CHAPTER ONE
Growing up, Anna always had an affinity towards art. While the rest of the kids enjoyed playing in the park or going to summer camps, she was the type to watch Bob Ross videos only to end up creating a chaotic mesh of colours on a canvas, getting paint all over her hands, face and clothes. Even though she got told off a few times by her parents for destroying walls and furniture, they recognised her fondness for art and supported her growing passion for it.
In school, she chose art as one of her electives, and the only teacher that could make the subject more interesting was Mrs Lee. And now, with her favourite teacher gone, she wondered if her love for the subject would remain the same.
Kim Taehyung.
The man had piqued her curiosity, and it grew inside her like a plague. She couldn't decide if it was his mysteriously enticing aura or something much deeper that transcended human knowledge. But whatever it was, she did not like that uneasy feeling that was always gnawing at her in the back of her mind. The more she looked at him, the more she felt herself getting sucked in the vortex he had created for her.
"Since this is my first class, I'd like you all to introduce yourselves and get to know everyone. Let's start with..." the corner of his lips perked up, but the smile didn't seem genuine in Anna's eyes. His gaze wandered around the class before they fell upon the brunette who felt her heartbeat hit the roof, "You."
Hesitantly, Anna rose from her seat, exchanging brief glances with Jungkook. She could already tell by the dull gaze that her best friend wasn't appreciating the new teacher's attitude, "Um, I'm Annabeth Beckett, sir."
"Oh, please." Taehyung shook his head, scoffing a smile, "Don't call me sir. Call me, Taehyung. I'm not much older than you all are."
Waving his forefingers, he gestured Anna to sit down. The said girl scoffed to herself and sat down. Yup, art class was sure going to be one hell of a pain in the ass!
Twenty minutes into the class and only one was remaining to introduce themselves.
Jungkook stood up from his seat, straightening his back and pushing his chest forward, "I'm Jeon Jungkook."
"Good to know." a tight-lipped smile grazed the teacher's lips. Anna didn't miss how the two males exchanged hostile gazes, sending a chill down her spine. Before things could get more awkward, Jungkook sat down when Taehyung turned to the blackboard.
The piece of chalk clicked against the surface as Taehyung hastily scribbled bold letter, "Let's talk about love."
Taehyung turned around and dusted his palms, "For centuries, love has been portrayed as the purest form of emotion in the art world. Since you all have studied various artworks throughout the term which piece to you depicts love the best?"
There was silence as Taehyung's scrutinising gaze rolled over each student.
"Come on, don't be shy. I don't bite."
A student at the front put her hand up.
"Yes?"
"The Lovers by René Magritte?" she adjusted the glasses on her nose and answered without a stutter.
"Hmm, yes, but very common." Taehyung shrugged, breaking the girl's confidence as she sank back into her chair, "Anyone else?"
Anna's hand involuntarily rose.
"Miss Beckett. Please, delight me with your opinion." Taehyung chimed.
"Uh, Cimon and Iphigenia?" Anna cleared her voice, "By Sir Frederic Leighton."
"Interesting." his brows jumped as he muttered, "Why is that, Miss Beckett?"
The brunette felt her heart pound against her rib cage. Gathering every ounce of confidence in her, she answered, "Cimon was an uncaring imbecile who cared for nothing until he found Iphigenia. He fell in love with her instantly and changed his manners for good. I feel that changing bad habits for the people you love is the highest display of love."
"Good. Mrs Lee told me a lot about you." Taehyung smiled, with sincerity this time, "I now see what she meant."
"Ugh! He's so fucking cocky!" Jungkook exasperated as he spoke to Hoseok.
"I agree." Anna added, "But he's not that bad of a tea-"
"Who's cocky?" A familiar, deep voice asked.
The two art students froze in their seats, while Hoseok and Sara looked back and forth between their friends and the unknown but extremely handsome man behind them. They witnessed the colour drain away from Anna and Jungkook's skin right before their eyes while the stranger stood with an arrogant smirk at the back, arms crossed.
Reluctantly, Jungkook turned his head around, gulping the knot in his throat, "Uh... no one?"
"I highly doubt that and I could argue about it, but I have better things to do. I'm here for Miss Beckett." His dark eyes landed upon the girl beside Jungkook.
"Why?" She asked, frowning.
"It's about your major project." He plainly stated and spun around, "Art studio. Now."
The four friends exchanged puzzled looks before Anna got out of her chair and caught up with Taehyung's footsteps, following him to the studio.
"Is something wrong?" Anna asked, standing before his table as Taehyung took a seat.
"Yes, I heard that you're having troubles coming up with a concept for your project."
He noticed how Anna bite her inner cheek, "Ah... well, I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do about it..."
Taehyung quietly observed her as Anna's fingers fiddled with each other.
"You realise that you have only five months left to finish it, right?" Taehyung sighed when his pupil nodded her head slowly, "Okay. I don't know about your artistic capabilities since today's my first day teaching you, but I'd like to help you because I would hate to see any student of mine fail the major project."
Anna nodded her head in agreement.
"I'd like to look at your previous art works and projects."
"I'll bring them tomorrow." Anna managed a tight-lipped smile.
"Good. You can leave now."
Anna quickly exited the room before he could eat up more of her lunch break.
"That's a lot of stuff!"
Taehyung's wide-opened remained fixed on the large carton box she dumped on his table.
"You asked for it." Anna shrugged as she dusted her palms.
Taehyung stood up from his chair and began helping Anna by carefully picking up her artworks out of the crate, "You're pretty strong for a girl to have carried this all the way to school."
"That's pretty sexist of you, but no. I got help from my friend."
"Ah, Junglebook?"
"Jungkook." Anna deadpanned, glaring at her unbothered professor.
"My bad." Taehyung chuckled, "Boyfriend?"
"What!" Anna's eyes almost rolled off her face, "N-no! Why does it matter to you, anyway!"
"Now, now. Is that how you speak to your teacher, Annabeth?" Taehyung snickered.
"Maybe if you stop asking personal questions and behave like a teacher should, I'll reconsider how I talk to you." Anna scoffed.
"Ouch?" Taehyung feigned hurt and then chuckled again. He seemed to enjoy teasing his student and what amused him more was how she had a wall built around her, acting defensive with him. She was different, just like he had expected. And he intended on breaking that fort sooner or later.
But she was his student, after all.
Did he care, though?
No.
"Hmm, interesting." He examined each of her work. There was a mix of paintings, sculptures, charcoal sketches, and many mediums, "You have quite a large spectrum of mediums you use. But which one's your favourite?"
"Charcoal and clay work."
Taehyung looked through her works of art. They were abstract, and the style had distorted lines and scribbles.
"These are rather..."
"Dark? Disturbing?" Anna completed her teacher's words to which he nodded in agreement.
"You seem to love chaos." Taehyung scoffed a smile, eyes still stuck on her designs, "Have you thought about checking out Hieronymous Bosch?"
"I'll do that."