Picture Perfect | k.th

Chapter 13

Today was the big day. The day that the guys and I possibly got trapped in a painting all over again. Or the day we found out what really existed of us prior to being trapped in an isolated frame.

The closer it got for us to go, the more unsure I became. Was I really making the right choice? Could we really be pulled out again? Regardless of what lied behind the frame, I wouldn't want to stay there. No way. Not when I had so much waiting for me outside of it. The competition. My art. My new friends. Life. Sohee. My Sohee.

I knew I wanted to find out more about my origins, but at the same time, it felt like I was the one who cared the least. I was fortunate enough not to have a bad experience coming out of the painting and having a compassionate person beside me the whole time, but that just deterred me from the desire to care that much.

Still, it would be wrong to abandon them despite Sohee's last minute pleas.

It was probably a dumb idea to make her drive us there...

She silently drove the car with me and the guys in tow, an unreadable expression across her face. She had been silent the whole ride and even the other guys were off-put by it. No witty quips or anything.

We agreed that this was just another adventure I needed to take, but it was obvious she was still heavily reluctant about it.

Even as she pulled up to Hyungseo's driveway, there was a hesitation to unlock the car for us and let us out.

She tentatively got out of the car with us, acting unusually cautious and protective of all of the boys, including Jin.

I slipped my hand into hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She returned a halfhearted smile, worry etched across her features.

Nonetheless, she didn't say a word, walking beside us as we approached the house once again. She quietly checked on the others to make sure they were all okay and sure about their decision before knocking on the door.

Hyungseo wasted no time in opening the door, embracing the eight of us as if we had just found his lost puppy.

"I'm so happy to see you all! And thank you all so much for agreeing to do this," he bowed graciously.

"Thank you for giving us this opportunity, sir. We are most curious about what happens when we return to painting form," Jin said politely.

I don't think anyone else noticed, but the lingering gaze he left on Sohee had me instantly want to back out.

"I, too am excited. And as I promised, there are contingencies to pull you all out," he said.

Sohee perked up, "What contingencies do you exactly have planned?" She took a calm breath, "I just think it's important we all know exactly what the plan is so that nothing unfortunate happens."

Hyungseo's expression flickered momentarily, darkening like the night before returning to it's usually bright disposition.

"Of course, that's only fair that you'd want to know. They will be in a safe space and from my research, once a painting soul has been released from their frame, they can enter and exit other canvases at will, so they can hop out whenever they see fit," he explained.

Sohee stared at him unsurely, very hesitantly letting my hand go and letting the boys and I go through.

I warily scanned the area around, hoping to see something incriminating to support the gut feeling I had.

Jin sighed resolutely, "Okay, let's get this over with. Where do we go? What do we do?"

"I have the canvas in a special room. But it's pretty tight, so Sohee, you might have to wait out here," Hyungseo said.