My heart slowly races as I see the familiar architecture of the studio approach, tainted by the memories of both Clem and I.
                          
As our car drives nearer and nearer before finally stopping right in front of the studio, I stare out, recalling when Clementine stood on the steps and looked down at me. Only now do I realise how much I really, really miss her.
                          
I feel like a fool that's so easily swayed by the wind. I don't mind it, she's a wonder; but I must be so beat to have a mind so besotted by her.
                          
With rushed movements, I open the car door and hop out, running up the cement stairs with our manager calling out for me to slow down.
                          
Ignoring him, I twist the knob and enter, a strong scent of something unfamiliar and displeasing filling my senses. But the space inside is bright with much light and colour in the walls, paintings of different styles hung up.
                          
Immediately, the second I walk in, I'm in a wide hallway with multiple arches on both sides, sheer, white curtains being the only thing separating the room and the hallway apart.
                          
I hear Michael from beside me, admiring the enchanting workspace with wide eyes and mouth agape. "Yep, just as gorgeous as it was before," He mutters. "But what's that smell?" He asks, wrinkling up his nose as we walk through the hallway.
                          
"That's turpentine, I'd think," Calum answers mindlessly, in which Michael scoffs and looks at him with an incredulous look on him.
                          
"What - you've actually been studying painting?" He asks.
                          
Calum rolls his eyes. "Ey, I've just been watching a lot of painting videos,"
                          
My heart pounds as we approach what we know to be Clementine's workspace, the curtains drawn to each side.
                          
I can't decide which would be worse, if I look into her studio and she's not there, or if she is but doesn't want to talk to me anymore.
                          
"You okay?" Ashton asks, looking at me with a soft smile.
                          
I nod even though my heart seems to be running laps within me. "Yeah,"
                          
I enter her studio and scan the spaces inside, my heart dropping when I see that she's not there.
                          
Michael approaches her easel and looks over a messy painting palette. "Damn, I can't believe our album cover is finished,"
                          
Ashton nods and heads over to the other corner of the room, where another easel and unfinished painting are set. He admired the work and draws his face nearer the canvas.
                          
I follow Michael to Clem's workspace and admire the other paintings on the floor, all of different sizes and subjects.
                          
I smile fondly at the image of her painting, lip between her teeth, eyes narrowed at the canvas, and fully in focus at the work of art.
                          
My eyes drift to the pair of shoes under the easel, familiar worn-out boots that Clementine always wears.
                          
I let out a small gasp, my heart jumping back into a race as I come upon the best realisation ever. "She's here," I whisper, a grin spreading across my face.
                          
"Who's here?" Calum asks.
                          
"Clementine! She's here!" I turn around and rush out of the studio, hurriedly peering into the studio across and only seeing two other painters work on something.
                          
The adrenaline pumps throughout my body at the thought that Clem is somewhere near me, somewhere around this maze of studios that I'm not even that familiar with.
                          
My feet sprint into the waiting room, eyes raking the room for Clem's small frame and long hair, her soft-featured face and her smile that takes all of me in her hands like clay.
                          
She's somewhere here, I know it.
                          
I make my way into another hallway of which I'm unfamiliar with, doors waiting for me to barge in search for Clementine.
                          
I take the door nearest me and slowly open it, an empty washroom revealing itself to me.
                          
Closing it, I open the next, another washroom... without a toilet but with a large sink.
                          
Puzzled, I slowly close the door and go onto the next.
                          
The next room's door is ajar, showing racks and racks of paint, brushes, and liquids in clear glass bottles. In the other side, larger racks with canvases of every size I could think of.
                          
In the middle is a girl sorting through the canvases, squatted on the floor with her back to me.
                          
Her hair cuts right above her shoulders, and sports a long dark red skirt that covers her legs.
                          
She doesn't seem to notice my presence behind her and I contemplate just leaving her be and continuing with the other rooms, but upon looking between her and the five closed doors, I decide asking her would be best.
                          
"Excuse me, miss, do you know where Clementine Ivers is?" I ask, watching her posture straighten and freeze at the sudden sound of me.
                          
After a second or two, she still doesn't turn to answer, and I start to wonder if my interruption was not too welcome.
                          
On second glance, that could be Clem herself.
                          
"Sorry for just barging in," I continue, trying to play it safe just in case it isn't her, and I watch her stiff shoulders fall. "I didn't mean to scare you, if I did. I'm just looking for her,"
                          
She leans the canvas in her hands onto the rack and turns, making my heart jump to my throat at Clementine's teary face, eyes just as wide as mine must be.
                          
"Hey," She greets, her voice just as soft I remember it to be.
                          
╳╳╳
                          
how are you guys i missed you!!!!
                          
i genuinely missed updating and reading yalls crackhead comments, but here i am back at it again with the clemmings content !
also, what do yall think of clemmings? i think it was guccitaehyung- who first commented that idea. but what else do you have in mind? i have hemvers,, and,, lukentine ???? 
                          
but gusysysys i rlly missed yall, but i have enough chapters to start posting again and lmao yall are so fu-
                          
AND A PHATASS THANK YOU FOR GETTING PW TO 80K READS!!!!! 1k is in of itself such a huge accomplishment to me already, and TY TY TY TY FOR THE 5K VOTES!!!! im so thankful yallre actually enjoying this. you all deserve so much love and i hope youre having the best day today 💕💞💕💞
also thank you sooooo much for getting pw at 1 on 5sosfanfictions ??? this is crazy ??????? yes, ranks dont stay very long but at least pw touched the spot and will fall in grace ❣
                          
hey dudes, pw is getting some french dialogues in some future chapters, so would yall prefer the english translations in the same paragraph or in the comments of the paragraph?
                          
and hey, ive been talking for an eternity already, so why not check out The_Reading_List and their review book! u can drop in a book to be reviewed, it might make their day 💕
                          
and sorry for being all cryptic on the countdown, i just love watching ppl get confused ❤
                          
ily, tpwk