Chapter 2: c h a p t e r 1
It rarely happened that I wanted to dress up for school in an above-standard way and it didn't happen this time either. That's why I only wore a tracksuit in sage green and put on white sneakers. At the front door, I threw a beige long coat over myself and took my bag over my shoulder, checked my keys, wallet, and other important things, grabbed my earbuds and plugged it in putting in the ears, and then came out of the apartment.
This was my first year at art university and also my first year in Seoul. I have been learning the local language for several years and it's still not at te level I would like it, but I knew ... yeah, I knew.
I was about to cross the crosswalk when a tiny hand on my forearm stopped me. I looked down and saw a sweet little girl staring at me with her adorable black eyes. I leaned over and pulled out one of my earbuds.
,,Do, you, understand, me?" she asked me in Korean and also articulated strongly and slowly. I smiled amusedly and nodded.
,,What do you need?" I asked still smiling.
,,I can't go through the crosswalk alone and my brother is over there!" she pointed vaguely into the crowd.
,,Well then. Come on, little one. "I smiled again.
I was about to step forward as her palm slipped into mine.
,,I have to hold onto someone." She explained, nodding forward.
,,Are you from America?" she looked up at me as we walked.
,,From Europe. You know where it is? "
,,No." She shrugged without any major interest.
When we got to the sidewalk again, she let go of my hand and bowed deeply.
,,Thank you, miss." She gave me a wide smile and ran in the opposite direction as I was headed.
I played the music again and continued my journey to school with a slightly improved mood.
I entered the large grounds of my university and headed straight for the drawing room. Today, only four classes of figural drawing were waiting for me, along with only five other classmates.
It was also the end of the week, so I couldn't wait for the hot tea, bushy blanket and book. This was probably the only time I could relax completely.
As I entered the spacious room, I took my place at the painting easel in the corner of the classroom - because this angle of view of the table in the middle suite me best. As always, I was there first, just so I could take the paper, which I stuck on the drawing board, and pick the conté out of the cabinet and I did it all in complete peace, without having to talk to anyone or just listen to pointless conversations.
I quietly sang the lyrics of the song that was just playing in my ears when I noticed the movement at the door. The drawing professor just walked in and smiled wearily at me.
,,I need you to find some vacancy for this table," he pointed to a smaller wooden table, where still lifes and statues usually stood. ,,We're not gonna do sculpture studies today. So, you can clean it all up, because today it'll be live model."
A fraction of me was glad for that, but on the other hand I could expect a sixty-year-old woman to strip naked and to be honest - it's not the most attractive view.
In a few seconds two more people came to help me with the cleaning and by then the class had begun.
,,Well," the professor began to speak as he returned to the room ,,I know that in the past, some of you have failed to capture the proportions of the muscles in the human body ... but it's water under the bridge now. Okay, now you will focus only on the upper body and I also want to see only clean lines and right placement of the figure itself."
I rolled my eyes in my mind. The word "teaching" said nothing to him. If I went to this university thinking that I wanted to learn how to draw, this person would not help me in the slightest. Fortunately, my drawing skills weren't the worst ... if you know what I mean.
I was just looking for a suitable playlist, safely hidden behind the easel, when the teacher spoke again.
,,Okay guys, I present to you your live model for today. This is Nahm Su-Jin."
I still stayed in the same position without looking at anyone other than my phone. Maybe I was mentally preparing for what was waiting for me half-naked in the middle of the room.
,,Oh, I almost forgot..." he could be heard flipping through some papers.
,,Hyo-Sonn, Millie, do you already have any sketches for the opening where you were invited?"
Crap. I completely forgot about it.
,,To be honest ..." I peeked out from behind the easel. And that was one of the few moments I really stayed surprised.
Instead of a retiree, there was a guy whose body was definitely unmatched by any granny.
Worked out body just enough, heigh over one hundred and eighty centimetres, hair longer exactly so that it can be tied into a smaller bun ... All this staff made him so appealing for me.
I deliberately avoided looking at his face because I knew his look was on me.
,,I haven't given it much thought until now. I'll have to muster up some inspiration." I said in an apologetic tone.
,,You both have time until next week." The professor nodded. ,,You can start now." He finally said and was out of class within a few seconds.
I put my headphones back on and started with first lines. However, my concentration was too much influenced by the person standing on the post of the model.
For the first time, drawing seemed too intimate. I had to pay a long attention to every single muscle, every mark on the skin, protruding collarbones, distinctive veins on his forearms ...
After a bit long time, my body finally began to switch to professional mood. But only for a moment.
When my gaze reached his face, I had to brake in time to show no reaction.
He ran his eyes over my face ... so I preferred to slip on his hands again and continue drawing right there.
When I returned to his face after a few minutes, nothing changed the situation.
Only later did he finally look away, as if recognizing that it made my "job" quite difficult.
As I examined his face, I noticed inconspicuous smaller healed scars in a few places. I imagined a number of screenplays, how he could get them and found myself just staring at him aimlessly.
,,Ya ... a little help?" One of my classmates, whose name I didn't plan to know, leaned over me.
I glanced at my phone to make sure that exactly half an hour remained until the end of the class and this girl didn't even have a right-established baselines. I passed a sigh and took her pencil between my fingers. I drew it all to her in fine lines and gave it at least some form.
I tried to realise why she chose figural drawing from all the subjects.
,,I don't have more time for this." I said without looking at her person standing close to me and went back to my drawing.
I barely picked up the conté again when the professor entered the classroom.
,,Put all your work in the middle. There is a rating!"
A half-striped guy stood beside the professor, while the rest of us placed our papers with drawings in front of them.
He gradually evaluated each and evry one of us until he got to the girl I was helping.
,,You have advanced to a better level, Dan-Bi. I'm happy for that. Those pencil strokes as if they weren't yours." He laughed briefly.
,,Thank you very much! I tried and did everything I knew." She clasped her hands behind her back and gave him a weak bow.
In my head I laughed sarcastically, but as was my custom I had no plans to solve it.
,,And last but of course not least ... Millie." He looked at my paper in the full corner.
,,It looks like you didn't have time to finish it completely."
,,Yeah, it kinda looks like that."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone