Jinhwan: “Out of curiosity though, were there other people in the industry who caught your eye before you got married?”

Yejin: “Hm. Yes, it’s inevitable, I guess.”

Baekhyun: “Yah, yah, yah, why do I not know about this?” /looks slightly offended/

Yejin: “Mwo? I  told you before, haven’t I? That other artist who drew nudes?”

Baekhyun: “Nudes? You mean drawings of people? You’re into those stuff?”

Yejin: /blushes/ “Baekhyun, you know that’s not what I mean. Remember that guy with the long hair I always talked to you about before?”

Baekhyun: “Oh so he gets into our conversations?”

Yejin: “Yah Baekhyun, get it together. His name was Shin Jungshin, the guy with the long hair. He’s older than me and you but he’s really great at drawing—“

Baekhyun: “Nudes.”

Yejin: “Yeah but it’s more than just—“

Baekhyun: “Nudes.”

Yejin: “Yah, Baekhyun!”

Baekhyun: /grins suddenly; chuckles/ “I’m just kidding, jagi, I know who Jungshin is but I’m not insecure of him.” /smiles proudly/

Jinhwan: “It’s so funny to watch married couples bicker together.”

Seokyung: “Yes, it gives you a glimpse of how comfortable each of you are with each other.”

Yejin: “But sometimes, I’m not comfortable with Baekhyun.”

Jinhwan: /laughs/ “Why do you say that?” /looks at Baekhyun/ “Ah, look, Baekhyun-ssi looks like his ears are steaming.”

Baekhyun: /feigns anger/ “That was why she pushes me out of the bed in the middle of the night.”

Yejin, Jinhwan, Seokyung: /bursts into laughter/

Yejin: “Baekhyun, that’s different.” /still laughing/

Jinhwan: “Why do you push him out of bed then?”

Yejin: “Because when I’m on my period, I really get fuzzy in the middle of the night so.. that happens.”

Seokyung: “Is it okay to say that on TV?”

Jinhwan: “Well, this is a PG rated show so I guess so.”

Baekhyun: “The directors should be able to do something about this..”

Jinhwan: “Of course.” /chuckles/

Seokyung: “But well, getting back to the question, this Jungshin-ssi who draws nudes.. what was it  that you liked about him?”

Yejin: “Well I guess it was because he was so professional with his work that no matter how many women accepted his invites to let him draw them, he didn’t have a relationship with any one of them.”

Baekhyun: “How can you say that? Do you know him?”

Yejin: “He was a senior in the Art Industry when I started practicing; it was because everyone at that time wanted to meet him.”

Seokyung: “So then, who was he really?”

Baekhyun: “Yeah, tell me so that I can beat him up.” /grins/

Yejin: “Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun: “I’m just kidding, jagiya.” /smiles innocently/ “Tell them quickly so that I can say how perfect and better I am for you than him.”

Yejin: “Baekhyun, I’ve already chosen you. He was just someone from my past. Besides, I’m just answering the question.”

Baekhyun: “Aww~ I know jagiya, I was just testing you~”

Yejin: “Aish~ arasseo. I’ll tell you now.”

 

 [ Yejin’s POV ]

The paintings were lined up against the walls, each canvas created by a different artist. There were canvases streaked with multiple splashes of paint and some with finer details and loose, fragments of hues and pigments. There were sculptures made out of clay and some stone, marble sculptures and some others made from more interesting materials. Some statues stood at three-feet and others taller than the average human height. Some were made out of wires looped around each other to form modern pieces of art that didn’t have a precise shape and form, it was more free and unrestricted, like the mind was. Some paintings were literally done on the floor, in bold colors and with a three-dimensional style portrait. All in all, it was paradise for me. This place holds a special place in my heart and I think the same goes for every other art gallery, but this one is particularly my favorite.

“Ms. Son? Mr. Shin will see you now.”

That’s right, I’ve arranged a meeting with the greatest artist in painting. Shin Jungshin.

“Ne.” I said, bowing politely before following her to a wide back room. She gestured me to sit down on the sofa and I did so. She left minutes after before telling me a few stuff about how Mr. Shin is usually very busy so I have to be straightforward when talking to him.

“Arasseo.” I said to each one of her reminders.

“Ah, Sara, who do we have here?” Jungshin suddenly appeared from behind another door inside the back room and the lady who escorted me in here, (preferably Sara) answered him.

“Mr. Shin, you accepted an appointment with Ms. Son here?”

He looked at me curiously for what seemed like the longest minute of my life and cracked a soft smile, “Ms. Son Yejin, I presume?”

“Yes. It’s very nice to meet you Mr. Shin.” I said while bowing politely to him as he bowed as well.

“Please, call me Jungshin.” He replied, seating himself at the couch across from me.

“Jungshin.” I repeated thoughtlessly.

“Yes?”

“Ah.. I’m sorry, it’s just that this meeting is what I’ve been waiting for for a long time. I really admire your work, Mr. Shi—err, Jungshin.”

“Why, thank you, I like your artworks, too. Very modern with a touch of this reminiscent, old school vibe, eh?”

“I’m glad you were able to pick up on that.”

He chuckled a bit but kept his cool eyes locked against mine. “Me too.”

“So the purpose of my coming here is.. to ask you for some helpful advice.”

“Advice? Huh, well.. no one has ever done that before..” he said slowly, as if processing the situation in his head, “Advice for what?”

“For the betterment of my art. Because I want to be a better artist and I think that for me to be able to achieve that, it’s useful to ask the great artists about—“

“Why should I give you advice?”

“Uhm.. I didn’t mean it tha—“

“Answer the question, Ms. Son. Why should I give you advice?” he stared at me with an ice-cold stare, something that reminded me of Sara’s constant reiteration of Jungshin’s straightforward character.

“Because I admire your work so much and I want to learn how to be a better artist.” I answered, careful not to tremble.

“What motivates an artist to create an artwork?”

“Err.. emotions.. feelings.. experiences and all the wonders of the world that they see in a different perspective.”

He nodded slowly, approvingly, like the words I just said was the exact answer to his mental answering sheet. I wasn’t sure where this was going but I felt that I had to keep going.

“Do you see those emotions and feelings and experiences in my work?” he asked again. The question came as a surprise to me, but I answered anyway.

“Yes.”

Suddenly he smiled knowingly and slowly stood up to his feet. He sauntered quietly to the door, his back already  turned against me. Wait! Wait!

“Wait!”

What’s happening?

“Where are you going?”

I asked frantically, my mind whirling in confusion. What was the point of all those questions?

“Why not? I have already satisfied your need for an advice.” He answered matter-of-factly.

“What are you talking about?”

“Perspective, Ms. Son. I trust that you should be able to understand this.”

“How.. Wha..” I muttered as he swiftly slipped out of the door, leaving me to confuse myself over what happened, trying to make sense of everything he just told me. I seated myself on the sofa again, unsure of whether or not I should admire Jungshin anymore. My phone vibrated and I took it out to see that Baekhyun was calling.

“Yoboseyo?”

“Bae, I got you some jajjangmyeon~ your favorite~ where are you now?” he asked, I could hear his footsteps through the phone.

“Art gallery. My favorite one.”

“Ah~ always so cold. Yah, Yejinnie, don’t always sound so mean like that.” He replied, I could almost hear him pouting through the phone and for the slightest bit, it made me smile.

“What store did you buy it from?” I said, ignoring his statement, knowing that doing this makes him pout even more.

“XXX store over XX store.” He replied, trying to sound cold, too. But I knew he was smiling like an idiot because he found my ignorance strangely attractive.

“Talking in X’s are we?”

“Bae, I am a product endorser for the XX store so I keep careful not to say the other store because they’ve had this restaurant war going on ever since I was in diapers.”

“Always so technical.”

“Always so cold.”

The line went silent until eventually, Baekhyun chuckled into the receiver and said, “I love you.”

“Where’s my jajjangmyeon?”

The door suddenly swung open and there stood Baekhyun in his all-black glory. “It’s here.” He said with a grin.

“I love you, too.” I said casually to him, making him smile. He walked over to me and sat beside me on the sofa, taking the warm plastic bowl of jajjangmyeon out of the bag and placing it onto my lap. I said a quick prayer and started eating my meal as Baekhyun stared at me.

“How’d it go?” he asked.

I just shrugged; feeling still a bit confused with what happened earlier, “Not sure, but simply put, he was not the type of guy I always thought he was.”

“Whoa.. was I right? Was he really a big ert?” he asked laughing, but I just stared at him as if he grew two horns on his head.

“No. He was more.. Confusing.”

“What did he say?”

“Perspective.”

“What?”

I sighed, “You know I came here for advice for my art, right?”

“Yeah, since you told me he’s some hotshot in the Art Industry these days.”

“Well.. he asked me about what motivates an artist to create..”

“And..?”

“I said, ‘Emotions, feelings, experiences and all the wonders of the world that they see in a different perspective.’”

“Wow, good memory. Then?”

“He asked me if I saw those stuff in his works.”

“And..?”

“I said yes and then he stood up to leave, I called out to him before he could walk away completely and asked him why. He said it was because he’s already given me the advice I came to him for.”

“Whoa.. That is confusing. And then..?”

“’Perspective’ he said, adding that I should be able to get it. And completely left.” I threw my hands out in a desperate action.

Baekhyun contemplated on my words and looked thoughtfully at me. I continued eating my jajjangmyeon, pondering on the puzzle again. Suddenly, Baekhyun snapped his fingers.

“Bae, I think he’s trying to tell you that in order to be better, you should be yourself.”

“Huh?”

“He asked you about the motivation and stuff, right?”

I nodded, “Yeah.. so?”

He snapped his fingers again, “He was trying to tell you that you don’t need to ask for advices from anyone because he knows that art is subjective and it is a reflection of a person’s own feelings, emotions and experiences and to be able to create artworks with all you heart is more important than trying to be better using the advices of somebody else.” He finished with a sparkle in his eyes.

“Whoa..” I just said, astonished that those words came out of his mouth. He smiled proudly and tilted his head upwards as his words sank into me and I threw my arms around his neck in joy. He was a bit taken aback by my action but nonetheless, wrapped his arms around my waist, chuckling as he went.

“See? Not being so cold helps.” He whispered, placing a kiss to my temple. I ruffled his hair with a smile and muttered, “Whatever.”

 

That night, he took me home and went home himself. My experience with Jungshin would be something I would never forget. But the answer that Baekhyun—my fiancé, by the way—had given to me would stick to my mind even more, knowing that even though Baekhyun was this cheesy, clingy, greasy, Korean-drama-type guy (that’s not really my type), he makes me happy and makes me feel loved. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Goodnight, Baekhyun. I sent him a text.

Yah, why are you still awake? He replied, making me chuckle.

I love you, too, Baekhyun. I replied, amused with myself.

I love you more, Yejin. Now, sleep. Ppali! Staying up late is not good for growing children! He replied.

Yejin: /chuckles/ “Well, I didn’t expect he was. But he was.”

Jinhwan: “So the point of the story is that Baekhyun-ssi is always the best?” /laughs/

Yejin: /nods/ “I guess so. I was really happy that he was able to say those words to me. I didn’t ever forget them.”

Baekhyun: /smiles proudly beside Yejin/

Seokyung: “Did you see Jungshin-ssi after that event?”

Yejin: “Yes, and I told him that I’ve finally deciphered what he was trying to say and thanked him for his advice.”

Baekhyun: “Ehe-ehem.”

Yejin: “I mean, my husband helped me figure it out.” /chuckles; looks at Baekhyun/

Baekhyun: /smiles proudly/

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