nar·cot·ic noun - an addictive drug, such as opium, that reduces pain, alters mood and behavior, and usually induces sleep or stupor.



Chanyeol does not think Jiyeon is flawless.

In fact, Chanyeol firmly believes that she is the farthest thing from perfection. It’s when the school is nearly empty, the setting sun painting the sky in a golden glow of purples and pinks, that he finds her in one of the abandon rooms in the right wing of the language building.

Jiyeon’s an art student, Chanyeol belatedly realizes as he watches her hand glide across her sketch book, a scratching sound echoing in the still room as the charcoal meets paper. He loses count of how many she makes, suddenly distracted by the scene before him. She sits near the window glass pane, the shining light bouncing off her dark brown locks of hair.

Unlike Jiyeon’s unbelievable drawing skills, Chanyeol majors in photography. He likes it because it’s like capturing a split second of life at the push of a button; the good memories and the tragic moments that occur every second of every passing day is something Chanyeol finds intriguing.

And true to nature, Chanyeol always has his trusty camera hanging around his neck for moments like this. It’s an awe-struck moment as he takes a snap shot of Jiyeon, the image of her brings a sense of tranquility.

A slight smile graces his lips as he finds himself admiring the photo, somehow strangely attracted to the girl whom he has never spoken a word to.

But looking back on it, Chanyeol figures that that’s probably the effect she has on people. It’s a feeling similar to undoubting curiosity, but it’s also strangely addictive in that the calming aura she exudes can calm even the most stressed out person on the planet.

She’s the type of drug you can’t help but keep coming back to.


The second time Chanyeol sees her was by chance. It was at a café on campus, near the food kiosk, when he spots her chatting with her girlfriends, a bright smile lighting up her entire face. He can feel his heart skip a little, breath caught in his throat.

He gets a weird look from Kyungsoo when he trips over his own words, incoherent expressions escaping his lips. Chanyeol coughs, a sheepish grin in place and the other boy just chuckles and gives him a reassuring pat on the back.


It’s a verifiable truth that Chanyeol has never been the best student and the idea of attending university seemed like a farfetched goal in the eyes of his parents. But proving them wrong was the first step, the feeling of being able to control his future a kind of high he had never felt before.


What isn’t surprising is when Chanyeol catches Jiyeon on her way to her writing class, a satchel slung on her shoulder and her sketch book in hand.

Recently he finds that the two of them have similar class schedules and Chanyeol’s a bit taken aback when he discovers he has two classes with her. They’ve started chatting quite a bit, their relationship at the acquaintances stage.


Chanyeol thinks that Jiyeon is very pretty.

Not the ordinary pretty, like the models in magazines and actresses in dramas, but the type of beautiful that always seems to be overlooked in the hustle and bustle of every day life. Of course, he’s pretty certain that he isn’t the first guy to think this (and he definitely won’t be the last.)


Baekhyun thinks that she’s become a type of muse for him, since he never really took any interest in someone of the opposite before.

No, I’m telling you I just find her rather attractive okay? Don’t take this the wrong way Baekhyun, it’s not like I’d marry her or something.

Of course not, but seriously look. Ever since we started college you haven’t been attracted to any girl, always focused on your photography or whatever. Don’t fight your feelings, and don’t you dare try to deny those.

Baekhyun, seriously. Take a chill pill.

Hey man, all I’m saying is that you’re not the only one who has a good eye for beauty.

But now that Chanyeol actually sits down and thinks about it, maybe Baekhyun is right. Perhaps the reason why he hasn’t found anyone attractive until now is because he didn’t want to have interest in anyone.

What irks him though is how Baekhyun is always right about things regarding matters of the heart. Damn him.


Autumn eventually rolls around, the leaves changing from a bright green to various shades of browns, auburns, yellows, and reds. Chanyeol finds Jiyeon sketching again, near the big oak tree in the middle of the quad.

“You know Jiyeon, I think you need more of a social life,” Chanyeol announces, taking a seat next to her.

“Haha, you’re so funny.” Her eyes remain focused on her drawing, but the humor doesn’t leave her voice.

“Me? I’m rather hilarious, if I do say so myself.” He remarks it casually as he takes a strand of Jiyeon’s hair between his fingers.

“When you’re around they say that we should slow down, you know?” Jiyeon murmurs suddenly, setting down her sketch in the grass next to her.

“Hmm, what do you mean?” Chanyeol utters, scooting a bit closer to her.

“Some people say we’re too young and that you need to grow.”

“What? Who said these things to you?” A flabbergasted expression dons Chanyeol’s face, a hand on his heart in mock-shock.

“My brother told me this. You know, he’s very reliable~?” She quips him a bit, snatching the strands of hair out of his hand.

“Ah, ah I see. Over-protective brother syndrome it is!”

“But there’s a secret to this, on how to over come this.”

“Oh really? Please, do share with me.” Chanyeol’s grinning from ear to ear now, eyes focused entirely on Jiyeon’s blushing face.

“Speed’s the key, and they don’t know who we are either,” Jiyeon reveals, her lips slowly forming into a smirk.


Without any one else’s knowledge, Chanyeol submits his candid photo of Jiyeon to a magazine for a contest. Something about amateur photography and having his photos showcased in an art gallery in downtown Seoul, but he vaguely recalls the details.

It’s Thursday afternoon and Chanyeol surprises Jiyeon by coming to get her from her literature class, their arms linking immediately as she waves goodbye to her friends.

“Did you know I entered a photography competition?”

“Really? You never told me,” Jiyeon lightly asserts, head tilted up to meet his gaze.

“Yup! It’s a shame I didn’t get first place, but I was within the top ten so my photo was published in the gallery’s magazine-brochure thing,” Chanyeol replies, smoothly pulling out the said magazine from his backpack.

She takes it with a wide smile on her face, her feet quick to find a bench to sit on. Chanyeol takes a seat next to her, arm instinctively wrapping around her waist.

Jiyeon flips through the magazine to the page Chanyeol bookmarked earlier, the pages revealing various and colorful photos. A soft wow escapes her lips.

“You even had to give it a title?”

“Of course! Don’t all famous art pieces have some sort of name?”

In the bottom corner of the page she catches Chanyeol’s name and bursts out laughing at the title.

“Chanyeol, seriously?! What’s with the title ‘My Angel from Heaven?’ That’s so cheesy!” Jiyeon’s practically doubled over in a fit full of laughter, eyes becoming crescent moons.

Chanyeol sits there feeling slightly awkward, his attempts to make his embarrassment disappear ends in utter failure.

“Ah, don’t be like this! Stop laughing it’s not funny!”

He sits there in defeat while Jiyeon attempts to recollect herself, a few giggles escaping here and there.

“But it is a very nice picture, you know,” Jiyeon consents, a finger tracing the shadows in the photo, “when did you take the photo?”

Chanyeol leans back slightly, face looking up at the sky.

“I believe it was a few days before we actually met?”

Jiyeon hums her approval, her gaze traveling to admire the sky also.

“You know what I’ve always wondered?”

“What is it? I don’t like secrets, you know,” Chanyeol teases.

“If your eight year old self met you, would they be proud?” Jiyeon asks slowly, eyes still staring at the clouds floating by.

“I haven’t really thought about it actually. But I think my eight year old self would be proud.”

“Why is that?” Jiyeon’s staring at the ground now, feet swinging like a little child.

“For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a photography but I don’t have any real recollection as to why though.”

“So it was an out-of-the-blue kind of dream?”

“Basically, if you put it that way,” Chanyeol chuckles, a hand reaching out to hold hers.

“What about you? What did you want to be when you grew up?”

“I wanted to be a doctor, as cliché as it sounds,” Jiyeon sheepishly admits as she nervously tucks a piece of hair behind her ear.

“Haha, I see. But what made you change your mind?”

“I guess my situation's rather similar to yours? I just woke up one day and decided I wanted to be an artist, so I begged my parents to send me to art lessons.”

“and they actually let you?!” An incredulous expression takes over Chanyeol’s face, his eyebrows raised in utter shock

“No, of course not. Not at first anyways, but you know how kids can be right? Always pestering and badgering you until they get what they want. And that’s how I got here as an art major, doing what I love.”

“Do you regret it, even a little bit?”

“Well, of course I’ve thought of it. I mean a doctor or a lawyer makes a much better living compared to an artist, but no. I don’t regret it.”

“Any reason as to why that is?” Chanyeol questions, their fingers intertwined now.

“Yup. It’s because I’m happy, and I’d rather be happy than rich.”