The fear of the unknown amplified human imagination.
The waves of the blue sea rippled darkly as though engulfed in the deep maw of a cave.
From the ceiling of the dark cave, it felt as if someone was secretly watching.
At that moment, a companion walking along the cave wall screamed. Without a word, Luca brushed off the insect that had crawled over his companion’s hand.
“Mario, a man afraid of bugs.”
“When… When did I ever say I was scared!”
“Oh, did I imagine the scream I just heard?”
Mario, feeling embarrassed, wiped his nose and muttered to himself, “How far are we supposed to go?”
Most would feel the same. As a photographer, working in urban areas was common, but shooting in remote places happened frequently too.
However, it was the first time shooting in such a deep cave. Even the senior members who had worked with Mr. Sponza for a long time said it was their first time.
- I’m excited.
It was Sofkato’s monologue.
- Capo originally disliked shooting by the seaside, so it was strange from the moment this location was selected. But Blue Grotto? At first, I doubted my ears. So, I’m excited about what kind of world he will show us this time.
The photographers who joined Sponza’s team were all fascinated by Giovanni Sponza’s works.
A man who elevated the optical technology of photography to art. His works became a world of their own, filled with numerous narratives.
For Italian photographers, he was a lifeline, a captain of a cruise ship finding dreams.
Luca also dreamed of becoming a photographer seriously after attending Giovanni Sponza’s exhibition as a child.
‘How far are we going?’
Luca’s gaze turned to the front of the line. At the very front, Giovanni Sponza was walking.
The sound of hiking boots explored the unknown, and the lights of headlamps guided the way.
Sponza’s steps into the endless darkness were unwavering. As if he had longed for this place for a long time.
‘Do we really have to go in here?’
How far had they come? Another cave entrance appeared inside the cave. It was so narrow that an adult man had to stoop to enter. The hesitation of the companions was visible.
It was understandable, as it looked like a place perfect for inducing claustrophobia, possibly a dead end. However, Sponza entered without a moment’s hesitation, stooping.
“Whew.”
Perhaps this was how miners who dug into coal mines felt. The rough breathing of the companions echoed like a reverberation.
It was unclear whether they were going up or down. Fortunately, the wind blowing from the opposite direction provided some relief. It was then.
“There’s an exit!”
Like someone’s shout, the view of the headlamp was obstructed by bright light. Everyone hurried out from the narrow passage. Then silently, they swallowed their awe.
Mario, who hated bugs, couldn’t close his mouth at the unfolding scenery.
Luca felt the weight of the heavy plate on his shoulders become as light as a feather.
Blue Grotto, where it’s said a blue mermaid lived. There was only one word to describe the view at the end of the maze.
The marks glowed in fluorescent light. They must have been left by Sponza’s team, who arrived earlier.
Footprints of hiking boots remained on the floor untouched by water. When the lanterns lit up the view, screams erupted from everywhere.
The designers were horrified by the sight of bugs crawling in the cave.
Crunch.
It felt like someone grabbed the hem of a garment. It was Monica. She, too, was turning pale at the sight of the crawling bugs, just like the other designers.
The local porters had already started walking. Bugs were no hindrance to them.
Eventually, thinking there would be no progress like this, Luca turned around and shouted.
“Don’t mind the bugs, focus on the ground and the path. It’s slippery and uneven, so be careful and move cautiously.”
Though it was in English, it seemed most understood as it was a simple sentence.
Alfredo also looked visibly scared. No wonder, people from the city rarely had such experiences.
Luca had no choice but to look at the reliable Bongchun and added.
“Bongchun hyung, I’m sorry but could you check if anyone lags behind?”
“Okay!”
Finally, the formation was set. Luca felt like a teacher escorting kindergarteners. He kept glancing back, worried someone might fall. Every time he did, Monica, with her pale face, stood out.
She was trailing closely behind Luca, almost like an ordinary girl rather than a career woman from the city.
How long had they walked?
The porters suddenly put down their loads and spoke in Italian. Monica, who was leading the group, tried to persuade them but seemed to struggle.
“What’s the matter?”
“The locals say they can’t go any further. They are asking for more money.”
“Didn’t we make a round-trip contract from the beginning?”
“They insist this depth wasn’t part of the deal and demand more money to proceed. Otherwise, they say they’ll wait here until we finish shooting. In small villages where tourists rarely visit, they try to squeeze as much money as they can. I thought it was peculiar they came quietly…”
Alfredo translated. The porters, arms crossed, had already put down their loads on the cave floor, looking as if to say, “Let’s see if you don’t pay us more.”
At that moment, Luca, leading the way, shouldered one of the bags left by the porters.
“Let’s each take one?”
Thankfully, most of the loads were clothing. The bags were large due to the waterproof covers, but they were light.
Surely, if Luca carried military gear during marches in the army, this was nothing.
The porters looked flustered. When Bongchun, who resembled a bear, shouldered two bags, the porters panicked. However, Luca shook his head at Monica.
“If we give in once, they’ll look down on us again and again. Let’s ignore them and proceed. Tell them to wait here, and if they’re not here when we return, we won’t pay the remaining balance.”
They were not outnumbered. The majority of Sponza’s team ahead were also robust men. The porters’ frustrated stares were palpable.
Monica nodded briefly in gratitude. Soon, another cave within the cave came into view. The markers glowed there too.
“Whew.”
How far did this person intend to go? Wondering, Luca bent toward the maze of the cave. If it weren’t for the markers, they wouldn’t have come this far.
As tension marked the designers’ faces and Monica’s breath became audible.
A chilly breeze brushed past their bodies. Soon, light bright enough to make headlamps unnecessary flooded in.
“Wow.”
The group, who had exited the narrow passage, all exclaimed in unison. The tension they had felt until now melted away as if it had been a lie. It was a cave lake.
Stalactites rising like coral reefs glowed blue, and the sunlight streaming through a hole in the ceiling made the water surface sparkle like jewels.
Around the lake, it looked like white snow had fallen. Was this how Columbus felt when he discovered a new continent?
“Paradiso (paradise).”
Monica said as if entranced. It was the same word used by Sponza’s team who had arrived earlier.
‘Neve (snow)?’
Alfredo doubted his eyes at the snowy landscape around the lake. Of course, it snowed in Italy too. Cities connected to the Alps, filled with perpetual snow, sometimes experienced snowstorms, and even in Rome, snow was occasionally seen.
But this was the south. Moreover, it was near the coast, and it was only October.
“It’s the remains of bats (pipistrello).”
Startled by the sudden voice, Alfredo quickly looked up. There stood Giovanni Sponza. But bat bones?
“Bats that lived on the cave ceiling left their bones as they died. Initially, they were long and thin like needles, making it clear they were bones, but over time, they turned into powder. This place was once called the bat graveyard.”
Alfredo felt uneasy. After all, it was once called a bat graveyard. Then Sponza added.
“People are always deceived by appearances. This place is no different. Seen from the outside, it may look like paradise, but knowing that the white snow is bat remains makes people react like you. But I like this place. Just like the bats did. Bats die where they feel most comfortable. I have always called this place the bats’ paradise, not a graveyard.”
Sponza’s wrinkled eyes seemed lost in the past. The cave lake was already bustling with the team preparing for the shoot. Notably, the lighting was minimal, as per Sponza’s instructions. He was likely aiming to make the most of the natural light.
Alfredo wanted to ask more but couldn’t disrupt Sponza’s contemplation.
He hadn’t expected Sponza to speak to him. Given Sponza’s notoriously eccentric personality, he was known to be a cantankerous artist.
‘Were the rumors exaggerated?’
There was no sign of the eccentricity he had heard about. Moreover, Sponza, known for his frequent clashes with models, seemed strangely kind to Mr. Jang.
Far from a clash, he had looked at Mr. Jang with an entranced gaze from their first meeting.
It was then.
Mr. Jang emerged from the makeshift dressing room set up in a corner of the cave lake.
‘Oh, Mamma Mia…!’
Perhaps due to the paradise-like scenery of the cave lake, the designers seemed noticeably kinder.
Not to say they had been unkind before. It felt like they were genuinely invested, rather than just conducting business. Their meticulous attention to detail in styling each aspect felt several times more precise than what he had felt at Desiderio’s headquarters.
‘Is this what professionalism is about?’
As if reading his thoughts, Monica smiled.
“Everyone is thankful to Mr. Jang. No one expected you to resolve the earlier situation like that. Honestly, I was too flustered to say anything, but I was really grateful. No one thought Mr. Jang would step up in such an awkward situation. Oh, I should also thank Mr. Lee.”
No wonder the designers had been looking at him and Bongchun hyung with unusual gazes.
“Mr. Jang.”
Then, one of the designers took the opportunity to ask in English when Monica briefly stepped away.
“Does Mr. Lee have a girlfriend?”
“No, I don’t think he does.”
“Eliana, it really seems he didn’t like you.”
“Oh, just ask him directly once more.”
“What’s going on?”
The story was this: Eliana, a designer with dazzling blonde hair, had bluntly asked Bongchun if he had a girlfriend. Of course, Bongchun, who didn’t understand Italian or English, thought she was asking if he was okay and replied, “No problem!”
‘But he should know the word ‘girlfriend’, right?’
Luca recalled Bongchun studying with an English dictionary from time to time. He would have to ask him for details after the shoot.
The designers’ touch in refining his look became extremely meticulous. They adjusted his shoulders, collarbones, waistline, and even calves in a way that was far more intricate than what he had experienced at Desiderio’s headquarters.
After changing clothes, they immediately started on his hair and makeup. As per the shoot’s concept, the makeup emphasized transparency rather than being overly dramatic.
They refined his naturally thick eyebrows to make them denser, added shading to highlight his prominent facial bones, and styled his hair to look as if he had just stepped out of a shower, with a slightly wet look.
“Monica, how about doing it like this?”
Luca suggested to Monica, who was looking over the countless pairs of shoes, trying to decide.
After listening to him for a while, Monica asked with curiosity.
“Would it be okay to go barefoot? The ground doesn’t look like it’s covered in snow.”
“Ah, that’s bat bones.”
“What?!”
Monica’s eyes widened in surprise. Apparently, she hadn’t realized the white powder around the cave lake was bat bones.
Having grown up near the sea, Luca frequently visited the caves among the cliffs.
So he could tell what it was immediately without anyone explaining. Moreover, the bat bones were brittle enough to crumble underfoot, making them harmless.
Thud.
As he walked out of the dressing room, the surrounding area fell silent in an instant.
Thud.
The designers at Desiderio had put their utmost effort into creating.
Thud.
A pure white suit. The beam of light streaming from the ceiling of the cave lake felt as if it was permeating his entire body.
With hair styled to look wet, he seemed as if he had just emerged from the sea.
Footprints were left on the white powder. Walking barefoot didn’t hurt; instead, it felt as comfortable as being in a mother’s embrace.
Blue Grotto, known for the legend of the blue mermaid. It felt as if someone was watching him from beneath the surface of the cave lake.
Raising his head slightly and smiling gently, the stalactites resembling blue coral glowed. Just in time, as if they had been waiting for him.
