Chapter 13: Chapter 13 - dangerous eyes that follows him
Flashes blinded his eyes as he walked in. His polished shoes sunk softly into the red carpet.
"mister kui, here, look here," so many reports shouted to gain his attention.
He gazed at them blankly.
A soft pinch pulled him out of dazed state. "stop looking like a deer in headlight," tan walked by him and tugged at his sleeve slightly.
"its.. too bright," he mumbled, wiping the sweat off his face
"Even so, smile." Tan chuckled, waving at the paparazzi. he slowly walked in, gazing at the bright gallery. The first piece that was placed close to the door was his final piece. The crowning of merman.
Standing in front of it, he froze. The magnetic blue eyes felt like it was on his face, peering at him like a predator ready to hunt.
It felt chilling.
"don't stand still. Come you have to talk to everyone." Tan pulled him to socialize with others.
The art world was like that. One can't survive just on talent alone. They had top have an appropriate connection to thrive in it. Tan, who was a social butterfly, really was just the right guy to blend into the colorful crowd.
Kui, on the other hand, felt stiff all over. After just ten minutes, his cheeks were twitching from smiling too much. His body was aching all over from nervousness.
Gazing at his friend, who was chatting happily, he sighed. 'its hard being so… outgoing.'
Noticing his gaze, tan came up to him and gently patted his back. "they all love it! Fuck, I knew you would be successful. So many people were subtly asking if you were willing to sell the pieces,"
"no!" he answered in a hurry.
Tan peered at him, perplexed. "Why not?"
"These pieces are defective." He whispered with a gulp. Even now, that gaze seemed to be following him, peering into his soul. Selling these pieces to someone is like selling a possessed art. It would end up ruining his reputation forever.
Tan frowned. "I don't see any defect in it," he gazed at the art of the young merman playing around.
"its.. it's the paint. Its not stable. It's not good to sell these pieces." He lowered his head slightly, hiding his anxious twitch of his eye.
"come those guys wanted to talk to you," tan dragged him to a group of middles aged men chatting with a glass of wine in hand.
"mister kui please, these pieces are so wonderful. What was your inspiration?" A gray-haired man whispered with a soft smile on his face.
"its.. just a theme."
"no, he had a dream," tan blurted out the truth.
Kui's head snapped his way.
"yeah he said he had a dream, and he saw this guy's face. I can't believe he could dream such a handsome guy to be honest. All I see in my drams are small ghosts and ghouls."
The group of men laughed cheerfully.
But kui was sweating as soon as kui said tsh he felt a strange presence at his back.
Looking back, he saw the final painting. The adult merman peering at him intensely.
't-that is not the position I drew the eyes… he is looking at me…' his breath came out in pants. He anxiously tugged at tan's hand.
Tan understood his anxious heart instantly. "sorry my friend needs some fresh air," he pulled him out to the spacious garden behind the gallery. "what is it? Do you feel good?"
"I don't!" kui grabbed his shoulders tightly. "these paintings! They are possessed!! i… I have to destroy them. Tan, we can't display them any longer,"
"buddy calm down," tan pulled him to the dark corner. "take a deep breath."
Kui did so but his eyes started to tear up. "I used the brush. I didn't think this would happen, but they are alive! They.. that merman is alive! I see him looking at me. He is haunting my dreams… last time he even tried to strangle me." He pulled down his collar to reveal a subtly pink bruise around his neck. "I'm not kidding. He is dangerous."
"whao whoa calm down? You're telling me that that painting is alive?"
"yes!" kui excitedly grabbed his hand. "We can't let others see it any longer. What if he tried to hurt them too? We can't put them on display any longer.."
"kui! You signed them to the gallery for ten days! You can't pull out your art. It will cause a controversy,"
"I don't care!" kui panted loudly. "i.. I don't care. I don't want that art displayed any longer."
Tan peered at his best friend in shock. "kui…." Just a few weeks ago, his friend was in this same state. It was a state of panic and desperation. But now.. it seems to have progressed into hallucination. 'I need to get him to a psychiatrist. This can't go on.'
He gently pulled kui into his warm embrace. "it will be fine.. I.. I won't let that merman hurt you any longer."
Kui sobbed silently. "thank you… thank you for understanding me, tan."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone