The Boy who is Art Himself

Chapter 1 - Where It All Begin

Chan was never living the normal life kid. He had been travelling and moving around ever since he remembered. He had lived in Korea, his mother's hometown for about 5 years. Then he spent his first 3 years of primary school in Japan, another 3 years in Thailand, then continued to grow up in Australia. As Chan thought he'd finally stay a little longer, his family moved again. Chan was 15 when he first landed at Jakarta, his father's hometown.

He was surprised when he first landed in the city. It wasn't as bad as the information he read from a few articles before taking his flight to Jakarta. Articles featuring the city had too much criticism and negative sides, almost eliminating all the charming side. He found the city's glorious building to be beautiful and the prestigious area to be luxurious. 

It didn't take long for Chan to get used to the spacious condominium with the city view, but he was nervous for his first day of school. Every time he moved to a new place, it had always been the same pattern for him. Settling into a comfortable house, but not being able to be in ease for a new environment of school. Schools are always the toughest to adapt.

There he was again, in front of his new school's gate. The similar grey metals together, looking like a prison gate standing high and proud. "Was that why schools were identic to prisons for students?" His mind wandered and asked a question inside his head with no expectation of an answer. "Even the school itself admits to be some sort of prison with its gate looking like that, right?" Again his mind questioned. His mind always wanders off everywhere. He rarely found his mind to be at a blank state. It always questioned and wondered, when it also knows there were no definite answers inside. He shrugged off his questions in his head.

His mother stepped down off the car and waved at him goodbye. Chan waved back and smiled, while slipping on his headphone blasted with rap songs to his ears. At least, music will let him breathe from everything. From school, new surroundings, new classmates, his mind wandering, everything.

He walked in the school swarmed already with the other kids. He kept his head down low, enjoying the music filling his ears and head. Once in a while he glance by his side to find his locker number. 912. Now he was walking through the nine hundreds. His locker must be near somewhere.

Unfortunately, as soon as he found his locker position, it was surrounded by the other kids. It seemed to be that a popular girl was having her locker there and her friends were following and circling her. Chan left out a sigh, muttered, "Excuse me," to the people there and managed to get his locker door. He put his locker locked with a lock key, having his birthday date as the password. He put only a few and necessary textbooks in. He skipped the locker decorating part for he never find the significance of it. However he did paste his favorite idol rapper's picture on the side door, for the motivation. 

While he was done unpacking and cleaning his locker, he overheard the conversation from the group slightly right next to him. It's impossible for him to not eavesdrop. Their voices were very loud even through his headphone speakers. "Woah, your nails are so pretty! Where did you get it done?"

"Is it from the nail shop you usually go?" another girl asked in excitement.

A guy chimed in, "Babe, I want your nails too. It's gorgeous."

"I painted it myself," the girl then answered proudly.

"No way!"

"The painting was worth put in a canvas."

"Such waste to put this mix of colors only to nails!"

"No, no, it's fine babe. It's amazing. I appreciate your art anywhere."

Chan didn't understand the fussing over just 'nails'. He stole a glance to see the fussing over nails. He spotted some colorful nails on the girl's hands. He couldn't spot the detail though and it's not like it matters. No significance of pretty nails, he thought to himself. He instinctively raised his hand to check his nails. A little choppy squared look. Right, nothing significant. He shrugged and went to class.

The class system here isn't a moving class. So he'll be in the same class throughout the whole year. He picked a comfortable seat near the window on the back edge of the room. Not because he wanted to look over the view when class is boring. It's simply because he didn't want to sit on the other edge of the room where the air conditioner will be blowing straight on him.

However, just by then someone came towards him. "Move. It's my place," a voice boomed.

Chan couldn't understand, he sit there first. "I'm sorry, but I sit here first."

That guy just stared at him as if he was about to punch him. His two friends behind him, acted as if they're his bodyguard. "If I say move, you move." He grabbed Chan by his clothes. He felt as if he was about to go off. Then suddenly someone shouted, "Ey, my friend!" A boy with perfect sculpted face feature who looked really regal, as if he came out of anime, came towards Chan and the guys.

"Greg, calm down! What's up man? What's your problem with this new boy here?"

The buff guy grabbing Chan kept putting him a killer look. "Jan, don't butt in."

"Hey you two boys, why don't you stop Greg from getting himself in trouble again? You want to see your best friend dropped out of school?"

Greg was pissed and he immediately put Chan down in a quite rough way. He wished he could land a fist on Greg's face. However the guy, Jan, was a little too intimidating that he wouldn't want to have a  fight with Greg. Jan have this pretty face that makes you want to listen to what he said. 

"Hey, you," Jan suddenly pointed at Chan. "Move."

Chan looked surprised. Why is he calling me to move instead, Chan asked in his mind. He didn't have time to respond because whether he wanted it or not, Jan had flung his arms around Chan and dragged him out of his chair.

"What are you doing?" Chan said to Jan, picking up Jan's hand to stop hanging on his shoulders.

"That's what I want to ask you! What are you doing? You don't mess with a buff guy, you know."

Chan kept quiet and Jan continue to speak, "What's your name?"

"Chan."

Jan quickly turned his head to look at Chan, amused. "Wow, your name ryhmed with mine. I love it. I think we're destined to be friends. Want to go to the game space after school?"

Chan looked confused but cannot deny nor say anything. Jan quickly wrapped his arms around Ven again, "I'll take that as a yes."

Chan couldn't believe he's already having a friend in the first day. A regal handsome looking friend, talkative and confident, very unlike him. He slipped a smile to himself.