Younghyun's heart was racing so bad right after he got a text message from Hwari. His fingers had been non-stop typing and erasing his reply to her. What should he say? Younghyun didn't earn his nickname as a walking dictionary for nothing, and now he couldn't think of any good words?

He finished his remaining iced americano in one shot, then he quickly sent one of his piling drafts in his phone he'd typed earlier. A long sigh slipped off his mouth as he looked at his wristwatch. He still had at least 45 minutes to do the waiting. A pretty decent amount of time to recall everything happened last year.

Younghyun found himself smiling at those memories. He thought he would forget his first encounter with Hwari. It seemed he owed Jaehyung for mentioning Canada. Also Dowoon, for making such efforts to keep them in touch. Sometimes he was amused yet confused at himself; why he was so slow at this kind of things. Lately Sungjin and Wonpil mocked him for not understanding Jaehyung and Dowoon's signs. They kept suggesting Younghyun to pray that Hwari was still single and ready to mingle.

One thing he still didn't clearly understand was what happened to Hwari actually. Why she only thanked him that day, and asked to see how everything goes until the following year. She didn't ask to wait for her though. But Younghyun seemed to do so. He barely met any other girl during that year without Hwari.

A warm smile was curved on Younghyun's lips as he read a new text message.

Kang Younghyun : Take your time. Be careful on your way here.

Riri Hwari : Okay. I'll be there in 10 minutes.

Kang Younghyun : I'm not going anywhere.

Riri Hwari : :-)

Being truthful with her own words, Hwari did show up within 10 minutes after she sent the text message. She arrived looking in a rush with her fast steps that she made clicking sound with her not-so-killing heels. Younghyun gulped as he stood up to welcome the one he had been longing for. His nervousness was at the peak but he needed to manage it well.

Let's not mess up, Younghyun, he told himself.

"I'm terribly sorry for being late. Something happened in the office, so, yeah.."

"It's okay. Please, catch your breath first."

Hwari flashed a beam.

Younghyun was waiting for her to talk but it didn't seem like it was about to happen. Hwari was looking either at him or around the cafe back and forth. What made him even more nervous was that she still kept that smile on her face.

"How are you doing?" He finally asked.

"I'm good. I got a permanent position at Woosung's place and I think I'm doing just fine."

Younghyun smiled back warmly. "Good to hear that."

"How about you, Younghyun? How many new songs have you written?"

He shrugged, looking at another way. "Not much. A dozen?"

Hwari chuckled. "That's many."

"I see you're keeping in touch with Woosung," he muttered slowly.

"Yeah, he was such a big help." Looking towards the window, Hwari took a sip of her hot chocolate Younghyun had ordered for her. "Are you going to guess whether or not I'm together with Woosung again?" she asked as she sharply turned her sight at him.

He was totally caught off guard. "Uh," he paused. "Kinda... yeah?" He wished he could drown in his turtleneck shirt.

Hwari raised both her eyebrows. "Seriously, Younghyun?"

"So... no?" he hesitantly confirmed.

Still raising her eyebrows and her lips slightly smiling, Hwari shook her head. Then she could hear Younghyun's sigh in big relief. A chuckle was slipped off and that made him feel a bit embarrassed.

Hwari took a pause. Her eyes scanned the surrounding. The cafe was relatively quiet. There weren't many new guests. The sound of the baristas and the blender was also rare. "I know it takes a lot of courage to finally open up, start anew, and learn to love again,” she spoke. I appreciate you for that. Once again, thank you for liking me. I hope I could do the same thing too."

"What do you mean?" Younghyun gulped. Those words again. She said that too back then. He was nervous that usually his voice would become shaky.

Hwari smiled, but her eyes didn't seem to be as genuine as her curved lips. Eventually she briefly told her story that day. The day when Younghyun confessed.

Meeting the one and only ex-boyfriend was never on Hwari's to do list. Yet you never knew the reality. She met him earlier on the very same day when Younghyun confessed. What was even greater news then was that Hwari received a wedding invitation card with gold embossed calligraphy, beautifully written 'Song Soohyun & Yang Seungho'.

After all this time, Hwari thought she was done with herself who always repeating the same words in her head: she was so over Yang Seungho. The truth was, not really. She thought she had succeeded letting go of everything, all those beautiful memories, those times spent together, the jokes they shared and laughed at, and even the days they spent without words that was followed by cute apologies. And all of that suddenly just came back in a flash when she met him.

She knew it wouldn't be right to answer Younghyun's feeling in that vulnerable state. It just wouldn't be fair for him.

Hwari finished sharing her story, looking at Younghyun in the eyes with a subtle smile.

Younghyun was simply speechless. "I.. I don't know what to say," he muttered.

Hwari chuckled. "You don't have to say anything though."

He wished he could chuckle too. But his lips were so tense as his mind was full of speculations. What if she's still not over him? What do I do if she rejects me?

Hwari maintained her soft smile. She didn't take her eyes off of Younghyun too. This made him very nervous. That was the first time he found it hard to face her without being awkward.

"Thank you, Younghyun."

"For what?"

"For being here."

Younghyun was puzzled.

Hwari continued, "To learn to start anew... can you help me? Will you be by my side?"

Younghyun instantly gasped as he covered mouth, and his eyes widened in disbelief and in joy at the same time. He inhaled then exhaled deeply when he realized Hwari giggled at his dramatic reaction. He cleared his throat before answering the girl whose smile hadn't fade away. "Of course, I will."