Chaewon was nervous. Really really nervous. It was her first time doing this after all and it was the best thing she could come up with.

Nearly emptying her wallet for this one last stretch more than a week ago, she hoped the girl in her mind would like what was to come.

Earlier that week, she already went to the nearby flower stand to ask them to prepare a lot of stems of purple irises, whose meaning Chaewon only managed to know on the day she went. She was that day years old, forgive her.

It’s been a couple of years since Chaewon and a certain blonde Japanese started dating. The redhead was at Gangnam that time, told herself that she’ll never fall for say anyone but one hour later, the Japanese arrived into her life, asking where the train station was and lo and behold, she fell for the Japanese at first sight, grabbing the obviously shocked girl’s hand, wanting to see her reach her destination with her eyes.

That evolved into an exchange of contacts, then into casual hangouts Chaewon wished were dates, then into Chaewon confessing her feelings after watching a movie the younger picked. Now that Chaewon thought about it, the movie was romantic, it totally set the mood for Chaewon to be able to woman up to her feelings and tell the Japanese that she wanted to be more than friends.

The redhead once said she’d be a confident gay in her confession but that wasn’t the case in the actual one. She stuttered a lot and if it weren’t for the girl kissing her afterwards, she wouldn’t get the Japanese’s words that Hitomi too, wanted to be more than friends.

Now she wondered if the girl knew beforehand that the redhead liked her. Was she being obvious? Chaewon wasn’t paying attention to her actions in front of the girl. Though now that she remembers what her friends told her, she usually was a grumpy old man to all of her peers with the exception of Honda Hitomi, her now-girlfriend.

Her friends told her that she was too whipped and that everything they thought was Chaewon was the opposite in front of Hitomi. Chaewon was loving, caring, and basically, a long description of the word ‘whipped’ in front of Hitomi. Just Hitomi. If it were her friends, they’d be burning in the pits of hell. An example of this contrast was seen when Chaewon introduced Hitomi to her friends, the event basically showing how Chaewon’s face would go from an angel to a serial killer in a span of seconds. Enough, enough.

Now she wanted to despair, blaming herself for being so obvious and yet couldn’t because who doesn’t? Hitomi was an angel, one Chaewon would deem perfect for her. And no matter the number of ethereal adjectives Chaewon think of, nothing could perfectly describe what Hitomi was for her.

Returning to the present, the redhead wanted to make the girl her queen, ‘til death do they part. Sure, it’ll cost her a lot, maybe force her to an unhealthy diet of instant ramyeon for months but who cares? As a popular character once uttered in that overrated tv show, ‘ah, the things you do for love.’ And cut it right there, nobody is falling from a tower.

Thank goodness she could still afford several cups of coffee.

Speaking of coffee, she was currently on her way to a café. The redhead had been trying to push her friend to rush making this customized jewelry, thus, meeting her every day to check the maker's progress. Making excuses in front of her girlfriend for not being able to pick the girl up from her job as a hairstylist, the redhead was set to make this work. Hopefully, the girl doesn't get wind of her hidden activities, right?

Basically a daily exchange of ‘How is the jewelry-making going?’ and ‘Maybe if you didn't meet me every day I'd finish it quickly,' the two would rendezvous at this café. But! Today was the day that the jewelry would be done and would be on Chaewon’s fingertips. And soon, on Hitomi’s ring finger. So hurray with the fake applause, maybe.

Now inside the coffee shop, Chaewon was absent-mindedly watching the passers-by come and go from the transparent windows of the café, waiting for the jewelry maker to arrive. And after several minutes more, the person did arrive, with a paper bag on one hand, entering the café hurriedly.

Chaewon greeted the girl excitedly, like a kid excited for ice cream. “Kim Minju-ssi!”

The mentioned woman looked at her and damn, if Venus was reincarnated as a human being, it has got to be her. However, her beauty is still no match for Hitomi’s in Chaewon’s perspective. Minju is attractive, don’t get Chaewon wrong but Chaewon wasn’t only after the aesthetics. And Hitomi just had to have that which the redhead was searching for.

Back to the situation at hand, Minju sat on the chair directly in front of Chaewon’s, putting the paper on top of the table.

“Chaewon, I finished this one and pretended this was a super express so don’t tell my boss or I’ll get f-worded at work. You still owe me a lot so just shut your trap.” The words almost sounded like a rap, the woman was panting afterwards. “I went here straight from work so yeah, have a look.” Minju took the box from inside the paper bag, opening it to present the expected finish product.

Chaewon looked at the box and her eyes widened. The ring was made of platinum, tiny intricate details adorned it, said details resembling two intertwined curving lines on each side of the square diamond at the top center. It wasn’t too boisterous nor looked too shabby. Just simple and humble but with a flair. Just right for Hitomi. After seeing the ring, a content smile appeared on the redhead’s features. Months of sneakily taking the girl’s ring size finally paid off.

“Thank you, Minju. I really owe you one.” Chaewon directed her glance as well as smile to Minju this time, her eyes full of feelings of gratitude.

Minju looked at the redhead, happy that the customer-turned-friend was content with her design. She hoped, sincerely, that the proposal was successful. She wanted to hear more, however, it was time to go home.

"Well, just tell me when the wedding is. I have to go." The exhausted jeweler stood up and made her way to the door and exited, leaving Chaewon alone with the ring.

“A couple of days more and you’ll be in her fingers.” Chaewon smiled at the ring once more before hiding it in its box. ‘Maybe it would be a good day,’ thought the radish fairy.

And then the redhead exited the café and that’s where she thought wrong. In a funny coincidence of some sort, Hitomi was outside, looking at her, with an emotionless look on her face. Chaewon knew calm anger when she sees one and Hitomi happened to have it as well.

“H- Hitomi!” Chaewon called out frantically. “H-how long have you been there?” Chaewon cursed herself for stuttering. Chaewon wished, she really did, that the girl she loved more than anyone in the world wouldn’t misunderstand.

‘Please, trust me.’ A thought. A prayer, even. Chaewon sincerely hoped that Hitomi wouldn’t misunderstand. Please don’t.

However, it was all too late. And instead of answering Chaewon’s question, Hitomi uttered the older’s name, with eyes that were obviously done with the affair.

“Let’s break up.”

\\\

It’s been months since Chaewon last saw Hitomi. However, the wounds left from their breakup was yet to heal and for Chaewon, it seemed like the breakup happened only yesterday. Hitomi still had her blocked in her contacts and on SNS. Once, the younger also pretended to be out of the house when Chaewon went to visit. And she even had the radish fairy block-listed from entering the salon where Hitomi works in.

For Kim Chaewon, heart-broken at 25 years old, it was the worst kind of breakup, that’s for sure. Unable to explain herself, she had to go home, expecting that the girl would listen tomorrow but that didn’t happen so left with 20,000 won until next payday, only god knew how she survived. To be very honest, it was simple. Very, very simple. She didn’t have the appetite and months later, she wouldn’t eat much, making her co-worker that one day, she’ll be light enough for the wind to take. And she jokingly replies that she wills the wind for her to be taken to where Hitomi was. It was always met with a pat on the back and a ‘sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.’ It was alright. Totally.

The flowers she bought in bulk back then had to be disposed of somewhere since the whole surprise won't happen anymore so she had to live with the smell of purple irises in her apartment for a while. When asked about the proposal, she told the florist and everyone involved that the girl said yes just so they didn't have to worry.

And the ring? Oh, it was still in her person. She hid it inside the cabinet beside her bed for seeing it makes her want to curse herself indefinitely. She can't help it. The memories stung too much. She remembered everything, from the pink lips that muttered her name emotionlessly, to the stern cold eyes that gave her a look of disappointment mixed with indignation. Not to mention that every single word stabbed her like swords, due to the cold heartless tone they exuded.

Right now, she was at work, inside the corporate building, beating her emotionally dead self to work. Dying through overwork was on the rise nowadays. Maybe she’ll go for it. Maybe not. She doesn’t take her days off now that she has no one to spend it with. She also works overtime all the time since she has no one to pick up from work. One of these days, she’ll probably succumb to it. Not today? What an unlucky day it was.

While typing, the redhead paused for a moment, wanting to blame herself for being so secretive.

‘Maybe if you just told her honestly… You wouldn’t have made her misunderstand…’

Everyone had gone home already. No one was around. Perhaps, she could allow herself to be weak for now.

A pathetic cry that was months too late.

\\\

Down to her last customer, Hitomi was going to close the shop soon. The last one was a regular, a vertically-challenged column writer for a magazine. The regular liked teasing Hitomi but dared not to touch one subject. Just one subject. But not today, it seems.

“I’ve been avoiding to ask this but… What happened between you and the corporate slave girl?”

Hitomi was still cutting her hair and oops, the back’s misaligned now, thank you for that wonderful question.

“My hair!” The client cried, glaring at Hitomi afterwards. “God, you still haven’t gotten over her?”

Hitomi stared at her through the mirror because no one and she meant no one should dig her past with her ex-girlfriend. Accidentally cutting the fringes this time, she queried, “Do you want me to misalign your fringes this time?”

“HITOMIIIIIIII!!!” The girl gave crocodile tears because the act had been done before Hitomi even dared to speak of it. The girl couldn’t care less about the misaligned hair and bangs, the fringes were still a bit too long anyway and so was the hair on her back as well.

Hitomi sighed, her gaze lightening with sadness. The client thanked her god in all honesty. “Nako-san, I don’t want to talk about it.”

The client sighed, and Hitomi saw her cheeks puffing from the mirror in front of both of them. "Have you tried listening to her for starters?" Nako frowned. “She might have an explanation.”

“2 weeks. She had been going out with some girl behind my back without my knowledge for 2 weeks. And when I caught them? There was already a ring involved.” Hitomi stared at Nako, her eyes almost indifferent. Almost. Because Nako could still see something in the girl’s eyes. Maybe wanting to hear the girl’s excuses.

Several minutes later, the service was done and thank goodness, Nako still looked human.

\\\

After cleaning up the salon, Hitomi is now on her way home and everything seemed good until the rain started to fall, as if to express someone's regrets and held back tears. Hitomi didn’t care one bit, however.

‘They could cry all they want. No one will bat an eye.’

Maybe she became too bitter since that day. Of course, she knew that well. The manager even commented on how the once cheerful Hitomi turned into a robot and when asked, the girl didn’t want to expound on the subject. Just told them that somebody died. Nobody did. Maybe her heart? Nobody knows.

Running to a Convenience store, she let the rain take its course. She heard a familiar voice at the back, offering to share an umbrella. Hitomi turned around, and if she doesn’t call it fate then maybe it was a bad coincidence for Chaewon was the one offering the umbrella.

Chaewon, upon seeing her, took a step back, her face withholding its owner's surprise.

“O-oh, hey.”

Obviously, the older avoided eye contact.

Hitomi only shot her an unnerving glance before walking towards the rain because she’d rather die from fever rather than take the dreaded umbrella. The attempt failed, thanks to a hug from the back, pulling her back to the Convenience Store.

With a faint whisper behind Hitomi’s right ear, Chaewon offered the umbrella.

“I don’t care if you hate me. Just don’t get sick.”

Hitomi quickly released herself from the hug and the older didn’t even make an attempt.

“Take it. The umbrella’s disposable.” Chaewon transferred the umbrella to the blonde’s right hand, gently opening the small, thin fingers and closing them after the transfer succeeded before braving the rain, away from the girl who still holds her heart captive.

Watching the now dark brown-haired woman’s back disappear, Hitomi muttered, almost choking, “Chaewon, you idiot…”

\\\

It was a Sunday and Hitomi couldn’t help but feel like an idiot for going to this place after months of burying it at the back of her mind. It was, after all, the place where Chaewon and Hitomi usually had their dates. A park in the shopping district near several stalls, one of them being a flower stand, another one a modest jewelry store.

Maybe she wanted a change of atmosphere? Hitomi didn’t even know what was going on in her mind anymore. She blamed