Contrasting Silence
Ryu liked to call Hongdae, ANNA LAND, though never to the woman’s face. She was the personification of Hongdae in some ways, more what its values were. Those values she would lecture about oh too easily. Free spirited, living your way, expressing as you see it, all of that was good and suited to a college town but there were things outside of Anna’s view of what the little neighborhood was that served a bigger picture.
Ryu wouldn’t fight her about the image of her precious Hongdae. No, there was no need to bring out those Annaisms. He was after all capitalizing off of that exact notion.
What brought the male to the region was neither the woman nor his businesses, even as they were spreading throughout, silently invading. He had just f e l t for it. Yet as he locked the parked Bentley, he had to wonder if it was his subconscious that sent him there, reminding that he hadn’t quite decided how to fulfill that ‘silent submersion’ theme of unveiling the new projects. Hongdae would be painted over in those three colors of the CJ brand, slowly. It couldn’t be rushed. Overnight six coffee shops and four beauty bars wouldn’t just appear. Nothing of such poor taste would ever be associated with that brand.
Yet there would still be an invasion. The millennial consumer would be seduced into a loyalty to the CJ brand, their every fickle desire would be sated and it would happen unnoticed, subtly lingering in the depths of their mind.
Even as Ryu’s vision lingered, multiple thoughts manifesting for consideration but none being quite right. It would continue for as long as he stayed in the region, in the back of his mind, reminding him there were deadlines, all waiting on his inspiration. His eyes washed over the site before him, knowing what the scaffolding hid, warning of those very same deadlines.
Then he turned, hooking his camel coat over his left arm, beginning his lazy stroll. The weather was surprisingly warm, a welcomed distraction from all the holiday commotion. His right hand slipped into the pocket of his jeans as he eased away from a couple, arms linked and moving fast, clearly unwilling to break for the man who, unlike them, had no where to be. Easing to the side, his eyes then ventured across the street, memory reminding him of an ally just up ahead. Jaywalking with long strides, he avoided slowly moving vehicles, coming to a halt to let off passengers.
Somewhere music was being played. A guitar and and distorted vocals, recreating an old song with such unique flavor Ryu hummed along. Even as his movement led him away from the source, he hummed. That leisurely stroll led him past two others, both walking at similar paces. At the sight of blended colors along a wall, he stopped then moved again, moving closer.
It was interesting. The creator’s vision of humanity was on clear display and Ryu couldn’t help but agree. The simplistic drawing of the human features while the objects they hid beneath were well detailed, it made Ryu smile as his eyes passed from portion to portion, mumbling thoughts aloud as they formed.
“Is that a disco ball? What do these kids know about disco?” “Uhm Jung Hwa?”
@chraeon















