Kris glances at the mirror while he fixes his tie, trying to make it look as perfect as possible by delicately shifting his hand here & there until he is finally sated with the way it looks. He then proceeds to another set of drawers just beneath the cabinet that holds most of his bag collection & gazes at the sheeny display of assorted watches—each in its own unique color & material— & without hesitation, he picks up a silver stainless steel strapped watch & locks it on his wrist. After closing the drawer, a piece of paper descends from it. He picks it up & looks at the jumbled penmanship that kind of resembles a doctor’s. It was almost unreadable but Kris deciphers what the message was: 

7:15 pm

Dinner at XXX Restaurant. 

My treat.. See you there!

He doesn’t quite remember taking that small note in his closet but he does remember acquiring it from a certain someone. Kris just stands, baffled, as he tries to recall how the note went there.

Then finally, he recalls that night he went home drunk, he was subconsciously doodling on something. 

It was the night Baekhyun got promoted & so he invited a couple of friends over—including Kris— to a drinking session at his place. 

He remembers getting so drunk, someone (it was probably Lay) had to drop him safely back to his place. 

Kris turns the piece of paper over to see a sketch of a pair of familiar looking eyes that’s been drawn too good to be called “doodle”. He’s right.

✺ ✺ ✺ 

Other than sharing childhood together, Kris & Tao also shared the same dream; to be amongst the best artist in the creative world of art.

Tao often contemplated how a plain canvas with nothing but thin streaks of lines could cost a fortune while Kris thought  painting & drawing were the best ways to express his inner feelings which he had a hard time articulating in real life.

They also shared the same dorm room where not a single white spot of wall was visible. Each & every corner of the room was filled with their very own artistic works.

Tao often produced colorful & lively illustrations which were a complete contrast to Kris’ works which were dark & mostly morbid.

From time to time, they would draw and/or paint each other when they had nothing else to do. That activity would always bring tears to Kris’ eyes because of how horrid Tao’s drawings of him would always turn out. 

“Yah! Is this how I look like to you?!” Kris gaped at Tao’s work. 

“But I’m improving. Look at my past works, they look worse!” Tao held out a rectangular object filled with heaps of A4 papers with drawings which one would think are creations of a 5 year old.

“Look at the difference. The nose is now more defined in this one!” gleaming in excitement because of his improvement, Tao held out both papers, one was the one he drew 5 months ago, the other was what he drew 5 minutes ago.

“Yeah sure why don’t you ask Mr. Kim Jongdae about that.” Kim Jongdae. The name which Tao considers a synonym of the word ‘despicable’. He was that one teacher Tao, & most of his classmates, hated the most. Other than being extremely blunt especially when it comes to his students’ artwork, he also seemed to display an obvious ‘dislike’ for Tao as well.

“Oh yeah? Fine then. One day, I’ll be able to draw as good as you- No, waaaay better than you! My drawings will look as good as photographs & when that day comes, I’ll pretend you never existed!” Kris couldn’t help but laugh at his statement.

Just like their illustrations, their abilities in drawings also contrasted with each other. Kris’ specialty was drawing faces & Tao’s was drawing landscape & sceneries. Things that didn’t involve bodily structures. He always kept his works minimalistic, avoiding great details & always saying, “Simplicity is beauty” which Kris found rather “unmanly” to say which was what would lead them to bicker most of the time until one of them finally admits defeat. Though most of the time, that person was Kris, he would always give Tao a hug after that while Tao pretended he was crying by making over  dramatic sounds of wailing.