Exhibition

It had been two days since Adam revealed his true intentions and plans for the future. During this time, Uncle Daniel had been shadowing him like a concerned guardian. Today was the day of the exhibition, and Adam was preparing to leave his house when Uncle Daniel showed up unexpectedly.

"Uncle?" Adam questioned, glancing at his wristwatch. "Is everything alright? Why are you here at this time?"

"I reached the office earlier, and they told me you weren't coming today. I got worried, but then I found out you had cancelled all your meetings for today. I couldn't help but be surprised. Is something going on?" Uncle Daniel asked with a mixture of astonishment and caution.

Adam chuckled and fixed his hair. "Yeah, change is good, isn't it? And yes, I have somewhere important to go."

Uncle Daniel observed his nephew's face closely, relieved to see no sign of vengeance or distaste. Instead, Adam seemed genuinely happy and amused like never before, bringing a smile to his uncle's face. "Oh, my oh! Well, that's great! But where is this 'somewhere' that made you do something you've never done before?" he asked merrily.

Adam replied, "It's an art exhibition."

"An art exhibition?" Uncle Daniel's curiosity was piqued. "Tell me more."

"Yeah..." Adam responded, lowering his voice slightly. He could sense his uncle's interest and was willing to share more about the event that had changed his perspective.

"But you were never fond of art," Uncle Daniel points out, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"Guess I am now," Adam casually shrugs his shoulders, a smirk making its way onto his lips.

"Is that so?" Uncle Daniel teases, patting his shoulders playfully.

Adam hums in response, his smirk deepening, enjoying the playful banter with his uncle.

"Uh huh... really?" Uncle Daniel continues teasing. Adam just shrugs his shoulders, not giving away too much.

"Mind if I join you?" Uncle Daniel asks, showing interest in accompanying him to the art exhibition.

Adam pauses for a moment, studying his uncle's face, then smiles and says, "Yeah, sure you can."

"Great! Let's hop on towards your art exhibition," Uncle Daniel says cheerfully.

Adam pokes his inner cheeks to suppress a smile as they head towards the car.

During the ride to the exhibition, the atmosphere is silent, with Adam focused on the road ahead and Uncle Daniel stealing glances at him curiously. Eventually, Adam turns towards his uncle and asks, "What's the matter?"

"I'm just curious," Uncle Daniel declares, shifting in his seat to face Adam directly. "Your interests have seriously changed in a matter of days."

"Nah, it never changed... you know I've been fond of art for a long time... it's in my blood, you know," Adam retorts, looking at his uncle with a playful glint in his eyes.

Uncle Daniel smiles knowingly, emphasizing the last part, "Yeah, I know. Your mother was fond of it a lot."

Adam's smile softens at the mention of his mother. "Yes, she was. And I think it's time to embrace that side of me too," he says, his tone sincere.

Uncle Daniel nods, understanding the significance of this moment for Adam. As they reach the exhibition, they both step out of the car, ready to explore the world of art together, and for Adam, to create new memories that blend with the cherished ones from his past.

"Yes, she was fond of landscapes a lot," Adam recalls his precious memories, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. He pauses, lost in thought, before continuing, "She used to draw different types of scenes once dad left for work. I used to practice with her too." He chuckles as he reminisces, "I used to draw abstract art-like drawings."

Uncle Daniel smiles warmly at his nephew, who is so immersed in his childhood memories and the bond he shared with his late mother. "You showed me once too," he responds to Adam's cheerful recounting.

"Yeah, that was just me stroking the paintbrush on the canvas in a random manner," Adam explains, smiling at the memory of his childish attempts at art.

"But it was cute, though," Uncle Daniel reassures him, appreciating the innocence of those moments.

"At that time, yeah, it was," Adam says, and the two of them burst out in fits of laughter, relishing the joy of those carefree days. After a while, they arrive at the venue of the exhibition. Parking the car, they both enter the building, Adam clutching a bouquet in one hand and Uncle Daniel by his side. As they step inside, Adam's eyes unconsciously search for the one person he's eager to see – Ella.

His gaze roams around the hall; everyone is looking at him in awe, but he remains focused on finding her. Uncle Daniel notices his nephew's preoccupation and lets out a giggle. "Where is your special one, Adam?" he asks, his curiosity piqued.

Adam glances at his uncle and smiles softly, "I'm looking for her. I hope she's here."

As they walk further into the exhibition, Adam's heart races with anticipation. He hopes to catch a glimpse of Ella, the talented artist who has unknowingly captured his heart. Little does he know that destiny has something special in store for both of them on this fateful day.

"I was looking—ah, there she is," Adam retorts as his eyes catch a glimpse of red hair standing at the corner of the hall, her eyes fixed on the other exit. With determination in his stride, he moves towards her, ignoring the gasp from his uncle, who is in awe of what he's witnessing: "Girl, are you serious?"

Uncle Daniel follows his nephew like a lost puppy, his attention fully captivated by the red-haired woman in front of them. Taking slow steps, he becomes engrossed in the sight of Ella, dressed in a stunning long emerald green dress, with her hair cascading down her shoulders. The minimal makeup and a small silver pendant around her neck add a touch of elegance to her plain yet alluring attire. But what truly takes his breath away is the moment their eyes meet; she instantly beams at him.

"Adam," she mouths slowly, waving at him; he unknowingly waves back, his heart fluttering. Trying to regain his composure, Adam suppresses his smile, standing tall in front of Ella and nodding in acknowledgement.

"Hey, Adam!" Ella greets him with genuine merriment in her voice, her eyes sparkling with joy at his presence.

"Hey," Adam responds, bowing his head a little. After handing her the bouquet, he finally registers the fact that he has brought someone else with him too. "Uncle Daniel is here, Ella."

"Oh, nice to meet you, sweetheart," Uncle Daniel says as he shakes hands with her. She beams at him before responding, "Yeah, same here."

"Ella, he is my uncle," Adam adds.

"Oh, great," Ella replies while bowing again. She pauses for a while before playfully nudging her shoulder with his once Uncle Daniel excuses himself for a call. "You came?"

"You called," Adam responds sternly while staring intensely into her eyes.

Ella blushes a little and smiles to herself as she sniffs the bouquet he handed her. "You liked flowers?" Adam questions.

"Yeah, I like them," Ella says softly while looking at the flowers in her arms.

Uncle Daniel approaches and involves himself in a little conversation with Ella. As Adam stands beside them, he asks, "Where are the paintings?"

"Oh, there," Ella points towards the bunch of canvases placed in the right corner and some hanging on the wall. He slowly approaches them, his eyes widening in amazement at the different canvases filled with different colors, each portraying various emotions from the delicate girl standing a few inches away from him. He is busy observing her art when his ear catches her soft words, "Where's your dad, Ella?" Uncle Daniel asks her.

"He, he is not coming today," Ella's voice drops with a hint of sadness. His first reflex is to turn around, and upon doing so, his silver eyes meet her earthy ones, a sense of understanding passing between them. He doesn't say anything, but a silent assurance is conveyed as he nods his head gently. Ella looks at him, her eyes softening at the gesture, and she nods back in appreciation.

Adam was busy admiring the paintings in front of him when a person on his right caught his sight. His eyes widened a bit as he tried to recall the person. "It can't be..." he muttered to himself. He kept on staring at the person who was now moving towards other paintings.

Ella called out to Adam, and he glanced at her. "Your uncle is calling," she pointed out. He nodded at her before glancing towards the previous position, but now there was no one. The person had vanished, leaving him perplexed and intrigued. He couldn't shake off the feeling that he had seen that face somewhere before, but his mind couldn't place it.