I wrote this for someone who was a friend once.  Enjoy~

The crunch beneath her feet was the sound of all the cherry blossoms that had fallen on the side walk.  This street that led to their university was line with cherry blossom trees on both sides and every spring the sidewalk would turn into a beautiful pink walk way.

Hyejin carried her guitar case over one shoulder, holding onto the strap with her left hand, and held the hand of her best friend – and secretly love of her life – in the other.  Hyejin’s steps quickened just a bit more as Wheein began to skip forward – excitement written all over her face with a huge smile.  Hyejin couldn’t help but to smile adoringly at her best friend.

Her heart beat just a little bit faster every time Wheein smiled.  She had been denying, for years, her true love for the older girl, but these days it was just becoming harder and harder.  They were adults now, in the beginning of their twenties, and Wheein had blossomed into a beautiful young woman.  Her facial features were the same as the day Hyejin saw her in class that first day of middle school, but now they had a mature elegance to them.

Hyejin couldn’t help but to stare at Wheein at times – to study her beauty, her smile, her eyes, that perfect jawline, her incredible side profile, and best of all that little dimple that could drown Hyejin whole.  She was madly in love with Wheein.  There was no denying it to herself anymore, but she couldn’t tell her.  Wheein, the girl fell easily for those who would never love her or appreciate her the way Hyejin did.

“Hyejinie…” Wheein’s voice broke Hyejin away from her thoughts and adoring stare.

“Hmm?” Hyejin hummed.

“I think we should perform here.  Well, in the corner of the sidewalk.  It’s usually busy now so we should get spectators, plus, the cherry blossom trees make it for a very scenic background.” Wheein explained and opened her arms as to try an engulf the scene behind them.

Hyejin looked around for a few seconds before turning to face Wheein again.  “I guess we could.  It is pretty.”

“Yay!” Wheein clapped excitedly.

Hyejin smirked and lowered her guitar case – placing it gently on the ground.  She opened it, grabbed her guitar, and moved it front and center of Wheein and herself.  The spectators and people walking by would drop their tips in the opened guitar case while they performed.

“You ready?” Hyejin asked and Wheein nodded.  “Okay.”

Hyejin began to strum the first notes of the song on her guitar and when she hit the cue for Wheein, the older brunette started singing the lyrics of their song.  They were buskers in the streets inside and outside the university they were currently attending.  It was a way to make extra money to spend on things they needed instead of using their parents’ money or school loans.

With Hyejin’s skillful guitar playing and Wheein’s powerful voice, the two buskers spent the entire afternoon entertaining passer byes and spectators alike.

“Hyejinie!” The boisterous sound of her name being called almost made Hyejin scribble down the wrong note on her music sheet paper.  She had been strumming along the beginning of a new composition until Wheein burst into the empty auditorium with two handful of churros in her hands.

“I went to the bakery down the street and the cute guy behind the counter gave me all these churros!  Let’s eat.” Wheein shoved one of the handfuls in front of her best friend, and Hyejin quickly grabbed them before Wheein could drop them on top of her guitar.

The mention of a “cute guy” made Hyejin clench her jaw and slyly roll her eyes.  It was always a cute guy that Wheein would fall for.  It happened in high school, several times, and Hyejin had been there to mend the broken hearts.  She even went out with one of the cute guy’s best friend just to please Wheein because the guy apparently liked her.  Worst date ever and it only helped Hyejin substantiate her preference.

“He just gave these to you?” Hyejin asked and looked over at Wheein.  The older girl had taken a seat at the edge of the stage next to the younger girl.

“Yup!  I went to go get some bread and Delilah started playing, so I started singing and he was really impressed.  We started chatting and next thing I know, I have no bread and two handfuls of churros.  Mmm…they’re so good.” Wheein grinned happily and took a bite of one of the churros.

Hyejin nodded her head and looked down at the churros in her hand.  She wanted to pry more – ask what they had talked about.  Could this be the next guy to break her heart?  Hyejin didn’t even want to think about it.  Just the thought of seeing Wheein with some guy again made her cringe.  If only Wheein knew, if only Wheein had eyes for her.

The curiosity of the “cute guy” at the bakery had gotten the best of Hyejin.  She needed to see him – see what Wheein saw in him.  Two days after hearing about him, Hyejin found herself in the bakery eating the best chocolate covered croissant she had ever tasted and sipping on a cup of black coffee.  The bakery was empty aside from her, the “cute guy” behind the counter and perhaps some bakers in the back of the bakery.

The “cute guy” had been very nice and friendly the moment she stepped up to the counter.  He was a bit quiet when he spoke though and he had great manners.  It was sort of shy and respectful at the same time.  For the time being, he had busied himself with cleaning behind the counter and moving around the baked goods in the display cases.

A couple of girls entered the bakery giggling between themselves and quieting down after reaching the counter.  They placed their orders and continued to talk to the guy behind the counter – almost as if they were flirting with him.  He seemed a bit flustered talking to them, but managed to keep himself composed to fulfill their order.  After the girls left, he made quick eye contact with Hyejin and then turned around to continue mopping the floor behind the counter.

He was handsome, Hyejin had to admit that, but despite that he really wasn’t the type of guy Wheein generally went for.  In all her staring and thinking, Hyejin failed to notice the guy come around the counter and approach her table.

“Miss?  Do you need anything else?  More coffee perhaps?” He asked her and Hyejin’s eyes widen at the sight of him standing in front of her.

Hyejin coughed and cleared before responding.  “Um, no, thank you.  I still have enough right now.”

“Okay, let me know if you need anything else later.” He bowed at her slightly and then left to go back behind the counter.

Hyejin sighed and reached for the cup of coffee to take a sip from it.  Perhaps she should have asked Wheein what she and this guy had talked about.  The bitter coffee reminded her of how bitter she had felt hearing the words “cute guy” come out of Wheein’s mouth again.

The bells on the door chimed and this time it was a guy who walked into the bakery.  He was young, tall, and handsome as well.  He quickly walked over to the counter and the smiled that formed on the cute guy’s face surprised the short haired brunette.  It wasn’t a smile of an employee to a customer or a smile of a friend to a friend – it was more, it was the smile of a lover.

“Hyun, I thought you would be in later.  I’m so happy to see you here so early.” The cute guy told the other one.

“The girl I’m tutoring couldn’t stay too long today, she had a doctor’s appointment.  I thought I would surprise you.” Hyun explained and reached over the counter to peck the cute guy on the lips.

“Hyunkyu!  Not in front of the customers!” The cute guy protested and Hyunkyu grinned in satisfaction.  He then turned to face Hyejin and smiled at her.

Hyejin turned her sights back to her unfinished croissant and remained cool and collected on the outside, but on the inside, she was screaming.  She didn’t know whether to thank the heavens or just thank the cute guy for being gay and having a boyfriend.  Wheein was safe.

“Hey, sorry about that.  I hope we didn’t offend?” The cute guy’s boyfriend, Hyunkyu, said after approaching Hyejin.

The short haired brunette looked up at him and shook her head.  “No, it’s fine.  I…swing that way too.  Well, my way…different way but the same…?”

Hyunkyu chuckled and nodded his head.  “I got it.  Fighting!”

Hyejin chuckled at the raised fist and raised hers as well.  Hyunkyu’s eyes quickly drifted to the guitar case underneath the table sitting close to Hyejin’s feet.  He pointed at the case and looked at Hyejin with an excited look on his face.

“Do you play?” He asked.

“Yes.” Hyejin replied.

“Chandong!  She plays guitar like you!” Hyunkyu yelled out and pointed at the guitar case.  “He didn’t talk a hole in your ear about it, did he?”

Hyejin shook her head and Chandong tried hiding behind one of the display cases from both his boyfriend and customer.  Chandong was generally quiet and shy unless someone struck up a conversation about something he liked.  Hyejin hadn’t said much to him so they had barely talked.

“Come here!” Hyunkyu motioned with his hand for his boyfriend to walked over.  Chandong nodded and quickly made his way towards his boyfriend and Hyejin.

Hyunkyu wrapped and arm around Chandong and smiled at Hyejin.  “Do you busker?”

“Yeah, I do, with my best friend.” Hyejin replied and offered a smile to the two of them.

“That’s gr