After Somin finally gets into a prestigious Art university, everything in her life turns upside down. What was once a secure plan to get closer to her boyfriend is now a mess. Her future is unknown, though already stained with heartache.
Will she p...
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Somin and Mia
"How do you feel, Somin-ah?" Mia asked, laying in her pajamas under the scratchy blankets.
"I've had better days." Somin was anxiously biting the skin around her fingers to relieve the tension.
"Try to get some sleep and let's make art tomorrow. Uhm, you do, I'll be flirting... Uhm, sorry..." She tried to make the sad girl laugh. "...training with seniors," Mia said with deep concern.
"Don't you pay attention to that boy! He didn't approach you so far, did he?" Mia asked when Somin's mood didn't budge.
"No, I hope he'll just ignore me." Somin was clearly panicking. "It's so hard to see him again. What if he already has a new girlfriend?"
Mia held her hand tenderly. They both hung their arms from the bed to touch in the space between, Mia caressed Somin's fingers gently.
"You'll handle it, you'll see, I believe in you!" She winked at her confidently, light from a barely functional lamp making her face look like a golden princess. "I'm sleepy. Let's call it a day to look fresh and beautiful tomorrow."
Somin went to take a warm shower to appease her sick nerves.
That be the third shower in a row.
Make my worries disappear. She prayed in the water.
To be fresh and beautiful, easy to say, hardly a truth.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Her heart raced in panic and sharp pain throbbed in the small place between her breasts. Intensive never-ending pulsing pain.
In the past, she wondered if it was a real heart attack. Turned out, it was just a serious anxiety attack formed probably during high school, gifted by stress from working overload. She didn't remember when or how it started, but suddenly it was there, making her life miserable. A silent partner trying to make himself known.
I wasn't sleeping enough back then. She reminded herself. Those nights were too long.
***
"You can't be serious. Do you want to get into the school or what is this supposed to mean?" Cholsu said, holding her paintings, frustration heavy in his tone.
Somin was working her ass off to build an interesting portfolio in such a short time.
"Do you think it's that bad?" she questioned him, tears already forming in the corner of her eyes.
Cholsu's hand went through his ashy hair, head held high, chestnut eyes closed. He looked like a statue, mature, wise, and perfect in Somin's naive eyes. Gripping the bridge of his nose in agitation he furrowed his brows like he had to speak with the stubborn child, explaining something obvious.
