→ Elkie's atelier

@Murayama Yuiri There hadn't been many moments in her life in which Tingyan had felt nervous. The first day at school, obviously, was one of them. Or the moment her father had let go of the bike when she had been learning how to ride it. Generally anything involving doing something for the first time. And even though this wasn't the first time for her to invite someone into the atelier, there still was that familiar nervousness sitting in the pit of her stomach, threatening to spread throughout her whole body, which would certainly leave her with clammy hands, heart racing. It never went that far though, as the girl in front of her responded almost too eagerly. Instead, Tingyan let out a quiet chuckle, all remnants of uneasiness leaving her system. "It's alright. I was only going to go out for a short walk. Get some fresh air. Clearing my head, you know?" Pulling her shoulders up into a shrug, her lips soon began to curl into a cheeky grin as she then added with a teasing tone. "Since a certain stalker lady kept occupying my mind and had me worried since early morning." The young sculptor then turned around to fumble with the lock, taking a few seconds to unlock the door before she pushed it open. With her back leaning against the glass door to keep it from falling shut again, she nodded towards the group of armchairs right next to the entrance where she would usually welcome and discuss details with customers. "Come on in. No need to be shy or scared. The owner of the shop, my mentor and partner actually, will be back in an hour maybe so you won't have to deal with just me for that long. And...I guess I'll leave the door unlocked and open? Just in case you feel the need to run from me again."

@Chong Tingyan Yuiri couldn't help but stare in awe as the female started laughing, deciding then and there that it had to be one of the loveliest sights she had ever witnessed. It suited her way better than the cold and distant image she had previously shown, warmth now radiating from her. How someone could change this drastically from one second to the next was beyond her, but Yuiri hoped that this was the usual side of the female. Her cheeks started to take on a pink hue, suddenly feeling just like a little kid upon the gentle touch. And although she usually hated it, she made no attempt to move or push the other's hand away. Luckily, or perhaps sadly, enough that little moment of intimacy didn't last for too long and she unconsciously took a step back when the sculptor retreated her hand. "Oh. I suppose I must have looked quite suspicious at first. But I'm glad." That I'm not the only one looking forward to the mornings, was what she wanted to say. But perhaps it would have been too much, so instead Yuiri opted for a joke, like always when she just couldn't bring herself to be honest with her feelings. "That you didn't call the police on me." There was a moment of silence in which she followed the other's gaze, her eyes soon growing wider in surprise at the sudden invitation. "No no no! It's not weird at all. Don't worry!" Too quick. There hadn't even been a heartbeat's time when she already responded, but Yuiri had been too afraid the female would take everything back if she hesitated for too long. "A cup of tea sounds lovely. If it's really alright for you, though. You looked like you were about to leave."

@Murayama Yuiri SH Tingyan wasn't necessarily a bully, but she had to admit that she did enjoy seeing people get flustered and squirm because of something she said or did. Even more when it was someone this cute and easy to read like the girl in front of her. Unconsciously, the corners of her lips started to slightly curl up as she watched her go through different states of emotions in such a short time. It was quite amusing how she seemed to make up her mind about something, her body language telling more than words ever could.

Unable to keep up with the cool and indifferent farce, Tingyan burst out into soft laughter. Uncomfortable really wasn't what she had been feeling all this time and even though she didn't necessarily enjoy having people's attention on her, she didn't hate it either. "Thanks for the compliment, I guess." Unconsciously, she reached out to gently pet the girl's head, a soft smile on her lips. "It's alright, don't worry. If you had ever made me feel uncomfortable, I could have just moved to the back corner of the atelier." Realizing what she was doing, she pulled her hand back, crossing her arms in front of her chest instead as she continued to talk. "To be honest, at first I thought you were a little strange, but then before I knew, I already started looking forward to your daily visits." Pausing for a moment, Tingyan let her eyes wander, her lips pursing slightly in thought before she motioned towards the atelier. "Actually...would you like to come in for a cup of tea? I mean, if you're free, that is. Or do you think this would be too weird? I actually never thought that we would ever talk to each other, but...I don't really know why. But I would like to know more about you."

@Chong Tingyan She thought she would be prepared for it, but once again Yuiri was caught off guard when the other girl turned around, those dark eyes looking at her as if they were piercing right though her soul. It made her feel uneasy yet she couldn't tear her gaze from her face, completely under the female's spell. It was a near miracle how she could still properly talk without stammering or even register the response she got in return. It did take her a heartbeat to fully comprehend though before her eyes widened, her naturally rosy cheeks turning a few shades darker. Her initial reaction was to deny, deny, deny. But was it even of any use? The way the girl looked at her, Yuiri knew for a fact that it wasn't just a bluff, but that she really must have seen her watch her before. So the only thing she could do was be honest and somehow try to convince her that she wasn't some creepy stalker.

She let out a soft sigh before squaring her shoulders, mentally preparing herself for the worst possible outcome. "No, you're right. Actually I've been stopping at your shop every morning for a few months already. The first time I saw you, you looked....how you were so focused, you just looked so pretty. Without thinking much about it, I kept coming back everyday.And then it just somehow turned into a morning routine." Rubbing her nape, she offered an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry if I ever made you feel uncomfortable. If you....if you want I can stop and use another route to get to work?" Yuiri herself certainly would hate to do that, but she really didn't want to get on the girl' bad side.

@Murayama Yuiri at the sound of someone clearing their throat, Tingyan turned around, half expecting it to either be one of her customers who had decided to drop by unannounced or the actual owner of the atelier who had perhaps come back earlier from his errand. When she found herself face to face with neither of them, her eyebrows shot up slightly in surprise, her eyes growing wider when she recognized the familiar face. Before she could say anything though, the girl already started speaking so instead she quietly listened, occasionally nodding here and there to show that she was still listening.

To be honest, Tingyan wanted to crack a smile, finding this whole situation so absurd that it was amusing. After all there was an obvious reason why her partner and the owner of the atelier chose to have a glass front instead of brick walls. And even though, when she had first started working there it had bothered her a little bit that anyone could watch her while she was working on her sculptures, Tingyan had eventually grown fond of it as it also allowed her to see the curiosity and wonder in people's eyes. Still, the other girl didn't necessarily need to know so instead she kept the grin off her face although she couldn't hide a flicker of mischief in her eyes as she decided to have a little fun. "Ah. But you know, the way you say it, it sounds like it was just a one time thing. Even though I'm pretty sure I've seen you stop and stare every morning for the past few weeks. No?"

@Chong Tingyan As she got closer to the atelier, Yuiri slowed down gradually until she came to a stop a couple hundred feet away, trying to catch her breath. Unconsciously she had ran the whole way back and it was only now that she realized how silly she was behaving. Almost like a lovesick little puppy. Just that she wasn't in love. That Yuiri was certain of. How could she when they had never even talked to each other? As important as looks were for her, Yuiri usually fell for someone's personality and the many stolen glimpses weren't enough just to determine the girl's personality yet. So rather than love or infatuation, it was more of a fascination that kept her gravitating towards the other.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Yuiri saw a familiar figure leaving the atelier and immediately she felt nervous all over again. Even though she had rushed back, she hadn't prepared herself for a second interaction at all. For a moment she considered hiding and watching her from a safe distance, but at second thought she really didn't want to get into any trouble. And behaving like a stalker sure would cause a ton of trouble. So instead, after taking a deep breath, Yuiri walked up to the girl, a million thoughts racing through her mind as she tried to figure out what to do or say. In the end she settled for a simple clearing of , a friendly yet somewhat forced smile on her lips. "Uh...hi. Earlier this morning, sorry about that. I didn't mean to....'invade your privacy' like that. It must have been weird for you, to be stared at by a stranger like that. Really, sorry. I don't really know why I did that."

@Murayama Yuiri Even though Tingyan didn't want to admit to it, the events from this morning kept occupying her thoughts throughout the day. She had tried her hardest to focus on her newest art piece and for a while it had worked just fine. But whenever her focus was dwindling, her thoughts would travel back to the early morning hours. Maybe she shouldn't have acknowledge that girl's presence, allowing them to stay in this secure little bubble for a little longer. But curiosity had gotten the better of her. She had always wanted to get a better look at the mysterious stranger who stopped by every morning to watch her, just a few more seconds to glimpse at those fluffy cheeks, those pretty eyes. Now that she had managed to do that, Tingyan made sure to remember her face.

Realizing that her thoughts had once again started going back to the girl, Tingyan decided to call it a day. It was no use continuing to work when being this distracted. Heading over to the sink, she washed off the excess clay on her hands before moving back to her work station to meticulously wrap everything up, making sure that the clay wouldn't dry out until the next day. Once done, she stood in the middle of the atelier, looking around. It was too early to go home, but what else could she do? She wasn't too big of a fan of going shopping, especially not alone, preferred the peaceful calm of her home. Yet with the tiny little house she had moved in with her pair, she felt caged. Not that she thought her partner would really miss her even if she came home late at night. Perhaps a stroll in the park then. Having made up her mind, Tingyan grabbed her keys and exited the atelier, double checking after she had locked the door.

@Chong Tingyan Only when she was away far enough, Yuiri slowed down, her heart feeling as if it was about to burst. What the hell had just happened? She reached up and pressed a palm against her racing heart before she turned around, the building with the glass front glowing in the early morning light. Everything felt surreal and part of her hoped that it was all just a dream, yet deep down Yuiri knew that it had really happened. Which meant she would have to figure out what to do now that she had been caught red-handed. Change her route back to the old one? Move to a different city to eliminate any chance of ever running into that girl again? Change her face and identity? Or did she even have to do anything at all? What had just happened, was it really that bad? What if that girl actually didn't care at all and she was just overreacting? Her eyebrows furrowed the more she thought about it. For now she should probably just get to work, after all she had a deadline approaching. Private life matters were for later to solve.

It was only later that day around late afternoon that Yuiri allowed herself to think of that girl again. Putting her stupid reaction aside, it had been the first time she had seen her smile. "Pretty." The word came out as a whisper as she imagined that smile again, a blush once again rising to her cheeks. Now that she had gotten a glimpse of it, was she really ready to already give up on her yet? Certainly not. Coming to that conclusion and with a new surge of recklessness, she rushed out of her studio, heading back to the atelier.

@Murayama Yuiri Tingyan didn't know what she had expected, but this certainly wasn't it. Locking eyes with the female, the two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity as she stood completely still, the air feeling almost static. As there was still some distance between them, she couldn't make out all the details in her face, but it was still enough for her to confirm that the girl was pretty. Not breathtakingly, in your face kind of pretty, but rather the sweet and cute, girl next door kind of pretty where she became more and more appealing the longer one looked at her face.

She was pulled out of her thoughts though when the girl started moving. Her lips parted, she wanted to tell her to stay, but as the other had already turned around, Tingyan remained silent. Not that she would have heard her anyway, as there was still distance and the glass window between them. Was this how it would end? Now that they had made a first "contact" would the girl stop passing by every morning? The thought alone filled her with a feeling of loss, some kind of sadness even. But what could she really do? The girl had already taken off, her running figure becoming smaller and smaller in the distance. So the only thing Tingyan could do was sigh softly and continue to wonder if she would see her again as she went back to work.

@Chong Tingyan As cliché as it sounded, the moment their eyes met, it was as if time stood still, her surroundings blurred and only them mattered. She had always tried to imagine this moment, what it would be like to finally be noticed by her, but nothing could prepare her for this. Yuiri could feel her heart beat faster, unsteadily thumping in her chest as she forgot how to breathe, a blush spreading across her cheeks, turning even the tips of her ears a bright pink. She wanted to avert her eyes, but that alluring smile, the gentle curve of those plump lips kept pulling her in, making it impossible to look away. Eventually though, the Japanese drew in a shaky breath, or really it was more like a gasp, the sharp sound breaking the spell the girl on the other side of the glass window had cast on her.

Embarrassed by her own reaction, Yuiri quickly broke the eye contact to turn her back towards the female in an attempt to hide her now beet red face. She must be looking really silly, she mused, immediately covering her face with her hands while she let out a soft groan. Unable to stand the awkwardness any longer, Yuiri made a run, not without taking one last glance over her shoulder, though. And just like usual she unconsciously smiled when she caught sight of the beautiful stranger.

@Murayama Yuiri Although she wasn't naturally an early bird- during her school days she had hated waking up early in the morning- Tingyan had been getting up with the sunrise over the past two years. The air was still fresh and clean, the streets quiet and empty, giving her the much needed alone time she craved. As friendly and happy to be around other people she was, Tingyan needed to balance it out by distancing herself from the world just a few hours a day. So far she had been quite successful in avoiding any encounters with other people, quietly working in the atelier. Her partner and mentor would only arrive later in the afternoon and most clients would make appointments beforehand, giving her enough time to prepare herself for those meetings. Lately though, for about two weeks now, she had noticed a female staring at her through the display window. At first she had thought that perhaps it was a new client hesitant to come in, but after the fourth day or so, it didn't seem likely. Not that it really bothered her since the female was usually gone after a few minutes. But like any curious human being, as time passed, Tingyan caught herself thinking more and more about the mysterious stranger. Who was she? Where was she heading to? Would she come today as well?
As if she had been waiting for her cue, the stranger appeared in the display window again, looking as cute as ever. Usually Tingyan would be pretending to be busy, avoiding to give any hint that she knew the other was there, but somehow the young female felt a little bold today. So when she felt that girl's gaze on her again, she lifted her head to lock eyes with the stranger, a faint smile playing on her lips.

@Chong Tingyan Peeking through the window, Yuiri smiled when she caught sight of a familiar figure. It all had started a few months ago, when she had decided to take a detour on her way to her work space as she had woken up an hour too early. It had been a pleasant summer morning, the air still cool from the previous night's rain. She had been in a good mood, humming along to the music playing from her headphones. There was a spring in her step as she walked down the street, peeking into the different display windows along her path. It was then that she had caught a glimpse of her. She had been so pretty, looking so ethereal as she worked on something that looked like a bust, delicate fingers forming the clay. Ever since then Yuiri deliberately chose to wake up earlier just to work by the atelier in the morning, her mood always lifting when she got to see the girl. It wasn't really that she had a crush on her, but there was just something serene and unbelievably captivating about her that made it difficult to stay away. She only stopped by to watch for a few moments though, not wanting to destroy that magic by getting closer.

@Kim Yongsun She settled on the seat across from the woman, her smile warm and welcoming as listened to her talk. It actually wasn't that rare for customers to come in without having a clear vision of what they wanted. Many only had a rough idea, yet when asked about specifics they seemed so very lost like this woman. Tingyan actually preferred those customers as it was easier to influence them to make choices that would be beneficent to both parties.

Something small to showcase in a living room. Albeit still not a very clear instruction, it at least gave her a couple of ideas, her smile growing wider with every new vision popping up in her mind. She had to hold back her excitement though as the other spoke up again, her attention returning to the woman sitting across from her. From previous experiences Tingyan knew that there were some customers who didn't quite trust her abilities seeing how young she was so she couldn't blame Yongsun for wanting to know more about her. "About two and a half years", she chirped, leaning back into the armchair. "But I've been working in my parent's shop back in Hong Kong since I was little so I'm confident that whatever your heart desires, I'll be able to put it into stone. Or would. Or metal. Whatever you prefer most. Is there anything else you would like to know?" Her voice was playful, the bright smile on her lips, the twinkle in her eyes indicating that she was just joking. "Maybe my favourite animal? Or my favourite colour?"

@Chong Tingyan Smiling as the other offered her a seat, Yongsun made her way to one of the armchairs and settled herself comfortably on it-- well as much as her internalized guilt could afford to let her. "Just, Yongsun is fine and no thank you, I'm fine" she managed to reply before being bombarded with questions for the supposed sculpture she now had to order keep up with her in the spur of the moment lie. "Ah..yes, the thing is, I don't know anything about sculptures. The owner insisted I come by and said he'd help me pick after I had helped him with some legal issues so I'm fine with anything really!" She said, which was not a lie. A few months back, she had helped the owner and so to repay her back, he suggested she get a sculpture, free of charge.

"It doesn't have to be too big, just a small one I can showcase it in my living room" She continued. How much longer would she have to keep up this lie? It did not feel right but it was crucial she chose the right time. Then again, did she have to tell the other? Pushing her guilt away, she turned to look at the girl. "So..how long have you been working here for," Yongsun asked at an attempt for small talk.

@Kim Yongsun It was a rather quiet day and with her partner being out of town to visit clients, Tingyan had the whole atelier to herself. Despite the sunlight flooding the front room, the one where they kept the finished pieces, with warm light, the temperature in the back where she had set up her work station was only high enough to keep her from shivering. She didn't mind though, having grown used to the cold over the years. It was necessary to keep the clay from drying out too much, especially in summer.

She was currently working on a bust, some rich old lady requested to have her once glorious beauty restored and eternalized, when she heard a voice from the front. Scraping the excess clay from her hands, she then grabbed a towel to dry her hands as best as possible while heading to the front to greet the woman. "Ah, hello! You're okay with me calling you miss Yongsun? I'm Elkie. I'd offer you a handshake, but..." She lifted her hands with a sheepish smile, bits of clay still clinging to her palms, before motioning towards a group of armchairs in the corner of the showroom. "Let's take a seat first. Would you like something to drink? I only have coffee or water though. About the sculpture, do you already know what you want? Like the material, the dimensions, the motive?" Tingyan knew that she was probably overwhelming the lady with too many questions, but after having spent the last few hours in silence, she was just happy to have some company, even if it was just a client.