★ 1

Before I knew his name.

***hello, i dont write romance and this is written like a shitty fanfic, but please rate it, i need help. it is also not proofread like it should be and grammatical errors have not been corrected yet but i am aware of them***

a girl in her early teens is seen running down the streets, almost tripping on every brick sticking up just a millimeter as she's in too much of a rush to look down 

“It's only 8 pm and i've already messed up…” she whispers breathlessly to herself as the voices in her head continue to pester her to keep running, faster, don't stop, not now.

The young girl, Ai, is the kind of girl who shows up late even when you lie about the start time just to give her a buffer. She's running late to art school for the seventh time this week—not that she's counting– but it wasn't her fault! Her teacher had gone on to suddenly change the schedule from 2 pm to 8 pm! How could it ever be her fault that she missed the schedule change her teacher had told the class about for weeks? 

As she runs, her bookbag thumps against her side in a steady rhythm that never seems to stop, irritatingly enough— but she didn't care to hold it in place even if it meant seeing a complete mess once she opens her bag in school.

”wait… where is my canvas..?” she stops mid stride, as does the voices in her head and instead she feels the thumping in her head becoming stronger—Her heart sinks. The voices in her head stop yelling long enough for pure horror to settle in. Ai rips open her bag in the middle of the sidewalk. Notebooks. Pencils. One crumpled candy wrapper. A suspicious piece of dried pineapple stuck to a folder. the raven haired gal looks through her bookbag quickly and she comes to the realization that her canvas is at home– oh goodness… Before her brain can even catch up, she's darting towards the nearest art store, a beloved art store of hers in fact—Apricot hall.

The teen bursts through the wooden door of the safe haven of pink and white walls. A comfortable building filled with both second hand and new paints– along with canvases made out of all the best materials. Apricot hall– a safe space for many young artists in town and a meetup space for artists over all, it was nice to sit in here and chat with the owners too... But those thoughts can wait! Ai is on a mission!

The soft lights of the shop shone down on her, brighter than any morning sun yet more warming and comforting than any hug. She only runs towards the counter, the cashier always knows what she wants—

”canvas– big one! Now please—!” she whispers despite wanting to yell, her voice definitely isnt cooperating with her right now..

”forgotten canvas?” the cashier asks amusedly and already looking towards the girl stumbling towards the counter, a punk-ish woman in her early twenties, known for her humour and many piercings despite living in such a traditional town— but people admired her for it.

”you know it!” Ai almost shouts, still sweating continuous waterfalls while jogging towards the counter only to grip the wooden board, she spots a small bowl of dried fruit on the counter– she nearly grabs a few– no! She has no time for snacks!

”you look like a zombie, girlie– you sure the boys’re gonna love seeing you like this?” the punk teases, already having a decent sized canvas in her hand, packaging it nicely in a bag for the teenager infront of herself.

”you– always say– that…”

”am i wrong, cutie?” she asks rhetorically with a smile, handing the canvas in the brown paper bag towards Ai.

”thank you, Jiejie!! Amazing as always, i really owe you my life!” Ai yells, already storming out the store after having ignored the womans remark.

The woman gives one of her lovely nurturing smiles and a small wave towards the girl. If it wasnt for her layers of makeup— her face would surely be redder than that bright red hair of hers…

Ai bolts out of the store like a wild wind, turning and almost falling over— to the direction she thinks the bus station is hiding. She darts down the otherwise loud street, running across the crosswalks without a care– until she comes across a crosswalk where she almost collides with a cyclist, the man on the bike curses at her “watch it!” the man barks out– “sorry!” she yells without slowing down. The bus stop is just around the corner now, she can almost see it.. Is this what paradise feels like..? But just as her daydreaming starts, her stomach drops in realization that its about to take its leave— Ai quickly lunges forward, pressing her palms desperately against the closing plastic doors. The bus driver spots her, letting out a weary sigh before reluctantly opening the door to let her in, what a nice man. Breathless, dizzy and gripping her canvas like its the only thing keeping her alive, she climbs up the two steps like shes scaling a mountain. Walking into the bus, she glances around to see that there are only a few seats left, just her luck.. Thats when she sees a boy her age– or perhaps a year older— airpods in, totally zoned out as hes staring down into his phone. She walks to stand beside the seat he sits at, eyeing the bag occupying the seat beside him.

Then— ”may i sit here?”

The boy looks up slowly as if hes coming out of his trance, his eyes meeting hers, spotting Ai looking down at him with a small smile on her sweaty face.

Theres a beat, then— ”Sure…” he replies, grabbing his bag– Vivienne Westwood..?—  Ai almost chokes on her spit. The boy moves his bag onto his lap  with his phone still in hand, as he does— Ai spots the forearm veins hes sporting.. God.. this boy was.. Something….

Ai slides down onto the seat swiftly, almost suspiciously quick. Her canvas thumps against the floor as she places it between her legs. She sits there awkwardly, gazing at the boy, legs unapologetically sprawled, like the concept of modesty didn’t exist in his world. Her face feels hot, and this time it certainly wasnt from running.. His hair falls over his eyes only slightly as he continues scrolling on his phone. 

Does he not feel the weight of the moment in the same way she does? Whats the deal with this guy?!

She swallows, finally deciding to speak:

”you.. Headed to school..?” she blurts out without a second thought.

He— at long last– looks up at her, glancing at her from under his hair while taking one airpod out. *”mm? Oh– yeah.”

He sounds calm, although a bit too nonchalant for her taste..his voice was a little hoarse too, like he doesnt speak much.. Dangerous.

”i-i was late to art class…” she says, only to keep the conversation going, maybe even get this dangerous boys number.. It always works with these types! 

But the boy simply nods, he seems polite, but not overly curous.. How frustrating.

Be cool, Ai— impress the guy!

”i nearly died getting to the bus” she says, not as confidently as she wishes she had— letting out a nervous huff of a laugh.

In a quiet whisper she speaks to herself— ”...but i know its worth it now” did i say that aloud?! Please say you didnt hear, pretty boy!

The boy smirks– it worked!– it wasnt much but it was genuine.

”youre dramatic..” he says, an amused tone in his raspy voice.

”rude! Accurate, but rude..” Ai huffs jokingly, finally starting to show her confidence.

He chuckles softly, barely, its more like a scoff. He puts down his phone to look at her properly.

“Im Junjie, by the way..”

”Ai, Suyin Ai”

She pauses.

He raises an eyebrow.

“…Like the spy thing,” she mutters quickly, already cringing at herself.

Junjie blinks once. “You watch too many movies.”

She groans and covers her face. “So ive been told.. j-just—pretend I didn’t say that.”

He actually laughs this time. Not a chuckle. A real, honest laugh.

“Can’t,” he says simply.

As the ride progresses, they keep talking, but only short bursts. They fall into a rhythm: silence, and talking only when Ai or Junjie to ask something else that gets to opposite person on the “oh my god i get to talk about my special interest”— train. Although Junjie doesnt say much, its enough for Ai to chase for just one more sentence, its almost addicting. In order to get the boy to speak, Ai finds herself talking about the smallest things like how her art teacher always has that annoying smell of pure coffee clinging onto her clothes or how she always finds dried pineapple in her bag somehow. 

And the boy listens, or at least it seems like he does— his amused smirk and raised eyebrows tells her when shes said something stupid or when shes– just maybe– gotten to him just a tiny bit..  

The bus soon enough comes to a stop, thats when she notices Junjie gathering his things in his bag, she stops mid sentence and her playful expression falls.

”this your stop?”

He nods without a word, already shifting to stand up. Ai tries not to let her disappointment shine through her confident facade but its almost impossible when she feels that all familiar thumping in her heart. 

Junjie simply slings his bag over his left shoulder ”guess ill see you around, Suyin Ai”

Of course the guy cant leave without mocking a poor girl who made a mistake…

Even in her state of annoyance, she feels the thumping in her heart becoming warmer at hearing her name fall from his lips. She cant get another word out before hes gone, the doors havent closed yet, she sits there— watching the boy walk away. Thats when she notices something left on the seat.. A camera and a crumpled cigarette pack… the girl picks it up, darting towards the dirty plastic doors— closed. Geez! This is a nightmare!! ”youve got to be kidding me…” she says with a defeated tone as she looks down at the camera and cigarettes in her hands…

”guess i am seeing you again, moron..”

***ts is so ass. i hate romance and i read a lot of fanfiction instead of the novels in my bookshelf, can you tell***