Chapter 1 - Beautiful face and a rotten heart

"Ring, ring, ring...." The phone vibrated violently in the table's corner.

In the small 200 sq feet house the sound echoed loudly, but the inhabitant of the room was too distracted to notice it.

A young man wearing a paint-stained loose flannel stood by the balcony with a cigarette in hand. He took a whiff and grimaced slightly, 'This brand is stinky…' but this was the only one he could afford.

"Ring, ring, ring…."

Kui Lang sighed loudly, gazing at the phone. It had rung so many times that it was hanging off the side of the table. If he didn't pick up his phone now, it would definitely vibrant off the table.

He snuffed the cigarette, stepped over the trash in the small room, and caught it right before it could fall. He connected the call with a grunt. "What?"

"Kui shit are you even alive? I thought you killed yourself or something."

Kui Lang gazed at the bandage on his wrist without a word. "I'm alive. Why did you call so many times?'

"That guy is getting a National medal for Art! Fuck, that shameless guy stole your piece and now he is going out of control. You must sue him! You can't let him go just like that. That cash price itself is so huge! Kui, don't be soft-hearted!"

He cut the call instantly.

His eyes fell on the unfished painting of two men hung high on the wall. It had only been a year since they had met. yet he had completely fallen for his charms.

his heart clenched as he looked at the unfinished face on the painting.

Dai Zu was like beautiful spring flowers. He came into his life beautifully and made him the happiest man alive.

even with his eyes closed, he could still remember the first day he met him.

Dai Zu, his senior, the best in their art department.

The moment he walked into the campus; he had seen him talking to the bunch of freshers. his short black hair fluttered in the spring wind; a few cheery blossom petals stuck between those locks gave him an ethereal feeling.

Bewitched Kui Lang watched him. he was from a rural village and he was considered the most handsome. But he was nothing compared to this man. This man, just by standing there, looked like a work of art. Nothing could beat his handsomeness.

just as that thought hit him, his heart started to pound loudly in his ear.

right then his senior gazed his way with a small smile and waved at him.

it was at this moment that he fell completely in love

the handsome angel walked to him like in those movies. "Do you need any help with your bags?" with a dazzling smile he took the luggage from him. "You're a freshman, right? ill guide you to your room,"

"y-yes thank you," Kui Lang had dazedly walked behind him looking at his sturdy back.

to Kui Lang, it was just a childish crush. He never meant to act on his desires nor approach this beautiful man. but fate had other plans.

the next semester, Dai Zu shared a class with him. "Hey aren't you that cute junior? we are in the same class." he smiled at him.

he could remember, he was not able to breathe at that moment. "h-hi…" his voice came out as a whisper.

"This professor is really great, but he is very harsh in grading students." Dai Zu took his art book and gazed at his work. "Why don't we team up? What do you say, junior?"

he did not know how he replied to it. Like a lovesick idiot, he must have nodded and agreed.

Kui Lang was the top of his class, but none knew of his achievements as he kept to himself. and mostly because he came from a rural town, he could not socialize well with his classmates.

only Dai Zu was willing to talk to him.

this softened his heart.

what a stupid heart.

Day by day they got close… closer... closer.

until that beautiful day, they kissed.

it was magical.

a sole tear rolled down his cheeks as he reminisced about his beautiful memory. his freshly cut wrist started to itch again. he scratched the bandage vigorously.

'Stop thinking about him…. stop…'

because behind that beautiful face was a devil waiting and luring him into his trap.

Dai Zu, his lover, his beautiful man, left him completely broke.

Dai Zu stole his money and his artwork and claimed it as his. At first, he tried to fight back to prove those works were his. But that devil had a lot of fake proof that he made it.

His professors refused to believe him; he was the one who taught Dai Zu how to paint so their paint strokes were identical. Even to the small details, he had taught Dai everything he knew.

his fellow classmates ostracized him.

he did not have any proof.

he was named a liar, the cheater.

he was alone.

completely alone plunged into the darkness of his own misery.

in the end, he lost his painting to that scheming person.

Now that person is a renounced person in the art world and getting awards for HIS work.

He laughed dryly. "Is this what they call ill fate,"

ever since he was young, he had the talent to paint so well. he had become cocky as time went on. But now he was nothing.

With his trembling hand, he picked up another cigarette and lit it up. he lounged on the only piece of furniture in the apartment and slept.

a sudden loud banging on the door startled him awake.

Kui Lang sat up straight wiping his eyes, he was groggy and disoriented from all the blood loss.

"Kui! Open darn it! let me in!!!" a loud scream really made his pounding headache worse.

Sighing Kui opened the door. "What do you want Woo Tan."

His best friend barged in pushing him out of the way. "oh, my fucking god, you are living like a pig man," saying this he started to pick up the trash from the ground. "You must sue him I'm telling you, that guy deserves to rot in jail."

"I'm telling you that trash is…." Woo Tan's eyes fell on the bandage on his wrist. "What the fuck!" he dashed to him and griped his hand. "Did you cut yourself?!! What the hell is wrong with you Kui! That guy is not worth it! and that piece is not worth it! you are the one who created it and you can definitely create show-stopping pieces in the future. Why do your ruin your special hand like this?"

Kui gazed into his worried eyes. 'at least I have Woo…. how will he react if he finds my cold corpse on the ground….no…. ' his eyes fell on the blood stains he had wiped from the ground.

he did not wish to traumatize his best friend like that. They had known each other since a very young age and grow up next door. Woo Tan was like the bright sunlight while he was like cold winter. he did not even know how they became friends with such drastic personalities.

"Kui…."

Kui pulled his hand out of his hold. "I'm fine,"

"You're not fine! You are clearly sick!"

"I'm not…." Kui pretended to smile. "See, I'm fine. This was just a wound from my carving knife. I was trying to mix up paint, and I cut it accidentally," he lied through his teeth.

"Enough! enough of you being stuck in here. you need to get out Kui. Come," Woo Tan dragged him to his small shelf. He started to pull out some clothes and tossed them at his face. "Dress up right now. We are going partying right now."

"I don't feel like it, Woo Tan... maybe next time," he tried his best to put on a smile but his friend saw through it.

His cheerful face frowned worriedly. "Kui… you can't destroy yourself for that monster. You must stay strong and fight back. Only then can you get your revenge?"

"I don't want my revenge," he said coldly. "I just want to be… can you leave me alone?"

"No, I won't leave you alone. I will never leave you alone." he started to pull off his shirt. "We are going partying like last time! If you don't fuck leave right now, I swear I will toss you over my shoulder and carry you out of here,"

Sighing, Kui pushed his hands off. "Fine... I'll get dressed on my own." He turned to the side and took his shirt off.

Woo Tan gazed at his bony back, holding back his tears. His friend had been like this since that bastard stole his work. he had been trying his best to bring Kui out of that dazed state,

'He is cutting himself…. shit.' he hurriedly wiped away his tears.

'I can't let him live alone…. I have to help him...' he thought resolutely in his heart.

Kui Lang got dressed up and trudged out of his house behind Woo Tan. "Where are we going?"

"Our usual spot. We are getting drunk until we drop." He turned over and held his shoulders. "And you are going to get over this. you are going to paint the best work and slap that guy's face with your achievements,"

Kui chuckled for the first time in a long time. "We can try to do that…"

Soon his smile went away. Right after his boyfriend cheated on him and stole his work, he was left devastated. it was not the theft that hurt him but Dai Zu himself.

Kui Lang confronted him. "s-senior you... you can have that work. Please. Please can you tell the professors that I didn't lie? they... they might dismiss me…. please." he had clung to his hand, desperately.

"Why should I clear your name?"

he had looked up at him in shock.

Dai Zu scoffed at his face. "You country bumpkin, do not know how this world works, do you? That work is now mine. I have all the proof it's mine. even if you shout from the top of the world, no one will believe you. Do you know why? Because you're a freak." he left laughing at him mockingly.

Kui Lang completely broke at that moment.

from then on, he had lost his motivation and that creative fire. he was not able to draw anything. even a single line ended up a crooked squiggle.

That was the reason last night he planned to end it all.

Without his art, he was nothing.

He did not want to live in this world as nothing,

But at the last minute when he placed the knife on his wrist, he got a weird resistance. He only made a small cut before he stopped and tossed the knife away.

He had hurriedly applied medicine and bandaged it up.

Woo Tan squeezed his hand pulling him out of his dazed state. "I'm treating today so drink all you want. Drown in your sorrows and next day forget everything. Everything about him. Kui… please at least for me you have to get better. I can't bear to see you like this," he said with tears in his eyes.

Kui gently patted his cheeks. "I'm fine."

"You are not..."

"I was not. But now I'm trying to be fine. I'm planning on going to therapy.,"

Woo Tan's whole face lit up instantly... "great! Great! That fucking bastard doesn't deserve you, brother. I will help you find a good boyfriend.

"Oh no thank you. I'm already traumatized by the one I had." He playfully whispered. "no boyfriends."

"Fine," Woo Tan pouted. "But I tell you, you will find a great lover. Not everyone is trash like that guy,"

Kui's smile wilted slightly. "I know."

They hit their usual bar. The sound was catchy, and there were hot sweaty bodies grinding up against him.

Kui lost himself to the music dancing and drinking like crazy. By the end of the night, he had already lost all of that depressing feeling.

he wanted to change.

Kui walked up to the bartender. "What can I do to move onnnn..." he said with a slur.

The kind man gave him a cocky smirk. "well, you can date someone.:

"No, anything other than that," he said, shaking his head violently.

"hmm, you can try traveling around. it really helps. I had a friend who was just like you," he said poking the fresh bandage on his wrist.

Kui hissed. "did it helpp him?"

"Yeah, he got better. Try it,"

His eyes went to the ceiling and laughed out loud. "I don't have cash."

"Hmm why don't you do this? Plan ahead on a place you want to travel to and work towards it. if you have a clear goal, you and definitely achieve it. Plus, it can also help you move on and save money." The bar keeper said with a smirk. "it's going to be new year soon. Try building a manifestation board. Anything your soul aches for will come to you."

Kui smiled laying on the counter. "Then how about I draw my board… hiccup... will it work?"

"you can only try and pray it would happen. Personally, I've seen that it works." The bartender poked his forehead. 'you're drunk, I'll ask Woo Tan to send you home."

Kui gasped. "You know Woo!"

"Hmm, he is my boyfriend." He said winking.

He simply gaped at him and giggled. "Let me tell you a secret…. he…he is coco…."

"oh my god did I hear you taking behind my back," Woo Tan came up from behind him and hugged him tightly. "Hey Gil, can you put it on my tab?'

Gil gently pinched his cheeks. "Go home safe. I'll be back by two am,"

Woo Tan reached over and kissed his lips. "Stay safe, and don't you dare flirty with anyone else."

He pulled Kui behind him and walked out of there. It was late at night, so cabs were not available. They waited by the bus stop, holding the light post.

"Woo Tan, he told me to draw my wish…. I want to win a jackpot,"

"Then I well buy a ticket okay..." Woo Tan happily pinched his cheeks. "I'm so glad you are back Kui... I'm so glad…"

Kui giggled. "Oh, your bus…" he pointed to the bus that was coming towards them.

Woo Tan stumbled froward to the door. "Nah, I'll drop you off and go home."

"Nope!" Kui pushed him into the bus. "Driver, take my friend home."

"Kui!!"

"I want to buy art supplies." He said with a soft smile. "I'm going to draw again Woo… I want to draw my dreams."

Woo Tan smiled softly. The doors closed, "I love you!"

Kui giggled. "I love you too Woo Tan!" he shouted after the bus like a crazy fool.

He stumbled back to the streets towards the familiar art store. But since it was late at night nothing was open.

He frowned deeply. 'I want a brush set,…. I want it..." he had the urge to paint all of a sudden.

On the way he found a thrift stop and he spotted a huge pain pallet there.

"Jackpot." Grinning, Kui walked in.

Only an old man was manning the cash register.

He nodded at him and headed straight to the painter's pallet. It was made up of acrylic and looked slightly worn out. But with his budget, he can't afford to buy a new one anyway, so he bagged it up.

Drunkenly, he stumbled through the aisles, looking curiously at the small jars and vases.

Suddenly, a wooden box caught his eye.

He picked it up and held it close to his face to take a good look. The small pencil-sized box was carved with a few flowery designs and there was an engraving in a different language that he was not knowledgeable in.

"Eh? It's just a pretty box." He placed it back in the corner of the shelf.

His roaming eyes soon started to search for any art supplies. He came across a small bottle of silver paint in the back.

"Ohhh got you." he pulled it out.

Accidentally, the pretty wooden box got knocked over.

"oop," giggling, he picked it up. To his surprise saw a beautiful ebony wooden tip for what looked like a pencil poking out. He squatted down, tossing all his finds on the ground, and picked up the box and its contents.

It was a beautiful fine-tip painting brush. Its bristles were still very firm and had a slight give. It would be perfect to paint lines and backgrounds with it.

"Which brand is this... it's so fancy..." he searched for a brand insignia but he was unable to find one.

"It's a good brush. This will do for now." mumbling he struggled to get off the floor.

The other things he had chosen were already tossed to the side. With that single paintbrush and that wooden box, he went to the counter.

The older man did not even bother to look up at his face. he simply looked at the box with a slight frown. When he saw no price tag, he simply assumed one of the prices they have for wooden antiques, "That would be five dollars."

Kui searched through his pocket and found a scrunched-up twenty dollars. He handed it to him with a cute grin. "I think it's five~"

The old man sighed and bagged it up for him. "You gave ten dollars extra … we don't have change. Do you wish to buy a lotto ticket for it or candy? Chose." The man said in a dull tone.

Kui pouted. "I want candy but I also want the lotto ticket… hmm… give me one candy for five and one ticket for ten,"

the old man sighed. "Just take the ticket man,"

Kui took the ticket and stuffed it into his already full pocket along with his paintbrush set. "Thank you~"