~THREE~
PAINTING

---

“Let’s go Yumae, clean yourself up.” Kyung Soo is behind my back. I see the tall guy smirk.
“ Is she your rebound girl now, Kyung Soo.” The tall guy seems to be teasing him.
“That’s enough. Just learn how to treat a lady Kris Wu.” Kyung Soo answered.
*FLASHBACK:
“Who’s Kris Wu?” I asked. I didn’t hear that name yet.
“Curious about him?”
“I just saw that many of fan girls have their placards with ‘Kris Wu’ on it.”
“You should avoid that guy.” Kyung Soo answered.
“Is she your rebound girl now, Kyung Soo?”
“That’s enough. Just learn how to treat a lady Kris Wu.”
“Kris Wu.” *END OF FLASHBACK

I am at the washroom. I clean my uniform. He is Kris Wu. Finally I’ve met him, well yeah, in a most embarrassing situation. It’s just the first day of school and yet I had created so much mess! I don’t think I can enter another class for today. I went out of the washroom and head to my locker at the gym’s locker room.

I entered the gym building as I am standing in front of two locker rooms, I am confused. Where is the girls’ locker room? I can’t get any clues because the locker rooms have the same door and color. No sign of male and female. All I know is that my locker number is 87. Aiish! I am so confused right now! Is it left or right? Whatever. I should find my locker to change clothes.
I choose to find out the left locker room. I’ve been looking for locker 87. Locker 62, 63, 67, 68… I switch to the other side 69…70. I stopped. It’s like the world had stopped. He stops there—in front of me. I am looking down, on his knees. I slowly tilt my head and my eyes met his face. He’s familiar.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” he asked. That time, I finally get back to myself. He was staring at me. Then I see his… his wet, topless body with a white towel on his right shoulder. Then I reached his face… he’s the… man I bumped at the hallway yesterday.
“Uhh… Hmm.. I was looking for my…locker…” I said, stuttering.
“This is men’s locker room. You better look at the other.” He said.
“Uhh… Oh, I’m sorry.” I said. I can feel my cheeks are getting warm.
“Anyway, you’re the one from the hallway yesterday right?” he asked me.
“Uhh… yeah…”
“I’m Kim Jong In. Just call me Kai.” He said and he presented his right hand for me as a sign of friendship.
“I, I’m Yumae. Son Yu Mae.” Then we shake hands together.
“Nice to meet you, Yumae.”
“Uhh… me too… Kai.” And he smile.
“Umm, I guess I better get going.” I said, slowly turning back.
“Oh, I’m sorry,. I didn’t meant to… I’m changing clothes.”
“No. it’s fine. It’s my fault. Thank you for uhh.. Informing me.” I said, not looking back on him.
I am alone inside of my room. Lying on the bed and thinking about the scenarios I’ve encountered with Kris Wu. It was so embarrassing! I don’t know how to show up my face tomorrow at school! Oh, Yumae, what did you do? Then Kai appeared on my mind. His cool, wet look is so freakin’ hot! Aaissh! Stop that Yumae! I know it’s bad to think of it but I just can’t help it. I smile as I think of it. That Kai has a charm.

*Tock, tock, tock!

Someone is knocking at the door. Who could it be? Kyung Soo? I opened the door, curious to find out who is my first guest. And to my surprise…
“Hi!” a smile come out.
“Oh, hi… K-Kai...” I said.
“How did you know that this is my room?” I continued.
“Remember you bumped me at the hallway?” he said and I nod.
“My room is just there.” He points in the left direction.
“We’re room neighbors?” I asked.
“Yep.” He replied.
“So, what brings you here?” I asked while serving him a hot chocolate.
‘Nothing much. I just want to talk with somebody.”
SOMEONE’S POINT OF VIEW:

“Stop this! Why don’t you just accept the fact that she’s already dead! You’ve been looking for her in almost two years. You should end this crazy thing right now! Stop looking for Hae Yeon! I’m here and I will not leave you the way she left you!” she said.
“Haeyeon did not leave me and she’ll never be. It was an accident and I will never stop looking for her!” I said.
“Look, you’re insane! Stop this nonsense and be with me!”
“No. I’m going back to Seoul. I’ve had enough here in London.”
“No you’ll stay here with me okay?”
“Why should I stay with you in the first place huh? You’re not my mother, you’re not my sister and you’re not even my girlfriend. Stop telling me what to do. I have my own mind and my decision is to head back to Seoul. I’m going to find her there. She’s not yet dead. Until there’s no proof that she’s dead, then she’s not dead!”
YUMAE’S POINT OF VIEW:

Another morning today, I’m up at 5 am and start to jog around the campus. I’ve had a really great time talking with Kai last night. He’s so kind and friendly. Right now I was about to enter the reality of CPA. My first class is arts. I wonder on what we are going to do.
Finally, I am inside the room but the feeling is kind of different, girls are whispering on each other while looking at me. They are wearing make-up while I don’t have any except for a moisturizer. A little while, Kai entered the room.

“Hey, Yumae! I was about to knock your door but you didn’t answer so I thought you’re here.”
“I left room early because I jog.”
“Oh, I see.” He said then he sits beside me. I didn’t speak a word. I don’t know what to say.
“Uhh, Kai…”
“Yes?”
“Am I the only one who’s a new student of CPA?” I asked him.
“Hmm, I don’t know. But as I observed, you are different from anyone else here.” I am clueless on what Kai said but I wear a smile to show that I understand. “I have a best friend here in CPA, though he was staying at the gold dorm cause he is kinda rich, I want you to meet him.”
“Oh…”
“We knew each other since elementary and we both enter CPA but the thing is, he’s not that talented like me. Oh I didn’t mean to boast but he is a good rapper. That is our both hobby since we didn’t sing much.” He continued. I am kind of curious about his best friend. Who could it be? He took his cell phone from his pocket and read. After a while…

“Oh, my best friend will not make it to the arts class today. He send me a text that he’ll be absent for three days.” Kai told me.
“I’m sorry, Yumae.”
“No. It’s fine. Maybe I should meet him some other time.” Then I smiled. Someone entered the room. It’s Kris Wu. I pretend not to see him. He sits in front of me and Kai. I gulp and pretend like he’s not there. A little while, the professor showed up. “Good morning class, we are going to paint today. It should be an abstract painting. At the back of this room, there is a bunch of canvass and paint brushes. Pick the one you like and start off painting. It’s up to you what could be the size of your canvass. I’ll check on you later, I have an emergency meeting so good luck and do well okay?” the professor said then went out of the room. Kris Wu first stand up and was about to go at the back part of the room but he see me and Kai. He stare at me then snob his eyes and continue walking, like he didn’t see anyone. “Don’t mind him. He just hates everything about this world.” Kai said.
“Why?” I asked. Kai just glue me a smile.
“Come on, let’s paint.” He said. I didn’t paint for my whole existence. I don’t even know how to compliment a color. I guess, my painting will be a disaster or monster! Not a beautiful abstract. Kris already has his canvass and other painting tools. He sits on the left side and I am right next to him while Kai sit beside me. I look him. He doesn’t wear any expression on his face and before he see me looking at him I face on my canvass and stare on it. But I don’t have any ideas. There are so many sizes and classes of paintbrush and I don’t have any ideas how to use it. I look at Kai, he already start something and Kris too. If I’ll just stare on the canvass, it will not be filled with paint so I just pick up a brush; I don’t know what kind of brush is that and soak it to paint. I make a line on my canvass but I think it’s a mess. I bite my lower lip because I really don’t know what to do. I soak the brush again and create a line but it doesn’t look right. I bite my lower lip again. “As a start off you should use the small brush Yumae. The brush you used is for finishing.” Kai said. He smiled and stands up behind me. He pick up a moderate small brush then give it to me.
“You should hold the brush as if you were holding a pen and was about to write something.” Kai said.
“Then slowly create your desired figure.” I look at him who’s on my back and he smile as a sign of “go-on.” I created a line then he laugh.
“You should not put too much force on the brush Yumae. It should be calm and soft, just follow what you’re mind and heart wanted to paint.” I look at him with a clueless expression and I guess he get what I wanted to tell him.
“Okay, first of all you should’ve something in your heart and mind to start the painting then…” in my hand that is holding the paintbrush and help me to create a line. His hand is warm while mine was cold due to the tension. He slowly swift my hand from side to side until a smile went off my lips. Even though it just a line, it’s beautiful full of emotion and happiness.
“Thanks, Kai.”
“It’s okay.” And he smiled at me. He goes back to his canvass and continue his art work. I look at Kris and now he’s wearing a dark expression.

KRIS WU’S POINT OF VIEW:

I entered the class today. Art subject, my favorite subject—before, but right now I don’t have the guts to attend this class. As I am walking to my seat, I see that boyish girl sitting with Kai. She looks so happy but she looks to the different direction when she sees me. I sit in front them, to hear their conversation but they didn’t say a word.
“Good morning class, we are going to paint today. It should be an abstract painting…” the professor walked out of the room, I stand up and I see that girl looking at me, I snob at her face go to my destination, pick up the paintbrush and canvass, sit down beside the window and started to fix my tools while that Yumae sits beside me. I can see her looking at me from my peripheral vision. I look at her but she quickly face her canvass. She look clueless on what to do I wanted to help her but I choose not to. Who am I anyway?
She pick up a brush, soak it to a paint and create a line but it was a mess. She try again and she just repeated the first mess. I was about to give her an advice but…
“As a start off, you should use the small brush Yumae. The brush you used is for finishing.” Kai said. A little while, he holds her hand and guides her to paint. It’s irritating. I should focus on my work. Leave them alone Kris.
After three hours of working, the professor go back to us and check our work. I see Yumae’s work confused on her wol\깅I look at her, she was smiling the Kai placed his arm on her shoulders
“You did well Yumae!”

YUMAE’S POINT OF VIEW:

The professor is checking on our work. I am kind of nervous because this is my first time to paint. Kai put his left arm on my shoulders, I look at him.
“You did well Yumae!” he said.
I see Kris Wu’s painting. It has dark colors and blurred edges. Looks like he has a problem. After the professor checked his work, he hurriedly go out of the class. He is weird.
“Hey, let’s have lunch at the cafeteria.” Kai invited me.
“Okay, I’ll see you there, I’ll go to the washroom first.” I said.
“Okay.”
“Okay.”

Notes

A/N: