5. HE STEALS A GLANCE

René’s mind wondered, and his eyes didn't leave the young figure in front of him. The figure was looking back at him in confusion.

“Um, Sir? Is there something wrong with my face?” The student finally spoke up because René had been staring at him mysteriously for a quite long time.

Finally, the painter cleared his throat, trying to neutralize the rumbling in his chest. “There’s nothing wrong with your face,” he said awkwardly. “Even so, you are still violating the rule by coming late. But, since it’s the first meeting this semester, then I will tolerate you. Now, please state your identity.”

“Thank you, um... Mr. Huang?” The student thanked him in a hesitant tone at the end. “My name is Alain Kim, and this is my friend, Brielle Park. We both are third-year students.”

René subconsciously recorded the student’s name in his brain. Alain Kim. A name he heard for the first time, but somehow gave him a different impression.

But, his sharp eyes then fell on the figure of the girl next to Alain. A girl with wavy hair along her back and a beautiful face who, according to Alain’s information, was named Brielle Park.

‘Maybe they are lovers,’ René thought.

Eh? He just realized his weird thought and quickly brushed off the nonsense in his head.

“You’re third-year students? Why are you taking a first-year course? You re-take the class?”

“Um, yes. We re-take the class now. Our grades were not good back then, so we decided to re-take the class this year.”

René finally nodded as he was quite satisfied with the shorter man’s answer. Yeah, the student was quite tall but was still shorter than him. The painter was like a giant with a height that was only ten centimeters away from two meters, after all.

Finally, the painter allowed the two students who came late to take their seats, trying to be professional despite the strange feeling in his chest. He felt the same sensation in his chest just like when he saw the mysterious painting he painted in his sleep.

He continued the class, but from time to time, he kept stealing glances at the young man who was coming late to his class today. No one knew whether he did that consciously or not.

---

“And today we were humiliated in front of first-year students. It’s all your fault, Alain Kim. Why did you have to wake up late today?”

“You’re exaggerating, Brielle Park. I didn’t feel humiliated earlier. Mr. Huang didn’t punish us, anyway. Why do you care so much about it?”

The two humans of different genders walked out of the classroom after the famous painter ended the class. The painter didn’t immediately start the Drawing and Sketching class. At most, he just provided some modules and explained an overview of what would be learned during the lecture.

“But, my image was destroyed in front of Painter Huang. I purposely re-take this class again to be able to see him in person, but our first meeting was embarrassing! It surely would give him a bad impression toward me.”

Alain rolled his eyes. He sometimes couldn’t understand his best friend since high school. They both were half French and half Korean but had been living in Paris since six years ago. That was why they instantly became friends in high school.

Before the new semester started, the girl came to him, begging him to re-take the Drawing and Sketching class together this semester when in fact, his grades for that course were already very satisfactory a few years ago.

He didn’t even know where his best friend got the information that the famous painter, René Huang, would teach them for half a semester for the Drawing and Sketching class. Alain suspected that his best friend was actually a stalker.

“And, at the first meeting, he didn’t even glance at me. What was that? Even though I was right in front of him earlier, the look in his eyes never even fell on me. Am I not beautiful enough, Al?”

The girl often used the nickname ‘Al’ for her best friend. Alain often complained about the choice of the nickname, but the girl didn’t bother. For him, the nickname ‘Al’ was like the symbol of the chemical element Aluminium, and that was not a good nickname. Moreover, the element had the atomic number 13, and he believed that 13 was an unlucky number.

Apparently, Brielle was still not tired of complaining and protesting. It was no secret that the girl admired the painter so much. Even their classmates already knew about it. But, Alain was the one who knew the most about the admiration. It was undeniable that Alain was the closest person to Brielle Park.

“Wait.” The girl suddenly stopped walking, making her best friend stop walking as well. “Now that I think about it, earlier when we arrived late and were interrogated in front of the class, Painter Huang’s eyes seemed to be glued to you for a long time, Al. You noticed it, right?”

Alain frowned in confusion. “Huh? Maybe it’s just your imagination. How could something like that happen?” He asked the girl back as he continued walking.

He raised his two hands and put his palms behind his head. The young man casually walked away leaving Brielle who was still pensive.

Not long after, the sound of footsteps could be heard. His friend walked back beside him.

“You certainly still remember your magical ability, right? I don’t know how many straight men have ‘bent’ because of you,” she responded, and her last words were able to stop Alain’s steps. “I hope your magical ability won’t apply to Painter Huang. You know that I really like him, right?”

Brielle Park. The girl said it very lightly, even with a smile, but somehow Alain’s soul felt like it was being slashed by a very sharp sword.

Hurt. The words successfully pierced his heart.