It has been a week already since Taehyung left. Ashley was seriously considering returning to work,  finishing them early, and just taking an alone trip to any random country.

But she already had done many works even on her vacation. It was tiring, but she realized she didn't have anything else to do either.

She liked to consider herself a lazy person, and apart from works, it's true though.

She liked to lay down grabbing a book and bags of chips with her rather than going out and have fun.

It was a boring day for her. A day of enormous conversation with herself in her head.
She was trying to find out the meaning of her life. She realized all her hobbies and passions were dying slowly with time. The busier she gets, the further she goes from her passions.
And the further she gets, the lonelier and emptier she feels lately.

This was another day of her self-loathing.
She tried to remain the positive person she appeared to be.
She tried to hold on to the persona everyone saw in her but she couldn't deny the fact that these were all empty words and world.

Yes, she learned to let go of everything bad that came in her way and learned not to hold back. That was the reason for her charming positivity.
But didn't she learn to let go of the goods too? Didn't she learn not to hold back to absolutely everything?

"Ughhhh!!!! I am seriously going nuts!" she mumbled frustratingly.

"You seriously need to get a life, girl," she grabbed the water bottle beside her. And the conversation again goes on.
"But you have a life. A beautiful and successful one indeed. You love what you do and you are great at it, don't you?"

" That's true. But...ugh...I don't know!!! It's frustrating," she slammed the bottle down as if it was the one at fault here.

"Looks like somebody is quite busy today!!" a jolly voice addressed her.

Ashley stopped what she was doing. She looked beyond the easel leaning to one side. Taehyung was standing there leaning against the backyard fences. He was smiling the childish boxy smile of his, as bright as the sunshine.

" Tae???!!!" coming down from the patio of backyards, Ashley approached him, a nice smile was making its place on her face.

Taehyung looked at her, she was looking casual with hands covered with colors, color stains in her white shirt, sleeves folded up to her elbows, and a messy bun twisted with a paintbrush in her head.

"It's a bright day, I guess you don't go out much?" Taehyung was still smiling.

Ashley stood opposite him.
"What are you doing here?" she was happy seeing him again.

He was different from the day before, wearing a light shirt and trousers with a backpack and a headband.

"If you don't go out much Ms. Ruth, what you say today we go out and explore the world a bit together?" Taehyung smiled energetically.

"Well, in that case, today is your lucky day, Mr. Kim, cause I am free," Ashley replied raising her brow a bit.

Taehyung smiled, "how have you been, Ash?"

She nodded and opened the backyard gate, "come on in."

Taehyung entered.

Seeing the canvas she was working on, he whistled in surprise, "I didn't know you can paint so well !!"

Ashley blushed, "Ah, it's nothing!"
she tried to change the topic, but Taehyung didn't care, "are you trained??"

"Well, no. I just happened to love drawing as I had nothing to do with my free time growing up. And here I  am!!" she replied shyly.

Taehyung sat on the table on the patio, Ashley sat in front of him on the garden chair.

"Well, you continue surprising me, Ash," Taehyung said.

Ashley waved him off.

"You must be thirsty, lets see what I  have."

She went inside. After a brief moment, she came out with a bottle of lemonade in her hand. She tossed the bottle at Taehyung.

"Bad for you, I can't hold my liquor,  not even a tiny bit. So no hard drinks here, no beer, nothing," she said smiling.

Taehyung pointed at the painting,
"Isn't it Picasso?"

"Yeah right." Ashley was a little surprised seeing Taehyung recognized the painting.
"Trying to copy that, for practice."

"Violins and grapes," Taehyung said excitedly, "I saw it in New York. Umm...in the museum of modern arts maybe?"

Ashley smiled.
"Where do you want to go today?" she asked Taehyung.

"I don't know. I have seen pretty much everything the whole week."

" I am happy you came here." Ashley was really happy.

Taehyung was excitedly watching her paint. She noticed it, "Wanna try?"

"Don't encourage me. I'll definitely ruin it," he replied.

"I can fix that if you do," Ashley said, still encouraging him.

Taehyung came down from the table. Sat beside her taking the paintbrush she was offering.

The next ten minutes were a mess. Taehyung was goofing around resulting in painting colors on Ashley's hands and cheek.

Ashley didn't seem to mind at all. Looked like she liked having color stains on her skin. 
Taehyung suddenly seemed to notice the low music playing inside the house, "It's Bruckner, right? The seventh?"

Ashley smiled, "What you don't know, boy?"

"It's you. You are quite different from others," Taehyung complimented.

Ashley blushed, "no! I am not."

"Yes, you are. Who normally enjoys classics?" Taehyung argued.

"That's not true. I like heavy metals too.... am a metal freak you can say," Ashley replied.

"Seriously? So you are quite a duality I see!" Taehyung  smiled, "I like metal too."

"Is that so? What do you like?" Ashley was curious.

"Well, I like Pink Floyd, Nirvana, of course, Guns and Roses, and many more," Taehyung replied.

"Hey, I like them too!" Ashley was happy, "I love Iron maiden and Linkin Park. Linkin Park is alternative rock though."

"Jungkook likes Linkin Park. Me too. They are great!"  Tahyung's eyes were sparkling with excitement.

"Jungkook? Your friend?" Ashley asked.

"Yes. We work together," Taehyung replied.

"Conclusion, we have many things in common," Ashley stated.

"You like pop?" Taehyung asked.

"I enjoyed some of them. But you see I  haven't listened to new music for quite a time now. I am clinging onto my playlist of old music like an old grandma."

The duo chuckled.

"Hey, you know BTS?" Taehyung asked casually.

"Do I have to?" Ashley was stretching her wrists now.

Taehyung flushed suddenly. Hiding the smile he said, "any idea about them?"

"Oh boy, I am not alien. I know they are huge. I mean they are a global sensation now, right?" Ashley asked.

Alien? Taehyung chuckled at this.

"Maybe?" he replied.

"Yes, they are. They are from your country, right? You must be so proud," Ashley said.

Taehyung nodded unsurely. Quite flustered, Still smiling.

"I have never listened to them. But my friend, she is a huge fan. She told me to give them a try," Ashley was casual.

"And you didn't?" it was a statement rather than a question.

"Too busy," Ashley smiled. "I didn't get enough time until now. And before you mentioned it, I completely forgot. But I bet they are good." Ashley was positive.

"Why do you think so?" Taehyung asked. Slightly amused.

"See, they are not only famous in your country. My friend is a huge fan and she even doesn't speak Korean. Yet they managed to reach her. If they were not good, it was pointless,"  Ashley complimented.

Taehyung was impressed. And he was glad. This girl is really something else.

"let's go for a walk." Taehyung suggested, "I found a Korean restaurant not far from here. Lunch is on me."