On a cool, Fall day, a man named Aiba Masaki was walking through town, holding an umberella, because it was raining when he left. He was just taking a stroll around for some fresh air and that’s when he saw him. The man had some paints next to him and he was painting on a canvas off on the side in a small grass area. Aiba decided to walk up behind him to see what he was drawing.

    “Hello.” He said and startled the man a little, making him jump. Seeing this Aiba chuckled.

    “You think that’s funny?” The man said in a playful tone. “I almost messed up my painting.

    “What is the painting of?”

    “Are you blind? Look.” The man pointed to the spot from where Aiba just came from. Why didn’t he recognize it, when he was literally just walking there a couple seconds earlier. Noticing the ‘I’m stupid’ look on Aiba’s face the man let out a laugh. He put his paintbrush down and held out his hand. “I’m Matsumoto Jun.” Aiba quickly took his hand.

    “I’m Aiba Masaki.” They let go of each other’s hands. “That’s a really nice painting.” Aiba said as he looked over Jun’s shoulder.

    “I don’t know…it seems kind of messy, you know. I’m not sure if this is going to be one that I keep.” Jun sighed and then mumbled. “More money going down the drain.”

    “You’re going to throw that away!?” Aiba was stunned. Sure, it was a little messy, but that was the nice little style of it. He’d pay money to get that painting.

    “Yeah. Once I’m finished with it, probably.”

    “Don’t throw it away, I think it’s nice.” Jun pointed to the painting.

    “This painting?” Aiba nodded. “This one right here?” Aiba nodded again. “You’ve got a strange style. All I see when I look at this painting is a bunch of colors splattered on the canvas to try to create something.”

    “That’s not what it is at all.”

    “Then…what do you think it’s like.” Aiba moved in front of the painting, so he could see it a little better.

    “I think this painting…isn’t so much focused on how realistic things are or how they’re shaped or how they’re neatly colored perfectly. I think it’s more focused on how many different colors and shades there are in one little landscape and how beautiful they can become.” He pointed to the trees. “The orange, yellow, red, and green. All making up just the leaves on the trees.” Then under the bridge. “The purple and blue to make the water with the yellow and orange making the reflection.” He turned from the painting and looked at Jun. “It’s mostly just about the colors and how they make up a beautiful landscape, right.” Aiba smiled.

    Jun was kind of dumbfounded. Man, this Aiba Masaki guy… Then he laughed. He wasn’t sure why, but he laughed. Aiba had a confused look on his face with the sudden laughter. Jun slowly stopped laughing and then looked at Jun. “Do you want the painting?”

    “You would give the painting to me?” Aiba asked and Jun nodded. “But didn’t you say before…I should at least pay you for it.”

    “No. I’ll give it to you when I’m done. I’m just making one more thing that I want to do with it.” Jun picked up his paintbrush and was about to start finishing it up when he felt something behind him. He looked  and saw Aiba peeking over his shoulder, trying to see what he was doing. “If you wanted to see what I was doing, you could just go to the side of me.”

    “Sorry.” Aiba apologized and then moved, but Jun blocked the painting with his hands and smiled.

    “Nope. Now you have to wait until I’m done!”

    “But…Jun-saaan!” Aiba whined.

    “Just wait. It won’t take long.” Aiba, not able to see what he was painting, looked at Jun’s face. His skin looked soft and smooth. It was light even though he’s guessing he’s been out here for a while to paint. His lips were a light pink and looked just as soft as his skin.

    “Aiba-san? Aiba-san?” Aiba suddenly heard his name and then saw a hand waving in front of his face.

    “Huh?”

    “What were you thinking about? Spacing out like that.” Jun had a huge smile on his face. “Anyways, I finished.” Aiba looked at the painting and couldn’t find anything different and one again made a confused expression. At this Jun shook his head. “You really are an idiot aren’t you?” he said playfully. He pointed to one part of the painting and there was a man there.

    “Oh! Is that…” Aiba tilted his head to the side. “The old man that walked by earlier.”

    “No. It’s you.”

    “Oh…Oooooh.” Jun laughed at Aiba’s idiotic nature. It somehow made him happy. Jun picked up the canvas and wrapped it with a white sheet. Then he handed it over to Aiba.

    “Here. It’s yours now.”

    “Should I really just be taking it like this? Maybe I should come to your house later and pick it up. I’ll have some money then. I really want to pay you for this painting.”

    “Well I…”    

    “Jun-san?”

    “I don’t really have one house. I got kicked out of my house. don’t have much money, which is why I paint and then I try to sell them. The only reason why I have this,” he pointed to his art supplies. “is because I used to paint before and I had a poor family, so those were my only possessions and the only thing I could keep.” Aiba didn’t have anything to say. He kind of felt sorry for him, but he knows that people in sad or bad situations usually don’t like pity on them. Aiba wanted to do something for him, but he didn’t really know what he could do to help him. Then he got an idea.

    “Come live with me.” Aiba said which sounded more like a command.

    “Eeeeeh?” Jun definitely wasn’t expecting that. “ But, I only met you 10 minutes ago.”

    “I’m not a bad person.”

    “That’s not my point. You don’t even know me that well and you’re inviting me into your house? What if I’m not a good person and I steal your things and then run for it.”

    “Well, I’ll have to find that out, won’t I?” Aiba said. “Plus. You don’t seem like a bad person.” Jun couldn’t believe this man at all. “Come on. I insist.”

    You…” Jun whispered to himself. “really are an idiot, aren’t you…” Then Jun sighed. “ Ok, I’ll live with you, but don’t cry to the police when you find things missing in your house by tomorrow.”

    “Ok, ok. I got it. I’ll be sure to remember that.” Aiba smiled at Jun and he smiled back. “Now let’s go!” Aiba started running in the direction of the bridge.

    “Wait! Aiba-san!” Jun picked up the painting he put on the ground and ran after Aiba. Maybe this could be the beginning of something.