masked | hyunchan

-one-

HyunJin sits on the streets of the poorest part of the village just outside of the Kingdom walls. The people here can't afford his work. They can't even dream of ever being able to. He's been in the same boat before. He never imagined he'd escape the deadly grip of poverty, but he did. His gentle strokes of his paintbrush and his naive way of perceiving the world carried him out of its jaws and into the wealthier part of the village. Of course—he's not in the exquisite part of the village where the homes look almost like miniature castles—but he has a decent home for him and his mother. That's all he could ever ask for. He keeps the two of them well fed and clothed in eye-catching colors.

So why is he sitting on the streets? Why is he out in the cold while the snow falls around him? Because he's here to paint. He's here to give the people a taste of what he has. It's all he can offer them. He's not wealthy enough to feed them all. He can't afford to ensure they all have roofs over their heads—but he can bless them with the beauty he can portray on a simple canvas.

A little girl—no older than five or six—stops and stares at him. Dirt is smudged across her cheeks and a rag doll hangs from her hand. HyunJin offers her a bright smile. She slowly makes her way toward him and peeks around his easel to see his blank canvas.

"Do you want a picture?" HyunJin asks he motions to the stool a few feet from him.

The little girl is hesitant. She glances back down the street as if looking for someone.

"It's on me. You don't have to pay for it. You can give it to you parents as a present." HyunJin reassures her as he pulls the stool a bit closer so she can watch him paint.

She slowly climbs up onto the stool. HyunJin pulls a handkerchief from his supplies and cleans her face. The little girl watches him with wide eyes as he starts to get his paints situated.

"What's that?" She leans forward and points toward his paints.

"These?" HyunJin picks up one of the pots of color and holds it out to show her. She nods and he sticks his finger in one before touching the paint to her nose.

"It's paint. It helps me make pretty pictures. I'll make one for you. What's your name?" HyunJin sets the paint down and quickly wipes it from her nose.

"HyeRi." She kicks her feet as she happily settles into her place—no longer afraid of HyunJin.

"That's a pretty name. It's nice to meet you'd HyeRi. My name is HyunJin. How old are you, HyeRi?" HyunJin starts a casual conversation with the girl as he drags his paintbrush over the canvas. A small group of people start to gather behind him. They watch every stroke of his brush with a critical eye.

"I'm eight." HyeRi responds without hesitation. She leans in a bit to see what he's doing. She slowly becomes mesmerized by the beautiful colors.

"You're getting really big! I'm an old man compared to you. I'm twenty-two." HyunJin chuckles as he remains oblivious to the steadily growing crowd behind him.

"My brother is almost your age." HyeRi scoots forward a bit until she's sitting on the very edge of the stool. She leans forward and the stool shifts beneath her.

"Be careful—don't fall." HyunJin quickly reaches his arm out to catch her.

"HyeRi!" A boy a bit shorter than HyunJin comes rushing toward the two as HyunJin helps HyeRi back onto the stool.

"Minnie!" HyeRi chirps as the boy comes to a halt beside HyunJin's easel.

"What are you doing? I told you not to leave my side!" The boy scolds his younger sister while HyunJin continues painting. He sees no point in interfering. It's not his place.