The Stranger Who Knocked On My Door (Michaeng)

Chapter 2: September 2012

Carnaby Street, London

September 2012

Chaeyoung carried the folding table around the corner onto Carnaby Street and set it up. He took off his backpack and dug couple of white canvas. In London, they mostly didn't bother you about selling things on the street; the place was full of street sellers. He was selling a lot of his drawings and drawings every Saturday. It didn't make much compared to his part-time job as a barista in weekday but he was happy whenever someone buy his artwork. After all, art was the reason he was far away from home and lived in a foreign country. He sat there all day long, tried to sell those paintings of his.

Sometimes, they would be a customer that ask for a portrait of themselves and he'd gladly comply. Most of the times, they were happy with the outcome. He drew colored pictures in crayons, the cheapest way possible but the drawing had good artistic qualities that overlooked the price of his material. There would be a day where all of his paintings are sold and there would be a day where his artwork aren't appreciated and seen.

Today he was unlucky.

Night had fallen and he stood there. The moon was high, the air was cold, mist bloomed in front of his nose everytimehe breathed. He watched as everyone walked past his table and went on with their life. He felt invisible. Chaeyoung shivered and  looked up, his eyes instantly locking with a waitress inside the restaurant, across the street. She smiled at him and served the meals to the customer. Chaeyoung sniffed and looked away. His stomach grumbled.

That was enough for today. He packed his things, wanting to go home and eat. He hadn't eaten since yesterday. Before he got on his bicycle, his phone rang. He flipped the phone open and put it to his ear. He knew who was calling. His grip tightened around the handle as he continued listening to the caller. The call ended shortly after. He flipped the phone shut and cupped his mouth. Chaeyoung fist bump in the air. He did everything he could to withhold the squeal of excitement that bubbled inside him. That bubble popped and disappeared when he realized----it was pointless.

Chaeyoung walked inside his small apartment. A tattered sofa stood at one end of the apartment, the walls were hung with paltry prints, and the small, old-fashioned windows hung with plain blue curtains, two single beds at each corner, a table and chair. He flopped on the sofa, face buried into the cushion. His ears perked up as he heard footsteps, "I got accepted to Royal Art" He began.

"I got accepted to Oxford"

Chaeyoung pulled away and looked at his roommate, drying his hair, "You did?" He asked, surprised and happy for his roommate, "Congratulations, Tzu"

Tzuyu walked into the kitchen that connected to the living room and turned on the light. He opened a mini-fridge in the corner and pulled out two cans of beer. He brought one over to tired Chaeyoung , handed it to him and pulled on the tab of his own, "Are you going to accept it?" He took a sip and sat on the single chair. A white towel hang around his neck.

Chaeyoung rose and leaned his back against the sofa, his right hand lazily supporting his chin, his black eyes slightly narrowed as he stared ahead without focus, "I think I'll have to decline the offer. The fees is too expensive. I have savings but it's still not enough. I can't afford it yet. Maybe I'll try next year instead. I left my mother in Korea and traveled this far just to sell cheap painting in the street. I can't even meet her. I'm too ashamed. If she sees me like this, she would've cried. My mother is too soft"

Tzuyu rested his elbow on the chair's arm and rubbed his chin with his fingers, "You did part time job and send money on a monthly basis to your mother. Because of that, she's well taken care of. You just have bad luck, Chaeyoung. You're working hard, and you have no idea how proud she'd be if she knows. That hard work will pay off someday."