“No Wheein to greet us on this delightful morning?” Solar asked in a teasing tone as she entered the café that was oddly quiet. Hwasa – who was on her phone - glanced at Solar and greeted her with a smile, relieved to see her Unnie more at ease than the last few days where her tired expression was usually hidden behind forced smiles and sweet words.

“Nope. She had to go to the aquarium today,” Hwasa replied as Solar nodded before she went over the counter to grab her apron. After talking to Woozi yesterday, Solar felt a sudden sense of realization wash over her. All her life, she had wanted to make her parents proud, to let everyone else be happy. Eventually, she forgot about making herself happy and proud. As soon as her parents said no to music, she gave up; as soon as she discovered Moonbyul was her soulmate but she was marrying Krystal, she let go. Solar used to always let go…always.

“Good morning,” Moonbyul’s voice snapped Solar back to reality as she saw her come in to the cafe hand in hand with Krystal, who had a few wedding magazines on her free arm.

“Hiya~ Unnie,” Hwasa greeted, “So, when are we doing your bachelor party?” She asked with a smirk as Moonbyul shrugged while Krystal eyed Solar, who stared at them with a blank expression.

“Be thankful you actually do work or else I would have fired you by now,” Moonbyul replied, narrowing her eyes at the younger girl who winked at her boss.

“You know it, Boss!” Hwasa chirped as she walked away to clean her favorite yellow Coffeemaker named Lion.

“Uh, Byul,” Solar called, causing Moonbyul to slightly flinch, “Can we talk?”

“Oh…uh, sure,” Moonbyul replied rather awkwardly as the two went into Moonbyul’s office. Krystal simply sighed as she sat on one of the stools in front of the counter while eyeing the wedding magazines her mother gave her.

Ugh, I don’t even like any of the dresses in this book. I’m a fashion designer. I could totally do my own dress better than all of these. So, stupid. Krystal was so lost in thoughts, that she had not noticed the girl who came into the café with a beautiful flower arrangement in her hands. Her light brown hair with pink streaks was loosely wrapped in a braid that was a little above her lower back as her almond brown doe eyes glanced around the room, amazed at the beautiful place.

“Excuse me, is this the MoonSun Café?” The girl asked with her slightly low voice. Noticing none of the actual workers of the café were around, Krystal decided to reply, “Uh…yeah, it is. May I help you?”

“Indeed. I’ve got a present from our Windy Day special for Ms. Moon Byulyi,” The girl said with a smile as Krystal raised an eyebrow at this.

“From who?” She asked.

“Uh…It says Moon Minseok sent them,” The girl replied as Krystal couldn’t help but frown.

What is that guy thinking now? The brunette quietly wondered but simply nodded and said, “Yeah, She is here, but you might as well leave them here since she is quite busy”. The girl did as told and placed the beautiful pink and white flower arrangement beside Krystal, who examined it with very little interest: The pink Sweet Peas and dwarf flowering Almonds made a beautiful contrast with the white Baby’s Breaths and Carnations.

Unnie doesn’t even like pink. Krystal thought as she noticed the girl take out a Sweet Pea and give it to her with a bright smile.

“Hm? For me?” Krystal asked as the girl nodded.

“Yeah,” The brunette with pink streaks replied, “I know it is not much, but I’ve been taught since I was a kid that flowers speak words we can’t”. Krystal – who was genuinely curious by now – absentmindedly asked, “Really? How?”

“Well, Sweet Peas for instance mean to say goodbye. If you put it together with another flower like Azaleas, you can easily be telling them goodbye and to take care of themselves for your sake,” The girl explained as she pointed at the flower on Krystal’s hand, “If I could, I would have given you a Sweet Pea and a bouquet of Gerbera Daisies,” She added.

“Why?” Krystal asked, puzzled as to where this peculiar girl was trying to go. Before the girl could explain, however, another girl – with slightly big doe brown eyes and a darker shade of brown hair than Krystal – rushed into the café and began to pull the brunette with pink streaks away.

“I knew you would end up talking to some random person. I should have known better to send someone else!” The brunette whined as she went on to rant about what Krystal heard was maybe a wedding. She couldn’t hear quite well as the brown haired woman with pink streaks laughter filled the air as soon as the other girl pulled her out the café.

“Goodbyes…” Krystal mumbled as she stared at the flower in her hands with a blank expression.

************

The office was neither tense nor awkward, it was just quiet. The only sound being that of the air conditioner, which Moonbyul rarely unless she was frying in that room; even then, she would think twice before turning it on.

“So,” Moonbyul began asking as she sat behind her desk while Solar sat before her, “What…what do you want to talk about?”

“Oh…Well…” Solar had no idea where to begin. Her mind seemed to have completely shutdown, as she didn’t know what to say…or do. Moonbyul was her Soulmate – even if she had yet to be informed – and after that wake up slap Woozi gave her, she was not afraid to try and find happiness for both of them. After all, everyone seemed so worried about it. Hwasa, Wheein, Woozi, even Minseok and Krystal had started to take notice of how this Soulmate situation had began to suffocate them.

“Last time, you said…you were my Soulmate and that…you were going to go away to do what your parents wanted from you. I felt so many things that day…but I didn’t say anything…I couldn’t, but today…I can say it because I don’t want to regret anything, so Moon Byulyi, I love you so, so much,” Solar finally spoke up, letting her heart take over her brain, as it was the only one willing to talk right now, “I know Krystal will marry you and I’m not asking you to be with me…I just…” She trailed off as she noticed Moonbyul’s widened eyes fixed on her, “…I just had to tell you since a certain munchkin told me that I was afraid to be happy and I am…a lot, actually. So, for once…I want to try do something that’ll make me happy and that’s telling you how much I love you, Byul”.

“…Yongsun…” Moonbyul breathed out, feeling so many things at once: Joy, love, concern, fear, excitement; so much was going through Moonbyul’s heart and mind that she didn’t notice when Solar untied her bandage, letting it fall to her feet.

“I want us to be happy, Byul, but for that we must be honest,” Solar said, raising her wrist to reveal her indigo mark, “I lied. I never cut myself cooking…I’m sorry”. At the sight of the beautiful indigo name, Moonbyul covered in shock with her trembling hands.

“I-is it…is it real?” Moonbyul asked, unable to believe what was before her eyes. The one name she always wore but never thought would ever belong to her…was now sporting an identical mark…with Moonbyul’s name.

“Of course it is, Silly. Why else would I get a fake when I got the real thing?” Solar replied, her voice laced with mischief.

“I-I…I s-see…” Moonbyul stammered once again, before holding on to her own wrist, which was covered by her sleeve. The pink haired woman stared at her fondly; whishing to just keep time frozen…but nothing can ever stay still. That is not how life goes, after all. With a smile still present in her face, Solar took out a small paper and placed it before Moonbyul, who glance at it with curiosity…that soon turned into a confusion and dejection as she narrowed her eyes at Solar.

“…Is…is this is why you are telling me all of this now?” Moonbyul asked, her once bashful voice now gone and replaced with an icy and sharp tone instead. Solar knew well Moonbyul wouldn’t like the news. She had not even thought about accepting it when Chorong first told her about it; but after thinking very, very deeply about it…if she couldn’t have Moonbyul, then she would have her music, her second love. It was the best for both of them, she just knew.

The pink haired woman – who kept a serene smile on her face - shook her head as she placed her hand on top of Moonbyul’s, “This has been such a rollercoaster, Byul. You and me…we have been going around circles, not knowing what to do about our feelings. But now, I do know,” Solar placed a soft kiss on Moonbyul’s hand, which were now shaking uncontrollably as the younger woman couldn’t help but sob, “I want us to go after what makes us happy before we go to each other, or rather, if we ever go to each other. We’ll never be happy unless we do what we love and Byul, I can’t do what I love here”. After finally telling me you love me, that you’re my soulmate, you’re leaving…Moonbyul thought as she let her tears fall on the small paper in her desk that read: “MARY POPPINS Open Audition! (ACCEPTED)”.

“You-you c-can’t! I-I…I don’t…don’t want you to…to go!” Moonbyul wept, holding on to Solar’ hand tighter as she was unable to keep her feelings hidden any longer, “Y-you just t-told me…m-me that you loved me, t-that-…that you’re m-my-…my soulmate!” Solar could feel every piece of her heart shatter at the sight of Moonbyul’s breakdown. It was her fault she became like that after all.

“Byulyi,” Solar called softly as Moonbyul kept crying, “I love you and I’ll always love you. But I want to do things right. I want to find where I belong, I want to find who I am again…so when I come back to you, I can be someone who can love you entirely, who you can rely on, who you will never be afraid to tell anything to…” She trailed off as a lone tear rolled down her cheek.

“You are that and more!” Moonbyul cried, “So stay…Please, for me”. Solar stared at Moonbyul’s puffy eyes and sighed before leaning forwards and placing a chaste kiss on her quivering lips. The lingering coffee with a bit of vanilla in Moonbyul’s lips made Solar smile bitterly as she wiped away the black haired woman’s tears.

“I want to become more than just a dandelion in the wind, Byul. I don’t want to be just a wish blown into the wind, forgotten and never becoming a reality,” At Solar’s words, Moonbyul grimace, not liking it one bit…yet knowing fully well what she meant.

“I’ll come back, I’ll come, I’ll come, I’ll come,” Solar chanted as she rested her forehead on Moonbyul’s, “You be happy, Byulyi. You deserve it too”. The room was indulged in a bittersweet silence as the two stayed in that position for a while, enjoying the warmth of the other. While Solar enjoyed Moonbyul’s familiar green tea aroma, Moonbyul found herself already missing Solar’s lavender and vanilla scent.

“…I have to go,” Solar’s words broke the peaceful atmosphere as Moonbyul reluctantly nodded, the two finally moving away from each other. With a small smile still glowing on her face, Solar took off her apron and placed it on the chair she had previously sat on.

“I guess I’ll have to look for someone else then?” Moonbyul asked teasingly, as she tried to not think about her aching heart, as she didn’t want to say goodbye to Solar with such feelings. If Solar was smiling –even if it was just a bit – then so would she.

“I’m sure you will find someone,” Solar assured as she began to walk away, stopping right before the door, “What did I tell you, Moon Byulyi?” She asked, her back facing the said girl, who let out a short laughter.

“That I have to be happy,” Moonbyul replied.

“And?” Solar questioned once more.

“That you’ll come back,” Moonbyul replied once again.

“And?” Solar asking this once more made Moonbyul frown, as she didn’t know what else the pink haired woman had asked her to do.

“And what? That’s all you asked me,” Moonbyul protested as Solar laughed, wholeheartedly. With a bright smile now displayed on her expression, Solar turned around and Moonbyul felt her heart skip a beat.

“I love you. Never forget it, Moon Byulyi,” Solar reminded her as she finally rushed out the room, leaving behind Moonbyul, who couldn’t help but smile.

Everything will be fine. I believe you, Yongsun. So, you better come back.