Sideline | RENJUN

Chapter 9

When Jieun's smile faded, Renjun could tell something was wrong. He followed the girl's eyes and realized that she was staring at his sketchbook.

"Jieun?"

At the sound of her name, Jieun blinked a few times before turning back to Renjun. "Sorry, I was thinking."

Renjun watched as Jieun pulled a stool over, sitting across from him as they shared the fruit. Every now and then though, he noticed that her eyes would wander off to the sketch book off to the side.

"Do you want to see?" Renjun offered. Jieun didn't say anything so Renjun assumed it was a go ahead.

He pushed the plate of fruit infront of them off to the side, replacing the empty space with his sketch book.

"This." Renjun said, picking up a pencil and using it to motion to the drawing. "Is a special drawing."

"It's beautiful." Jieun breathed out, mesmorized as her eyes were focused on the sketch. She suddenly flinched as if confused by her own words, and Renjun couldn't help but chuckle.

"It is, isn't it?" Renjun said as Jieun cleared her throat, looking away. "It's a sketch of the tattoo we all get once we become a Phoenix."

"Tattoo?" Jieun asked, looking back at Renjun with wide eyes, full of wonder. Renjun nodded.

"We all have the same tattoo, right here." Renjun said, pointing to his ribs. Jieun winced.

"That's a painful place." Jieun pointed out. Renjun couldn't agree more.

"It is. Even more painful when you're the artist and the new members keep whining."

Jieun smiled at the statement before it faded, as if she realized something.

"So you're a tattoo artist?" Jieun asked, cupping her chin in her hands as she leaned on the table.

Renjun felt nervous as he realized Jieun was now fully focused on him, so he moved his sketch book over, beginning to eat the fruit again to distract himself. "I am, but I don't do much, just the Phoenix. I do a lot of spray paint graffitti though. Most of what you see on the streets is my work."

"Why do you do that?" Jieun asked, taking a piece of fruit and popping it into her mouth. "Why are there so many graffitti phoenixes around Neo City? Is it to mark your territory or something?"

"Didn't know you were so interested." Renjun commented before answering. "And that's kind of it. I spray paint it to mark our work. Most of the time, they lie beside unconscious bodies though."

"I see." Jieun said, focused on the fruit, avoiding Renjun's eyes. "And I'm not only interested in the Phoenixes. I guess I'm just a curious person, my parents always pointed that out."

"I can relate." Renjun said, making Jieun look up, away from the fruit. "My parents said the same thing."

"Really?"

"Yep." Renjun said, suddenly remembering something. "Hey, I had this thought."

"Hm?" Jieun said, meeting his eyes but Renjun was focused on his thought.

"So you know how sunflowers always face the sun?" Jieun nodded her head. "So during the day, they face the sun, starting facing the east then all the way to the west."

Renjun acted it out and could tell Jieun was focused on him, the only sounds coming from her were soft breathing noises.

"So I was thinking." Renjun said, keeping his head faced to the side. "Right before the sun rises again, isn't there a moment like this."