Diamond Dust Novel - Chapter 31

Artist Shu-shu took a few sips of the drink in the tumbler he had brought, puffed out his cheeks, and let out a long breath.

He was supposed to wait in the office and rest briefly before the press conference, the first part of the event, began.

Director Han and the artist were sitting side-by-side at the conference table, and the Director of Phantom was leaning obliquely against the table, about a step away from the artist, instead of sitting next to him. His gaze was fixed on the artist the entire time, and the faint smile that seemed to illuminate his entire face, not just the corners of his mouth… made him feel like a stranger.

“The photo shoot… can we not do it next time?”

Artist Shu-shu looked up at him and asked cautiously, but with genuine sincerity.

Unlike the slightly shy yet seemingly accustomed look he showed at the photo wall, the artist, with slightly downturned eyes filled with worry, chewing on his lip, looked like a child whining because he didn’t want to eat carrots. He didn’t seem like a child deliberately causing trouble and being stubbornly unlikeable to upset his parents; even his whining seemed lovely, making one want to grant him anything.

“What power do I have? Talk to Director Han.”

Perhaps it wasn’t just my thought, but the Director of Phantom’s gaze, deferring the answer to Director Han while looking down at the artist, was soft, as if he might reach out and smooth the artist’s hair at any moment. He had the air of an elder pleased with the trivial worry of someone much younger. However, I knew they were the same age.

The artist’s docile eyes turned to Director Han, who was sitting next to him.

“Director Han, please, can’t we really not do it?”

“You only say that, but you handle it expertly once it starts. It’s your destiny to live under the spotlight, Artist. Just accept it.”

“That might have been true before… but now I’m the one taking the pictures, not the one being taken.”

Was it because of his neat, gentle way of speaking and his soft voice with its pleasant resonance? Even though he was practically nagging about work-related matters, it didn’t sound unpleasant.

“You saw it earlier, didn’t you? All the fans outside. Let’s at least do this much fan service for the people who love you, okay?”

When Director Han mentioned the fans, gripping the artist’s hands and squeezing them a couple of times, the artist, unable to say anything more, sighed long and loud in resignation.

“Then, will Director Han come with me for the solo interview?”

“Uh… I might be a bit busy seeing off clients.”

The artist’s solo interview with a major art magazine was scheduled to take place in the gallery’s reception room after the first part, the press conference, and the second part, the socializing and party, were all finished.

I had heard that he relied heavily on Director Han, but the degree seemed worse than expected. When Director Han mentioned that he might not be able to accompany him for the interview, the artist made a face that, slightly exaggerated, looked like he had been handed a sentence for the end of the world.

Juhan Hyung, standing next to me behind the partition dividing the inner office space and the conference table, turned his head toward me and chuckled softly, just loud enough for me to hear. Even Juhan Hyung, who was significantly older, found these aspects of Artist Shu-shu cute.

“I’ll cover the send-offs, so please go with him. He can’t do anything without Director Han.”

The Director of Phantom pushed off the table he was leaning on and passed behind the chairs where Artist Shu-shu and Director Han were sitting, lightly resting his hand on the artist’s shoulder.

“Sigh… Looking at me with a face like that is cheating. You have a face that just makes it impossible to say no.”

When Director Han, after looking at the artist’s earnest face, surrendered, the artist finally looked relieved and smiled. That silent, teeth-showing smile had the power to purify the surrounding air itself, making it transparent.

He was the second person to me who could easily change the surrounding atmosphere with his mere presence or words. The Director, who made me feel like I was separated and trapped in a glass cage in this very office, and Shu-shu, who was now before my eyes.

Although he was the protagonist of the day, the fact that everyone in the office was focused on Artist Shu-shu was clearly not just because of that.

“This is what happens when Director Han spoils him and accepts everything.”

“Wow… Is Director Ryu blaming me now? About Shu-shu?”

At Director Han’s wronged voice, he, who was standing by the window shelf pouring a glass of champagne, turned back and smiled.

It was unfamiliar to see him enjoying this kind of playful banter. As far as I knew, he wasn’t someone who particularly enjoyed jokes, and when he did joke with Juhan Hyung or Yuni Noona, it was usually the type of banter where they traded jabs at each other.

“Exactly. Director Han, it probably wasn’t you who would rush to Shu-shu’s side at 2 or 3 in the morning to offer yourself as an assistant if there was a problem with the work, and completely sacrifice the exhibition schedules of other artists just to unconditionally prioritize Shu-shu.”

Even Inwoo Hyung, who had arrived at the gallery early to avoid the photo wall event, chimed in, offering himself as a witness to the Director’s favoritism toward Artist Shu-shu.

“He’s the most important artist at the gallery. Is that wrong?”

The Director placed the slender champagne flute in front of Artist Shu-shu with an innocent expression.

He then placed a small, ribbon-decorated box in royal blue and gray next to the glass. He had come in with a dark navy shopping bag, and I had wondered what it was, it seemed to be the box inside.

“Is that Darcis et Gallé bonbon? Did you buy it especially?”

The artist, who seemed to recognize the brand, recognized the contents just by the box and looked pleased.

“I need to make sure you hold the event in the best condition. Have some. You’ll be less nervous during the press conference.”

He spoke as if it were a business-level courtesy, but I already knew well what the Director’s business smile looked like. Right now, he looked more delighted than Artist Shu-shu, who had received the gift.

The contents of the box were chocolates, each meticulously molded into a different shape, almost too exquisite to eat. A rich sweetness mingled with the scent of coffee emanating from the coffee machine Director Han had turned on. It was funny, but it felt as if the source of the scent wasn’t the chocolate but Artist Shu-shu himself.

I was staring blankly at the Director and Artist Shu-shu, who looked as striking as a magazine spread or a movie poster, when Inwoo Hyung, complaining that the treatment was too unequal, even though there was a difference in sales, that he wasn’t even offered a glass of champagne, which was clearly sitting right there, was handed a glass of champagne by me.

“I didn’t mean to bother you, Yihyun-ssi. That bastard I meant to provoke doesn’t even care. I’m sorry. I’ll enjoy this.”

I smiled at Inwoo Hyung who said that, but it was all I could do to awkwardly pull up the corners of my mouth.

Since a public relations agency was hired for the sizable event, I actually had very little to do on the day of the opening. Yuni Noona, who was the effective general manager, was supervising the final preparations on the second floor, but Juhan Hyung and I were waiting in the office, standing by until the first part of the event began. It felt awkward just standing there, watching the conversations of people who were close, and I wished someone would assign me a task, any task.

“Let’s share this. I can’t eat it all by myself anyway.”

“No, this is a gift; you eat it alone. You can take the leftovers home and eat them.”

The Director gently restrained the artist’s wrist, who was pushing the box into the center of the table. But the artist, who had given a chocolate to Director Han and Inwoo Hyung, aimed for the Director next.

“I said, try some. The person who bought it should taste it too.”

The artist picked up a leaf-shaped chocolate and held out his arm toward him, standing next to him. The Director only narrowed his eyes for a moment as if contemplating the chocolate, then bent down and accepted it.

As if to question who it was that frowned and declared that he really didn’t like sweets after eating Yuni Noona’s ice cream, his expression remained perfectly unchanged after putting the chocolate in his mouth.

All those scenes and conversations felt like a movie playing on a screen across the table, completely unrelated to me. Yet, despite being unrelated, it was a movie that provoked emotions, shook my heart, and made me cheer for some and hate others.

“It tastes better when everyone shares. Juhan-ssi, you have one too. Did you not like sweets, I forgot?”

The artist’s gaze, which turned toward Juhan Hyung, naturally landed on me next to him.

“Um… and this person…”

And his soft, brownish eyes seemed curious about my identity.

It was the first time I had met his eyes at such a close distance. He was not threatening in any way, but I suddenly wanted to leave the spot.

“Ah, I’m sorry. Were you uncomfortable?”

But I didn’t need to answer. The look of surprise was evident on the Director’s face, who stepped forward and put his hand on the artist’s shoulder as if to protect him. The next moment, a rapid, emotionless command was directed at me.

“Could you step outside for a moment? He gets uncomfortable if there’s a stranger he doesn’t know well around. How did no one think of that beforehand?”

He sharpened his voice toward the others in the office at the end.

It felt like it had been a long time. It wasn’t anything new. His method, his style of speaking, not caring in the slightest if the feelings of others were hurt for the sake of the person precious to him.

It had only been a temporary lull recently; he had been that way from the start. Juhan Hyung and Director Han were precious people to him, but they could be moved down in priority whenever a more precious person was present.

So, it went without saying what he thought of my feelings.

“A-wi.”

It was Artist Shu-shu who broke the awkwardly stiff air.

The Director looked back at the artist at his words, and the artist was looking up at the Director, so that unfamiliar term must have been directed at him.

Instead of using the common title ‘Kuhn,’ the artist was calling him by a different name. Unlike his usual tone, which was like a latte with a lot of milk, his voice was firm, with noticeable strength.

“I just asked who he was, so why are you acting like this? You’ll make him think I’m strange because of you.”

The Director fell silent at the artist’s scolding, but my ruffled feelings didn’t recover. No, the more I listened to Artist Shu-shu defending me, the more my very existence, not just my feelings, felt pathetic.

I was tempted to criticize the Director, who was silenced by a few words from the artist, asking, ‘When did you start listening to others so well?’

“I’m sorry, Artist. I was distracted and didn’t even introduce him. This is the newest member of the Phantom staff. Seo Yihyun.”

At Director Han’s introduction, I took a step forward and bowed my head.

“Hello, I’m Seo Yihyun.”

“Nice to meet you. Please excuse him for saying strange things. He’s a little rough around the edges, isn’t he? He wasn’t this bad before, but I think he’s getting more prickly since he started this business.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s alright.”

It sounded like he was defending the Director, even though on the surface, he was expressing concern for my feelings. I was surprised by my own twisted interpretation of kindness. I quickly tried to erase it internally, not wanting anyone to catch it.