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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Lee Somin
On Sunday morning Somin was the first one at breakfast. Hmm, I'm never the first one.
There was Junu with his sketchbook, fingers already dirty from charcoal pencils, sipping tea of reddish color. His eyes were tightly closed as he was thinking about something. Somin silently joined him with her strong dark coffee, too sweet for ordinary humans.
She smiled, and he nodded. He makes me feel grounded.
Junu permeated the safe atmosphere of "Among us loners". Somin cherished the fact he let her close to his private life in the short time they'd known each other. As a thank you, she was extra sensitive to his need for quietness. It was quite a challenge to guess when it was appropriate to talk or when to just be, either way, it was pleasant to exist beside him.
At yesterday's dinner, Mr. Ha gave the painters a simple assignment. It was obviously "nature".
"Do it as you will," Mr. Ha said. "If it means figure go for it, if you want to use materials on paper it is alright. Be bold, be creative, put yourself in it."
Somin already had her folder, colors, and backpack with her.
I'm gonna go as quickly as I can. I don't wanna see the goddamned love birds or him.
Eating took her way longer than she anticipated, she kept losing her mind over and over, overthinking everything to the point of another anxiety attack starting to build up, preparing to paralyze her more. Junu noticed her fidgeting and desperate sights, so he caressed the top of her hand. The touch grounded her emotions at least for the time when she could serenely eat her breakfast.
"Thank you," Somin whispered to him.
"I am nervous too," he said and Somin gave him a sad smile.
When the first students started to pour in, Somin ran out like there was a fire behind her butt, leaving a confused Junu at the table still sipping his tea.
The wide-eyed boy wasn't in a hurry, adamant to savor every moment so far from home.
No more parents.
Pure freedom.
Even though there are too many other people, I'll have to ignore them.
His happy place mood was disturbed only by the care for the shy girl.
She is even more chaotic than usual. I should ask what is bothering her later. He wondered worried about his friend.
