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( 32 ) ❛ to be loved is to be seen ❜
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Love is something Aeri's father would remind her of how she was born. So when he died and she was left with her stepmother, she wondered where had she gone wrong for the woman to not love her the same way her father did. But love comes in different ways, right? And she tried her best to understand, but she couldn't help but question how did her once safe haven turn into a place she dreaded to near the most?
When Aeri first discovered her 'talent' in bringing two loving people together, she swore to herself, wanting everyone to feel the love that they deserve. However, when it came to herself, despite the desire to feel loved—she couldn't risk opening up her heart once more for she was afraid that they would some day disappear.
Aeri knew about love. What is love, where love can be found, why we love, and how we love. It's simply something that Aeri was accustomed to ever since she was claimed by her mother during her first few days at camp. She always knew love would be around her, one way or another, but finding love in someone was something she didn't expect at all, or maybe she did, but the way it happened so naturally that she didn't see it coming.
There was this young boy she met at the Arts and Craft center. It was so long ago but Aeri could still remember the short interaction they made. The whole workshop that day was all about beauty. And beauty was something she saw the moment she met eyes with the boy beside her. Before she knew it, she had begun painting what she saw.
She couldn't help but go through every single detail she saw with her own eyes, worrying that her painting wouldn't do justice on how good he looked in real life. With her hand loosely holding the brush, she let herself freely paint the boy beside her. She couldn't really get a full view of his face so she ended up painting his side view. It honestly felt like the whole world was getting quieter and her surroundings would become blurry making the boy his main focus.
She could see it so clearly. The way he would slightly squint his eyes whenever he painted something with much detail. The way his free hand would come up to brush up his hair. The way his lips would pout as he tried to concentrate on his painting. Aeri didn't even need to see his whole face to know that the boy was beautiful because from his side profile alone, it was much to give her an impression that he was.
Eventually, Aeri finished her painting, a bit earlier than the others, so she stood up to inform the Athena kid that was instructing them. After a little conversation, she went back to her spot, only to clumsily trip, knocking over someone's canvas. And as if she weren't already unlucky, it happened so that the painting she had just ruined was from the boy that sat beside her. She could already feel her cheeks flaring up in embarrassment and she couldn't even bring herself to make eye contact.
