Ch.56 : The Art of Love in a Date with Yui

Nic arrived at the park where he had promised to meet Yui. As he looked around, his eyes immediately caught the sight of a girl with long black hair standing near a bench. Yui looked beautiful in her simple outfit—a white blouse and a pastel-colored skirt that reached just below her knees. That simplicity only made her look even sweeter.

What caught Nic's attention the most was Yui's expression—she looked a little shy, occasionally fidgeting with the ends of her hair or adjusting the small bag she carried. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, whether from the morning sun or her own feelings was anyone's guess.

Nic walked up to her casually. "Have you been waiting long?" he asked.

Yui turned to him quickly and shook her head with a smile. "Just got here," she replied softly.

Nic glanced at his watch. "Good. Today we're going to an art exhibition. I heard a lot of famous artists have works on display there."

Yui's eyes sparkled. "Really?" she said, her voice more excited now. "I've always wanted to go to one of those!"

Nic chuckled at her reaction. "Then let's get going."

They walked together to the station and boarded a train to the exhibition.

---

When they arrived at the exhibition venue, people had started gathering, but the main doors were still closed. The opening time was about thirty minutes away.

"Still not open," Nic muttered as he glanced at the schedule near the entrance.

Yui looked around. "Wanna find a place to sit, or...?"

Nic spotted a small restaurant nearby. "Rather than just standing around, how about we grab a bite?"

Yui nodded. "Sure, I'm kinda hungry too."

They headed over to the restaurant and ordered their meals. When the food arrived, Yui stirred her drink with a straw, then looked at Nic curiously.

"So, you like art too?" she asked.

Nic set down his chopsticks for a moment. "I started liking it because you like it."

Yui smiled. "Art is beautiful, especially when you can feel the emotion behind the work."

Nic nodded and gave her a small smile. "Then later, you'll have to show me which ones are good and which aren't."

Yui giggled. "Got it! I'll be your personal tour guide."

After they finished eating, they returned to the exhibition hall, which had just opened. As they entered, Yui's eyes lit up at the sight of the beautiful paintings lining the walls.

Nic watched her expression. "If I asked you to paint something for me, would you?" he asked suddenly.

Yui turned to him, looking a bit surprised, then gave a sweet smile. "Eh? Of course! I'd paint something special just for you."

Before they could continue their conversation, an announcement came through the loudspeakers.

"There will be a painting contest starting soon! The prize is a rare and valuable antique painting frame!"

Yui's face instantly lit up with interest. Nic glanced at her and smiled. "Wanna join?"

Yui thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I'll do it!"

Nic took her hand. "Alright, let's sign up."

---

They arrived at the contest area, but Yui suddenly stopped walking. Her face, once filled with excitement, now looked tense. Nic followed her gaze and spotted a tall, athletic guy standing not far from them.

It was Rio—Yui's ex.

Nic instantly understood Yui's change in mood. He knew who Rio was and what he had done. Back when they were dating, Rio had used Yui as a wager in a basketball tournament. That's why their relationship ended.

Next to Rio stood another girl—probably his current girlfriend.

When Rio noticed Nic and Yui, he smirked and casually walked over.

"Well, well. I didn't expect to see you here too," he said mockingly.

Nic remained calm. "What's the matter? Scared to lose again?"

Rio chuckled. "You may have beat me in basketball, I'll give you that. But here? Don't get your hopes up."

He glanced at Yui, then leaned slightly toward Nic and whispered, "My current girlfriend's way more talented than Yui. Yui's art was always average at best."

Yui lowered her head, clutching the edge of her skirt tightly. His words clearly hurt her.

Nic, seeing this, grabbed Rio's collar with one hand and glared at him.

"Wanna bet again?" Nic said coldly.

Rio froze for a second. The word "bet" still haunted him since that humiliating basketball loss. But this wasn't basketball—he felt more confident.

"Heh," Rio grinned. "So, what's at stake?"

Nic's stare didn't waver. "If I win, you kneel and apologize to Yui in front of everyone. You admit what you did to her."

Rio hesitated. That would be humiliating. But after a moment, he sneered.

"That's it? Fine. But if I win…" He looked at Yui with a wicked grin. "Yui comes back to me. She'll be my toy again."

Yui immediately clung to Nic's arm. "Nic… don't! I don't want that!" her voice trembled.

Nic looked at her gently and pulled her into a hug.

"Yui, you're my girlfriend. I won't let anyone insult or mistreat you," he said softly but firmly.

He stroked her hair and whispered, "Trust me. I'm Nic, the leader of Unity. I'm not gonna let down my cute girlfriend."

He turned back to Rio with a sharp gaze. "Let's begin."

The painting contest started. Each participant took their place with a blank canvas and painting tools. Nic took a deep breath and spoke in his mind.

"Zeta, activate God of Art."

[Understood. Skill activated.]

In an instant, Nic felt something surge inside him—a powerful urge to express his imagination on the canvas. His fingers trembled slightly, not from nerves, but from pure artistic passion. His eyes lit up, full of creative fire. His hand moved quickly, painting stroke after stroke without hesitation.

Before long, people began to gather around, mesmerized by the rhythm of his brushstrokes and the smooth sounds of the paint on canvas. Yui stood nearby, watching in awe.

"He's shown his painting skills before… but this time, he's different," she thought, admiration filling her face.

Meanwhile, Rio, once confident, was now clearly unsettled. He glanced at Nic and noticed even his own girlfriend staring at Nic's painting.

"Hey! Focus! Stop watching him!" Rio snapped.

His girlfriend flinched and quickly resumed painting, though doubt lingered in her eyes. Nic painted with confidence, while she was still unsure of her concept.

Time ticked by. Every second felt precious. As the contest neared its end, Nic exhaled and made his final stroke. With that, he completed his masterpiece.

As he lifted his brush, silence fell over the room. Then, murmurs of awe spread among the participants and audience.

On his canvas was a starry night scene reminiscent of Van Gogh's The Starry Night. But there was a twist—at the center of the starry sky stood a man and woman on a hilltop, holding paintbrushes, as if painting the sky themselves.

"This… is incredible…" whispered one of the judges, eyes wide.

Nic gave a small smile, then looked at Yui's painting—and his eyes widened slightly.

Yui had drawn a portrait reminiscent of the Mona Lisa, but with a clear difference: the face was his.

Nic stared for a moment, then turned to Yui. She noticed his gaze and blushed.

"W-What? Don't look at me like that…" she whispered shyly.

"You painted me?" Nic asked.

Yui bit her lip, then nodded. "Yeah… I wanted to paint something special for you."

Nic didn't say anything. He just smiled warmly.

Soon, the judges began scoring each piece, carefully examining every painting.

Finally, the results were announced.

"First place… goes to Yui!"

The room erupted in applause. Yui's eyes widened. "Eh...? Wait… I won? Not Nic?"

"Second place, Nic!"

Nic chuckled and patted Yui's shoulder. "Congrats! I told you, you're the best at painting."

Still in shock, Yui looked at Nic's sincere smile and couldn't help but feel happy.

Meanwhile, Rio waited for his name to be called… but it never was.

When the top five were fully announced, Rio realized that neither he nor his girlfriend made it.

"W-What?!" he gasped, then rushed to look at her painting. It was just a plain landscape, nowhere near the quality of Nic or Yui's.

Red-faced and humiliated, Rio turned around and stormed out of the room without saying a word, leaving his girlfriend behind.

Nic just shook his head, not caring about Rio anymore.

The rest of the day, Nic and Yui explored the art exhibition together, admiring all kinds of beautiful pieces—paintings, sculptures, even fascinating art installations.

As night fell, Nic took Yui up to the rooftop of the building to enjoy the city lights. The gentle evening breeze added to the peaceful mood.

Yui leaned her head on Nic's shoulder and smiled softly. "Today… might be the most special day of my life."

Nic looked at her lovingly. "I'm happy if you're happy."

Without saying another word, Yui reached for Nic's hand and held it tightly. They sat together under the stars, letting the moment carve itself into their hearts.

To be continued...