Kyungwon was an art student at the local university. She had always loved portraying the beauty of the world in her art. Giving her own touch to everything she represented in her drawings and paintings was her favorite thing. She had been drawing since she had use of memory and you could see the gleam in her eyes whenever she had a pencil in hand and a sketchbook lying on the table, right in front of her. She traced the silhouettes of whatever she was drawing with such ease; it was obvious she was born to do this.

Every day, after finishing her classes, she often visited a particular café there was nearby. There, she spent a couple of hours finishing projects she had due or just drawing to her heart’s content. She started going to the café only because her best friend Eunwoo had a part-time job there and whenever her friend was at the cashier taking orders she got a generous discount. School Out café was a small but cozy place, and the beverages they prepared were pretty good, so Kyungwon couldn’t complain about it. That way she could visit Eunwoo and the drink cheap (but good) coffee her system needed to keep functioning. Starting a couple of weeks ago, though, Kyungwon found another reason to go there. Said reason being a certain gorgeous girl who went by the name of Minkyung –or that was what Nunu told her, who apart from taking said girl’s orders at the café, also had singing classes with her. Minkyung was tall and her figure was slim. She had long, black, shiny hair and her fringe framed her face prettily. Even from afar, the art student could tell Minkyung had beautiful, big and sparkly dark brown eyes. If you asked Kyungwon, she would have described her as mesmerizing. Also, according to her best friend, Minkyung was kind, very sweet, had a beautiful smile and the voice of an angel. Kyungwon easily believed her even though she knew Eunwoo tended to always exaggerate things.

The second day she coincided with Minkyung was the first time she drew her. The art student had always had a weak spot for pretty things and people, and Minkyung was the prettiest girl she had ever came across with. She stole quick glances in her direction, that being enough for Kyungwon to draw a simple sketch of her, nothing too detailed. She left it at that. If you weren’t paying enough attention, you wouldn’t have noticed those glances, but Eunwoo had been intently watching her best friend and made sure to about it as soon as her shift finished and arrived home.

“You definitely have a crush on her!” Kyungwon trying to ignore Eunwoo’s incessant teasing. Her best friend had called her ten minutes ago just to torment her over what had happened at the café.

“I don’t, I just appreciate a pretty face”, denied the artist for the nth time, with a bored tone. Her friend’s loud voice screaming “liar, you’re a liar” pierced Kyungwon’s eardrum. She rolled her eyes. “Listen, it’s late, and I still have to finish a piece that is due tomorrow, I’m gonna hang up”. Not waiting for an answer, she finished the call.

The next day, Eunwoo greeted Kyungwon with a pout, and Kyungwon couldn’t help but to laugh, knowing that her friend wasn’t actually mad. She ordered an iced Americano and took a seat at her regular table. Minkyung entered the café a couple of minutes later, and Kyungwon found herself following the girl with her gaze. She also knew Eunwoo was watching with a sly grin plastered on her face, but decided to act as if she didn’t know. Once again, Kyungwon spent the afternoon sketching Minkyung.

Things continued like that for a while, the art student discarding the university projects she had to do and drawing the beautiful girl that had caught her attention weeks ago; but of course, Kyungwon had to slip up at some point, and it happened roughly a month after seeing Minkyung for the first time. That afternoon, she was drawing her muse, as Eunwoo likes to refer to Minkyung, when she decided to stare at her for a little longer this time. She was drinking in her features and admiring her beauty when the long haired girl, sensed Kyungwon’s stare, and looked up to stare directly at the art student’s eyes. Much to Kyungwon’s dismay, even if she wouldn’t admit it out loud, Minkyung smiled at her and she felt her heart melt into a puddle. With her heart beating hard against her ribs, she lowered her gaze and came to the conclusion that it was time for her to leave. She sent a quick panicked look at her best friend behind the counter, who smiled teasingly at her, and quickly left the café.

That weekend, Eunwoo invited herself to Kyungwon’s house to have a sleepover. Kyungwon’s parents didn’t mind at all; they almost considered Eunwoo their daughter. They loved the girl, enjoyed her presence and were glad she was their daughter’s best friend. The taller of the two knew this impromptu sleepover had most definitely something to do with the Minkyung Situation™. At first, Eunwoo didn’t say a word about the matter, and Kyungwon almost thought she was going to get away without talking about it. Obviously, that didn’t happen. When the evening came, the pizzas they ordered arrived and they went upstairs to eat, her friend brought up the subject. Kyungwon wanted to scream.

“You have a crush on Minkyung”. She wasn’t even asking, she was confirming it. Kyungwon wanted to deny it, she really wanted to, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. There were obviously some feelings there; it wasn’t sheer admiration anymore, but one thing is accepting it, and the other is saying it out loud. Kyungwon felt like if she actually said she had a crush on Minkyung, it would feel more real. Like it was really happening –which it already was, but that’s beside the point. That long silence was everything Eunwoo needed to know she was right. “I KNEW IT!” she screamed as she fist pumped the air. Kyungwon let herself fall flat on her bed from her sitting position in a dejected manner, and huffed. She knew what was coming now. Eunwoo was going to proclaim herself Kyungwon’s love guru. The shorter friend’s mind was racing; Kyungwon could see it in her face. Eunwoo spent two whole hours giving ideas on how her friend could make a move and Kyungwon bluntly rejected each one of them. This was exasperating. The art student knew her friend was just trying to help, but she was tired and wasn’t willing to try any of her crazy plans.

“Eunwoo, please, leave it, I’m tired and I want to go to sleep already,” Kyungwon pleaded, her eyelids heavy with sleep made her eyes look droopy. The shorter made her signature pout seeing how her friend wasn’t eager to follow any of her plans. When she was about to drop the topic, her eyes widened in realization.

“WAIT. I promise this is the last idea I’m going to give you, but listen to me once more” she said while making her best puppy face and batting her eyelashes. Kyungwon should already be immune to those techniques since they had been friends since they were little kids, but Eunwoo was too cute and she was trying to help, so she gave in.

“Ok, go on, I’m listening”. Her best friend’s face lit up and her lips curved up into a big smile.

“Look, maybe you could give her one of your drawings?” seeing Kyungwon’s horrified face, she explained what she meant further “I mean, you don’t have to give her personally, maybe just leaving it on her table while she is on the bathroom or something? And write her something simple”. Kyungwon let the idea sink for a moment. Maybe it wasn’t that bad of a plan. She could do that. Right? She had plenty of sketches of her and had practically memorized every detail of her beautiful face.

“That…isn’t too crazy. I can’t believe you can actually come up with coherent enough ideas, Nunu” Kyungwon said jokingly, and ruffled Eunwoo’s hair, laughing at her expression of feigned annoyance.

“The least you could say is thank you, you ugly, I’m such a great friend”. Kyungwon rolled her eyes at the last thing her blonde friend said, not wanting to give her another reason to be smug, although deep down, she really was thankful for having Eunwoo as her best friend.

After that, the weekend flew by. Kyungwon and Eunwoo decided to stay in instead of going out. They didn’t talk about the Minkyung Situation™ again, but Kyungwon couldn’t stop thinking about it. She didn’t even know if she would have the courage to leave a drawing on her table. Maybe she should just let it go. Minkyung was out of her league anyway.

Monday came and Kyungwon missed her classes to finish the drawing she was supposed to give to her muse. It was a watercolor piece of Minkyung reading a book at her usual spot at the café; the highlight of the painting being the girl’s side profile framed by her long hair cascading down her shoulder. Kyungwon shamefully realized how she had never put so much effort into one of her pieces, not even the ones that were for her university projects. Shaking her head as if that way she would get rid away of those thoughts, she finished the painting. It wasn’t too big, just the size of a sheet of paper, but it was beautiful. As much as Kyungwon had tried to capture Minkyung’s beauty and aura, it didn’t come out exactly like she wanted, but intention was key, right? Now she just had to write a short message and gather enough courage to the girl she was crushing on.

That afternoon, after her classes –yeah, the ones she had missed– Kyungwon made her way to the café. Hands clammy and breathing shakily due to nervousness she sat at her self-assigned table. She had asked a double shot of iced Americano beforehand and was now playing with the straw she was supposed to use to drink her coffee –she always drank with a straw. Minkyung usually arrived ten minutes later than Kyungwon, but she still hadn’t come today. The art student started to get even more nervous; she constantly spared glances at the clock, her best friend and the door one in that order. Eunwoo’s look was reassuring, giving Kyungwon some hope, and the taller girl wished she could just talk to her friend right now, but unfortunately she was working. Kyungwon was fiddling with her fingers, the straw long forgotten after she almost drank the coffee in only one shot. She was lost in her self pitying thoughts when the sound of a door opening startled her, snapping her out of her daze. It was Minkyung, looking as mesmerizing as ever. This time, she looked at Kyungwon’s direction and offered her a small smile before walking to the counter to order a drink and go sit at her usual spot. Kyungwon was about to combust. Minkyung really was powerful, sending her heart into a frenzy with just a small smile. Time seemed to slow down, minutes felt like hours and Kyungwon’s nerves were starting to make her sweat. After what it felt like hours, Minkyung went to the bathroom. Eunwoo hissed at her best friend telling her to act quickly. Kyungwon got up, stumbling, and ran to Minkyung’s table. She carefully left her drawing and the message there, and biding Eunwoo goodbye, she exited the café, not being able to stay there any longer.

Kyungwon didn’t sleep that night. She hated herself for acting like a teenage girl in love for a girl with whom she had never spoken. She was scared of going to the café next day, but she knew if she didn’t go Eunwoo would personally kill her with her bare –tiny– hands. Next morning, Kyungwon tried to cover up her dark circles with a bit of makeup, just so she didn’t look like a walking dead girl. Just like she always did, she headed to the School Out café after class. This time, much to her surprise, she saw Minkyung waiting at the door of the establishment with the drawing Kyungwon made for her in hand. The art student was ready to run away before the girl at the door noticed her, but fate wasn’t on her side, and Minkyung turned around just in time to see her standing there, in the middle of the street considering her options.

“Hey, hey, sorry!” Minkyung spoke loudly as she started walking towards Kyungwon. Her voice was lovely and Kyungwon wanted to scold herself for being so whipped. She tried to keep a blank expression. When Minkyung finally was in front of the other girl, she kept talking “I was wondering if you did this and left it on my table” she said, holding up the drawing with the small message. Kyungwon wished the earth would swallow her just then. She could feel her cheeks heating up and her breathing pick up.

“Eh, um, I’m sorry, this is really weird. But, yeah. Like, I did. Do it, I mean. I painted this and left it on your table” Kyungwon cursed at herself for stuttering so much. She wasn’t making any sense. This was the stupidest thing she had ever done. “I’m so sorry, I promise I’m not that weird I just thought you were really pretty and your beauty was worth painting. God, I sound so creepy. I’m sorry”. The artist knew she was rambling, but she couldn’t make it stop. Thankfully, –or not– the girl in front of her stopped her. She wore an amused look on her face and her eyes were crinkling with repressed laughter.

“Don’t apologize. It’s sweet, what you did. Maybe a little weird, I must admit” she said, amusement lacing her voice. She was not mad, thank God. “But nonetheless sweet. You are very talented, and your words are flattering” she admitted, referring to Kyungwon’s previous rambling, and the message, which she was holding up now. “I’m glad to know it was you who did this, and that you think my beauty is so mesmerizing I had to capture it in a drawing” she directly quoted Kyungwon’s note and a laughed softly, without malice. “Because when I saw you the other day I thought you were cute and wanted to ask you out on a date so we could get to know each other.”

Kyungwon swore she felt her heart stop beating right there, right then. The girl must have been joking. That couldn’t possibly be true, a girl like Kyungwon going out with a girl like Minkyung? Unrealistic. Minkyung was too pretty. “Sorry, what?” asked the art student, baffled by what had just happened. “Would you like to go on a date with me, Kyungwon?” repeated the long-haired girl, tilting her head, still amused.

“W-wait, how do you know my name?”

“I asked Eunwoo, I figured she would know.” Realization hit Kyungwon, of course Minkyung would ask Eunwoo, they knew each other from the singing lessons and the latter worked at the café after all, she would obviously know.

“Oh. I see. Um, yeah, also, I’d love to go on a date with you”.

C’est fini.