Return of the Genius Photographer

The long rainy season had ended.

On the day when the clear sky showed its face for the first time in a while, Woojin went outside for a photoshoot.

It was July, and the air outside was full of humidity and heat. Yet, his steps felt remarkably light.

Perhaps it was because he had been resting comfortably lately, or maybe he was still lingering in the afterglow of the awards ceremony.

His condition was very good.

On a day like this, it felt like any photo would turn out great.

And today was the day of the shoot at the 3rd Street Market.

―Click!

“Good.”

At Woojin’s signal, the fitting model changed poses.

The model moved naturally to show off the clothes, and the figure sparkled like a light within the camera.

―Click!

―Click!

―Click!

The shutter clicked rapidly, following the model’s movements.

Despite the fast tempo of the shoot, the photos were captured on the monitor without the slightest blur.

“Woojin’s shoot is amazing as always,” Minjung, who was observing Woojin’s shoot from the side, said in awe.

Photographers are human too. No matter how physically fit they are, there comes a moment when concentration wanes after taking numerous photos. When that happens, the quality of the photos naturally drops.

However, even though the shoot had lasted several hours, none of Woojin’s photos seemed lacking.

Minjung had seen Woojin’s photoshoots multiple times but was impressed every time.

“How are the photos?” Woojin asked.

“What can I say? It’s always harder to choose which ones to post after the shoot than to take them.”

“Haha, you flatter me,” Woojin said, turning his head shyly at Minjung’s compliment.

Seeing him like that, Minjung thought he looked just like a high school student.

But as soon as he picked up the camera, Woojin’s demeanor changed, and she found it hard to understand him.

“We’ll wrap up the B outfit shoot here and start with the C outfit. Please change into the C outfit,” Minjung instructed the model, satisfied with the photos Woojin had just taken.

‘At this pace, we might finish the shoot a bit early today.’

Today’s shoot was for new outfits for discounted products, so there weren’t as many items to photograph compared to new releases or seasonal outfits.

Additionally, Woojin’s shooting flow was very fast, so they might finish early for a change.

Minjung, who had been too busy to rest properly lately, felt happy at the thought of finishing early.

“Alright, let’s start the shoot again.”

The model, who had changed clothes by then, began posing naturally again. With Woojin’s signal, the shoot continued smoothly.

―Click!

―Click!

―Click!

By the time the cheerful shutter sounds lifted Minjung’s spirits, the shoot had ended much earlier than she had expected.

*

“Woojin, we finished earlier than expected. Would you like to have lunch together?” Minjung asked me as the shoot ended.

It was close to lunchtime when I checked the clock, but I declined.

“I’m sorry, I already have plans today.”

Today was the day I was supposed to visit photographer Jung Woong’s studio, and I wanted to get there as soon as possible.

“Oh… Could it be a girlfriend?” Minjung asked, her curiosity piqued by my firm response, her eyes half-closed in a questioning manner.

“No, I’m meeting with a photographer.”

“Oh, well, I guess it makes sense. You don’t seem to have any interest in anything other than photography. I was just wondering, but as expected,” Minjung nodded in understanding once I explained in detail.

But… I felt strange. What kind of image did Minjung have of me to make such a remark?

I wanted to ask something in return, feeling a bit miffed.

“Where is your meeting place? There’s still plenty of time, so I’ll give you a ride.”

“Cheongdam-dong, is that okay?”

“That’s nearby. I’ll go down first, so pack your things and come to the parking lot.”

I decided to put aside my uneasy feelings at Minjung’s kind offer to give me a ride to my meeting place.

The drive from Yongsan to Cheongdam-dong was less than an hour.

Minjung’s car smoothly navigated the quiet weekend morning roads.

“I was hoping to catch up since I finally have some free time. It’s a shame,” Minjung said, sounding genuinely disappointed that we couldn’t have a meal together.

“There’s always next time.”

“You never know when we’ll have time again,” she sighed slightly.

If I had to choose the most significant change in the three months since I returned, it would undoubtedly be this 3rd Street Market.

Initially, when the office had just opened, it was chaotic.

Now, it was so tidy that I could hardly remember how it looked before.

Moreover, the shopping mall had completely captured the hearts of its primary customers, young women, leading to a significant increase in sales.

Minjung must have been incredibly busy due to that.

The growth of the 3rd Street Market was that rapid.

“Still, I’m glad the business is doing well,” I continued, trying to console Minjung after sensing some sympathy in her sigh. “It’s come a long way since the beginning. I’m sure things will get easier for you soon.”

“Thank you, that’s encouraging,” Minjung smiled slightly at my words. “A lot of it is thanks to you, Woojin.”

Then she began to praise me instead.

“You may not realize it, but your photos are getting great responses on our site. Thanks to that, our banner ads are also very effective.”

“Please don’t think of it that way. It’s just my job.”

“No, if it weren’t for your photos, our mall wouldn’t have been any different from others. It’s thanks to you that the mall has grown so quickly.”

I didn’t know how to respond to such praise from right beside me.

“You’re like a benefactor to our shopping mall, Woojin. If you ever need help, just let me know. I’ll do whatever I can to assist you.”

Minjung turned her gaze away, perhaps feeling embarrassed. Her words were filled with genuine goodwill.

I wondered if anyone had ever called me a benefactor in my previous life, but couldn’t think of anyone.

I was just doing my job, yet she was so grateful…

I felt a mix of embarrassment and pride.

Though there was an awkward silence in the car, I didn’t know what to say.

“Oh, we’re here. This is Cheongdam-dong. Where should I drop you off?”

Fortunately, we arrived at the destination just in time.

“Please let me off here,” I pointed to a spot, and Minjung’s car stopped immediately.

“Thank you. I’ll see you next time,” I said, bowing to Minjung.

As I stepped out, Minjung suddenly remembered something and called out to me.

“Oh, by the way, do you know VOTUS magazine? They contacted us yesterday.”

“What?”

“They said they want to recruit you and asked for your contact information. You’ll probably hear from them soon. I meant to tell you earlier but forgot,” she said before waving goodbye and driving off.

‘VOTUS? Editor Suncheol should have my contact info. Why are they going through such a complicated process?’

Minjung’s words were puzzling, but I didn’t dwell on them. It wasn’t the most important thing right now, and I would get more details when they contacted me.

With that unexpected bit of good news, I started walking towards Jung Woong’s studio.

* * * * *

Jung Woong’s studio, located in Cheongdam-dong, looked quite sophisticated and exuded a sense of luxury.

It was the kind of place many photographers would envy.

‘How rich must he be to use an entire building as his studio?’

I briefly thought I should have become his disciple, but quickly shook off the thought.

‘I’ll succeed even more than this…’ I renewed my determination, reminding myself of my goals.

After a moment of observing the building, I stepped inside with resolve.

Inside Jung Woong’s studio, there was a spacious lobby and a reception desk.

The first floor seemed to be for visitors, with chairs set up like small rest areas.

“Welcome. How can I help you?” The receptionist greeted me as I approached the desk.

“Hello, my name is Nam Woojin. I have an appointment with photographer Jung Woong today.”

I had scheduled the appointment in advance using the contact information I received at the exhibition.

I was confident there wouldn’t be any issues.

However, the staff member checked the schedule and started shaking her head in confusion.

“Are you sure it’s today? There’s no meeting scheduled with photographer Jung Woong.”

“What?” I was taken aback by the unexpected response.

The staff member continued searching the computer, looking perplexed.

“Could you tell me what the appointment is about?”

“It’s about a partnership contract with photographer Jung Woong.”

“A partnership contract? If it’s a contract, it should be handled by his agency…”

The receptionist, who had been smiling kindly, now looked at me with suspicion.

Something felt off about this situation.

“Sir, may I see some ID, if you don’t mind?”

“Uh… would a student ID work?”

“What?”

The receptionist’s eyes widened at my response.

“Are you a college student by any chance?”

“No, I’m a high school student.”

“…”

The receptionist seemed at a loss for words.

It was understandable; a high school student showing up out of nowhere claiming to have a contract with Jung Woong must have seemed preposterous.

Even I could see how absurd it would appear from her perspective.

But this was indeed happening. I hadn’t expected to need to prove my identity here, and I didn’t have a national ID card yet.

I’d always managed with my student ID and never felt the need to get one.

I kept putting it off out of laziness, never thinking it would lead to such an awkward situation.

Had I somehow mixed up the contact information?

While I was trying to figure out what went wrong, a familiar voice cut through my thoughts.

“Oh dear, it seems I forgot to inform you. This student is indeed my guest.”

“Photographer Jung Woong!”

Right on cue, Jung Woong appeared on the first floor. He approached me with a cheerful smile.

“Have you been waiting long? I thought I’d come down to meet you, but it seems I was a bit late.”

“Not at all. You arrived just in time to save me from a tough spot.”

“Is that so?” Jung Woong muttered softly. He looked at my face as if studying my expression, then broke into a laugh.

“Hahaha, so you do get flustered.”

“What?”

“Nothing. My studio is on the third floor. Follow me.”

With that, he turned and led the way.

‘What was that? Was I being tested?’

I wondered if photographer Jung Woong had deliberately observed the situation.

However, his steps were too quick for me to continue my thoughts.

I quickly followed the photographer who was about to disappear.

It was the beginning of the unfinished story from the exhibition hall.