Picturesque

Low Key [/lō-kē/] adjective:
1. not eleborate, showy, or intensive; modest or restrained
2. refers to an image distinguished by overall dark tones

How did that picture turn out? Oh how Hae Ri sometimes hated the old fashioned film camera she couldn't give up. Whenever she took a great shot that she wanted to see right away, she either had to wait for the next day to come to develop it or take the extra time just to develop it later that day. Her fingers fittled with the stuck advanced lever as she walked down the dormitory hallway towards her room. She stretched her lips into a straight line and let out a deep and loud sigh, looking for the door numbers above each door for her own. Since it was nearly dark, looks like she was forced to wait until tomorrow to visit the school dark room.

She jumped in front of her door happily and grabbed the handle, hesitating. It was quiet inside, something that was unusual for her dance major roommate Stephanie... If she wasn't in class or the practice rooms at school, then she was practicing in their own dorm room. What if she walked in on her doing sinful things again? The image resurfaced and she quickly shook her head, muttering things to calm her down under her breath as her cheeks turned dark red. She swung the door open to see her roommate posing shamelessly in front of the floor length mirror by the bathroom door. Thank goodness, no more embarrassment for Hae Ri tonight.

"I-I'm home..." Hae Ri muttered, bowing to Stephanie's back, her eyes flickered to her in the mirror but she didn't offer a response. Hae Ri's fingers fumbled with her camera once again in a nervous manner, swinging the focus lens back and forth back and forth, creating loud shucking noises. Dropping her gaze down to her feet, she quickly woddled over to her own desk, sinking into the chair with a thud. "Stephanie... Did you have plans tonight...?" She whispered, peering through her cut out shelving at her roommate. Stephanie puckered her lips in the mirror, practicing dance moves with minimal movements. "St-Stephanie...?" Hae Ri spoke slightly louder.

"Yah! I heard you! Do you ever shut up!?" Stephanie barked back, giving Hae Ri her signature glare. But... I'm always quiet... Hae Ri frowned. And it was true, Hae Ri rarely spoke to Stephanie. Hae Ri rarely spoke to anyone. She lowered her gaze away quickly again and set her camera onto her desk lightly, her thoughts drifting to the picture of that boy again, "I did have plans, but sadly the asshole canceled on me last minute. Oh well, his loss not mine, right?" She giggled to herself.

"Do you think... the dark room would be open?" Hae Ri asked timidly, her legs bouncing slightly under her desk.

"How would I know? I don't go near that department of the school, idiot." She scoffed and continued her small movements. Hae Ri nodded, of course her roommate wouldn't know! Why would she ask something so stupid. "Probably not anyways, the suns down so the place is probably locked up." Hae Ri nodded at her answer, although it would go unnoticed. Silence quickly fell between them, just like any other moment until Hae Ri's phone began singing music, cutting it like a knife.

If not for realizing she still had to fragile camera strapped around her neck still, she would have fallen off her chair in shock but she gripped the edge of her desk, even when her feet forcably pushed her back. Her hand quickly rummaged through her many layered pockets trying to find the right one. Curse her bad habit of wearing too many layers when the colder months hit. In her search for her phone she hadn't noticed that it distracted Stephanie, and she now stood next to her desk, watching her flail around in her thick clothing.

"Yah, isn't that an American song?" She asked, her loud voice talking over the ringtone, "That 'Royals' by Lorde right? You can't even understand it, weirdo! I mean, of course I can understand it, since I was born in America." She boasted, flipping her hair dramatically over her shoulder and giggling. Stephanie took any chance she would get to brag that she was Korean-American... Since when does nationality define who you were?

"L-Language doesn't limit music Stephanie..." Hae Ri's eyes flickered up to her, then quickly looked back to her clothing, still digging for her phone. Unsatisfied with her roommates strange confidence, Stephanie huffed and wandered over to her staircase up to small upper bedroom. Finally locating her phone, Hae Ri whipped it out with a huge smile on her face.

"Halabeoji(Grandfather)!" Hae Ri answered imidiately, the same large smile on her face.

"Ah, what took you so long to answer my cheonsa(Angel)?" He laughed over the phone, "Did you loose your cellphone in your jackets again?"

"How did you know...?" Hae Ri mumbled, blushing slightly by her grandfathers spot on response.

"Yah, I raised you since you were a little thing! Do you honestly think I don't know my own grandaughter? Aish, this child." He sighed, acting disappointed.

"That won't work on me, Halabeoji." Hae Ri giggled, "You may have raised me, but you have raised me with your old tricks!"

"What a smart girl I raised then huh?" He laughed, coughing slightly at the end, "Oh my, it's been some time since I last called you. I didn't want to start bothering you again like last year. But aish! I miss you so much my cheonsa..."

"Halabeoji, it's only my second year and the beginning of it at that...! What are you going to do without me for the next three years?" She smiled lightly, staring at her camera on the desk. Her hand reached out for it, running the pad of her finger over the small metal piece for the flash shoe.

"Well that's what I'd like to know! It gets lonely over here without your lively spirit!" He sighed, boy was this old man a good actor, "But enough about this ajusshi. How are you doing there in your second year. Is everyone treating you nicely like last year? Have you made more friends?"

"Ah... Yes, Halabeoji... Everyone is really nice just like last time. And I've made lots of friends this year already...! I will bring some over during the break." She smiled, but it was a fake one. On the other side of the room she could hear her roommate laugh at her terrible attempt at a lie.

"Ah, I'm so relieved. I worry about you so much Hae Ri... I'm glad you're getting along with everyone there." She could hear the large grin on his face. She hated lying to her grandfather, but she couldn't help it. In his old age, he didn't need more trouble on his shoulders. Truth was, Hae Ri was invisible where she was. No one really knew of here, no one really paid attention to her. Even in class, the teachers would sometimes neglect her because she was so quiet and drawn into her own shell, her own world. She was sure that the only reason her roommate knew she existed was just that, because they were roommates and had to share a room together. Her finger nail flicked off the flash shoe, creating a small ding noise. And because of her quiet and shy nature, she really didn't have any friends her age, none even younger nor older than her. Sometimes she tried to convince herself that maybe Stephanie was her one and only friend, but she knew better than to think that way. Here in college, she was completely alone.

"I'm... I'm really glad I am too..." She smiled to herself, but it quickly faded away. "H-Halabeoji... I'm very tired. I had a long day shooting photos at the small park near here. I will call you again when I get time, okay?" She wanted the conversation over with already, feeling the way she did now only spelled out disaster for her later.

"Arraso arraso, this old man is boring you, eh? Alright, sleep well my cheonsa. And you better call me again, do you understand?" He chuckled. She could almost picture him; his left fist on his hip and his pointer finger shaking at her the way he used to scold her as a child. It brought a sincere smile to her face at the memory.

"I understand, goodnight Halabeoji." She giggled and hung up the phone.

"Yah! Was that your old man again!? Why does he always call you? Don't your parents ever check up on you?" Stephanie called from her bed as she read a fashion magazine lazily. Hae Ri didn't offer a response as she was in her own thoughts, staring at the black screen of her phone. She sucked in her bottom lip biting it harshly, tears threatening to fall. Not only did she missed her home dearly, why did Stephanie have to mention that word in front of her again...?