Work of Art- KNJ

un | one

"Tell me about your day kiddo." Namjoon asked Aerie as they made their way home. Aerie had just started at a new art academy. It was across the street from her middle school and began right after class. It had always been the girl's dream to become someone in the art world.

"It was so much fun! I met so many new people and my teacher is so sweet." The girl began, "She gave us all a small questionnaire to see what our artistic interests are and little things about ourselves. Miss Seo is so cool, but she told us to call her eonni or noona because she's young." Aerie kept going about how excited she was for tomorrow to see what Miss Seo had planned for them to do. She had a great love for painting, it was her favorite thing to do when she had free time. Sometimes she'd step outside of her grandparents house and paint the cars in the driveway or the neighbors cats. Aerie was extremely gifted, it was the reason why her parents decided to allow her to join the Art Academy of Ilsan. The only downside was that Namjoon had to pick her up everyday instead of either one of her parents. To which Namjoon didn't mind, he loved Aerie, but his sister and brother-in-law would've liked to be the one hearing their daughter go on about what she did.

"Young?" Namjoon questioned.

"She told us she was 26 and to keep that a secret." She said to her uncle. "Guess that secret's out now... oh well." Shrugging, she rummaged through her backpack to find her sketchbook. While her uncle drove, she would write down anything she saw to later draw it. It was a part of her coming home from school routine.

"Oh, so she is young. I thought she'd be older than me." Namjoon explained to his niece whilst still driving.

"You're young too Uncle, I won't consider you old until you're 30." The girl teased.

"That means I only have two years." Her uncle said, pretending to be offended as he knew she wasn't serious.

"Better make those two years count." Aerie joked back before putting her sketchbook away.

The two had arrived at Namjoon's home. He and his sister came upon the agreement that Namjoon would pick up Aerie and take her to his place and about an hour later, either she or Hwandu would pick her up. Namjoon didn't mind since it was pretty lonely being that he lived alone. Occasionally Taehyung would invite him out or they'd do something together but during his day to day life, things were so quiet and sad. Namjoon didn't even have a pet to keep him company while he was alone so having Aerie around for an hour a day was refreshing.

-

"Thanks again Joon." Kyung Min thanked her brother as she came by for her daughter.

"Of course, Aerie makes things around here a lot more interesting." He smiled at his sister as he helped his niece pack her things. "She ate like an hour ago but this girl has an appetite bigger than mine so do with that what you will." He added.

"I do not!" Aerie laughed at her own defense knowing well that what her uncle had said was very much true.

"God doesn't like liars Aerie." Namjoon retorted.

"You don't even believe in God!" She laughed even more.

"Your point?"

"Okay kids, enough of that, let's go home Aerie." Kyung Min said, grabbing the girl's things and making their way to her car. "I'll see you tomorrow Joon, have a good night."

"Night, text me when you guys are home." He requested, opening the passenger side door for his niece.

"Will do." Kyung Min replied, making her way to the driver's side before heading home.

And there sat Namjoon with his thoughts. At least with Aerie around he had someone to talk to. Or if she was doing her homework he would offer to help her. Now Namjoon wasn't unhappy, he was okay with how his life was going and how things were. Being alone didn't bother him and he wasn't necessarily looking for anything either, but as he had told his friend before "I'm not asking for money, but if you hand me a check I'll take it." That was his current situation. He wasn't looking for love but if someone were to walk into his life, he wouldn't be opposed to it. Namjoon had a good job, lived in a good neighborhood, and he was happy with his life. He didn't wish to have someone to share that with but at the same time he did. "All in due time Namjoon." He'd say to himself.