This morning is not different from what I have every day of my stay in this far-from-home place, the mediocrity of solitude. But I have to endure it because I chose to be here. Taking the opportunity to learn more about the passion I love the most, this place is a perfect learning place.

I’ve been here in Rome for the past four years and I’m studying at an academy that specialized in arts. This is my last year at this academy and I have this major subject that requiring us to make an art out of something we unexpected. That’s a total ludicrous requirement. How can we make an art if our subject is what we least expected? I don’t even know where and when will have a chance to spot that unexpected something. And my professor doesn’t want a simple art. It has to have a big impression and the deepest meaning for us.

That project is my sole focus for these two months. Fortunately, we were given a whole semester to make it because I still haven’t figured out what’s that unexpected that I will make into my canvas. Because of that project, this becomes my habit, sitting somewhere in the campus, sometimes in the near park, and just stare on nothing. I seem like now to make myself be pre-occupied every time I have I chance to do so. Some of my friends had told me their concerns on my behavior but I think I’m still okay. Weirdness comes along with being an art genius, it’s inevitable.

“Hey Taeng! How’s your ‘preposterous requirement’? Have you decided on what to do?”

I heard Jessica; that I didn’t noticed sitting beside me. I was in a daze in my place at the campus’ open field and oblivious to the world. But thanks to her query that I came back to my senses.

Jessica is one of my friends in this academy. She’s an American-Korean that I met here on my first year. I was glad that I met her because I was like a lost cat then, being in a foreign country and not that knowledgeable with the place’s language and culture. Though Jessica lived her whole life in the US before studying here, she still knows how to speak my own language. That’s why we got along together, she helps me with my English and as a return; I help her with her Art class. Majoring in Fine Arts explains it because Jessica is majoring in designing and she’s too lazy to sometimes do her Art projects so she bothers me.

“Still in the unknown…”

“Come on Kim Taeyeon! You’ll eventually find that. Remember it has to be unexpected, so you don’t have to rush it. Another thing do you have thought about our one week break?”

“Sica… you know how unexpected things are close to nothing when it comes to Arts. Artists need inspirations and subjects to make a masterpiece.” Taeyeon said with a surprising calmness. It’s like she was never bothered by her current predicament.

Her friend was taken a back with her calmness. She thought that Taeyeon is having a hard time with her project as what they have seen of her for the past couple of months of staring into nothingness. That every time she has to see Taeyeon, she’s concentrating to get what she needs to get out of her broad mind.

“Okay, fine! I understand what you’re saying. I’ll leave it to you… you’re the artist here, not me. But, back to my question, what are you going to do for our one week break?”

“I don’t know yet. I’m gonna think about it later.”

“Ah… thought you’ve thought about that.”

“Not yet. You guys?”

“I think of NYC. Summer’s going to Japan, I think. And Hyo is planning to go in Hainan.”

“Hainan?”

“China. A province in China.”

“Ah… How about the others?”

“Mike and Carol said they’re going to their grandparents in Florence. Ailee’s going back to Denver. Sunny and Donghae are flying to Seoul for a family reunion and a wedding of a cousin. Siwon oppa is going to L.A. Geez! Do I really have to report everything to you?”

“Yes `coz I’m not quite informed of the gang’s doing.”

“And that’s because you’ve been spacing out with us, always.” She whined with a roll of her eyes; annoyed Sica.

“I’m sorry. I’m just pre-occupied these days.”

“We knew that and we understand what you are going through. It is really a terrible thing having a psycho for a professor.”

Taeyeon laughed hard at Jessica’s remark. Her friends are her found treasures in this place. They are the reason why she’s still in that place. They keep her sane and insane at the same time. She sometimes forgets her problem whenever she’s with them; except when she had that project.

After that long and hearty laugh of the two women, Jessica bid her goodbye due to her next class while Taeyeon stay at her spot waiting for her class. She closed her eyes and tilted her head upward. What she didn’t expect is when she closed her eyes; she fell into a deep daydreaming. A very bright light that’s coming from the back of a woman was blinding her. She can’t see the whole figure yet she is so sure that it was a woman. Everything she sees is just the figure and the blinding light. But something about the woman is making Taeyeon to stare at her and just think about nothing but ‘who is this woman?’ that she doesn’t know if she has a connection with.

Somehow while looking at the face of the woman, despite of it is hiding from her own shadow, Taeyeon think that the woman was somewhat looks familiar but she can’t remember when or where she had seen her. She can see a glimpse of her face but she really can’t remember if she had seen her.

But her daydreaming was ended by a tap on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and saw her friend Sunny, at her side, looking at her with a concern look.

“’Are you okay Taeng?”

Still in her daze, Taeyeon jus nodded her head while her friend continued looking at her. But knowing Taeyeon has a habit of spacing out most of the time; Sunny just asked her friend if the latter is not coming to her class. As if she has just woken from her sleep, Taeyeon looked at her watch and saw that she was already half an hour late on her class. Calculating the time she will consume getting to her lecture room, she then decided not to attend her class.

“Yeah, I guess. Professor Colton will just mark me absent whether I attend her class or not.”

“That’s true but anyway, have Sica told you our plan?”

“Yup. And I still don’t know mine.”

“Ah… hey, say, wanna come with me to Seoul? I know that you missed home so much.”

“But I still have to…” Taeyeon suddenly trailed off to what she’s going to say when she remembered her daydream.

“You still have to…?”

“Never mind that. When will be coming home?”

“The night before the start of our break.”

“Call! I’m going with you.”

“Nice one. Okay, ciao! See you when I see you.”

“Same to you…”

~·~·~·~

“Eomma! I’m home!”

Taeyeon heard heavy footsteps coming from the kitchen. And when her mother saw her, the spatula she was holding flopped on the floor and broke the silence. Her mother’s face was full of shock and was left agape.

Her home coming wasn’t announced to her family to surprise them, hence the reaction of her mother. With a happy and excited mood, Taeyeon encircled her mother with an overwhelming hug.

“Why didn’t you tell us that you’re coming home?”

“Where’s the element of surprise there?”

“Yeah, same old TaeTae… your Appa will be glad to see you. And Hayeon, that kid was not stopping asking us when you will come back here.”

“I’ll talk to her later. And sorry in advance, I will take her up all night. Maybe, tomorrow will be her rest day from school.”

“Taeyeon…”

“You know her Eomma… Okay, I should go now.”

“Where are you going? You’ve just got here. Rest first here and don’t go wandering around.”

“I’m going to surprise Appa and maybe help him there for a little while.”

“But-!”

Taeyeon didn’t hear the last thing her mother said for she has dashed out of their house and made her way to their shop. It’s good that their shop is not that far from their home and she can walk towards it.

“Good morning! How may I help you?”

Taeyeon was surprised to hear a different voice when she entered their shop. She thought that she will hear her father to greet her and then she will surprise him in return. But a woman’s voice stopped her at the door of the shop. A very delicate and endearing voice yet so familiar. Despite of being surprised, the will to know the owner of that voice make Taeyeon to dash in front of the counter.

She just can’t believe the familiar face she is seeing that moment. Though she didn’t see that face fully, she knew it was her!

“Hi! You’re probably Kim Taeyeon, right? I’m Tiffany Hwang and I am you’re father’s part time receptionist here. Welcome home Taeyeon!”

~·~·~·~

“And how is this artwork of yours unexpected Taeyeon?”

Though she was kind of startled with her Professor’s voice mentioning her name. She still stood up confidently and walked her way to the front of their class. That day is the day where they have to present their final requirement in that major subject.

She had prepared herself for this day and she planned to make herself proud of what she was going to say.

“My artwork was the most unexpected thing that happened in my life. I can’t really explain how unexpected it is but I think I can tell you a story about it. So, Professor Fabian, can I just tell it?”

“Suit yourself Taeyeon. Just be sure to entertain us.”

“I will. Okay, here it is. One day, when I was just sitting somewhere in the campus, I envisioned this exact image in your front.” She showed her canvas to her classmates. Then she continued. “I was just amazed on how I felt when I daydreamed on it. This woman felt so familiar but I can’t seem to remember her. That night, I tried to draw what I have seen in my vision thinking it can be that unexpected thing I can use for this project. Then, I flew back to Seoul, my hometown, bringing my canvas for unknown reason, last break. And there, I met this woman…”

“You’re kidding Taeyeon!” shouted her one classmate.

She chuckled at the remark and the others that followed. She completely understands them because even she can’t believe that it happened. To prove her claim, she shoved her phone from her pocket and scrolled on something. Then she showed her picture with Tiffany to her classmates that made them gasped in shock.

When she looked at her professor, he mentioned her to continue her speech and she obliged.

“Even I can’t believe it when I stood there in front of her inside my father’s shop. She was a part time receptionist there.”

“You said that she’s familiar with you as what you envisioned it. So how does it become unexpected if it looked like you know her already and maybe you just forgot about her being you’re father’s receptionist because of your studies.”

“The thing is, she just been there for two months vacation and wanted to just do some small job while having a vacation.”

“You don’t know her, then. But, why on your father’s shop?”

“And here is the most unexpected one. She’s my first kiss way back on my first grade in elementary but she went to the States and I have forgotten about her since then. But when she decided to have a vacation in Seoul, she went to my father’s shop expecting to see me there but unfortunately, I wasn’t there. And before her two months vacation ended, we met there when I unexpectedly decided to go home. Then, all of those things about her came back to me when she told me our past. And now, she’s my girl friend waiting for me to finish this class.”

Taeyeon finished her speech then point her forefinger on the door where all of the people inside their lecture room saw the same girl Taeyeon had told in her long explanation. The woman outside smiled at them with her eye smile that Taeyeon thought she already got the highest score even if she failed to impress her professor.

“Okay, good job Taeyeon! You guys can go now! Class dismissed! And Taeyeon, don’t forget to thank you girlfriend for passing my subject. Congratulations to your coming graduation.”

Taeyeon can’t still believe what her professor had told her but when she walked out their lecture room and greeted by her Tiffany; she engulfed her now girlfriend into a big and overwhelming hug.

“I passed it! Oh y Gosh! Fany-ah! I passed my subject because of you! Thank you and I love you so much!”

“I know that you can do it. I love you, too, Taetae.”

Who said unexpected things is the best thing you’ll receive? Well, I can’t agree more.

WOW! It's been so long.... I miss updating... ):

`Miss you guys...