I’m considering whether I should keep on reading in the future as this is stressing me out!! Does the FL say her thoughts soon? Does the villain get what’s coming for him?
The reason I began reading this was because this started kind of lighthearted, but now it’s become so stressful I want to pull my hair out.
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I’ve been reading through the comments, and I’ve noticed a few that note that Seungho’s appearance at the end of the 28th chapter could very well hint that there is murder upcoming.
A few note that this could mean that he very well could hurt Nakyum and Inheon as a result of their “escape.” (In quotations since there is still a possibility that it hasn’t happened.)
The reason why I think he wouldn’t hurt them (by this I mean kill since I believe that physical ramifications are still on the table) is the following:
-Seungho has shown before that he is attached to Nakyum in a way that he hasn’t been to anyone before
(1. “I can’t think about anything else [when talking about Nakyum’s paintings.] 2. “Is it the paintings he’s staring at or is it me?” [during the sex scenes] 3. “Why did he do that? He usually doesn’t go back on his word....” [when Nakyum didn’t get the straw mat beating])
-Seungho is also someone that shouldn’t be taken lightly because he is a lot more intelligent than people perceive him to be
(1. When he admits to the teacher that he was aware that the poem he’d given Nakyum was a bad plagiarization. 2. “Why would I keep books I haven’t read?” 3. When he didn’t hurt the red-haired young nobleman and instead took out his anger on the ‘amateur spy.’ (He is aware that there are ramifications for hurting someone of his equal or better status)
-Because of this, he is aware that Inheon is the key to Nakyum (time and time again, he’s threatened the learned man’s wellbeing for Nakyum’s subservience! Either by threatening his possibility of being on a government post to his life)
-He has a growing care/ affection/ obsession(????) with Nakyum
(1. When he first meets Nakyum, he’s surprised by his tears, and he wipes them away. 2. He changed his mind when Nakyum was about to get the straw mat beating. 3. He took it slowly with Nakyum after he asked him to during their first sex scene. (Even if he got ahead of himself after). He also accepted Nakyum’s fond words and caresses with that strange look in his eyes. 4. He told Nakyum to call him “lord” during their sex scene. (He seemed to not want Inheon’s title brought up during it) 5. He defended his ‘property’ after he found out the red-haired nobleman had played schemes. He also stopped him from hurting Nakyum further. 6. When he was in the pavillion with Nakyum, he notices that Nakyum isn’t breathing regularly and orders him to “breathe.” His eyes were very expressive when he noticed that Nakyum was not hard, only in pain. 7. He points out Nakyum’s “swollen eyes” tenderly as he caresses Nakyum’s face in the bath scene. 8. He’s prone to become jealous or incensed when Nakyum mentions his teacher. (Right after Nakyum hits him, Nakyum tells him that that night wouldn’t have happened if he weren’t drunk as those words were meant for his teacher. His reaction?: violence. (In fact, some of his most recent reactions towards Nakyum are physically violent but more on that later!!) 9. He is unhealthily obsessed with Nakyum’s pretty face (as some have seen from the ch 28 raws; he’s blushy)
-the last reason is: the story is far from over!!! If Inheon or Nakyum are killed prematurely, there is no more story!! This story is titled “Painter of the Night,” so, while we are getting the chance to see Seungho’s possible character development, it’s very likely that it will be Nakyum’s that will be the end goal. Inheon still also has a lot of potential as well—the author has made him a rising threat and we still have to see that threat grow.
Therefore, if Inheon and Nakyum have truly escaped, Nakyum will not be hurt in a permanent way.
However, notice that I did not say Inheon? The reason is, in the end, I do think that there will be repercussions. Why?
Because Seungho is not someone that talks lightly about threats. He’s been “nice” to Nakyum from his constant backing up on hurting Nakyum more permanently. But that doesn’t count Inheon. I do think that he will use Inheon again to manipulate Nakyum to keep him there and possess him entirely, but, because Inheon is Nakyum’s “want,” he will not get rid of him entirely.
In terms of story speech, I believe this story is an obsessive romance. Obsessive romances rarely end well. Obsessive romances rest primarily on a character’s/s’ physical desire for someone/ each other. These are ‘cautionary tales that show no deeper connection other than the physical/ psychological necessity of coupling’. While I do think that Seungho will become so attached to Nakyum that he will become possessive, I do not see Nakyum falling for him for various reasons. One of them being that Seungho has caused him a lot of pain, and he currently views him as a monster.
I, personally do not see this story becoming a courtship story (where there is commitment between two characters for ‘fidelity, honesty, and servitude above all others’ and where the characters improve themselves for each other.)
Why is that? Because I believe that these characters will become darker versions of themselves.
There is a dark, enchanting attraction between Nakyum and Seungho that, for the moment is being held back by Nakyum’s affection for Inheon, his morals, and his unwillingness to fall into debauchery for Inheon’s sake (he cares a lot about what his teacher thinks of him).
As I see it right now, Nakyum’s wants and needs are still opposing.
Nakyum’s want: Please his teacher and have him accept his love.
His need: embrace his inner darkness and sexuality.
I’ve also noticed that most of Seungho’s violent moments come when he feels undermined, humiliated, or when his rank is contested.
Inheon reacts very adamantly when Nakyum badmouths Seungho and he basically tells him to “know his place.”
Seungho is someone that always gets what he wants. Nakyum is someone that intrigues him from his unwillingness and contrasting actions, as we’ve seen from his various musings to himself (1. “How can someone so adamant on lying who refuses to draw make such a lewd painting?” 2. Another is when Nakyum badmouths SH and tells him that his teacher is better than him. SH questions his actions as NK is usually scared of him but is suddenly so willing to defend his teacher)
The society in this story is marked very plainly by rank. The top knots is one of those examples, which people can clearly see marks social status.
SH is used to getting what he wants because of his rank and the power he owns. He has spies and people that do the work for him. He has servants and noblemen that fall on their knees to have a night with him.
NK is the first person to challenge that. (As we know of for now.)
Every time NK does challenge that, there is a consequence:
1. NK tries to snatch his poem back from SH and his hat falls backwards. Reaction: SH pushes him backwards to the floor.
2. SH thinks that NK poured water on his painting. RCT: SH almost has him beat but changes his mind.
3. NK rejects his advances and hits him, leaving a mark on his unblemished face. RCT: “Have you gone crazy?” SH reacts three-fold.
4. SH is tender when he notices NK’s swollen eyes. NK hits his hand away. RCT: SH holds on to NK’s face harder, roughly.
NK’s reactions are all normal to the readers, who are aware that people are people regardless of rank. But, to anyone else in that era, his actions are rude and unaware.
What does the old man tell him? Not to escape but to just lay low. SH is constantly incensed by NK’s rejection, but I do believe that this is because he’s used to getting what he wants.
Future Guesses:
-it’s likely that there will be a punishment for NK if he’s really escaped. Either some servants will die and/or Inheon will be hurt to show NK that his actions have consequences. SH will show NK again that he can find him no matter where he goes.
-it’s likely that once he gets him back, things will go as originally planned with the mirror and the drawings
-NK might be hurt in a way that has SH realize that he has deeper feelings than he thought
-SH’s jealousy will either make him create a mistake or will make him realize his feelings
As you can see, I had too much time in my hands!!!
Edit:
As of ch. 28, Nakyum is still a means to an end for SH. He has yet to understand why someone who is underneath him is so easily able to dismiss and challenge him. His obsessive feelings are still in the budding stage, as he’s barely starting to notice that the catalyst for a lot of his interest is NK.
We’re in stage one still, as he hasn’t realized his feelings. He’s aware that NK’s presence causes him a physical reaction, and he’s constantly keeping an eye on him to see what he’s up to.
Stage 1 shows his interest. The last stage would show that obsession growing into full-fledged yearning for possession, regardless of NK’s will.
Therefore, for his character growth, he needs to understand NK and where he’s coming from (but it’s debatable if he ever will). I believe that’s why the red-haired nobleman and Inheon are conflicts. At this point, they both want to see SH fall, and if NK does as well, it’s even better for them.
I hold a hypothesis that they will succeed in hurting SH’s status as a nobleman to an extent, and how NK reacts could very well define how their relationship develops. SH is also someone who doesn’t submissively accept downfall, so I expect that he’ll be fighting the whole way through.
whatever thesis you're having here. i don't mind. ლ(´ڡ`ლ) let me read more.
This is a very long and detailed thing but very well written!! I enjoyed reading it
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Thanks for that long and well, thoughtful portrayal of the both characters and the era they're living in. Pertinent analysis of the situation like what may occur in the coming chapters, btw.
This is the type of comment I like to read!
I hope you'll get tons of likes to make this comment visible.
thank you fot this!!!!!
man this was interesting to read. I liked it.
Thank you!! (づ￣ ³￣)づ I kept wanting to see what people thought would happen in the upcoming chapters, and, since I wasn’t seeing a lot of those comments, I decided to become that comment Analysis can bring hypothesis, so I’d love to hear more of what people think will happen.
Thank YOU for reading :33
ow god let's talk. I read some prediction comment. like what if they didn't ran away. just went somewhere to discuss stuff. i seriously think if inhun ran away too there is no future for him. it will be closed doors for that opportunity he is seeking. if he wants to bring down SH he needs that power and information about his weakness or past. he should still be there!!!! as for nakyum i am having second thoughts if he ran away. if he did his teacher will be sacrificed. so if he did. he should bring the teacher with him! which what sounds like what was going on by the end of this chapter 28. but if they did. they have no Edge! they have no power and weakness about SH. they still can't bring him down.! so i'm really really realllyyyy thinking. they did NOT ran away!
also.. someone said what if NK ran away the teacher saw him and is trying to bring him back..
another.. if they ran away .. like how? did NK confess to his teacher what has been happening? did the teacher feel bad about NK and thought that this is wrong and it is right to ran away? and they did.. then what happens now? as we know. he has no wealth or connection. this option is also a dead eND!
also i am doubting about inhun's character. is he using Nk. is he for justice. but he is a person who values rank. he even gets mad about NK slandering SH.
I enjoyed so much reading this it was so interesting!! Thank you for that!!!!
ヾ(☆▽☆)
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Mangago ate my comment the first time I sent it but yes! A thousand times yes. This is the same reason why I left the quotation marks in “escape.”
I can see NK running away, but the thing that throws everything out of the window is Inhun. He is THE controlling factor. Running away does nothing to benefit him, and, from the glimpses that we’ve received, his hatred for SH has only become larger! He’s become the bane of his existence, and I hypothesize that from here on out, his arc will be to show us how he’ll drop SH from his rank.
He’s someone that will stop at nothing to complete his goals, and, if they do not succeed, to make sure that his rival falls down screaming with him through death.
Inhun is an incredibly manipulative person. He’s someone that easily uses others to commit his deeds, and he fails at direct confrontation. He’s just not good at it. He’s a puppeteer that knows how to manipulate those that love him the best, and I don’t doubt that he’ll use NK for that same purpose.
If NK does admit the truth to SH, he’s not someone that would run away out of affection or worry about the threat he could be under. The only reason I could see for him leaving is if he actually has something on SH.
If anything, if he hears the truth from NK, he’s the type of person that would pat NK in the back and pretend to care and then kick him back to the front lines of the armada. He doesn’t care if NK gets hurt in the process. The most important person in his life is himself.
The more he realizes that NK is becoming important/ someone of value to SH, the more he’ll see his value as a pawn.
I have a hypothesis that, because of IH’s manipulations, NK will be one of the reasons (maybe even THE reason) why SH will lose his position/ lose face in the future.
i still want to know the vast of SH influence and power. his backstory.. like.. something has to happen!!! this may be the start of it. lately the past few chapters i've been predicting the next move of the author, the next scenes. but this one. there are so many directions it can go! i am also curious about the kisaeng house that NK was brought up to. does he no longer have connections with them? was he tried to being sold? wasn't he brought up as a SON by the kisaeng master.? he should be important to her then.. this really bugs me. like was there a reason why NK is no longer with the kisaeng house?. isn't it better to go home to where he grew up at.?
Again, a sensible and pertinent analysis. Nice job!
Yeah, it is very plausible that In Hun is ready to go that far to realize his goal, even though him staying under the roof of the Lord exposes him to the threat of being killéd.
He's just too proud to renounce at that point.
I’ve thought about the Kisaeng house in passing, and, now that you mention it, there could be a gold mine of secrets there!
Right at the start of the story, too, SH’s spy says, “I don’t know what he saw there, but...” So that could hint that there’s more to what meets the eye there!!
Also, don’t you think that it’s a little strange that kisaeng houses share love so freely, but NK refuses to do that and instead give it to one person?
I’m excited to be able to find out. NK doesn’t seem comfortable there if he became a wanderer and a drunk.
And yessss there’s so many ways this story could go, and I’m so excited to find out where it does. ;)
also dude.. just a passing thought.. why was NK so into inhun.. what was their first meeting like. why did he kept following him. he is his teacher gave him a poem, but didn't inhun mentioned to SH that NK is illiterate.! did NK probably escape the life of the kisaeng house though.. you know friday has been like a new years eve for me. I kept counting the time till the raw update. i can't count how many times i have reread it.
just a feeling might NK be accidentally rescued by inhun at the kisaeng house.*
ow god i can't wait and i want more new characters to pop up!
I believe so, too. He has pride by bounds. Maybe overly too much of it. He thinks too much of himself. Whenever he sees SH’s things, he’s in admiration of it, but he detests that a person like SH owns them. He thinks that someone like himself would be better off owning those things.
I’m really excited to see how someone like IH will clash against SH. They are both brute forces—one of them direct and the other one indirect. I’d love to see how they interact more in the future.
I know!!! The week drags on until I get the update
I’m loving every single one of your comments btw because they’ve made me think so much about the possibilities for this story. I’m also so curious how NK fell in love. I always just assumed that he was one of the kids that IH taught for a while but now I’m wondering if it was something else
Maybe we’ll get a redeeming feature for IH?
Let’s see!! I’m so excited for this next update. And for all the ones to come :3
what if plot twist what if all along sir inhun knows what has been happening from the start. and has been playing mute and blind till he gets his cards done.
*you know i'm still very optimistic that this will have a happy end.. also i saw someone in the comment what if they were gone because they were kidnapped by the curly noble.
its friday! but i have calmed down already. ch. 29 was too much. it kept me high and thirsty for days.
I’m sure that he knows. Because then how can his tune end so much? He goes from “Don’t paint those pictures” to “You’re just painting pictures, right?”
He definitely knows that something is up, and he doesn’t mind using NK as his protection piece. NK’s health might deteriorate slightly from here, but I hope our baby remains fine
dude do you have line or other messenger? you can add my line ID: stephie_t
anyways i am 65% convinced that he knows. even the touching part. except the intercourse. this week's update was normal, I am calm. compared to last week. my excitement is more stable.
*remember the part where someone's footsteps where heard but we don't know who it really was? ,my strong gut says it was inhun rather than mr. kim the servant. and this chapter where he mentioned "it's not like he has been doing it to you right?" to na kyum. i think he knows that he is doing it to NK! but not the intercourse. That was really odd. it totally sounds like he wants NK to think that he doesn't know YET! THAT they didn't cross the line! but he does!!!
he is making wise moves to his advantage.
I’m sorry that this is so late!
I don’t have Line, unfortunately. Do you have any other options?
And yes, he’s definitely looking for things that benefit him. I hate him so much ahhhh haha
i totally understand dude. i have wechat. kakatalk. fb messenger. instagram. take your pick dude. i'm so calm this week. i wasn't stalking the manga this week. hahahaaa but this week i think will build up the excitement.
Me toooo the week always drags until the updates come in ahhhhh. I’m just excited to see the mess that Nakyum will be met with on his way back. There is no way that SH was just dawdling.
I’m good with instagram! My @ is istillcantforgetyou
I know i'm right that nakyum will be.
*full of trembling
*can't look SH at the eye
*will get dragged with his frustration
etc
ALL OF THE above
followed you through insta is this your account with bunny ears people
i'm soradragn33l
Why do I feel like this is becoming too happy and now everything is going to go to shit?
I am honestly in love with Koogi's work. Her cliffhangers are the absolute worst because I am genuinely terrified for the protagonist's life. Real talent right here. Real talent.
They nasty xD