102. Working It Out

Somin, Mia and Teho

Teho showed up per usual. "Elevating your aesthetics..." as he loved to say, "...with my casual elegance," he boasted.

He wore a long caramel sweater with gold buttons over his black shirt. A stripe of a beige headband contrasted with his hair while complimenting the outfit. Not functional in the slightest, but it made him prettier

Mia silently joined Somin on the sofa, getting used to the new order of things.

If it can work at all. She wondered.

The gorgeous dancer got out of her deep thoughts, willing to try this new unmapped dynamic of just friends hanging out.

That's what we are now.

It really happened. Somin confusedly thought.

Conspicuously looking at the visually split pair. When it happened the first time after the weekend, she haven't thought much of it.

Maybe he had bad consciousness too.

After what they'd been through, today their decision to split seemed sealed.

...

In between eating dinner, Teho examined his newly developed photos.

"Somin-ah, do you want to take a look?" He sent the rustling paper towards her on the coffee table.

I know damn well, you want to. Teho thought.

"These are my first ideas, photo sketches, if you will," the trying photographer commented, sitting alone in a separate armchair. The pink-haired liar felt extremely embarrassed to take his photos into her thievish hands while the stolen picture rested hidden amongst her clothes.

"Interesting, I didn't know photographers do drafts too," Somin said attentively.

"And what are we supposed to do? Fuck it all up and call it a day?" he poked at her a little insulted, but really being embarrassed from the tense atmosphere.

Maybe I shouldn't have come by.

Teho tried to remain himself while feeling misplaced.

Does Somin know? Did Mia tell her?

"I didn't mean it like that..." Somin clarified, "...you said it has to be great from the get-go before," she stated, realizing that lifting this night's vibe would be her snuck up to Mia and the black-haired girl smiled at her warmly.

"Yes, that's still very true, but when you have the ideal spot at your disposal, it's fun to invest time going back over and over again, finding the best mood you can. Trying all the angles, all the possible weather conditions, and times of the day to figure out the lighting. It's more of a magic ritual of mine, mostly here in the city, where I have my favorite places hidden in plain sight," he explained.

"Sounds fun, I'm always locked up here or at school," Somin answered truthfully.

"Well this routine it's sort of like my own private space, I never take anyone with me," he said and Mia shot him an intrigued face.

"Oh really," she tried to sound at least a bit cheerful, but it came off a bit sarcastic.

"Don't look at me like that, I need to be alone and not distracted," he playfully said, putting another portion to his mouth.

"But you work indoors every day, I see you here so often, I sometimes think you have a room here too. We dine together like all the time," Mia jumped into the conversation wondering.

It feels strange, but let's push past it.

"You said it yourself, I'm here mostly at night so you don't know where I'm going after school right? Sometimes I spend the whole night outside shooting," he patiently explained but stopped for a moment thinking how much to share.

Not sure, he switched to joking and Somin caught the sudden change.

"You do notice when I'm absent right?" he played offended again and both girls laughed.

"Yeah, it's the night we finally have the peaceful quietness here..." Somin dared to joke.
"...and a fuller fridge, mind you," she mocked him.

Mia chuckled. "Good one." She slapped Somin across the back.

Teho disapprovingly shook his head. "Unbelievable. The nerve you girls have."

Jeez, Teho is really in love with his own voice.

Mia thought, but the fact she noticed put her at ease.

That's what he has always been.

At least they don't fight today on top of everything.

The pretty dancer found the positive in the unfortunate situation.

Mia's comment sparked Somin's thought, "Why don't you work at your place anyway?" she asked out of nowhere eyeing the odd pair....

😳 Author's corner 😊

🎨 Are you an artist? Do you do art as a hobby? 🎨

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🎨Illustrations of each chapter are available on my Wattpad acc, AO3 acc -klubickoArt🎨