화랑 - a tale of curiosity [ON HOLD]

🌸chapter two🌸

Hansung still had that same drawing with him today, hoping to return it but plucking up the courage to do so was quite intimidating. Deciding that he was the girl's model, he moved into a crowd of people so that she would loose him, but from where he was stood he could still see her and when she looked up, he could see the confusion evident in her face.

Ji-ae looked everywhere, even standing up to try and overlook the crowds, however she could not see him. He discretely took the seat beside her as she scanned the crowd once more, but giving up she sighed and then took her seat, brushing arms with Hansung in the process.

"Sorry." She gave him a smile and continued to draw but as soon as her pencil touched the paper she realized who it was. Ji-ae snapped her head back up to see Hansung now sat beside her, eyeing her work carefully. Quickly; she covered it up and became very flustered by the close proximity between the two.

"Ah, you don't have to hide it." His voice was angelic, but also mature at the same time. "I already know your secret." He gave Ji-ae a simple smile and handed her the piece of paper. "I thought I would return this to you"

Ji-ae's eyes remained wide open as she fumbled for the piece of paper. She quickly un-folding it to see the picture of the man before her.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have--"

Ji-ae was cut off mid sentence when he placed an index finger to her lips. She crossed her eyes to see his fingertip in her vision.

"I too have to apologize" He removed his finger, but Ji-ae still held an confused expression. "It seems as though we have both been admiring each other for awhile. I've seen you total of three times with that particular hair pin." He points to the pin which resides in Ji-ae's hair, causing her to look to his finger. "You have a total of fifteen different pins, three of which you like to pair with specific hanboks. Your favourite one is encrusted with pearls, and has a white rose molded onto it, white is your favourite colour..."

Hansung continued blabbering facts about Ji-ae to herself. She was amused that he had remembered from visuals her favourite things, placing together the little things - almost like a montage - to remember her by. Though she felt like she should be slightly disturbed, she wasn't since she had only done the same, though not to as much detail.

"Wow." Ji-ae said, making him look to her.

"Ah, sorry. I blabbered to much." He said, pursing his lips and looking out into the distance straight in front of him to avoid her gaze.

"No, no. It was nice." Ji-ae said, making him smile, but still refuse to look at her until he heard her chuckle. Hansung turned to look at her, to then give her his small box shaped smile.

"Really?" He asked like a little boy, making his eyes appear bigger in excitement.

"You put together little details, visualizing them into a picture." She smiled again, and flipped open her sketchbook. She flicked to one in particular - it was not of Hansung - but rather a scenery from somewhere. Her old kingdom. "It's like a picture." She gestures to the paper she shows and then flicks to a clean page. "Tell me about your favourite place." Ji-ae stopped mid sentence, giving Hansung a sheepish smile.

"Hansung." He introduced himself, making her smile.

"Ji-ae." They shared another smile and she continued on with her previous sentence. "So, Hansung. Tell me about your favourite place. Every detail."

Hansung pursed his lips, and then looked up to the sun. "From where I stand, two cherry blossom trees on are either side of my view, though many litter the background. The center piece of it all is the crystal like waterfall, that falls into the pool below that spreads to the ground beneath the trees." Hansung stops, peeking a look at what Ji-ae is doing and despite how much he had said, she kept up with it all.

It made him like her more.

"And..the sun, it's rays lie on top of the water, distorting every now and again when an insect lands on the water's surface or a piece of cherry blossom floats down onto it. Oh, and the loose cherry blossom petals that fly away are breathtaking in their own way. Majestic even though they are so small and can be easily missed when one pays no attention to it. And the grass, almost fluffy like and sorted with a few flowers of all sorts; ranging from yellows to blues. But even though it's a beautiful place, it is isolated. You can tell by the way the high cliff faces are in view in the background but that doesn't mean anything when something is that beautiful."

"Is that everything?" Ji-ae looks out of the corner of her eye to Hansung but then back to her sketchbook as she continues on with the shading and finishing little details.

Hansung watched intently, humming in response to her question. He watched as she used her delicate fingertips to smudge areas of the drawing out and then used the side of the pencil for a lighter tone, it made him wish he could do this sort of talent.

"Ta-da." Ji-ae slowly turned the drawing around, allowing Hansung to see her creation. She watched as his eyes scanned every inch of the paper and how he blinked every second. Hansung then tilted his head, making Ji-ae imitate his actions. "Do you not like it?"

Hansung remained quiet, bringing a hand to support his chin as he pondered on something. Ji-ae kept quiet, but squinted her eyes to try and figure out his way of thinking but she couldn't.

"Is it my drawing?" She turned the book back round to herself, rotating it to look from different perspectives. "No, not my drawing." She shook her head but when the book was placed in the space on the bench between the two of them she stopped thinking about what Hansung was thinking.

Hansung then grabbed Ji-ae's hand, placing the pencil into her small fingers and then brought it towards the paper. Ji-ae gave him a confused look but Hansung just smiled and focused on the paper. He guided her hand to the bottom right hand corner, where he then made her write her name on the picture.

"Your name was missing." He finally said, looking back up to Ji-ae. She had a small smile playing on her lips and then looked up to Hansung. They held their gaze for a moment but Ji-ae looked towards their hands still latched together. He studied her for a moment, and when he followed her gaze he pulled his hand away. He then cleared his throat, and gave a sniffle before standing.

"Come on." Was all he said to Ji-ae, making her furrow her brows in confusion.

"Come where?" She asked, slowly getting up after him. Hansung simply gestured towards the drawing with his eyes, making Ji-ae follow his gaze. Ji-ae looked back up, observing Hansung's handsome smile. 

"Do you want to go?" She couldn't help but smile back and nod in answer to his question. She packed away her things, about to put the bag on her shoulder but Hansung took it and slung it over his own.

"Then let's go."