“So you help out at the shop downstairs in the weekends even though you have a full scholarship?” Ryu Hwan asked, while appreciating the completed pieces of Hae Jin’s works. They were mostly oil canvas paintings, pencil sketches and watercolour paints. Looking around the apartment, Ryu Hwan decided that it resembled it’s owner - disciplined, honest, and quiet. He could tell how Hae Jin lived his life routinely just by looking at his living space.

Besides the kitchen that was well-stocked by the good cook, the living room shelves were mostly filled with neatly stacked books, by category. Martial art related books on the left, also a couple of books on meditative techniques (definitely a student of Master Park) littering the centre, and then the entire right side dedicated to drawing and painting. The balcony floor had yoga mats, a sit cushion, a terra-band, and dumbbells - for his training. Between the balcony and living room where Ryu Hwan stood now, was Hae Jin’s creative space. Slightly messier than the other parts of his apartment, but definitely neater than Hae Rang’s organized chaos of a music room. Completed works sorted by medium to the left, drawing boards and unfinished work on the right. A round table in the center held all his drawing materials and mediums. 

It was almost scary how Hae Jin’s room resembled his, but Ryu Hwan delighted in it mostly. The only difference was that Ryu Hwan’s creative space for writing had way more blank papers, and books that were full of his written works. 

“Haelmoni and Harabeoji own this entire shophouse and run the eatery downstairs. They rented out the apartment on the second level to me because they moved in with their son who just bought a house and no longer live here. I’m kind of like a caretaker of this shophouse of sorts? They rented it out really cheap to me, so I like to spend my weekends helping out with the dishes and preparation, to show my appreciation. In any case, I’m new here in Seoul and don’t have many friends, I actually really enjoy helping the two of them with the eatery.” Hae Jin explained while cleaning and packing the kitchen. 

“Well then, this friend,” Ryu Hwan patted his chest, “will be spending more weekends here if he is guaranteed a good meal like this.” 

Hae Jin walked out of the kitchen, grinning widely, holding a bag. 

“This dongseng will make sure his hyung gets it.” 

Sharing a quiet smile with the younger boy, Ryu Hwan looked over Hae Jin’s works and told the boy, “You have great mastery over your drawing mediums. You know what to expect of them and work it well on canvas and paper.” 

Hae Jin blushed and bowed his head in thanks. 

Ryu Hwan continued as he pointed to a half-covered charcoal drawing on the left, “Ah, I have to ask you about this particular one. This is the only one in charcoal. None of your other works I see here are in that medium. As a fellow creative, I have to know why, or I’d be thinking about this for the next few days.” 

The older boy had a clearer look of the charcoal drawing as Hae Jin took it down from the display. 

One lone figure in a suit stood alone in what seemed like a top of a building. The skies were low, and it looked like it was raining. The stance of a fighter was telling,... but the slight hunch of his shoulders made the figure looked like a warrior who knew he was losing. 

What depth of sadness, Ryu Hwan traced his fingers along the lone outline, who was Hae Jin’s subject in this drawing? 

“...Aish this is a little embarrassing to explain, but I respect your curiosity, Hyung. This drawing is actually a scene that has recurred so many times over the years, in my dreams.   Through the years, this scene just got clearer and clearer. This particular one is my latest drawing of this dream. I see the face clear as day in my dreams, but when I wake up I can never remember it. This is just an attempt to remember this dream, and to chart it’s progress, until one day I get to complete it.” 

Ryu Hwan’s index finger stopped mid-trace as he heard Hae Jin’s explanation. Carefully, he took the drawing from the younger boy and moved forward to place it back on the display. “I love it. I really hope you get to complete it one day, and that you will share it with me. There’s a story behind this figure, and although we will never know it, I will be happy to see it’s completion.” He felt an unexplainable yearning to understand the story behind the lone figure, his heart fell knowing he would never find out the story behind the fallen warrior. Blame the writer in me to feel such deep connection to something as inconsequential as a picture. Creatives would have understood his feeling of loss easily, but anyone else would be puzzled to see him agonize over this. 

“Neh, hyung. You will be the first person I show it to.” 

I want to be the only person you show it to. 

“...that would be great, Hae Jin-ah. I look forward to that day.” Ryu Hwan replied gratefully, ignoring the other voice in his head easily. He did not meditate everyday for nothing.

Whilst sharing a short respectful silence, the two boys made their way to the entrance of Hae Jin’s apartment. Ryu Hwan put his shoes on, and turned around to bid the younger boy goodbye, only to see Hae Jin raise a recycled bag in his hand towards him. 

“Hyung, I saw that you really liked the curry. I packed up the leftovers for you. The other container has muchim hoe, Daegu does it a bit different, you should try it. If you like it, let me know, I always prepare extra on cooking days.” 

Ryu Hwan couldn’t control the rare chuckle bubbling out from him. The scene was hilariously familiar, this happened often in his household - a regular exchange between his parents.

“Oppa, I packed your lunch for you! There’s rice here, and pan chan in the other, the kimchi is slightly different today, I followed your mother’s recipe. Tell me if you like it alright? I will make more if you do...” 

“Arasou, yeobo.” Ryu Hwan echoed his father’s usual reply in jest to the younger boy, who was now turning red. 

“Hyung...” 

Ryu Hwan regretted his joke as soon as he uttered it. He quickly took the bag from the blushing boy, and ruffled his head. “Aish I’m just joking, Lee Hae Jin. My mother loves to cook for my father. I was just reminded of my parents. Thank you for your generosity, and for the really great dinner. I had a good time. Enjoy your weekend, I’ll see you in training next week.”

Slowly nodding, the younger boy gave a small bow to Ryu Hwan and wished him good night. 

As soon as Hae Jin locked his door, Ryu Hwan headed down the shophouse stairs towards his bicycle chained outside the eatery. 

Yeobo. 

Yeobo? 

What was he thinking! 

--------

Ryu Hwan heard Hae Rang’s voice and guitar strumming before he saw the musician. He rounded a road corner and headed towards the district’s playground where they first met, knowing that the orange-head would be there. 

“The song has a good hook. New work?” Ryu Hwan asked the focused musician as he took the swing next to him. 

“Yeaaap. Trying to play around with the chord colours. I feel it has an entire space that I haven’t explored yet for the last chorus.” Few people caught glimpses of this side of Hae Rang - the serious musician caught up in his self-discovery. Even at school, Hae Rang was known more for his free ways, humor and laid-back ways. Everyone knew he was astoundingly talented, but few knew the kind of dedication Hae Rang had to his craft. Hae Rang lived and breathe music. If he wasn’t gigging onstage or performing along the Hongdae streets, Hae Rang would be cooped up in his father’s music shop or at the playground - revising his chord voicings, guitar scales, or writing new material. 

“You had dinner yet? I brought drinks on the way here. Father brewed this for you before I left, lucky you. For his young tea connoisseur, he says.” Hae Rang fished out a can of beer for himself, and passed a warm flask of green tea along to his friend. 

“Yup, I had dinner at a dongseng’s home.”

Ryu Hwan took the flask gratefully, poured himself a cup, and secretly sniffed it for foreign substances.

Ryu Hwan rarely drank alcohol. This was a habit he attributed to Master Jang’s training values. A mindful fighter had to be self-aware and in control of his inhibitions. He had only gotten dead drunk once (courtesy of Hae Rang, he spiked his drink once), and aside from the incriminating evidence Hae Rang had in his phone, Ryu Hwan had no memories of all the embarrassing singing and drunken Taekwondo he exhibited in the video a very tickled Hae Rang had showed to him the day after.

“You had dinner with someone else besides me, or your family?! You never do that! Who’s the chick? Do I know her?” Hae Rang’s mouth was agape with exagerated shock.

He makes me sound lonelier than I am. It was true that he didn't spend much time with anyone other than his family and Hae Rang. But they are more than enough. Hae Rang alone,... was more than he could handle sometimes.

“Tsk. A junior from the club, you nosy bastard. I wasn’t allowed in the kitchens, remember?” Ryu Hwan bit back sarcastically, while giving the green tea slow sips. Mr Lee brewed good green tea. 

“Omo omo, is that food in the bag? I’m famished!” Before the Taekwondo Captain could even react, the musician snatched Hae Jin’s recycled bag over and started to open the two containers. He pinched a little muchim hoe with his fingers and tasted them. “Omo... this is really, really good.” 

“Yah! I haven’t even tasted Hae Jin’s muchim hoe yet and you’ve dug into it with your grubby fingers! He packed it for me, you dog.” Childish. Ryu Hwan ignored the blatant childishness in his whine, and grabbed the container back while closing it. 

“Hey! My fingers are not grubb-, oh! Did you just say Hae Jin? The Lee Hae Jin that the painting girls are fawning over? The newcomer on full art scholarship?” Hae Rang exclaimed excitedly while digging into the container with the leftover curry. The curry had to do, Ryu Hwan decided, it’ll keep the idiot away from the muchim hoe. 

“You know Hae Jin?” 

“Ryu Hwan-ah, for someone as popular as you are, you really don’t keep tabs on the up and rising, huh. Lee Hae Jin is the new talent in the drawing faculty. He didn’t come on a full scholarship for nothing, you know. The teachers actually use his works to explain drawing and painting techniques in lectures. Doesn’t help that the guy is handsome as well. The girls are going cray-cray over the quiet painter.” Hae Rang struggled to string his sentences together, as he wolfed down the warm curry. 

Quiet pride filled the captain, as he took a big sip of his green tea. He knew that. But Hae Jin was definitely more than that. 

“So you like him or something?” 

Green tea shot up his nasal passages. Ryu Hwan choked loudly, “What the fuc-” 

“I mean you never eat with anyone who isn’t close to you. That says a lot.” 

...

Did he? 

Ryu Hwan coughed up the rest of the green tea, as the perceptive musician who was waiting for a reply, finished up the last of the curry.

“...I don’t know.”