TATMFL - 44

Ra-on looked at Do-kyung as she set the bouquet down.  

Following her lead, he stepped into the studio and was immediately struck with awe—first by the massive 100-ho canvas that covered an entire wall, and then again by the intricate landscape painting densely packed with details.  

“Did you really paint this by hand?”  

Even to his untrained eye, the delicate precision of each leaf evoked involuntary admiration.  

It looked so perfect that it could’ve been machine-printed. His gaze, which had been fixed on the painting, shifted to Ra-on’s fingertips as if marveling at something extraordinary.  

No matter how composed Ra-on usually was, such attention made her feel self-conscious. She subtly moved her hands behind her back and bit her lip lightly.  

Fortunately, Do-kyung was too engrossed in examining each detail of the painting up close to notice her reaction. After counting the animals depicted in the artwork, he straightened himself and asked,  

“Sixteen, right?”  

Pointing specifically to the cat positioned at the very center, his question drew a fleeting smile across Ra-on’s face before it vanished.  

“Twenty-one.”  

“Hmm? Five more than I thought?”  

Before Do-kyung could spot the amusement flickering in her eyes, he frowned slightly and scrutinized the painting further. Ra-on extended her hand toward the canvas, pointing out cats hidden within the foliage—ones he likely hadn’t noticed.  

“Here, and here too.”  

“Oh, it’s like a hidden picture puzzle.”  

Since there had been some intention behind it, Ra-on simply shrugged and stepped back.  

“I’m looking forward to seeing it finished.”  

Do-kyung smiled as he turned his head to follow the movement of her retreating hand.  

“When will it be available for purchase?”  

Ra-on answered promptly.  

“You can contact the administrative office after the graduation exhibition ends. That’s when purchases will be possible.”  

“The graduation exhibition—is it held during the graduation season? In December?”  

“Yes.”  

Rubbing his chin, Do-kyung asked,  

“So this painting will be completed around then?”  

“Well, yes.”  

There were still other paintings she needed to complete for the exhibition. This one would likely be finished first, but Ra-on didn’t elaborate and merely nodded vaguely.  

After all, sales wouldn’t be possible until after the three-day exhibition in December.  

Instead of feigning modesty about his purchase, Ra-on simply confirmed:  

“Are you really going to buy it?”  

“If I do, does that make me the first buyer?”  

Though Do-kyung’s hopeful expression was endearing, Ra-on felt a pang of guilt. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t be the first buyer. When she only shrugged in response, Do-kyung clicked his tongue in disappointment, already having anticipated as much. From his previous conversation with Ji Hye-sung, he’d guessed someone named Ji-an frequently purchased her work.  

Shaking off his regret, Do-kyung crossed his arms and began inspecting the unfinished piece thoughtfully.  

“Then…”  

As Ra-on’s puzzled gaze landed on Do-kyung’s profile while he trailed off, his long, elegant fingers—more suited to playing piano than causing trouble—pointed decisively at a specific part of the painting.  

It was the towering pine tree Ra-on had used as a reference point, the largest and most lush element in the composition.  

“Draw a person here for me.”  

“…What?”  

His request was bold despite her clear statement that she didn’t paint people.  

“For instance, me.”  

Ignoring Ra-on’s incredulous look, Do-kyung winked playfully.  

“…I told you, I don’t draw people.”  

“Exactly.”  

With both hands stuffed into his pockets, Do-kyung gazed back at the painting and smiled faintly.  

“This time, make an exception for me.”  

---  

A few days later, the hellish midterm exams finally ended. But their conclusion didn’t bring total liberation.  

“…Damn assignments.”  

Hearing a fellow student mutter darkly, Ra-on cracked her knuckles, pressing firmly on the joints.  

Her fingers felt stiff, locked into the shape of holding a brush after hours of painting.  

Against the backdrop of groans echoing around the studio, Ra-on closed her eyes tightly. The dryness from prolonged focus slowly began to ease.  

Meanwhile, the topic of conversation shifted from assignments to the cherry blossoms that had bloomed just two days ago, only to be washed away by rain.  

Lost in thought, Ra-on stared blankly out the studio window.  

The trees now bore only a sparse scattering of faded cherry blossom petals.  

Last year, she and her classmates had marveled at this view, calling it quite picturesque. But this year, it felt dull. Having seen far more vibrant and flourishing cherry blossoms elsewhere, this scene paled in comparison.  

Though she wasn’t particularly fond of crowded places, mingling among people occasionally wasn’t so bad. Watching their joyful expressions in the full bloom of spring had its own charm, and for a few days, she too had felt the excitement of the season.  

And yet… a voice lingered in her memory.  

[Did you go see the cherry blossoms with Hye-sung?]  

“Ha.”  

Letting out a sigh, Ra-on buried her face in her palms.  

Do-kyung, who had asked that question, hadn’t even tried to hide the jealous undertone in his sulky voice.  

Since when?  

She was certain that his gaze toward her had once been purely playful, devoid of any deeper emotions. Since when… Ra-on moistened her dry lips and lowered her eyes.  

Her chest churned uneasily.  

She knew it was a fleeting emotion, one bound to fade quickly. Yet inexplicably, it kept nagging at her mind.  

Lifting her head, Ra-on stared absently at the painting she had pushed aside. It remained untouched since the day Do-kyung visited the studio. Beside it stood the bouquet he had brought as a gift, now arranged in a simple plastic container.  

[This time, make an exception for me.]  

She should have ignored him, as she always did when refusing to include figures in her work. But every time she picked up her brush, his words resurfaced, making her hesitate unconsciously.  

As a result, the neglected painting now featured a glaring empty space around the area where Do-kyung’s hand had pointed.  

“Ah.”  

Realizing she had spent the entire break thinking about him, Ra-on groaned and buried her face in her palms again.  

Never before had she felt so tangled over someone confessing feelings for her.  

Frustratingly, Do-kyung was hard to shake off. The harder she tried to push him away, the more he seemed to rebound into her thoughts, giving her a headache.  

Just as she was struggling to erase him from her mind—  

Her phone, left on the desk, began ringing loudly, as if urging her to snap out of it.  

“…Hello?”  

Without checking the caller, she pressed the call button immediately. A familiar, affectionate voice came through the receiver.  

—Ra-on.  

Her movements froze.

Ah. With a soft sigh, Ra-on blinked slowly as she checked the time.  

It was Hye-sung, who had said last night that he had something to talk about.  

---  

When Ra-on entered the usual campus café, Hye-sung was already there, waiting for her with two drinks ordered.  

“What’s going on with you? You’ve been overworking yourself lately.”  

It hadn’t been long since she’d noticed him looking brighter, but every time she saw him these past few days, he seemed to grow thinner. Hadn’t things gotten easier for him after his creditor changed?  

Ra-on reached out and gently brushed her fingers against the dark circles under his eyes, which looked even darker than they had just yesterday.  

“Don’t you think it’s time to quit your evening job?”  

Despite juggling tutoring gigs nonstop, Hye-sung was still working the nighttime part-time job Ra-on had introduced him to. No matter how she looked at him, he was clearly sleep-deprived. His once baby-soft skin, which she used to tease him about alongside Ji-an, now felt dry and rough, and his lips were chapped as if he’d been biting them repeatedly.  

His complexion was paler than it had been before he signed the contract with Do-kyung, causing Ra-on to furrow her brow slightly. Something seemed off. Still, she pretended not to notice and spoke lightly.  

“You look worse than me, and I’ve been holed up in the studio all day.”  

Hye-sung gave a faint smile as his fingers traced where Ra-on’s hand had touched and then withdrawn.  

“I guess I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. There were exams too. Do I really look that bad?”  

Without hesitation, Ra-on nodded solemnly.  

“You look like someone who needs to be locked up for a full day and forced to sleep.”  

“Haha.”  

Whether he took her words as a joke or not, Hye-sung chuckled softly and wrapped his hands around the warm coffee cup.  

Something was definitely wrong.  

Ra-on asked,  

“How did your exams go?”  

“I don’t think I did poorly.”  

“That means you probably ranked first again, doesn’t it?”  

The Hye-sung she knew had never once lost the top spot in any exam. Even if he downplayed his performance, she was certain he’d come out on top this time too.  

It was shortly after that when Hye-sung called her name, his tone heavy with concern.  

“Ra-on.”  

Ra-on, who had been quietly observing him since he sat down, blinked once.  

Encouraged by her gesture to speak, Hye-sung swallowed deeply and exhaled slowly.  

His tense demeanor made it clear he was about to ask something important, and Ra-on instinctively stiffened as she waited for him to continue.  

Hye-sung finally opened his mouth.  

“…Listen to what I’m about to ask without misinterpreting it, okay?”  

“Okay.”  

Her simple response only made him hesitate again. But eventually, he spoke, and the question that slipped from his lips caused Ra-on’s expression to freeze instantly.  

“What’s your relationship with that senior?”  

Under the table, Ra-on clenched her fists tightly.