Magic Painting || Kim Taehyung

G

"Hi mom" Mina sniffled, trudging through the front door.

"What happened?" Her mother asked, rushing to see if she was alright. She had a bruised cheek, her hair was all over the place and her bag, shoes and uniform were completely drenched.

"Some mean kids pushed me into a locker and threw my bag from the second floor window, and it fell into a puddle and now pinky is all wet!" She cried, yanking the pink cuddly octopus out of her bag, dropping him on the floor. He hit the tiles with a squelch.

"Well-"

"And when I was walking home, it started to rain, and now I'm soaked!"

"Why don't I put him in the wash and we can dry your bag on the radiator, hm? I've made fresh cookies, would you like one?"

Mina smiled, wiping the little tears from her cheeks. She winced as she brushed over the bruise, drawing another tear.

Her mother took her hand, swiftly pulling her into the kitchen to ice her cheek and cool her down.

She emptied Mina's school bag, sighing. Every single book was wet. All of her test papers were scrambled in the bottom of her bag, and her water bottle was broken, adding to the level of water in there.

"Mom," she whined, "I hate school"

"I know baby," her mother said softly, "but you're doing so well. I know it's not the ideal situation right now, but your grades are outstanding. I'm going to arrange to speak to the principle soon, so we can discuss the issue. Now, why don't you go and draw yourself a hot bubble bath?"

Mina hesitantly got up from her chair, making her way to the stairs and squelching in her shoes with each step.

She got to the bathroom and stripped down to only underwear, soothing the large bruise on her arms. She hissed in pain, revealing a small slash on her forearm which was covered by her long sleeved shirt- presumably from where she hit the lock on the door of the lockers whilst protecting her face from it.

The bath had completely run. It was warm, soothing, and relaxing. After washing all of the rain water out of her hair and cleaning the cuts and bruises, she picked herself up and sighed, taking a good look at herself in the mirror.

"Mina, pinky is out of the washing machine!" Her mother called upstairs, brightening her day a little bit.

She waddled to her bedroom, jumping onto the bed. She lay on her back, contemplating.

"Rough day?"

The same male voice from yesterday pierced the silence. Mina sat up as quickly as she could- since the towel turban on her head was weighing her down.

"Who said that?" She asked, slightly panicked.

"I did" he said again, revealing himself to her.

Mina screamed. Her scream was so loud that her mother came dashing up the stairs in pure terror.

"What is it Mina? Are you hurt?" She cried, bounding into the room.

"T-the painting-" Mina stuttered, "h-he talked! He talked mom!"

Her mother sat on the bed, wrapping an arm around her supposedly deluded daughter.

"Sweetie, that's impossible"

"No! He really t-talked! Do it again!" She screeched at the painting, which gave no such response.

"You're just tired, Mina. That's all. Let me go make you some tea" her mother sighed, leaving her alone with the painting staring at her.

The painting didn't move. Not once.

"Maybe I'm just plain crazy" she groaned, dropping her head into her palms.