the art within

chapter six: underpainting

under every masterpiece lies an unseen layer—the foundation that shapes the image to come. it's hidden beneath the colors, but it's there, influencing every brushstroke.

jae stepped into the color theory classroom, his footsteps echoing softly off the floor, the calming hum of his headphones a constant companion.

the room was already half-filled with students, most of them first years.

as a second year, he had developed a knack for spotting freshmen—their clinging to their supplies like lifelines, the wide-eyed curiosity that hadn't yet been dulled by long nights of projects and deadlines.

the freshmen were already settling in, some glancing nervously around while others chatted with newfound friends.

he spotted a girl with bleached hair surrounded by her small group, their laughter filling the air.

his gaze moved across the room, instinctively analyzing.

a boy in the back slouched with a sketchbook, already scribbling away. a few students looked anxious, their hands gripping their notebooks like life preservers.

then he noticed her.

she was sitting near the front, quieter than the rest, but something about her felt...

different.

he watched as another girl, this one with short curly hair and glasses, nari, leaned over and said something. the first girl smiled, her cheeks reddening slightly, and jae found himself drawn in by that small moment.
he hadn't meant to overhear the introduction between her and the nari, but he had.

her name was skye.

skye.

it suited her. in fact name fits her perfectly.

it was airy, like her laughter that seems to float effortlessly through the room. there's a lightness to it, much like the way she carries herself—free and unburdened.

it reflects her presence, which is both refreshing and unobtrusive, like a gentle breeze that brings a touch of calm.

it's a name that feels as though it's meant for someone who embraces life with an open heart, someone who sees beauty in simplicity and finds joy in the little things.

as most of the others worked on the assignment given by the professor in pairs, jae worked alone, his eyes flickering toward skye more often than he wanted to admit to himself.

but still.

her hands moved with purpose, writing down something he couldn't quite see. he bit the inside of his cheek, feeling a strange pull toward her. she seemed untouchable, lost in her own world. he wondered what it would be like to step into that world for just a moment, but the thought terrified him. she was everything he wasn't—driven, focused, alive. but that same drive reminded him of all the things he was trying to forget.

he had given up on loving someone years ago, convinced that emotional detachment was his only defense against the world's harshness.

he was supposed to be focusing on the assignment—a complex analysis of color harmony and its application in modern art—but his mind kept drifting back to her. getting close to people was never part of his plan, but skye's presence was an anomaly he couldn't ignore.

with her in the room jae was somehow unable to concentrate, neither on his assignment nor on how much of his thoughts were able to be read off his face.

it was fascinating.

skye was fascinating.

jae never saw a person that was so much like him, but yet so different.

there was something about her that jae couldn't put a finger on, but she had an air of distance, something jae recognized in himself.

now, he couldn't help but be curious.

she was like a puzzle he couldn't solve, a mirror reflecting a version of himself he had long buried. there was something about her intensity that drew him in, though he couldn't fully understand why. he wasn't supposed to care about people anymore, yet here he was, grappling with a curiosity that he'd thought he had buried deep within.

it fascinated him. there was something about her intensity that drew him in, though he couldn't understand why.

he wasn't supposed to care about people anymore.

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hi guys,

again thank you so much for reading this book. (I can't understand why you are waiting your time tho)

Anyway

I am happy.

Because next chapter is very promising, but I won't spoiler.

P.S. sry for late upload (but its still 11:59 pm so its still sundayyy)

Stay healthy and happy, see you in chapter 7 :)