Spring is the season of new beginnings, new life. Spring gives birth to the sweetly scented winds, to the birds’ songs, and to a multitude of new and bright colors. But along with these beautiful things also comes the ‘undesirables’. From the moment the seed was planted Yooa was doomed to be an ‘undesirable’.

 

The spring had finally come, but it was still much too cold for anything to grow. Yet somehow, a lone dandelion managed to break free from the frosty ground. The bright yellow was a refreshing contrast to the dull brown grass and patches of leftover white snow.

 

Yooa tried her best to reach out to feel even a little bit of warmth from the sun. She was such a tiny little thing, and the sun, well it was much too far away. If only she could be as tall as the trees that towered above her, then she would definitely be able to grasp some of that elusive warmth.

 

In her first hours of life Yooa quickly discovered the world was a dangerous place for a dandelion. Several times she had been nearly trampled by both animals and humans. Then the moment she was sure would be her demise when a small child had run up to her and almost plucked her from the earth. Luckily for her though, he had been pulled away by his mother, who had scolded him for running off just to pick weeds.

 

And there it was, that dreaded word that signified Yooa’s unfortunate place in the world. Though her color was brilliant and did not differ much from other flowers, she would always be thought of as a lowly weed. An undesirable. Something that needed to be cut or plucked, eliminated entirely. This was what she would and always will be.

 

Yooa took to watching the humans to pass time. After awhile she could figure out who was a mother, a father, a child; she could tell friends from lovers and know who was siblings. All of this she learned from watching them interact. Her absolute favorite to watch were the people in love. Holding hands and being close to someone, that’s what Yooa wanted, more than anything in the world.

 

The first time Yooa saw her was on a somber rainy day. Earlier that morning it had been pouring down rain, and poor little Yooa was trying her best to avoid being pummeled by the fat drops of water; but by mid afternoon the rain had slowed to a drizzle, allowing the little dandelion to relax a bit and enjoy the day.

 

It was on this day that she heard the most mesmerizing sound. Much more lovely and enchanting than any bird’s song. She searched all around her for the source of the lovely voice when her gaze finally landed on a human girl. If the little dandelion had a heart it certainly would have skipped a beat.

 

Warmth and light seemed to radiate from the girl, just as it did from the sun. Yooa kept hoping that the girl would come closer so she could get a taste of the warmth that she so yearned for. And so she did.

 

The human girl passed by, and the little dandelion soaked in everything she could gather about her. The color of her hair, the way her eyes crinkled when she smiled, and oh that smile. The most gorgeous thing she had ever seen.

 

Everyday Yooa waited for the girl to pass by. It always seemed to take forever, but when she did it was definitely worth the wait. She studied everything she could about the human girl.

 

Hyejin was her name, the prettiest name Yooa thought. She had light brown hair, dyed surely, but it fit her so well. The clothing she wore, little Yooa soon figured out, was her school uniform. And though she saw many other people with the same outfit, Hyejin wore it the best.

 

Yooa watched Hyejin and her friends pass by everyday, and everyday the little dandelion became more and more depressed. She never knew she could feel so strongly about another living being. She wanted to be close to her, hold her like lovers did, wrap her up in her arms and keep her warm.

 

And so Yooa pleaded to the sun, wishing to become human. She wanted to be able to be close to the girl with the captivating voice. The girl with the sparkling eyes and endearing smile. The girl that was as warm as the sun.

 

The sun agreed to grant her wish, but warned her that humans were a wicked species, and that they were cruel and corrupt and would bring her nothing but pain. And little Yooa was warned that she would certainly be heartbroken. But she did not care, she wanted what she wanted and nothing in the moment could deter her. The sun then gave one final warning. If she were to become human she could no longer return to the earth from which she was born, and she was okay with that.

 

In an instant Yooa changed from a small yellow weed into a stunningly beautiful girl. And with the drastic change came new sensations. Yooa lay on the ground gasping for air, her heart slamming against her chest. Getting used to her new body was frightening. She took deep breaths trying out her new lungs, her hands unconsciously reaching for her chest.

 

Yooa’s nails pressed into her skin as she tried to gain control of her breathing. She felt the pain from her nails digging into her chest. New feelings all around her. Her breathing began to even out and she brought her arms to her side and ran her hands through the grass. Her skin prickled at the cold air and a shiver went down her spine. So many new things.

 

The girl didn’t notice all the people that walked by, whispering to each other and questioning why a person would be dressed so lightly in such freezing weather. She just lay there watching the clouds roll by, taking everything in, listening to her own breathing. The world around her new human form was so much different than what she was used to. Everything seemed to be so quiet even though there was a bustling city around her.

 

Through the beeping of cars and dull hum of people talking Yooa could hear the sweetest voice that sent chills throughout her entire body. It was much more beautiful to hear with human ears. Hyejin.

 

A hand extended out and a shadow blocked out the sun, leaving Yooa slightly more chilled. She stared for a moment at the hand before her, then grabbed it with her own. As she was gently hauled up she took note of how heavy her limbs and entire body felt. Standing was a seemingly difficult task in that moment. Yooa was steadied by soft hands, a glorious feeling against Yooa’s new skin.

 

“You must be freezing, laying out here in just a dress.”

 

That voice. She had heard it many times before. The girl that would pass through the park every afternoon. Warmth and softness twisted around her neck, and skin fleetingly rubbed against her own. More shivers.

 

“Take this, you need it more than I do.” A sparkling smile met Yooa’s eyes. Breathtaking.

 

“I have to go now, but get home soon and don’t stay out too long. You might catch the flu.”

 

A nod from the dandelion girl.

 

Yooa watched as the other girl walked away, quietly and closely observing every movement. The way she walked, the way she pulled her coat up to cover her now bare neck. Everything about her was beautiful. But then it happened.

 

A person she had never seen before. Yooa watched as Hyejin was pulled into the arms of another. The thumping of her heart against her chest aching in her ears. She knew what this was, she had seen it many times before in her short life as a dandelion.

 

Certainly they were lovers. Hyejin and this other person. The way they looked at each other, and their hands clasped closely together. It couldn’t be possible, it couldn't be true. But it was. Hyejin already had a person to love, and a person to love her back.

 

Yooa cried and she cried and the tears wouldn’t stop falling. She collapsed to the ground and grabbed at the scarf around her neck. It suddenly felt so tight, suffocating. Everything became painful for the girl.

 

She begged and pleaded with the sun to turn her back into a dandelion. Yooa wanted to become one with the earth again. But she could not hear the sun speak to her. She did not hear the sun apologize and weep for her. Poor little Yooa was stuck in this form in this horrific world. Doomed to live the rest of her life as a human.

 

And Yooa soon discovered not only the pain of heartbreak, but the pain of hunger and injury, the pain of life as a human. She lived this way for a long time, always cursing herself for wishing for such a life.