--

“Here’s your frozen yogurt.”

The girl sitting on the bench looked at the guy questioningly, “But I didn’t order anything.” It was not like she was sitting in a restaurant or a cafe. She was sitting on a bench near the sidewalk. It so happen that there were some small stalls around selling frozen yogurt, ice cream, tea, coffee, hotdogs and a lot more.

The guy who might be the owner of the stall smiled and said, “It’s on the house.”

“Thank you.” The petite girl said politely before the waiter went back to work. She does not even plan on ordering anything. She was going to meet someone it just so happened that she arrived early. She has not seen this person in months.

The petite blonde haired girl looked across the street...to be exact she was looking at the music shop. It was where it all started. She smiled upon remembering the past like it happened yesterday.

She felt someone messed her hair. “Yah!”

The other just continues laughing and sat beside her.

“Is this how you say hi to a friend?” She asked while she fixes her hair. She tried to sound annoyed even if she wasn’t.

“You look crazy smiling by yourself so I just help you look the part." The other said then meronged.

“You have the guts to say such thing even after being late?”

The other raised her eyebrow, “Late? I was not late. You were early.”

The blonde haired girl smiled, “Yah that mine.” She claimed as the other taller girl took her yogurt. “You should pay me for eating that.”

“Pay you? But you didn’t even pay for it. I saw that Oppa gave it to you. And I am just saving your throat and singing voice from this harmful frozen yogurt.”

“Just admit that you are a shikshin.”

“I am a shikshin and I am proud of it.”

“Dork”

“Dork”

The petite blonde girl was going to rebut but there was a spoon right in front of her face. “I thought you said that’s harmful?”

“A small amount would not hurt...”

This goes on with the taller girl feeding the petite blonde haired girl frozen yogurt. And should we say that the shorter girl was really enjoying it more than anything.

After they finished, they walked up to the music shop across the street.

“Come on Tae. Palli!” The taller girl called.

Taeyeon, the petite blonde haired girl could only shake her head upon the other girl’s childish action.

They went inside the shop and was welcomed by the smell of pile of records. What’s special with this music shop? Nothing. It’s ordinary...well for Taeyeon it is. Maybe for music or records enthusiast this is the place to be but Taeyeon is no record enthusiast. She loves music and in fact she sings... but Taeyeon will most probably ignore this shop before. But now, it holds a special place in her heart most probably because of someone...and that someone is currently roaming around the records like a child.

“Calm down, Hyomin. It’s not like they’ll be going anywhere.”Taeyeon teased.

“I am just excited.” Hyomin explained not that it was not so obvious.

“Yeah, I can tell.”

The two went around selecting records from pop, rnb, rock, classic, vintage all sorts. And then they go find a spot and play the record. Sometimes they talk or sometimes they just listens to the music with her eyes closed.

Taeyeon glanced at the girl beside her. She remembered that this is where she met Hyomin.

“You are doing it again.”

Taeyeon got startled by Hyomin whose eyes were still closed. “What?”

“Smiling all by yourself.” Answered Hyomin.

“I just remembered the first time we met.”

Hyomin smiled upon hearing the answer. “You looked lost that day.”

“I was. I was just told to go here to find inspiration for my solo performance and I didn’t know what to do.” Taeyeon tried to remember.

“You were a lost child.”

“While you got all figured out...” Taeyeon replied. It was true. When she saw Hyomin, she was...she forgot the word for it. But she cannot take her eyes off Hyomin who was selecting some records. Taeyeon was trying to figure out the reason why. She was intrigued herself. Was she attracted to the other girl? She was not sure. It was too early to say. It’s not like she has fallen in love at first sight. But there was something that attracts her to the other girl.

Flashback

The truth is Taeyeon went to the shop hoping she’ll find an inspiration for her solo performance. It was a big event not only for the university but also for the town and her family. Everyone was expecting much of her so she has to give her best. It’s not like she needed to find inspiration. She can pick any song and sing it beautifully. The choir coach already has a recommended list of amazing songs. Her family who are from the musical background are also giving her pointers and suggestions. So everything is all figured out. But something feels like missing.

As she watches Hyomin, she figures out why she got attracted to this girl. It was because Hyomin seems to be passionate about music. How Hyomin listens to the records. It was like the music is communicating to her soul. Taeyeon use to love music and she still does. But...there is a but... it was not as much as she used to.

When Hyomin went to listen to the record, Taeyeon randomly picked one and went to play it.

“You listen to them?”

“Huh?”Taeyeon asked not because she does not hear the other but because she was startled that the girl she was watching/following/stalking (take your pick) was now talking to her.

Hyomin pointed the album.

Taeyeon looked at it and it was a band she doesn’t know of. “Umm...actually, I don’t know this band. I just picked it up randomly.”

“Okay...” Hyomin said and was about to go.

“Actually I don’t know what I a doing.”Taeyeon blurted out.

“You could ask. Last time I check, they don’t charge for asking questions.”

“Haha you are right. I just don’t know where to start.”

“For starters, you ask for their name. I’m Hyomin, you are?”

“Taeyeon. Nice to meet you Hyomin.”

“Nice to meet you Taeyeon. Now tell me what are you looking for?”

“I am looking for a...for an inspiration for my song performance.”

Hyomin smiled. “You are looking right at it.”

“You mean you?”

“Silly not me. I mean look around. You are surrounded my music records. All that you need is in here.”

Hyomin was right at that time. All Taeyeon needed was there inside the music shop. It was right in front of her.

“There are too many of them. Where do I start?” Taeyeon asked.

“Hmm...” Hyomin looked at Taeyeon intently. “How about we start there. Follow me.”

“Ballads?”

“Yup. You seem the type who sings ballads.”

“It’s true.” Taeyeon shrugs. “But how do you know where to find them? Do you work here?”

“Ani. When I saw this place, I fell in love with it. So I come in everyday or as much as I can. I even talk to the owner and asked like a hundred times whether they hire part-timers. Sadly they don’t so I came here and visit.”

--

Taeyeon sighed. She has been roaming around records after records but she could not pick anything. Hyomin and her have been meeting in the record shop but still she could not find anything.

“You know what?” Hyomin asked.

“What?”

Hyomin didn’t answer but instead dragged Taeyeon outside to the park near the empty stage. There were not many people around.

“Now what?” Tae asked.

“The stage is yours.” Hyomin announced.

“What?!”

“What what? Don’t tell me you can’t sing on stage?” Hyomin challenged.

“Hyomin, I sing every day. I perform in front of crowds. I sing in big auditoriums. Don’t tell me that I can’t sing on stage.”

“Show me.”

“Are you challenging me?”

“Maybe I am...”

Taeyeon raised her eyebrow.

“Or maybe I just wanted to hear you sing.” Hyomin said smiling.

Taeyeon looked at the girl. Hyomin looked sincere when she said that. When was the last time she heard someone ask her sing because they wanted to genuinely listen to her? People ask her to sing to see if she can hit the high notes. When she sings, it was for practice. Or when they are being judged. Yes, she sings when she like. She sings with her friends. But when was it that someone was actually listening to her intently. And there was Hyomin waiting for her to sing, to listen to her sing. “I can’t think of a song right now. Usually, they will request a song for me to sing.”

“Sing anything that comes to your ind. Or something that you have been dying to sing.”

Tae sat beside Hyomin, “Well, I write songs...lyrics actually. No one has seen it or hear it.”

“Can I be the first one?”

Tae looked at Hyomin then smiled.

--

“I know what song to sing.” Tae announced

“What?”

“Secret.”

“Yah” Hyomin protested.

“Well no one knows it yet but me. So it will be a surprise to everyone.”

“Since when did you become a fan of surprises?”Hyomin asked.

“Since forever. You have to be there to find out.”

“Of course I will be there. I would not miss it.”

End of Flashback

--  

“Liar.” Taeyeon blurted out.

“Who you calling a liar?” Hyomin asked.

“You. Who else? You said you would not miss my performance but you did. You never show up.”

“One, I am not a liar. Two, who said I missed it?”

“I didn’t saw you.“ Taeyeon answered.

“That does not mean I wasn’t there. Plus there were thousands of people who came watching. It would be difficult to spot me in that see of crowd.” Hyomin replied.

“You could have gone up to me?” Tae said pouting.

“What’s important was I was there.” Hyomin said.

“Neh” Taeyeon answered but she was still a bit disappointed.

“Silly look...” Hyomin showed a photo from her phone. “I was so far behind. Now tell me how can I walk over to you?”

Taeyeon looked at Hyomin, “So you were there?”

“Aish... doesn’t the picture say enough? And I told you I went didn’t I. So you did not believe me?” Hyomin said and messed Taeyeon’s hair.

“Yah! Stop messing my hair.”

“I can’t it help it.”

“Is this you way of making fun of my short hair? What you prefer my long hair?”

Hyomin shakes her head. “I am not making fun of it. In fact I like it. It’s more you.”

Taeyeon smiled at Hyomin’s comment. Hyomin who always sees the real her.

Next thing she knows, Hyomin has dragged her out to the stage at the park.

“Why you keep dragging me out here?” Taeyeon complained. “You know, you can just ask instead of dragging me all the way here.”

Hyomin just smiles. “The stage is yours.”

“So I just randomly pick a song?” Taeyeon asked fondly.

Hyomin shakes her head. “I have a request.”

Taeyeon raised her eyebrow, “You became more bossy now eh?”

Hyomin gave a toothy grin.

“Fine. What song?”

“The one that you sang that night you performed.”

“You mean ‘I’? That song?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because you wrote it and it’s you... your feelings, what you wanted to say. I wanted to listen to it all.”

Taeyeon is beyond touched by Hyomin’s words. Maybe before she was not sure why she was attracted to this girl. Initially she thought it was just the way Hyomin listens intently to a song. But no, it was because of Hyomin herself. She was attracted to Hyomin. And day by day that she spends time with the taller girl, she falls deeply in love. She is not afraid to be who she is when she is with Hyomin.

“Ok I will sing my song...only if... you sing with me.” Taeyeon said.

“What?”

“That’s my condition.”

“Arasso...but only the rap part.”

“Arasso.”

The song sang ‘I’ and it was a lovely rendition of the song.

Taeyeon smiled. If this goes on, she will have no problem finding inspiration...which is, like what Hyomin said the first time they met, it was right in front of her.

----

Hello there!

The story is inspired by Taeyeon's song "I" and also when I saw her with short hair hehe