Art - Sung Hanbin

02 - Inked

"Hey, you know I'm making an exception for you right? We're closed today, so don't you tell anyone about this," a stern voice told Hanbin.

"Yes sir!" Hanbin exclaimed, jokingly saluting the older. "Thank you for letting me do this again, Hongjoong," he thanked sincerely. 

Hongjoong clicked his tongue and smiled at him. "I have hope in your little side hustle, you know? You've got serious potential." Hanbin denied Hongjoong's words out of humbleness, even though they really did mean a lot in his heart. 

"Make sure to lock up when you're done, alright?" Hongjoong said as he left and closed the door, Hanbin shouting that he understood. 

Huffing out a sigh of content, Hanbin began to organize the materials that he would need upon Noeul's arrival. They had scheduled this day last week, and Hanbin would be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to it.

It had been quite some time since he last did a tattoo on somebody, due to a sort of creative stump. He hadn't ever experienced something like this before in his life. Sure, sometimes he struggled to come up with an idea, but he always managed. But this time around, it was as if his talent had been completely stripped from him. He loved doing art, he always did, so why was he finding it so difficult to rediscover passion in the thing he dedicated his whole life to? 

But when Noeul came to him that day, he saw her and he felt it again. That spark of creativity. That feeling that rushed through his veins when an idea began to form in his head. 

Drawing out the tattoo design for her felt so natural, like he found himself through his art once again. He was beyond thankful for Noeul's appearance in his life. 

He was excited to get himself back to normal again. He was also excited because he thought Noeul was kinda... really... gorgeous.

A bell chimed as a sign of the door to the shop opening, which pulled Hanbin's attention away from the tools he was sanitizing. Moon Noeul stood at the door, looking a tad bit lost.

"You're here!" Hanbin blurted out excitedly. "I was afraid you'd get lost. This place is kind of in the middle of no where."

Noeul laughed softly, taking a few more steps in. "I managed." 

Hanbin gave her that smile that Noeul had been thinking about non-stop the past week. It somewhat satisfied her to see it again. 

"I already have everything set up, so we can start whenever you're ready," he explained, and Noeul nodded happily. 

She looked around the studio. It was fairly small, with white walls and warm lighting that made the place feel a lot more welcoming than she was anticipating. It was empty, with no other customers in sight, but Hanbin's playlist that resonated throughout the shop from the speakers masked the heavy silence that would have been present. 

Seeing Hanbin already sat down at the little station that he had set up, Noeul feared to keep him waiting any longer than he already had been. So, she scurried over and scooched herself on the chair that Hanbin prepared, the backrest tilted forward for her to lean on comfortably. 

"Nervous?" Hanbin asked while snapping a pair of gloves on his hands. 

"Not really, actually," she blabbed awkwardly with her back facing him.

Hanbin quietly exclaimed, impressed, followed by a soft laughter. "Pretty brave, huh?" 

The two shared a short lived laugh before Hanbin started cleaning the area on her back where the tattoo would be, then transferring the design onto her skin. "I'm just going to trace it on first, just to make sure everything's in the right place." Noeul found the way that Hanbin explained each step to her helped ease her mind a bit.

He finished copying the design from the paper reference he brought along, and before he actually began the tattooing he reassured Noeul. "Let me know if you need a break at any point, this might be a while."

Shortly after Noeul nodded her head in agreement, she heard the familiar sound of the tattoo gun buzzing. 

She flinched at the needle's initial contact to her skin, but soon got used to the feeling. Hanbin quietly monitored her reaction to ensure it was comfortable. "Is it okay?" 

Noeul was quick to hum as a yes. "It's not as bad as I thought it would be." Hanbin didn't reply to that, appearing too focused on his work. 

After a while of silence, featuring Hanbin humming the lyrics to the songs on the speakers, he attempted to make casual conversation. "If you don't mind me asking," this scared Noeul who was about to doze off awake, "what did this 'J' stand for?"

The question that Noeul knew was bound to get asked finally getting out there was relieving in a way. She laughed in what seemed to be embarrassment. "It's the initial of my ex-boyfriend." 

Hanbin muttered an 'oh', even though it was what he already presumed. "It was a pretty impulsive decision, and also stupid... I just figured it's time to move on," Noeul continued. 

"He's a jerk anyway," Noeul slipped in quietly, and Hanbin pretended he didn't hear. "Well this tattoo is definitely a step forward!" He lightened the mood again, eyebrows still furrowed in focus. Noeul admired his positive attitude. 

A few minutes of awkward small talk turned into more hours of truly trying to get to know each other. Hanbin told her about the stump that he's been in, and how she was the one who somewhat brought him out of it. Noeul couldn't help but feel appreciated... she may have blushed a little. 

And between complaints about the dormitories, gossip about teachers, and future project ideas, the tattoo of the butterfly was...

"Finished!" Hanbin cheered. 

Noeul standing up for the first time in three hours had her legs feeling like jelly. Hanbin carefully guided her to the mirror where she finally checked the tattoo on her body. 

Hanbin stood behind her, nervously tapping his feet on the ground. "...What do you think?" 

She was still silent, examining the ink on her skin so carefully in the same position she was as when she initially stood there. The suspense she was building had Hanbin sweating.

"I fucking love it oh my gosh. Thank you Hanbin." 

Hanbin sighed in relief and patted himself on the back. "It's nothing! I'm glad you like it," he beamed. 

Hanbin told her that he'll talk to her about the price and payment on a later date, and Noeul, who was reluctant to leave him empty handed questioned this, but agreed after the 80th "it's no big deal".

As Noeul was leaving, Hanbin opened the door for her. "I can't thank you enough for today, Hanbin," she emphasized. "Really, it's my pleasure. I had fun today too!" Hanbin replied as his smile widened. 

There was a moment where it was quiet between the two of them as they exchanged glances while smiling at each other. Noeul's gaze lingered on Hanbin's face, not so subtly studying his every feature. She weirdly didn't want to leave this position. 

Hanbin felt his heartbeat speeding up a little bit, without knowing the reason why. He started to feel the tension growing between them. He didn't know what to do, it was his first time experiencing a situation like this

With him coyly raising his eyebrows, almost like a question, she finally displayed a small heartfelt smile to him, mumbling a 'bye', which he returned before she walked off. 

With Noeul now gone, Hanbin was left alone with his thoughts. And sure as hell his mind was full with nothing but her for the entirety of the day, week, and until she would contact him next. 

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