Paint You the Way You Are

FRECKLE BOY

HYUNJIN

Hyunjin sat in a large living room with a huge view of the evening city. The sun was just setting, and he was having great difficulty listening to what the painter was saying because of the shining Sun.

When he and Han had finished their coffee yesterday and parted ways for home Hyunjin thought it would be best if he went to see the painter the next morning. Unfortunately, Hyunjin wasn't so eager to go that he only forced himself after eight hours in bed. When he arrived at a certain place, he was shocked. The painter, his teacher had sent him to, was not just anyone. Hyunjin knew him and had learned from him a few times on YouTube when he needed help. He was also shocked at where the painter lived. He lived on the most expensive street in downtown Seoul, where the monthly rent was probably Hyunjin's earnings from his part-time jobs for the past four years.

'You're really talented! You have the best potential. Why did the professor send you to me anyway?' The painter was old, and his hair was starting to turn grey, but his voice sounded teenage.

'I don't really know, but he said something like I don't put the right emotions into my paintings. That he doesn't see me in them? I don't even know.'

The painter stared at Hyunjin with a furrowed eyebrow, trying to understand what Hyunjin was saying.

'Alright then, let's go sit in front of the window, you'll paint me the setting sun right here.' In the next moment, Hyunjin sat down in front of the huge window and stared at the evening city. Hyunjin had never seen Seoul from such a height. It was breath-taking and magical at the same time.

Meanwhile, the painter brought an easel, brushes and canvas. However, Hyunjin wanted to use his own paints.

For the next hour and a half, Hyunjin painted while the painter watched him. Unfortunately, he didn't say a word and Hyunjin didn't know if he was going to help him. Just then a breeze blew into the room and the hair on Hyunjin's forehead tickled him. He looked up from the painting and glanced around the room, when all he caught was the outline of a man running like a bullet up the stairs.

'Stop!' Came a loud voice from the painter. The man in question, whom Hyunjin had not seen standing with his back to him, stopped abruptly and stood motionless, sprawled on the stairs holding onto the railing. Then the person in question slowly turned around and Hyunjin looked at the boy of the same age. His hair was as black as night and his face shone in the orange light of the setting sun. Hyunjin immediately admitted that the stranger was not only beautiful, but downright gorgeous. Hyunjin could never remember a moment when he liked a sight of another person so much that his heart fluttered slightly just from one single look at them.

The stranger walked down and bowed to the painter, 'Uncle I'm so sorry, I didn't see you. I thought you would be in your studio.' His voice rang through the room and Hyunjin's eyebrows raised in surprise. His face was so childlike, yet his voice sounded quite masculine.

'It doesn't matter. Come on I'll introduce you to my student.' When that sentence was uttered Felix looked around the room and when his eyes met Hyunjin's he paused. Felix could have sworn he felt the tension building between them. Hyunjin stood up and crossed the room until he was close enough to make out the small dots on his face. The freckles on his face shone like night stars in the sky and Hyunjin could have sworn he'd never seen anyone so beautiful. He even noticed a slight nervousness growing in him. When he offered his hand to the boy, he noticed that it was covered in paint but didn't care. The boy in front of him took his hand and shook it. His hand was as icy as if he had just pulled it out of ice water.