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Pink and red paper hearts and posters are plastered all over the center of Canvas Town, each advertising Valentine's day deals for couple's paint nights and romantic dinner specials throughout the city. Hyo ignores all of them as she exits Remlin’s studio, newly inked with a new spell that will allow her to survive a deadly blow. Today is supposedly the day of love, if that umbrella man’s word is to be trusted, which is still up for debate. It's not an event that has ever been celebrated in her home city, though it has recently come to Hyo's attention that there are several such holidays that she's missed out on all these years. Some of them interest her, such as dressing up in costumes and attending the Doll Festival, whereas others are just another boring day. Today included.
She weaves silently through the bustling crowd, as unnoticeable as a shadow while excitement for the night's festivities charge through the center like an electric current. With so many people around, all chatting and rushing and loitering about, Hyo is particularly skilled at remaining invisible.
Well, maybe she's gotten a little rusty since joining the Cleaners.
“Hyo! Over here!”
Across the street, standing in front of a paper flower stall, is a lone Eishia, looking more out of place than a fish out of water. Her arms are pulled in tight against her body, shoulders hunched, but she relaxes when Hyo approaches.
“Eishia. What are you doing here? Where’s August?”
“My brother is buying new fabrics, which will probably take a while, so I’m glad I ran into you!”
Hyo nods and finds herself transfixed at Eishia’s smile and how genuine it is, like she’s actually pleased to have Hyo around. No one has ever sought her out before, and certainly no one has ever been happy to have her around.
When Hyo doesn’t say anything, Eishia continues. “Are you here to see Remlin?”
“Yes. I received a spell and was just on my way back to headquarters.”
“Oh,” Eishia says, her voice taking a downward spiral. “So you’re leaving then?”
Hyo blinks and wonders if it has always been this easy to change the trajectory of her day. “I don’t have to.”
“Oh, well, I don’t want to hold you up if you’re on your way out. I was just hoping-”
“I don’t have to.”
Eishia smiles again, brighter this time. “Really? Well, um, in that case, would you like to-?”
“Yes,” Hyo responds, not needing to hear the remainder of that request. No matter what Eishia asked, the answer would still be the same.
As it turns out, Eishia’s plans include a paint bar class for couples. It's an old brick building with glass doors painted over with swirls of colors. Inside, people decked out in several shades of reds and pinks stand so close together that Eishia has to hold on to Hyo's sleeve as they make their way to the front desk. They get stamps on the back of their hands since they’re not old enough to drink, but there are still juice and snack options that Hyo procures for them.
“I got a hummus plate,” she says, placing that as well as two bottles of lemonade down on the table, right between their easels. The journey from the bar to their table was nothing short of a street brawl, but seeing the bright in Eishia's eyes at the sight of food makes all the trouble worth it. The plate has a large dollop of hummus in the center with baby carrots, celery sticks, radish slices, and small squares of bread circling the rim. In the middle of it all is a single cherry tomato. Surely this is a meal a doctor will appreciate. “It’s healthy. You like healthy things.”
Eishia covers her mouth and giggles. “I do!”
Hyo takes her seat and looks around at her paint set. There are tubes of different paint colors lined up neatly above an empty, white plate and a handful of brushes, all varying in size. Eishia has the same setup at her side of the table and, when Hyo looks around, so does everyone else. Around them, more and more pairs are settling in, chatting and laughing and drinking amongst themselves, so Hyo has to raise her voice to be heard. “What exactly will we be painting?”
“The instructor will guide us through a landscape or city scene, I think,” Eishia answers, taking a bite of celery. The way she chews reminds Hyo of the chipmunks that scurried around in the fields of the Hell Guard’s training academy. The idea to poke her cheeks flashes in Hyo’s mind, but it’s brief and fleeting. Eishia finishes another bite and tilts her head. “Have you ever tried painting before?”
“No.”
“Me neither! I’ve always wanted to, though. It looks like so much fun, but no one has ever agreed to come with me. August is always busy and the other Cleaners aren’t exactly the types to take a day off for something silly.”
It’s odd that no one would agree to go with her in the past. Who wouldn’t want to do anything Eishia asks? Does everyone else not also find her impossible to say no to?
“I’ll go with you.”
“Umm… But we’re already here…?”
That’s not what she meant, but Hyo has always had a hard time verbalizing more nuanced emotions. She takes a moment, collects her thoughts, and tries again. “I’ll go with you next time. And the time after that. Wherever and whenever you want, I’ll go.”
It’s hard to tell in the dim, pink and red toned lighting of the bar, but if Hyo had to guess, she’d say that Eishia is blushing.
“I- I-” She grabs the bottle of lemonade and fiddles with it between her hands, her gaze trained on her lap. “Thank you, Hyo. That… That means a lot to me.”
Interesting. Hyo doesn’t think she’s doing anything that special, but then again, perhaps it’s the commute to Canvas Town that has the others put off. That must be it. Why would anyone not agree to spending extra time with Eishia? That’s absurd. The commute must be the issue.
“I like the walk from here to headquarters. It’s relaxing.”
Eishia’s eyes widen. “Did I just hear you correctly? You walk here?!”
“Of course.” How else is she supposed to travel? Hitching a ride with the irritating umbrella man is out of the question. “I like doing it, so I’ll come here with you anytime.”
Before Eishia can respond, the lights brighten around them and a woman with a microphone makes herself known at the front of the room. She’s wearing a long-sleeved black shirt, overalls, and a gray apron splattered with paint.
“Welcome, love birds! We’re going to get started, so everyone please head to your seats!”
Love birds…
Huh.
Now that she mentions it, this is an event for couples. It is Valentine’s day, after all, and all the other tables in the room are occupied by romantic partners. Hyo and Eishia are a couple of people, yes, but did Eishia bring her here because she wants them to be a couple couple? And if so, is that what they are now?
If that’s what Eishia wants, that’s fine. Logically, it makes sense, especially given the night’s turn of events, so Hyo is pleased with this arrangement.
First things first, their instructor walked them through creating a heart-shaped background that’s blank in the middle, all pinks and reds and light purples. She walks them through shading and creating frilly designs along the inner border. This part is easy. No one is better at following instructions than Hyo, so it comes as no surprise when her painting looks exactly like the example up front.
“Wow, you’re really good at this, Hyo!”
Hyo freezes, brush held up inches away from her canvas. Eishia’s words create a fluttery feeling in her belly, something she doesn’t have the vocabulary to explain in-depth. It’s a fizzy feeling, though, and she can’t help but wonder if this is why Zanka always acts like a fool whenever he receives praise. Because that’s what this is, right? Praise? Eishia is praising her, correct?
Stringing those words together in that order only makes the flutters rowdier, which may or may not be a medical emergency that she should get checked out.
“Following orders isn’t a skill,” she says, though Eishia looks at her as though she either can’t hear or doesn't understand. “Show me yours.”
Eishia picks up her canvas and turns it around, revealing a painting that’s much the same, but with more uneven lines and less symmetry between the two halves of the heart. But the thing that Hyo likes the most is the bashful smile on her face when she shows her. That alone is worthy of transcribing into art. “I like it. It’s good.”
“Really? You mean it?”
“Yes.”
Eishia puts her canvas back on the easel and fumbles around with her paint brush. “Thank you, Hyo. I’m really happy you think so!”
Hyo nods, the flutters now reacting to the fact that she’s the one who put that bright smile on Eishia’s face. Has this feeling activated because they’re a couple now? Surely there’s a correlation between the two, but she hasn’t quite figured out the details yet. She’ll have to ask Eishia about it once they leave the bar and have more time to talk. There are a lot of specifics to iron out, such as whether or not Valentine’s day is their anniversary, or if they’ve been a couple for longer and Hyo simply didn’t realize? Should Hyo buy paper flowers before the day is up? Chocolates? Will the hummus plate suffice on short notice? Is there a conversation to be had with August over this matter? How much of his favor does Hyo need to win over before their courtship can properly begin? Will this affect their anniversary date, or not? So many questions that need answers.
“All right, now that we have our backgrounds and borders finished, now you can use the center of the heart to paint a portrait of your lover! How convenient that your model is sitting directly across from you!”
The rest of the couples chuckle, but for some reason Eishia sinks in her seat.
“Are you unwell?” Hyo asks.
Eishia shakes her head. “No, that’s not it…”
A moment passes without elaboration, then another. “Then what’s wrong?”
“Ah… It’s just a little awkward, don’t you think? What she said?”
Hyo thinks back and quickly identifies the problem. “You’re right.”
“I- I am?”
“Yes. She said that we’re supposed to be sitting across from each other, however you and I are diagonal from each other. I don’t think it’s awkward, though. This is an informal event.”
Eishia blinks a few times. “N-No, I didn’t mean that part, Hyo.”
“Then I don’t understand.” Hyo can’t help but wonder if she’s said the wrong thing, or made the wrong assumption, which is not a new feeling for her. Ever since she was young, she has constantly been told that her way of understanding others is wrong, so sometimes situations arise where she accidentally overcorrects. “Which part was incorrect?”
This time, regardless of the lighting, Hyo is sure that Eishia’s face turns a bright red. “I- I-! Never mind!”
Strange, but perhaps there has been some miscommunication on both sides. It’s frustrating, but Hyo will let it go for now, especially since she has been tasked with painting Eishia’s portrait.
For the record, Hyo’s artistic abilities begin and end at receiving instructions. When left to her own devices, she is completely unable to paint Eishia in a way that makes her look even vaguely human. It's embarrassing, but she keeps telling herself that she can fix the mistakes.
Meanwhile, Eishia studies her frequently with that blush still staining her cheeks, then turning back to her canvas to add new strokes to her painting. Occasionally, they catch each other’s eye, only for them both to quickly look away. Eishia’s face is soft, delicate yet strong, and her eyes contain depths that paint could never accurately put to paper. Maybe that’s what’s making this so difficult.
Hyo’s face is growing unnaturally warm. Did it get hot in here all of a sudden?
“Umm,” Eisha starts, squirming in her seat. “How is yours coming along?”
“Unsatisfactory,” Hyo frowns, eliciting a knowing smile from Eishia. To make matters worse, the instructor makes her way around to their table to personally check in on their progress.
“Hello, love birds! How are we doing over here?” She leans in to look at Eishia’s painting. “Oh, wow! How lovely! I can tell how much you care about your lucky lady here!” Eishia, in turn, covers her face with her hands and shrinks to the size of a flour sack.
And then, the instructor turns to Hyo’s painting.
“Oh… wow… That certainly is, um, abstract! Very interesting!”
That’s it. Hyo is going to train herself in the ways of art and then her and Eishia will return to this place next year so she can redeem herself from this humiliation. Then, she will rub her victory in this instructor’s face so that she will never underestimate Hyo’s abilities again. As the instructor walks away, she grinds her teeth and tries to un-abstract her art as much as possible before time is up.
Hyo struggles through the remaining half hour of class, staring at Eishia and trying to capture the gentle nuances of her face, all while the painting morphs more and more into what can only be called a spiky chimera. At one point, she accidentally snaps her paint brush in half by applying too much pressure.
And then, her nemesis’ voice returns to the mic.
“All right, love birds! Time’s up!” Everyone sets their paint brushes down and sets their attention on the instructor up front. “Now’s the big moment! Hand off your painting to your lover as a Valentine’s day gift!” She scans the room frantically and meets Hyo’s eye. “Or don’t!”
They exchange paintings and Hyo is amazed at Eishia’s abilities. Sharp eyes, soft jawline, a small mouth and even smaller nose, her art is undeniably Hyo. Meanwhile, Eishia receives a portrait that should be considered a legal offense that’s punishable by the Hell Guard.
Hyo grumbles something unintelligible under her breath, earning a giggle from Eishia. “I’ve never seen you this worked up before. It’s kind of cut-” She cuts herself off and claps her hands over her mouth. “Never mind!”
“Next year, I will redeem myself.”
“Next year…?”
Hyo nods, biting down on her lip. “I’ll paint you a better portrait then.”
Despite her crushing defeat weighing heavy on her chest, Hyo looks up and finds the most dazzling smile she’s ever had the honor of seeing and, with a sight like that, it’s impossible to be upset.
The instructor hands out plastic bags for everyone to carry their canvases home in, except for Eishia, who receives a large trash bag. “Oops! We ran out of the normal bags! But this one will fit it just nicely!”
Hyo burns that woman’s face into her memory so she can hunt her for sport later down the line.
“Stop glaring, Hyo, it’s rude,” Eishia says nervously, tugging on her sleeve. “We should head out anyway.”
“Yes, you’re right,” Hyo responds without breaking her line of sight. “We should leave. This place has some suspicious individuals.”
Eishia grabs Hyo by the arm and, with impressive amounts of effort, drags her outside into the cool night air. “Quit! Glaring! At! Her! It's! Rude!”
“I was not glaring,” Hyo states. “I was simply looking.”
“Of course you were.”
“I’m glad you agree.”
For some reason, Eishia rolls her eyes at that, but Hyo chooses to ignore it since it could mean anything without further context.
Outside, the crowds have thinned out since earlier, leaving behind a manageable amount of people to weave through. Hyo looks at more posters taped up on the walls and wonders where they should go next. Since they're a couple now, it's customary to eat meals together.
“Where would you like to eat?”
Eishia jumps, startled, and bunches her sleeves over her hands. “Oh, um, I didn't know if you would still want to hang out after what happened during class…”
Hyo tilts her head to the side, her bangs sliding across her face. “What happened that would prevent us from eating? Did the hummus fill you up?”
“No, no, it's not that!”
“Then…?”
“It's just…” Her cheeks are as bright as a neon sign, which may or may not be a medical concern. When Eishia speaks again, her voice is as small as a mouse. “She called us lovers…”
Hyo blinks. “Is that an incorrect assessment?”
“Huh?!”
Another blink. Perhaps Hyo will have to use more words this time to get her point across - it's a common enough criticism of hers that she's been working on more or less. Usually less.
“We have gone to a couple's event on a holiday designed for couples. Does that not make us a couple?” Eishia’s face somehow gets redder, which might be a fever, so Hyo places the back of her hand on her forehead to check. “You’re burning up. Should I take you home?”
Eishia grabs Hyo's hand and holds it tight between her delicate fingers. “N-No, no! I just…! I didn't think you liked me like that!”
An iron block crashes in Hyo's chest, a form of pain she's never known to exist. “Are you saying you do not want to be in a relationship with me?”
She shakes her head vigorously. “That’s not it!”
“Then what is the issue?”
A moment passes, then another. Eishia holds Hyo's hand as though she'll float away without it anchoring her. And then, without another moment of hesitation, she stands on her toes, closes her eyes, and kisses Hyo.
A pleasant shock overwhelms her, and she finds herself unable to close her eyes like Eishia on the off chance she misses a crucial cue. She does, however, find the sense to cup her palms to Eishia’s face. The feeling of being kissed is unlike anything Hyo has ever felt before, like golden fizz breaking free from a newly opened bottle of champagne. When Eishia takes a hesitant step back, Hyo's lips grieve the sudden loss.
“I- Sorry! I’m so sorry! I- I don't know what came over me, I just-”
“Do it again.”
Eishia's eyes meet hers with an indescribable gleam, something that almost looks like hope. “Huh? You… Do you mean it?”
Hyo points to her lips for emphasis, since apparently she has not been clear enough today. “Again.”
And so Eishia kisses Hyo again. And again. And several more times after that. She kisses her as many times as Hyo asks, which is an excessive amount, but she doesn't seem to mind. She is patient and kind, compassionate in every way imaginable, all of the things that Hyo never knew she needed. A cacophony of flutters and emotions are warring in Hyo’s chest and she wants to explore all of them, so when they're finally done, Hyo takes Eishia to their first ever Valentine's day dinner as a real, proper couple.