1.3 | Under The Pink Evening Sky | ✓

25 | the tulip field

tw: mentions of suicide and death

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"It has been a long time since I came here." Sana remarked, as she took in the tulip field. The couple had been busy for nearly a week before finally catching a break. Shrest had proposed they visit the tulip field and since Sana had nothing better to do, she agreed. Over the years, more tulips of different colours had been added to the field, it appeared.

"Come on." Shrest tugged on her hand and led her through a narrow path between the flowers.

"Can we cross the white line?"

"We can."

The two padded through the path, as Sana took in the changes in the surroundings. There were more warehouses and even a flower shop adjoining the field. The field itself had definitely expanded.

"There." Sana turned forward. A surprised expression struck her facial features.

"Isn't this the Pulan coast?"

Shrest nodded. Sana turned around, glancing at the field and then the beach.

"They dug into this part near the beach and made it a tulip field. So, if we cross the field we actually come to the beach."

"Woah." Sana murmured.

"Come on. Let's sit down under the shade."

The two plopped down, gazing at the attacking and retreating waves. The weather was not too hot. A cool breeze swept past them.

The sky sported a burst of colours, like it usually did in the evenings.

"This is so nice. We should come here more often." Sana remarked. Shrest nodded, leaning back against his palms.

Sana glanced at Shrest. "You know, I went and searched up about muses for artists."

"You did?"

"Yeah. After reading up about them, I only got scared."

"Scared?" A breathy chuckle. "Why?"

"Almost all of them committed suicide."

A stunned silence emerged between the two of them. "Just what did you search on the internet?"

"I'm not kidding. Literally all of them committed suicide or overdosed on drugs. Now, I'm scared about my fate."

Shrest rubbed his eyes, trying to think of how to assuage her fears.

"Moreover, all the artists seem to be in an affair with their muses, despite being married. Don't tell me...you're actually married." Just saying the words left a distaste in her mouth.

"If I was married, do you think my mother would've acknowledged our relationship?"

"Maybe she doesn't like her daughter in law and likes me better. Maybe she's doing some weird revenge tactics."

Shrest stared at her. "You're watching too many of those TV serials."

Sana averted her eyes.

"I'm not married and I'm not like those other artists, okay?" He received no response. He let out a sigh, intermixed with a laugh.

"Most artists in any type of art are usually grounded by the art they make. It's not healthy but that's what they do. It's easy to get caught up in it. It usually leads to such tragedies. But I'm different. I'm not grounded by my art. I'm grounded by you."

Sana gazed at him. Then, she broke out into a grin. "You always know just what to say, these days."

Shrest smiled. "I had a friend. A fellow artist like me. He practically worshipped art. He talked of nothing but art. He spent months holed up in his studio. All of a sudden, I heard police sirens, one day. I was on my way to his studio. I heard that he had hung himself."

A pause.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did he..."

"I don't know. I wasn't close enough to him, to be able to deduce the reasons." Another pause. "He had this passion project. I do too. He wanted to be able to wrap up the project before final year. It was supposed to be his final year project. That was his goal. Something like his dream."

"So you think..."

"Yeah. I don't think it was going well for him."

Sana's hands trembled. "I'll be checking on you everyday in the studio, from now on."

Shrest laughed. "That's not the point. The point is, to him art was everything. To me, you are everything. I told you before, didn't I? My art is nothing without you."

"What if you get bored with me? What if inspiration doesn't strike you?"

"I don't think it's possible for me to get bored with you, Sana. But if I run out of inspiration, I'll simply retire. I've earned a lot in just these few years of my career."

Sana turned to the beach. "You really know how to assuage my concerns and fears."

"It's my primary job as your boyfriend, after all."

Sana blushed, a soft smile on her face. Since when did he become such a cheesy romantic?

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wordcount: 700 words

author's note: this book has been a bit more intense than the previous two, when it comes to the issues it fleetingly mentions.