Eternal Melody

'In my world everything was grey.

She didn't know that other colors existed. From her earliest memories, people and places were all grey.

After meeting you for the first time, I discovered the brightest colors for the first time.

I discovered the bright colors of this world. For the first time, I felt the desire to protect something.'

Sumire didn't intend to skip despite her words. But sleeping in Yuhi's arms felt so comfortable, and before she knew it, the day already passed. It was very late when she woke up, and Yuhi was not beside her anymore. Sumire thought he already went home, but he didn't; he was answering a phone call outside. Now the present. Yuhi found a spare classroom for her to use, and here she was painting away.

It was already well past after school hours. Yuhi, however, told her to relax and freely use the room. He seemed busy with another phone call. She overheard the words schedule change before he left again.

Hair that seems translucent into the light, and hair glistening through the dusk. Sumire could only use one word to describe him. "Beautiful."

Whenever it came to a drawing of him, a painting of him, the colors came naturally, she didn't have to think about it, and it would turn out exactly the way she imagined it. Or even better. However, when it was others, it wasn't the same; she didn't get that same feeling she wondered why that was.

Trying to draw an image of a person's face whom you can't remember isn't exactly easy. Or rather she's supposed to be painting the piece for the festival and yet she finds herself being unable to do so. As expected without him here, she cannot paint. What an odd feeling.

Yet she finds herself naturally drawn to the colors from her old pieces. What sort of feeling did she have when she created works like this? What sorts of feelings was she trying to express?

If only she could find it, then maybe it would all become clear to her.

If she could get lost in a world of color, then she wonders what would happen. Would the reality she has always known change? It's something that would leave someone curious. To her these colours are so so very important. But to the rest of the world, to any other individual colors do not hold meaning, let alone have a place in their heart. Ah, what a cruel fate. O cursed spite.

The brunette reached over for one of her sketchbooks and flicked through it. It's only rough sketches…and yet this person, must be the one she's been searching for. Somehow…she feels as though she had already seen this face somewhere else before. But in the end, even if she does remember for a split second, the image will fade away faster then ever.

Her gaze landed on the ceiling as she took a deep breath. The smell of paints, oil paints, acrylic, and watercolor. The charcoal markings from the vigorous drawings she had been doing. Everything in here describes who she is and what her current emotions are now. As well as the message, she intends to convey through her work. For sure, that message is something that has been sleeping inside the depths of her heart.

"If you're going to paint me, you should wait until I arrive." A familiar voice whispered in her ear.

Sumire laughed. "Sorry, I got a bit carried away. Yuhi, you can sit down."

Yuhi nodded and walked over to the window, where she positioned the stool. "So what's the pose? Maybe you want me to strip." Yuhi said with a teasing smile

Sumire rolled her eyes at that comment. "Don't take your clothes off stupid. Just sit down and look out at the window."

"You know other people would be flattered, you're the only one who would reject me like this."

"Those girls only want one thing from you; stay still already."

For the next few minutes, nobody hears anything but the sound of her pencil. Though she already did a brief painting before Yuhi came, just now, when she saw him, she changed her mind. So Sumire pulled out another canvas quickly and started over. Sumire looked at him carefully; the theme for the next assignment is complicated. So she decided to ask Yuhi for help, and he came up with this. Portraits happen to be one of her specialties, so she quickly agreed.

Terashima Yuhi as the model. Sumire sweat fell; when other people learn this, they will freak out. According to the rumors, Yuhi usually says no when people offer to draw him. If she told them he was the one who suggested this, nobody would believe her.

..

After a few minutes of drawing, Yuhi suddenly stood up to have a look at her progress.

"S--sorry." Sumire apologized. "I got a bit distracted, so please don't look at it so closely."

"Hmmm, you're really good."

Sumire blinked when she heard those words escape his lips. She is very good? Sure, portraits are her specialty, but Sumire didn't think he would compliment her.

"I have nothing to say about your technical skill this time. It's strange, how come you're better at this than me?"

"Eh, better than you?"

Yuhi nodded and walked over to the filing cabinet. He opened the third draw, down and pulled out a single sheet of paper. "Here, have a look."

Sumire scanned the drawing, and she immediately understood. It was a beautiful picture of a woman with short blonde hair, but something was missing. This woman, however, Sumire recognized her from somewhere. It did not take her long to realize who it was.

"Your ex-girlfriend?" Sumire muttered.

At that comment, Yuhi took the drawing from her. "Wrong picture."

This is a first, seeing him react this way. Yuhi is a player, and he saw multiple girls at the same time. It was the same when he was dating this woman, correct? If it were the same, then she wonders why he is making -- Sumire paused in mid-thought when she realized something. The woman in that portrait is the one who cheated on Yuhi.

No wonder he has a complicated expression on his face right now. Sumire edged closer until she leaned her face on his chest. "She is very pretty." Awkward laughter escaped her lips. "I think I am jealous."

Yuhi ran his hands through her hair. "That pleases me." He did not say anything more than that, but that was enough for her.

"Are you going to add color?"

Sumire nodded. "Yes, I will. I know most people would usually sketch their pictures onto their sketchbooks first. But--" Her gaze fell on the drawing she did on the canvas. "I prefer this."

Drawing on a larger scale right away and not being afraid. Sumire liked drawing this way.

It made her feel free and alive.