Maybe she was a bit annoyed and disappointed when she was given detention for a week straight. It was even worse when she was completely alone besides the boy in the back that was always sleeping. After school every day for one hour, absolutely nothing to do. At least she got to draw and do her homework so she could go home and relax for the rest of the evening. All this time allowed her to make countless doodles of cats and toothy grins for no particular reason.

Detention wasn’t really that bad and she only had one more day left. It was just very boring, since there was nothing to distract her besides her imagination but even then it seemed to run out of gas. So her entertainment was solving math equations from her class that day and doing what she does best, art. Heejin prided herself on her talent.

 Most people didn’t feel too positive about their piece or were shy when it came to showing their work off, but she always smiled and would be the first one to present. Proud of her skills and ideas that reflected of the canvas.

 Her mother always told her she should be confident in doing what she loved. So she took the advice to heart and since then she had always been shoving her crafts into people’s face no matter if they hated or loved it. Although she didn’t care much about people’s opinions on her work, there was a certain someone she’d die to get approval from. Only if she were here to see it.

Kim Hyunjin

The same girl that had gotten her into detention in the first place, who had never shown up not once. Yesterday in class while staring at her friend and… long time crush she angrily whispers out contrasting the silence in the room. Her friend only smiles, it’s full of devilry and when she hears the cocky response she can’t help but scoff. Heejin remembers leaning back onto her chair shaking her head trying to show her disapproval of the girl’s words.

I’m Kim Hyunjin, I get away with everything.

How could she challenge that though, the whole school admired her even the principle. The world was Hyunjin’s but she didn’t want it. While Heejin struggled to keep her reputation since people were hot and cold with her, changing their attitude towards her every week, Hyunjin could punch someone in the face and they would still say thank you. Heejin guesses it was just her cat-like charms.

With that thought in mind, Heejin often compared the girl to a cat. How she seemed so curious of the world around her but would ignore the most extravagant things, like some boy giving her flowers, or the girl yelling at her since said boy was in a long term relationship with her. Heejin watched from afar, peeking around her locker at the exchange of romance and hatred. She smiled when Hyunjin only blinked at the girl and went back to twirling a string.

She thought it was cute how Hyunjin found the simplest of things intriguing.  

Another thing was how Hyunjin was quite rowdy but in the sneakiest ways. If Heejin didn’t watch her a obsessively she would never catch Hyunjin. Stealing food from her friend’s plate, breaking small things, rolling her eyes at every single person who talked to her, never listening no matter how many times you told her no. The teachers had the most trouble with the last one.

The best cat-like thing about Hyunjin, in her eyes, of course, was how playful the girl was. She’d always have a toothy grin after teasing or joking around with her. Heejin would shake her hands as Hyunjin retold an exciting story and shortly after it was finished the girl would simply pan out oh I was lying by the way. Heejin would drop her hands and stare at the stoic face wondering what goes inside the girl’s head for her to be this way.

Maybe Heejin thought about this too much. Or it was all the time she had because well she was stuck in this empty classroom for sixty minutes out of the day. At least fifty-eight of those minutes were spent thinking about how Hyunjin had a matching mole with hers underneath their left eye. That had to mean something right? Wasn’t it written in the soulmate catalog if you had matching marks you were bound to be together?

The strides of her pencil stop along with her thoughts. Like her hand knew if she continued, her little doodle would be ruined and the seven minutes of drawing it would have been a waste of her precious and boring time. Looking down she didn’t even realize she was yet again drawing a cat. With almond shaped eyes.

Yeah, she thought about Hyunjin too much.

Noises besides the heavy snores begin again. The teacher actually looks up from her crossword puzzle because something had changed from the very solid schedule of a 96% silent classroom and suddenly the answer to, who named the sun, is forgotten and the answer to, who is making the awful scratching noise, is being debated.

She concludes it’s the girl who has her pencil clutched into a fist and is swirling around on paper like she was mixing batter. She hums out once the puzzle is solved and goes back to her booklet.

Wait…who did name the sun?

Suddenly the door is slammed wide opened and the teacher is faced with another puzzle. Except for this time, it’s not a word puzzle. It’s genuine confusion as she almost falls out of her seat.

“NO ONE!”

Heejin stops the assault on her art. Or really, a forgotten doodle now covered up in aggressive swivels caused by the lack of entertainment. It wasn’t art anymore it was simply frustration. And people tended to destroy things when frustrated. Now Heejin’s cute sketch of a cat was now a ball of ashy black destruction with no true symmetry.

Her savior is here though. No more boredom and no more destruction evoked by that restless feeling.

"Ms. Wong? Is there something wrong?” She smiles at the name as the detention supervisor wipes her brow, clearly distraught by the woman’s appearance. Vivian Wong, the schools most notorious teacher, also known as the art teacher and Heejin’s biggest inspiration. Heejin prided herself on being Ms. Wong’s favorite student and apprentice.

The woman had been her advisor ever since she had walked into the art studio freshman year, her wisdom and quirky ways of guidance are what has gotten Heejin through high school. While her mother gave her support and unconditional love that made her feel comfortable to be herself. Ms. Wong made her think about who she was, and lead her to blossom into her own self despite trying to stick to a reputation.

Worrying about reputation was probably her biggest flaw. But for some reason this year it hasn’t been on her list of things to think about. There were…other things occupying that list now.

“I heard Jeon Heejin was in detention and I think that may be a crime against humanity.” Ms. Wong still has her arms spread out from where she entered the room, glaring at the teacher with some mighty force that makes her shrink down into the chair further. As if that would help her escape.

Ms. Wong points her chin up and then turns to Heejin and suddenly the glare turns into a lazy stare along with a slight grin. Heejin thinks that maybe Ms. Wong isn’t entirely human and has even depicted what she thinks of the woman is on canvas. An android controlled by a little alien stationed inside her head. 

The woman laughed at the painting and then they went on for an hour about what the colors meant, why the lines and edges were so smooth, and why on earth was the alien hot pink. It took so long to discuss the painting since Ms. Wong was a thinker and Heejin theorized that she thought in binary code, slowly deciphering the numbers is what always too her so long to speak and process things.

The colors were neutral since Ms. Wong wore nothing but brown and black. And even then she stood out in a crowd from her beauty and bold red hair. She could have been a movie actress if she had the quick wit of one. Unfortunately she was a slow thinker but Heejin thought it suited the woman’s appearance more.

The smooth lines depicted her personality. She was calm and easy going. Nothing was ever edgy to Ms.Wong it was always delicate and flowing. Her voice, her smile, and the way she moved when she painted. All smooth, it contrasted her way of thinking. Which was choppier but still she managed to make them seem like silk and that’s why Heejin was always eager to hear them out loud.

And the reason why the alien was hot pink? It was Heejin’s favorite color and well hot pink was a crazy color. Just like Ms. Wong.

“Jeon, how did you get yourself in here?” Standing up since she knew that detention was probably over for her she answers, “passing notes in class.” Ms. Wong’s expression doesn’t change as Heejin folds her elbow within the woman’s since she had it offered.

She nods at the teacher as she’s escorted out. “With Shaun of the dead back there?” Heejin laughs getting the woman’s reference a little until she doesn’t.

“Huh?”

“I’ve never seen the kid live. Always in the dream world spending his days there probably. It reminds me of a zombie.” Heejin blinks and then shrugs, opting out on ignoring the woman.  

"Right, but no it was…” Her sentence drifts off as they walk into the art studio and it’s empty besides the aroma of clays and paints. Heejin scrunches her nose up and closes one eye. The smell always hit her hard for some reason. She had never gotten used to it despite loving the scent.

It meant love to her and how were you ever supposed to get used to that.

“I was passing notes with Kim Hyunjin.” She brings her arm back from Ms. Wong’s and skips around the room. Although she had this class in the middle of the day for two hours she kinda missed coming here after school. When it was silent besides her voice humming out a tune to the beat of her paint , and her only friend was the light spilling in from the evening sun.

 It was much more peaceful then. It was like she was the only person in the world at that moment. Nothing else mattered, only the way she felt.

 Plopping herself down in a chair she settles in while slumping her bag over. Being bored was exhausting for some reason and now that she had some sort of entertainment it was overwhelming. “Kim Hyunjin? The basketball player with cat eyes?”

 So I’m not the only one that sees the resemblance.

 “Yeah that’s the one.” It comes out as a huff of air. Talking about Hyunjin always made her chest lite. Like her heart wasn’t even there, maybe it was in the sky or something, since that was the way Hyunjin made her feel by just locking eyes with her. “Ah she’s peculiar, you know how to choose them don’t you Jeon?”

 Snapping her eyes back open she stares at Ms. Wong who is fixing a palette up. It’s mostly neutral colors with some oranges and yellows. “What?” The woman doesn’t look at her continuing to slowly squirt little dabs of paint on the thin sheet of wood.

 Heejin follows her movements across the room. It was hard to focus on her, the woman moved like a feather only guided by the breeze. “You blushed when you said her name and then you broke out into a grin.” The girl stands up straight, “that doesn’t tell me w-.”

 “Oh please I’ve seen my fair share of high school romance don’t be like the ones who hide it.” Heejin slightly grins and holds out her hand as Ms. Wong passes her the palette. “You are young, live up to your love before time takes it away from you.” Her grin turns out into a full blown smile and she stares at the paints on the wood.

 They were all colors similar to Honey Bun’s fur.

 Suddenly there’s a canvas stuck in front of her and an amused woman hiding behind it. “You’ve been holding yourself back in my class.” Heejin stands up and glances at the clock on the wall. She guesses she can stay for a few hours. Ms. Wong’s comment didn’t exactly hurt her feelings but she still felt a tinge of pain. Did that mean she thought her work was bad?

 Ms. Wong shuffles to the side holding up the key to the classroom before setting it down on the desk where Heejin was previously sitting. “Everything you make is flawless in class Jeon.”

 The last words that her mentor says before sliding out of the class stick to her, in a good way.

 “But it doesn’t manage to take my breath away like the stuff you create when you’re alone, emotions are not flawless Heejin, don’t be afraid to show them while painting.”

  Because within the imperfections, that’s when the art has life behind it. Since life was never meant to be perfect.

 Life’s biggest flaw was time. So you must make the most of it right? Heejin did just that by starting to lay down the paint on the canvas. Just the way she wanted.

 After a couple of hours, she rubs at her forehead with her forearm, trying to avoid smudging paint all over her. She had recreated her vision of her best friend. Maybe it was kinda lame to consider a cat your closest companion, but Honey Bun had been there for her at some of the most crucial moments of her teenage years.

 Heejin smiles at the finished piece. It was simple and maybe a little messy. That’s what made it perfect though. It depicted the first time she saw the cat. Curled up under the tree, soaking from the rain and freezing from the cold. The spring flowers surrounding a little dull from the overflow of water.

 The fur was frizzed up and the little swirls were jagged. The ears bent back in frustration. The almond-shaped eyes closed in hopes of finding warmth in the dream world.

 Maybe this was her favorite piece yet.

 Waiting a few more minutes she sets the painting up to dry. Her hands are aching from the constant arching and swerving. Heejin would rest well tonight knowing that she got to do what she loved most.

  The walk home is just as nice, the fall air is avoiding her skin, unlike the summer humidity. Heejin stops at the intersection. The same place she found Honey Bun those few years ago and silently sits on the corner closely watching all the stray cats paw at the trash can across the street.

 She laughs when one of them falls in, instantly jumping out with a banana peel stuck to its head. Swinging her backpack around she pulls out her lunch leftovers. Maybe she could help the hungry things out.

 A tuna melt, some slices of ham and cheese, a half-eaten apple and a…honey bun.

 Calling the cats over with a promise of food some stay back due to nerves while a few scurry over, meowing announcing that of course, they’ll take Heejin’s offer.

 She scrapes the tuna and ham out, the cats making groaning noises at each other as they scarf it down. Heejin reminds herself that she should start to buy cat food for them. Since they tended to stay here.

  Resting her chin on her hand she peacefully watches the eating contest. Whoever can eat the most pieces of ham until it’s all gone.

 When she feels soft fur against her thigh she turns slightly. The biggest smile breaks loose from her face when she spots the orange caramel cat with the brown swirls. Picking the feline she places it in her lap giggling when it reaches up to rub its head along her cheek.

 “Stop that tickles.” She knows the cat can’t understand what she’s saying but it comes out as habit still. The cat continues to snuggle up to her as she receives the glazed sweet from her bag. She would never give up Honey Bun’s favorite.

 Setting the cat down she gives it the treat and patiently waits as it chews it all up, growling at any of the cats that come near. It’s funny to Heejin, since the swirls of cinnamon are the same color as the cat's fur. She guesses the saying you are what you eat is true in some cases.

 About to head home she’s stopped by a single paw on her foot. Continuing to strap her bag back onto her shoulders she picks the cat up in her arms and starts to carry it with her. She and the cat needed to catch up a little bit.

 “So today I got out of detention...finally.” The last she saw the cat was Monday night. After her first day of detention. “Ms. Wong the art teacher, you remember her right? Anyways she got me out of there and I ended up going to the studio.”

 Most of their conversations were about art and school, even food. They were one-sided of course with the occasional meow whenever Heejin would pause for too long. Sometimes though they were about Hyunjin.

 “I painted you today! I’ll have to bring it home once it dries so you can see.” She tells the cat seriously as it’ll really look at the canvas and be like wow Heejin you really outdid yourself this time. Hopefully, she’ll get a small purr or two for critique or maybe even a meow. Yeah, a meow would be nice.

 Glancing back down at the cat she smiles. It’s giving her a tentative look, it’s almond eyes wide open with curiosity. “Would you like that?” She nods along with herself. If anyone would see her right now they would probably think she’s crazy.

  When there’s no response she giggles and watches ahead making sure the cat stays snuggled in her arms. Suddenly there’s something rough against her cheek, it’s not a paw or fur but instead it’s a tongue. Heejin grimaces and pulls the cat back gagging a bit, “ew Honey Bun don’t do that I know you clean yourself with that.”

 She shudders at the thought of the cat cleaning its and the fact that the same cat just her face. Heejin was gonna have to do two rounds of facial care tonight.

 The gesture was cute though and Heejin couldn’t help coo at the now pouting cat since it was just scolded.

 Hugging it closer she apologizes and all she gets in return is an angry meow. Laughing she angles her face away from the swatting paw.

 “You know you remind me of her so much.” She never said Hyunjin’s name around Honey Bun. It didn’t really matter did it.

 The gesture reminded her of yesterday. A thoughtful action coming out gross and unwanted.

 When she had opened her locker, she had found an apology note that read sorry for getting you in trouble and a half-eaten donut. The note was signed sloppily by none other and the donut looked quite tasty except for the bite marks.

 She still ate it though.

 Recalling the memory she brings her focus back down to the cat.

 “She’s sweet…”

  The cat's pupils grow in size.

  “Just like you.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Hi friends, um well I'm actually pretty close to finishing this so I'll like update weekly or maybe even twice a week. Anyways I hope this is still enjoyable! Thank you :D