Genre: Fluff, Slice of Life

Summary: Engraved into the deepest of her heart, Ahn Yujin will never forget the memories that she made with the woman whom she loved the most.

Word Count: 9145

Hashtag: #JinjooFiestaS3_ArtTillTime

Art Till It's Time

“You don’t really regret anything?”

Yena asked Yujin, who was standing beside her, as they eye the portrait of a woman in her 20s playing at the beach in front of them. Both of them have reached the age where they no longer have to worry about what to serve at their family’s table, rather they are just there to enjoy whatever life has still in store for them.

Wrinkles have formed at their once smooth and flawless skins. Even Yena had to walk with a crane to guide her.

“You’re not sad about it? Her, leaving you and your son alone. Do you not miss her?” Yena pestered her with questions again.

Yujin pressed her lips and shook her head in reply. “I’ve long accepted it even before it happened, unnie. There was nothing we could do and it was just a race against time.”

Silence enveloped between the both of them for a short while before Yujin continued her reply.

“I was happy, and even up till now, I’m happy. We get to spend a lifetime with her. That’s all that matters,” she said as she faced Yena with a huge grin plastered on her face. Her eye-smile was almost hiding the glistening tears at the corner of her pupils.

Yena knew not to shower her with questions anymore as it might push Yujin to her limits and make her have a breakdown inside the walls of the museum they’re in.

Yujin looked upon the painting again, her huge grin turned into a soft and small smile, one that shows relief. The memories she had with the girl that she loved the most started flooding her mind.

It was autumn. 

The leaves that were scattered along the roads of Yujin’s university changed its hue to the color of orange and red. But not many people were seen outside, as most of them are attending a seasonal Art Exhibit of their school.

Yujin’s paintings were one of the main attractions of the said event. Her artworks were lined up in the middle of the venue. It didn’t fail to catch the audience’s  attention as it was dazzling and shining among the rest. Each painting is detailed with such careful , marvelled with different colors.

Although her works looked similar to each other, it was still captivating.

In the midst of the crowd flocking over her paintings, while she answered the questions of the people curious about her works, a shout, an innocent one, like it came from a kid—although it’s probably from an adult—engulfed the whole area.

“Can I know who the painter of these portraits is?”

Yujin tried to find the owner of the voice but failed to do so. She instead threw one of her hands in the air and waved. “Me!”

In an instant, the girl Yujin was looking for was now in front of her. A tad of amusement was printed on Yujin’s face. The woman wasn’t that tall as she only reached the height of Yujin’s shoulders—well, Yujin is a tall woman, to begin with. Her face kinda resembled a frog, a pretty frog though—if they ever exist. Her shining black hair almost reaching her chest, paired perfectly with the innocent vibes that the lad gave off.  A hint of clay plaster peeked from the girl’s neck. 

Yujin found it cute.

In a flash, the cute girl’s hand was already grabbing Yujin’s left shoulder, while her other hand her chin as if she had a beard. She squinted her eyes, looking away from Yujin, as if she was trying to formulate the words that were supposed to come out of .

Then she looked back at Yujin and nodded, now sure of what she was going to say.

But, the sentence that slipped from had shaken Yujin to her core.

“Your paintings, they’re pretty and all, but they’re dead. I can sense no life at all.”

“What did you—”

But before Yujin could retaliate back, the petite girl had gone out like a turbulence.

“What was that about!?” Yujin stomped her feet out of anger. No one has ever told her something bad about her works. 

Yet, it hit hard. 

The words that came out from the girl slapped Yujin into realizing something that was just bubbling up inside her. But Yujin just can't accept it. 

“Yujin-ah!-” Yena calling out for Yujin’s name was cut short when the tall girl faced her with creasing eyebrows and eyes looking like it could kill. She was fuming with anger. “Hey, what’s wrong?” 

“Unnie, follow me.”

“What?! Where are we going?!”

In just a blink, Yena was being dragged along the hallways of the venue with Yujin clasping her unnie’s wrist to make sure she couldn’t escape. Yena, being as dumbfounded and clueless as she is, decided to give up and just followed Yujin to wherever they were about to go.

But minutes have passed by, yet they are still roaming around the vicinity. Tired from walking endlessly, the duck girl was about to lose her patience.

“Yah! Yujin-ah!! Tell me wha—

“AH! There she is!”

Finally, Yujin spotted the dark-haired cute girl. 

Sculptures and statues that resembled mythical creatures surrounded the petite girl. There was a dragon made out of clay at the right of the woman while a carved unicorn was sitting on her left. The displays weren’t humongous, but it was extravagant as if it was sculpted with intricate care. It was a fiesta of artworks, everything was different and blooming. 

It had life.

“There she is…” Yujin repeated this time with a low voice. It was as if all the urge and motivation to fight the out of that cute girl left her body. 

She was dismayed, not to the girl, but to herself. Maybe, her paintings were dead after all. 

Weeks have passed yet, Yujin hasn't caught sight of the girl she kinda had beef with. She’s been figuring out how to improve and make her art have life. Now, she was stuck in her art classroom alone—applying of colors on her canvas. 

“If it isn’t Miss Dead Painter!”

Yujin jolted at the greetings of the familiar voice behind her. She turned around and there she is—the girl that she's been trying to find. Nothing much has changed with the girl’s appearance and her innocent-looking vibe still lingers.

“Why are you here!? How did you find me!?” Yujin asked since she didn't expect that she would actually meet her again.

Fate was being playful. 

“Your art, it’s dead again,” the lady replied, completely dodging Yujin’s questions.

The tall girl was left baffled because of the words coming from this cute girl again. Yujin has been feeling mixed emotions, so she ended up staring at her instead—not really knowing what to respond anymore.

“Come, follow me,” the strange girl hastily grabbed Yujin’s hand and stormed right out of the room. Yujin felt a little deja vu on her part. 

They were already outside of the university when Yujin has gained sense again, although the woman in front of her is still not done dragging her to who-knows-where.

“Why should I follow you?” 

The girl suddenly stopped at hearing Yujin’s absurd question—her eyes were almost out of her sockets because of confusion. 

“I’ve been pulling you here since God knows when and you’re only asking me just now about where we’re going?” she asked with creasing eyebrows. But not so long, her unmakeable face has turned into one with a big smile. “Just trust me.” 

The raging winds slapped the two girls as they reached the beach near their university. The roaring waves of the sea had left them astonished. There weren’t many people around the premises since it was cold already.

“Why are we here?” Yujin asked.

“Let it out.” 

“What?”

“Just let it out. Whatever your thoughts are.” 

“What?” Yujin repeated, even more confused than ever.

“WAAAAAAHH!!” All of a sudden the girl Yujin is with, started screaming and running around the sand. 

She stopped in front of Yujin and tugged the hem of her sleeve. “Try it.”

Yujin somehow hesitated, knowing that there are still some people around the area made her feel embarrassed.

Another tug from the girl again. 

Yujin took a step. 

Breathed in, and breathed out.

Then she let her hands loose. 

"AAAHHH!!"  

Yujin started shouting her lungs out to the fullest, running and jumping all over the place. 

The frog-like girl smiled at her action, then soon joined Yujin into acting like crazy. They didn’t mind everyone who was probably staring at their antics. They didn’t mind the harsh winds slamming them right now. They didn’t mind the angering waves almost splashing into them. They just thought of the moment that they have right now.

It wasn’t long after when they got tired of doing their insane scheme. They sat near where the water from the sea would stop seeping. 

“Hey, you never told me your name,” Yujin asked.

“What? I never told you my name? You’re crazy for coming here with a stranger.” The woman beside her who was just staring at the sea, turned to Yujin with her eyebrows raised.

“From what I know, I was dragged here by you without my consent,” Yujin rolled her eyes. The girl stifled a subtle laugh at Yujin’s annoyed face. 

“Kim Minjoo, that’s my name.” 

“Ahn Yujin here,” she exchanged. 

A comfortable silence swallowed them for a while. 

“What you said last time, I think I kinda understand them now.” Yujin started. 

Minjoo hummed in reply, a sign for the tall girl to continue. 

“My past works, they all felt the same, nothing new, nothing mind-bugging. It’s like, I’m not growing as an artist,” She said, disappointment evident in her tone. Her voice was clearly mortified. “But can you blame me? Every time I show our Profs my art they all say the same. They just kept praising, but never criticized my work.” 

Yujin paused then looked down. She noticed a small pebble beside her and picked it up. 

“Then I became stagnant,” she continued as she threw the pebble to the waters. 

“Do you want me to help you?” Minjoo finally replied.

“How?”

“I’ll be the wind to your still water.”

“You’re talking more like a writer, instead of a sculptor,” Yujin giggled.

Minjoo slightly pushed Yujin’s side in retort. A faint laugh coming from her.  “What was that about? What do sculptors even say?”

“Listen. I’ll make your life more enjoyable. I’d be willing to judge your artworks. Would that help you grow?” Minjoo continued, a wide smile painted on her face that her Indian dimples are almost showing.

“Why are you even doing this for me?”

Minjoo lifted her head as she rubs her chin while searching for answers. Then she turned to Yujin once more. “Let’s just say that I’ve taken an interest in you.”

Months have passed and the two of them have gotten much closer with each other. After finding out that their friends, Yuri and Yena, were actually dating, a day won’t go by without them eating lunch together. 

And it’s the same for today. 

“Hey, GFs!” Yuri along with Yena shouted at the cafeteria as they spotted Yujin and Minjoo at their usual hangout.

“We’re not girlfriends, dummy,” Yujin retaliated, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. Minjoo just laughed at the sight. 

Their lunchtime has gone by with the usual Minjoo and Yuri bickering, while Yena and Yujin were just doing some stupid antics with their food again. When they were about to leave the table, Yujin pulled Minjoo’s hem on her wrist. 

“Can we go home together again, later? I have something to tell you.” 

Yujin was at the school’s gate waiting for Minjoo to come. Her palms were sweating like a river and she kept tapping her foot on the ground. It seemed like she actually had something important to say.

Just a little while, Minjoo was already in sight. When the frog-like girl spotted Yujin, she immediately ran to her while waving her hand. 

“Let's go home!” Minjoo exclaimed.

Yujin brushed her sweating palms to her coat and grabbed Minjoo’s hand. “Hey. Let’s take a detour today. There’s a place I want to bring you to.”

Minjoo only nodded in response. 

It was nearing sunset when they reached the place. A balcony where you can witness the orange rays of the sun at the horizon hovering the buildings and houses was hidden at the end of a park near their homes. Luckily, there weren’t much people in the park at that time. 

“Wah, Yujin-ah, how did you know this place?” Minjoo gasped, still amazed at the beautiful scenery in front of her. She stretched out her hands, with her body bumping the rails as if she was trying to reach for the sky.

Yujin leaned on the rail and slumped her head on her palm as she stared at Minjoo. “I’m glad you like it.” 

Both of them just kept admiring the sunset, although Yujin was mustering up her courage to say something. 

“Date me,” Yujin blurted out, then looked away from Minjoo. She said it too fast that Minjoo probably didn't catch it. 

“What?” 

“Do I have to repeat it?” 

Silence took over. 

Yujin mustered up her courage again and is now facing Minjoo. 

“Date me. I like you, Kim Minjoo.” 

Then there it was. Heat was flushing everything out of Yujin and now she’s all red, while Minjoo only stared out at her dumbfoundingly. 

“A-ah! Forget about it,” Yujin muttered lifelessly—turning away from the shorter girl. 

“Sure, let’s date,” Minjoo replied as she showed a soft smile. 

Yujin quickly faced Minjoo, not sure if she actually heard her right. “For real?” 

In an instant, Yujin found herself being embraced by Minjoo. The petite girl looked upon Yujin, then tiptoed to reach her ears to whisper. 

“Yujin, I like you, too.” 

She backed up, and at the moment, Yujin might have seen one of the most beautiful sceneries ever. The settling sunrays clearly shining upon Minjoo’s face, with her wide smile that her Indian dimples made its way through. How Yujin wished she could capture what she was seeing right now. 

Yujin cupped Minjoo’s face then planted a soft peck on her forehead. Then she lowered her head, to match the shorter girl’s eye level. 

“I promise that I’ll take care of you.” 

Minjoo reached out her hand then went to pat Yujin’s head. 

“You already are, Yujin-ah. You just have to stay.” 

“Then I’ll do that.” 

Yujin stared at Minjoo’s eyes then changed her gaze to Minjoo’s lips. She cupped her face once again. 

“Can I kiss you?”

The shorter girl only hummed. 

Then there it was. Yujin dived into the lips of the girl she’s been longing for. It was the start of it all. A beginning to the journey Yujin would never know that she would love so much.

Yujin has been spying on her girlfriend and the woman she’s been with since this morning.

It all started when Minjoo refused to go to the university with Yujin—saying that she had to be early for school. But, she didn’t really explain why. 

When Yujin arrived at the vicinity, she almost bumped into Minjoo, but quickly hid herself behind a wall when she noticed that her girl was walking with someone else. She tried to peek and observe the girl from her sight. Her height was just as tall as Minjoo. She had dark blue bob hair with her ears cladded with some piercings. To top it off, she was wearing a black leather jacket—definitely exuded girl-crush aura. 

‘I’m going to greet them,’ the tall girl thought to herself. She huffed some breath and counted from one to three. She has never been this nervous before.

Why was she even nervous?

Yujin tried to step out, but she couldn't move her feet—as if she was glued to the wall.

Before she even managed to have the courage to greet them, the two had already passed by and were already out of sight.

“What if Minjoo doesn’t want me anymore? What if she finds that woman more attractive than me? Will she break up with me later,” she murmured to herself. Various scenarios of Minjoo abandoning her have clouded Yujin’s mind. There was nothing to amend her breaking heart. 

Yujin’s morning lectures have ended already. Once again, she decided to muster up her strength, so she can pick-up Minjoo in their room. 

She arrived at the room, only to see her girlfriend was alone together working on a sculpture with whoever that woman is. 

Yujin furrowed her eyebrows at the scene. She bit her lip, as she tried to make sense of the blasphemy going on in front of her. 

“Minjoo, do you need this?” the mysterious woman said as she handed her a hammer. 

‘Wow, her voice is also deep,’ Yujin thought. 

Minjoo gladly accepted the tool and proceeded on doing her stuff. 

The two have been acting so mushy for a while now that Yujin has been struggling to keep calm. The unknown woman has been taking care of Minjoo every time she gets a chance, and Minjoo just let it be. 

Yujin’s feelings were turning as sour as a lemon the more she watched them. 

It was finally time for Minjoo to notice Yujin at the door, because the girl has been sending them piercing gaze since earlier. 

“Yujin-ah!” Minjoo called out to Yujin, as she waved her free hand. “You’re here! Is there anything you need?” 

The short-haired girl whispered something to Minjoo, but Yujin couldn’t catch it. Minjoo nodded with a wide smile as her response. 

Yujin glanced at the girl and slightly bowed. The latter also did the same. 

“Lunch!” Yujin shortly shouted, forcing a smile on her face— almost twitching. 

Minjoo’s shoulders dropped at Yujin’s invitation, and the huge smile she had on her face turned into  a disheartened frown. “I’m sorry I’m busy right now.”

“O-oh is that so?” Yujin replied—almost stuttering. “How about going home later? Will you walk with me?”

Yujin pulled out her last card. There’s no way Minjoo would reject this, or else Yujin might as well just bury herself on the ground. 

“Sure!”

Just one word from Minjoo, and Yujin’s face has lit up for real already. 

She went inside the room and directly walked to her girlfriend.

“Goodluck on what you’re doing!” Yujin cheered, as she patted the top of Minjoo’s head. She quickly averted her gaze to the girl beside Minjoo, then squinted her eyes at her—almost giving a death glare. 

The unknown girl did nothing, but just smiled as a retort.

“Yuri, do you know who the girl Minjoo is with since this morning? The one she was working with on the sculpture?” Yujin asked her friend as they had their lunch with just the three of them. 

“Ah, Shin Ryujin!!” Yena shouted, pointing her chopsticks to Yujin, while traces of food are still evident on . 

“Yah! I’m the one being asked here!” Yuri yelled—almost coming for her girlfriend’s throat. 

Yena only grinned smugly. “That Shin Ryujin, she’s a cool girl?” 

‘Shin Ryujin? But I’m the only Jin to her Joo!’ Yujin pondered to herself.

“Why are you asking about her?” Yuri suddenly threw a question out of curiosity. 

“Does she have a crush on Minjoo?”

Yena almost spit the coke that she’s been drinking. She grabbed her stomach as she tried to suppress her guffaws. “Ahn Yujin, are you getting jealous?!”

Heat quickly crept upon Yujin’s face. Her ears and cheeks are almost red. She gestured her hand, waving it aggressively, a sign that she’s not. 

“N-no way!” she replied, almost flustered.

“But I think she actually took an interest in Minjoo,” Yuri hummed. “I feel like she’s been making moves on her a lot earlier.” 

Yujin ears perked up. 

“But she recently just broke up with her gf,” Yena counterparted. “Won’t that make her look bad?”

“Yup, I don’t think Ryujin is like that. Maybe she's just actually a caring person,” Yuri agreed.

Relief washed over Yujin, but there’s this gut feeling inside her that was telling her to not lower her guard. 

“Minjoo-yah!” 

Yujin came to fetch Minjoo in her classroom. When she arrived there, the two were still working on their project. 

“Yujin-ah! We’re about to be done. You can wait inside here,” Minjoo gestured for Yujin to join them. 

Yujin pulled a chair beside them, and observed their work silently. Minjoo’s ability in making them still put the tall girl in awe. The sophisticated designs she carved there always mesmerized Yujin. 

Yujin felt a stare being sent to her. She jolted a little when she noticed it was Ryujin looking at her. Her eyebrows creased—almost touching as she reciprocated Ryujin’s glare. 

It was the start of World War 3.

“It’s done!” Minjoo exclaimed, lifting one of her fists up. Thanks to Minjoo, Ryujin and Yujin’s staring contest have finally ended. 

“Good job, Ryujin! Thank you for your help!” The frog-like girl said, as she tapped Ryujin’s shoulder. Then she turned around to face Yujin, and flashed her the brightest smile she had. 

Yujin can’t help but smile back. 

“Yujin, let me just go to the washroom real quick.” Then she dashed right out of the room while humming. 

A heavy atmosphere quickly enveloped the room. No one was daring to strike a conversation. 

One minute. 

Still no one was talking. 

Yujin started counting. 

One. 

Two. 

Three. 

“Hey—”