The day Jongin had suggested that he’d model for Byul for her upcoming exhibit, she downright rejected his offer. But here was the thing, Byul wasn’t getting any younger and she wanted more diversity when it came to her paintings. She considered hiring a male model but gave it up once she got to interview the first applicant who took interest in her job post. She imagined painting the guy half- and just the thought of it made her uncomfortable.

Supposedly, there was still time to change the concept if not for her tale-teller friend who had a freaking big mouth (double emphasis because she loathed her for revealing it) who told the entire universe that Byul’s upcoming exhibit would be full of half- people. Individuals of different genders. She was done with most but when it came to a heteroual man…

In any case, it was her friend’s fault for spoiling it to the world before she got to announce it. Byul wanted to stab Dahyun with her sharpest pencil, but no. She wasn’t worth it. Not worthy of getting her art materials tainted.

First and foremost, Dahyun didn’t understand the concept. Byul wasn’t aiming for an art, she was looking forward to making portraitures but with a modern version out of Da Vinci’s anatomical drawings and fuse her style with it, intending to showcase that a person’s body was imperfectly perfect and each had his or her own flaws and beautiful birth marks. Not the usual style that she goes with. However, Byul had wanted to do this at least once, also to prove to herself that she was capable of incorporating her style in any kind of art.

Three soft knocks woke her up from her thoughts. She heard her best friend’s husky voice asking if she was inside and she responded a soft “Yes, come in” prompting the male to enter her studio, wearing the signature bright smile she fell for.

Yes, he was her best friend since college days and that would stay the same until they reached the age of seventy or until the day of their death. No matter how much she liked him, she never made a move nor attempt to let him know that she liked him as a man. What for? To destroy the good relationship they had for the last decade?

“Where should I…?” Jongin looked around the messy studio, splatters of paint styling the room’s walls and floors in a form of abstract art. He didn’t know if Byul had done it on purpose but her painting studio, even in its limited capacity, looked chic and artsy. The transparent windows revealed the beautiful beach near her house and although there was quite a distance, he could see the waves rippling one after another until they finally reached the sand. Spotting the paintings on the ground covered with cloth, he attempted to remove the white fabric to reveal the hidden painting but a hand stopped him from doing so.

“Jongin!” She scolded, frowning at him.

She told him to sit on the couch in the corner and he did, roaming his eyes around the place. Since it was like her secret place, she rarely allowed anyone in, even if it was Jongin.

“Nice studio.” He commented.

She sat back on her wooden stool. Busy with preparing her materials, Byul didn’t respond. Resting on the table next to her were the various hues of oil paint, brushes of different sizes and other materials she’d need.

The huge linen rag paper was lodged on the wooden frame, blocking him from seeing her face.

“Byul?” Jongin beckoned.

“Yes? Give me a minute. I’m just preparing—”

“You don’t need to be nervous about it. I’m only taking my top off.” Chuckling, Jongin leaned his back comfortably on the couch.

“Hey, I’m not nervous!” She exclaimed, popping her head from the huge paper.

Seeing her flushed face and furrowed brows, he shook his head and laughed. “You totally are, but if you say you’re not, then you’re not.”

She gave him a glare before going back to her brushes. As promised, a minute later, she was all set and her sole attention was directed to Jongin. “So like I said before, I’m not sure how many sessions we’ll have or how long I’ll take. Just tell me if you start to feel uncomfortable.”

“Enough with the talk Byul, you’ve said those things a thousand times before.” Jongin shifted from his seat. “Should I take this off now?” He asked, tugging the hem of his white shirt.

“Well, uhm, yeah.” She cleared . “We should start. The sooner, the better.”

Swallowing the dry lump in , Byul watched him removing his shirt. The veins in his forearms popped as he raised the hem of his top, removing the material with such ease. The sun light illuminating the room amplified the beauty of his tan skin, she couldn’t help but ogle at his perfect body. It wasn’t like it was the first time she saw his body, she had seen it before whenever they went swimming, but something about this day made things diffe