Untitled | KNJ

06

2025, winter

Namjoon has been to several galleries in New York, but this particular one is a place he's never been to. It overlooks Central Park, towering at the 30th floor like the other buildings in the city. But it's 3 floors and he thinks it's stunning. It's not overly grand, but it's also not as simple and natural like the others he's been to.

He may say it's not entirely his vibe, but there's a reason why he's here.

Some patrons recognize him and greet him. He bows in response, engaging in small talk when he needs to, but stepping away to get to the exhibition he flew here to see.

It's nothing like what he expected, although years later, he doesn't know what to expect anymore.

The first thing is, well, it's titled. There's a year and a description, too.

2023, swing in the summer home

The piece is beautiful, made in clay and metal. It's familiar, too. He's seen this on a lake house by the mountains, over 3 years ago.

2023, the piece that lost its meaning

It's a painting, but one placed atop a sculpted frame hanging on a wall in what seems like a living room. This scene feels familiar as well.

2024, lost youth

A group of children look up at a plane, with opened suitcases and toys on the floor. The nostalgia hits him.

The rest of the sculptures are new to him. There's one about a lady in red, one of a neighbor, one of a woman with an umbrella and clouds, aptly titled, what am i hiding from? Further down the room, the emotions become more pointed, straightforward, and a lot more focused.

2023, coward

2024, i truly was sorry

2025, is this what regret feels like?

2025, i hope you knew i lied

2025, maybe someday

Someone from the outside who knows nothing about the artist might think that the pieces are a little over the place, although one can tell from the titles that they tell a story. The sculptures are made from the same materials - clay and metal, all free standing and in similar sizes. Each caption holds a narration, and all Namjoon can read are words describing emotions, of states of being - innocence, anger, confusion, fear, loss, regret, loneliness, pain, hope, and few more.

There's not much about joy or intimacy, though, and the thought saddens him. He had hoped that by this time, you already knew how those felt.

"So, what do you think?"

Namjoon didn't think he'd ever hear that voice again. He'd cry if he could, especially as he turns to his side and finds you, dressed in a classy, aegean blue satin dress. Your smile is one he's missed so much, and he wishes he could frame this moment, just so he doesn't forget. He almost did, and he hated himself when he took so long to remember how you sounded like, how you looked like.

"Nothing like I imagined," Namjoon replies. "In a good way."

"I scrapped previous works and experimented with these ones. It took me years to complete," you explain. "I almost stopped at one point, wondering if anybody would ever get it but then I figured, it didn't matter. It's a good thing that lifestyle magazine reached out for a feature. I think that was Mr. Hong pulling some strings. At least I got to say that for years, I didn't know what I was doing, who I was, but now I do."