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“Excuse me, young lady.”

Kim Yongsun, turned around to face this one middle aged woman that looked like trying to act cool though her face showed stern, maybe she was silently mad. And that little creepy smile on her lips didn’t help Yongsun to feel calm at all, despite that the woman was calling for her a minute ago. Without any choice, Yongsun replied back a smile that made her looked frustratingly nervous.

“Y- Yes?”

Still keeping that same intriguing smile on her lips, the woman handed Yongsun a small photo card. “Have you seen my daughter? I think, she just ran to this way not too long ago.”

Yongsun who was still utterly clueless, took the photo card and scanned it for quite some times. She brought the photo a bit closer to her face, wanted to look at it a bit clearer. It was basically just a picture of a girl around her age that just stood still with a face like she was just so done with life.

Eventually, after a few seconds of awkward silence, Yongsun finally managed to utter something out of . Or, it was more like a tongue-slip.

“She looks like a boy.”

Yongsun realized about what she just said and dumbly covered with both of her palms in a speed of light. Her eyes slowly travelled to the woman’s face and she felt a bit relieved when the woman only gave a warm smile to her. For once, Yongsun can finally took a deep breath and let it all out with total ease.

Yongsun was not mistaken to hear an audible sigh just escaped from the woman’s mouth. “Well, everyone’s been saying the same thing. So, don’t worry.”

Somehow, the woman’s voice sounded quite slow to her ears. Yongsun just simply handed back the photo card which the woman took it right away before she flashed a small smile. “I actually just arrived here, so I didn’t see anyone like your daughter. I’m very sorry.”

“No need to say sorry.” The woman quickly shook her head and smiled. “It’s okay. Maybe she’s still around here. Anyway, have a very nice day, young lady.”

“Um, you too.” Yongsun replied back shortly. With that, the woman walked past her, leaving Yongsun still wondering confusedly in the middle of the street. She felt quite bad that she can’t help the woman with anything, but then again she was really just arrived there a few minutes ago to go to the local store. After a few scratches on her back head, Yongsun finally walked into the store and freed her mind from it.

===

It was almost 10 minutes and Yongsun still stood in front the snacks’ rack, determined to find her very favourite chips that might be hidden somewhere there. Her eyes rolled from left to right, searching through every single inch for it. And her little effort paid off when she caught a glimpse of the snack at the bottom right corner of the rack. There’s only one left.

But before she can even moves her feet to grab it up, there was a certain guy who Yongsun doesn’t even know where he just came from, beat her up to it and took the snack so coolly. A bit dumbfounded, Yongsun can only heaved a sigh and went to the instant noodles’ rack just a few steps away from there. Maybe that just not her day to munch on her favourite chips, she guessed.

Now she was looking for her usual spicy curry instant noodle cup and again, there’s only one left on the rack. Yongsun wondered what kind of luck she has to face today. So then, she slowly made her way to take it. But maybe she was being too damn slow, that the same guy with black jacket and brown shorts, immediately took it away before she can actually has the chance. Maybe she was being nice before, but this time, she won’t let it slips.

Yongsun fasten her pace a bit to catch up with the ‘mysteriously and secretly annoying’ guy before she patted his shoulder from behind. “Sorry, mister. But can I ask you something?”

Immediately, the unknown guy stopped walking and turned his body to face Yongsun. Half of his face was almost covered by the red cap he wore on his head, so Yongsun can’t see his face that much. Yongsun cleared before voiced out her dissatisfaction.

“I wanted to take all of those before...” Yongsun trailed off for a moment and pointed her finger to the chips and instant noodle cup on the guy’s hands before she continued. “...but then you took them away just like that. I wonder if you actually have a little problem with me.”

Yongsun heard the guy let out a deep chuckle which straightforwardly made her slightly annoyed. Seemed like the guy doesn’t even care about her little complaint according to that matter.

“I’m sorry.” For the first time, Yongsun heard the guy’s deep voice, which at the same time sounded quite feminine to her ears and kind of freaked her out. But the playful tone of his voice made Yongsun ignored about it, and she assumed that the guy was secretly smirking behind the red cap. “You have no right to blame me for that. Besides, why were you taking so much time just to grab all of these foods? You should blame yourself for being so slow like a turtle.”

Yongsun felt offended. “What?” Okay, maybe if Yongsun’s being honest with herself, sometimes she can really become so slow when doing something. But that doesn’t mean that this guy can literally insulted her all he wants. In a split second, she thought of firing him back. “Then what are you? Snatching all those foods away? A monkey?”

And that successfully made him triggered.

“Hey, I didn’t snatch these foods!”

As soon as that, the guy finally took off his cap. If not because how his light orange hair loosen up until his shoulders, Yongsun wouldn’t be so surprised like that. Like, her face was pale as heck. Because she’s not talking with a dude, but a girl. A dangerously handsome girl.

The girl brought her face a bit closer to the-now-flabbergasted Yongsun. “And I’m actually a miss, you... pretty turtle woman.”

Yongsun was a bit frightened at first because who knows the girl can do any surprise attack to her or anything. But after a minute of staring at the girl’s face, something popped out inside her mind. And she swore her eyes couldn’t get any bigger than that. For some moments, she just stared at the girl’s face which quite reminding her of a cute hamster, with unblinking eyes. And that action successfully made the girl looked at her weirdly as well.

“You are...” Yongsun still thinking thoroughly, trying to remember where she has seen that girl before. And then her mind just flashed back to the moment when she met that middle aged woman in front of the store before. A little smile crept to her lips for no reason. “...that girl in the picture!”

The girl that’s slightly taller than Yongsun, obviously didn’t get what she said so she looked at Yongsun back with quirking eyebrows. “What picture?”

Somehow, Yongsun still managed to pull off a smile on her lips. “Your mom is looking for you–”

To Yongsun’s dismay, the girl suddenly covered and pushed her slowly until her back hit against one of the extremely cold fridges’ door. That caused a yelp slipped out from Yongsun’s mouth, just how bad she felt her back shook out of coldness.

The girl silently said ‘sorry’ with her pair of glimmering blue eyes, and Yongsun never feel so tranquilized than ever. “Keep it slow, will you?”, the girl asked softly. And obediently, Yongsun nodded with the girl’s palm still covered .

After a few minutes of staring into each other’s eyes, the girl finally let go of Yongsun. But not too long before she pulled Yongsun’s hand out of the blue.

“Take how many ice-cream you want and let’s get out of here. I can explain everything.”

And Yongsun has never been so happy to get three ice-creams to enjoy.

===

“Now explain to me.”

Yongsun threw away her last ice-cream’s stick into the dustbin beside her before corrected her position on the bench, so she can properly talk with Byul that was sitting beside her. Yes, the girl who she assumed was a guy before, introduced herself as only ‘Byul’ and so Yongsun just asked her to call herself as ‘Yong’. It was fair and square.

Byul who was still on her ice-cream, smiled cheekily. “Hey, I never do this with someone that I just met. I mean, sit here in the park while eating ice-cream. It’s kind of fun!”

“Yeah right.” Yongsun nodded her head sarcastically. “Don’t change the topic now.”

Byul had this little pout on her face which caused Yongsun to scoff a bit. Well yes, she never even see someone to pout like that just after a few minutes met with each other. Though, she admitted Byul looked quite adorable but she will just said that to herself.

Byul heaved a small sigh. “But really, I have been wishing to spend even just for a day with someone that can get silly with me.”

“Who said I can get silly with you?” Yongsun tried her best not to groan though it’s kind of hard when Byul stared at her with twinkling eyes. Maybe hoping that she will agrees to the idea. “Just– tell me why you ran away from your mom?”, Yongsun asked a bit impatient already. She doesn’t even know why she had the urge to know the truth about it. Like they barely know each other.

“But tell me first, will you do it with me?”

And Yongsun can only frowned when Byul still persistent to ask her about it. “Why should we even do that from the very first place? I’m just a stranger to you.”

Byul let out some fake scoffs and her lips formed into a teasing smirk. “So you’re a stranger, but why you want to know about me that much?”

That just successfully quieted Yongsun up in just a heartbeat. Byul had a very good point about it. But seeing the victory smile that almost has its way on the taller girl’s lips made Yongsun huffed and puffed secretly in annoyance. She just saw Byul is like this one stubborn girl who wants everything in her own way. And she wondered if that as well might be one of the reasons why she ran away from her mother before.

Finally, Yongsun just sighed, gave in. Well, just for one day. “Since I don’t have any class today, so I guess... why not?”

“Really?”, Byul asked her back in an unexplainable excited voice.

When the shorter girl beside her replied with a nod, she just squealed happily like she had won a million dollars. And just as that, Byul stood up and pulled Yongsun’s hand, again dragged her to someplace that Yongsun doesn’t know where.

“Wait– you didn’t answer my question yet!”, Yongsun retorted. Even so, she just followed Byul from behind as their hands still entwined with one another. Yongsun made a cringe face when she realized how sticky Byul’s hand was. “You’re such a messy eater!”

Byul just laughed it off. “I swear I will make your day better and you will never give a single care about it anymore.”

===

Yongsun just had no idea why Byul brought her to a hair salon and eventually asked them to have their hair dye. At first, Yongsun was really disagreed with it until she even almost bawls her eyes out because how much she loves her brown hair. But then, there’s Byul kept comforting her, reassured her that they will just have their hair dye temporarily. She said something about they will only use a hair colour product that can be washed out entirely after using it.

It’s kind of weird if that was Byul’s idea about getting silly together for a day. But then she remembered Byul told her that they can do whatever they want and be whatever they wish, so Yongsun thought it was not a bad idea after all. Plus, Yongsun thought that it sounds kind of fun to have her hair dye in different colour just for once. So then, Yongsun chose the colour that she secretly wished to try out. And Byul had this wide grin on her face when Yongsun told her that.

“Since you choose pink, I will go with purple.”

And they walked out from the salon with their heads look just like those ice-creams that they ate not too long ago. Yongsun couldn’t hold to flash a very wide smile as she listened how contagious Byul’s laughter was when she looked at both of them.

Yes, it’s never hurt to try just for one day, Yongsun thought.

===

Literally, they just did a lot of things that Yongsun never think of doing on her every normal day. And she doesn’t even feel uncomfortable or anything about it, instead she really felt like she just getting freedom for the very first time. Like how they danced randomly in the middle of a crowded place. Even there’s some people that walked past them just stared at them weirdly, but there’s also some people that eventually cheered for them. So Byul just got more excited and encouraged Yongsun to just dance however she wants.

And Yongsun swore she saw Byul’s eyes almost shooting hearts to her direction when she danced smooth and seductively to a particular y song.

After that, they headed to a popular theme park in the town. Byul just hurriedly brought Yongsun to buy some animal hats at a souvenir shop inside the park. Yongsun felt uncertain when Byul told her that she will be the one to choose what kind of hats that both of them will be wearing. She noticed how Byul’s eyes kept moving back and forth from her face to the turtle’s hat on the rack.

“I will leave you here if you choose that hat for me.”

Byul just smiled at her. “No, I will choose the cutest one, for the cutest girl.”

Yongsun didn’t expect that Byul will choose that cute cat ears for her because Yongsun secretly wanted to wear it so bad. She felt will burst any sooner as how bad she tried to hold herself from having a huge grin on her face. Yongsun internally squealed inside when she checked herself out in front the mirror. For once, she felt like she is the cutest people on the planet. Well, that sounds silly, but who cares.

Yongsun turned her head to look at Byul beside her and she laughed contentedly.

“Really? You chose this wolf’s ears?”

Byul nodded. Then suddenly, she looked at Yongsun, trying to imitate a dangerous wolf with a pair of big fierce eyes. “I’m a big bad wolf. Run before I eat you out. Grr!”

And Yongsun’s laughter just died there.

“Please don’t do that again.”

Byul just chuckled looking at how Yongsun was getting freaked out. Byul thought she just looks so cute like a timid little kitten. And Byul just entwined their hands together spontaneously, like it’s a normal thing they always do.

“Let’s get on some rides, Yong.”

===

They stayed inside the park until late evening, played some games and rode plenty of rides, tried various kind of foods there, and watched some performances by a music band and entertainers. Even though they’re like complete strangers to each other, but Byul never feel that way, neither Yongsun as well. It felt like they just got lost into this little world that they created just for that day.

Maybe, it could be an understatement that they have become friends without they even know it.

Later that evening, they decided to spend the rest of the day together at a beach nearby. It was really calming to watch the breath-taking view of how the sun almost sets its way down to give turn for the moon to appear itself. Yongsun and Byul walked beside one another slowly by the seashore, trying to enjoy the view as much as they can.

Though they were still holding each other’s hands, not even one of them notice or even care about it.

Yongsun decided to end the silence between them by asking something that she wanted to know from the beginning.

“Byul, you didn’t answer me yet. Why did you ran away earlier?”

Byul was quiet for a few minutes until Yongsun gave a little slap on her shoulder, she looked at Yongsun and gave a small smile.

“Let’s sit over here.”

Yongsun obeyed to it as she also sat on the sandy ground beside Byul, facing right to the ocean. Yongsun secretly watched how Byul sat with her hands hugging her knees, looks just like a guy. And her side profile is so goddamn gorgeous that made Yongsun stared at her for some good minutes before she turned away quickly as Byul looked at her back.

Yongsun heard a sigh slipped out from Byul’s mouth.

“I broke her favourite vase that she bought in Venice. It was just an accident though.”

Yongsun turned her head to look at Byul back. She had this big question mark on her face. “Just because of that?”

Byul gave a small smile. “My mom doesn’t really like me being like this. You know... acting like a boy. Speak, dress, walk, or simply just do anything. But I never really mind about it. This is just who I am. Nothing can ever stop me from being myself... behaving like how I wanted.” Then, she chuckled while looking at Yongsun. “My dad was cool about it though. So, no point for me to act in different way.”

Yongsun just silently took every information inside her head. She felt like slowly drew into Byul’s life and tried to understand her more. Yongsun stared at Byul again but this time she doesn’t look away as Byul doing the same thing. For some moments, they just stared right into each other’s eyes, maybe trying to see through what’s actually on their minds. And neither one of them want to stop it.

“Your eyes... so beautiful.”, Yongsun said out of conscious.

Byul just gave a warm smile to her. “Thank you. Yours too.” Byul can’t help to chuckle funnily when she saw Yongsun instantly looked away with a little glimpse of her cheeks tinted in pink. They stayed silent again for a few minutes before Byul suddenly voiced out. “Hey, I have a last request. Can you do it?”

Yongsun nodded with her eyes still focused to the ocean, maybe still a bit embarrassed. “What is it?”

Byul took off her jacket leaving her with only a black shirts on. She put her jacket on the sand and slowly laid her head down on it before called Yongsun out. The shorter girl turned to look at her with a deep frown on her face, obviously doesn’t understand what Byul’s trying to ask her to do.

“I have been really wish to do this with someone for so long.” Byul patted her chest. “Here, lay on me.”

Yongsun was really hesitated at first because it might getting awkward or anything but then she saw Byul’s puppy eyes and somehow it has becomes like her weakness. Yes, those deep ocean eyes. With a small sigh, Yongsun just agreed to it and slowly did just like what Byul has told her. It’s kind of awkward at first but later on both of them started to get used to it. Byul just felt amazingly relaxed while Yongsun got really comfortable.

“Byul?”, Yongsun called the taller girl out of the sudden. Byul only responded back with a ‘hmm’. “Will you leave after this day ends?”

Yongsun doesn’t know why she asked that question, she just felt like it. Though she thought that Byul will definitely say ‘yes’, but somehow her heart hoping that the taller girl will says the otherwise. And Yongsun felt unexpectedly calm and happy after she heard Byul answered it.

“I won’t leave you.”

Just as that, Yongsun felt her muscles started to relax and her eyes slowly became drowsy. And the next thing she knew, Byul caressed her hair slowly before she fell asleep and dozed off to dreamland.

===

Yongsun woke up at dawn after she felt the cold breeze hit against her skin. She sat up while slowly rubbed her eyes and then did some stretch to straighten up her muscles after slept uncomfortably for quite long.

Just after a few minutes of staring at the ocean in front of her, Yongsun finally remembered about Byul. She looked at the spot beside her but there’s no Byul anymore. Then she tried to search for the taller girl around the beach but she was nowhere to be found.

Yongsun felt some tears started to roll down her cheeks before she noticed Byul’s jacket was still on the sand. So Yongsun took it up and observed it for a few seconds before she saw a white paper inside one of the pockets. A little bit doubt, Yongsun grabbed the paper and opened it slowly, started reading word by word that were written on the paper.

Good morning, Yong. :)

I needed to go home for some reasons. Sorry for leaving you here so suddenly, but I have promised that I won’t leave you for real. So, I really hope we could meet again. One day just feel never enough to know you and be with you. I really wish we will know each other more and stay together for a very long time. Give me a call after you read this. Here’s my number XX-XXX-XXX. Hope to hear from you soon. :D

– Byul

For once in her whole life, Yongsun dialled someone’s number just that fast and even to receive an answer from the other line just that instant.

“Hello?”, asked a familiar voice from the other line. And Yongsun just smiled stupidly with some tear stains still visible on her cheeks.

“You silly monkey. Let’s meet again.”

END

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A/N: Hi guys! :)

I think this is my very favourite one-shot that I have wrote. It feels so close to my heart and reminds me of someone. I hope you guys really enjoy reading this. Wish we could meet again sooner in another update. Have a good day/evening! ^_^