The Painted Lies
Prologue
The candle flickered in the dimly lit attic as Naabi brushed the dust off an old canvas. The air smelled of aged paint, secrets, and something she couldn’t name. A face stared back at her—a man with golden eyes, sorrowful yet mesmerizing. The name at the bottom of the painting was almost erased, but one thing was clear: whoever he was, he had been waiting.
And then… the eyes blinked.
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Chapter 1: The Studio of Secrets
Naabi had always dreamed of escaping the city’s noise, of finding a quiet place where she could paint without distractions. When she found an old art studio available for rent at an unbelievably low price, she didn’t hesitate. The townspeople eyed her with curiosity, whispering behind her back, but she ignored them.
The studio was perfect—high ceilings, large windows, and an attic filled with abandoned canvases. The first night, she explored the attic, brushing away cobwebs, when she found them.
A series of unfinished paintings.
Each one depicted the same man, golden-eyed and melancholic. Some showed him standing by a river, others staring at a stormy sky, but the strangest thing? The paintings seemed fresh, as if someone had painted them just yesterday.
She felt drawn to them, her fingers itching to complete them.
Then she heard it.
A whisper.
"Finish it… please."
Naabi spun around, but she was alone.
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Chapter 2: The Missing Artist
The next day, she visited the town’s small café, hoping to learn more about the previous tenant. The owner, an elderly woman named Mrs. Kang, hesitated before speaking.
“The artist who lived there… Ji-hoon,” she said softly. “He was brilliant, but he disappeared ten years ago.”
Naabi’s heart pounded. “Disappeared?”
Mrs. Kang nodded. “One night, he told us he was working on his final masterpiece. The next day, he was gone. Some say he ran away. Others say…” She hesitated.
“What?” Naabi pressed.
“They say he was taken by his own painting.”
A chill ran down Naabi’s spine.
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Chapter 3: The First Stroke
Despite the eerie stories, Naabi couldn’t stay away from the paintings. She set up her easel, determined to restore the most detailed one—the one where Ji-hoon stood in a dark forest, reaching out as if calling someone.
The moment her brush touched the canvas, the air in the room shifted. The lights flickered, and the painting… moved.
Ji-hoon’s expression changed, his lips parting as if to speak. The trees in the background rustled despite the stillness of the room. Then, a whisper.
"You found me…"
Naabi gasped, stepping back. But when she looked again, everything was normal.
Except… the golden eyes in the painting now seemed sadder.
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Chapter 4: The Final Painting
Naabi couldn’t stop painting. Each stroke revealed more of the mystery. She found old letters hidden beneath the floorboards, written by Ji-hoon. He spoke of a love he lost, of a curse binding him to his paintings, and of a final masterpiece that would set him free.
But she couldn’t find it.
Until one stormy night.
Lightning illuminated the attic, revealing a canvas she had never seen before. It was covered in a white sheet, hidden behind old wooden crates. With trembling hands, she pulled it out and removed the sheet.
Her own face stared back at her.
She barely had time to scream before the world around her shattered.
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Chapter 5: Trapped in a Canvas
Naabi awoke in a different world. A world of paint and color, where the sky was nothing but brushstrokes, and time moved like an artist’s hand on canvas. She stood in the very forest Ji-hoon had painted.
And there he was.
Ji-hoon, golden eyes glowing in the moonlight, watching her with an expression of heartbreak and relief.
“You finished it,” he whispered.
“What is this place?” Naabi demanded.
“My prison,” he said. “And now… yours.”
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Chapter 6: Love Beyond the Frame
Ji-hoon explained everything. Years ago, he had painted a self-portrait, pouring his soul into his art. But the painting became a curse, trapping him inside. He had tried to escape, leaving unfinished paintings as clues, hoping someone would finish the story.
“You were the only one who saw me,” he said, stepping closer. “The only one who could set me free.”
Naabi’s heart pounded. “How?”
Ji-hoon hesitated. “Someone has to take my place.”
The realization hit her like ice. If she set him free… she would be trapped instead.
But before she could decide, the world around them began to crack.
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Chapter 7: The Price of Freedom
The attic in the real world was collapsing. Paintings were peeling away, vanishing into dust. Ji-hoon grabbed Naabi’s hands.
“I won’t let you stay,” he said. “I won’t do to you what this curse did to me.”
Before she could protest, he kissed her—a kiss that felt like memories, like sorrow, like a promise unfulfilled.
Then he pushed her away.
The world exploded into light.
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Epilogue: The Artist’s Return
Naabi woke up on the studio floor, gasping for air. The attic was empty. The paintings were gone. Ji-hoon was gone.
Or so she thought.
Days later, she visited the town’s café. A new artist had arrived. A man with golden eyes, sketching in the corner.
Their eyes met.
And he smiled.
"Did you miss me?"
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The End.
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