid shots of online celebrities. But Jaehyun doesn't want to take those kinds of commissions because he always encounters women who are clingy and pretentious, or who are frail and weak, completely lacking the professional rigor to handle serious work. What he doesn't realize is: maybe he's too good-looking, and women are inevitably tempted to try and impress him. Perhaps he just doesn't understand.
In short, he finds these things annoying and avoids them whenever possible.
But other commissions presented other challenges, and various details were wearing down his keen eye.
Jaehyun stayed on the sofa for a while before finally getting up to wash and get ready.
Even if he still had the energy, this time wouldn't allow him to do anything else. Isn't there a saying about the "golden hours" after work? It means that if you make good use of it, the time after work is the golden period for cultivating yourself and moving towards your dreams; it's the essence of the day.
Even if he still had the energy, this time wouldn't allow him to do anything else. Isn't there a saying about the "golden hours" after work? It means that if you make good use of it, the time after work is the golden period for cultivating yourself and moving towards your dreams; it's the essence of the day.
He was exhausted. Was he going to walk back to the Han River to take pictures of the city at night? Or would he want to capture the loneliness of the dark night?
No. He was out of energy.
When the energy is low, nothing looks good in photos.
"How can I possibly have the opportunity to take beautiful and engaging photos while working?" Jaehyun wondered. He even began to doubt his dream of becoming a renowned artist.
He took the leftover spaghetti from the refrigerator and put it in the microwave, thinking about delivering today's photos to the client as soon as possible, and then taking a break from this wedding photographer job for a while. He really couldn't take it anymore.
He ate his pasta while carefully selecting the photos, and then sent them off with the final click.
A look of relief finally appeared on his face.
"What am I going to do if I don't shoot? Will I be able to pay next month's rent? Can't I get some other gigs? Ah, this website must be terrible," he thought.
He searched for a while and suddenly remembered Soomgo, a freelance platform he hadn't used before, which had been getting a lot of ads lately. "Should I check it out?" Jaehyun thought.
He familiarly browsed the website. Hmm, there were indeed many less commercially oriented case requests, perhaps some good ones that would suit his taste, which would help his future career in photography. Registering as a member was too easy for a veteran freelancer like him who spent his days taking on freelance work—so easy that he felt sorry for himself. He really wanted a collection of photographs that combined aesthetics and humor, but forget about building a portfolio; he could barely scrap together a few decent shots, and could only take on these strange cases on freelance platforms.
A nickname is required during registration. "What nickname should I choose?" Jaehyun hesitated for a moment. Although he didn't think the nickname would affect the success rate of getting jobs, it seemed quite important for the first impression.
He was in a bad mood, so he grabbed a bag of potato chips and started eating.
"Nickname..." He glanced at the flavor of the potato chips and typed "Flamin' hot lemon" into the nickname field.
As he listened to the crunching sound of potato chips, he looked at the posts.
"Seeking photographers for the sports meet." What is this? Was he supposed to shoot the athletes? It feels like I'd be exposed to the sun, and I'm a vampire-like night owl, this isn't suitable, is it? He rejected the proposal.
"Seeking an Instagram boyfriend for a 'POV' style travel shoot." Is this what a photographer does? The job poster's photos show an overly dolled-up woman. Is he there to take pictures or to be the boyfriend? Such vague statements should definitely be avoided.
"Requesting a 'behind-the-scenes' look at a funeral." Jaehyun silently skipped over it.
......
After browsing for half an hour, Jaehyun thought Flamin' Hot Lemon had a bad start. Should he change the name? ...
Suddenly, a post asking for help caught his eye in a way that stood out from the rest.
It is indeed unique.
Because the post was very down-to-earth, there were no boasts of wealth, no mentions of a frantic schedule, or how much it needed help. It didn't even include photos. It simply stated: "Needs professional photographers to assist with dance performances, including still and video shots. Timing is negotiable. Requirements: punctuality and a gentle personality. Impatient and rude individuals please do not apply. Art or dance background preferred. An interview to discuss aesthetics or a portfolio is required. Short-term or long-term available."
Her nickname is "Rose".
"Rose?" Jaehyun squinted. This nickname reminded him of a woman convinced of her own beauty and, consequently, prone to acting aloof.
Perhaps it was the impression he got from the French author's "Little Prince"?
Thinking of this, he suddenly smiled. He quite liked the story of the Little Prince. He didn't dislike the rose that the Little Prince loved.
The work involved in this commission seemed relatively easy and simple; the professional aspects were not a problem at all. The difficulty lay in the unpredictability of the "Rose."
He does have a slight aversion to working with women, but rather out of a wariness toward the unwanted attention he inevitably attracted, which is the most difficult part to handle. Jaehyun has a very strong sense of boundaries; he has never had any interest in women who take the initiative at work, and rejecting these women is a real headache.
But actually, he had dated two women before. They dated, and they parted ways. Twice.
It wasn't that he wasn't serious; it's just that he lacked enthusiasm for them. Both girlfriends suddenly appeared around him, one day taking care of small things for him, the next day kissing, and even sleeping together. He simply assumed that was what love felt like—until those girls, unable to feel any love from him, ended things in tears.
He was undeniably handsome. Besides his tall, slender figure, his features were refined and gentle; his eyes crinkled into gentle crescents when he smiled, and he even had dimples on his fair face. Coupled with his unhurried personality and a clever glint in his eyes, he possessed a captivating, disarming charm. Someone like him had received countless confessions from girls since his student days, both overt and covert, seemingly finding love easily. But this ease in receiving love prevented him from understanding his own feelings. Was simply sharing meals and spending time together what love was? Because so many people revolved around him, eating and playing together was easy. Was going to the movies and going on dates love? He wasn't sure, because sometimes he didn't really want to do those things, and didn't feel any joy. Then were kissing and having sex love? He thought maybe it was love, but for some reason, he felt no attraction towards his two girlfriends. He didn't quite understand the feeling of being blinded by love in movies. If being blinded by love was a sign of love, then he didn't feel that way. Even after kissing and sleeping together, he seemed to be fulfilling his duties as a boyfriend, or perhaps it was a purely biological impulse that drove him to continue. Waking up in the morning and seeing his girlfriend beside him didn't bring him any happiness.
He felt very empty.
If this is love, then love is somewhat boring.
Currently, photography seems to be the only thing that can ignite his passion.
When he captures a shot that he's satisfied with, he’ll lose himself in it, studying every detail repeatedly, feeling a great sense of accomplishment, as if it has filled a void in his heart.
However, such situations are becoming less and less common recently.
Life was consuming him, and his energy was so low that not even a full night’s sleep could replenish his depleted spirit.
He thought about it carefully for a while. This gig shouldn't be too troublesome and wouldn't affect his future plans. Women who use "Rose" as a nickname are sometimes aloof, so thankfully he wouldn't bother with her; aloof women probably wouldn't bother making a move.To ward off any unwanted advances, he intended to set firm boundaries before starting the job.
He believed his intuition was spot-on and that this case was a good fit for him. He planned to take on another case before the end of the month to make rent. Next month, he planned to take a break and properly plan his next steps.
So he clicked the "Apply" button.
The client’s contact information popped up.
Contact person: "Rose."