Gio sniffed the food from the night market.
“Do you have any questions?”
“No, you eat well.”
“Yes, that's right.”
Gio was a big eater.
“Aren't you full?”
“I usually eat a lot, so it's fine.”
“I think it's impressive.”
“If the food wasn't good, I would've stopped in moderation, but everything tasted delicious.”
“Well, it has to taste good for people to come.”
While that was a valid point, if all restaurants and food were delicious, no business would ever fail.
'Anyway, in 31 years, this tourist spot has become pretty solid. When I visited with our class children, wasn't it almost like walking through history? It was quite a task trying to cheer up the bored kids.'
Gio casually lifted the veil and chewed on rice cake coated with grain syrup, grilled over charcoal. This was the true Korean tanghulu.
'Gyeongbokgung Palace used to be just a typical cultural heritage... it had such a boring feeling.'
It was a place filled with many memories, but what made those memories wasn't the Gyeongbokgung Palace itself, but the communication with the students who wandered around trying to find their self-identity wearing hanbok.
'Seeing the tears coming up for no reason makes me wonder what happened to that idol trainee who used to say he must have been a king of Joseon in his past life. I'm curious if everyone is doing well.'
If it weren't for the students who faithfully stuck to their nonsense like true high schoolers who couldn't live with their right minds, Gio wouldn't have enjoyed Gyeongbokgung Palace so much.
The hanok was beautiful and old-fashioned, but there were few students who protested when they had to come here, especially in the summer.
'But today's Gyeongbokgung Palace has become more practical. There's definitely a lot more to enjoy.'
People wearing hanbok enjoyed role-playing, and they often swapped the lanterns they bought with others. Everyone looked happy.
If there was one thing to be curious about.
'What is that?'
He saw something transparent like a shadow, wandering around wearing a hanbok.
'It was like that at the fan shop too, and in the alleys of the Hanok Village... those similar things are wandering around.'
There could be exceptions, but all the ones Gio saw were wearing masks.
There was a group of shadowy figures resembling sadangpae1 on tightropes, swaying with lanterns attached to their backs, a bunch of children with daenggi hair hopping around among the people, and a group of civil officials going in and out of restricted areas inside the palace....
“...Mr. Yoo Sung-woon.”
“Yeah?”
“What do you call that?”
“What... ah.”
Yoo Sung-woon spoke as if it was something Gio should naturally know.
“They're fairy tales, living stories. It's probably your first time seeing them in a place like this, right?”
“They usually prefer places without people, so seeing them in such a bustling tourist spot is rare. Still, they are one of the proper children of the origin.”
This was something he had heard before.
“I suppose I am too.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
Yoo Sung-woon's expression was slightly awkward, even though he tried to hide it. It was probably because he thought of him as something other than human.
'Anyway, Mr. Yoo Sung-woon would understand that whether I'm human or not, I'm a harmless being who can't even kill an ant, so it doesn't matter whether I'm human or not.'
Fearing he might be dragged out of his portrait, Gio didn't bother correcting him and instead took in the view of Gyeongbokgung Palace again.
'Earth and humanity have become stronger.'
Certainly, he would be eliminated. Gio, who only knew how to eat, sleep, and draw, had no confidence that he could survive in this harsh world.
“How many people can see the beings of the origin?”
“Are you asking for a percentage of the human population? Well, not many.”
“I see.”
The more special you are, the more you tend to get stabbed. Gio once again vowed to dedicate his life in the portrait.
Sitting absentmindedly on the bench, Gio soon noticed a small commotion.
“I can hear the sound of fighting.”
“That's rare, in a tourist spot like this.”
Yoo Sung-woon, who had been leaning back in his chair, leaned forward.
“The guards will probably catch them soon, but....”
Sure enough, guards wearing a thick hanbok were grabbing the shouting man. A middle-aged man was making a scene, trying to charge at a rather handsome man dressed in a scholar's robe.
The scholar, who had probably been grabbed by the collar, was fixing his shirt with a troubled expression.
The young man clearly had a kind-looking face, but...
Let's create a picture frame to check the safety (0/1)
Reward: Seal
Gio had a hunch.
“Gio?”
A picture frame.
Gio raised his hands, forming a camera shape with his fingers, and brought them to his eyes.
Dang
Five stars.
'Very dangerous?'
It seemed like the guards had mistakenly grabbed the wrong person to take out.
Would you like to check the record?
Yes/No
Does he really need to do that?
1: Sadangpae: troupes of street performers that were formed vastly in 17~18th century Korea.