Painter Of The Night: Liberation

This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhin.com/en/comic/painter But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. If you want to read more essays, here is the link to the table of contents:  https://bebebisous33analyses.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/table-of-contents-painter-of-the-night/

In my eyes, chapter 73 represents much more than just a hot smut scene. The readers can witness the protagonists’ mental liberation. How? It is reflected in the following panel. First, observe that the lord is lying on his bed, although we all know that he had developed a phobia of his bed. In the past, when he was having sex with the artist. He would either sit (chapter 32) or be on his knees (chapter 42) or lie above the painter (chapter 45) (chapter 58). Besides, the moment Baek Na-Kyum voiced the desire to have real sex with his lover, the latter preferred standing up, while he justified that he was longing for an embrace. But like I had demonstrated in a previous essay, it was more a false excuse, because lord Na-Kyum had been able to hug him on the bed.

But there’s a more evident proof for this observation. When Yoon Seungho was below, I noticed that his head and shoulders would never touch the mattress. He would use his arms or elbows to hold his head high. (chapter 14) (chapter 45) (chapter 73). However, it changes the moment the painter encourages him to help him. Note that for the first time, his shoulders are touching the bed and from this perspective it even looks like his head is resting on the bed. This becomes more obvious, when you compare this scene with the episode 14. Note that right after the penetration, Yoon Seungho changed his position immediately. However, with the commoner, Yoon Seungho still remains lying on the bed, he just raises his head in order to look at his lover. This truly exposes that the lord’s discomfort and fear is slowly vanishing. His affection for Baek Na-Kyum is so strong that he forgets his surroundings and as such his phobia. The pinnacle is reached, when the lord puts his head on the mattress after his climax. Since he doesn’t even straighten up immediately, it exposes that the lord is finally relaxing. His deeply rooted fear has totally vanished. This was already perceptible, when I analyzed the appearance of the bed. But in my opinion, there’s another progression in chapter 73. Note, that the painter is not lying next to him, contrary to chapter 38 or 59 or 65 . This illustrates that thanks to the last sexual encounter, the noble has again lowered his guard. The artist’s pleasure made him feel secure. Another huge difference is that for the first time, the main lead’s face looks carefree and calm. In the previously mentioned episodes, the lord had to feel the artist’s presence in order to be able to lie on the bed, yet he was still plagued with a nightmare or he was still stressed, as he feared the painter would run away, if he wasn’t next to him. In chapter 59, he looked tranquil and composed, nevertheless it was caused by his illness. The moment Baek Na-Kyum left his side and the noble couldn’t sense his warmth, he woke up. This implies that he was tense all the time. As you can see, fear was always following him in the bed. However, as time passed on, the nature of his anxiety changed. It was no longer linked to assault, but to abandonment. The noble was afraid that the artist would leave him behind. However, since he knows that Baek Na-Kyum chose him, his phobia of the bed was almost removed. And when the painter expresses his desire, he reveals that Yoon Seungho has already a huge importance in his life. Without him, he can’t feel good. In other words, Baek Na-Kyum is already dependent on Yoon Seungho. Only him can provoke pleasure in him. In my opinion, the lord’s fear vanishes, because he feels needed. And remember that the lord stood up in order to force the commoner to hug him, so that the commoner would rely on him. As you can detect, reliance plays a huge role in the lord’s liberation. The bed is no longer feared, it has become a place that his lover likes and the latter needs his assistance to feel excitement. That’s why the noble is so relaxed. He knows due to the painter’s words and action that he is now accepted. He even saw and heard his painter’s moans revealing his pleasure.

At the same time, their sex position outlines another important aspect: It mirrors their position in the relationship. The painter is the one with the upper hand, while Yoon Seungho has totally submitted himself. Simultaneously, it also exposes that the lord is the painter’s support and strength. With him by his side, lord Na-Kyum is strong, because his words are finally listened and he is even encouraged to speak up. Yoon Seungho never judges the artist’s action or attitude. That’s why Baek Na-Kyum’s embarrassment concerning his orgasms slowly vanishes as well. First, in chapter 71 he either covered his mouth or even ignored a question out of shame. Then in the next episode, he hid an orgasm from his lover. However, in chapter 73, the manhwaphiles can view how the painter can voice his pleasure for the first time: Striking is that the moment the artist can express his thoughts and emotions, Yoon Seungho allows him to determine the space. In other words, he incites Baek Na-Kyum to become proactive. Hence the peak is reached, when the artist confesses that he can’t get an orgasm without his lover’s help. Thanks to this conversation, Baek Na-Kyum can experience that there’s nothing shameful in their interaction. That’s why this panel symbolizes the liberation of the two protagonists: the noble forgets his fear of the bed, while the painter drops his shame concerning his climax. This explicates why both are really active in this sexual position. They are no longer paralyzed by their emotions. Note that the painter is no longer hiding his moan, he has his mouth wide open.

However, the love session ends abruptly, because Baek Na-Kyum seems to have fainted. Remember what I wrote in my previous analysis entitled “Words”. The lord had somehow developed a trauma due to the sex marathon. He had such huge pangs of conscience due to the painter’s sickness, thereby he had never forgotten it. I have to admit that my first reaction was that we would have a repetition of chapter 32/33. A doctor would be fetched. However, due to the examination of the sexual intercourse, I recognized that Byeonduck is showing us how the two main leads are overcoming their issues. Therefore I have a different impression now. In my opinion, Baek Na-Kyum is not unconscious, just exhausted. We have a clue that this “night” will be long, because we had two different moons in chapter 70 and 71, implying that some days will pass between the moment the main characters entered the bedchamber and the final panel from episode 71. It indicates that the protagonists will stay there for quite some time. And this made me realize that for the noble to overcome his recent trauma, he needs to be confronted with a similar situation, yet with a different outcome. This signifies in my eyes that Baek Na-Kyum is conscious, and as such he will be able to pay attention to his lover’s actions. Let’s not forget that in chapter 32, the main lead fed him water with a tender kiss. Then in chapter 50, he caressed the painter’s cheek and kissed him tenderly. However, the artist never got the chance to sense his love in a different way. The lord always expressed his love through sex, even in the bathroom, he was very sensual… while in the bedroom, his kisses and caresses showed care and pure tenderness. And it happened to Yoon Seungho as well. The latter never detected the painter’s caress at the physician’s. That’s why I believe that due to this incident, out of worries and fear the lord will react like in the past, but this time Baek Na-Kyum will witness this. Therefore he will perceive the lord’s affection in a new light. This is not just sex, his love goes beyond sex. And this can only move the painter, hence the same gestures will be reciprocated. That way, the lord is able to overcome his trauma. Not only he has been “forgiven”, but it will show him that he is loved, even if Baek Na-Kyum has not confessed yet. I am expecting that now the strokes and caresses will have a different nature.

But there’s another reason for this prediction. If you pay attention to the way they shared the bed in the past, you’ll note a progression. In chapter 59, they are facing each other revealing that they got closer due to the love session, , while in chapter 38 and 65, the painter was turning his back on his lover revealing a gap between them. In this position, it gave the impression that Baek Na-Kyum was rejecting Yoon Seungho. That’s why the moment the lord expresses his affection differently, it will not only move the artist, it will change their relationship. Striking is that in that sexual position, they were indeed facing each other and the noble was gazing at his lover. He has neither abandonment issues nor a phobia of his bed. Therefore I come to the conclusion that they will relax in bed facing each other. Both protagonists will experience that they can show their love differently. Their liberation helped them to overcome their fears and traumas. As a conclusion, their emancipation will bring them closer.

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