Van Gogh Reborn!

305

The Final Battle (10)

Christine Norman and Nathan Evans, the art director, nodded in satisfaction as they checked the concept art work.

They didn’t work together from the beginning like they did for , but thanks to Ko Hun’s groundwork, the rest of the work seemed to be smooth.

Ko Hun had transferred the cross-section of early 20th century modern France onto a flat surface, and it was up to Nathan Evans and his staff to bring it to reality.

Director Christine Norman’s heart raced at the thought of breathing life and story into a world that didn’t actually exist.

“You did a great job. It’s amazing, isn’t it?”

“Thanks to the materials I collected while working on The Fortress, I finished quickly.”

“If anyone could do this, neither the director nor I would have called you. Thank you.”

“How about staying in this field for good?”

Nathan Evans thought of Go Hae Sung and Lee Soo Jin, the couple who led to become the most successful series in movie history, and thought that Ko Hun could work with his parents.

Christine Norman also secretly hoped for that, but she watched the situation quietly as Ko Hun shook his head.

“I enjoy movies, but I don’t want to give up chocolatier. Thank you.”

Ko Hun politely declined Nathan Evans’ offer.

He enjoyed translating fixed stories into movies, such as , , and the documentary .

But he couldn’t express his own world, emotions, and messages completely.

He couldn’t give up the work of changing the world a little bit with his fellow writers and children, and above all, he couldn’t trade anything for the eyes of the people who visited his exhibitions.

“That’s too bad.”

Nathan Evans didn’t persuade him any further, as it was an impossible thing.

‘Dobin was like that. This kid is like that too. They’re not the type to belong anywhere.’

Director Christine Norman felt the same regret, but she accepted it as something inevitable.

They had too much talent and will to keep in their arms, and even if they came into the studio, they would leave soon.

“So you’re leaving tomorrow?”

Norman asked.

“Yes. It was the 11th, right?”

“Yes.”

Ko Hun asked Bang Tae Ho to confirm his schedule.

The Munster Sculpture Project and the Kassel Documenta both opened on June 11th and lasted for 100 days.

He had to attend the opening ceremony, so he planned to go back to Paris right away, rest for two days, and head to Germany.

“By the way, I had some time left, so I drew one more thing, but I don’t think I can use it.”

Ko Hun’s words raised Norman and Evans’ eyebrows.

They wondered what he had prepared more, as it must have been tight to do the assigned work.

“There’s no way you had time left.”

“I drew it in my spare time before bed.”

Ko Hun sent his eyes to Bang Tae Ho.

Bang Tae Ho proudly took out a canvas and showed Ko Hun’s work to Norman, Evans, and Henri Marso.

As soon as they saw the canvas in front of them, they all lost their words.

Arsene Lupin and the Count of Caliostro were facing each other.

The two men glared at each other with sabers as a boundary, as if they were about to kill each other at any moment.1)

Their appearance was so contrasted with their lips touching under the blade.

Beyond their furrowed brows and foreheads.

Lupin’s lower jaw was exposed by the blade.

The Count of Caliostro’s lips were filled with affection as he stared at Lupin with cruel eyes.

The moonlight reflected on the blade was so pale that it implied that the two men could never be together again.

He boldly omitted the delicate description of the eyes and nose, and expressed them with rough brush strokes.

The low brightness of the color made the determination and hostility of Lupin and Caliostro conveyed, while.

The lower jaw that kissed the lips was softly and warmly depicted in yellow tones, even the skin texture was delicately described.

The tragic story of two people who met and fell in love without knowing each other and lived as lifelong enemies.

Ko Hun had captured the novel in a single scene.

“This is.”

Nathan Evans couldn’t finish his sentence.

“I thought it would be nice to have a scene like this, so I drew it, but I don’t know how it would look like on the screen.”

Ko Hun expressed his displeasure.

It wasn’t exactly what he drew, but a kind of abstraction that contained emotions and stories as he usually expressed things.

He thought it was difficult to express it in reality.

Norman smiled as he looked back and forth between Ko Hun and the picture.

“Didn’t you say that anything you can draw is possible?”

“Will it be okay?”

Ko Hun asked eagerly.

I had heard Norman, the director, say that he could film anything that could be drawn, but I doubted he could capture the that was deliberately distorted in color and shape.

“Well, then. Just one thing.”

Norman narrowed his eyes and looked at Go-Hoon’s .

She had a movie playing in her head.

It was the moment when Lupin, reminiscing about the days he loved, blocked Caliostro’s sword, and Caliostro, who had turned into a blade behind him, revealed his face.

“There will be some changes.”

“I trust you to use it well, Norman.”

Norman smiled faintly and took a deep breath.

“This would make a great poster. What do you think?”

Nathan Evans, the art director, showed his palms, indicating that he had no objections.

Norman said he knew it and suggested it to Go-Hoon.

“I think I’ll regret it if I don’t use this, no matter what I choose. This is the poster for The Count of Caliostro.”

“Passion.”

“Passion. Nice.”

Norman chewed on the title and looked at Bang Tae-Ho. It was his turn to speak, as Go-Hoon’s manager.

Bang Tae-Ho, who had been watching the situation, stepped forward.

“We’ll have to talk about the contract again, since this is concept art. The director and Go-Hoon have agreed, so the only problem is the price.”

It was a matter of granting some usage rights, including reproduction and distribution.

It was hard to set a fair price, since it was not a trade of the original painting.

‘What should I do?’

Bang Tae-Ho, who had been gathering information from various sources to expand the business area of Chocolatier, had also looked into the poster production cost of Norman Studio.

It was between 40,000 and 50,000 dollars, but considering Go-Hoon’s status and Norman’s reaction, he thought they would accept even more.

“How about 400,000 dollars?”

Bang Tae-Ho raised the average price by ten times.

Norman Studio would also try to find a reasonable compromise, so he intended to raise the starting price as high as possible.

But Go-Hoon and Nathan Evans, who were listening, were shocked.

Even when trading the original work, 400,000 dollars was a huge amount that would make headlines.

Even though Go-Hoon had sold for a record-breaking price, it was hard to think of that amount as the price for transferring usage rights.

“Sounds good.”

Norman nodded.

Go-Hoon, Nathan Evans, and even Bang Tae-Ho, who had made the first offer, were surprised by Norman’s answer.

“The poster is the first face that people who haven’t seen the movie see. If I can use such a poster, I have to pay that much.”

“Ha. Haha.”

Bang Tae-Ho could only laugh awkwardly.

He didn’t know if he was generous or confident.

It was impossible unless he was sure that he made would definitely succeed.

“Then, now.”

“Wait.”

As Bang Tae-Ho was about to proceed with the contract, Henri Marso intervened.

“Is there a problem?”

Norman and Bang Tae-Ho looked at Henri Marso with curiosity, but he didn’t take his eyes off .

After a few seconds of setting the mood, Marceau finally opened his mouth.

“I’ll buy it.”

Everyone in Norman’s office was speechless.

“Again!”

At the end of the silence, Go-Hoon shouted.

“I told you I’m not selling it! You’re trying to take everything again!”

“I can sell the usage rights even if I buy it.”

“That’s not the problem, I’m not selling the painting anymore. I’m going to exhibit it.”

“I’ll exhibit it for you.”

“Why would you hang it in your gallery when I have mine?”

“You’re meddling and you don’t have much space. Give it to me.”

Henri Marso brought up the fact that Go-Hoon had allocated part of his gallery to the members of the Korean Artists Association and Chocolatier.

“You can hang it in turns, so stop making weird noises. Prepare the contract, Norman.”

“Let’s buy the work instead of the usage rights.”

Henri Marso requested as a producer, and Norman and Evans were embarrassed.

They were in a position where they couldn’t refuse or accept the producer’s request without hesitation.

They had enough to get some usage rights, so there was no reason to buy the work and increase the production cost.

“Go-Hoon doesn’t want to sell it, and why do you need to increase the production cost?”

Henri Marso didn’t answer.

He had no rational reason for offering his social status and money. He simply wanted to have .

“…Let’s forget it ever happened.”

I thought he would be stubborn again, but surprisingly, he backed off.

I was happily having dinner after signing a contract with Norman and Poster, when he showed up.

He was clearly sulking.

He glared at me constantly since he sat at the table.

I hated the awkward situation with Bang Tae-ho and Ma Eun-chan, and I felt like I would choke if I ate any more. I put down my fork and knife.

“Say what you want to say.”

He said nothing.

“Then eat quickly if you’re not selling.”

“Why.”

“I told you. I’m going to exhibit them. Isn’t that enough? How much more do you want to buy?”

“Don’t delude yourself. I’m not buying them all because they’re yours.”

“You bought most of the ones I sold.”

I sighed involuntarily. He didn’t seem to understand what I was saying.

“Don’t you get it? If you keep buying my paintings, I’ll become dependent on you. I’ll end up painting what you like without knowing it.”

“That won’t happen.”

“You never know with people. What if I run out of money? I’m human too, you know?”

Henry narrowed his eyes.

I didn’t know what he was thinking, but he clearly didn’t believe what I said. He had his own thoughts.

I was frustrated and wanted to scream, but I calmed myself down again.

He annoyed me with his words and actions, but he was obviously fond of me.

So was I.

“I’m grateful and happy that you like my paintings. But that doesn’t mean you can monopolize them.”

“I’d rather have them than let them go to someone else.”

“They’re not going to anyone else, okay?”

“Then I can have them, right?”

“I…”

Ma Eun-chan interrupted.

“You two are talking about the paintings, right? So what I mean is.”

I didn’t know what he was talking about. I was already irritated.

Henry and I ignored him, and Bang Tae-ho patted Ma Eun-chan’s shoulder and moved away.

I felt sorry for making the dinner uncomfortable, but it was better this way.

“I’m going to exhibit them.”

“What if they get stolen?”

“What?”

“Damage to the paintings is more common than you think. There are more crazy people. I’ll take care of them at my museum. Hand them over.”

“Ah. So you’re saying it’s unsafe to put them out there?”

“Yeah.”

I finally understood why he was so obsessed.

He didn’t know how to love because he had never been loved. He just wanted to cling and possess.

“That’s what they call overprotection. Do you think the people you hired are perfect and everyone else can’t do their job? That kind of thing can happen anywhere.”

“It won’t happen.”

“Then what about Michelle. What if she gets hurt while she’s out?”

“That’s why I put her in the Marso Gallery.”

“…”

I was speechless for a moment.

If he really gave Michelle the Marso Gallery for that reason, he was a crazy stalker who only appeared in Lee Hanna’s novels.

“What about me? How did I live if I hated selling my paintings to other people?”

“That’s why I made you Chocolatier.”

I felt goosebumps all over.

I had no idea how to deal with this madman.

Sabre. A fencing sword. It can stab and slash.