The Third Bird

Shin quickly leaned back straight. Iris did the same but retarded. "Uh,...hie", Shin greeted. "Hola", Iris greeted back. "I,...you're the one I saw at the library yesterday right?", Shin asked. "Yes,....I do recall you, you were peeking through the book shelf", she replied. "Uh,...actually it wasn't how it seemed", he said rubbing his back neck. "Oh,...", she said. "Yeah, its...nothing", Shin said. "If you claim so", she said turning her face up front towards the art piece. Shin did the same. "Quite a bizarre art piece yes?", Iris said. "Uh,..y-yes,....you know I've been glaring at this piece for about five minutes and I still haven't figured out its meaning", he said. "Do you have what it takes to handle love? Even if it means falling down together with the one you love....or will you let them fall on their own,..which one is it?", Iris said. "What was that?", Shin asked. "I'm quite certain that's what its saying", Iris said as Shin was amazed. The way she managed to add a caption of the meaning of the art piece and the short time she figured it out. "Whoah,...okay....what are you? A mentalist or something?", Shin asked. "Haha, no, I'm actually a writer", she replied. "Oh,...that explains it all", he said. "Right? And you? What is your passion?", she asked. "I'm an artist", he said. "Ouu really? Well that being said you should have at least be able to capture that art piece's meaning", she said. "Well its not as convenient as you might think", he replied. "Really? she turned facing him, "elaborate". "Well sometimes it doesn't mean that if I'm an artist then I should be able to capture every art piece's meaning I encounter...that's when you writers come in, but it surely doesn't mean that it will be complicated to tell the other art piece's meaning", he explained. "Mmm, Is that so? Okay then, Mr artist", she said with a smile. Shin's heart bounced away as he watched that beautiful smile of hers for the first time. "Haha, yeah,...so...what are you...doing here?", he asked. "Well,...I sometimes come here when I need to get a clear head and drag out more ideas of my novels I'm writing", she said. " And you? Don't you have a painting you want to submit or something?" "Actually my current painting isn't finished yet, so I come here to get some kind of inspiration,...somewhat", he said. "Look at that,...seems we have something in common", she said. "Now that you've mentioned it", he said. "So what are you painting?" "Uhm,....no spoilers, you will see it when I'm done", he said. "Hahaha, oh what a bummer alright, guess I'll have to wait" "That's the spirit" "It sure is crowded today huh?", she said as they looked along the hallway watching a crowd of people wandering about.

"Yeah, it sure is packed here", Shin said. "Well I'm heading out now,...are you still here or ?", she asked. "Nuh I was about to exit also", he replied. "Okay then, I guess we can step out", she said. "Sure", he said. They both exited as they stood out with the sunlight revealing them in the town streets "Ya know, for strangers, we get along quite well", Iris said. "Oh,...shit sorry ugh, I'm Shin", he introduced himself. "Haha nuh its fine,...I'm Iris", she said. "Whoah, cool name, are you Spanish?", he asked. "Yeah,...I guess you could tell by my accent huh?", she asked. "Yeah,...its quite beautiful,..I love Spanish accent", he said. "Oh...really? Gracias, if you say that I will grow more self-esteem to talk aloud among people", she said. "I really have wanted to learn how to speak Spanish you know",he said. "You don't say", she said as they passed the final stores. The sun was about to set. They walked along the wooden small bridge and Iris halted watching the sunset. "Look at that", she said as he looked and his eyes widened a bit watching the view.

"Wow", Shin was astonished. He glanced a bit at Iris with his side eye. He was in awe with how pretty she was, the sunset gleaming upon her skin as her red hair glinted back on her face and her shoulders and finally her pink lips and her pretty green eyes reflecting in her glasses. Shin's cheeks turned a bit red. Iris looked back with her corner eye and Shin quickly stared up front. Iris smiled a bit. "Well,...I'm heading home now", Iris said. "Okay, I probably am heading back too,...can you um, give me your tag, so, we could talk ,...about uh....if you want", he stammered a bit. Iris didn't respond, she just glared at him with a small smile on her face. "Um", "What?", Iris questioned. "Uh, well if its okay with yo-" "You want me to write it in the air?", she asked. "Oh,...um haha, yeah um, here", he handed his phone to her. She entered her number. "Here you go", she said returning it and he took it back. "Okay,...walk well, Iris", he said. She walked a bit and she halted and looked back over her shoulder. "You too Shin", she said with a small smile and she walked away. Shin sighed. He headed back home, the darkness was already swallowing the light.

Iris arrived. She sighed after closing the door behind her, despite her tiresome her eyes were near to semi-closed. She walked along heading upstairs. "Iris? Didn't hear you come in", her mom said from downstairs looking up to her. She looked down at her. "Oh Los siento Mama", she said meaning 'Oh I'm sorry Mom' "I'm really worn out, I ought to lie down for a moment", she said. "Okay carino, get some rest", she said and Iris proceeded upstairs. She bumped into Liris who was about to enter her room. "Hola you", Liris greeted and stood at her room's door frame. "Hola Liris", she walked past her as she yawned a bit covering her mouth. "Damn girlie you really have exhausted your tank huh?", Liris said. "You have no idea", Iris said still walking. "How was the day though?", Liris asked. "Quite interesting,...I bumped into someone", Iris said entering her room and Liris followed her. "Who's that?", Liris asked. "A guy,....at the art museum", she said and sat on her bed and Liris threw herself in the middle of the bed lying there. "Ohhh, really? What's he like?", Liris asked. "Well, he's an artist", Iris replied. "Whoahh, didn't see that one coming", Liris said. "Haha yeah" "But....", Liris said waiting for her respond. "But what?", Iris questioned. "Come on, you have a tendency of turning cute guys down", Liris said. "What? No I don't", Iris refused. "Oh really? Remember Derreck?" "Wh-come on, the guy was needy, its annoying", Iris said. "Uh, Lopez! What about Lopez?", Liris said. "Liris, the guy had diarrheoa", Iris replied. "Carlos?" "He always wore a cap, even in the house, I only saw him without a cap only once but barely, it was dark, I started to wonder if he had a huge bold spot on top of his head or something", Iris said. "Yeah, that one was weird", Liris said with her palm holding her chin. "Well, let me leave you to rest, plus I ought to depart at dawn tomorrow", Liris stood up. "Dawn? Why?", Iris asked. "I have this presentation tomorrow, I need to prepare, its big stuff", she replied. "That big huh? Okay, you do you", Iris said. "Coming for dinner soon?", Liris said standing at the entrance of Iris's room. "Si", Iris said as she meant 'yes'. "Okay", Liris blew a kiss to Iris as she got out.

Shin's arrival was rather,...surprising, even to himself. "Gosh I'm so beat, I'm in need of a cold drin-", Shin froze. His eyes widened. "Hey Shin", it was Elina, she had visited. He gulped before responding. "Uh E-Elina,...heyy, what are you-", Shin looked at Mandy who was sitting beside her as she was also looking back at him with a smirk on her face,"doing here" "Well I was just passing by and decided to check in", she replied. "Oh shit, I've got um, a thing, I...need to do, uhm Shin, you can take my spot", Mandy said as she stood up passing by him. "What are you doing?", Shin asked whispering beside her muttering. Rather she didn't respond, she only glanced at him with her side eye and a smirk on her face and she went upstairs. Shin walked to the couch and sat where Mandy was sitting beside Elina. "Uhm, so, how's home?", Shin asked. "Its good, my mom's not around so I was outside getting some air" "You're not selling flowers today?" "My mom's the one at the market today, she suggested for me to be absent today because I've been tiring myself the whole week", she said. "Oh, really? Well you shouldn't strain yourself you know" "Yeah, I know, its just, my father left us so, I've been doing the best I can to support my mom" "Oh,..yeah, I might not have experienced the same dilemma as yours but I partly understand", Shin said leaning back against the couch as he rested back. "Yeah, right?", Elina did the same and their side arms made contact. He felt her warmthness. He gulped a bit "Hey how's that painting of yours?", Elina asked. "Oh its....uhm still not finished, I have to buy more paint, I'm running short on supplies", he said. "Oh,... you better get some, it looked beautiful unfinished, I bet it really is gonna be marvelous when you finish it" "Haha, you think?" "No I don't, I know", she said with her smile. Another one of her specialties that ached Shin's heart also. "I appreciate that, Its nice to have someone who believes in your abilities" "You really are talented Shin, on a scale of 1-10, I'd probably put you at 10" "Nuhh don't, actually there are other brilliant artists out there who can make my art seem like its child's play", Shin said. "So?...I don't care about them or how good or brilliant they are, I love your kind of art, its precise, accurate and original, nothing beats that", she said. "Thanks, that means a lot", he said and she responded with a soft chuckle both of them looking at their hands which were side by side on both of their thighs. Shin's right back hand had made contact a while ago with Elina's left back hand without them both noticing. There was a glimpse of silence between them. Shin's right hand ached a bit, Elina's hand did the same. Shin began moving his pinky finger on top of her hand aiming to clasp it. Elina responded by slightly moving her left hand with it facing up moving her thumb to Shin's pinky finger about to pull his hand inviting him in. The door bell rang as they both put their hands away looking back at the door. "Comingg!", Mandy arrived and opened the door. "Hie, Mandy", a familiar woman greeted at outside the door. "Oh Mrs Vincent,...um oh, you're looking for Elina?", Mandy asked. "Yes precisely, I arrived and she wasn't home so I figured she might have visited", Kilene, Elina's mother replied. "Oh, yeah, yeah, um I'm sorry I-we forgot to inform you", Mandy said. "Ohh no no, I'm quite elated and glad that she was in your care, you're the ones I have much trust towards especially your mom" "Someone said my name?", Limora appeared behind Mandy. "Limora, hie", Kilene greeted. "Hey buddy, you've come to pick your cub?", Limora asked. "Yes", she said with a smile. "Elina?!", Limora called out looking back at both of them as they stood up coming to the door. Elina exited and her mother embraced her and she did the same. "Hie sweety" "Hie mom", she greeted back with a smile. "Hello Shin", Kilene greeted. "Hello to you Mrs Vincent", he said. "I'm good, I hope you are too" "Yes I am" "Well, thank you again", Kilene said. "Let me walk you out", Limora said and they went out. As Shin was closing the door, he did it retarded watching Elina as she looked back at him, then she continued walking. He closed it.

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