Back To work. (1/1)

December 27/Key I walked across the corridor and I saw the line of paintings. Some were by the artists, some were the painters. Leisurely I marched, feeling that my connection to this house has more density more than anything in the world as of the moment. I stopped in front of the painting of HyunMi and Nicole made. Looking back in the past, I laughed. The whole duration they were making this, I had the urge to bug them; so that though HyunMi was not working with me, I’d still enjoy bugging her. HyunMi ended up throwing a tube of black paint at me. Back then I didn’t know why I was doing it—wanting attention, HyunMi’s attention—but now it’s clear to me. It’s weird, as every time I think of it, it sends a funny feeling in my bosom, like there’s some fluttering going on in my stomach. I do know what it is, and do know what it’s called, but I just shrug it off, conscious that it’s not only me. She does too, but we mutually decide not to talk about it, because undeniably, it’s futile. She’s leaving, remember? I cuss at myself for being so sappy and as I ruffle my hair in annoyance, my eyes land on an eggshell painting. It was ours. I gently ran a finger across the rough, stony surface of our work. It was a painting of a boat with its pilot on it, sailing as if he owned the world. I remember as we were working on what and how the boater’s pose would be, HyunMi and I were arguing. Well, as usual. But it was quite memorable, because that was our work before I biggest fight. Then it dawned on me—how is Dongwoon now?I shook my head, wanting to forget about it. I headed straight to our room. As I opened the door I immediately saw her sitting on the couch with her face covered. I rushed to her side. “Y-ya, what’s wrong?”She wiped her cheeks. “U-umma…my baby brother…”“W-what happened?” I started to panic.“Moon Jae Hyun. December 27, 2:23 AM. Seven pounds, five ounces,”I stared at her like she just said a dark magic spell. Then when I understood, I sprang up. “Congratulations!” She laughed as tears streamed down her cheeks. “Y-yeah… and unnie said that mom’s fine…” she threw her arms around my neck. “Thank God!”I wrapped my arms around her. “I’m happy for you,”“T-thank you…” she sobbed on my chest.“Hey stop crying! You should be happy!”“I am,” she unclasped herself from me. “it’s just that…I thought everything would go wrong…”“You have every right to cry, but your rights to laugh are even more. So let’s go to work?”“You’re right.” She tapped her cheeks. “Come on.” Later.She was checking something on the dictionary. We were just done putting on our signatures; we were all done with the painting. I suddenly had this urge to flirt. “HyunMi?” I walked over to her and rested my palms on my knees, to level my gaze with hers.“Yes?” she replied, without looking.“Do you have a map?”“It’s in the drawer. What do you need it for?”I didn’t respond to this just yet; I paused so I could make her look at me. Finally, she lifted her sight and looked straight back at me, her cheek on one hand.“Because I’m getting lost in your eyes,” I stated cheekily.She went through half a dozen emotions at one moment; and after gasping, blushing, turning pale, eye-twitching, shaking, and leaving her mouth agape, she practically pummeled me. “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHH YUCCCCKKKKK”“Ow, ow, ow! Band-aid! I need a band-aid!”HyunMi stopped beating me. “Huh? Wait…hey…w-what…WHAT DO YOU NEED A BAND-AID FOR?!”I looked up. “Because I scratched my knee falling for you.”She went on wrestling with me again; I didn’t mind the hurting because I was drunk in my triumph. HyunMi stopped beating me when there was a knock on the door. So Eul-noona’s voice said from outside, “HyunMi? Go downstairs, please. We’ll give you your schedule as a curator.”“Coming!” she stood up and walked to the door. “What are you smirking at?” she scowled, holding the doorknob.“What? I’m not smiling. Go now,”“Okay. Just don’t do anything unusually stupid. I’ll be right back,” she threatened, and went out. About ten minutes later, she came back in the room, sighing. “What a drag,”“What?”“The day I’ll be curator…it’s on Friday,”Oh, her birthday. I pretended that I forgot about it. “Then what’s so wrong with Friday?”She frowned, seriously pissed off. “Nothing, really. As a matter of fact, I hate that day,”“Really? I like Friday.”She said nothing. She took a chair and climbed up the window, to her little ‘terrace’.“She’s pissed!” I giggled, and glanced at the painting. I giggled even more. It’s hard to contain your laughter when you did something sly. I really like looking at it.When she went out, I took a brush and put a very tiny heart in the middle of our names. I don’t know what’s got into me; I just felt like doing it. Only those with very keen eyes will see it. I applied paint that almost camouflaged out the heart. I followed her; climbing up. I sat beside her. “By the way, HyunMi,”“Hm?” she snorted.“I won’t be seeing you till Saturday. I’ve got things to do.”Her angst turned to sadness. “Okay. I’ll be seeing you on the awarding night, then,” she said in a dull tone.After a moment of silence, “You think we'll win?”I was answered with a shrug.“I have strong vibes we will,”She shrugged again. clearly, she was sulking.Silence.“HyunMi-ya when’s your flight?” I queried, remembering that I had to ask.She hugged her knees, and rested her chin on it. “I don’t want to tell you,”“Why not?”“I just don’t,”“I have the right to know.”“What made you say that?”“Because I’m special.”“What?” she spun her head to my direction, in an expression both surprised and confused.“Someone special to you, I mean,”“How thick of you,” she snickered.“Tell me.”For a minute all that was audible were the chirping of the birds, and the breezing of the wind. HyunMi broke it by, “January 2.”My heart felt like it fell all the way down to my stomach. I thought we could spend time together, like have a date or somethin’, before she leaves. “What time?”“Will not tell.” She turned her head to one side. “I don’t want you to go with me to the airport,”“Who told you I’ll go with you? We have a concert during that,”“Good. One more reason why I won’t.”What is the matter with youuuuuuuuuuu. “Aw, HyunMi!” I whined, shaking her arm. “Stop worsening it!”“Worsening what?”My agony. “The situation!”“Excuse me? I’m not doing anything!” she protested. “I’ll tell you before I leave. I promise. Please, just don’t force me now.”I gave up. “Fine.” I looked up at the gray sky. “Say hello to your brother for me,”HyunMi, on the other hand, looked at the leafless tree just in front of us. “Sure.” A gust of chilly wind blew as we sat there silent in contemplating silence. Something in the atmosphere made everything heavy and sad. I moved closer to her. “Meanwhile, why don’t we play something?” I recommended, with inspired spirits.“What do we play?” she cocked both brows.“Staring contest.” I grinned.She blinked several times. “Okay. But don’t cheat, okay? No snapping, no surprising and NO TOUCHING. And what’s the punishment?”“Anything the winner wants. No boundaries.”Her eye twitched. “You’re making it sound evil.”“I do?” I chortled.She shifted her position and sat with her legs in pretzel shape. “Game on.” And we commenced the game. We stared at each other’s eyes for a minute. Another minute passed, and my eyes were already itching of the want to blink. But no—I didn’t yield to it. Must. Defeat. HyunMi.Seconds later, her eyes too, started twitching. Darn, this girl’s good. And bingo, I thought of a plan.“Have I told you that I’m good at this?” she said, taunting me.“Oh, really?” I mocked. I closed in my face to hers. Then closer, closer, closer.“No cheating!” she yelled, recoiling backwards.“I’m not. I’m not touching you or anything.” I smirked, then moved my face closer. So close we were about to kiss.“STOP!”“Sure.” I tilted my head sidewards, feigning an attempt to kiss.“YAAAAAAAAAAAA!” she pushed my head.“YOU BLINKED!” I cheered. “I WON! I WON!”She rapped the roof with her fist.“Now, for the punishment~”She groaned. “Let’s get this over with,”“You…” I gyrated my finger, then pointed it at her. “…will be my girlfriend effective till the midnight of December 30.”  The birds on the tree’s branch flew away as she screamed in horror.