𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐦𝐧 • 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

6; a canvas better off blank

wonwoo was out and about, probably taking a bath or changing clothes; while minghao was in the artists' workplace, already changed into clean clothes.

mingyu sat beside him, offering him a... candy?

"good morning, hao!" he cheerfully exclaimed, giving the candy to minghao. the latter examines it after taking it from mingyu's hand. "sorry for earlier. wonwoo is quite... short-fused."

"i can see that. why are you giving me candy?" minghao asked, tilting his head. do artists like candies?

"oh—! i just wanted to. seems like you need some sweets to at least brighten up your day," mingyu chuckled, scratching his nape coyly. "that was a bad morning."

minghao hummed, and proceeded to unwrap the candy. it smelt like oranges. "hmm... how does a candy brighten up my day?"

mingyu looked elsewhere, presumably looking for answers. did he also not know how candies help? minghao wanted to laugh.

"i—i—... well, i don't know, because the coffee that was poured on you was bitter? and wonwoo hyung is bitter? so you need some.. hehe.. ah! whatever!"  mingyu clicked his tongue, and minghao slightly smiled.

(mingyu didn't see him smile, so that was unfortunate.)

"i will accept your offer, though you failed to provide an explanation." minghao replied, popping the orange-flavored candy into his mouth. mingyu chuckled. "i do agree with your opinion on 'wonwoo', though."

mingyu sighed in resignation. "he's too hard to get along with. he bosses interns around sometimes, too.. like miss rielle, but she has already left to apply for another company. maybe it's 'cause wonwoo hyung is such a nincompoop."

minghao slightly laughed, which mingyu mistook for a short sigh. "you are saying such bad words behind your coworker's back, mingyu."

"aw, come on. those two always talk about tricking seungcheol whenever he's not around," mingyu jerks his thumb towards the two artists who were inseparable. "and what i say about wonwoo is true anyway. he's nice when you get to know him... but he rarely shows it."

"i can't say i agree until i think it's true," minghao replied, primly placing his hands over one another. "i will report to you once i have found out for myself."

"report?!" mingyu's eyes widened, chuckling. "you don't need to do that."

"why are you two gossiping here? i've been waiting here for long, kid."

a voice from behind them joins the conversation, and they both immediately stood up to greet wonwoo who has changed into a new suit already. mingyu bows and excuses himself, scurrying off elsewhere. minghao stood still, waiting for wonwoo to speak.

"you two are talking about me, right? as expected." wonwoo remarked, turning around. "follow me. what's your name again, miyuni kid?"

"xu minghao, sir," the younger replied, following wonwoo curtly. he hears wonwoo scoff—and for that, minghao was even more confused. he doesn't understand why wonwoo has so much hate he takes out on everyone.

"very well then. you show me what you're capable of. let's use this room." wonwoo then halts, and opens the door to an empty room with some painting supplies in it.

wonwoo hands minghao a palette, a paintbrush, and a palette knife. minghao was much interested in the palette knife—as this is his first time seeing one.

"hey!" wonwoo snaps his fingers, and minghao had no choice but to avert his attention to his teacher. "we don't have time to deal with your stupid doze-offs. now, begin. paint me a sunset in a field of flowers. make it feel very nostalgic."

minghao's eyebrows furrowed, looking lost. he heard wonwoo click his tongue—but minghao pays no mind. how? minghao has never witnessed sunset in a field of flowers. he can imagine it, but... nostalgic? minghao hasn't even experienced it beforehand!

"understood. i will now begin, sir." minghao says, even though he did not actually understand.

anyways, minghao picks up the brush—and strings of insults and degradation rained on minghao as soon as he started.

"you need to sketch first!"

"don't make the lines too bold! that will be ugly once you actually paint! we don't want the painting ending up looking like you!"

"the palette knife is literally there for you to use when mixing colors. start with blue!"

"your sun will end up looking like a spiky ball if you use that brush!"

"do you even understand how lighting works?!"

"you can't be an artist. what is that blending? what is that technique? disgusting."

"do you want me to spill coffee all over that hideous painting, too?"

"that's the wrong shade!"

"ah. i can't do this anymore. you're dismissed. we'll take lessons again tomorrow. you're hopeless."

minghao entered the workplace of the artists after he was told to scram by his teacher, wonwoo. he looked like a defeated sports player, which jeonghan quickly noticed. the artist abandons his painting and grabs something from his back pocket, before walking to the younger.

"hello, deary!" jeonghan exclaimed, handing minghao a—a red flower! "here's the red rose i promised to show you yesterday."

minghao momentarily forgot about his situation with wonwoo, and admired the rose on his hand right now.

red was the color of bloodshed, and violence. minghao always hated to see it—but now, witnessing a flower with the color minghao hates, it felt amazing. it was not like red stood for anything volatile when it was on a flower, at all.

that just teaches minghao that there are different ways to interpret a meaning for colors.

"let me guess: it was hard dealing with wonwoo today, huh?" jeonghan slings an arm around minghao,  which slightly surprised minghao yet again—but minghao was getting used to the skinship. nobody here was an actual threat, anyway. "let him be. he doesn't wash his ass."

"really?" minghao inquired. "that is unsanitary."

"jeonghan hyung, don't spread false rumours!" he heard seungkwan yell, while a flying painbrush came their way. minghao catches it before it hits jeonghan—which the latter thanked him for. "wonwoo hyung may act worse than mr. choi on a bad morning, but he washes his bum!"

"oh yeah? you've seen him wash his bum?" joshua asks, peeking at seungkwan from behind his canvas.

"what?! no! i mean, you can smell if someone doesn't wash their—"

"ew!! ew, stop talking about that! i am painting!" seokmin shrieked, making his fellow workers laugh. jeonghan turns to minghao again.

"anyway, minghao, here's a little amount of my money," jeonghan hands minghao folded money bills, which was heavy on minghao's hand. it felt good to hold a heavy amount of money. "go buy yourself an early dinner. it's almost time to go home anyway, and you've had a long day.. so this one's on me."

"come back to your room right after you eat, though!" joshua adds. "seungcheol might get a search party for you if you don't come back and jeonghan might get jailed for setting you free or something!"