A Mansion in the Mountains, and Three Men. <Colorless Light>

Today, I would like to introduce a work

by McQueen Studio, famous for 'Secret Relationship',

titled <Colorless Light>.

Currently serialized on KakaoPage, 

this work depicts the relationship between

an ordinary, average man named Seojin, the colorful Juhwan,

and Sayun, a man whose heart is swayed by Seojin. 

A story depicting the precarious relationship between beautiful men.

Let's begin the review.

20XX, the first day of school after the semester begins at Hawon University.

Picking a song from his familiar, everyday playlist,

this man is the protagonist of our story, Kim Seojin.

With his ordinary appearance, thick horn-rimmed glasses, and a faint presence, Seojin

had to tell his name once again to a classmate

who came over to ask if he wanted to grab a bite during a free period.

They were friends he only managed to make because he attended the orientation,

but even so, they had to ask for Seojin's name several more times.

The two of them, who looked like childhood best friends joking around throughout the meal,

said they had first met in an open group chat for accepted students before admission.

The three of them ate and talked together, but

Seojin, who had no particular tastes or hobbies,

couldn't easily blend in.

With his only defining trait being a pair of wired earphones plugged into an MP3 player that is now a relic of the past,

Seojin deliberately chooses general education courses

that his major peers don't take, going about on his own.

Sitting among a crowd of unfamiliar faces in the general education class he chose,

feeling a strange sense of satisfaction, Seojin gets goosebumps

from a name called out during attendance.

"Oh Juhwan."

"Here-"

More precisely, it wasn't the name, but his voice.

Feeling a sudden chill from the unfamiliar deep voice,

that mysterious voice lingers in Seojin's mind for quite a while.

'I'm curious...'

Afraid he might be noticed, Seojin couldn't bring himself to look back,

so he suppresses his curiosity and thinks to himself.

'I should sit in the back row next week.'

After that, he tried to find the owner of the voice several times,

but Juhwan skipped class every time,

and Seojin would doodle, imagining him based on his voice.

'A slightly languid vibe.

 His eyes must be deep, and his hair might be long.'

Just then, a late student takes a seat behind Seojin, and the professor

asks for his name.

"The name of the student who just arrived..."

"It's Oh Juhwan."

At the sudden voice, Seojin blushes,

but in the end, he still couldn't turn his head to see his face that day.

The beginning of the semester, where cloudy days continued.

Seojin often recalled that deep voice engraved in his mind,

but he focused more on the upcoming exams,

burying his interest in him in a corner of his heart.

Midterm exams began along with the full bloom of spring weather.

While submitting his answer sheet at the general education midterm exam, 

Seojin discovers a familiar name,

'Oh Juhwan-'

Turning his head to look at the owner of the name without realizing it,

Seojin keeps staring at Juhwan's appearance,

which is the complete opposite of his own.

Until he turned around and walked out of the exam room.

After the midterms ended, other friends

started joining clubs, but Seojin still hadn't joined one.

Instead of club activities, Seojin starts a part-time job.

Seojin, who started working at a sandwich shop in front of the school,

encounters Juhwan at the shop and inwardly vows to make him

the most delicious sandwich ever.

After making him the best-tasting sandwich without pickles,

Seojin writes about the events of that day in his diary.

 

Since that day, having learned the face of the voice's owner,

Seojin always sits behind Juhwan during their general education classes.

Diagonally to the right, the perfect spot to steal a glance.

Seojin stares at Juhwan, completely mesmerized throughout the class.

Whenever he lost focus, his gaze would already be directed that way.

Even as he couldn't tear his eyes away, Seojin was curious.

Why he was so captivating.

It wasn't for a simple reason like him being handsome.

Because he had been curious about him even before seeing his face.

The class ends as he steals glances at Juhwan's back,

and Seojin, who was packing his bags to leave the classroom,

is startled out of his wits when Juhwan suddenly turns around.

"Hey-, haven't we met somewhere before?"

At Juhwan's sudden question, Seojin calmly replies.

"That... sandwich shop in front of the station."

A trivial conversation.

Juhwan briefly observes Seojin with his gaze,

and Seojin tries hard to act indifferent, but a red flush

spreads across his face.

Remembering the time they ran into each other once during a morning shift

where he was just covering for someone, Juhwan asks Seojin.

"Do you not work there anymore?

 I went back one more time, but it didn't taste good."

At Juhwan's question, Seojin is unable to hide

his momentarily excited heart.

"I work in the afternoons on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays! 

 I was just filling in that day."

"So you'll be there if I go in the afternoon?"

"Yeah."

After a brief, ordinary conversation.

Having made the perfect sandwich tailored to Juhwan's taste,

Seojin waited for him with subtle anticipation,

but Juhwan didn't show up for several weeks.

Then, on a Friday afternoon as the week was coming to an end.

Just as he was about to close up the shop, a customer walks in.

Spotting Juhwan entering right before closing time,

Seojin takes his final order.

The best-selling menu item at the shop, with the pickles removed.

Today as well, Seojin pours his heart and soul into

making a sandwich for Juhwan.

And mustering up his courage, he adds a word to Juhwan

as he is leaving the shop.

"...Um... thanks for coming.

 Goodbye."

At Seojin's words, his flush adding life to his face, Juhwan

lightly replies.

"I came because the one you made was delicious."

"Bye, Seojin."

Seojin is deeply moved by Juhwan, who remembered

his name after just one time, unlike others who had to ask multiple times,

and even said it perfectly without making a mistake.

The colorless and odorless Seojin begins to be

tinted in a rosy hue by the existence of Juhwan.

Although Seojin lacks hobbies, tastes, or a strong presence,

Juhwan soon becomes aware of Seojin's existence

due to his inability to hide his inner feelings well

when it comes to someone who captures his heart.

However, Juhwan's interest stops there.

Afterwards, Seojin, swayed by Juhwan, heads to a remote mansion in the mountains

for a part-time job he recommended.

There, Juhwan's uncle, Sayun, was living alone,

and as Sayun and Seojin spend their days together, they experience a change 

in their relationship.

And as Juhwan, who sent Seojin to the mansion, also comes to visit,

the three men undergo precarious emotional shifts.

Highly recommended for those who enjoyed 'Secret Relationship'.

This is <Colorless Light>, currently serialized on KakaoPage.