“The concept of rain, in this piece, represents the despair one can go through and the sun represents hope.” She pointed to her varnished painting.

An applause echoed from the one person watching her making a smile crack on the student's face.

“You really have a way with meanings, Eunbi.” Her professor said, stretching his neck to peer at the painting for any minuscule flaws. However, even her professor could not find anything but Eunbi knew that already. She was a perfectionist after all.

“Thank you.” Eunbi bowed. “I’m actually really proud of this one.” She said with pride, looking at her painting like it was a treasure. To her — this was better than gold

The professor hummed. “You should submit this into one of my showcases since the spring festival is coming up.”

Eunbi froze. She pursed her lips as she began packing up her art supplies to bring back to her dorm. As much as her professor was encouraging, he always (I mean always) asked to put her paintings in his showcase. Sure, Eunbi could use the opportunity to become someone other than just the girl in the school newspapers, but she was never one to want to stand out.

“It seems you’re hesitant — must I suggest submitting your artwork into a contest?”

A sigh escaped her lips, stopping her actions to look at her professor. “I’m fine, thank you.”

“But—“

The sound of rainfall pattering against the windows caught her attention. Saved by the bell — or in this case, rain. Eunbi smiled at her professor as she draped her backpack over her shoulder.

“I have to go, goodbye.” She said quickly. Spending another second with him would be chaos and honestly, Eunbi didn’t like the professor just for those few reasons. Being pushy is one thing but some moments the professor was… weird. Eunbi shook her head. Perhaps it was because she’s a good student yet whenever the professor is around her, he seems to favor her artwork(?) more than others. 

Thunder clapped in the rainy night causing Eunbi to jump. Looking out one of the big windows, her eyebrows knitted together at the sight of a downpour. It’s only been two minutes! Stumbling down the stairs, Eunbi gripped her backpack strap.

“Are you kidding me?! I didn’t even bring an umbrella!” She huffed and practically kicked the doors of the building.

A groan of distress left her lips, tapping her fingers against one another as she turned away from the window and sprinted to the exit. All the art major wanted to do was sooth her aching back by laying on her soft, fluffy mattress. Just the thought made her relax. Much to Eunbi’s despair, she had to wait out this cursed rain because she didn’t check the weather this morning. 

As her thoughts rushed back to the morning, Eunbi was reminded of that incident. She stopped on the last step and smiled like a mad woman. She knew the modelling department was close to the art building but she didn’t expect to run into the Kim Sojung. She sighed, one of bash. 

Sojung was well-known but everyone, even Eunbi, knew her from her parents who are owners of a modelling agency. Not that it mattered — what struck Eunbi as important was the fact that Sojung called her pretty. Her! Who was she? A normal in-debt college student… and an art major! She was a disappointment but Eunbi didn’t want to go into the medical field, that wasn’t for her.

Eunbi slapped her face. That’s why she forgot to check the weather because of that stupid (don’t take that seriously) model.

Pushing open the doors to the spring rain, Eunbi’s spine rattled. It wasn’t freezing but the mist from the rain didn’t make her any warmer. However, even if she was frustrated by having to stand and wait out the rain — Eunbi liked it. There wasn’t anything particular about spring rain but seeing and being in that atmosphere made her at ease. Her worries vanished beneath the oncoming droplets, relaxing underneath the contrasting temperatures of the weather. Not only it helped her relax, Eunbi found that rain helped her focus on creating what she could call: art.

A smile creeped on her face as she leaned against the left pillar holding up the patio roof. The only source of light Eunbi could identify was the soft moon behind the clouds and the warm lanterns from the art department.

That’s when she realized someone else was next to her — waiting out the rain as she was doing. Much to Eunbi’s amusement, the girl was… sleeping while standing?

Snapping her head to the girl, Eunbi almost slapped herself. Nothing else was as obvious as literally jerking your head to stare at someone. Eunbi ripped her curious gaze (that lasted barely a second) and rubbed the pads of her fingers against each other. She couldn’t quite steal a glance at the girl while not acting suspicious. Instead of staring at a girl — Eunbi paid attention to the rain. It was like watching paint dry or the grass grow; so tedious.

The smell of freshly fallen blossoms hit Eunbi’s nose. It was soft and as weird as it may sound it smelled like what the color pink should smell like. Not the usual oil or acrylic paint she’s used to smelling but pink petals. Mother nature was really at her finest during spring just as Eunbi felt. No other season made her feel in her center as spring did.

Her thoughts vanished as the girl shifted. Eunbi took the time to steal a glance. It was like a cold block of ice hitting her; the girl who had eyes that were dull — the shine vanishing as she gazed into the rainy scene. It felt felt strangely cold. Eunbi stared longer than she liked as her heart thumped against her ribcage. 

She looked awfully familiar.

The straight hair and black bangs, the look of peace but disturbance. She was beautiful and, well… attractive, Eunbi had to add. Though it wasn’t like she was going to tell a random girl: "you’re so beautiful.”

Eunbi blushed at her own thoughts and tore her gaze away from the girl, instead focusing on the accumulating rain puddle in front of her. She tapped her foot impatiently — how many minutes has it been? It already felt like hours Eunbi was standing in the rain and in uncomfortable silence with the girl who didn’t even notice her. Eunbi was tempted to just run out in the rain and return to her dorm but alas: she’d gain the attention of the student body and be known as “the girl who ran out into rain for no apparent reason.”

Ah but what else could Eunbi do instead of stare at a girl she thought who was pretty? Though she's not exactly extroverted.

Having the chance to indulge, Eunbi couldn’t help herself and stole another glance at the girl. A light shock sent down her body, spidering through every single nerve and vein. It sounded painful but to Eunbi: it was oddly comforting.

She hid her eyes behind her pink locks — peering from behind the strands and smiled softly. An unexplainable warmth blossomed in her heart. They were young, just barely aged. Eunbi could recognize what kind of buds they were: specifically the red rose. Deep inside the darkness of her heart, the rose blossomed with petals of fire.

Eunbi found it odd. To find meanings for her paintings, she often researched meanings of flowers and red roses usually symbolize love. Odd indeed.

Ah ! An electric shock rattled her jaw — her previous thought pushed to the back of her mind once paint filled her vision. 

An invisible brush painted across the sky, to which thick only Eunbi could see. Colors of red and black stained the strange voice — a piano emerging out of thin air. It was a theatre. The focus point was clearly on the student seated on the piano bench, their fingers pressing the keys with ease. Eunbi furrowed her eyebrows. 

What was this? It was almost like the painting wasn’t finished.

Eunbi snapped out of it and before she knew it, her eyes were stuck on the stranger beside her. The tips of her fingers tingled nervously as Eunbi shook her own hand to keep it from tingling any longer. Though unbeknownst to her, the girl was looking straight at her.

The two made eye contact for less than two seconds. A hot flash spidered up Eunbi’s cheeks and hastily used her hair, in natural reflex, to cover her blushing face. Never in a million years that she’d be caught staring at someone — and she doesn’t even like to stare! Deep inside Eunbi’s gut was hot, constantly flipping over and over until she felt sick to the stomach. How much she hoped for the girl to not be able to read her mind (which may have consisted of how attractive she was).

A string tugged at Eunbi’s head to look but she couldn’t give in. Getting tired of her own tactics to stop looking at the girl, the string yanked her head and faced her.

She was met with a pair of dark black eyes. This time, Eunbi didn’t turn away — or more, she couldn’t bring herself to. The blush on her cheeks deepened as Eunbi clearly saw sparkling stardust floating in the girl’s pupils. The more she looked, the more she found her face familiar. Her rosy lips, damp hair from the rain and her hand raising up to point at her. Next thing Eunbi knew, the girl’s eyes were as wide as saucers.

“Ah, Eunbi.”

The said girl blinked. She hoped the girl couldn’t hear her heart almost bursting out of her chest. How did she not recognize her?

“Yuna?!” Eunbi yelled before clasping a hand over . An imaginary hand slapped her forehead. Of course! The girl she used as a water shield coincidentally attended the same school and she meets her here! The blush on her cheeks didn’t vanish — perhaps red was an understatement. 

Yuna chortled, placing a hand on her stomach as she smiled at Eunbi. “Forget an umbrella?”

Three words, and three words only were enough to send shivers down Eunbi’s spine. It wasn’t particularly out of fear but she was, in fact, anxious. 

“Ah yeah...” Eunbi whispered nimbly.

“I didn’t know you went to this school but I shouldn’t be surprised.” Yuna said. “I’m actually quite glad we met again.”

Eunbi looked at Yuna like she was crazy. “Are you not mad?”

“Mad?” Yuna tapped her chin. “Of course, I’m mad.”

That’s when Eunbi’s heart dropped. It hit the concrete so hard that Eunbi may have felt the ground rumble underneath her; when in fact, it was just the thunder and lightning. Her blushing face distorted into a messy expression, unable to respond back to Yuna’s stoic and blank face. Why wouldn’t Yuna be mad at her? After all, the first time they met was because Eunbi used her as a water shield! And she got her guitar wet!

Eunbi’s jaw fell to the ground.

“Oh my god, I can still pay for your guitar and I can buy you a new hoodie just in case it’s stinky and like, I’ll buy you anything you want!” Eunbi rambled on but Yuna only had that same smile etched on her lips.

“Calm down.”

“But I really will do anything!”

Yuna raised her eyebrows. “Anything?”

“Anything!” Eunbi nodded.

The girl seemed to be thinking for an awful while. Eunbi couldn’t help but feel a heavy weight placed on her shoulders as Yuna’s smile spread wider and… almost mischievous.

Yuna looked at Eunbi, a smirk plastered across her face as she stuffed her hands in her pockets. Leaning against the pillar behind her, Yuna looked off into the distance — clearly avoiding eye-contact with Eunbi.

“Are you free tomorrow?” She asked.

Eunbi felt close up but still managed to squeak out a small, “Yes.”

“Good, you can come with me to get my guitar repaired.”

Much to her surprise, Yuna stepped towards her and came oddly close — or was Eunbi's mind just playing tricks on her? She couldn't tell.

“When?” Eunbi let out a shaky breath. She urged herself not to falter in front of the raven-haired girl, going to desperate measures such as fidgeting to stop her knees from buckling.

“Give me your number and I’ll text you.”

Her desperate measures were not enough. The sultry tone in Yuna's voice was enough for Eunbi's knees to weaken, although she wasn’t quite sure if the girl meant it that way or even spoke sultry to her. She blushed, hesitant to hand Yuna her phone as she tugged on the fray strings of her sweater. 

“Sure.”

Who was she kidding? Of course she'll get the chance to get Yuna's phone number. However, Eunbi solely wanted her number for friendship purposes — Yuna is a nice girl and attractive but advancing into unknown territory was too fast for Eunbi.

Grabbing out her phone, she watched as Yuna’s long fingers wrapped around the device and went into her contacts.

Yuna held the phone for a few seconds longer, looking at her own number and smiled. “Do you mind if I take a picture?”

“A picture?” Eunbi glanced at the screen. “Oh… it’s fine.”

The girl raised the phone up and positioned a peace sign next to her face, snapping a quick photo of herself. Yuna nodded in satisfaction — setting her own profile picture to the photo she just took. 

“Here you go!” Yuna laughed.

As she took the phone from Yuna, Eunbi couldn’t help but use a second of her time to stare at Yuna’s freshly taken photo. The blush on her face seemed to die down but at the same time, butterflies flew around in her stomach.

“Cute.” The words slipped out of her lips and before Eunbi could realize what she said, Yuna was now the one red.

“Ah — I mean, not cute!” Eunbi sputtered. “Well you are cute but like not in that way, you know? It’s just like a mutual reaction!”

Why was she acting like this? Eunbi heaved a sigh, slumping down in defeat as Yuna laughed at her ramblings. 

“Mutual reaction, huh? I guess you're not wrong." Yuna shrugged her shoulders.

“Huh?" The girl squeaked.

Eunbi couldn’t fathom how much more her face could take. It was burning furiously — blushing even though she didn’t want to but at the same time, she could hear her inner self squealing like a child in love. She covered her growing smile and lowered her head.

“Thanks.”

Nodding, Yuna looked out at the rain. It wasn’t stopping for the two girls anytime soon.

A lightbulb lit up above Yuna's head. "I’ll be right back, stay right here okay?” She said quickly.

In a blink of an eye, Eunbi was alone. She fiddled with her fingers awkwardly, sonder passing by her like the wind. What if Yuna got sick of her and left? The chances were probable but Eunbi had to take everything into consideration. Desire churned in her stomach; a desire to learn more about Yuna. She laughed. What was Yuna’s family name anyway?

The lights above her flickered like the lightning in the sky. Colors faded from existence, blurring together but the silhouette could still be seen. The trees, the sidewalk, the flower bushes and everything. Inhaling the spring wind, Eunbi slumped against the pillar and smiled solemnly.

Guilt resided in her after canceling on Yewon and SinB but she wasn’t lying when she said she had to finish her project. Loneliness was inevitable — it’s what she gets for being the perfectionist she is and having to cancel on her only two friends. She knew Yewon and SinB didn’t mind, still did they care? Did they wonder if Eunbi lied? Did they wish for Eunbi to suddenly come out of nowhere, claiming she finished her project early?

Without Yuna’s presence next to her, Eunbi realized how empty campus was. Her own canvas was blank, stripped of its flourishing colors. The lights blinked out of color, her figure distorting among the white canvas. It was all a void but in reality Eunbi knew she was the one who was distanced and empty. 

She shook her head. For now, she didn’t want to think of the sadness in her life. Because Eunbi knew Yuna was coming back sooner or later.

The white canvas she was placed in flashed with colors, an almost greyscale palette. Her brush along the canvas once and created a picture that was unrealistically possible to make with one . Loneliness is what the painting represented hence the singular brush that finished the piece. But why did she feel this way?

She smiled grimly.

There was no point in trying to decipher the mind — the mind that gave her the ability to do the things she did. After all, Eunbi could always figure out art more than she could figure out herself.

C:ON was amazing, the teaser for MAGO caught me off guard !! I'm super hyped for the girls to come back ^^
anyways stay safe and prepare for MAGO!