Brush Strokes ✓

26.

Cherry red lips fell open, the wet muscle peeking out to moisten them. Her eyes twinkled as she admired her work. Her fingers gently grazed the rise of her left breast, feeling the fast beating of her heart.

The painting was not something she imagined drawing. Didn't imagine it to turn out like this. She had never drawn something so personal, something so full of emotions. Her emotions more specifically. Locked in a sturdy trunk with a heavy lock protecting it, she never let it open, she never let her feelings out. But it wasn't her who opened it. A certain someone waltzed into her life unexpectedly and broke the lock, forcing unwanted feelings to surface.

The painting reminded her more of Doyun than Taehyung. It reminded her, how royally she had messed up and put Doyun through something he didn't deserve. He didn't deserve to be affected by her cowardice and selfishness. It only strengthened Taehyung's words from last night. She needed to apologise to Doyun.

Right now, however, her hands were shaking as she inspected how blatantly obvious her feelings, his feelings, were on the canvas. It was finally filled with colour that showed a man and woman sleeping but it was intimate. So very intimate that it had Aera putting an opaque covering on it, not wanting anyone to see. Especially Taehyung.

She was drawn out of thoughts at the shrill ringtone of her phone interrupting the tranquillity. Her eyes closed when she saw the familiar number flashing, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was that time of the year afterall.

The speaker on the other end asked questions to confirm her identity before getting to the point. "Prisoner Lee requested to meet you coming Sunday. Should I confirm your visit?" Aera took a deep breath, preparing to give the usual answer she had been giving every year. But she didn't.

With the realisation of how she had been pushing away people from her life afraid of something inconsequential, she thought, it was time to get some closure and stop being a child.

"Yes," she replied, continuing to note down the time she could pay a visit and the necessary paperwork she'd have to fill out.

When the call ended, she let out a long breath, clutching tightly onto the back of the chair nearby. She slowly slid into the hard plastic chair, clutching her head with both of her hands. She couldn't believe she was finally doing this, meeting the man who ruined her life after so long. She was still apprehensive but what was done was done. She needed to move on from these suffocating walls she had put herself in, prove everyone wrong that she wasn't a bad person.

Sometimes, you have to face the monsters instead of running away from them to be actually free.

"Is anyone here?" an inquisitive voice filtered through the little studio, making Aera automatically put on a professional smile and go to the front desk. Seems like people suddenly remembered her existence, she thought. She halted in her steps, however, when she was saw the lady waiting for her.

She watched the familiar woman take off her sunglasses, her lips stretching into a pretty smile as she walked towards her. "Did I surprise you?" the woman asked, putting her hand forth, which Aera took in her own, shaking it firmly.

"Yes, very. How can I help you today, Miss Kwon?" Aera said, sticking to being professional and not letting their previous meeting at the exhibition overshadow her behaviour.

"I wanted to see some of your works. Like I told you that day, you've got potential and I'd like to confirm it for my boss."

"Oh," she let out, pleasantly shocked by the suddenly friendly vibes this woman gave. Aera waved her arm, indicating Miss Kwon to follow her further in her studio. She let the woman dressed in a bold red skirt suit, explore on her own through the various paintings spread across her studio.

The analysing glint in the inspecting woman's eyes was making Aera jittery. She was furiously biting her nails as she watched the woman take her time with each painting of her's. The anticipation was killing her but the powerful aura this woman carried made Aera think that she was someone very important.

Miss Kwon stopped moving suddenly, her attention totally taken by the painting of the eyes peeking through the roses. "This," she said, pointing her finger at the painting. "This," she pointed again, this time towards the painting she had done of Doyun's lips. "This and this," she turned around saying, refering to the paintings of the boy with green horns and a painting of a woman she had made when she had been missing her mother very much.

"You think you can make more like these?" she asked, expectation clear in her eyes. An uncertain answer was about to tumble out of her mouth when she remembered Taehyung's words.

I believe in you...

"Yes, I can," she replied confidently, her smile dazzling. Miss Kwon clapped her hands, a grin pulling her lips upwards. "Great! You have about two months to put together a few more pieces like this for an upcoming exhibition. Think you can manage?"

Aera was stunned and her already big eyes widening even more were proof enough. "You... you mean an exhibition solely for me or like in the corner of the gallery?" Miss Kwon chuckled, understanding the scepticism. "Of course, there will be other artists, Miss Lee, but you," she said, gesturing towards her with both her hands, "you will be the centre attraction."

"Oh my god..." Aera gasped, plopping down on a chair. Goosebumps doting her whole body as she understood what the woman meant. She couldn't believe this was happening for real.
"Which gallery is it?" she asked, curious as to which gallery was willing to give her a chance when a lot of them had rejected her.

Kwon gave her a smirk. "The Kang Art Gallery, Miss Lee. One of the biggest galleries in Seoul. So, tell me, can you promise me that you will be ready for the exhibition in two months?"

There was no doubt in Aera's mind. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and she couldn't let it go. "Yes!" she exclaimed enthusiastically, bowing to the woman in gratitude. Miss Kwon only laughed and told her to get creating.

"Do you mind if I take pictures of these paintings to show my boss?" Kwon asked and Aera allowed it without hesitation.

Aera couldn't control the grin that broke out on her face, hurting her cheeks but it soon dimmed at the lady's next words. "Why is this one covered?" she asked, looking at the covered canvas.

Aera cleared her throat, grimacing a little. "It's something that I am not sure is the best but you can see it if you want." Miss Kwon hummed as she lifted the cover a gasp leaving her lips when she saw what was hidden beneath.

"This is absolutely breathtaking, Miss Lee," she said, her eyes taking in the beauty and the intricately emotional painting full of unsaid emotions. "Looks like you are already preparing for the next exhibition. Is that your boyfriend, by the way? Because the woman surely looks a lot like you?" she asked, her smile teasing.

Aera laughed nervously, not meeting the woman's eyes. "He's just a friend."

"He doesn't seem like one."

Aera couldn't reply to that. Of course, they didn't look like friends, especially in that painting. She herself wasn't sure if they truly were just friends.

Understanding the turmoil in the woman's head, Kwon moved closer to her, patting her shoulder comfortingly. "You know, complicated feelings have always proven benefiting for artists like you. However, don't let your mind get complicated. It's okay if your heart is. Just make peace with it and you'll see a clear path to where you are headed."

~~~~
A/N:

A big chapter with a lot of things going on. But the good news is, I can finally see this book going towards the climax. I'm not sure how many more chapters there are yet to be published but it won't take too long.

I honestly don't know how to feel about it. For now, I'll just focus on making your reading journey worthwhile.

Thank you for reading 🤗❤️❤️