The Great Artist // NINE PERCENT Chen Linong

09

○ Wake up, you are the great artist ○

A few nights later, Linong knocked on the great artist's door again, this time by her evening tea time. He didn't know that though, he just knocked on the door while she was having her favorite tea, Earl Grey.

She opened the door and smiled at him and the writer couldn't think of a person with a smile brighter than hers. Her smile was brighter than the sun and even brighter than a lamp with 10000 volts of electricity if that even existed in this world. He got distracted for a while and the artist waved her hand in front of his face as he snaps back to reality.

"What is it that you need that you knocked on my door when I'm having my evening tea? I mean, I'm not complaining or anything but what's bothering you that you had to knock on my door?" the artist asked.

The writer scratched his nape and chuckles nervously. The artist seemed to get the hint and she said "Come in, have tea with me while you're at it" And so he went in and they sat at her balcony, facing towards her garden which was beautiful.

The view was absolutely amazing. There was a fountain in the middle and many different kinds of flowers scattered around the place. But around the fountain wasn't just grass, it was a maze out of the leaves. The fountain was simply at the center of the confusing yet intriguing and beautiful maze.

"What tea would you like?" she asked as she prepares a cup. "Chamomile please, if you have it that is" he said and she gives him a small smile as she nods and starts to brew the tea. "So, what brings you to my chamber? You haven't been here since you doubted my relationship with my lover and left me endless questions" she said.

"I apologize for that. I do believe that I did left a lot of mysteries and questions in your mind but I had to make sure that I was certain with my answers and possible scenarios or any suspicions in my head. As I've said before, I have never encountered such situations so I had to be certain first before I can tell you" he said.

"So what have you thought of... author?" Michelle enquired. It was unusual of her to say author or writer or even the writer's name but that was what she does when she was doubtful yet eager for something.

"You see... you told me that he had his past habits, am I right?" the writer asked and she nods, confused to why he suddenly brought that up. "I might know something to that" he said and her eyes light up. "What is it?" she asked in eagerness.

"I think... that he might have returned to them" he said and she was in utter shock. She thought that it was impossible of her lover to be like that and it was all so absurd. He swore that he would never return to them, that she would be the only woman in his eyes and that he won't cheat.

She believed in that strongly but then this man, the famous writer, Chen Linong came into her life and enquired her about her love life and doubted her lover who swore to his life about those things. She was slowly losing her mind and she was utterly confused about this matter.

"No... it couldn't be" she said. She didn't believe his words as she too was doubting herself and her lover's love for her and even her love for the man. "I don't know for sure as in I'm sure that he's cheating on you but there's a possibility. If you think about it, it'll all make sense" he said.

The artist looks at him. She was in denial and she didn't want to believe that her lover was betraying her, breaking his promise to her and she wasn't having any of it. But a small part of her wants to believe the writer, move on faster.

"I... It can't be. He promised to me... that I would be his one and only and that he would be mine. He promised that he would cut off every single bit of his obsessions and be with me. He promised me, Linong, he did" she said. She tried to reason with him, for him to somehow tell her that it was all nothing but a joke.

The writer looked conflicted for a second before saying. "I had nightmares and I still do, you know that. It isn't something good happening and I want you to be out of it" the writer said. His feelings for her aren't helping the fact that he was extremely nervous at the moment.

"But he promised" she said. She didn't want to believe that her lover was cheating on her, who would anyways? "Why do you even want me to know this?" she asked again and that was the question which sent the writer on fire. He didn't want to expose his love and admiration for her but he had to, for her sake.

"Because... because I love you, okay? I want you to get this over with as soon as possible. So that you won't have to suffer the pain of a heartbreak... like I have" Linong mumbled the last part but it was still heard in the great artist's ear. She now knew why the writer wanted her out of pain, out of suffering, misery, torment.

But she was still conflicted on who to believe, her lover who has been with her for 2 years, or the writer who she just knew but trusted so much. She denied the idea once more and the writer sighed. He drank his tea and reached for the handle of the balcony door and went to her room.

She settled her cup down and followed him only to find his hand hovering over the door knob of her room, the exit. Before he left the room, he had to say something to make the artist at least consider his opinion on her lover.

"Just remember this, promises... are meant to be broken. You are the great artist, don't let the fake invade your mind or win your heart"

And with that he left, leaving the artist with a speechless mouth, a confused mind and a conflicted heart.