“It reminded me of Mung and me. If Mung were alive, I’d photograph him myself. But Mung is gone, and—poof—here’s exactly the subject I wanted, like a gift. I’m so glad Yeonwoo accepted!”
Eager not to let Yeonwoo change his mind, Photographer Park hurried to set a schedule.
“Is tomorrow okay? Or maybe the day after?”
They say to strike while the iron is hot, so the shoot was set for the very next day.
Taking pictures wasn’t complicated. The only annoyances: slightly hot lights and the loud shutters and strobe flashes.
[We won’t end up with a ghost photo, right?]
Dongja-ryeong (child spirit) worried, currently inhabiting the pigeon body. In the end, the result wasn’t bad.
[Ha. Imagine, me doing a shoot—me being a model! If I’d been born at the right time, I’d have been huge!]
But it was just a pigeon, after all.
“See? My eye for talent is spot-on! What chemistry you two have!”
Throughout the shoot, Park kept telling Yeonwoo to demonstrate “connection” with the pigeon.
Connection wasn’t difficult. Why wouldn’t it be easy if the bird was inhabited by a ghost that could literally hear the photographer’s demands and pose accordingly? Of course the photos would come out great.
“Yeonwoo, are you sure this is your first time? You’re so natural! You’re not afraid of the camera at all; your line of sight is so poised—far from how a regular newbie acts. You’re better than some actual rookies, man.” Park marveled.
It’s nothing special, Yeonwoo thought. He’d spent 20-plus years pretending not to see things he shouldn’t see—of course he’d perfected controlling his gaze.
“So how do you feel? Pretty good, right?”
Kwon Sunghyun asked, who’d been watching.
“Not as big a deal as I expected.”
“Park said you’re better than new professionals—that’s not a small compliment.”
“He’s just being polite.”
“Mm, Park-ssaem isn’t the type to give empty praise… If he said it, he meant it.”
[Hey, star! How did I do?]
Flap! Proudly perched on Yeonwoo’s shoulder, the pigeon spirit soared over to Kwon Sunghyun.
“Of course, Dongja-ssi, you did great, too.”
[Really? I did well?!]
“If anything, you probably amazed Park. He’s never seen such a graceful pigeon, I guarantee.”
[You do have an eye, star! I worked hard picking this body!]
As if it were perfectly natural, Kwon Sunghyun had come along with Yeonwoo, apparently reasoning as follows:
–Yeonwoo-ssi, you might not realize, but entertainers need managers. You never know what might happen.
Before coming here, Kwon Sunghyun had mentioned it in a serious tone, oblivious to his real manager’s baffled expression.
–Anyway, that’s why I’m going with you.
–Huh?
–It’s your first shoot, so obviously I should go.
When the real manager (with the official title) pointed out that Kwon Sunghyun’s presence might crowd or disrupt the set, Kwon Sunghyun just insisted:
–You? Why would you go?
–What are you talking about? Didn’t you say a manager’s necessary? I actually have manager experience, so I’m the obvious choice.
–Well… if we worry about the fuss… But it’s a private shoot with Park-ssaem alone, no big staff. So no chaos.
–If the photographer goes too far, it’s better if I’m there to stop him. You can’t, because Park hates you.
–…Ugh, that’s true. I don’t get why he hates me, but okay, guess it’s better if you go…
So that’s how Kwon Sunghyun ended up tagging along.
Well, it’s handy to know someone here…
Right then, Park called out:
“Yeonwoo, want to come check the shots?”
Yeonwoo approached, and Park—looking excited—swiveled the monitor.
“They’re great. Everything turned out awesome. I barely have to pick and choose—no duds. Every shot is amazing!”
“They all look about the same to me.”
“No way. See here, the exposure is slightly high; here, the contrast is bolder; here, the angle is off by a hair; and the gaze here is more intense—look at a close-up.”
Park magnified the photo on-screen.
“Tiny nuances can make or break the final shot. But this time, none are fails—each one is fabulous.”
He was scrolling through the pictures, thoroughly enamored.
“That’s cool, right? Park’s pretty talented,” said Kwon Sunghyun.
“Yeah… maybe more than I expected.”
“‘Maybe?’”
“It’s kinda… interesting.”
Indeed, it was interesting. Compared to the negative image Yeonwoo had of “entertainers,” the vibe felt closer to art than some clownish performance.
Simultaneously:
–Ding!
A familiar chime rang in Yeonwoo’s mind.
[You have successfully harvested lifespan.]
[Harvested Lifespan: 15 days]
–Ding!
[Measuring the request’s completion…]
[You have perfectly fulfilled your client’s request!]
[Congratulations! By perfectly fulfilling the request, you have earned an additional ability.]
[Reward: Frame Composition [A]]
Yes! Yeonwoo beamed at the system notification. Time to see what that is.
It was the first time he’d acquired an additional ability. With a light tap on the glowing window, new info popped up:
[Frame Composition [A]]
–Basic skill for constructing a photograph’s layout. Enables you to precisely place and utilize elements for the best possible final result.
- If you hold the camera: This ability automatically sets the best composition and environment for the chosen subject, bringing out its potential.
- If you are the subject: You fully grasp the photographer’s intent and adapt the surroundings for an optimal outcome.
“Huh…?” Yeonwoo’s eyes widened. This is better than I expected.
It’s a single skill but works in two ways.
As a shooter or as the subject, the application changed. What a cheat-like ability.
If it let him replicate the shock and impact of Park’s photography, that would be huge. And in the entertainment world, where reputation and image are crucial, it was even more valuable.
I took it without really knowing, but it’s pretty overpowered.
It was too good to waste. So that left only one logical option—use it. No sense shelving a skill like that.
Between two evils, pick the lesser.
Yeonwoo had always felt if forced to choose between being a shaman or an entertainer, at least an entertainer was a lesser evil.
He’d never imagined he’d slip into it this way. But the scales were tipping.
While part of him was excited about the “Frame Composition” ability, something else grabbed his attention as well:
Park had rented a well-known studio for this project. At first glance, it was just a large space with photography equipment. But to Yeonwoo’s eyes:
[Oooooh…]
[Uuuh…]
He’d almost forgotten: The entertainment business inevitably gathers intense desires, attracting all sorts of wandering ghosts, especially if powerful, ambitious folks congregate there.
“No wonder Mom insisted showbiz was similar to being a shaman.”
Yes, the place was thick with restless spirits, each trailing short lifespans. Though each might only have a few days of harvestable lifespan, collectively it added up. It was basically a mother lode.
Guess I have no choice.
It was like putting a funnel to his mouth and pouring in free resources. He could only smile.
“Park-nim, mind if I wander around a bit?”
“Huh? Sure. You’re done with your part anyway. Got curious? Not so bad, right?”
“Yeah, kind of. By the way, can I try one of your cameras?”
“Oh? Did you have an interest in photography too? You can use one of my backups from that bag, but be careful—it’s expensive. Also, don’t take it outside. We have an acting school and practice rooms upstairs and down, so carrying a camera around might cause issues.”
So there’s an acting school and practice studios here. That explains all the ghosts.
All the better for me.
No wonder there are so many spirits.
He roamed the building interior with the camera, ignoring everything else.
–Click! Click! Click!
[You have successfully harvested lifespan…]
[You have successfully harvested…]
[You have successfully…]
Each time Yeonwoo strolled by another patch of haunted ground and snapped the shutter, lifespan racked up. Flashes popped with each shot, matched by notifications flitting across Yeonwoo’s view.
They’re giving me so much, I’d be rude not to accept.
These ghosts all yearned to be famous, a nebulous wish he could easily grant by letting them pose solo in front of the camera’s flash.
[Ahh… Finally, I get my profile shot…]
[I always wanted to stand on a photo wall…]
[I fantasized about staying stone-faced under the barrage of flashes—finally…]
It was easy. True, their lifespans were mere scraps of a few days each, but collectively, it was big.
“What the—? You took a lot of photos, didn’t you? May I see?”
As soon as he switched off the camera, Park took it eagerly.
“…Wait, are you actually experienced?
He scrolled through the shots, looking astonished.
“It’s my first time shooting.”
“But you got these results? Wow… you know how to handle lighting. And the composition is so fresh. This place looks completely different in these shots.”
Park marveled, scanning each photo.
“If you’d placed someone in the center, it’d be a perfect shot.”
There was a “person,” but that person was deceased.
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