Ocean Blue

Most of the time, people consider art to be about uniting feelings, depicting emotions, and expressing oneself. But for me, a first-year student majoring in painting at a prestigious university, art is more than that. Art is a war. A war to conceal wounds and mend broken hearts. Art is the fortress I build to protect myself from the cruel outside world. I never imagined that my life would change in the blink of an eye. My name is Sea, or at least that's what they call me. I know my name is somewhat unusual, but it's a part of who I am. Sea Shell. That night was my first night in this house. Yes, this is a shared house where I live temporarily while I attend college. They said there would be six people living in this house. And on that night, as the heavy rain pounded against my window, I sat at my old wooden desk that I had painted myself, trying to unwind. The dim lamplight and the drying acrylic paint on the stacked canvases created a cozy atmosphere in my cramped room. I didn't care much about other people, except if they intruded into my private space. I was a resolute woman, or at least that's what I always believed. So, when I heard footsteps approaching in the hallway, I felt disturbed. I stared at my bedroom door with a sharp gaze, hoping they would leave once they realized I wasn't interested in their trivial conversations. However, when the door slowly opened, my eyes widened. Standing before me was a man with a warm smile on his face. He had black hair, a scar near his left eye, and looked like a man who had experienced many adventures in his life. "Hi, I'm Kai," she said in a soft voice. "I just moved here, to this dorm. You're Sea, right?" I don't know how he knew my name. I don't know how he dared to enter my room without my permission. I felt angry at that moment, feeling like my personal space had been invaded. "Why are you here?" I asked with a sharp tone. I was never good at speaking softly, which often made others uncomfortable around me. Kai didn't seem fazed by my firmness. Instead, he smiled broadly and said, "I just wanted to introduce myself to my new neighbor. I heard you're a painting student, and your paintings are truly beautiful. You're an artist." I furrowed my brow. What did he know about me? This was an art dorm, a place where people came to pursue their own artistic dreams, not to meddle in others' affairs. "How do you know about me?" I asked suspiciously. Kai scratched his head and replied, "Of course I know. People here have been talking about you and your beautiful paintings." I felt uncomfortable with this sudden attention. I preferred to stay in the corner of my room, contemplating on my own, rather than being the center of attention. But there was something about Kai that made me unable to reject him. "Okay, you know who I am now. You can leave," I said, trying to shoo him away. However, Kai didn't immediately leave. He remained at the door, still wearing that smile on his face. "I don't want to disturb you, Sea. I just wanted to say hi and hope we can be friends here." His words made me ponder for a moment. I wasn't used to such warm and friendly people. I preferred to keep my distance from others because I never wanted to be hurt again. But there was something about Kai that made me feel strange. He wasn't like the others in this dorm. I nodded, however unwillingly. "Okay, nice to meet you, Kai." Kai's smile widened even more. "Nice to meet you, Sea. I'm sure we'll be great friends." Without answering, I looked deeply into his eyes and closed the door very roughly. With that, he left, leaving me alone in my room again. But his presence lingered in my mind. I didn't know what to make of it. Was he genuine, or was he hiding something behind his warm smile? I wasn't sure, and I didn't want to jump to conclusions too soon. After all, it was our first encounter.