Wendy watches from behind the counter as the petals flutter down from the cherry blossom trees that sits right outside the storefront of the small but warm ice cream parlour she sits in the comfort of. She observes couple after couple stopping by the tree to take countless photos or enjoy romantic picnics surrounded by the pink scenery. She bitterly sulks as she is reminded that she is spending yet another season of love loverless again. She stares in into space as she imagines going on a romantic stroll with the cherry blossom girl, a nickname she has chosen for the pink haired girl, and sharing an ice cream cone under that cherry blossom tree.

Speaking of the devil, the chime of the bell on the door signals the arrival of another customer. Wendy who was too busy mopping by the window, being all lovesick, fails to notice the very subject of her fantasy enter the store.  

"Hey Wendy, a penny for your thoughts? Dreaming about your lover? You looked an awful lot like a lovesick puppy."

This catches Wendy's attention. She tries to defend herself but ends up stuttering incoherently, cheeks burning in the embarrassment of being caught red-handed. The girl remains blissfully ignorant to how spot on she was as she laughs it off as a joke, enjoying Wendy's comical reaction to it. Wendy perks up at the fact that the girl knows her name, maybe she secretly stalked her after their encounter. (in which Wendy has tried but fails not knowing anything about the girl other than the fact that she had pink hair)

"Why do you look so shocked, told you I'll come back."

"What would you like to get today?" Wendy finally manages to compose herself.

"Surprise me."

Wendy's eyes light up at the thought of new flavour she suggested her manager add to their menu. She argues that it is a unique flavour and would attract more customers to try. (Totally not because it reminds her of the cherry blossom girl)

 "I know just the right flavour for you."

Wendy moves to the ice cream display case to prepare the order. Joy, Wendy's (nosy) coworker slash friend, saunters over from where she was watching the scene play out amusingly and elbows Wendy painfully in the ribs.

"Wen Wen, is that the girl who you have been about for the past week? Damn, I didn't know she was such a beauty. Do you need your resident love guru to step in to help you score a date with her?" 

"Shush! She might hear you from here! And thanks but no thanks I can handle my own relationships perfectly fine. I don't need you to come up with another stupid idea like last time. I don't understand why I agreed with using those cheesy pickup lines in the first place. I totally scared that poor girl away." 

Joy defends herself saying that it just happens that the girl did not like pickup lines and that it would definitely work this time. Wendy finishes scooping the ice cream and leaves with a resounding "No thanks."

Wendy makes her way over to the cherry blossom girl to deliver her order. 

"This is the latest flavour that we released this spring, I have a feeling you will enjoy it." 

Wendy watches in anticipation as she takes her first . (Wendy prays that the girl doesn't hate flowers or she will be devastated) The girl lets out a gasp. (Wendy is sure that she is doomed and the girl probably hates her now)

"Is this cherry blossom flavour? I loved this since I had this once when I was in Japan when I was young but never saw this flavour being sold in Seoul. Are you a mind reader because you got me the perfect flavour!" her eye glittering with child-like excitement. 

Wendy feels like melting into goo at the adorable sight of the girl radiating happiness. The girl continues to recount her travel adventures animatedly to Wendy but Wendy becomes understandably distracted by the way the sunlight of the lazy afternoon sun shines through the girl's hair, creating a pink halo around her face that made her look breathtakingly beautiful.

"Don't you love travelling too? ...
Wendy? You looked zoned out, am I boring you out?"  The girl jokes playfully, thoroughly enjoying teasing Wendy.

Wendy breaks out of her daze, having missed pretty much the entire of the girl's excited rambling. Wendy felt as if she has been caught sleeping during lecture, flushing in embarrassment. In her panic, she frantically reassures the girl that she is just tired before hurriedly excusing herself and shuffling back to the counter.

"So did you get her number?" Joy probes, wiggling her brows at Wendy when she returns. Wendy drops her head on the counter with a thud and groans that she does not even know the girl's name yet. 

"But she does know mine though," she tells Joy smugly.  

"It totally can't be because you are wearing a name tag on your apron." Joy deadpans, painfully rolling her eyes.

"I totally knew that!" Wendy weakly protests, hand subconciuosly moving to cover her name tag. 

At this, Joy could only shake her head at her in disappointment, "Told you to listen to your love guru's advice. Tsk." Wendy only slumps even further hearing that. Unable to continue to take the longing look on Wendy's face as she peeps at the girl, Joy tells her to man up before disappearing in the back room most likely to slack off. 

As the cherry blossom girl finishes her cone and makes her way back to the counter, Wendy see this as her last chance and is determined to not mess up again. She clutches a napkin in her hand, phone number painstakingly written onto it in her prettiest handwriting. (Wendy has yet to think of how to pass it to the girl naturally but decides that she can only think of how to do on the spot now.)

"I think fate brought me to my dream ice cream parlour that day, your recommendations never disappoint me." 

"Well, I think fate has brought me my dream girl that day too" Wendy mutters under her breath, the girl, unfortunately, fails to catch what she said. 

The girl then waves goodbye to Wendy and turns to leave but Wendy has yet made a move. With all prior plans thrown out the window, Wendy blurted out the first thing that occurs to her to catch the girl's attention.

"Hey, cherry blossom girl! It's not fair that you know my name when I don't know yours! I mean... I mean for choosing the best flavours for you, you owe me that at least?" 

Wendy mentally facepalms herself for sounding so desperate (but is pride really that important compared to the girl of her dreams now?) She belated realized that she has unknowingly revealed the embarrassing nickname she had come up for the other girl, what more, in front of all the partons in the store. Wendy pretends not to notice the moment of silence as everyone turns their heads to her but she is pretty sure her face is hot enough to fry an egg and she really wanted to dig a hole and bury herself at that moment.The girl glances back with an amused smile but otherwise shows no sign of acknowledging Wendy's slip up, much to her relief. 

"I will tell you the next time we meet" the girl replies in a mischievous tone and sticks her tongue out before leaving. 

Wendy hears Joy's maniac laugh mocking her a moment later. She guesses that Joy has heard everything through the thin walls. (She is sure that she will never hear the end of this from Joy) Napkin with her number still clutched in her hand, she ducks under the counter in red-hot embarrassment. Wendy wonders if she should have tried one of Joy's pick up line, at least it would spare Wendy going over one more possible scenario in which the interaction could have played out in her head. (It could also lead to termination of all other future interactions) But "what if?", Wendy contemplates for the umpteenth time.

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I think the fact that I keep referring to "the girl" is getting annoying but don't worry Wendy finally gets her name in the next chapter! (soon) ;)