When I said the instructions to where we would go next, I almost couldn’t help the slight chuckle that escaped my lips when Ara only turned to look at me surprised again. The poor girl must have had a round of surprises thrown at her for one day, but I figured it would be nice with one more as it entered my mind.

I actually hadn’t planned any of this at all, I just did this on a whim and although I didn’t ask if Ara would like to go paintballing, I had a feeling she would like it. I also wanted to play dumb, to act as if I hadn’t been there at first although I spent almost every summer here when I could playing with my friends.

It was another small hobby of mine my parents disliked. Or at least my mother, my father actually couldn’t be bothered as long as I didn’t get too hurt.

Lately they had both become stricter; I lied when I said the classes I had after school were over. I just said it because I couldn’t bother trying to explain that I had deceived my tutor in Mandarin by saying I was sick and couldn’t come. In reality they had been disappointed by my recently “indecent” behavior, especially after I dyed my hair and refused to change it back.

Actually, I really didn’t feel like going and was planning on dancing until I was expected home again. However, as I was going to talk to Ara and ended up eavesdropping on the good news, I’d rather spend the day with her, although I felt as if I was forgetting something.

I shrugged the thought of as she finally parked in front of our destination, me taking off the helmet on my head as I could only wait for her reaction.

“First paintball, now an arts and crafts shop… Real funny, Soojung,” Ara said as my real name just slipped out of like that. I didn’t know why, but it heard very nice when it rolled out of her tongue despite her often referring to me as Krystal.

Either one actually sounded good as long as she said it, but I had to shake the thought away as we could just be friends.

“You’ll like it, come on,” I said as we both went inside, a bell chiming above us as we both started looking around. I grabbed a cart by the entrance before catching up with the slightly shorter girl. “I have a feeling you want more painting supplies for some odd reason,” I voiced out my opinion when we both stood in front of a huge variety of brushes. Honestly, I could only see the different sizes and maybe shapes, but they all still seemed sort of the same.

“You know me too well,” Ara retorted then as she grabbed a brush and almost inspecting it silently. “I’m empty for canvases, plus my brushes are starting to turn into dust. Damn cheap store,” she said seemingly absentmindedly before putting the brush away.

She scanned the rest of the products before her gaze fell on a set which caught her attention. With almost love-struck eyes she grabbed it carefully and I couldn’t help the small smile as I watched her. Ara seemed to be almost in love; as if it was the best thing she had laid her eyes upon.

Well, until she checked the price tag and quickly put it back.

“Why’d you do that?” I asked then as she only sighed. “Too expensive, obviously,” she said before looking over at the cheaper ones again, and grabbing one of those sets instead. Although she tried to ignore her want for that other one, she couldn’t fool me as I simply rolled my eyes.

“You’re getting free painting supplies and you want those cheap ones?” I mocked her then, before grabbing the set she was ogling on and placing it on the metallic cart before moving forward. When I didn’t hear anyone following, I turned around slightly to see her just standing there with her lips parted in shock.

“Krystal, they are seriously way too expensive,” the cerulean-dyed-haired girl said while just standing there. “You don’t have to buy me anything, it is okay,” she continued but I could only shake my head because after all I wanted to do this.

“Ara, little Ara,” I said while teasingly sighing. “This is my gift to you as a way to say congratulations for the good news.”

Before Ara could protest, I simply walked forward because she mentioned wanting new canvases as I quickly found many in all types of sizes. When she finally followed and I stopped on my tracks, I could only look at her again.

“But on one condition though,” I then proceeded to say. Ara only looked at me with wide eyes as if in a daze by my seemingly friendly behavior. “Of course, anything you want,” she then replied and I could only feel myself smiling by her agreeing so easily.

“Good, then I want you to use this size,” I pointed out a portrait like canvas that was larger than most, thinking it would be just perfect as I thought of the idea. “For you to paint me, of course,” I concluded before looking over at her again to only see her nod slowly.

“Wait a minute though,” she began then. “Not that I mind, but why?” Ara continued as we stood there and I kindly asked one of the employees if he could take three of those canvases to the cashier. They would be too large and heavy for us to carry around the whole store, and would not fit into the small wagon.

“Because I want one picture of me before you become famous, just so I can brag about me having a portrait by a worldwide known artist,” I said teasingly as we stood there. “Besides, you never showed me your project and I feel deeply offended by that,” I continued, now honestly, as Ara only looked down, a sheepish smile on her face.

“This may sound mean, but I thought you wouldn’t care anyway and you were so busy with Kai, so…”

Understanding slightly what she meant by the latter part of her sentence, because we had been spending a significant amount of time together, it didn’t really surprise me that the opportunity never arose.

However, I didn’t like the fact that she thought I could care less about her art. As she supported my idea to pursue dance, then why would I not care about her future in art?

“What an illogical idea, but I’ll let it slide and let you know that I would never, ever, not care about your passion for art,” I then concluded the conversation, not wanting things to become too serious as we were in the shop.

I grabbed some of the smaller ones that we could hold, however, as I let Ara pick out the sizes she wanted. Glad she just took the opportunity and didn’t try to coax me to change my mind. We took some small to medium sized ones and went on, me having some of the ones we could fit in the shopping cart while Ara held the slightly bigger ones.

“I also suggest we buy more paint as we’re already here,” I said as a whole wall of endless colors came into our vision. It ranged from rich shades of green, blue and red from softer tones as pink and yellow.

“Are you serious?” Ara then almost exclaimed by my remark as I started to grab many tubes of the colors I liked into the cart, mostly in “surprise”, red and blue. She didn’t seem to comment it though, as I just said her to pick the colors she wanted and she hesitatingly obeyed my words.

When we had finally gotten everything and paid, I was glad the employees offered to help us although I almost forgot the fact that we came in Ara’s motorcycle and not a car to have the items in.

“I must have gotten carried away,” I said a bit awkwardly then, until the cashier then offered to deliver it to an address. Happy by the suggestion, I turned my gaze to look at Ara, hoping she understood what I was trying to tell her before she looked over to the clerk to say where the address to the automobile shop.

When that was sorted out, we both went out of the store, Ara smiling from ear to ear with so much gratitude that I almost wanted to hug her. However, the rapid beating of my heart almost wanted to do more.

“Thank you so much again, I don’t think I can ever thank you enough,” the cerulean headed girl said sincerely with the same grin that I couldn’t contain myself from smiling back. I was glad that she was happy.

Ara parted her lips to say something more; however, she was interrupted by the tone of her mobile device. She seemed to want to ignore it, but I told her it was fine because after all it could be important.

“Yes?” I heard her answer whoever called, as I only stood there waiting for her to finish the conversation. She only replied shortly, probably nothing too interesting. However, she seemed a bit taken aback before suddenly handing the phone over to me, and I wondered why until she spoke to me.

“It’s Kai, he wants to talk to you,” she explained and I could feel the blood drain through my entire face. Oh no! I had forgotten that I promised we were going to practice dance together later today, as it totally slipped my mind the minute I heard about the good news to Ara.

I could only nod while taking the object, a bit foreign to my hands as I had never owned one of these before hesitatingly placing the metallic phone to my ear.

“Where are you guys?” was the first thing he asked, and I couldn’t help the guilt I felt inside as I awkwardly stepped on my own toes, a thoughtless habit I had when I was a bit nervous. It didn’t help that I couldn’t exactly understand what his tone meant.

As I explained where we were, I could only look around every other place but at Ara’s eyes, which were definitely on me as I could feel it.

“I just heard some great news from Ara and I got so caught up in congratulating her… A very famous artist has decided to purchase some of her works!” was my lame excuse which could not justify the fact that I forgot I had plans with my own boyfriend, although I was immensely glad for Ara.

“I am sorry for forgetting our plans,” I apologized with only that because I had nothing more to say, although it was stupid of me to only utter out something so little by the mistake I should have avoided.

“It’s okay,” he said after a moment of silence, his tone almost sounding apologetic himself although he did nothing wrong. “We can always reschedule it to another time.”

I couldn’t help but feel even guiltier by what he just said, and I sighed by the fact that he was really too nice. “I’ll see you tomorrow though, right?” Kai then asked and I nodded although he of course could not see me.

“Of course you will; or I can go right now if you want to?” I offered as if to make it up, although for some reason I rather wanted to stay with Ara, but it wasn’t as if I could say that out loud.

Kai only sighed through the other side before speaking. “No, it’s okay; I’m on my way home anyway,” he continued and again I felt a surge of guilt as I wondered how long he had waited for me. “Send my congratulations to Ara; I always knew her talents would take her far.”

I smiled simply by that, although I still felt guilty and almost wished he would yell at me because oddly that would make everything easier. He was so nice to me, yet I felt like a fool and a scumbag for just playing with his feelings like this because although how hard I tried I just couldn’t look at him as more than a friend.

We said goodbye and he then hung up, as I only returned the mobile to Ara who seemed curious. I was glad though that she didn’t ask, as I looked down at my watch to see that I should have met him almost two hours ago.

“Is everything okay?” Ara then asked, and I only nodded because I couldn’t just say what happened. I didn’t want to turn the great mood into a gloomy one. Therefore, I took a deep breath and buried the guilt away as I tried to smile.

“He sent his regards to your success,” I then said after a moment, however, I didn’t want to think more of it as I looked over at her. “Do you want to get some ice cream?” I asked, and although seeming a bit uncertain as she must have understood that something went wrong, she nodded before we walked to an ice cream shop not too far away.