"Why did this awareness not prevent my fall into love?
Because the illogicality and childishness of my desire did
not outweigh my need to believe. I knew the void that
romantic intoxication could fill, I knew the exhilaration
that comes from identifying someone, anyone, as admirable." (Alain de Botton, Essays in Love 15)

    Every passing day, both of them were unknowingly thrown into the pit of emptiness, longing for a glimpse of hope that would rescue them from the veil of darkness that trapped the heart. Like the aftermath of a master thief, the owners felt an inkling of something being missing but could not quite pinpoint the exact source. One day Hitomi decided to break the silence and call Minju to ask if she wanted to schedule another session on Monday.

"Oh, I'm sorry Hitomi, but I already planned to travel to Hallasan (a mountain on Jeju Island) on Monday for a new photo collection idea I had."

Intrigued by idea, Hitomi responded "Would it be okay if I joined you for the trip? It's been a while since I've done some hiking and lately I haven't had many chances to intake nature's beauty."

"Of course, I'd love that!"

    After hours of careful preparation and a smooth flight together, the two arrived at the foot of the mountain before dawn and were prepared to ascend the tallest mountain in South Korea. Both ladies wore a black, thick fur coat with numerous heat pads underneath in order to combat the piercing frigid winds that battered their bodies. Hitomi sported her favorite winter scarf that displayed the entire color spectrum of a hybrid rose garden. Meanwhile, Minju had to carry her photography equipment bag and in the process forgot to bring along her sunset themed scarf. However, Minju assured Hitomi that she was okay when the peach girl offered to let her use the rose themed scarf. While the winds were harsh and the conditions were less than ideal, the two finally arrived at the summit after a couple hours of hiking.
    The view was simply breathtaking. The vast majority of the island could be seen and the landscape carved more beauty and meaning than a chisel and hammer ever could. The two marveled at the panoramic view for a while before Minju ped her bag and brought out her equipment. Unfortunately Minju also forgot to bring the tri-pod stand for camera stability so she had to improvise with manually holding the camera steady with her hands and capturing the scene then. The moment the sun peeked above the distant horizon was the precise timing Minju was anticipating and she was already in prime position. Hitomi observed her from the sidelines, admiring her dedication and resolve in attempting to capture an ideal, fleeting slit in time. But she then noticed that Minju's hands were slightly trembling from the chilly weather and started to worry about Minju's health if this continued. The peach silently moved to the photographer's side as to not disturb her intense focus.
    Minju tunnel visioned deep onto her camera, monitoring every current setting and paying special attention to the focus and alignment. She then felt a warm sensation circling around her neck and a pair of greedy hands locking onto her unstable hands. Minju looked over to the side and noticed that Hitomi's scarf was wrapped around both of their necks and that Hitomi herself was staring directly into Minju's eyes. As much as Minju tried to avert her eyes to anywhere but the center field, she was ultimately drawn back to those pair of beautiful, innocent, and sparkling brown eyes. Hitomi's lips were glowing a bright red as a bodily response to the harsh temperatures on her delicate lips but this turned to help highlight her radiant smile directed at the surprised victim. The girl's cheeks had turned a bright cherry color and Minju had an unsatiable desire to poke them but her body felt trapped, constrained by her friend's overwhelming kindness that she had no choice but to remain frozen. 
    Time felt like it halted to a standstill. Looking back at it, Hitomi really did ponder why her body instinctively moved towards Minju and warm her up, but never did she regret it as she stared at the girl. Hitomi enjoyed watching Minju become flustered and attempting to avoid eye contact at all costs. The awkwardness felt really cute and natural. When their hands touched, Hitomi instantly felt a cold shock to her body which worried her for her friend's health but that did not faze Hitomi at all. She adored how soft and smooth Minju's hands were and started to rub their hands together to generate heat, or so that was the surface-level intention. 
    The two continued the photo shoot together and even after they had finished, the couple remained there motionless, not wanting to topple this utopia that had descended and rested on the tip of a thumbtack. Like dormant daffodils, the scarf duo began to awaken from their paradise trance with the revitalizing sunlight penetrating through to their heart. Minju turns and looks at Hitomi straight in the eyes with a bold and aggressive demeanor and declared these 4 words:

"Hitomi, I love you!"

    Once those words hit her ears, Hitomi was instantly struck with a flashback to an exact scenario where her ex-partner had declared those same words when the two were alone. She accepted back then but the relationship string that held their bond together became more and more tangled with slight cuts of distrust over time. Hitomi hated herself for allowing herself to end up in that situation and could not bear to experience that again. But Hitomi looked back into Minju's eyes and saw an earnest and sincere conviction that she could not refuse. So with a bleeding heart from a reopened wound, Hitomi reciprocated the same words:

"Minju, I love you too."         

    Exhilarated from hearing those words, Minju threw her arms around Hitomi and gave her an unrivaled, endearing smile. Before Hitomi had a moment to think about what to say in response to Minju's confident affection, cherry blossoms bloomed and lovebirds sang a harmonious melody as Minju leaned forward, closed her eyes, and united her lips with her newfound girlfriend's.