ONE : DOJANG AND CANVAS

A manly yelp resonated from the dojang situated with the rest of the sports amenities scattered around the sports complex of Hanyang University. Located between the sparkling blue Olympic-quality swimming pool and the four connected tennis hard courts, which were presently empty, Hapkido practitioners were present for their weekly scheduled practice. Sweat glistened from dark brown baby hairs across the wide temple of the heart-shape face feature of the male who currently had another male pinned right below him.

“Oh my God, look at Luhan! So manly,” wild chants of feminine vocals filled the dojang. Despite the fact that the fan girls were on the external side of the practice place, but their voices never failed to rebound on the four walls of the new building. The said male smirked as he heard his own name escaped from the mouths of most of the female population there and jumped back up into attention after grappling his senior. He held his hand out to the other; it was just another normal day of their nothing-out-of-the-ordinary method practice.

“Hey, don’t give me that cute smug face of yours just because you won against me, okay, princess?!” President of Hapkido club; Choi Siwon warned the younger male as he lifted himself up with Luhan’s help. A warning that came from the President always fell on deaf ears for Luhan, but when it comes to including his manliness, the conceited male turned to huff at his senior. With a slip of his pink tongue escaping his small yet full lips, he decided to settle on a non-verbal reply instead of a full-on comment about his senior’s ability.

“Admit it, hyung. My sweep grappling caught you on surprise, didn’t it? I’ve been a master at that for a long time,” he said as the training for the day ended and they walked back to the dojang’s locker room to take a shower and change their clothes. “Can’t say I didn’t expect that from you though, Luhan. With that innocent face, and your sense of fashion, not many could guess that you’re actually Hapkido Club’s MVP,” the President stated and grabbed a bashful of Luhan’s hair to pull him down on a headlock, “but I’m glad that the club is in your hands after I graduate.”

The younger barked at his senior from their friendly interaction of headlock while the rest of the club members just stared and giggled softly at their President and 2^nd year; Music major student. Just a few minutes ago they were at each other’s throats; axe, roundhouse, ankle, whatever-name-you-could-imagine kicks thrown at each other with levels higher than the average club members there. Only Luhan was able to bring down the President, and they respected him as much as they respect their President; Luhan deserved that much from his ability.

But, no one can really blame him for his popularity. The half-dead Hapkido club resurfaced and bloomed when Luhan first joined the club during his entrance to the university, ensuring a place close to the top of the pyramid in the club with his talents. Members signed up – mostly female – and the Hapkido training sessions usually accommodated more than their own club members. Like right at that moment when fan girls screamed and screeched Luhan’s and their newly appointed President's names; the charming and chiseled male alpha, Choi Siwon – a final year student; International Studies major. But putting the final year student aside, the girls enveloped the dojang as if it was an organized tournament. 

Luhan’s level of influence: 99

With his incomparable eye-catching beauty feature of golden brown short hair, heart shaped face profile with a cute semi-concave nose, average puppy brown eyes and perfectly ordered pearly whites that could melt the hearts of any sane girl. Being a part of the Voice department student, it even secured Luhan’s place at a different level of social layer in the university community. You could conclude that Luhan is Hanyang’s heart throb, and you’d be one lucky girl if you could get him. Rumour has it that he’s never been in a relationship before, though, but the thought of being Luhan’s first; ignited every sense of the fan girls to conquer the doe-eyed beauty.

As we speak and elaborate on Luhan’s beauty and perfections, on the other side of the town though, sat a girl with a paintbrush in between her slender fingers as she twirled it with grace and not even once dropping the wooden material; a habit she mastered, as her hazel brown eyes focused on the canvas in front of her. She had her glasses off, with her coal black hair let-down; softly flowing to the beat of the soft breeze that came and go, soothing her soul as she finally cracked a lopsided smile and feel satisfied with the water colour painting she finished just a few seconds ago.

Anxious and trembling. 

That was the sensation her mind and body were experiencing at the moment. A wild red columbine flower dominated the whole painting, with a lingering shadow of a person hidden between the depths of the fiery red glare of the flora. She sighed deeply and set the paint brush down. It was the long awaited day for her and the rest of the senior students at her school to discover the results of their college entrance exam. They took their exams just a few weeks ago, and finally, it was time to learn the truth. The girl had her hopes high, she wants to escape; she needed to escape.

Shrugging off her discoloured checkered apron solely for the purpose of painting, she got into the washroom for a shower as the sun slowly rose, its light creeping in between the maroon curtain that was covering her small window. Putting on her school uniform probably for the last time in her life, she headed towards the kitchen of the house she live with her step-mother. She prepared a modest breakfast of rice, with the leftover of now a steaming bowl of kimchi soup with a few side dishes.

Packing two sets of scrambled egg sandwiches for herself; the girl left the house before the owner wakes up and walked off to school which was just a 20-minute walking distance. The numerous similar fashion of mainly black with red and yellow design of the school’s blazer and necktie filled the school ground as the girl walked among the crowd. Classes began as usual, except, that day, the rest of the seniors were on a different level of conversation. Mostly on their soon-to-be revealed entrance exam results. Even she, the girl who sat at the furthest corner in the last-rank senior class of the school, also trembled with excitement.

Soon, lunch hour came with a loud ring of the school’s bell and the anticipated moment arrived. The seniors flooded the main hallway of the school as boards were filled with lists after lists of students’ names. The quiet girl moved along with the crowd, but most people avoided any contact with her, not that she ever cared. It was expected of these puny-brain flocks of fools; they stereotype. The girl pushed the negative thought aside and finally arrived at the main boards. She looked up from her usual floor-is-excruciatingly-attention-grabbing-than-people low gaze and searched calmly for her name.

For a split second, if you were to study Nana’s feature instead of engaging your attention to the board, you could see that her hazel brown irises shimmered with tears and a beautiful almost-smile sculptured on her lips. But it went as soon as it came. Her feature was stoic once again and she left the main hallway; with students separating their ways for her while gaping at her name; who just passed the primary round for an excellent private college.

Nana hated attention, but for once, she felt really proud of herself and basked in the curious glances and not-so-subtle peeps of the students particularly on her. At the end of school session, Shim Nana with her messy hair bun and her geeky glasses stood proud and walked out of the school compound with ounces of freedom pleading to breakout from the depths of her detached yet frantically beating heart. She couldn’t wait for the moment for her hands to touch the smooth canvas and cheap wooden paintbrush to paint her feelings at that time, but first, she had to let the witch know of the news first.

Nana grimaced at the thought of telling her step-mother, which would later on be passed to her equally wicked step-brother whom she used to love and care for very deeply a long time ago. She frowned in distaste as she saw the electric blue Rio parked in the driveway and hoped to whatever God that was up there would listen to her prayers and save her from the witch’s wrath that day. Well, who cares, Nana would eventually find a way to escape in the end anyway. 

Edited a few things on Luhan's and Siwon's majors at the University. Checked it out at their website and had to make a few adjustments. Sorry I messed things up. And just so you know, a dojang is the place called for Hapkido practicioners. Hope that cleared it :)

Updated; August 24
Edited; Feb 17