47
Chapter 47 Age Is Power
“Are we going straight to Fantasy World now?”
Even after a flight of over ten hours, the children didn’t look tired at all. The moment they arrived in America, they were already talking about Fantasy World.
“You’re not tired?”
“Not at all! It’s daytime!”
“That’s impressive.”
For children filled with excitement over their first overseas trip, sleep and jet lag didn’t matter. It wouldn’t have been surprising if they had spent the entire flight just staring out the window at the sky.
“Alright. Let’s go!”
The adults, who had also been looking forward to this trip and had rested well during the flight, could only feel grateful for their enthusiasm.
“Let’s drop off our luggage at the hotel and go right away!”
“Yes!”
“Then hurry and get on the bus!”
“Yes!”
In the airport parking lot, four large buses were waiting for them.
There were ten local guides, all Korean Americans, handling interpretation and guiding duties.
The hundred travelers were divided into ten groups.
“Director, here.”
“What’s this?”
“It’s money the advertisers gave us to add to the travel budget. It’s a hundred thousand dollars. I thought we could split it into ten thousand each for souvenirs and food.”
“Haha, alright.”
This trip would have no shortage of time or money.
“Wow!”
Even just seeing the exterior of Fantasy World through the bus window made both the children and adults gasp.
“We’re really staying here for a whole month?”
“Of course!”
It wasn’t that they didn’t understand the value of money.
They simply felt happiness directly.
Just seeing it, just staying in a nice place, already made them happy.
Crossing into Fantasy World would bring even greater happiness.
The older children, who knew this would all end in a month, chose to focus on the present.
Even if it ended, they would live on these memories or strive for something greater.
‘There are so many people.’
The adults, however, felt a bit overwhelmed.
“Looks fun!”
But the children thought differently.
If there were this many people, it must be amazing.
‘Right. There’s always a reason for crowds.’
Even the adults began smiling again.
“Alright, let’s take a photo first!”
“Yes!”
Everyone gathered together eagerly.
The adults were even more enthusiastic.
Not working on a weekday, traveling abroad on someone else’s money, and having photos to show off.
“Where’s Mino?”
“Good point. Where did he go?”
“Mino went somewhere with PD Kang Jiseop. Said they had something to do.”
“Something to do?”
“They didn’t explain. Just told us to enjoy ourselves.”
The director stood in front of the camera calmly.
“They said they’ll have fun tonight instead. Now hurry up. Could you take the photo?”
“Yes.”
---
“This really is a paradise of doodles.”
At 2 PM, the large canvas was already filled with drawings.
“Are those the artists you mentioned?”
“Looks like it.”
Three painters in Fantasy World uniforms were turning random scribbles into art.
Lines became wind, waves, or parts of characters.
“But it’s not drawing time.”
Officially, visitors could draw before 2 PM, and artists worked afterward.
“People can be flexible.”
“Haha, true.”
There was still plenty of empty space.
Doodle Paradise wasn’t very popular.
With three-hour waits for rides, not many people paid over a hundred dollars just to draw.
But it still existed.
“Can I draw?”
Mino approached one of the artists.
“Kid, you know it’s not drawing time, right?”
“Yes.”
The artist hesitated.
But seeing Mino’s polite attitude, he smiled.
“Alright.”
“Thank you.”
“Want crayons?”
“No, I prefer pencils.”
“Okay. Let me know if you need anything.”
The artist smiled warmly.
Mino began drawing.
Nearby, Kang Jiseop filmed.
“Shame you’re using only a pencil.”
“Why?”
“Your oil paintings are better.”
“That’s because people expect more from oil paintings.”
“But I don’t think oil painting is superior.”
“Really?”
“I like the limitations of pencil. Just graphite and paper.”
“That’s interesting.”
“Have you heard of Jan van Goyen?”
“Of course not.”
The nearby artists suddenly paid attention.
“The Dutch painter?”
Mino nodded.
“He lost everything in the tulip bubble and couldn’t afford good paints.”
“Wow.”
“So he used cheap materials and created monochrome works.”
“And that worked?”
“Yes. It became unique.”
“Like this place.”
“In a world of colors, graphite stands out.”
“It already is.”
Visitors gathered.
“Wow…”
No one thought deeply.
They simply admired.
“How can a kid draw like this?”
Even among professional works—
Mino’s stood out.
Because of his age—
And his talent.