Chapter 5.1 - Bidder (1)
“It’s true that the more money you have, the better you can get. But that’s not everything.”Marisa said as she sat down. Luca Orsini was tense. The paddle marked with the number 47 was too heavy for a child.“Do I just lift this?”“No. Never just lift it.”Marisa, who couldn’t stand not being the center of attention, smiled with her dress like snake scales, dark red lips, and black opera gloves.“Did you see that at the preview exhibition?”“Yes.”“Was it beautiful? Did you really want it?”“Yes. Very much.”“Yes, that observation is the most important. It’s about accurately assessing how valuable something is.”“Auntie, I looked at it carefully. Really.”Marisa laughed softly. Other bidders glanced at her and the neatly dressed Luca alternately. Marisa would shout as she pleased, “She’s my daughter,” or “He’s my nephew, a cute little gentleman.”Receiving attention was nothing new in Luca Orsini’s life.However, back then, the excessive attention he received when hanging out with his somewhat eccentric aunt was just embarrassing.“Then now, you need to know how much you really want it, the size of your heart.”“And then?”“At the exact right moment, you should use this and this properly. Ah, and here too.”Marisa pointed Luca’s chest, temples, and hands in turn with her index finger.At that time, Luca’s height barely reached half of Marisa’s. People adored the child of Orsini, who Marisa—shining terribly—had taken under her wing. It was the age when Luca learned numbers and money was just paper with numbers on it.“Luca, on a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you want that thing you saw?”“10. 10.”In his heart, he wanted to bid a hundred or two hundred. But such innocence and brute force were not allowed to the child of Orsini. Even a birthday child was no exception.Luca dangled his legs, and Marisa asked again.“Then, from 1 to 10, how much will you pay to get it?”“10!”The desire to have it and the exact amount of money to pay were the same. The world of young Luca was made up of such perfect and neat equivalences. But Marisa shook her head.“Luca. You will pay only 5.”“No, no. You must pay 10.”“You will pay only 3.”His young, not fully grown mind couldn’t understand. He was angry at what he couldn’t understand.“If you want it for 10, you must pay 10.”“No. The more valuable something is, the more you call 3 or 5 for it. You must not reveal your interest. Otherwise, you lose.”“I don’t understand.”“It’s a winning rule. You don’t need to understand it now.”Even young Luca could see that his aunt built walls between herself and rules. But it wasn’t just any rule; it was a winning rule. Since she said there was no need to understand it right away, Luca could only nod.“Luca, start at 3. You can show up to 5. If someone else wants the same thing as you, pay up to 8. There will be times when you have to pay 10 for something truly precious, but Luca, remember, nothing is that important. We don’t live like that.”“Why?”“Because we are Orsini. Better things will keep appearing in front of us.”“But what if I really want it?”“Don’t want it. That desire is fleeting, but the price you pay will continue.”It was a strange arithmetic. But Luca didn’t argue anymore.The hall filled up, and the auction began. Paddles went up here and there. A subtle tension that even a child could feel permeated the room.“The kaleidoscope from the 19th century is sold to the young gentleman with paddle number 47.”And then, the cheerful sound of the hammer.The first successful bid.Although he didn’t know exactly how much it was, he still remembered resisting the urge to lift the paddle repeatedly and only lifting it at the very last moment.“You bought it a bit expensively. It means you need to pay more than 8. But since it was your first time and it was an auction, it can’t be helped. Not bad.”Marisa laughed as she ruffled Luca’s hair. It was also her who stopped him when he tried to pick up the kaleidoscope.“You should give it to me, Luca.”“Sorry?”“I paid for it, so it’s mine.”“Isn’t this my birthday present?”“I already gave you your birthday present.”“No, you didn’t. Only you, Auntie.”“I gifted you the wisdom of life, didn’t I?”Young Luca couldn’t understand anything. It was natural since he had nothing in his hands. Tears welled up, and only then did Marisa meet his eyes.“Never pay the same price as your desire. Always hide your desire and pay the minimum. That’s my birthday gift to you.”Yes, she was an eccentric person, even when I think back on it.She tried to make a few words suffice as a birthday present to a child who understood nothing. Maybe she was angry because she had to spend more money than she expected.“I’ll give it to you as a gift later when you reach my age. The contract is complete when you sign your name here.”How old was she back then?Anyway, Auntie is dead. Although she took his signature, that was all. The kaleidoscope was always in Marisa’s studio, where Luca could access it anytime, but officially, it was always Marisa’s possession.The object itself wasn’t that important after all.Marisa was right. The desire to own something soon disappeared. It felt good to see the kaleidoscope displayed in the studio, but that was all.Yes, desire was just an emotion. As soon as it was satisfied, it deflated like a bubble.What was always important was the process of fulfilling the desire.For example, the thrill felt during the first auction.How happy he had been. He identified the exact value, won, paid less than the value, and obtained the item. The whole process was nauseatingly delightful.He became an auctioneer because of the desire to participate directly. Although now the thrill came when the auction items were sold for the highest price possible.‘But why.’He couldn’t understand why the memories of Marisa came up whenever he looked at Dojin, whose eyes were red from drinking.“It’s equally annoying here. Do you know you have a personality problem?”A round face, round lips, round eyes.He had a neat appearance, but mostly everything about his face was round. There was a mysterious mole under his cheek as if ink had splattered.If assessed, he had a nice appearance, but not stunningly handsome. Just a face that was really hard to forget.‘With that face, whatever he says wouldn’t sound serious.’If he noticed these thoughts, he would surely grumble. Luca lifted his glass to suppress a smile.“I only answered honestly because you were so curious. If it was annoying, I’m sorry, but it was Dojin who asked first.”What kind of reaction would he have?He would open his mouth. His eyes would wander, then he would sigh or glare. Then he would say something ridiculous or strange. He wasn’t hard to predict, but sometimes he would surprise with unexpected responses.“Excuse me, Mr. Orsini.”“Yes, Dojin.”“Whether it’s annoying doesn’t matter. You can continue to be annoyed, but now that you’ve said we’re a team, you should at least pretend to respect me.”It doesn’t matter if it’s annoying, sure, such a strange remark.Don’t be annoyed—rather than such forcefulness, it was strangely realistic. Clear recognition of uncontrollable parts and realistic response from there. It didn’t match with his round cheeks as if sucking on candy, which made it even more impressive.“I’ve always thought I respected Dojin. For example, how?”“When I ask something, please answer.”“Haven’t I answered?”“No. If it was a bothersome question, you always covered it up with another question. If you don’t want to answer, at least say so.”That was the legacy of the Orsini family.They never gave a direct answer, twisted words to buy time to think. They didn’t directly say they didn’t want to answer. It was always the other party who had to interpret their language.‘So what?’This accustomed way of speaking had never been pointed out by anyone.After all, who would criticize the Orsini family’s old habits?“I’ll ask you one thing, too. Why is it Gun Kim?”“Because I dislike him.”“Why?”“Wouldn’t you dislike someone if various things happened?”What kind of things? I didn’t ask further, but I was a bit curious.Gun Kim wasn’t a writer who would last long, so it wasn’t a difficult request. It was just surprising that someone who trembled over ethics and fraud would make such an unseemly demand.“Hey, by the way, Mr. Orsini. You didn’t answer again. I asked you not to cover it up with another question.”“I’ll think about it.”If it’s really that necessary.“What’s there to think about, for something like that?”The response was still cute. He didn’t even realize that his complaint was about a habit that had been ingrained in the Orsini family for ages.Yes, it was interesting how he spoke so boldly with that round face, not knowing anything.‘That interest was annoying.’It was true that I wanted to remove Dojin from this matter because he was annoying. Despite appearing diligent and calm, Dojin’s actions had a radical side.To secure <Water Play>, I had to eliminate uncontrollable variables as much as possible. The presence of Dojin, who buzzed around, was too high a variable.‘You have to admit what you have to admit.’Luca was annoyed that things didn’t go as planned.When Dojin caused that cute commotion, threatening to burn the hidden canvas piece, I had to completely revise the plan. The effort of sending modern works that didn’t match the era to Rome was all in vain.‘But it wasn’t bad.’That was the surprising part.Even though things didn’t go as planned, Luca wasn’t displeased. It was interesting. It was a peculiar point.‘Is it impulse?’Yes, Luca had to admit again. That restorer made him feel an impulse that was clearly detrimental to the plan. It was amusing how he would spring in strange directions when pressed. Even his real expressions, which he tried to hide but couldn’t, were interesting.Well, it didn’t matter now anyway.If Dojin couldn’t be removed from this process, he would have his own use beyond restoration. I just had to wait for that use. Luca Orsini knew that such waiting was also part of the enjoyment.The man in front of him lifted his wine glass as if he didn’t care about such thoughts.“Hey, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but isn’t there any sweeter drink?”“How about just drinking wine?”“This wine doesn’t taste good either.”Despite complaining, he accepted the white wine well.He didn’t look particularly sensual, but Luca felt an urge to bite his round lips wet with wine. Luca frowned at the absurd desire.‘Because of that kiss?’It was nonsense.He couldn’t have been conscious of a mere kiss until now. Not someone like him.In the first place, wasn’t it just a playful prank disguised as a light cheek kiss?If a kiss made someone conscious, what about all the previous partners?Why only that restorer?“Then I’ll be going now.”Why did that staggering drunkard bother him?He was someone who caught his eye from the beginning. He was always darting around like a flying squirrel at crowded parties.“Is he a messenger?”“Maybe he’s delivering a love letter.”“Cute.”He didn’t even know people were talking about him, busy running around as if avoiding the central stage would avoid attention. In a place with a clear concept, even looking at a phone was conspicuous.In many ways, he was a thunderbolt naked in the rain, knowing nothing about the rules here.“Who is he really?”“He’s not one of us.”“Isn’t he the one brought by that French guy?”“Could be the one brought by that Chinese woman who comes every year.”“He could be our Cupid, you know?”As the ‘messenger’ entered and exited the same hall three times, the murmurs grew louder.Luca watched him while dancing a slow waltz.Even with masks on, the faces were familiar. Even those from other countries were the same people who came every year. Such a completely new person brought life to the hall.He seemed nimble, dodging people in costumes that made their bodies bulky. The messenger had ruffled his hair wildly by the third time he entered the same hall.His movements were so expressive that it seemed like you could see his expression behind the mask.“Ah!”“Sorry.”Luca only took his eyes off the messenger after stepping on the foot of the woman he was dancing with.The messenger’s neck, which had tilted slightly, strangely lingered in his mind. The woman leaned closer.“Shall we go upstairs together?”“Unfortunately, I’m not in the mood for that today.”“How unlucky.”Saying so, the woman tapped Luca’s shoulder with her fan. The party was full of men with red eyes, so there were plenty of other candidates besides Luca. The woman grabbed her skirt and bowed. She was as elegant as a butterfly leaving to find another flower.‘It’s hot.’Even without a ridiculous wig, the layered outfit wasn’t comfortable.Luca gently refused the hands trying to hold him and stepped into the corridor. The clean, cool air felt refreshing.He was fed up.Around carnival time, private party invitations always came. He had been in London, so he could naturally refuse.But now, to start his business, he had to show his face at various events frequently and diligently. He didn’t know the randomly chosen party would be one that unusually operated the ‘upstairs’ as well.“Damn Claudio, that bastard. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have to come to Venice and play this clown game.” Luca cursed his cousin briefly and turned his body.He had seen enough people and danced a couple of times, so it was time to go back and rest.“Can I just go up?”A voice with an unfamiliar Italian accent was heard.It was that strange messenger. His statue-like stillness, lost in thought, was out of place. Especially in front of the stairs leading to the ‘upstairs.’‘What is this?’Standing in front of those stairs was usually a blatant act of seduction. The problem was that those who wanted to go up had already gone.The messenger looked at the stairs and his phone alternately, like a lost child.“Are you going up?”The question was impulsive.Earlier, he genuinely wasn’t in the mood for that.The messenger looked at Luca, shoulders hunched. He was taller than he seemed. His black eyes sparkled behind the mask. Black cape and Columbina mask. Round, cute head.“Yes.”The unexpected answer came back. He was a man with a strange accent, like a navigation system. Maybe it was the accent that aroused him. He wondered what he would sound like when moaning.Luca wasn’t particularly picky, but he preferred women. Yet he looked at him again.“With whom? Do you have someone to go up with?”He seemed to be waiting for someone. It would be a bit disappointing if he refused for that reason. The messenger rubbed his white neck.“By myself.”“How about going up with me?”“Oh, well, yes, sure.”The answer was overly agreeable, even though he wasn’t looking properly.‘What is this?’Luca wasn’t used to rejection. Such acceptance was always expected. Yet the plain answer, without any shyness or desire, felt off.Even when he tried to seduce him with a few words, the answers were dry.“Yes. If you know, don’t do it again.”“Well… Are you curious about me?”“I know too. My face.”No, his round lips puffed up, and he was so cold that it felt like a chill wind was blowing.To be honest, Luca had never seen anyone so defensive against his seduction.‘What is this?’He seduced subtly and blatantly. Even when he showed his face, the messenger was indifferent. He brushed off the seduction so cleanly that it seemed cute, making Luca wonder if this was a new way of seduction.‘Does he not need an atmosphere? Does he like it rough?’Some people preferred it clean without interaction. That round-headed messenger might be that type, though it didn’t seem to fit.“Oh, no, no. Are you crazy? No. Why would I, no, no.”It was unexpected for Luca that he chose such a room first when going upstairs. Seeing his face turn pale under the mask, Luca finally understood the situation.‘No matter how little he knew, he really… knew nothing.’Upstairs, seduction, a night—all of it.He must have been surprised. Luca understood. That didn’t mean he wasn’t annoyed by the rude escape.‘What is he doing?’The sight of the pale messenger running away was absurd. His flustered state was amusing. Luca had saved him from falling down the stairs, hoping for at least a conversation, a name, or a calm chat.But no.‘Smiling while hitting the back of the head?’Finding the house key, clearly belonging to the messenger, on the stairs made Luca feel a bit delighted. There were ordinary choices like handing it to the host or pretending not to see it. But Luca picked up the key.‘What on earth is that…?’After following him, he screamed in the middle of the night, dangled his legs over the canal, claiming to wait for a vaporetto in a nonsensical place. The messenger was acting like a typical drunkard.He seemed fine just a moment ago.‘He doesn’t even take off his mask.’Even in that state of drunkenness, he must have felt suffocated, but when he saw Luca, the messenger even tightened his mask, as if he were a spy who must never reveal his face.It was quite a shame. His voice, husky with drunkenness, started to sound sexy even in that monotone accent.“Then why are you here with me?”Indeed. The drunkard’s question was bewildering. Luca didn’t know the reason either.Like other Venetians, Luca despised tourist drunkards causing trouble in his town. He certainly didn’t want to associate with them.“Are you from here?”The messenger kept positioning himself as an exception. Waving his calloused hands around wasn’t unpleasant to watch. Even in the deep night, his white hands and the small scars on them were clearly visible.‘Does he work with his hands?’Though he hadn’t seen his entire face, his appearance gave a gentle impression. It was around this time that he wondered what he did with those hands.“Do you know what it feels like for a city to dislike you?”The messenger said something like that. It somehow felt pitiful. With a brisk, navigation-like voice, he revealed his most vulnerable part too easily.‘He has no sense of caution.’If he talks so carelessly, how does he know what I might do with that information?Luca felt complicated. Not knowing how he was being perceived, the messenger chattered away. Luca watched him dangle his legs. It made him feel queasy.He wanted to somehow shut those round lips with a kiss—That’s how he felt at that moment.Chasing after someone who had already fled from his suggestion to go ‘upstairs,’ he was surprised at his own belated feelings. It wasn’t because he disliked the monotonous tone.Otherwise, Luca might have answered.He understood.The feeling of a space, a city pushing you away, he wasn’t unfamiliar with it.Leaving was somewhat strategic. Luca somehow couldn’t bear to see him. It was absurd.“Aren’t you going to say goodbye?”At the last moment, urging a farewell wasn’t entirely pure in intention. The kiss, like a mistake, wasn’t either.Who said that a deliberate mistake is almost the same as a lie?“No… Ah, no.”Even his face, flushed with embarrassment, was amusing. If the vaporetto hadn’t arrived earlier than expected, it could have been more fun.Something more intimate than just a kiss might have started, or at least…‘Tearing off that damn mask.’He hadn’t even seen his face properly, yet he saw that fleeing back several times in one day. The lips he briefly touched were soft. They tasted like sweet syrupy wine.‘Where can I find him again?’Come to think of it, he didn’t even know his name.Luca stared at the departing vaporetto for a long time. If he were a tourist, it might be difficult, but finding an Asian who came to live here shouldn’t be too hard.He thought of the long list of people who could help him. He didn’t expect to find him so soon.“Well… I’m not particularly trying to see anything. If I had to say, it’s Oei Katsushika.”In English, that unique, navigation-like accent was less pronounced.His bare face, with nothing to hide, was much more to his taste. Round eyes and round lips, slightly curly black hair. His face looked as if he hadn’t fully woken up. As soon as he saw Luca’s face, his eyebrows lowered. And the mole.The small mole on his cheek or jaw, wherever you called it, ignited Luca’s certainty.Why did he come here? From this morning.“I’m the person in charge. I have to restore that Oei Katsushika.”There was the answer.An Italian with no change in accent. And the information that he worked here. He had been hit, and his triumphant expression showed too easily.More than that, Luca was curious why the messenger, who had seen his face, pretended not to know him. Luca’s face wasn’t easy to forget either.They had even kissed.Had he forgotten everything?“I didn’t go.”Not that he didn’t remember the party, but that he didn’t go at all.Luca didn’t have a habit of prying, but the kiss was officially a mistake. There was no need to pretend not to know so desperately. It was the other side that had provoked this strange stubbornness.“It might be hard for you to distinguish Asian faces. I understand.”Yes, it was a bit cute how he desperately avoided the topic, insisting he hadn’t been to such a place. Despite being a face hard to forget, regardless of race. It was annoying to be treated like a clueless European.“Call me Bae.”That was a bit funny. Was it necessary to pretend not to know to this extent?He didn’t even try to hold back his laughter. Seeing that, ‘Bae’ made all sorts of expressions and, when released, looked relieved and fluttered away.It was purely because of that reaction. Luca went to the office before visiting the director’s office.“Oh, Mr. Orsini! You really came.”“How have you been? I’m sorry, but could I check the staff list? Mainly the restoration team.”“Yes, of course.”The staff member, who had worked there for a long time and was familiar to Luca, brought the list and pointed out the restoration team members.Dojin, Bae.Among the long names, one short name stood out.“Mr. Orsini, it seems like you really like being back home, don’t you?”“Sorry?”“It’s been a while since you’ve been here. You seem to be in a good mood.”Home.Had he ever liked Venice?To Luca, it was a tiresome place. It was just a location where his exasperating family members lived.There was no particular reason to feel good. There was a mountain of things he had to do to start his business suddenly. There was no reason to hear such words. So why?“No, it’s not.”He rubbed his cheek. He was smiling.* * *“You never seemed to like the director’s position.”“I think of it as temporary. I can’t leave it vacant for too long, so Carla came along.”“It seemed like you didn’t trust my competence. You sent me on vacation when it was busy.”“Of course not. Did you enjoy the vacation?”“It wasn’t bad.”Carla pouted. It had been years since she returned to Venice. Luca Orsini, her boss, worked her to the bone without letting her see her family properly, then suddenly forced her to take a paid vacation.There was no reason to refuse.Although unexpected situations were happening when she returned.“By the way, Mr. Orsini, did the people for cleaning and organizing not come on time?”After returning from her sudden vacation, her boss seemed a little strange. He picked up a file precariously balanced on the edge of the desk and tossed it aside.“I wanted to do it slowly by myself.”“Slowly… by yourself, Mr. Orsini…”Carla’s skeptical expression deepened. As far as she knew, her boss’s great hands were only genius in places devoid of everyday life—like selling art, presenting a black card, and signing elegantly.Cleaning or organizing? She couldn’t picture it at all.“Is there anything I can help you with?”“I appreciate your concern, but it’s fine.”He didn’t look fine at all, and Carla smiled awkwardly at his expression. The director’s office had papers piled like a tower on the desk. A few boxes were next to the dusty paper stacks.Well, it was hard to help because it was difficult to tell which belongings were Signora’s and which were Mr. Orsini’s. The current state of the director’s office was so chaotic it wouldn’t be surprising if a burglar had turned it upside down.“Sorry, but how long are you planning to stay as the director?”“I plan to leave as soon as we find a successor. I have someone in mind, but I don’t know how the board will react.”That board, Carla knew it well. She spent considerable time assisting Luca Orsini. The family business meant the board was mostly Orsini family members. And their favorite hobby was fighting among themselves.It was hard to believe that a pope had come from such a family.“It sounds like it could take a while.”“Probably.”“I thought you’d focus on the new auction house right away. Without clear information, I don’t know whether to unpack fully or not.”“I apologize for the inconvenience.”Luca noisily opened and closed the desk drawers and shelves. Carla tried her best not to pay attention to her unusually distracted boss.What mattered more was that what she had to report next might trouble him.“The Marisa Foundation contacted us. They want to hold a 20th-anniversary event at Cà D’oro. Mr. Claudio Orsini also requested a separate contact; otherwise, he’ll visit in person.”“Oh, really.”“Shall I connect the call now?”“No. I’ll handle that. Let them hold the event. We’ll see what dates and scale they propose. Ideally, I’d like to avoid in-person meetings.”That was the expected response.Thinking about the bomb dropped by that damn Claudio in London made even Carla shudder. That hellish time flying six times a week to manage the fallout. Carla shivered slightly.“Understood. And about the boots you asked me to buy before my vacation. Should I still keep them?”“They’re no longer needed. Dispose of them as you see fit.”“All ten pairs?”“You bought ten pairs?”“You instructed me to prepare two pairs each since we didn’t know the size. You said the gift recipient was roughly this tall, a male…”He rarely requested anything outside of work-related matters. That strange request had been quite bothersome.Carla sighed secretly, feeling sorry for the effort spent guessing the foot size of ‘a male roughly this tall.’“Dispose of them as you wish. Maybe distribute them to the family.”“It seemed like you intended them as a gift. Did my vacation mess things up?”“No. I urged the vacation myself.”Carla moistened her lips and moved on to the next topic.There were other strange requests, too.“And about the envelope you asked me to place at the reception.”As soon as she broached the topic, Luca’s hands, which were shuffling papers, paused.“Was it delivered?”“Yes. They confirmed it was delivered that day.”“Really?”What was that doubtful tone?He had explicitly instructed her not to bother about the contents of that brown envelope, claiming it was lost property.Her boss had never been so specific and cautious with her before. Moreover, the name written on the envelope was unusual. It was a name with an uncertain nationality and gender.“At least show that you’re carrying it around if you received it.”It was a mumble, unclear who it was directed at.“Was it a gift rather than a lost item?”She asked cautiously. But the returning look was one of irritation, as if wondering what on earth she was talking about.“Oh, I wondered if you needed to check on it further.”“I appreciate your concern, but it’s nothing.”Indeed, Carla’s boss was not the talkative type, so much so that one would wonder where his Italian heritage had gone.He rarely made small talk, and people speculated whether it was due to his noble blood or because of his English aristocratic mother. Such cryptic remarks from her boss led Carla to conclude that something must have happened during her vacation.“Okay. And should we proceed with the restoration manager’s interview as planned in fifteen minutes?”“Yes, please. Then Carla, you can go back to your work.”With that, her boss dismissed Carla. Whatever had changed about him, it wasn’t her business. She just hoped no more bizarre requests like hoarding boots would occur.“Damn.”Luca was turning over the bookcase for the tenth time. Nothing welcomed him but dust.He had sifted through regular documents, his grandmother’s personal items, and all the inventory records of Cà D’oro, but there were no documents related to <Water Play>.“Stubborn people.”Whether it belonged to Signora or Marisa, neither was someone who would easily part with what they held or had held.He needed to find the certificate.If his grandmother had gifted the painting to Marisa, he had to find that damned document before the swindler Claudio did.‘A painting by Batista Sorolla changed hands, and not a single piece of paper turned up?’That couldn’t be true. The people around wouldn’t have left it that way. There had to be at least one related document somewhere.The painting came from his grandmother’s house, but since that house previously belonged to Marisa, the situation was complicated.The document could turn up anywhere on this island, in Signora’s Swiss safe, or at a trusted friend’s house. If that document wasn’t on Luca’s side, things could get tricky in many ways.‘Why did I come to this tedious place?’He had accepted the position of director and entered Cà D’oro hoping that documents related to <Water Play> might be hidden here.“It’s not like a treasure hunt.”He ransacked the director’s office like a rat just to find one document but found nothing. It wasn’t something he could delegate. His family, like hyenas, would latch on if they sensed something amiss, so caution was essential.“Mom was beautiful. What did she see in that old man?”He couldn’t remember exactly when, but Marisa had said that while looking at <Water Play> with him. That much stuck in Luca’s memory. Marisa, who used to talk about everything to young Luca, hadn’t said a word about certificates or documents.Luca still remembered Marisa’s dark studio. The last day he saw Marisa alive. It was a summer vacation spent in Venice. It was the summer Marisa died; he must have been about fourteen.“Handle it carefully, Auntie. It’s dangerous.”It was nerve-wracking to see Aunt Marisa handling that painting without gloves.“Why, is this painting scary now? You used to play with it so freely. Here, you…”“You left it lying around, Auntie. Donate it to the museum quickly.”“It’s not something I can decide on my own.”The remnants of his memory were too vague to be sure it belonged to Marisa. Why hadn’t he asked whose painting it was back then? It was useless to regret it now.It was around the time when Marisa’s death was near. Auntie didn’t smile much, and her once sparkling eyes lost their shine. He thought it was because she was tired. He thought she was being dramatic. Luca simply assumed so.“It’s suffocating. Did you know blue is a color that induces depression? If you keep looking at water, you get depressed.”“That’s the first time I’ve heard that.”He shouldn’t have just passed off that comment. He shouldn’t have assumed she was okay, given she always carried a neurotic edge.“This might work in a church, but it doesn’t seem right for a house wall, does it? I should tear it down soon. I’m sick of seeing it.”Looking back, he shouldn’t have dismissed her muttering while looking at the studio’s fresco. At the time, he was appalled by his artist aunt’s eccentricity, talking about tearing down a 500-year-old fresco.“Don’t say strange things. You know better, Auntie.”“I’m going to destroy that and go to hell, Luca.”“You’ll suffer from bureaucracy worse than hell. No, Auntie.”“If I can’t, you will. If you do, I’ll give you that kaleidoscope.”“No thanks. I don’t need it. I’m not a child.”“Not a child anymore? I’m starting to miss those days.”The weak smile on her face was eerie. He wasn’t old enough to recognize it as a cry for help.There were more interesting things than a kaleidoscope that shattered light when turned. Aunt Marisa’s laments, tormented by depression, were just something familiar.Thinking of Marisa always ended in a disturbing sense of guilt. Luca twisted his lips. It wasn’t the time to be lost in strange sentiments.“Mr. Orsini?”Looking up, he saw a familiar face. The restoration manager.“I, I knocked. Your secretary said it was okay to just enter.”“Oh.”He must have been lost in his futile thoughts, not hearing the knock.“Please, sit. The place is quite cluttered, I’m afraid.”“Not at all. I’m Angelo, the head of restoration.”“I’m the new director, Luca Orsini. I’m well aware of you, Mr. Angelo. You’ve been here a long time. I believe we’ve met at several events hosted by Cà D’oro and exchanged greetings.”“It was brief, but you remember.”Remember? Not really. It was a lie. Luca Orsini excelled at such lies. There were annual parties, and he attended them, meeting and greeting people. Pretending to know them, to be friendly, was simple for Luca.“I heard my grandmother was very fond of you, Mr. Angelo.”