Reset Life with Infinite Talents - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Infinite Talent Reset Life Episode 10

 

 

”Change the lighting angle! There’s a shadow!”

“Move those props over here!”

“Who did the finishing over there!”

‘Wow.’

In the large studio, over ten people move busily at one person’s direction.

The heat they emit.

Their concentrated expressions.

The sweat flowing down their faces.

Those passionate figures pierce Johann’s heart.

‘Amazing.’

What’s the driving force that makes them move like that?

Is it the same as Johann’s own desire to try modeling?

Giselle smiles knowingly at his sparkling eyes.

At that moment, the studio becomes quiet.

“My, my goodness. That, that person is…?!”

“Gigi!”

Giselle Buncheon’s nickname, Gigi.

A bald man quickly approaches and embraces Giselle.

He kisses both her cheeks loudly and looks at her lovingly.

Everyone is startled.

“I can’t believe you’re really in LA! Ooh la la! You finally came to accept my confession, right? Right?”

“Hey, you have a girlfriend.”

“Hahaha! But who is this charming gentleman?”

‘Who is this strange person?’

When their eyes meet, goosebumps rise all over his body. He feels an inexplicable rejection.

“Say hello, Johann. This is Henri, H&M’s chief photographer. Henri? This is Johann. I brought him for a field site tour. Is that okay?”

And next to him is Larry, Johann’s guardian.

Larry and Henri are surprised by her introduction.

‘This person is that Henri?’

H&M, the giant clothing brand loved by Americans.

Henri was a big shot who had held the position of chief photographer at H&M for several years.

“Field site tour? Aha?”

Henri’s eyes change completely.

His two eyes, which had warm affection like someone looking at something cute, fill with sticky greed.

Someone approaches him.

“Ah, Henri.”

“…Got it! Make sure to watch quietly! Even if it’s Gigi, if you make noise in my space, I’ll scold you severely, okay?”

When he winks and stands in front of the camera set up in front of the stage, the studio’s atmosphere changes completely.

Loud thumping music and staff members becoming even busier.

Giselle moves her lips.

“Watch carefully. This is the field site.”

This enthusiasm, this passion that makes your whole body hot.

The field site was a swamp you couldn’t escape once you fell in.

‘Field site…’

As Johann’s vision expands to see even one more thing, models run from one side and line up.

Then he’s surprised.

‘Larry?!’

‘Ellie…?’

Crossing gazes, confused as if asking why she’s here.

‘Hmm.’

Johann’s eyes narrow.

 

* * *

 

“Yes, beautiful! Wink!”

‘Amazing.’

Every time the flash goes off, the model changes poses.

It’s not just changing poses.

Expression, body language, fingertips emit emotion.

And that changes every second.

How is that possible?

Through the experience of absorbing the life of ‘The Speaking Mannequin, Ines de Fressange,’ he knew those things were possible, but seeing it from a third person’s perspective felt different.

‘That’s a skilled model.’

Next, his attention goes to photographer Henri.

Henri moves around every time the model poses, finding the best composition and pressing the shutter.

‘What kind of world is that person looking at?’

Just how differently do those minute angle differences appear that he moves himself?

He’s curious.

So Johann unconsciously follows Henri’s movements.

He tries closing his eyes.

“Hey, Asian.”

He was interrupted.

Johann frowns and turns his head.

“Which agency are you with?”

A boy who looks about one or two years older.

“I’m not with any agency?”

He hasn’t signed a contract yet.

“Oh, really?”

The slight wariness in the boy’s eyes disappears.

“Then I’m thirsty, so bring me water.”

“…What?”

“Can’t you hear me? I said bring me water. Don’t you know which agency I’m with?”

He’s with Star Model Agency, supposedly the best in LA.

“If I say one word, an Asian like you will be permanently banned from this industry, you know?”

“Aha?”

How should he deal with this ridiculous and stupid brat?

‘No.’

This is a place Giselle went to the trouble of bringing him to. He couldn’t cause a disturbance.

Johann decided to send the boy away nicely.

“Hey.”

Johann looks straight at the boy.

Emotion disappears from Johann’s eyes.

What remains is indifferent killing intent. The boredom felt only when piercing a spear tip into prey’s heart.

“Want to die?”

“Gah?!”

The boy, pale as a sheet, staggers backward.

“You, you just wait and see!”

Johann sighed at the boy who was running away.

“Does character not matter when it comes to being a model?”

Or maybe it’s because at such a young age, being praised by everyone around him for being a model made him turn out like that.

Johann shook his head and headed toward Larry and Giselle.

“Is it fun?”

“…Yes.”

So far, at least.

Johann watched Ellis Burma, who was just stepping onto the stage.

 

* * *

 

“Bravo! A little more cynical! That’s it!”

Click! Click! Click!

“Stop! Good work!”

“Whew! Huff!”

Ellis Burma, who had been holding her breath, let it out and looked down her nose at the models retreating with defeated faces.

She glared at Larry and Giselle.

‘See. I’m good too, aren’t I? As good as that Buncheon?’

In her mind, there was only one reason why she hadn’t become as famous as Giselle. She had debuted in LA instead of New York.

‘And yet she looks down on people…’

She was just lucky enough to debut in New York, so why wouldn’t she accept people’s greetings? How could she give such arrogant lectures?

Giselle Buncheon, who would have just been a volleyball player in rural Brazil if it weren’t for the agency scout who went all the way to Brazil.

That’s why she resented Larry. Larry, who had lured her to debut in LA when agency officials would have come to find her in New York if she had just stayed put.

Ellis Burma bit her lips and turned around, while Henri connected the memory card to his laptop.

Out of the hundreds of photos he had just taken, only a few were salvageable.

His eyes darkened.

“Hmm. What was the last one’s name again?”

“Ellis Burma.”

A model who had been consistently participating in New York Fashion Week for the past three years.

She was the most skilled model in California, including LA.

“As expected…”

Perhaps because she had experienced big stages, she was on a different level from the other models.

“We’ll have to focus on her for the adult clothing. Next is the joint adult and children shoot, right?”

The child models who made him feel pleased just by looking at them.

A smile formed on Henri’s lips.

“Yes. The children’s clothing shoot is the last session.”

The child models who would have become friendly with the adult models in the same space, who would have been waiting eagerly for their turn while watching the adult models shoot first.

Their concentration might have dropped a bit, but thinking of their lively appearance from their overflowing energy already brought a smile to his face.

“Bring them from the beginning.”

“Yes!”

 

* * *

 

“No! No!”

The studio that had been hot just moments ago turned cold.

Ellis Burma glared at the boy who was her partner.

A 13-year-old boy from the same Star Model Agency.

He was a veteran child model and a junior who was said to become the company’s new star in two years. His skills were decent too.

‘So why is he suddenly screwing up?’

“Sigh. Let’s try again? Cute, charming, and elegant. Got it? It’s easy. So, shall we start?”

The boy quickly got into position.

Henri, who was holding the camera, gritted his teeth. Even if he tried to bring out the best, good photos couldn’t come out if the subject was like this.

“Let’s take a break.”

The studio became even colder.

Henri’s face crumpled as he turned around.

Giselle had come to watch, and what kind of embarrassment was this?

“Was my request that difficult?”

“N-no way.”

If it were a child model under 10, that would be one thing, but this was a 13-year-old model old enough to attend middle school. He should have been able to handle this level of direction.

“So this is all California’s level amounts to…”

H&M had seen a noticeable decline in sales due to the subprime mortgage crisis that swept America the year before last and last year.

In response, H&M decided to make more aggressive investments, and this shoot was part of that.

Customized shoots targeting populous major cities and states, including New York.

For cold places like New York, focusing on thick winter clothes.

For places like California where the climate was mild even in winter, thin clothes with designs reminiscent of winter.

This way, they would shoot using styles suited to each state and major city’s climate and models familiar to the citizens of those places.

And the results would be featured in online and offline stores, flyers, catalogs, etc., in those states and surrounding states and cities.

It was a perfect regional customization strategy.

“What glory am I supposed to enjoy by coming all the way here…”

“Ah, Senior Henri…”

“Sigh. If everyone were like you, Gigi, it wouldn’t be this difficult.”

“Please send the requests to my agency, Henri.”

“That’s too much.”

‘Cute, charming, and elegant. Is that difficult?’

Johann, who had glanced at Giselle and Henri, looked puzzled at the dejected boy, the same boy who had picked a fight earlier.

“Wouldn’t it work like this?”

Cuteness on the face, charm in the eyes, elegance in the body and tip of the nose.

“…Huh?”

When the surroundings suddenly became quiet, Johann looked up and instinctively stepped back, searching for his fangs.

Henri’s eyes blazing with sticky greed.

“Give me that kid. I’m switching to him.”

“W-wait a moment! Senior photographer!”

“Who?”

“From Star Model Agency…”

“Stop. Quiet. This is my field site. If you have complaints, get out.”

Henri waved his hand and looked at Giselle.

“She’s the guardian, not me.”

“I’m Henri Robert, H&M’s senior photographer. I’d like to use this gentleman as a model for today’s shoot. Could you give permission? Please.”

Larry looked at Johann.

“You’ll do it, right?”

“Can I do it?”

Larry, who had said he would create the best portfolio for Johann.

“H&M is more than enough.”

“Then I’ll do it.”

Larry looked at Henri, who was immersed in joy.

“Please set the modeling fee after you see and judge for yourself.”

“American men are the best!”

American men who, once they made a decision, never went back on it – definable by the single word “macho.”

It was so refreshing he felt like he might melt.

“Makeup team! What are you doing!”

“Yes! H-hey kid? Will you follow us?”

“Hello, I’m Johann.”

Johann glanced at the boy whose eyes were now brimming with tears and headed toward the Makeup Room.

 

* * *

 

‘Oh.’

His expression changes from the tickling brush touches and the brushstrokes that seem like they might gouge out his eyelids. His jawline and nose bridge become sharper.

He’s transforming into something other than himself.

“Don’t move your facial muscles.”

“Yes.”

Johann’s eyes sparkled brightly as he watched his face transform.

 

“Makeup is finished!”

When Johann emerged from the Makeup Room, Henri lowered the Camera he had been using to photograph another model.

“My goodness.”

Wavy permed hair so moistly wet it looked like water would drip from it at any moment.

Darkly drawn, sharpened eye lines and jawline.

Reddish touches on the tip of his nose and both cheeks.

‘A wolf? A fox?’

This is what it would look like if you gathered only the best features of both beasts.

A lovely dark blue predator just beginning to molt into white fur walks gracefully forward.

But what’s even more shocking is that his presence is so faint it’s hard to distinguish him from his surroundings.

A look of completely suppressing oneself.

A look you’d only see from a skilled model.

Henri urgently looks at Giselle.

‘What on earth did you bring, Gigi.’

 

* * *

 

Ellis Burma, annoyed that her turn was pushed back due to Johann’s makeup, approaches and moves her lips.

A voice so low that only Johann could hear it in this vast Studio.

“Hey, match my support.”

“Hm?”

“Don’t you understand what I’m saying? Just shut up and follow my poses!”

“Ah… that’s what you meant. I understand. I’ll do that.”

A kind smile spreads across Johann’s face, which had been twitching.

‘What?’

The annoying brat who had made impudent remarks at the Hair Salon a few days ago, the impudent brat who had just pushed aside a child model from the same agency.

But now he looks incredibly stupid.

He became pretty with makeup, but that’s all.

‘Why are Buncheon and the photographer so obsessed with this kid…’

Why are they so fixated on this brat.

Could that stupid and incompetent Larry have done some lobbying.

Then why couldn’t he do it when she was there.

‘Going to Fashion Week was all my ability… no, never mind.’

This isn’t the time to worry about such things.

Henri is H&M’s chief photographer. If she can just make a proper impression today, she can at least become H&M’s exclusive model for the western US.

Something Larry could never do.

‘This is where it starts.’

And soon she’ll pull down that lucky Giselle Buncheon and take her place.

She took a deep breath and built up tension, while Johann marveled at the Camera.

‘So this is what this feeling is.’

Actually standing in front of a Camera.

‘I’m nervous.’

His heart trembles. His fine hairs stand on end.

Not from fear.

He’s excited. His whole body grows hot.

What should he do. What needs to be done.

As he naturally gets excited, his carefully suppressed presence starts to leak out bit by bit.

Seeing this, Henri’s eyes widen as he opens his mouth. Both his cheeks flush red.

“First, bold and lively! Look at my finger here!”

Start.

Ellis Burma, standing at Center Stage, looked at Henri’s finger signal and stretched both hands forward.

A lively gun-shooting pose.

Ellis Burma put her heart and soul into exploding her presence.

That was the moment.

‘Huh?’

What is this.

She’s being devoured.

Her aura, her presence.

Crushed, torn apart, and devoured by the presence that surged up from below her line of sight.

She’s afraid to lower her gaze.

She’s scared to see what Expression the brat she had dismissed just moments ago might be making.

‘Wh-what is this!’

The emotion of panic tore through her heart.

 

* * *

 

‘I won’t be seeing her at Fashion Week anymore.’

She was trampled by a much younger model. Devoured.

You can see her mental state breaking down.

That’s the end when that happens. The Fashion Industry isn’t lenient enough to use models with broken mentals.

But the words coming from his mouth were the complete opposite.

“How can an adult lose to a child! Again!”

Again. Again. Again.

Each time the call rang out, Henri’s Expression grew worse.

First the child model caused problems, now the adult model is causing problems.

It was the moment he thought he’d never work with a place called Star Model Agency again.

“Johann! Why are you being so spiteful!”

At Giselle’s shout, gazes shift.

‘What?!’

Henri, understanding the meaning, looks at Johann in surprise.

“I don’t know what’s wrong, but stop being petty and kill your presence! That’s how you get a pretty two-shot! If you’ve become a pro, act like a pro!”

“…I didn’t do anything wrong.”

He just followed the poses when told to follow them. He just pressed down a little because she was too arrogant and disrespected Larry.

With those muttered words, everyone rubs their eyes at the change that occurs.

Ellis Burma’s complexion turns deathly dark.

It’s shrinking. The presence that had illuminated the entire Studio just moments ago becomes scattered.

Harmonizing with Ellis Burma, the Costume begins to come alive even more.

“…Good Lord.”

Was this even possible? Was this not a large rough stone, but an already polished diamond?

‘Tsk.’

It seemed like the retaliation would have to end here.

Johann looked at Giselle Buncheon, who was laughing as if amused, with a blank stare, while the Star Model Agency representative hurriedly picked up his mobile phone.

 

* * *

 

“Got it. Hang up.”

Beck Kurtz, who ended the call, let out a hollow laugh.

‘Crushed?’

His Star Model Agency’s greatest jewel, his product.

Even the young jewel who was supposed to follow in her footsteps.

“I need to move right away.”

Johann, who knows what he might become if he waits any longer.

He picked up his mobile phone.

“It’s me. Begin.”

His eyes began to glisten with desire.

 

* * *

 

“….”

Johnny looks puzzled at the sight of Giselle swaying her body while looking at Larry and Johann, who have blank expressions.

‘What happened at the field site visit?’

Why are they so broken down?

Johnny looks at Johann, who’s fiddling with white paper.

“Johann, how was the field site visit? Was it fun?”

“Yes. Very much so.”

Henri who looked dangerous as a man, the passionate atmosphere at the site, even taking photos in costume.

There wasn’t a single boring moment.

Johann unfolds the white paper, the blank check.

‘30,000 dollars.’

The amount that Henri, who had hugged him tightly while insisting he must come to tonight’s party, had written in himself.

Money that could buy nine cheeseburgers a day for a whole year. His current worth. The second money he earned with his own abilities.

He’s still bewildered, but….

‘I’m getting competitive.’

‘The Talking Mannequin, Ines de Fressange’ who easily received hundreds of thousands of dollars in current value for each shoot during her heyday.

For a model, modeling fees are recognition. Acknowledgment from others.

He wants to become more amazing. He wants more recognition.

Much more than now.

Beyond Ines de Fressange, more than that Giselle Buncheon.

It was the moment Johann’s expression turned defiant.

“La, Larry!”

The door opens and an employee enters with a pale face.

The same sense of déjà vu he felt earlier.

“A, a person claiming to be Johann’s birth mother is on the first floor right now…!”

Thud!

“Wh, who?”

Murmur murmur!

“Move! Don’t touch me!”

A commotion breaks out outside, then a woman in her late thirties enters.

An Asian woman with bright brown eyes.

The woman, who had been looking around the office, spots Johann and widens her eyes.

“Oh! Jimmy! My baby!”

‘Huh?’

The warm embrace of the woman who suddenly hugs him.

Larry, who came to his senses, picked up his mobile phone with a complicated expression.

“Ada, it’s me. Please come to the company now.”

Ada was right.

Someone who would shake both Johann and himself had appeared.

 

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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