Begin #1 » j.jk ✓

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i made it home. to the clinic, i mean. and saw lisa hanging out by herself by the door. i slowly crept towards it and smirked when i got the chance to scare her.

once i did, she almost fell from the face i put on, making me laugh to my heart's content as i entered.

"oh, wow! I didn't know you could actually be a playful person. You should really show this side of you more." she chuckled discreetly, letting me sit next to her.

"i found a part time job."

she furrowed her brows confusedly, as expected. "i guess that sounds good? why, though?"

"duh, obviously, so i could pay you and mrs. lee for letting me stay here." before she could even complain with an anticipated line of letting me live for free here, i cut her off, adding another fact. "plus, i need to pay for my tuition, anyway."

"but didn't mr. jung say he'd take care of it?"

my eyes widened in surpsise, making me look in her way, blinking. "i didn't tell you anything about that. how did you know?"

her face got drained, turning white from being flustered about it. "u-uh, well, i got a sharp sense of hearing, see. a-and it's not like the hall of your school was echo-proof for me not to hear it by the entrance."

i nodded understandingly. that makes sense. but it made me look back at her, noticing the red in her cheeks appearing in sight. i let out a soft chuckle. "you know, you could've just said you were worried about me."

she stared at me in disbelief. "hey, my world doesn't revolve around you." she paused before she added to her sentence, "but of course, i was worried."

"thanks." i find myself always saying 'thanks' to her in a lot of situations. but so far, i don't think i've ever done anything for her in return. what should i do for her, even?

-

mr. jung handed me a new set of brushes and paint, giving me a warm smile as he pats me on the back. he led me inside and that's when i started painting again. now that i think about it; it has been so long since i last did. i wonder what would my next portrait be about?

"jungkook, i trust you'll be able to catch up, okay? i'll be right back. i just need to call my wife." i gave him a simple nod as he left the room.

once the coast was clear, i dipped my paintbrush into the paint palette where a few swatches of different available colors lied. closing my eyes full with anticipation, goosebumps went throughout my back when the brush started spreading its creativity on the empty canvass. if my hunch is right, my previous ones always had something in gold-this time, i'm sure (i hope) the clue will be bigger.

i can feel it. my hand freely expressed himself on the canvass as if it had a mind of its own. it was a peculiar thing to feel for, possibly, amateurs. i'd assume the professionals claimed it was of pure talent guiding them-a few of the chosen ones.

this is it. the moment of truth. my hand rested on my lapt after placing the brush inside the jar to rinse the paint off. slowly, i opened my eyes to see something i've never seen before;

a face. a face of a man-or rather, it looked like the face of two boys combined into one figure, yet somehow it felt like it was meant to be. these two..somehow they're both related to the golden woman in my old paintings. but how?

"jungkook, i- whoa." mr. jung came in, walking straight towards my painting with his mouth left agape. he rubbed his chin, it meant he was examining it deeply.

perhaps he could interpret it as a merge.

"why does this painting seem to remind me of..someone i used to know?" he started tapping on his chin, still trying his best on recalling that person.

but i didn't know anything that was in the painting. nor did i even meet anyone having even the slightest bit of familiarity.

mr. jung tried touching the canvass, a hint of tears at the verge of falling from the corner of his eye. when he realized i noticed his emotions, he turned his back on me to hide his face. "ah, sorry about that. i-i don't think i remember him." he chuckles nervously.

he turned to face me once again with his masked smile. "this should suffice as your make-up work, jeon. good job."

usually, i would stand up and leave without saying a word. but something made me stop by the door of the classroom. i saw him tear up in front of my painting, still. just who was that person to make mr. jung water up so much when he has never even showed any emotions but happiness?

-

"oh, good, you're here just on time, kid." the noona i talked to yesterday suddenly hung the apron she calls a 'uniform' around my neck in a hurry. meanwhile, i noticed her not wearing hers. she just pushed me into her place: by the cashier.

"noona-"

"ah, i'm going to take my leave for now. don't worry. nobody comes here anyway. just..you." she grabs an umbrella and her shoulder bag, taking the door by the handle, ready to leave. "see ya."

i sighed in defeat, gulping nervously. nobody comes here, anyway. i assumed nobody really does. maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing eitherway. i get paid and i don't have to worry about talking to strangers or be nagged/bossed around by them.

suddenly, the bell hanging above the door chimed. i tried recalling what i was supposed to do when a customer comes by. "uh, good afternoon, i'm new here, so i'm sorry if i don't know much what goes around here, but i'll be glad to be of help."

i managed to breath easier when i looked over to see that it was just lisa. "oh, hey." i casually greeted. "how'd you know i work here?"

"just an intuition." she came in with her hands hidden behind her back as she was soon closing near my position.

"you followed me."

"yah, you should stop assuming things." she walked around the store, checking up on things. "besides, i came here to get food for dinner. mrs. lee's gonna cook curry."

"i see." was all i could think of as i've run out of comebacks.

lisa lurked around at the very back portion of the store, softly humming a sweet melody under her breath as a distraction. once she came over to pay, i started-one by one-punching each item. "that'll be...$10.00."

as she was just about to get her wallet inside her pockets, my heart palpitated when the bell chimed once again, revealing a new customer. "welcome, i'm sorry, i'm-"

"you should be."

that voice. i slowly turned my head towards the owner and saw;

"m-mom."

-

a/n : obviously, kookie's mom would easily find him since that was the convenience store he was always told to buy at. (author-nim is apologetic).

please comment what you think of the chappie, thank you!!

» posted : 06.21.17