"I always knew that love would come find me someday,
but never did I know that it would be you who was headed my way.
You caught me off guard and took me by surprise,
but you simply captivated me, the same way you do when I look into your eyes.

There is a miracle called friendship
That miracle of friendship brought you
as my dearest friend.
I have so many friends
but you are the only one impressed in my mind.
I know you are the most valuable gift for me
and it's my pleasure to have you as my dear friend.

But if life has brought us to the point
That we're not just friends,
I cherish you anyway.
Just the same."

⊱ ───ஓ๑♡๑ஓ ─── ⊰

"People always want their perfect love, but no one is perfect. Don't expect too much, don't try to change the person you love, to be the perfect person you want. Love is looking at the strengths of the one you love and accepting the bad points of the other person. Love is caring, sharing with each other the joys and the sorrows, even though small in life. Love is sometimes based on each other's shoulders when tired. Many people have been hurt in the past and don't believe in love anymore. For them, love is just something short and it will be lost very quickly. I believe in love, but I also know that love is a feeling that cannot be quantified, so it cannot be grasped. But if your love was true, it will never fall apart."

Master had told all the children in the orphanage. They were just kids back then and they fell in love. When you are a teenager in love, this love is everything. All you want is the time to be with them and everything else is something to endure, something to get through, something you put up with until you can be together again.

She missed her daughter. She only wished her daughter to have found her lover, someone who cherished her baby as much as she was cherished by her lover.

Yet, she longed to see her daughter with her own eyes.

"Mama, Seokjin Sir wished to see you." A girl close to Ju Gyeong 's age, followed her inside to the nurse's room. Seokjin, or whom she fondly called as Hyung, wanted to see her.

"You called for me, hyung?"

"Mai, there's a letter for you." Holding a strong white paper in his trembling hands, he put the envelope on her hands. It was addressed to Seokjin, by some foreign name. Shane Albertson.

"But, hyung, this is for you."

"It's just on my name. It's a good news. I am happy to read this letter. It's your news."

She took out the thin parchment paper and was instantly greeted with a scent she knew, peonies. It had to be her daughter writing this. But Shane? Who was Shane again? She couldn't recognise that name.

"Dear Sir,
While I write you this letter, I am wondering how exactly I am supposed to express my identity. But to begin with, I will only let you know that I'm writing this despite my wife's denial.
I have heard her appreciate you and all that you've done in your life. I never learnt my mother in law's name and thus, couldn't directly write to her. So, I'd be extremely grateful if you let her know.
To identify myself, I am Dr Shane Albertson, professor of microbiology at the University of Oxford. I fell in love with an Asian colleague, professor of archaeological history. We married on a summer day of August. Since then, two years have passed and the woman of my dreams has only brought me joy. In May last year, we were blessed with a wonderful angel, a baby. And completing her nine months yesterday, my wife has birthed a beautiful and healthy baby girl. My wife is also very healthy and lively.
Sir, I know you must be wondering why I am writing this to you. To clear all doubts, my wife is your family. I married Ju Gyeong and although she didn't want to have any contacts with her parents, I believed that it was my responsibility to ask for your blessings and regards for my wife and my daughter, and possibly me.

Ju Gyeong is a jewel, so I'll name my daughter Esmé Bijoux Albertson. For her Korean name, I haven't decided much. If ever possible, I'll take my daughter to you. I'd be delighted if you named her, sir.

Lastly, I'd be grateful if you let her mother know.

Thanking you,
Yours Faithfully
Dr. Shane."

⊱ ───ஓ๑♡๑ஓ ─── ⊰

"You skipped on the excursion?"

"Hmm, I did. I don't like being among people. I hate people! But, you seem to have skipped it too. Why, may I ask?" I took the last sip of my coffee as I stayed focused on my book of renaissance paintings.

"Same reason. I don't like too many people. Plus, I still have to work on my portfolio."

"You're still not done with your portfolio?" The fact that Y/n hadn't finished her portfolio with marvelous artistry was more intriguing than the fact that Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci used to dissect human bodies to be able to draw and sculpt humans accurately.

"Nope. Why so surprised?"

"Was I the only one that dedicated their entire soul to end the misery called portfolio? I could have kept it on my not so important list as well, had I known the charm of the class wasn't doing it until two days before the submission!"

"It's good that you did it, Kook. You don't have to worry to end it like me. And I have to do 20 pictures in 2 days!"

"You didn't do a single one, have you?"

"Nah. Not any that I can remember. What you reading?"

"Renaissance and Painting. The end of semester exams are in two weeks. Don't tell me that you're not done with that."

"Ask me anything. I lived a little portion of my life in the abode of renaissance."

"Italy? You're Italian?" I closed my book and waited for her to say yes. I loved the idea of being European. Anywhere from Europe. However Asia is the abode of sizzling cultures, Europe is the definition of all things that I like: Architecture, Mountains, Cool climate and Art.

"I apologise to disappoint you but, no. I am mixed, predominantly French and Korean. My grandmother was English though." She sat down on the sage couch in the living room, legs crossed, as she sliced through a strawberry shortcake.

"Oh. Wait, so you're not exactly Korean?"

"No. My mum was Korean and my dad is a German-French man. Like, his ancestry belongs from Germany or Scandinavia, part Sweden and Polish. But his father and he, were both born in France. I was born in England."

"I am confused. The important thing is, you're English."

"Nationally, yes. Ethnically, quite not. Isn't it obvious from my surname?" She put her cup down, and gestured me to pass my pencil. I looked at her, trying to recall her surname, as I passed her the pencil I was using to scribble at the back of my book.

"You don't know my name, do you?" She glided her slender fingers along the art copy, sketching something invisible in my vicinity.

"I know that you're Y/n but I never tried to know your surname. What is it?"

"You've been through the whole year, man. You can wait till the results day."

I embarrassed myself again. When am I going to stop embarassing my stupid ass! How come I not know the name of that one and only student I stuck along the most. Gosh!

"I knew your name. I can't remember. Ugh!"

"What allowed the spread of renaissance? Explain. 10 marks."

"Eh? What?"

"What allowed the spread of renaissance? Explain. 10 marks."

"The printing press, right?" I felt off-guard as she stared at me, pointing her globes heaven wards in judgement.

It was the printing press, I read that!, I thought to myself. It had to be.

"Is... Is it wrong?"

"Technically speaking, nope. But I told you to explain it the way you'd do for a 10 marks essay. At least dive a little more."

"Okay, that. Oh! I thought..."

"Why do you doubt yourself so much? Are you aware that we may have a viva?"

"A viva? Nobody told me that! I don't like vivas. Is it... Perhaps-"

"Yes. In form of a seminar. In front of the mass. That's how it has always been. And I promise you, juniors won't stop questioning you. We never did in our times." She chuckled. The only problem with people is them being inconsiderate enough to question the ones presenting.

"Sounds fair if people question you. I never questioned anybody in their tough times. I don't deserve that." I pulled my lips down, frowning at the idea that I HAVE TO speak to so many people. They'll judge me so bad.

Y/n remained unchanged, laughing slyly as she started shading the sketch she was working on. For an instance, I felt like pouring the lonely bottle of water on her head. Then, I thought of something worse. I should paint her face oneday!

"Stop imagining notorious scenarios in your head. You'll never succeed." My eyes bulged out.

At that moment, the only thought I had was SHE CAN READ MINDS!

I swallowed my saliva and started pestering her to speak up, is she actually human or a creature from a foreign planet that is stalking my brain.

"You lady, how did you know what I was thinking?"

"I don't know. I just know. You must not try pouring that bottle of water on my head or paint me."

"There got to be some sorcery! I am telling Antonella about this."

"I kinda know it because of her. She has already drowned me once and then painted my whole face a weird shade of diarrhoea. Your face looks the same as hers when you're thinking of pranks." The ease with which she roasted me for not being original, while constantly sketching a man without any reference; made me feel like a child that has lost his mother in a grocery store.

"You always leave me feeling like a child that has lost his mother in a grocery store." I frowned, dunking my body on the floor next to her feet. She slightly shook her legs aside, as to not touch me, and kept cross hatching the neck of the man.

"That should be your worst nightmare. I was once left alone in a crowded market in Paris. That's why I have claustrophobia now."

"I didn't know that."

"What do you know about me? You can't even remember my name."

"I know your birthday. February 8th, 1986."

"Who told you my birthday? I still have 25 days until my bday since I met you."

"There's some things that I do know. I also know that you love reading more than painting."

"That was a secret! Even my therapist doesn't know that."

"And your current favourite song is Jashn-e-Bahara. I've been following romantic Bollywood thanks to you. That's even your alarm tone."

I puffed up with a feeling of conceit and gratification as she gently smiled. Finally, there's something that I know. She nodded to my statement as she finished her first sketch out of the 20 works she had.

"Does it look good?"

"Yes, very much. Who is he? You didn't use any references."

"I kinda did. This is my grandfather from my dad's side. It's his birth anniversary tomorrow. So yeah, thought I'll sketch him. I'm planning to present my family and my most loved people in 20 different mediums for my portfolio. What was your theme?"

"My dreams."

______________________________

I'm working hard to finish the book but I'll not give my all into finishing it. Instead, I will work to make it worth reading.

What do you think?

inky_jin, you should read this chapter. I have something for you *sly smile*