The little black squiggles danced in front of her eyes as she pored over the pages of her sheet music. It was the hardest assignment Yuna had ever faced: to arrange an original piano composition. She had never managed to complete a proper one before on her own.

Yuna started learning the piano at the tender age of three. Though she was no child prodigy, piano became her passion and her dream was to join an orchestra or musical theatre and perform in front of a large audience.

Frustrated with her lack of progress, Yuna stormed out of her room and stared outside the window.

“Got stuck on something again?” Mina asked. She was lying on the couch with her eyes were glued to the screen of her phone.

“I can’t seem to make the transitions flow properly.” Yuna sounded like she was on the verge of tears. Mina dropped her phone at once and pulled Yuna onto the couch. Seated cross-legged behind her, Mina began to massage Yuna’s head.

“I saw this on YouTube. Something called Autonomous sensory meridian response,” Mina explained while rubbing Yuna’s temples gently. “Or ASMR for short. Involves an individual feeling tingles throughout their body by experiencing some triggers. A scalp massage is the most common trigger.”

“Ooh it feels wonderful,” Yuna mumbled, as a wave of tinging and static-like sensation flow over her skin. “Is this something from the weird part of YouTube?”

“Obviously not! Keep quiet please, I’m trying to help you relax so that you can finish that composition of yours. And then we can finally go out and play like we used to,” Mina said firmly. “Actually, I’ve been wanting to try this ASMR thing for real to see if it works. You have the honour of being my first test subject.”

By the time Mina was done her ears, brushing her hair and massaging her neck, Yuna was half asleep and had to be shaken awake.

“Thanks for that. Can you do this for me more often? I really love it,” Yuna mumbled sleepily.

Mina grinned. “Sure, but only if you do it for me too!”

************

We’re supposed to go out for dinner tonight. Why isn’t she back yet?

Tapping her nails impatiently on her book, Mina closed her eyes and was dozing off when the door creaked opened.

"Finally! What took you so long? I’m starving!" Mina complained.

Yuna waved a small envelope. "Had to collect these. Tickets to a show that I won from some magazine giveaway. I heard it's pretty good.”

Mina took the envelope and checked its contents." Les Misérables! It’s a world class musical!" Mina cried excitedly.

“It’ll be our post-exam treat. I’ve never watched a musical, so I’m really looking forward to this,” Yuna replied.

“Now, let’s go for dinner.”

**************

Although they were on an exchange programme, Mina and her schoolmates still had to sit for exams, which would contribute to their final grades for the year. The exam period lasted two weeks but due to the intervals between their papers, it felt much longer to them.

When the exams were finally over, all of the students’ dull faces and the heavy atmosphere that permeated the campus vanished in an instant, replaced with a celebratory mood as everyone was eager to party away the remainder of the school term.

**************

Les Misérables proved to be better than expected.

“-and the backdrop of the stage! I can’t believe how they manage to make it sparkle so well!”

“Yes, I know how great it was. You can stop repeating yourself now,” Yuna replied, bemused. The two friends were slowly making their way back to the campus, strolling past a short stretch of the surrounding forest.

"It’s still rather early. Shall we go for a walk by the lake tonight?" Mina asked, pointing towards a trail ahead of them that ran into the forest.

"Sure, why not?" Yuna shrugged and nodded her agreement.

A family of squirrels on the trail scampered away at the sight of the two approaching girls. A barn owl sitting on a branch stared at them silently with its large eyes. An old, heavily vandalised signpost with the warnings ‘No Littering and No Swimming!’ stood under a lonely willow tree. Behind it was the lake, calm and serene.

Yuna strode to the water’s edge and stretched her arms, taking a deep breath.

“Ah, I love the smell of fresh air at night. And- “

“I want to tell you something,” Mina blurted abruptly. Her voice trembled, ever so slightly, despite her best efforts. Yuna spun around, eyebrows raised.

Mina looked up at the sky and sighed. ‘So… We’ve been acquainted for a little while now,” She began nervously. “I think I'm starting to, you know, like you a lot.”

Yuna stared at her for a moment, then laughed. “You're telling me this only now? About time! Well, I think we get along just fine as friends.”

Mina shook her head and bit her lips. It was now or never.

“Um what I mean was, I really like you.”

“Huh?”

“I… I think I might be in love with you, Yuna.” Mina confessed, her cheeks burning.

Yuna stared at her for a moment, then moved forward suddenly, stopping only when she was nose-to-nose with Mina.

“Um…”

Before she could say another word, Yuna leaned forward and silenced her with her lips.

Oh my god Yuna’s…kissing me! Her lips… so soft…

Mina froze for a moment, unable to believe what was happening, then returned the kiss with a ferocity that took Yuna by surprise. Their lips remained locked for a good thirty seconds, until Yuna broke away unexpectedly.

What the hell? It was starting to feel good.

Yuna stared straight over the lake, wearing an unreadable expression on her face. The moonlight casted a soft silver glow on her silhouette, illuminating her beautiful facial features.

“I'm sorry…I really shouldn’t have done that.”

The sadness in her voice shocked Mina more that the meaning behind her words.

“You're- what?”

“Mina, I'm sorry,” Yuna whispered softly. “I… I already have someone else. So we can't be together.”

Mina stared blankly at her, mouth slightly agape.

She already has someone else. All this while and I never thought to ask… Damn it, could it be?

“It’s her right? The one whom you were talking about at that café?”

“Yes, it’s her. Listen, I didn’t expect things to turn out this way, please don’t be mad at me!” Yuna pleaded. She turned to Mina and grabbed her hand. “I love you too, but it’s just that-”

Mina flinched and wrenched her hand away as though she had just been pricked by something sharp. “No, it’s my fault. I was careless and lost control of my emotions,” she said flatly.

“It’s not your- “

 “Let’s just pretend tonight never happened and let things be the way they are like before. I’ll see you back at our room.”

Without another word, Mina her heels and retraced her way back up the path, hoping that Yuna would not notice the tears flowing down her cheeks.

*****************************

Her final tutorial of the semester, and of the exchange programme, was an unexpectedly spiritual session. Her professor had let them watch a few performances by world-renown musicians and afterwards made them reflect on how they could have done better that semester.  

Yuna bid goodbye to her classmates and returned to her dorm, with the intention of packing her bags in advance. The first thing she saw was Mina, who was sporting a new bob haircut.

“Your hair! You cut your hair!” Yuna gasped incredulously, her hand flying up to cover her open mouth.

Mina looked at her solemnly and nodded. “I cut it earlier this morning after you left for class. I’m going to the Dean’s office now. Would you mind following me?”

“The Dean’s office? Whatever for? Did you commit a crime or something?”

Mina grabbed Yuna’s hand. “It’s a decision that I want to make and I need you to give me the strength to follow through with it.”

Yuna smiled and squeezed her hand.

“I believe that only you know what’s best for yourself. You’ll always have my love and support!”