1. Won't Give Up

Charylin never forgets to hope that God hears her prayers. She just wants to meet a man who truly loves her and doesn't care about her family status. When she was just born into this world, her parents had set her up with the children of their business partners. She doesn't know what made them change their minds and is willing to give her five months to find the husband of her dreams.

In these three months, she had never counted how many times she had met a man, some of whom had asked her out.

She chewed the bread slowly, soaking up the sweetness of the chocolate that melted on her tongue. She nodded as she listened to a man in a plaid shirt explain the painting in front of them.

"Look. Although the painting is only the palm of the painter's hand, this painting is very touching." The man named Tom held his chest and closed his eyes as if he was feeling the painter's feelings. He also felt his soul stir as if the painter put his hand on his back and made his back as a canvas.

Charylin glanced at Tom, and then she glared at the red palm painting to find out the reason why the painter just put his hand dipped in watercolor onto the canvas. Her brow furrowed because, once again, she failed to interpret the paintings in this art gallery and did not feel any touch. Is it because she doesn't like painting?

"I want to make a painting that touches like this." Tom opened his eyes and startled Charylin, who was glaring at the painting closely. Tom smiled widely because he could sense Lily's burning curiosity. "Do you like it, Lily?"

Charylin turned to Tom, who looked happy, and she forced her lips into a wide smile showing her white teeth; she must have looked like a horse grinning. "Try to make a painting like this, or you dip your foot in watercolor and stick it to the canvas."

Tom shook his head. "Didn't I tell you? I can't paint and draw."

"Isn't this easy?" Charylin looked back at the palm painting. "What's so difficult about making a painting like this? You only need to buy canvas and watercolors." She turned to Tom to notice the reaction Tom was showing. She wasn't wrong, was she? Even a small child can make a painting like that.

"You don't understand, Lily. Painting can't be arbitrary. Your feelings must blend with the image you make so that people who see it can feel what you want to convey through the image you make."

Charylin continued to eat the chocolate-flavored bread. Her brows furrowed in confusion. She had absolutely no idea what Tom meant.

"Come on, let's see another painting." Tom walked over to another painting he hadn't seen, standing in front of an abstract painting that was just a mixture of different colors. His eyes sparkled when he saw the painting.

Unlike Tom, Charylin's reaction was the same as when she saw the other paintings. Her brows furrowed, and her brain was unable to decipher the painting. Just a mixture of colors, as if the painter was lazy to draw. Charylin looked back; two men were also fascinated when they looked at the painting. She put the plastic wrap of the bread in her bag and ate the candy. "I've seen paintings like this a few times. Just a mix of colors."

"I feel proud to see this painting because it was my idol painter who made it. Although almost all his paintings consist of only a mixture of colors or only one color, they always have a beautiful and soul-stirring meaning. The price of painting is also very expensive. He was very merciful to put one of his masterpieces at this exhibition." Tom held back the tears that wanted to come out.

Charylin's mouth widened so that a fly could enter it. Wow. Paintings like this can thrill the soul. She does not understand at all about the meaning of each painting which is the result of the artist's thoughts or feelings. Those who like painting will be amazed and can understand the meaning of each painting, in contrast to her, who could only stare like an idiot.

Charylin followed Tom wherever Tom stepped. She tried to understand and feel the vibrations like what she felt every time she saw a painting. She was curious. "I only know the Monalisa painting." Who doesn't know about the famous and often talked about a painting of Monalisa until now? Experts who are trying to decipher the meaning of Monalisa's gaze that has certain codes in its eyeballs.

"Monalisa is beautiful and mysterious. Her smile is mysterious." Tom received the candy from Charylin and ate it.

"Yeah, her smile is mysterious." Charylin smiled widely when she saw the clear blue sky. Finally, Tom took her home; for almost two hours, she accompanied Tom to look at all the paintings in the exhibition. Wow, she was surprised at herself that she could last that long when she knew nothing about painting. She was bored, but she was curious to feel what Tom and the other visitors felt when they saw all the paintings.

"Lily." Tom looked straight at Charylin; they were waiting for a taxi.

"Why?" Charylin looked back at Tom.

"Looks like we don't get along." Tom sighed. "Twice we went to painting exhibitions, and several times you looked confused and didn't understand anything about painting. I want to find a woman who thinks like me." Tom's face looked guilty. "I'm sorry, and thank you very much for accompanying me."

Charylin is not sad. Because honestly, she didn't like Tom, who was too focused on painting and forgetting about her. She had imagined her future if she was with Tom; Tom would always ask her out on a date to a painting exhibition. "Yeah, that's okay. We are different. Our likes are different."

Charylin waved her hand as Tom got into the taxi. She took a deep breath. Then she took her notebook and crossed out Tom's name. She pondered. Why hadn't she yet found a man who could make her heart pound like it was about to explode?

"Okay. Don't worry. I still have two months left. I won't give up!" Charylin encouraged herself. "Okay, time to go to the orphanage!"

***

On a mission to find a husband. Charylin deliberately works in a restaurant and goes to a place where she will meet good men who accept her for who she is. Regardless of the status of her parents. Charylin does not matter if later she meets a man who comes from an ordinary circle, and her parents also do not give any conditions as long as the man sincerely loves her.

"Rylin!" The children welcomed Charylin, who came and gave them food. Every Saturday she would come to the orphanage and play with the adorable children here. She treats all the children here as her sister and her brother.

"Don't fight, okay? Everyone will get it." Charylin smiled broadly at the children sitting neatly and enjoying their burgers.

"Rylin, you never forget to come here." Amber, the orphanage owner, pinched Rylin's cheek.

"I couldn't have forgotten about them and you too." Rylin winked at Amber. The woman with almost all white hair chuckled. Sometimes Charylin wants to be like Amber, who chooses not to marry and raise children here, but Charylin can't lie to herself, who expects a man in her life.

"Thank you, Vico. I've troubled you." Amber approached a man who had finished repairing the electrical installation.

Charylin watched them chatting. Many men met her, and some of them asked her out, but there was one man who seemed not to see her and made her think of herself as a ghost. The man's name was Vico. One of the volunteers at this orphanage, just like her.

"Hi, Vico." Charylin stood next to Vico, who was standing by the window and looking up at the sky.

"Hi," Vico answered without turning to Charylin.

Charylin pouted. Then she dropped her eyes down to see her appearance. Today she is wearing a light blue t-shirt and trousers. Then she adjusted the position of the white glasses that framed her face. Her shoulder-length brown hair was tied in one. Was her appearance unable to make Vico's heart flutter, or was he attracted to her? Was it because she was wearing glasses that made her look like a nerd? "The sky is beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes, beautiful."

Charylin glanced at Vico, annoyed. Why does Vico always give short answers? "Vico." She was shocked when the man, who was probably over 180 meters tall, walked away from her without saying anything. She puffed out her cheeks with a feeling of irritation building up in her heart. "Does he think he's so handsome that he's arrogant? Does he think I'm not pretty?" The fire of anger flared in Charylin's eyes. She felt insulted that there was a man who didn't like her!