Sketchbook

Chapter 8

She was soaked. Water dripped from everywhere on her body, body freezing once she got inside the bus stop, now sheltered from the heavy downfall.

It was almost ice cold. Chaeyoung was surprised it wasn’t snowing. It probably would soon, winter was near.

She looked at the bench. There, the girl was seated.

"Hey." Chaeyoung decided to say. She was tired of sitting next to her every morning, yet, neither of them said a word to each other. Chaeyoung wanted to know more about her.

Tzuyu turned her head in her direction, a subtle smile forming on her face, "Hey." She spoke, voice quiet.

Chaeyoung hadn’t thought it through, how was she supposed to continue from here? "So," started Chaeyoung, "I’ve wondered something."

The girl looked at her, head slightly tilted to the side. She waited for Chaeyoung to speak up, "What were you doing in town last month?"

The girl seemed confused for a second, until a light switched inside her eyes, "I write poems," she started, "And I go to town for inspiration." her gaze landed on the sketchbook resting on Chaeyoung’s lap. "Do you do the same with drawing?"

Chaeyoung shook her head. "No." She responded. "I attend university."

The girl bit the inner side of her cheek, responding with a quick nod. "Ah, I see."

Chaeyoung felt the awkward tension. She could count the number of times she had talked to the girl on one hand, it was a rare occurrence.

Tzuyu was a poet, Chaeyoung processed. Was that why she took the bus every morning? To find inspiration?

"Do you go to places every day?" She asked.

Tzuyu nodded. "Yeah, I do. I’m actually on my way to the park right now."

Chaeyoung smiled. "Are you any good at writing poems?"

Tzuyu shrugged. "I think so. At least, my peers think so." She said, looking down at her lap. "I’m sure you must be, then."

Their conversation fell silent again. It was getting too awkward for Chaeyoung, she was feeling tense. Should she say something? Was Tzuyu going to say something?

"Do you carry your sketchbook around everywhere?”

Chaeyoung flinched, she hadn’t expected her to speak up. She hurriedly nodded. "Yeah, everywhere, I can’t go an hour without drawing."

Tzuyu giggled, Chaeyoung couldn’t help but smile. She found her adorable.

"Hey, I don’t want to address you impolitely, so I was wondering how old you were." asked Chaeyoung.

"I’m 24."

Her jaw almost dropped, the same age? She thought she is almost the same age as Dahyun.

When she first saw Tzuyu she thought she looked like someone in her late twenties. Maybe it was the chubby cheeks she used to carry.

Tzuyu still didn’t quite look her age. Chaeyoung had never expected her to be the same age as her.

"Oh, you must’ve thought I were older." said Tzuyu, letting out a nervous chuckle. "A lot of people tell me I look like a mature one." saddened, the girl looked down.

"I’m sorry, it was my bad, really. I should’ve known." Chaeyoung felt bad for her reaction

Tzuyu seemed self-conscious. "It’s okay." She reassured Chaeyoung, with a dainty smile.

"Do you want me to call you Tzuyu from now on?"

Nodding, Tzuyu spoke, "That’s fine by me."

The bus came, and they both got on. That time, Chaeyoung sat down next to the girl.

.
.

Chaeyoung laid her eyes on a familiar woman, one she had been searching for.

She rushed over, sitting down next to Dahyun who was scrolling through her phone, with a sandwich and a coffee from 7-11 in her hands.

She snapped her head in Chaeyoung’s direction, smiling. "Chae!" She greeted.

"Hyun, I did it again. I had a conversation with Tzuyu!"

Dahyun’s eyes lit up. "Tell me about it!" She turned off her phone, putting down her sandwich as she looked at Chaeyoung, with both ears perked.

"Hyun, she’s 24." said Chaeyoung, still unable to process the information properly.

"She doesn’t look that young in your drawings." Dahyun commented, eyebrows furrowing.

Chaeyoung hummed in agreement. "I was surprised, too. I thought I was her dongsaeng."

Dahyun’s gaze softened. "So, you’re really getting to know her?"

Chaeyoung shrugged, shyly looking down. "Maybe." She said. "But it’s hard talking to her. My heart flutters and I get shy-"

"You have a big, fat crush on her." Dahyun cut her off.

"I do." She admitted, breathing sharply. She flipped to a blank page in her sketchbook, getting out her sharpened pencil.

"You can’t stop talking to her now, though. Sounds like you’re really getting on."

Chaeyoung’s face heated up at the teasing, she almost regretted telling Dahyun.

"Hyun!" She whined. Rolling her eyes, she planted a few lines on the page.

She drew Tzuyu. Drew her with her mouth open, as if she were speaking to her. Just like that morning.

"You spend too much time drawing that girl, you’re forgetting to eat lunch." said Dahyun sternly, snatching the pencil from Chaeyoung’s hand. She had completely forgotten.

She pulled out the sushi she had got from the store yesterday. "Can I have my pencil back?"

Dahyun hesitated, letting her take it from her hand.

Chaeyoung picked up a pair of chopsticks in her hands, reaching for a piece of sushi with salmon. She dipped it in soy sauce.