My Stalking Diary – Side Story 4

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Epilogue Chapter 4

“Oh, Ryu Jeong-ha, why are you here so early?”

Kim Jae-hyun entered the studio while I was trembling and staring at my phone.

“You’re late. How long did you work on your project last night?”

“Haa, until 1 AM.”

“You must be tired.”

“You ran off to live alone. Ah, let’s start in 20 minutes. I need to wake up a bit.”

“Okay.”

Since I couldn’t keep holding onto my phone forever, I nodded and prepared to draw a portrait.

Portrait drawing requires catching detailed parts of the subject, so I usually alternated between looking at the actual person and a photo displayed on an iPad.

As I was setting up the iPad, brushes, and paints while waiting for Kim Jae-hyun to return after leaving right away, I received a KakaoTalk message.

[Joo Kwon-oh: What are you doing]

[Joo Kwon-oh: ?]

[Joo Kwon-oh: I’m eating with hyung]

[Joo Kwon-oh: Also talking about what he asked me to look into in the Netherlands lol]

[Joo Kwon-oh: Ah I want to finish talking quickly and go home]

[Joo Kwon-oh: (Photo)]

Joo Kwon-oh sent a photo of a table with food on it.

I wanted to ask why he had hidden that there was a girl who liked him on the same team, and if he had been working, eating, and going to parties with her all this time.

But I couldn’t get upset over such trivial matters with Joo Kwon-oh who had just returned to Korea yesterday. After all, the internship was over, and it was all in the past.

[Me: Working on an assignment in the studio]

[Me: (Photo)]

[Me: I have to keep working late on weekends too ㅠㅠ]

I took a photo of the set-up canvas and sent it to Joo Kwon-oh.

A reply came shortly after.

[Joo Kwon-oh: What are you drawing?]

[Joo Kwon-oh: Who]

[Joo Kwon-oh: ?]

He seemed to be asking about the portrait I had drawn on the canvas. I replied casually.

[Me: Kim Jae-hyun haha]

[Me: Doesn’t it look exactly like him with his glasses on and one eye slightly squinting? I drew it in one go with almost no corrections since I see him often. I just need to refine it a bit to finish it up haha]

[Joo Kwon-oh: But why Kim Jae-hyun?]

[Me: Oh, this semester’s assignment is portrait drawing]

[Me: I’m drawing Kim Jae-hyun and he’s drawing me]

[Me: Like a work exchange haha]

[Joo Kwon-oh: Then you must have been sitting face to face every day to draw]

“……”

Hmm. Why does his tone seem a bit sharp? Is it just my imagination?

[Me: Yeah, you have to look at the face to draw a portrait..]

As soon as I sent the reply, Joo Kwon-oh called me. I looked around the studio and then went out to the hallway to answer the phone.

“Hello?”

— Why didn’t you tell me beforehand?

Joo Kwon-oh asked in an accusatory tone right away.

He must be talking about the portrait drawing.

“It’s an assignment. And you know Jae-hyun too…”

— Being close friends and drawing each other’s portraits are different things.

“How are they different?”

— You must have been sitting close together, looking at each other for hours. And didn’t you say you were going to draw me for the portrait before?

“Ah, that.”

Only then did I remember the conversation I had with Joo Kwon-oh before. I certainly did intend to use him as a model for the portrait.

— Ah, that?

“…I forgot.”

And I had completely forgotten about that promise. Because as soon as the vacation ended, Joo Kwon-oh left for his overseas internship, so I didn’t have the leisure.

Come to think of it, even during the vacation when we were together all the time, I didn’t feel like drawing him.

Why? I’m sure at the beginning of the first semester, I was desperate to draw every moment of him.

— You forgot?

Joo Kwon-oh let out a disbelieving laugh. I felt the need to make excuses quickly.

“When I’m actually with you, the thought of drawing doesn’t come to mind…”

— Ah, so you didn’t even think about it?

No, it’s definitely not on purpose…

“Are you angry?”

— It’s not that.

His voice denying it was colder than usual. I didn’t know how to respond and just moved my lips silently.

Is Joo Kwon-oh upset that I drew someone else’s face? Or is he offended that I completely erased from my memory the desire to use him as a model?

— Joo Kwon-oh.

Before we could finish the conversation properly, someone called Joo Kwon-oh from the other end of the line. I didn’t even have time to make an excuse.

— I have to go. I’ll contact you later.

“Ah, okay.”

The call ended abruptly.

I stared blankly at the screen showing the call had ended without a proper goodbye.

Belatedly, I realized why I hadn’t drawn Joo Kwon-oh.

It’s true that I wanted to draw him before, but when I was actually with him, I preferred spending time together whether watching movies or taking walks.

Since he was already my boyfriend and I could see his face anytime, I didn’t feel the urge to draw him as much as before.

Moreover, I could draw Kim Jae-hyun roughly, but not Joo Kwon-oh. Handsome faces are inherently difficult to draw. Even if I only drew Joo Kwon-oh’s face on a small canvas about 10 inches in size, it would probably take a full month. And there’s no guarantee the result would be good.

Besides, Joo Kwon-oh had been abroad for the past few months, so regardless of my will, he wasn’t suitable as a model for the portrait.

Is this such a grave mistake to get so upset about right away?

Meanwhile, he didn’t even tell me that he was on the same team with a girl who had a crush on him.

If we were to compare the seriousness of me choosing Kim Jae-hyun as a portrait model and him working in the same space every day with a girl who had a crush on him, the latter was definitely more serious.

So I was the one who wanted to ask Joo Kwon-oh. Why didn’t he tell me beforehand?

The more I thought about it, the more annoyed I became. I angrily applied color to Kim Jae-hyun’s face that filled the canvas.

Due to my emotions, there were some parts that went slightly off, but it wasn’t too noticeable so I decided not to fix it. Maybe it’s because it’s Kim Jae-hyun’s face. It’s definitely easy to draw!

“Jeong-ha, you’re almost done. That was fast!”

A classmate passing by commented while I was in the middle of my angry brushstrokes.

Only then did I put down the oil can and brush and check the overall shape of the painting.

Although there were still details to be improved, it was enough to finish for today. Not only did I have practical exams, but I also had written exams for other classes all through next week, so I planned to study at the library at night.

While drawing face to face with Kim Jae-hyun and planning how to spend the day in between, I habitually checked my phone.

Whether he was very busy or very angry, there was still no contact from Joo Kwon-oh. Because the call had ended on an awkward note, I hesitated to contact him first.

However, I was the one who missed him more. I wanted to see Joo Kwon-oh, who had just arrived yesterday, so much that I finally called him while Kim Jae-hyun went out for lunch.

— Oh, hello?

“Where are you? Did you finish eating with your hyung?”

— We finished eating a while ago.

Fortunately, his voice was softer than before.

“Then when are you coming to Seoul?”

— Why? Do you miss me?

“……”

— No?

“Of course, I miss you…”

I mumbled quietly, afraid someone might hear.

— Me too. We’re in sync.

“So, where are you?”

— Me? I’m behind the peach right now.

“What does that mean? Don’t joke around.”

I chuckled at his playful nonsense, but turned my head.

“Huh?”

And there was Joo Kwon-oh, really standing at the back door of the studio.

“W-When…”

I muttered to myself, hung up the phone, and immediately ran to Joo Kwon-oh.

“Why are you here? When did you come?”

“We were supposed to meet this evening, right?”

“Well, yes.”

“Are you done with what you were doing?”

Joo Kwon-oh asked, narrowing his eyes and staring at my canvas. To be more precise, he was glaring at Kim Jae-hyun drawn on the canvas.

I cleared my throat and led Joo Kwon-oh towards the stairs. Even though my classmates in the studio were distracted due to the exam and evaluation period, if we kept standing around here, someone would recognize Joo Kwon-oh.

It would be fortunate if it just ended with recognition. I knew well that if he got caught up in conversation, we would naturally lose time to talk alone. Just like yesterday in the club room.

This was the problem with dating a popular and handsome boyfriend. My time to monopolize him decreased.

“Wait a moment. Let me go in and quickly pack up my things. Wait here.”

“Why are you acting so suspiciously?”

Joo Kwon-oh looked at me quizzically as I groaned while looking around.

“What am I…”

“Peach, are you hiding something from me?”

“There’s nothing like that. I’ll be out in one minute, so wait in front of the stairs. Okay?”

I pushed Joo Kwon-oh towards the stairs away from the studio, then returned to my seat.

I quickly took off my work clothes and took out the hat and mask I had put in my locker.

When I hurriedly returned to Joo Kwon-oh, he pointed with his chin at what I was holding, as if asking what it was.

“Wear these. Quickly…”

I handed Joo Kwon-oh the hat and mask as we went down the stairs.