The endless blue sea glistened off the coast of the beach. The sounds of seagulls squawking as they soar overhead in search for food. People enjoying the blazing hot day by taking a dip into the cool waters. It reminded Sungyeon of the beaches in LA she used to go with her family when she was still a kid. She would take off onto the sand with her floating tube around her waist, ignoring the concerned calls of her parents to be careful and not run. That was, until she ended up meeting with a face full of sand. The lone girl smirked at the embarrassing memory as she took in the surroundings of the lively coast from the railing of the boardwalk she was leaning on.

Sungyeon could not have picked a better place to end up in. She had read up on how Fukuoka was one of the hidden gems of Japan. There was a sense of wonder and bliss here, which were lacking in all the other cities she had visited. The music she created and sung throughout her journeys had been influenced by her own experiences. She has ventured and wandered through urban streets, the countryside, and many other trails. Inspirations all around. Her excitement to absorb every single detail about this place knew no bounds.

With her trusty guitar case she carried on her back, Sungyeon pushed off from the railing and continued walking on the boardwalk. A much-needed breeze came through to compensate for the blazing rays of the sun, blowing some strands of hair that came out from her hair bun. Her feet took her away from the beach and to the inner strip where rows of small buildings, ranging from shops to residences, were lined up.

There was a decent amount of people strolling around, a mix of locals and tourists alike. Sungyeon looked around, just taking in the sights and sounds. Nothing struck as something particularly noteworthy yet. Some minutes later, she was getting slightly bummed out by how similar it is to every other places she’d been to. Sure it reminded her of good ol’ California in certain ways, but nothing seemed to click with her.

Letting out a disappointed sigh, the busker was ready to turn back to where she came from when something grabbed her attention from the corner of her eyes. Tucked at the far end of the strip held a humble-looking flower shop. Nothing spectacular but it did gave off a warm and welcoming vibe to it. A variety of flora and fauna were hung above or placed in cute flower pots near the entrance, decorating the quaint store. However, what caught Sungyeon’s eyes weren’t all that.

It was the beautiful young florist tending to one of the plants.

She couldn’t help but stare at the ponytailed brunette who was crouched down to water the already blooming white flowers. Sungyeon wasn’t sure what it was, she was no expert on flowers. From her position, she could see the side-profile of the girl. The brunette seemed pleased, a content smile on her face. An amazing view. Sungyeon wondered if this was considered creepy. She mentally face-palmed herself. This wasn’t the time to gawk at a stranger, no matter how good-looking they are.

As if she felt someone staring at her, the florist turned her head to the right, now very aware of the busker’s presence.

‘Ah, busted,’ Sungyeon thought as she sheepishly gave a flustered smile to the bewildered florist. ‘Good going, Sungyeon. So much for a good first impression.’

Her plan to just walk away and escape from this embarrassing situation went down the drain when the florist curved her lips to form the brightest smile she’d ever seen, it could challenge the sun’s.

“Welcome!” The florist greeted in Japanese, as she placed the watering can down and stood up. “Would you like to buy some flowers? Spring is here, and many are already in bloom now!”

Sungyeon just stood there. Firstly, this girl was beyond beautiful. Wearing a fairly long red checkered apron over a white shirt with an emblazoned rose logo on the collars, it made the florist a thousand times more cuter than she should be.  Even her voice sounded as if honey had a sound. And secondly, her understanding of the Japanese language was still in the works. She vaguely understood what this cutie was saying, but she made a logical guess that it has something to do with purchasing her wares. Damn it, she should have brushed up on her conversational skills more often.

“Uh, no,” the busker shook her head and attempted to answer her back in Japanese but the words were failing her. The florist had on a clueless expression, trying to understand what was being said. Giving up, Sungyeon switched to English and hoped for the best. “I don’t want flowers.”

Well, that did it. And now she was faced with a disappointed-looking girl, her shoulders sagging slightly. “Ahh… Okay.” She replied back in English.

Sungyeon really wanted to punch herself in the face.

“No, no, I mean-” the busker flailed her hands about, desperately trying to salvage this predicament she was in. “I’ll buy you!”

What a first impression this turned out to be. Sungyeon could already feel her cheeks burning. ‘Someone kill me now, please…’

What she didn’t expect was laughter coming from the florist. A hand covered as she giggled uncontrollably. A few seconds later, the florist finally calmed down, much to Sungyeon’s relief.

“I’m flattered, but unfortunately, I’m not up for sale.”

Sungyeon blinked, a flash of surprise on her face. “Wait… you can speak English?”

“Yes, I do but I’m still learning,” the florist modestly replied. “Where are you from?”

“I’m from America. LA, if you wanna be more specific,” Sungyeon stepped forward. “Um, what’s your name? I’m Sungyeon.”

The florist seemed to perk up after that piece of information. “Are you Korean?” she asked excitedly to the busker.

“Y-yeah.”

When Sungyeon didn’t think anything else could surprise her, the cute florist then decided to switch to Korean. “Hello, my name is Yewon! The locals call me Yehana since it’s easier for them to pronounce it.” She then proceeded to intrude on Sungyeon’s personal bubble, gently grabbing on to her hands and holding them. Sungyeon noticed how warm and delicate Yewon’s hands were. Yet somehow, there was a hint of coarseness to it. As if the girl has gone through a lot of hardships. Sungyeon shook the thought away. It might just be because of the amount of thorns the florist have to deal with on a daily basis. “You have no idea how nice it is to finally get to speak with someone from the same heritage as me.”

“You don’t get much Koreans coming here?”

“There are, but usually not a lot of people comes to this part of the town,” the ponytailed brunette explained. “Business is sometimes slow, but we get by.”

“I see,” Sungyeon trailed off. Way to keep the conversation going. Usually, she was fine with socialising. Maybe the close proximity between her and this cute (how many times has she thought of her as cute?) fellow Korean girl was messing with her flow. “Sorry if I hurt your feelings earlier. I didn’t mean to say that I didn’t wanna buy them. They’re really beautiful.”

Once again, that smile which was brighter than the sun returned in full force. The busker could almost turn blind by the sight before her. “Thank you,” Yewon gratefully said. “I’ve been meaning to ask, but why are you carrying a guitar?”

“Oh, this?” Sungyeon reluctantly released her hands, and turned slightly to give the florist a better view of her most important possession. “I’m a busker.”

“Wow, that’s so cool! You must have an amazing singing voice,” the florist clasped her hands together. “I should see one of your performances soon.”

“It’s nothing much. I just like to sing, that’s all,” Sungyeon sheepishly scratched her neck. The more compliments she’s getting from Yewon could mean the death of her. Bless her soul.

She had no trouble performing in front of people. She just wouldn’t be able keep her cool if the person in front of her was Yewon.

-

They gotten to know more about each other as time went by. Sungyeon would come over to the now familiar flower shop every couple of days after her busking sessions, and Yewon would always be there, greeting her with that great smile every time.

Sungyeon found out that her new same-aged friend (what a coincidence!) moved to Japan from their homeland ever since she was a toddler. Her parents frequently had to go on business trips in Japan, but then decided to move permanently to Fukuoka where it’s easier to commute to their jobs. Yewon and her older brother were mostly under the care of their aunt who also resides in Japan. The florist establishment is actually her aunt’s, and Yewon discovered her love for the flora and faunas through watching her aunt’s flower arrangements sessions. She already graduated from high school, and was currently waiting for her enrollment into a university. To pass the time, she helps out at her aunt’s shop.

Yewon, on the other hand, discovered that Sungyeon often travelled back and forth between the US and South Korea. It was mostly from her mother’s insistence to visit her relatives who resides in Korea. Family always matter, her mother once said to her. But other than that, the travellings were also the time where her passion for music grew stronger by the day. It gave her a broader perspective, and from there decided that there was a whole world to explore, with music from different cultures and backgrounds waiting to be heard. And what better way to do that than by being a travelling musician. Or in Sungyeon’s case, a wandering busker. After graduating from high school, she started off her journey by heading to Japan. It was the safest choice; it being near to South Korea and one of the biggest music market in the world.

“I haven’t asked you where you’re staying currently,” Yewon said as she tended to some of the bonsai trees inside the homey little shop. “Are you staying at a hotel or…?”

“With a friend. An unnie I’ve known from way back, actually.” Sungyeon browsed around the interior, observing all of the different plants and vintage decorations placed all around. Her guitar case was placed down neatly against the counter, not wanting it to be a hindrance as she looked around. “I’m glad that she was able to take me in cause hotels are way too expensive.”

“How long will you be here?”

Sungyeon pondered over the question. It had been a couple of weeks since she first started her trip in Tokyo, and then travelling outwards beyond the capital. She didn’t know for how long she will stay here though. Nayoung, her dear friend who was kind enough to let her stay in her humble abode, never said anything about the duration. Just be here as long as you like, she reassured Sungyeon when she first stepped foot into her apartment. The busker truly appreciated it. Without her, she’d probably be sleeping on a bench at a park or something.

“Until I find a sound that connects with me,” she simply said.

Sungyeon could feel Yewon’s curious gaze on her. She turned her head slightly to meet the hazel brown orbs of the other. Somehow, it turned into a staring match for both of them. Cheeks were getting warm again, and she swore there was a hint of pinkness on the other’s too. It was ridiculous. “What?” Sungyeon asked, curving into an idiotic grin.

The trance was broken, with the florist suddenly reverting her eyes back to the bonsai trees. “Nothing.”

Sungyeon’s grin turned smug. “Is someone getting shy?”

“Oh stop it, you.”

The smug busker decided to let it go. Though why the florist reacted like that leaves much to her curiosity, even as she spent the rest of the day with her new friend.

-

“I really want to hear you sing someday, you know.”

That didn’t really caught Sungyeon off guard. It was bound to be brought up eventually. It had already been several days since they met, and Yewon has yet to witness her talent in the making. She didn’t know why she kept avoiding the topic with Yewon. Or maybe she did know the reason why. Sungyeon just didn’t want to admit it.

“It’s not as amazing as you think it is,” she said as she tucked her hands into the pockets of her crimson jacket. “I still have a lot of room for improvement.”

The two girls were strolling along on the beach, with the evening stars twinkling above them. The tides were still high so they both avoided the shoreline. Their flip-flops leaving a visual trail on the sand.

“Are you afraid that I’ll laugh at you if you sang to me?” Yewon joked, though there was a hint of concern hidden in her voice as she stole a quick glance at the guitar case strapped on the other’s back. “I promise I won’t.”

“No, it’s nothing like that. Believe me,” the busker locked eyes with the florist for a second before looking back ahead to wherever they were going. “Singing in front of strangers to get some spare change is a normal thing for me. Like a job, you know? I just do it without thinking. But singing for someone I know and who wants to hear it makes me question myself.”

“Why?”

A deep sigh. “Basically I get anxious about it. What kind of song should I sing? Would they even like it? What if their expectations weren’t met? Will they think I’m good enough? All these dumb questions keep floating around in my head when they shouldn’t be.”

Something welcomingly warm and soft latched onto her right hand, pulling it out from the safety of her pocket. A thumb soothingly rubbed along the ridges of her knuckle. Sungyeon whipped her head back at the florist, a mix of surprise and bewilderment evident on her face. Yewon seemed calm, a sweet yet enigmatic smile curved on her lips. “It’s because you care a lot about their opinions, and want to make it special for them. I think that’s quite endearing.”

“Really?” Sungyeon tilted her head questioningly.

“Yes, really,” Yewon reassured. “Don’t be too hard on yourself, Sungyeon. Maybe going with the flow and singing what feels right at the moment is the best way to overcome that.”

The busker absorbed those words as best as she could, playing it over and over again in her mind. She finally gripped Yewon’s hand, firm but gentle. A gesture of thanks for the much needed advice. She strongly hoped the florist didn’t notice the cold sweat forming on her palm.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

There was that bright smile again. Sungyeon swore it could light up their dark surroundings, and bring daylight to this quiet night.

“Don’t make me wait for too long, though,” Yewon gave a playful shove to the busker with her shoulder. “I can be pretty impatient.”

“Guess I’ll avoid coming over to the shop for the next several days,” the busker teased.

A stronger shove out of nowhere made Sungyeon yelp like a puppy and almost topple over to the side. It would have been a great way to relive her childhood memory of getting a face full of sand again if it wasn’t for her tight hold on her friend’s hand. “Yah! I was only kidding!” she exclaimed, releasing her grip on Yewon’s hand to rub on her poor shoulder.

“That’s what you get for toying with other people’s feelings,” Yewon angrily pouted.

After some minutes of playful banter on the beach, they decided to end the stroll with Sungyeon accompanying the florist back to her house. She didn’t have to, but Sungyeon insisted. Yewon, on the other hand, just accepted the offer happily.

“If it makes it any easier for you,” Yewon said once they reached her doorstep, “I like listening to songs by this artist called IU whenever spring arrives. Think about it?”

Sungyeon widened her eyes and dumbly nodded. She was still glued to her position, even after wishing goodnight to her friend and Yewon was already safe indoors.

IU was her all-time favorite musician.

This crush she has on the florist wasn’t going to go away anytime soon.

‘Goddamnit.’