Epiphany

04

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"Since you like art so much, I thought a museum would fit your liking. A very famous museum at that." Cilia says as they walk next to eachother, flashing past people.

"I'm impressed, that's one point for you." He responds with a subtle smile and she senses a calm energy.

Women would stare at them, mainly at Daze as he mindlessly focused on the painting, too distracted to realise Cilias shoulder bag dangling on his shoulder.

Dazes eyes were glued to Van Goghs self-portrait on the wall and Cilia followed his eyes, noticing that he was extremely concentrated.

She knew that she didn't view art as he viewed it and that is a beautiful thing within itself.

It was rather a good choice to bring him here.

With his eyes, he took in the soft paint strokes on the art piece and the mixing of colors Van Gogh did. Van Gogh had a trick for color co-ordinating.

Daze stood in awe, his eyes fixed on the intricate brushstrokes and vibrant colors.

Cilia, on the other hand was casually looking around the museum.

"Do you realise how many women have tried hitting on you? I would grab their numbers if I were you." Cilia says and Daze looks down at her while shaking his head.

"I'm not interested." He replies while he turns to her and Cilia roles her eyes.

"Look at the girl behind me, on my left." She directs him and his eyes slowly follow until they land on a tall brunette, staring right at him.

She was dressed in a flowy dress and tall heels, revealing her long legs. Daze's eyes trailed down to the uncomfortable state of her toes in her shoes.

"Are toes usually supposed to look like that in high heels?" He asks nonchalantly and Cilia curiously glances back at the woman's toes.

Cilia gasped lightly.

"She just needs a bigger size but that's besides the point. Look at her, she's gorgeous." She adds but Daze doesn't fall for it.

"She is beautiful but I'm not interested." Daze shrugs while looking down at Cilia's fed up expression as she crosses her arms.

"Cilia, funny seeing you here... with a man." A tall red-headed man stood infront of the both of them and instantly wrapped his arms arpund Cilia's waist. His loud personality already placed a frown between Daze's eyebrows.

"Daze this is Tristan, my co-worker and Tristan this is Daze." Cilia introduces the two to eachother.

"Daze? Never heard of him." He scoffs more to himself and Daze looks at him with a bored look, remaining silent.

"Neither have I." He responds calmly and Tristan gives him an offended look but shakes it off in seconds.

"Well, hello Daze." He extends his hand out to him and Daze simply just looks down at it before shaking it himself.

Tristan awkwardly pulls his hand back and clears his throat.

"Well, you know the surgery that I told you about?" She looks up at Daze and he nods, "We did it together with some other surgeons as well."

"And Cilia got us through the entire surgery. Without her, I'm convinced that the man would've died." Tristan says and Cilia smiles.

"I'll accept the compliment."

"I'll go look at some more portraits. Is that alright?" He stares into her eyes and Cilia tilts her head to the side, trying to figure out what has gotten into him.

"Yes, that's fine." She responds without question.

"Don't go too far." He warns her with his top half body looking at her as his tall frame backs away.

"I won't." She responds, not understanding his change of behavior but brushes it off anyway.

"Well, that's a first. He hates me." Tristan says while scratching the back of his head as Daze walks away.

"No, he's just a very straight forward person." She says glancing over at Daze as he respectfully walks past people.

It's been less than a day that they've known eachother and it already feels like she knows him for more than a year.

Tristan rubs the side of his cheek. "So, that's your boyfriend?"

"Friend." She affirmed with her chest.

"Friends, huh? It doesn't seem like it to me." Tristan states with bitterness in his tone.

Cilia stands with her hands on her sides and her dress flowing down as she smiles at something Tristan said. Daze had been distracted by Cilia as he couldn't keep his eyes on the painting on the wall.

Ever since he walked away.

Her long curly hair flowing down her shoulders like a waterfall, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and wonder as she took in what Tristan said.

Without hesitation, Daze reached into his jacket and pulled out his tiny sketchbook and the mechanical pencil he always holds with him. Ignoring the curious glances of strangers, he focused all his attention on Cilia across the room. With swift and sure strokes, he began to bring her to life on the blank page before him.

Seconds turned into minutes, Daze's hand moved with a fluidity and precision that only a true artist possessed.

He captured every curve of her smile, every glint in her eyes, every strand of hair that danced in the gentle breeze. Soon, Cilia emerged from the paper, immortalized in black and white, making him realize something.

What the am I doing?

Clicking out of it, Daze instantly slid his pencil between the sketchbook and looked up to find Cilia standing before him, her eyes wide with surprise and delight. She gazed down at the sketch only for him to shove the sketchbook into his pocket.

"Let me see that. What were you drawing?" She complains and he shakes his head immediately.

"It's just a messy sketch, nothing important." He says.

"I'll be the judge of that. I've never even seen your artwork before." She slid her hand behind his back, looking up at him.

"Look at that sculpture, wow." Daze changes the subject and it somehow works on Cilia, causing her to turn around.

"Wow, that's beautiful." She gasps at the sculpture woman as they walk towards it.

After walking around the museum, sharing laughs and Cilia forcing Daze to take pictures of her next the pieces she found beautiful. He didn't complain but did it, just to make her happy.

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