REDAMANCY

Twenty Three

Twenty Three
-
Meraki
(v.) to do something with soul, creativity, or love; to put something
of yourself into your work
-

Jimin slowly opened the heavy wood door to the old art room. It was chipped and worn from decades of use. Chunks of faded red paint broke off, dusting his shoes. He gripped his sketchbook tighter, his heart sinking to his stomach while his anticipation took over.

"You're here." The familiar deep voice sent his face ablaze. Daehyun was sitting atop one of the old craft tables towards the front, looking relaxed. He hopped off and came over to Jimin, unable to hide his happiness that the shorter boy was actually here.

"Yeah." Jimin gave him a small smile and lifted the sketchbook quite shakily. "Shall we start?"

"Hold on," Daehyun said, gesturing around the room. "Look at this cool place! I remember my first year, the last year this was used."

Jimin looked, and instantly his mental art lens kicked in as he studied the space.

Old, dusty tabletops were accompanied by paint splattered stools and topped with rolls of large paper of many colors. In the back, easels stood in a circle around a circular table, with some obscure hybrid object on top. A wheel of some sort, chains and gears. There were partially finished sketches taped in haughty fashion on those easels. Attempts at shading and blending all melted together to create diversity. Paintbrushes were jammed into cups of dried paint too. The room seemed to be frozen in time, as if everyone had simply stopped what they were doing and disappeared. Jimin felt his heart rate slow and he felt a wave of calm wash over him.

He turned to Daehyun and gave the older a smile. "Ready?"

"Yes."

Daehyun pulled a stool out from one of the tables and began to remove his jacket. Instantly Jimin's eyes widened.

"Wait! Um— I thought I was drawing you... clothed."

"You are, but it's stuffy in here." Daehyun replied with a smirk. "I was just going to take off my jacket. Unless you'd like me to take off more."

"N-no I'm okay." Jimin gulped, suddenly feeling equally hot. He wanted to remove his jacket but he felt awkward.

Daehyun sat on the stool in his crisp white shirt and black pants, a slight smile on his face, his glasses propped atop his head. He leaned down and propped himself up on one arm, his elbows on his knee. He looked like an actual model.

Jimin took a deep breath and pulled a pencil from the spiral of the sketchbook. Then he opened it and flipped to a fresh new page. He wanted this drawing to be perfect.

"How long have you been drawing?" Daehyun asked him.

"Since I was little." Jimin said with a fond smile as he began to outline. "My mom told me that I had a pencil in my hand before I knew how to walk."

Daehyun laughed, the smoothness of his voice echoing throughout the room. "Fitting."

"How so?"

"I don't know. You seem like a quiet type. I bet you're more into arts and music than sports and business."

"Spot on." Jimin replied.