Liam gave him a smile that did not reach his eyes. "You're up early. Do you have an early class?"
Aki replied with a strained smile and a shake of his head. That look on Liam again. The kind that made Aki feel like something was squeezing at his chest. His arms itched to wrap them around his roommate.
He knew that look. He knew it too well.
Now he was curious as to what was it that Liam's lady love did to him to be this sad so early in the morning. Was this still about his ex? So even people like him Liam, someone who looked like they could have anyone they wanted, could still experience one-sided love and it was not only reserved for losers like Aki. But how could that be? Unlike Aki who had no redeeming factors. Maybe that was why Zy never looked at him or anyone, for that matter, to seriously date him.
He could not bear to look at Liam right now. "I'm just going to take a look around if you don't mind, while you paint."
Liam nodded, returning back to his work. Aki went back to the paintings.
"Just!"
Aki turned to him just in time to see Liam almost tumbling on his feet after his sharp turn.
The other guy, red spreading through his face, coughed lightly and smoothed out his frantic expression. "Just not those in the corner."
Aki turned to look at the place where Liam was pointing at and saw a cluster of paintings lined up in the corner, covered with a white cloth. He gestured at those, "Are they unfinished?"
"They're failures. I've been... experimenting--sort of--on other styles of painting. I always use beautiful places or places... important to me. I wanted to try maybe fruits or portraits." Liam laughed a nervous laugh, his face kept on reddening still.
"I see. I thought when you're good at painting or drawing, you can do anything. Alright, I won't." He said that but he could not help but wonder what was painted on those canvases. Were they really just fruits?
After spending some more time, gazing at the paintings, Aki turned to the photographs. More places, though rather common ones like the street where Lava Java was located. When he was done looking at them too, he crept closer, craning his head over Liam's shoulder, careful not to disturb.
Aki took a sharp intake of breath when he realized what Liam was painting. "Oh this place looks familiar..." Attached at the corner was a picture of a bench in which Aki realized to be one of the benches behind their building.
Liam nodded as he painted. "It's a wonderful place."
It was a wonderful place indeed. So wonderful and peaceful that one would want to pour and cry out one's hopeless love. Been there, done that. It was a secluded place too, quite far from the halls with tall trees blocking the view of anyone who might be looking out the window. No one comes in there.
Except for Aki.
And now he learned that Liam hangs out around the area too. To think Liam, of all people, would have been there when Aki was bawling his eyes out... He facepalmed internally. Another mark in his dark history.
Aki felt eyes watching him. He shifted his eyes from the painting and met Liam's gaze. Their faces were close.
"You," he started, "you must like rain. You take pictures of raindrops." He did not know where that came from but he wanted to break the moment and restart his heartbeat.
Liam's eyes--his pretty eyes--softened, sad and hurting. "It reminds me of someone..." he whispered.
"Someone?"
Liam opened his mouth to answer then shut it and shook his head. "I think I heard movements in the living room. Maybe your friends are awake now." Liam headed towards the door and Aki had no choice but to follow.