Hey there! Before anything else, I want to thank those who sent in their reviews. I appreciate them very much. I won't keep this long because I know that you're wondering what's going to happen next and when they are going to meet. Just keep reading and you'll find out soon.
Chapter 3 Their First Meeting
It was Saturday.
It was a fine afternoon.
It wasn't too hot and wasn't too cold as well.
Toya was in school along with a few others from their club.
The principal had asked him to paint a few paintings for display along with their school's other top painters.
"Toya, as president of the arts club, you must make sure that you're group will do well. A school will be sending a representative today and check how an international exhibit should be done. It would be their first time celebrating the subject for their annual cultural fair." The principal said.
"I understand, sir. Everything will be in order once they get here. I will see to it personally." Toya replied.
"Good. Now I better be off and leave you all to your work." The principal said as he turned and left.
In turn, Toya turned to the rest of the group.
"Well, we better get started then. Remember, we must show them perfection." He addressed the group.
The others nodded and started with their work.
They painted and painted.
They painted with everything they've got.
As they filled their canvas with magnificent scenes, they seem to slip away from the real world to their own vivid paradise.
Minutes turned into hours.
Time didn't seem to exist in the atmosphere they had created.
Time was frozen in their masterpieces.
Every detail thought of with great precision.
It was getting late and some were already heading home or elsewhere to do their other responsibilities.
Toya didn't seem to mind them go.
After everybody had gone, Toya had finally finished his.
A painting of a scenery depicted at night.
It was magnificent but there was more to it than what meets the eye.
Toya naturally thought that his work was perfect in every way.
He then gathered his brushes and palette to wash them.
As he washed, he didn't notice that the representative had already come.
A young woman of sixteen came and was in awe at the paintings that were left there to dry.
She finally came to Toya's painting.
She stood there and tried to examine it deeply.
She closed her eyes and sighed.
That was when Toya came back.
"Are you the representative from that other school?" He said.
Aya hastily opened her eyes and turned to him.
"Oh I'm sorry. Yes, yes I am." She replied.
"Well, have you seen all the paintings?" He asked.
"Yes. Unless this isn't the last one." She answered back.
"This is the last one. So what do you think about it?" He said as he placed his brushes into its case.
"All the paintings are beautiful. You have very talented artists in this school. It's full of spirit and has fine craftsmanship. It can still be improved. But this last one."
"What? What about it?"
"It's beautiful and all…its strokes are fine and even…done with the utmost precision...but."
"But what? We haven't got all day?"
"There's no life into it." Aya said.
Toya could hardly believe his ears!
It was like everything he had believed in was shattered then and there.
"Do you have any idea what you're saying?" He said.
"I may not be as talented as you all but I do know what I'm talking about. The other paintings may not even come close to compare to the quality of this one but…there's just no heart put into it." Aya explained.
She's a frank person if she wanted to and to only those people whom she chose needed it.
She knew perfectly well what she was doing.
She knew that it was vital for the artist to know this because the heart of his or her masterpiece lies in the heart he or she possess.
"Who are you to tell me that?" Toya said.
"Oh I haven't told you my name have I? I'm Aya Mikage and I'm from a family of art critiques so I definitely know what I'm talking about." She said pleasantly.
"Mikage huh? Well, Aya, if there is nothing more I can help you with, I suggest you better get going." Toya said.
"I didn't expect you to accept the truth right away. But once your heart sees the one thing that will disappear when you mention it, your heart will be free to see beyond things...something the eyes will never see." Aya said as she turned and left.
Toya just couldn't accept what she was telling him.
For him, she was a nobody to tell him that.
As Aya left the school grounds, Aki met her by the gate.
"So, how did it go?" Aki asked as Aya joined him.
"Well, I got what I came for." Aya replied with a smile.
"I still don't get it. How can looking at paintings help in our world cultural fair?" Aki asked as they left.
Aya smiled.
"I didn't understand myself until now."
"And what is it?"
Aya stopped and turned to him.
"Celebrating the world cultural fair means that even though we all come from different cultures, we still come from one race.the human race. I've found the perfect theme for us. 'How can we contribute to the oneness of our hearts?' It will make us think how each nation could contribute into weaving our future." She explained.
"I've got to hand it to you Aya. This sure is something."
"Oh you haven't seen anything yet brother. Just wait. It is just beginning. All we have to do now is organize the fair and you're going to help me." Aya said as she intertwined her arm with his and started to drag him home.
"Like I have a choice. I can see it now…one headache after the other." Aki replied.
"Don't get a little ahead of yourself brother."
"Oh I'm just getting started. If a certain someone didn't volunteer me in the first place, I wouldn't have to think about it now do I?"
"Well we'll never know now." Aya replied.
"Yeah…we'll never know…maybe it's about time you got yourself a boy friend."
"What does that suppose to mean?"
"Well if you find a boy friend, I'll be spared from this. Besides, if you won't find one, I'm afraid you'll grow an old maid."
"Speak for yourself. You still haven't got a girl friend."
"Well mainly because of you. If I didn't have to worry about my twin sister almost every minute then probably I'll have a girl friend by now." Aki replied.
"Baka!" Aya said.
Aki sure enjoyed teasing his sister like that.
(To be continued.)
Sorry it took so long but I really had to do other stuff for school as well as write chapters of my other fan fics. Anyway, please send me your reviews. I would really love to read what you think.
Michiko