Meet Me When I'm Asleep

Chapter 36 - Trapped

Jennie's POV

"Where are we going?" I asked for the nth time as I followed Kai to some kind of attic that had a stairway from behind his office at the museum.

"You'll see. Be patient, Jennie."

The door creaked open, revealing a massive painting studio with an actual graffiti mural on the walls. There were spotlights everywhere, speakers for music, and a cozy spot in the middle with a metal easel stand and all of his materials.

Beside the easel stood a huge drawing desk with tons of markers and pencils scattered around.

"So is this like your second office?" I hummed in amusement, my eyes widening each time I would turn around to check out every corner of the attic.

"More like my second home," he answered with a smile. "You like it?"

"I love it," I pondered out loud. "It looks like a bigger and more refined version of your studio back home."

Kai's face fell. His enthusiastic and proud expression turned into a more sullen one. "What happened to my studio? Did you turn it into a walk-in closet or something?"

"No," I shook my head. "I left it the way it was when you moved away."

"But then that's just an empty room," he pointed out.

"I know," I shrugged. "I don't really know what else to do with an extra room since I live alone."

I walked further into the room, admiring the intricate details of the graffiti on one half of the walls. My fingers traced every line and curve, allowing myself to wallow in the exquisiteness before me. Kai has never failed to amaze me with his talent. I just never complimented him enough.

"Would you normally paint all by yourself, just like how you'd do it before?" I asked him. "This place looks big enough for ten artists to share."

"Nah, I usually bring in babes for one night stands, just to inspire me," he casually shrugged.

I didn't know whether to act surprised or act like I didn't care. My jaw dropped open anyway.

"I was kidding," Kai chuckled. He brought his hand to my cheek and pinched it softly. "You know I'm not that kind of person."

"Well, what do I know Kai?" I leisurely threw my hands up. "I feel like you've changed a lot since we've parted ways."

"You know I wouldn't do such thing, right?" he murmured, stepping a few inches closer to me. "I'm a one-woman guy although you accused me for sleeping with someone else."

I stepped backward, placing my hand in between us. "I know. But you're also not the same person I knew months back."

"What makes you say that?"

"I just know..." I mumbled, completely walking away from him. I turned around and continued to admire his studio.

"Well, you're clearly not the same person I knew months back either," he said.

"Yeah, I'm not," I smiled proudly. "And I like who I am now."

His shoulders stiffened, his gaze still not leaving mine. "I like who I am now as well."

"Then that's great. The breakup didn't do us any harm. In fact, it made us even better people," I concluded with an abundance of self-assurance.

Kai stepped in front of me and leaned his arm against the wall, preventing me from taking a step further. "Jennie, did it really officially end for us? Has your heart stopped beating for me the moment I let go of you?"