Sketch of a Girl

When Mayu woke up Hwan was already awake while having breakfast in bed. She got up and then she wiped her blurry eyesight. Beside the bed, a woman was standing facing Hwan while talking to him. The woman was petite and not that tall with short black hair. Hwan noticed that she was finally awake and asked her to have her breakfast. Mayu stood up while the woman faced her.

“Annyeong haseyo.” Mayu slightly bowed her head to her.

“Annyeong haseyo.” The woman did the same while she hesitated to ask Hwan about who she was.

“She’s Mayumi Acda.” He told her. “Mayu this is Lee Soo-guk my secretary.”

“Nice meeting you. You may call me Mayu.” She slightly bowed her head.

“Nice meeting you too. You’re not Korean?” Soo-guk asked Mayu.

“Ne, I’m Filipino.”

“Your pronunciation is impressive,” Soo-guk said and then she faced Hwan. “I’ll process your release paper.”

“Thanks,” Hwan said.

“I’ll leave for a while,” Soo-guk said to Mayu before she left them.

“A bought you a cup of coffee and a sandwich. Here, take it.” Hwan said while he handed over the cup of hot coffee and a wrapped sandwich to Mayu.

Mayu came towards him to get it. “Gomawo. I’ll eat this first then I’ll leave.”

“Araso, take your time,” Hwan said.

Mayu seated back on the sofa to eat. “Did you have a good sleep?” Hwan asked.

“Y-yeah, I did,” Mayu said while chewing.

“Thanks for being here.”

She swallowed first. “It’s alright, I’m not busy after work anyway.” Then she took a sip from her coffee.

Moments later the door opened because an unknown woman entered the room. She directly walked towards the side bed of Hwan. While eating Mayu looked at her from head to toe. Her expensive semi-formal attire with branded bags and shoes looked familiar to her although she was not facing her.

Hwan looked at her. “You don’t need to be here. Soo-guk is already here.”

“I know but I want to be here.” She said with a firm voice.

While they were talking Mayu continued eating her sandwich. She’s listening to them and thought that this woman has elegance but has a hostile tone although she’s politely speaking with Hwan. The conversation with Hwan is somewhat a couple's quarrel. This thought made her choke. She tried to drink the coffee to swallow the food on her throat. Due to this, she made a noise in the middle of their conversation that made both of them pause. The woman has stopped talking and she has finally noticed Mayu behind her.

“J-joesonghaeyo*.” Mayu said after she drank the coffee. (Sorry)

The woman frowned, “Who is she?”

“A former neighbor, she’s Mayumi Acda,” Hwan said.

Mayu suddenly wiped her lips and stood up. “Annyeong haseyo.” She said formally while she bowed her head. “You may call me Mayu.”

“This is Bu Chun-ae, the director of the gallery.”

Mayu was surprised and swallowed hard because of what she heard. When she stared at her face, she finally remembered that she was the woman who bumped her last night.

“Annyeong haseyo.” Chun-ae slightly bowed her head to Mayu. “Former neighbor?”

“We were neighbors when we were young,” Hwan said.

The woman looked at Mayu from head to toe with judgmental eyes that made her conscious. “Nice meeting you.” She said to Mayu.

“Nice meeting you too.” Mayu awkwardly said to her. “Hwan-ah, I must go.”

“What’s with the casual way of speaking to him, Mayu-shi?” Chun-ae suddenly asked with a surly tone.

“N-ne*?” Mayu asked, intimated by the way Chun-ae spoke to her although it was formal. (Yes?)

“Hwan-ah?” Chun-ae asked with a tone of disbelief. “I think I heard your mom call you that?”

Since Mayu cannot respond to this she looked at Hwan.

“We were close. She’s been calling me that since we’re young.” Hwan explained and signed. “You can go now, Mayu.”

“And you’re speaking to her casually too,” Chun-ae said with annoyance while staring at Hwan.

Mayu swallowed while she didn't know what to do. It’s her first meeting with this woman so it’s improper to speak impolitely to her. She thinks that maybe the reason why Hwan feels unsure about his relationship with her is due to her assertive personality. This somehow made her shake her head slightly.

Hwan tried to explain again but frustratedly with a refined tone that they’ve known each other since they were kids.

“Arasseo*.” Chun-ae finally give-in. (I understand, formal)

“I must go now, Hwan...” Mayu said carefully with hesitation.

“Araso*, thanks again.” (I understand, informal)

Mayu bowed her head to Chun-ae before she came towards the door and closed it behind her. When she finally left the room, she signed heavily with her mouth while she touched her chest.

“That woman is problematic.” She shakes her head sideways. “Poor Hwan.”

“You’re going home already?” A woman suddenly showed up to her right side.

“K-kamjagiya*!” Mayu said. (A phrase said when you’re surprised.)

“Mianhaeyo*, did I surprise you?” Soo-guk said. (Sorry, formal)

“Aniyo*, it’s fine. Ne, I’m going home.” She spoke politely to her because she looked like a middle-aged woman. (No, formal)

“It’s my first time seeing you. How do you know Nam-nim?” Soo-guk asked.

“Hwan and I were neighbors when we were young.”

“Hwan? You’re the second person I heard that calls him that.”

“Is that a problem?” Mayu sincerely asked.

Soo-guk gently chuckled, “Aniyo, it means you’re really close with him.”

“We were,” Mayu confirmed. “Is Bu Chun-ae-shi his girlfriend?”

“I don’t know either.” Soo-guk slightly smiled and spoke with gentleness. “What is your name again?”

“Mayumi Acda. Mayu for short.”

“I think I’ve heard that before.” She thought for a while and seconds later her eyes got widened. “Y-you, you are that girl?”

“Ne?” Mayu asked.

Soo-guk smiled, “I am pleased to finally meet you, Mayu-shi.”

Soo-guk offered her hand to Mayu for a handshake. “I never expected to meet you someday. Nam-nim said you left the country.”

“Ah, jeongmal yo*? He mentioned me?” Mayu fondly reached her hand to Soo-guk. (Really, formal)

She slightly nodded, “Yes, he did.”

“Waeyo*?” (Why, formal)

“I’m not the right person to answer that.” She smiled like she was hiding a secret.

###

The day after tomorrow arrived. Through text, Mayu received the address to Hwan’s condo where she needed to ride a taxi going there. When she arrived, the place was exclusive with high-end surroundings. The location was surrounded by tall buildings with a satisfying façade. Before entering the building all she could do was to look up high while she cannot see properly due to the sun. The entrance of the building has an automated door where she needed to ask for the security’s assistance to open the glass sliding door. She pressed the touch screen button on her right and asked permission from the security for her to enter. She entered the establishment and the lobby near the elevator doors has a huge chandelier above.

She waited for the elevator to arrive. When it arrives the inside of the elevator has CCTV and it’s surrounded by mirrors that look like the reflection never ends. Minutes later she reached the floor where Hwan's room was. She searched for the number based on the message from him. When she found the door, she pressed the doorbell with the screen. Seconds after that Hwan immediately answered and opened the automated door.

“Annyeong.” Mayu said when she entered the room.

Hwan was sitting on the sofa while his foot with a bandage was above the table in front of him.

“You’re fast.” Hwan said while watching the TV.

“I rode a taxi. Whoa, that is a very huge TV.” Mayu said, impressed.

Mayu looked around the space. The room is surrounded by glass sliding doors with huge curtains of white. The color of the walls is dark grey with the display of traditional and modern artworks. There are also strange miniature statues in every corner. The living room is connected with the kitchen which looks neat. It has 4-bedroom doors from left and right. It also smells fresh. The place looks so organized and artistic which is impressive for a bachelor like Hwan. Based on her memory when Hwan was younger his room was messy and smelly so she expected that his place would be the same.

“Did you clean before I arrived?” Mayu asked.

Hwan smirked, “My place is always clean.”

“This is nice.”

On her left side, a door has a sign that says, if this door is closed do not disturb while the other door beside it has a sign that says, if this door is closed do not enter.

“What is inside those doors?”

“The first door is where I paint. And second is where I print my photographs. If you are thirsty, you can pick a drink in the ref.” Hwan said.

“I’m fine, I’m not thirsty. Where I can see your photos?”

“Here,” Hwan said while holding a DSLR camera.

Mayu went towards him and took a seat beside him. Above the table, in front of him, there are different kinds of cameras. The others are modern and some are the traditional ones. There are also some scattered traditional printed photos along with it.

Hwan handed the camera to Mayu, “Take a look at this.”

Mayu held the camera carefully which was slightly heavy. Behind the camera, she looked at the screen to see the photos. She scanned it one by one. The photos were landscapes, street photos, and portraits of unknown individuals. Some were colored and some were turned into black and white. The photographs were not just done professionally, it’s also virtually poetic.

Mayu was once again impressed by Hwan’s skill.

“Whoa, these all look so great,” Mayu said. “You did this while traveling?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“You should be more careful next time. Your feet are important too.” Mayu warned him.

Hwan chuckled, “I supposed.”

“You might lose your interest in painting but you are also great in photography.”

He gently laughed.

Mayu took her time to look at every photo in different cameras and even the printed ones. She thought that his photos were too stunning to describe. It does not represent a certain category because he had taken different kinds of things. The photos do not just represent themselves but the artist who took them. It says more about him as a person than the photos themselves. She felt delighted after seeing the photos. She now finally understands why he’s a respected artist. She even thought to call him with nim in his name to show her respect.

“Hwan-nim.” She smiled while she was still sitting beside him while he was watching the TV.

“Stop that.”

She prevents herself from laughing. “I should call you that from now on. Hwan-nim.”

“Stop it. It does not give justice to your mouth.”

“Have you ever thought of a title for your event, Hwan-nim?”

“Nope, that is your problem. Can you get water on the ref?”

She felt annoyed but she stood up to go to the refrigerator to get the bottled water. She got two bottles, the other one was for her. She sat beside him again and handed over the bottled water to him. Hwan took it and thanked her. They both drink bottled water at the same time. While drinking Mayu noticed the other door.

She swallowed first, “Are you always alone?”

“Yeah.”

“Where’s your secretary?”

“At home. She’s not a full-time secretary. She comes when I need her.”

She put the bottled water on the table, “How long have you known her?”

“Almost 3 years?”

“Is she married?”

“She’s a single mom with 2 sons.”

“She told me you mentioned me to her. Why is that?”

“I did? Why would I mention you to her?” He said while looking straight at the TV.

She stared at the other door that bothered her. “Can I see that room?”

“Which room?” Hwan asked.

“The one which says, if the door is closed, do not disturb.”

Hwan suddenly stared at her while frowning, “Andwae*!” (No way, informal)

“Wae? Are you hiding something there?” She asked while teasing him.

“Ani*, geunyang*…” He hesitated. (No, informal) (Just because…)

Mayu grinned and suddenly stood up.

“Yah!” Hwan shouted.

“Maybe you have porn here,” Mayu said while walking towards the door. While Hwan tried to get the crutch on the side of the sofa so he could stand.

“Yah! Mayu!” Hwan called her out but she never listened, she just continued opening the door.

When Mayu opened the door, the room was dark so she opened the lights. When the lights turned on the room was full of

paintings and sketched portraits while smelling like paint. In the center of the room, a clear canvas was standing there and besides that, a side table with different colors of paints was above it. When Mayu was about to enter the room Hwan suddenly blocked her way with a crutch at both sides of his armpits.

“Wae? It’s just paintings. Why are you hiding it from me?” Mayu asked Hwan.

“Now that you’ve seen the room does not come in.” Hwan panicked but Mayu grinned and she gently kicked his undamaged foot.

“Ahh! Yah!” Hwan said with irritation.

When Hwan moved, she entered the room. The artworks were contrasting with each other with abstract forms of colors while the sketches were like shadows of forms. She looked at the artwork as fast as she could while Hwan kept on calling her out to get out. She has noticed that there’s nothing to be embarrassed about the paintings here. When she was about to turn to Hwan she paused for a moment. She turned her head again to see a familiar sketch on the wall. She squinted her eyes while looking at a sketch of a girl who’s smiling brightly. Her eyes were smiling the same as her cheeks and lips. The girl looked young like she had known her. While Mayu was looking at it, Hwan immediately blocked the image.

“Yah, you are so stubborn. You won’t listen.” Hwan said devastated.

“Who is that? She looks familiar.”

“You don’t know her.”

“No, I know her.”

“N-no, you don’t.”

Mayu moved away from the head of Hwan to her left side to see the portrait. When she looked at it again, she thought for a while that maybe it was Areum. But she stared at it one more time. Seconds later she felt like a tiny rock had hit her head when she finally realized who it was.

“I-is that me?”

Instead of answering the question, Hwan signed.

Mayu smiled, “Why are you hiding it from me?”

“I-i-is not that I’m hiding it from you,” Hwan said with a red face.

“This was me when we were in senior high.”

“Y-yeah.”

“Why are you keeping this?”

“G-g-geunyang.”

“Can I keep this?”

“Andwae.”

“Wae?”

“This is mine.”

Mayu smiled and she somehow felt fluttered. “Araso.”