Sungyeon kept performing on the streets. Sometimes outside a busy train station, other times at a nice open, lively space in a park near the beach. The public either watched or ignored her. The ones who stayed and watched usually gave their appreciation by tossing a few coins or notes into her guitar case laid open on the ground. The Japanese are usually reserved in their comments but there were a few who complimented her singing. Sungyeon’s knowledge of the language was still limited, but she did picked up on some phrases thanks to Nayoung and a certain florist.

Speaking of the florist, Sungyeon couldn’t deny how much she’d been thinking about her ever since that night after the walk on the beach. A part of her wished that this was just a hopeless passing crush, something that will just fade away once she eventually has to leave Japan. Even if it did, she didn’t want this friendship with Yewon to fade either…

Her heart sank at the thought.

She gripped her guitar a little tighter and sang; the sombre melody strummed out to anyone willing to listen.

-

When the busker returned to Nayoung’s house that evening, the smell of dinner hit her once she stepped foot inside. Come to think of it, she hadn’t gotten a bite to eat since breakfast.

‘I hope Nayoung unnie cooked a lot today,’ Sungyeon thought as she closed the door behind her. She could already feel her stomach protesting loudly.

As if she heard her inner ponderings, the owner of the humble abode appeared from the room next to the hallway, a spatula in one hand. “Sungyeon, you’re back earlier than usual,” Nayoung greeted the busker. “Dinner will be done in a bit.”

“It’s fine, unnie. No need to rush.” Sungyeon lied through her teeth as she was about to climb the stairs up to her room. At that moment, her stomach took the opportunity to let out a very distinct and audible growl.

Stopping dead in her tracks, the busker heaved a heavy sigh. A chuckle could be heard, most definitely from the older one beside her.

“Give me ten minutes and your tummy will be satisfied.” Nayoung returned back into the kitchen, leaving Sungyeon to wallow in her embarrassment.

Dinnertime was always comfortable when it came to the two occupants of the house. Sungyeon liked to talk about her day and any other noteworthy topics with her unnie, while Nayoung enjoyed listening to her and sometimes giving her own two cents about them. She didn’t mind whatever Sungyeon babbled on and on about to her, much to the younger girl’s delight. Sungyeon could even discuss about how bread was made, and Nayoung wouldn’t turn a deaf ear about it.

Which strangely as it was, made Sungyeon a lot more nervous of what she was going to talk about next.

“Unnie.”

“Hmm?” The older woman looked up at her friend, slowly munching on her rice.

“Remember the first time you heard me sing? Back when you visited me in Korea and I haven’t gone on this crazy journey?”

“Yes, I do. What of it? And please stop playing with your food.”

Sungyeon immediately stopped poking at her fried chicken cutlets. “Sorry. Actually, do you remember what you thought about it? My singing, I mean.”

Nayoung contemplated for a while before giving her answer. “I said that it was great and you should be a professional singer one day.”

“You weren’t pulling my leg, right?”

“Why would I lie to you?” Nayoung said, taken aback by the sudden question.

“I...just wanted to make sure.”

“Sungyeon, is there something you want to tell me?”

The younger girl sighed and placed her chopsticks down. It was now or never. “Yewon wants to hear me sing.”

“And that’s a problem because…?”

“Unnie, you already know how I get whenever I have to sing to someone personally. Even singing to you and my mom was hard.”

“And you still managed to do it.”

“B-but this is kinda different.”

Nayoung quirked a brow. Sungyeon wanted to sink down into her seat. Her unnie’s gaze could be downright intense sometimes.

“I think I like her,” the busker confessed. “Scratch that, I like her a lot.”

“Are you sure?”

“If I’m not, then I wouldn’t be saying all this in the first place.”

Nayoung reached out to place her hand on one of Sungyeon’s own, a calm smile on her lips. “You’re scared, aren’t you?”

A nod.

“Of rejection or of leaving her behind if she does reciprocates your feelings?”

“Both,” Sungyeon dejectedly muttered.

“I say you go for it, and if it doesn’t work out then that’s life, right?”

As much as Sungyeon didn’t want to think about it, she knew she had to be prepared for the worst. There was nothing else to say so they resumed their dinner quietly until they were full.

When Sungyeon collapsed onto the bed that night, she dreamt of a radiant field filled with tall sunflowers swaying in the breeze. In the middle of it all stood a familiar pony-tailed figure, her back facing towards her. Sungyeon walked forward, but every step she took kept getting further and further away from her. Her efforts were futile. The dream ended when darkness engulfed her, leaving her alone in the empty void.

-

The bell jingled as she stepped foot into the cosy, little flower shop. Sungyeon scanned the interior, but no cute florist in sight. “Yewon?” she called out. Sungyeon went further in towards the cashier counter, careful not to bump her guitar case into any of the overhanging plants which hung from the ceiling. There was a backroom behind the counter. She heard some noises coming from it, ones that sounded like someone moving a bunch of heavy boxes around. “You in there?” she called again as she leaned over the counter.

“Yes! I’m here!” Yewon’s voice replied back. “Will get back to you in a mi- Ouch!”

Sungyeon flinched. Seems like the florist was having a rough time in there. “Uh, you need any help?”

“It’s fine! There’s just a lot of boxes in here and- Ah!” A loud thud rumbled out from the room, followed by a pained groan.

The busker swiftly placed her guitar case down and hastily went around the counter. When she got to the doorway, she found a less-than-okay Yewon groggily getting up and surrounded by a number of boxes, either stacked up or left by their lonesome.

“Whoa, are you okay?” Sungyeon concernedly asked, going towards the florist to help her up. The florist took the offered hand with much gratitude. “Is this a frequent thing or…?

Yewon looked offended. “No, I don’t fall down on my often!”

“I meant you having to take stock checks and stuff, but if you wanna put it in that context then…” Sungyeon gave an amused smirk as she side-eyed the now embarrassed florist.

“Do you always have to tease me like this?” Yewon whined.

“Yes, until 7,” Sungyeon innocently looked at her watch. That earned her a powerful smack on the arm. “Okay I’ll stop teasing you, sheesh.”

With a triumphant grin on her face, Yewon dusted off her bottom and returned to her task. Sungyeon noticed how the florist was donning a pair of overalls over a purple striped t-shirt today. Her hair too was tied in a low twin-tailed hairstyle, instead of her usual ponytail. She wondered how Yewon would look with her hair down.

‘Probably gorgeous, I bet.’ The busker inwardly guessed.

“I was sorting out the new shipment that just came in. We have these adorable tiny plants and cactuses grown in these square pots, and they’re very easy to take care of.” Yewon opened up one of the boxes and sure enough, there were all the tiny plants lined up neatly in it.

“Wow, they really are adorable,” Sungyeon commented from over Yewon’s shoulder.

“Told you,” the bubbly florist said as she tilted her head to Sungyeon’s side.“I need to get them displayed out there.”

“You sure you don’t need help?”

“I don’t want to trouble you.”

“I show up at your shop and been watching you work until your shift is done. I’m the one troubling you.” Sungyeon made it a point to harbor the most threatening face on.

“You’ve never troubled me because you always kept me company,” Yewon’s eyes softened.

Well, Sungyeon couldn’t argue over that. She sure as hell couldn’t with that irresistible look aimed at her. With a heavy sigh, she surrendered. “Fine.”

An arm wrapped around her, pulling the surprised busker into a side-hug. “You’re sweet and I appreciate the offer, but I can handle this,” Yewon softly said. Her lips were so close to brushing with hers, Sungyeon could feel their breaths lingering. She willed herself to not do anything dumb like kissing her right here, right now.

“Okay, but the moment I see you struggling with those, I’m helping.”

A light giggle resonated through her ears. “Thank you,” Yewon gratefully said and wrapped her other arm around the busker for a proper hug. Were hugs always this good and wholesome? Sungyeon couldn’t remember. What she did know for a fact was that the florist was an extremely great hugger. No, she totally wasn’t over-exaggerating.

-

“Hey, I was wondering about something.”

“Hmm?” Yewon hummed in acknowledgement while carefully placing the delicate potted plants on the display racks.

“What do sunflowers mean?”

The florist turned around to face the busker, blinking cluelessly at her. Sungyeon was eyeing a bunch of sunflowers sitting in a vase at a corner of the shop. “Oh, well they’re supposed to symbolise adoration, loyalty, longevity and pride if I remembered correctly.”

“Interesting,” Sungyeon commented as she crouched down to get a better look at them. “Do all florists have to learn about these kinda stuff?”

“How else are we going to charm people into buying flowers for their loved ones?”

That let out a sputtered laughter from the busker. “You have a great point there.”

The florist went closer to her friend, clasping her hands behind her back casually. “What brought this up?”

“Um...I dreamt about them?” Sungyeon left out the other main subject of the dream. “Like, last night.”

“Oh! What was it about?” Yewon perked up.

“Just a field of sunflowers. I can’t remember much.” She sure hoped it was convincing enough. Not being entirely truthful to the florist whom she was falling for didn’t sit right with her. At all. “It turned dark towards the end though. Like me literally entering into a dark void and it ended just like that.”

Yewon furrowed her brows, concerned. “That must have been quite a vivid dream.”

The busker let out a sheepish laugh. “It sure was.” Sungyeon stood up and turned around, her expression slightly more serious. “Are you free after work? I think you’ve waited long enough.”

Yewon’s eyes widened. “You mean you’re going to sing for me?” she said in disbelief.

“Yes. Unless you already have plans and we can do this another d-”

“I’m free!” the florist said, though a little too enthusiastically.

Sungyeon felt a tad flattered over the response. It also didn’t help to calm down her already racing heart. If Yewon had been anticipating for it this much, then she’d better put on a great show.

And that terrified Sungyeon to the core.

-

6.30pm. Closing time.

Business was surprisingly good today. The adorable tiny plants apparently were a trend, with many of the customers flocking to the store being teenaged to young adult females trying to get hold of them. Being short-handed with staff, Yewon finally agreed to let Sungyeon help out, much to the busker’s delight.

Sungyeon was currently sitting on the pavement by the driveway outside Yewon’s shop, waiting for her friend to emerge and be done with closing up the place. The florist insisted on doing it alone, in which the response was a rolling of eyes and an exasperated “Fine” from Sungyeon. Yewon gave another grateful hug to her, so it wasn’t all too bad.

Chin resting on one hand and the other fidgeting with the strap of her guitar case, Sungyeon contemplated. She already had the song in mind. One which suited the season well enough. She could only hope that the florist would like it. Maybe it would give her the courage to actually confess. Before she could delve deeper into it, a sudden jolt from her shoulders snapped her out from her thoughts.

“Why so sulky?”

She whipped her head around to the sight of Yewon bent down slightly with her hands on Sungyeon’s shoulders, looking down at her with a curious expression. From Sungyeon’s point of view, she looked almost like an angel sent down from above, as cliche as it sounded.

‘Get a grip on yourself, Sungyeon,’ she mentally griped. Standing up on her feet, she shooked her head. “Just me overthinking again. I’m glad you broke me out of it, or else I might have just let it get the better of me and bolted out of here without saying anything to you,” the busker let out a half-hearted chuckle. It might have been a joke, but at this point she wasn’t so sure anymore.

“You’ve never actually done that, have you?” Yewon asked, her brows furrowed in concern. “Sungyeon, you don’t have to force yourself. If you’re uncomfortable with singing to me, then I understand. We’re friends because we spend time together, not because we have to do things to impress each other.”

“But I really want to sing for you.Truly, I’ve been thinking about it a lot and if I keep running away from my problems, then how the hell am I ever going to improve and step foot into the spotlight without any worries?” The busker’s grip on the strap tightened, her knuckles turning white.

“Would it be better if I sang together with you?”

Her clenched fist loosened, and her eyes almost bulged out from their sockets. “Wait, you can sing?” Sungyeon gaped.

“Does singing in the shower count?” Yewon sheepishly scratched her cheek with a finger. “Don’t expect too much. I’m just suggesting it for your sake.”

The busker shrugged. “I’m not against it. Plus, I’m actually curious.”

“Way to put the pressure on me now,” Yewon joked.

It was much appreciated though. Sungyeon knew that this was her way of keeping the mood light-hearted. The anxiety bug which crept into her being was smaller now and much easier to deal with.

Author's Note: Boy, this took a while to post up. :/ I actually wanted this to just be a two-shot but it seems that I have more for this fic up in store. I won't lie. This story was a bit hard to develop because I wasn't sure if I should add in more backstory to Sungyeon's character or just leave it up to the reader's interpretation. We'll see how it goes. :) As always, thank you to everyone who has read, upvoted or commented! See ya in the next update!