Author's Note:

Sorry this was a bit late, blame my teachers. Who assigns 5 different projects all due at the same day!

Okay.. maybe that was a bit exaggerating. But oh well!

~Enjoy

,.-~*'¨¯¨'*·~-.¸-( 30 Days in Cali )-,.-~*'¨¯¨'*·~-.¸

Chapter 5: Story Beneath the Painting

Admitting something is terribly difficult for countless people. Admitting is giving up. And it's accepting defeat. No one wants to admit defeat. But sometimes you have no other choice but to cry for help…

He stepped aside as he examined his newly painted masterpiece. Velvet red and black made a wonderful contrast making the simple vase came breathtaking. The local artist was definitely talented, beyond that even, but… there was always that, but. People would praise with no hesitation, though when they have to review the painting deeper, a but was always said.

He tilted his head left to right wanting to make sure he got it right this, that maybe all this heat in California had done some good. Exploring the beautiful areas here was a great idea for inspiration and Natsume did. Going from place to place, to the marvellous sparkling waters that would sway back and forth from the rich white sand to the mysterious oceans and to the busy streets of shopping centres and so; yes this time was the time, the painting would be exquisite.

Footsteps loudly echoed from the stairs coming down. Without looking, he says, "Hey Koko, can you come at look at this painting for a sec?"

Koko's stubborn fingers were fixing his tie as he slip into his fancy Louis Vuitton loafers. He rushed over, and gave a peek. "Outstanding as ever." He commented.

As he reached for his jacket on the coat hanger to complete his I'm-going-to-work attire, "Why so busy?" Natsume asked.

Koko rolled his eyes in annoyance, "Meeting with some important cell phone company in Peru,"

"And you forgot." Natsume finished.

Koko nodded. "It's not my fault, Charles, my butler, usually wakes me up."

"Where is he now?"

"His daughter is having a baby." Koko replied while grabbing his keys.

"Don't forget your briefcase." Natsume reminded seeing as Koko was just about to leave empty handed.

Koko groaned as he turned and reach for his briefcase that was lying on the sofa. "Who would've thought I would carry one of these." He muttered under his breath.

"Adios." Koko said with his usual goofy smile.

Natsume sighed when Koko was gone. He barely had anytime to hang out with him, and loneliness can happen to anyone. Frankly, it's happening to him right now. Sunlight poured in from the huge glass doors, it blinded Natsume. Squinting his eyes, he took another look at his painting.

"Something isn't right…" He thought. Frustration and anger surfaced him. It looked perfect, but the thing was, it wasn't perfect. Only one conclusion can be found, the touch wasn't found. He let out a frustrated sigh and flopped down into one of the leather sofas trying to relax. A head peeked out from the stairwell.

"You okay?" Mikan asked. The first thing that Natsume noticed about her was that she had glasses. Freaking purple glasses.

"You have glasses?"

Mikan rolled her eyes and walked down the stairs towards him. "If you're always on the computer 24/7, you'll need glasses eventually."

Flopping down to a sofa beside him, Natsume says, "Is that just an excuse? Or you always had glasses like in high school or something."

Mikan's face suddenly hardened. "H-h-h-high school? Pfft no, I got glasses just about four years ago."

"So you would've had glasses that time."

Uneasily she replied, "I didn't really wear them that time… anyway, wow that's a really good painting."

Natsume focused his eyes back to his painting; the red roses and the black background. "No it's not. The painting doesn't feel right."

"You want some help? We can repaint it together." Mikan suggested.

Natsume gave a questioned look.

"I took a course in art in school before. C'mon, your painting needs to tell a story." Mikan said as she stood up enthusiastically.

Natsume stood up. He had nothing else to do, repainting the painting seemed like a good idea.

They began on a separate piece of paper, nice and clean. After Natsume drew out the lines in pencil, they began getting the watercolours ready.

As soon as Natsume had made one perfect stroke, Mikan protested. "Don't do it like that!"

"What?" Natsume asked confused.

Mikan took the brush from his hand and began at the one stroked canvas. She made the same perfect stroke but in a different manner. A manner that cannot be explained with words, it can only be believed through sight and it was perfect.

"Believe it or not, art and literature are connected in various ways. Each of them needs to tell a story when art is sighted. Right now, the stroke doesn't do anything special or mean anything to the artist, you must let the people looking at the painting believe it does, that it tells a vast story behind it. It is the story beneath the painting."

She carefully made a few more strokes then passed the brush to Natsume.

He took the brush and did exactly what she did. Angle it and imagine, believe, yes he did all of those things but only came with Mikan shouting at the top of her lungs.

"No! Not there! No! Not there either! What kind of story are you seeing?"

"I don't know!"

"Well create a story!"

"I can't!"

"Why not?"

"I don't know."

"Well imagine one."

"I still can't."

"For Pete's sake, we're in California! LA! Inspiration is all around!"

"But we're not outside exploring it."

"What kind of smarticals do you have?"

"What kind of an author are you? Smarticals not a word."

"Says who?"

"Bill Gates." He spat out flatly.

Mikan started giggling uncontrollably.

"What's so funny." Natsume asked as he too began to smile.

But Mikan continues to giggle. Between her giggles, Mikan managed to say the words, "Try again."

Natsume do this time, he really tries. He imagined of the vase being somewhere like on a table in a small café, or one on an romantic dinner table with a lover at each end waiting to spend the most exhilarating time of their lives. Then he paints stroke by stroke.

He forgets how Mikan is there and focus on his art what was in his mind. A tragic love story that got ruined in pieces because of some people who have too much pride to let their reputation fall apart. Hours went by and Natsume was still painting, letting the story he held in his mind come to life. Finally, the story finished with two strokes. The vase is finally put in a dark room where it's beauty would slowly wither away, just like the couple's love.

"Wow. It's amazing." Mikan said in awe, even though she was there the whole time, she was so captured by the beauty of the painting, that was the only words she could say.

Natsume stood back to see his painting. It was alluring, it was jaw dropping, it was what he wanted.

"I think you found the touch!" Mikan exclaimed.

Both of them were getting excited and hugged. Realizing what they had done, they pulled back away slowly. Mikan was blushing, and so was Natsume. His bangs were in the right place to hide them.

"Congrats Natsume, um… I have a few more pages to write so I'll see you later."

Natsume waved a bit as Mikan climb up the large stairs back to her room.

"Shit, I never got a chance to thank her." Natsume thought as he admired his painting again. Comparing the first painting and his second painting in looks, were just about the same. Comparing them in texture, tone, and feelings, it's a completely different feel.

Congratulation Natsume, but you should realize this is only temporary; things that are this good cannot be true. If you really need to find the touch, you got to find yourself. Don't worry, Cali would help you….eventually.

What do you think?

Leave a review :)

With Love,

xXWitheringXx