Renaissance

3. Old feelings

Y/n POV

When I woke up next it was already Monday. I groaned and wiped the drool remains of my chin. Faintly, I remember dreaming about cute men with coffee... 'What a good way to start the week... Well, no time to dream on. I have to get ready asap.' And with that I trudge into my bathroom. Not even 30 minutes later I made my way out of my lovely spacious bathing palace going straight to my one and only savior ... my coffee machine. 

With hot coffee rushing through my veins I easily survived my two first classes without anything special happening. But now it was my favorite time of the day: the art class with my so far cutest and most ambitious second graders. There are for sure some aspiring artists in this classroom! 

I look over at my students and see everyone immersed in today's assignment: Painting (with) your true colors. As always, I see some of my students bobbing their heads to their music completely focused on the piece of paper in front of them. At first, I received criticism from a lot of the other teachers and even some parents for letting my students listen to music during my classes whenever they would silently work on something. But after some explanations of my teaching concept and me expressing my believes in that matter everything settled down for good. 

Walking through the rows taking some sneak peaks here and there over the shoulders of my pupils I realize not everyone started working. Minseo, a cute little girl with pig tails, is blankly staring at her still empty paper. Crouching down next to her I softly bump her shoulder to catch her attention. She quickly locks eyes with me and I can immediately see the doubts swimming in the depths of those cute little brown orbs. 

'Hey Minseo, what's going on over here?' I silently ask in order to not disturb the others.

'I...I d-don't know what to draw, Miss Y/l/n' She sniffles. A lonely big tear escaping from her eyelashes. 

'Okay, well it is okay to not know what to draw. Sometimes it takes a while before an idea hits you! But you did understand the assignment, rigth?' 

'Yes, Miss Y/l/n. It... I-It's just that I don't know what my true colors are. I really like bright colors, but I think black looks cool too.' Motioning towards her seatmate 'But Hyunjin's green color looks also nice. I don't know what to choose.'

'Well, you can pick whatever shade you want Minseo. And it doesn't have to be only one color. You can do both bright colors and black on one paper, if you believe that are your true colors. Okay?' I tell her hoping that she overcomes this little obstacle. 

I have that too. Always before starting a new piece of art myself, I hesitate for a little bit. Being scared that it might not turn out the way I want it to be. But then I remind myself that if I don't try, I will never know what it could look like if it did turn out great. 

I watch Minseo collecting herself, putting her earplugs in and starting to place lots of bright blue on her paper. Some might say she carelessly splash the color around without even giving it one thought. But that is how it is supposed to be in my art class. I want my students to know that as long as they had fun in the process, no matter what the end result looks like, they will not be judged or be looked down on if they just express themselves with art. 

Because this room is a safe space for everyone. Because if you start judging them you drill them away from the real purpose of art into a toxic competitive thinking. And we certainly have enough of that kind of thinking in the world! 

Minseo kind of reminds me of Simone. That careless way of living. Every second of the day in their own little universe. Although Simone stopped zoning out into her own thoughts after Ada's death. Right after the funeral in 2020, which only happened 3 months after Ada's proposal to me after finding out that I was indeed her soulmate, little Simone turned into something closer to a robot that a human. She was only surviving and functioning not really living. 

I swallow the tears that threatened to spill. But the empty feeling stays. And it's hard to swallow. This emptiness I first felt after her death. After being with her for 5 years and knowing her since nearly a whole decade it was weird being alone all of the sudden. Everything felt empty. The apartment. Our bed. My whole life felt empty. And that's how I ran away. Away from that loneliness and towards my new dream and hope: Seoul. 

It was a good thing I've taken Korean classes in university. All thanks to me being a total Kpop fan through and through. 

Still the beginning was very hard. I was again lonely, but now just in a different city. On top of that there was still a slight language barrier not to even mention the huge cultural differences I had to get used to. 

But all that kinda solved itself when one day I ran into Jackson. He immediately made me feel comfortable and welcomed without even trying. If you would meet him on the street, you would never believe he owns one of those huge rich people gallery downtown. 

He exhibits a lot of modern young artist and always tries to encourage me to let him put my work into his next project. But I am always a bit hesitant. I don't really know who would want to see my work. It is honestly just for me. I draw my emotions and true colors like my students do right now just to get them out of my system. It helps with my nightmares. 

But Jackson is so pushy with that topic. He apparently really loves my art. 

Ending my class I collect all my students work for them to continue in the our next class. 

This was my last class for today now I only have to do the cafeteria oversight shift till 1 p.m. and then I can head home. There is not much to do at lunch almost all students are very well behaved and there are only few that we teachers must remind to clean the table after them. 

I see Minseo sitting next to a very chatty Hyunjin eating and talking away about their little art they made in my class. Maybe I should learn from those kids. Maybe it is just my fear of starting something new that hinders me from letting Jackson put some of my work on display. Maybe I should visit him and see what he is up to. I haven't seen him since last Friday. 

With that thought in mind I pack my back and call my best and almost only friend here in Korea. 

Someone's POV:

'I can't seem to stop thinking about her. Whenever I zone out, I see her cute lips pout and a little crease forming on her forehead as she graded those assignments at the Café. When I arrived back at the company after that encounter, I was kinda upset with myself storming out like that. I didn't even catch her name. 

Well seems like I just have to see her again! 

Yesterday I researched some soulmate stuff. And found out that my initial thought was right. Her mark. The crossed out one, it could only mean one thing: She must have lost her soulmate in the past. I heard that it is really painful given that you lose part of your own soul with them. I really hope she is okay...'

A/N: Hello readers. Here is a little update from me. I hope you are doing alright and enjoyed this chapter. I apologize for taking so long to update, I'm currently writing my bachelor thesis soooo I'm quite busy :D I hope you understand. Thanks for reading! 

Love, your ladyofthemagicshop!