Jinho finally separated from the black guy, who held onto Jinho’s hand to the end and shared his story.
Since Jinho was going to Central Park and the black guy planned to stay in the subway for a bit longer and play, the two’s farewell as decided.

‘… But somehow I even got his number.’

Jinho looked at the newly saved number and scratched his cheeks. The black musician, who introduced himself as Max, held a peace sign up to Jinho to the very moment they separated and called him brother. Like his looks, even his personality felt like a straightforward person.

‘Un, he didn’t seemed like a bad person.’

Good things are good.

Seeing the gradually appearing sky between the skysc.r.a.pers and the green park that followed, Jinho smiled.

From the people who came to exercise to businessmen who came to enjoy a short break, and even people who came out holding a camera.

The other side of Manhattan; Jinho enjoyed that part about the Central Park, the feeling unlike a city, yet surrounded by a city. To him who often went to forests and mountains, the park was a perfect place to recall the feelings from back then.

‘Then let’s sit around here…’

Jinho took out the sketchbook and a pencil and sat down without a concern.

Simply drawing the scenery of the Central Park or the people weren’t fun. No, beyond being fun to draw, it wouldn’t be anything new to anyone

‘Something that’s more unique to New York’s ambiance, and something only I can express… If I put something like that in the portfolio, the response will obviously be good. The thing that could make me stand out as international student will only be that… un?’

Jinho, who had been contemplating, picked up a melody in his ear.

Jinho turned to find the source of the sound, and saw a middle aged man between worned out equipments playing a piano. The face was hidden by a fedora and sungla.s.ses, but he had an atypical atmosphere about him.

And from the speaker connected to the piano, the sound of the piano gently echoed. That sight was as if one came to a forest’s concert.
At the seemingly ordinary performance that’s neither showy nor fast, Jinho felt a good resonance. That person was definitely someone with a great skill. Even though he didn’t know about pianos very much, Jinho could surely feel it.

‘It’s different from before.’

Jinho naturally closed his eyes and listened to the music.

If the image from the black musician’s guitar performance was that of fiercely expressing one’s color and individuality, Jinho drew a calm and refined image from the piano’s sound, of gentleness that draws people together.

An elderly man plays a piano in a forest, and animals gather to his side in pairs as if to listen to his music. Deer, fox, squirrel… a picture of various animals sitting next to the elderly man to become his audience.

Jinho looked at his picture and nodded.

‘Not bad.’
“Is that your drawing? It’s splendid. Is that person playing the piano in the picture perhaps me?”

Jinho quickly turned his head toward the voice behind his back. Behind him, the elderly man who was playing the piano just before bent his back and stared at Jinho’s sketch.
Jinho’s cheeks naturally turned red.

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t intend to draw secretly.”
“Huhu, it’s fine. I came outside and played because I wanted anyone to listen. Rather, I’m honored to be featured in someone’s picture. Thank you, for drawing me.”

And the elderly man smiled. Not too heavy, nor light, but an decent smile.

Looking up closer, his clothes were clean and striped navy suit and brown shoes, fitting more for a formal gentleman rather than a musician. The elderly man talked with Jinho and stared at the picture, and asked as he fixed his hat.

“I’m sorry but would it be alright if I look closer? My eyes have been getting bad. I’ll be even more thankful if I could hold it in my hands.”
“Yes, of course.”

At the elderly man’s request, Jinho pa.s.sed the sketchbook to him.

After staring at Jinho’s picture for a while, the elderly man carefully opened his mouth.

“Will you perhaps…”
“Yes?”

The elderly man turned his head toward Jinho, and with a serious expression, asked.

“Will you perhaps be willing to sell me this picture?”
“Sell the picture? This one?”

As Jinho asked in surprise, the elderly man nodded with his eyes still on the sketchbook. He must have really liked the picture. The elderly man who couldn’t seem to take his eyes off the picture continued to talk in a calm but hopeful voice.

“The thing is, there hasn’t been many occasions in my life where others drew me.”

“What does type and shape matter? Rather this rough mood…. I really like it. So, would you be willing to sell it to me?”

At the elderly man’s repeated question, Jinho scratched his head wearing a troubled expression.

Most of all, gathering pictures for putting in the portfolio came first. Isn’t that why he came out today?
Jinho tried to refuse once again, but seeing Jinho’s expression the elderly man brushed his beard and proposed a deal.

“Alright, then let’s do this. When you finish the picture, please sell it to me. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. If you ever think that you can finally sell the picture, call me whenever you want. It’ll be okay by then, right?”

At the man’s words, Jinho considered for a moment, and soon nodded.
Once he takes enough time to finish the artwork, put it into a portfolio and get accepted into a school, afterwards he could sell it whenever he want.

“If it’s that kind of condition, I like it.”
“Then it’s a deal. A verbal deal is still a deal, so please keep to it. Do you have a phone? Ah, as if there’s anyone without a phone in this day and age. I’ll give you my number so let me borrow it for a moment.”

The elderly man excitedly typed his phone number into Jinho’s phone.

Pressing the phone tightly into Jinho’s hands, the elderly man met Jinho’s eyes and emphasized once more.

“You promised me! Do please not forget it!”

Jinho who finished two sketches and came home sat in front of an easel.

Jinho organized his thoughts as he stared at the sketchbook for the last time. To match the ratio between the sketchbook and the canvas , he set the margins and redid the angle and the placement.
Since it more or less looked to be correctly aligned, he immediately got ready to paint.

“First, a coating with a gesso and…”

Jinho first dipped his brush in the diluted gesso and meticulously brushed it onto the canvas.

These days, good canvases already have gesso coated on, but the price was pricy, and Jinho prefered to personally do the work, since he always believed that drawing is devotion.
Once the preparation to draw the rough sketch onto the canvas was done, Jinho held a pencil and calmed his breath.

“Heat. The sketch of the two musicians must have the two’s burning pa.s.sion toward music as well. I have to express that as much as possible.

Jinho first began copying the sketch of the guitar playing musician.

The detailed expressions can be expressed once colors, rather than the pencil, goes in. Drawing the big picture first was more important.
Seeing the outlines more or less taking shape, Jinho nodded with a satisfied expression.

‘This much should be good.’

The brilliant musician playing his guitar within a subway, and the people sitting still and sleeping or watching their phone.

Jinho took one step away and after checking the overall balance of the sketch, smiled and muttered.

“Nice.”

The outline came out as wanted.

From now on was the real deal.

End