Miyoung is extra perky today. Taenggu is not sure of what to make of it but she puts it down to the weather. It is a good day. Cool, bright and sunny, it is wonderful day to take a walk through the garden.

“The fish swimming in here are gifts from my brother-in-law’s family. Aren’t they lovely?”

Taenggu looks into the water. They are standing at the pavilion built over the large pond, and it would have been romantic if it weren’t for the less-than-ideal reality they are in. Reality that hits her in the face when she sees her reflection in the calm water. This clean shaven looking young man is not who she is. She is a walking fraud.

“You’re very quiet today. What’s on your mind?” asks Miyoung.

“I’m just admiring the fish.”

“Would you do me a favour?”

“What is it?”

“I would like to watch you as you paint. Would you do that for me? Just a tiny little painting would suffice. It will be like a farewell gift.”

A gift? This sneaky little girl is asking me to paint her something for no charge at all. And she wants to watch as I do it. But what harm can it do? I will leave after today and as she said, a farewell gift it will be. “What would you like me to paint for you?”

A warm smile unfurls. “A piece of you.”

Taenggu friends. “What do you mean?”

“I would like to have a piece of you. You can paint your favourite season or your favourite food or animal or anything at all, that has to do with something about you. It will be a gift that I will treasure most.”

Taenggu blinks. Is this some form of advanced veiled seduction? Or is this an innocent request? “I will need a place to paint.”

“The art study room is perfect for this. Come, I’ll bring you there.”

=

Bad idea. The art study room is secluded and much too quiet for her safety. Taenggu looks around, hoping for a way out of this but Miyoung’s expectant stance and eager eyes melt her resistance. It will be fine. She can do this for Miyoung. It will all end after today anyway.

“Are you sure it is alright for me to use these?” Taenggu asks, gesturing at the array of brushes and ink laid out on the table.

“Of course it is. You have my permission to use them.”

“Since you said so . . .” Taenggu takes a piece of paper from the stack at the side and lays it out on the table, smoothing it with her palm. Then, she selects a suitable brush. Its tip must not be too soft or too hard. And the ink. There are colours too. She picks out the blue.

“Is blue your favourite colour?” asks Miyoung.

“Mhm. I like blue.”

“I see.”

Taenggu closes her eyes and sees the wide blue sky of her hometown. The very place she ran from. It is ironic how vivid her memory of home is. It is as though her home has followed her all the way here. Miyoung wants a piece of her. Well, there is no bigger piece of her than the place she grew up at.

She touches the tip of the brush to the brand new paper and her lips curl into a satisfied grin as the lines begin to appear in a seemingly random form. One of the most amazing things about painting is this: faith. Faith in each line and curve. Faith that all the seemingly unrelated will eventually make sense. Faith that the finished piece will be beautiful even though it does not seem to be the case at the start. There is no way of knowing how it will turn out until she puts down the finishing . There have been many instances where the addition of just one changes the outlook of the entire piece. So Taenggu has learnt to trust. She has learnt to believe. If only she could do the same for life itself.

Miyoung stands quietly by her side and to Taenggu’s surprise, it is a presence that does not intrude. In fact, her presence is welcome. It is calming and Taenggu finds that she likes it when Miyoung is watching her every . Perhaps it is because Miyoung does not pass comments. Neither does she make sounds of admiration or surprise. She is perfectly quiet, behaving as though she isn’t there at all. Yet the warmth of her body makes it plain that she is. She is right beside her and Taenggu enjoys the companionship.

Her hand works the brush with familiar , dipping it into the blue on the inkstone to replenish the colour. She paints rapidly, the vision in her mind so strong and stark clear it’s practically bursting to get out of her mind. She empties her thoughts and everything else blacks out as the painting comes to life. She adds a few final and sets the brush down.

Only then, does Miyoung exhale in awe. “That was the most incredible act I have ever witnessed. You truly have a gift.”

Taenggu smiles as she holds up the scroll of paper and moves it to the side to dry. “Thank you.”

“This place you have drawn is so beautiful. I would love to visit. Where is it?”

Regret rains on Taenggu that instant. How stupid can she get? Did she really paint a picture of her home? She looks at the painting and bits her lip. This is a dead giveaway of her place of origin. After everything she had done to keep her past a secret, lest it ends up giving her away some how . . . has been undone. But it is too late. It would upset Miyoung if she were to trash this painting and it will be difficult to explain her actions without giving rise to suspicion. Besides, how can she destroy the gift for Miyoung? It is to be her parting gift.

“It is a place of happiness, joy and freedom,” she says. If she doesn’t mention the name of her hometown, Miyoung is unlikely to make any connection since she has not travelled there before.

“What a beautiful vision. It is what you wish for, your dream for the future . . .”

Ironically, it is a dead past but Taenggu does not correct Miyoung’s interpretation of her painting. After all, it is up to the eye of the beholder to see what it sees. Taenggu’s control over the painting ends with her final and the control shifts to the audience thereafter. Miyoung might be right too. Perhaps it is what she wishes to have in the future. A real home. A place where she can be herself, where she can be free. Perhaps this is her heart’s deepest desire.

“Everybody wants a place to call their own. A place where they can just be.”

Miyoung looks at her with tears b in her eyes. “Thank you for sharing such a precious part of you with me.”

It is time to let her down gently. “I hope that your future will be as bright and free. I am sure you will find a suitable husband soon and you will be able to have your piece of heaven right here on Earth.”

“What if I have already found a suitable husband?”

“Then I will congratulate both of you, even though I do