Stalker, huh? Len thought as he leaned his head against the window of the cab. His dull blue eyes were passively watching the rows of pine trees that stretched far ahead as the cab passed by them. The dull white sky and the fat white clouds reminded him of his room's ceiling, thus he suddenly felt the urge to apologize. He was sorry for being born as a failure.

The blond shrugged as he slid his phone in the pocket of his coat. Five minutes had already passed when he decided that he wouldn't be able to ask his subject to model for him, given the fact that Miku was easily irritated whenever her ex-boyfriend would be brought up. It happened once, come to think of it, when he mentioned that she was too hot to be cheated in the heat of the moment. He wouldn't forget the way her eyes flared with anger when he said the word cheated, and before he could take back anything he blurted out, she was already raging. Hence, the stalker pet name (or it wasn't a pet name at all) was born.

That exact scenario when she walked and yelled at her phone replayed in his head. He could see anger searing out of her entire being as he briskly took her leave, back turned to him. She was calling his brother that time, purposefully turning up her voice to indirectly address him with her complaints.

Len thought it was such a childish demeanor, to react in such manner, considering that they were already in their mid-20's. They were mature enough to start their own families (unless he would find a way to make her his wife, then they would be a family). He expected that she was better than that after seeing how cold and austere she treated him. Len assumed that she would slap his face just to shut him up. Temperamental women formed the majority of the female population after all. A person wouldn't wish to cross roads with an angry girl.

He brought his face in his hands, a frown forming on his lips. The rows of pine trees standing alongside the road looked lonelier and lonelier as time rolled by. This ride would be a little entertaining if the cab driver would allow him to roll down the window and feel the chilly air. The cold wind, in spite of his disinterest towards anything cold, could always make him feel numb and forget. It was the best thing to do right now, he sighed. He didn't want to piss off any woman as much as he could, because whenever he'd always remember his mother beginning a litany no one knew when it would end.

Another sighed slipped through his parted lips. His eyes were glued to the endless pines trees, and his thoughts drifted from his mother to this endless road. It was no surprise that the highlands had all this greenery. Len was not used to see trees instead of skycrappers, that was his issue. So keeping an eye on these trees...this town felt so serene.

He let out another sigh. His body missed the feeling of his soft bed and cold sheets (that were hopefully no longer cold by the time he got home, had Rei fulfilled his promise). Today's events had sent him to different extremes of his emotions—anger, joy and dejection—and had consumed so much of his energy. He could barely keep his eyes open right now. It didn't help that the unchanging scenery was making him droop his eyes.

When the first car traveling on the opposite lane was noticed, Len heaved another sigh. The car's color - teal - reminded him of the gorgeous girl he had argued a few minutes ago. He would be more than glad to draw her, but the idea that this paid commission was to help her ex-boyfriend...it saddened the blond. He loved her face when she was angry, when the tips of her ears burned red (until her entire ears were red), when her eyes would look at him with no hesitation—it was that appealing to him. Wincing his head, Len angled his head back to the window. He could see the contour of land half a mile from where they were as of the moment, sloping downwards like a tiny hill. This place was really cute.

"You must be lonely to sigh thrice a row," the cab driver spoke, giving the blond passenger passing glances through the mirror.

"Not at all," Len said that with a huff. "I must be tired, I think." He answered it like a sigh. It surprised him that speaking this few made him feel so lifeless already.

For a moment the cab driver did not talk. Len had a brief glance over his reflection, he was smiling a little. What was so funny or worth smiling, anyway?

"Having troubles with women?" the cab driver prompted.

Faintly he chuckled. It must be written all over the blond's face. "It shows, doesn't it?"

"Breaking up?"

"Not at all." Len felt like answering was slowly beginning to be a burden. "We aren't an item."

"Friends?" the cab took a left turn.

"That's out of the option, either." This conversation is dragging.

"You have the looks. You'll find a girl for you," said the driver.

Len smiled briefly. Actually he found her already. Miku might kick his balls if he were to confess that he was smitten by her at first sight, though that seemed plausible since her beauty and mysterious personality lured him so much. But nobody would buy love at first sight today, and Len was sure that his friends would make fun of him. He could practically hear them telling that the blond only wanted to get laid with a pretty chick.

He didn't want her that way. Maybe he did, but he was curious about her. Len was ever the sappy guy, believing soulmates true. There was an eerie connection (or attraction) drawing him to her when they first met yesterday, like wanting to get under her skin or simply just her attention. He liked the idea that she was looking his way, that she was irritated with his existence or something, because he (didn't know why, but) thought she's more stunning when mad.

The other thing he liked about her was her body. He wasn't fantasizing about her like how a normal guy with carnal desires would; it was just that her frame was so inviting to draw. Not too busty or whatnot. Len couldn't remember exactly when, but he must have drawn a person of the same body proportions. The blond dismissed these thoughts when his phone rang.

He began with a sigh. "What do you want?"

Rei was on the other line. "Hey, butthead. Sounds like you're going to rip your paintings once you're home, huh? Have you met the subject?"

"Yes," Len scratched his forehead. "This girl...I like her, actually. I met her last night but I didn't get her name. Who would've thought that we'll meet each other again this way."

"Are you thinking of dropping the commission now?"

Len stared at the changing scenery from the window. The pine trees were left behind as they went through a different road. He would love to draw Miku, of course. But...to do it for her ex-boyfriend? He wasn't so sure now. "Rei, why is this asshole paid for this commission? Can a painting or simple portrait mend their relationship?"

"I didn't ask further about this, but he mentioned that she likes paintings. Oh, he also mentioned that their relationship began there—with a painting, a portrait of her."

"I see," Len remained quiet for some seconds, contemplating. "I...I'm not sure if I should continue. I can't paint women, you know."

"Really? I think you should. Get back here at once, I'm gonna show you something. Fukase and I are in your flat. We got six cans of beer so better hurry up or you'll miss the fun."

Len could hear the raven and ginger guy arguing softly from the other line, debating about the mess in Len's flat. It went something like this: no, man. This is already messy—shut up, Fukase. Just push his things on a side! Put the beer, oh! Shit, that's not coffee!

"Aa, buttshit. I'll smash you together," Len snarled. "Don't touch my materials, you—" and the line went dead. The blond felt more stressed after the call. If Rei and Fukase moved a single thing from their places in his room, he might murder one of them.

Len could function in a place where his things were organized the way he left it. If one object was not where he left it the last time, he might lose his sanity as he would rant about the secret black hole under the carpet which sucked all his missing paint brushes in. This was his definition of organization, albeit the whole stuff was mess for Rei and others.

"Dude," Rei scrunched his nose as he patted Fukase's back. The said redhead spluttered the contents in his mouth right when Rei told him that it wasn't coffee. It was Len's mug, for Pete's sake. They knew what the blond had stored in there.

"Watercolor," coughed the redhead as he gagged. Yes, indeed. It was a tad late though, for that realization. "Len's place is..."

"We can't describe this with a word alone. Come on, let's wait for him in his bedroom. That is the safest place," the studio director went towards the bedroom. Earlier today, he went back in Len's flat to leave the painting he got from the tealette in his room. Rei was sure that it would help to motivate the blond with his work. He had replaced Len's heater so blond should really return the favor!

When he yanked the door open, the redhead behind Rei noticed the painting above Len's desk. Fukase said it was familiar, he just couldn't recall where could have seen it. Rei told him that it was from Miku, and that the lady in the painting was her, too.

"No way," exclaimed the redhead, bemused. "She never modelled in any art class back in her college days—or at least that was what she always told me. Because, wow, this is really pretty. She looks like a goddess."

Rei smirked. Len never painted while someone was modelling for him, too. What an odd pair. He could remember that day when the blond asked him to watch the cultural presentation of a certain art class. The way Len looked at a specific girl on the stage bewildered Rei that time, because usually the blond wouldn't stare at girls for more than two seconds (unless it was for a draw class. He would stare for a minute and memorize the pose before leaving the room). For the first time, Rei saw Len staring a woman's figure intently. Who would have thought that he was after the girl herself—not as mere reference of art, but as a woman to be loved?

Len of all people? The idea looked absurd to Rei at first. However when Len finished the painting and won the grand prize, the raven haired artist realized what inspiration could do to Len.

Chained, the title flashed in Rei's mind. Miku played the role of the lead female in their version of Phantom of the Opera. She was a good dancer and singer, and he heard that she also crafted the costumes and props with her team. Rei was not interested with her, though admittedly he liked her because of her talents. He was busy chasing Len back then.

"Who painted this?" asked Fukase, tracing his fingers across the canvas.

Rei smiled, "A genius, I guess."