A MAN TO HEAL

chapter twenty four

POV Suki

We walk together silently in the museum hallway, the wall are freshly painted in plum , it changes from the gray color from the last time I came here, the paintings on the walls become warmer and the space more welcoming

" You... changed the color of the wall, that is... beautiful "

He glances at me, his hand never leaves mine

" I was a little inspired when I saw your office area, and since I got some time on my hands so... "

" You... painted the walls on your own ? " I ask, my eyes wide

He gives me another brief smile that I'm secretly starting to hate

I miss his real happy eye smiles

" Like I said...I had time and thoughts to escape "

I look at him, his voice sounds hurt and that kills me inside

I'll try my best to cheer him up a bit, at least for tonight

We make it to the back of the museum in a detached room from the initial building

" This is the workshop " he tells me

We get inside and I get to see the set for the pottery he was doing, the clay is still on the pottery wheel, there's no shape yet

And there are many paintings on the walls, porcelain vases, mugs, cups, drawings, it's like a mixed of everything that the museum offers

" Is this your personal workshop? "

He finally lets go of my hand to make some space on a chair that was carrying materials, so I can sit

" It was my grandpa's " he answers

I look around me slowly, the room is messy but it is a coherent mess, there are works of art in every corner, manuals on painting or sculpture, books on ceramics, all piled up on overloaded shelves, yet, I would not change anything in this room, it is pure and simple art

I stop in front of a small frame, it's an old couple standing in a yard, I recognize the yard on the museum's side where the sculptures are now exhibiting

There's a little boy in the middle, they're all smiling with their thumbs up

No one has to tell me but I know the little boy is Jimin, his smiling eyes didn't change at all

" Nice teeth " I say teasingly to the fact that he had a tooth missing at the time he took this photo as a kid

" Still charming right? I had the girls fighting for me at the daycare " he retorts, trying to match my teasing tone, but it doesn't really sound the same

I laugh softly at his joke even though my heart aches for him

I finally walk away and sit on the chair he had prepared for me

I put my mini bag on my knees

" Do you...have work of your grandfather in the museum? " I ask him

He sits back behind his pottery wheel, ready to continue his duty

" No, I keep them in store, I only exhibit a few on special occasions "

" You seem to love him so much, your grandfather... "

I always feel the need to talk personal stuff with him, like I want to know him more

It's not only about feeling a physical attraction for him, I'm also interested in his personality

Thing I should stop now since I have a boyfriend

" He was... everything to me, he taught me most of the things I know, I honestly didn't love him enough when he was still there "