Title: Photography and Art, Same Difference
Author: Gaahina
Rating: PG (K+)
Challenge: Picture Perfect
Pairing: SaiHina

We ask that you PLEASE refrain from reviewing this story here. If you would like to do so, the original is posted right here on ff. net in Gaahina's personal profile.

A boy with black hair stared in wonder at the many pictures in the school's Art Festival. They were beautiful paintings, but they seemed so, how should he say this, unanimated. Lifeless. Dull. His own painting he had up on the wall, seemed to be in the same section. Uncaptivating.

He glared at the many people 'awe'ing and 'ooh'ing at the portraits. The oogling eyes made him want to throw up. Can they not see that they weren't that great!? Art was to be lifelike! Dancing! Capturing the hearts of people! Not just because it's 'pretty'. It was to capture hearts. Not the eyes. Never. The. Eyes.

The boy's dark coal eyes wandered to his photography section only to cast his eyes away from the horrid pictures. Those pictures were horrendous. Nobody seems to know that photography was NOT art! It's just a picture of something. To TRY to capture something's beauty and just pasting it on a wall. He did not want to take pictures, but in order to be in the Art's Festival, he had to do paintings, drawings, and photography.

Art and Photography were NOT the same. NO! Art is where you captivate it's beauty with your own hand. Not a camera! You keep the life and beauty in a single painting or drawing.

In Photography, you take a simple picture. There is no hard work. There is NOTHING.

A small girl, atleast one head shorter than he is, walked up to his photography section. She was a simple spectator. He glared at her. She was disgusting. She did not know the true value of art. Then again, she seemed to be a painting herself. That long blue hair. Those beautiful lavender eyes. The healthy pale skin of hers! It captured his heart.

Or was it his eyes...?

The girl's name was Hinata Hyuuga. She was quiet and stayed in the very back in his class. The girl was of the Hyuuga clan. Heiress even. She liked art and photography. Even though her clan does not allow it. They only allow bussiness.

He hated yet loved her.

Then, everytime he tried to paint her, he messed up. It was but a picture. Not the real thing. She always moved and he wanted to glue her to a wall till he got the picture right. He wanted to get her movements right in every drawing. Her facial expressions. Her own heart.

Sai gave a small fake smile towards her as she walked towards him.

"Hello Miss Hyuuga."

The girl smiled back. Her smile radiant and adorning her face. It wasn't painted or placed. It was natural.

"H-Hello Sai...", the girl took a glance at his painting behind him. Her eyes widened as she took a step foreward. He watched her.

"Do you like it?", the boy asked in curiousity. It didn't catch her eyes probably. Could it be her heart?

She said nothing. The small Hyuuga rested a hand on the painting, as if trying to reach for the scene. It was only a cherry blossom tree with a doll sitting under it. Like the doll, the painting and photo's in the photography section were, to him,

Lifeless.

"It's...Beautiful...", Hinata muttered under her breathe. Sai faked smiled once again. It only captured her eyes.

He was wrong.

"It's better than the other paintings...You seemed to take up every angle and...the life from it... Just like your photography. It doesn't look as if you took the picture in different angles... You look like you wanted to capture it's life in that camera.", she said it as if she wanted to argue with his mind.

Hinata looked at Sai and tilted her head cutely. Sai was lost for words. He frowned and looked away.

"Thanks..."

Hinata rested her hand back on the painting.

"I know you don't like photography Sai-san....But.."

Sai listened tentively. He wanted to hear her soft voice and at the same time what she had to say.

"Photography lasts longer than paintings... They capture the radiance of things..."

Sai glared at her and looked away. "I..understand...", when instead, he thought she was plain stupid.

Hinata smiled softly and nervously. She walked towards the exit. "Goodbye Sai... Keep up the good work..."

"You too..", he muttered.

Minutes have gone by before he picked up his camera. It was one of those old ones from back then. But still works rather well.

"Lasts longer huh...?", he chuckled slightly. "Yeah...right..."

Sai noticed Hinata walking towards the bus stop through the window. Her face sideways from him. He raised the camera and clicked a single button.

Flash.

The photo slid out from the machinery's mouth. The black-haired boy took the photo with two fingers carefully.

He stared at it.

"But it does capture the radiance of things.... And beauty..."

The picture showed a smiling Hinata walking towards her bus stop. Her face sideways, her eyes opened slightly showing creamy lavender orbs.

For once, he thought that this was the first photo to capture beauty and look lively.

We ask that you PLEASE refrain from reviewing this story here. If you would like to do so, the original is posted right here on ff. net in Gaahina's personal profile.