a work of art [meanie]

Chapter 5

970 words

At that same evening Wonwoo and Mingyu met, Wonwoo checks his phone all the time. He can not wait for Mingyu to message him as he promised. Wonwoo stares at his phone screen for good fifteen minutes until he finally gives up. But he still checks his phone like every other minute.

"Wonwoo, I'm home!" Wonwoo hears his mom shout downstairs, following a sound of door closing. She came home.

It is pretty late already but it does not surprise Wonwoo. His mom comes always home late when Wonwoo is doing his homework or surfing online, so they barely ever see each other properly.

Wonwoo's days are always the same; waking up, studying, sometimes working after school, being alone at home and doing homework before going to sleep. And that is how it will always be, Wonwoo is sure of it.

He is so not the type to party on Fridays, or go to movies or shopping with friends, absolutely not, he is always alone and in some way he kind of likes it that way. But then again, he would like to have someone to talk to. Someone to listen to his lame stories of his lame life and laugh at his lame jokes. Someone actually paying attention. Someone caring.

But instead of talking about his days or feelings, he paints them. Each one of his works reminds him of the day he painted it; he has painted all his emotions and thoughts he has been holding in.

Simple painting of a landscape, eye-pleasing combination of colors; the day of happiness.

Black drops of paint all over the canvas, a guy in the middle of an empty road, broken umbrella on his hands; the day of sorrow.

It all depends on his mood. Some days he would feel oddly empty and just stare at the canvas in front of him, not being able to paint anything, but some other days he might get into it so much that he forgets everything - eating, homework and sleeping - because he is so concentrated on painting.

Wonwoo shoves his phone to his pocket and rushes downstairs to help his mom with housework. Wownoo always does the dishes, hoovering and most of the housework but his mom still finds something to do. She always does. Wownoo assumes that she feels guilty for not being able to do the things that moms usually do; housework, cooking and taking care of their children. But Wonwoo appreciates his mom so much; she works so hard every day, and never complains.

"Hey mom, what are you doing?" Wonwoo asks, taking the dish brush from her hands.

"Dishes, as you can see for sure. Now, give it back to me," she demands and tries to take the brush back from Wonwoo, but Wonwoo just hides it under his back, further away from her.

"What the hell, mom? I have told you not to! I swear to god that I have told you hundred times; I'm taking care of the dishes!" Wonwoo says, almost shouting, yet not angry at all.

"Stop cursing, Wonwoo!" her mom says making Wonwoo grin.

"Okay, I will, but only if you promise to leave the dishes to me and just relax,"

"Goddamn Wonwoo, you dipshit," she finally gives up smiling and walks out of the kitchen, after she ruffles Wonwoo's hair and places a brief kiss on top of his head. Wonwoo smiles to himself in victory and starts doing the rest of the dishes.

After Wonwoo is done with the dishes he brings her mom a cup of her favorite tea and some of her favorite snacks to the couch where she is laying, staring at the television. He does this pretty often, since he wants her to be able to relax after work.

Then Wonwoo runs upstairs to his room and tosses himself into the bed. To do homework or to not do? He thinks to himself and finally decides to go with the former. He gets up from his bed and grabs his phone to listen to some music while doing his homework but he freezes as he notices a notification.

One received message from unknown number.

The message has been sent to him half an hour ago when he was doing the dishes.

Wonwoo knows it is Mingyu so he quickly unlocks his phone and opens the message.

You up for some fun?

today, 00.03

His face scrunches in confusion.

"What the h--,"

He is just about to type an answer to Mingyu's mysterious message when his phone starts ringing.

It is the same unknown number, calling him.

Wonwoo does not have time to wonder why in the world Mingyu is calling to him at midnight, as he answers the ringing phone quickly.

"Hello?" Wonwoo says, confusion in his voice.

"Did I wake you up? Oh shit, I should've looked at the clock before calling you," Wonwoo hears Mingyu whisper.

"Oh no, no! I was wide awake!"

"Oh, thank god, because so am I," Mingyu says relieved and then there is a short silence.

"So... Why did you call?" Wonwoo asks trying to hide his mixed feelings of nervousness, excitement and curiosity. Mingyu and Wonwoo are talking on the phone. Mingyu called him. Him?

"I was just bored so I thought I'd call you. You and your voice entertain me," Mingyu states, letting out a tired sigh and Wonwoo can hear suffling on the other end of the line so he assumes Mingyu is laying on his bed. He crawls back to his bed as well.

Wonwoo just chuckles at Mingyu's answer but is secretly very happy that Mingyu is not able to see the huge, dumb smile on his face right now.

"So... you want me to entertain you?"

"Yes, please,"

Maybe homework can wait a little longer.