"Love you too. Bye." Maria hangs up and puts her phone down and goes back to sleep in her room.

It’s Thursday afternoon and Eomma comes into the room.

"Hey, you've been in your room for way too long. Go outside and get some fresh air. Go out to eat or something too. C'mon, Maria."

"Ugh. Fine, but only because you want me too," Maria says like an upset teenager.

"Maybe you can go to the tree. Remember you used to go there as your secret hiding place?" Eomma suggested with a smile.

"I guess. It's getting close to sunset. Are you sure I can stay out late like this?" Maria was trying to find any excuse not to leave at this point.

"Sweetheart, you're all grown up. Everyone knows you here. Besides, it's not like anything bad can happen right?" Eomma was trying to find any excuse too.

"Okay, but you and Appa have to come to my showcase this Saturday," Maria said smiling. Eomma was in shock.

"Wait. Since when did you have a showcase?" Eomma was skeptical.

"Surprise!" Maria said happily. She gives Eomma the biggest hug.

"I'm so happy for you. I can't wait to hear you sing again. Do you know how long I've been waiting for this? Too long! Now, go get some fresh air. Gotta get those vocal chords ready!" Eomma says.

"Okay. I'm leaving now. Bye, I love you." Maria says as she waves and walks out the door.

"Bye, I love you too."

It's getting close to sunset as Maria drives to the secret hiding place. The tree was significant to her. It's where she and Shelby used to go as kids to get away from their families and tell their secrets. However, this time was different. They were no longer best friends. They didn't have that special bond that was the most important thing to them.

As Maria pulls up close to the tree, she sees the sunset and its beautiful glory. But when she looks at the tree, she notices a woman sitting on one of the large branches. As she gets out of the car, she instantly recognizes the blue hair. It was Shelby. Maria pulls out her phone and takes a picture of Shelby and the sunset to remember what it looks like. As she puts her phone away, she walks towards the tree and leans on the large trunk underneath Shelby. Shelby notices and sighs loud enough for the other woman to hear.

Maria looks up and sees Shelby looking at the sunset and looks down at her own shoes and back to the sunset.

"I'll never forget everything we did here. I come here just to relive it sometimes, hoping I'd see you again," Shelby says. "I remember when we used to share our secrets and see who can climb the highest." She lets out a little giggle.

"Yup," Maria said. "I remember when we used to walk towards the sunset and race back."

Shelby laughs. "Yeah, and I always won," Shelby says proudly while looking down at Maria.

"That's because you cheated," Maria says playfully.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Fine. We'll have a rematch," Shelby suggests. "Help me down the tree?"

Maria helps Shelby down the tree and they both start walking towards the sunset. Now a little way away from the tree, Maria stops and so does Shelby.

"Okay. Ready?" Maria says.

"I'm ready to kick your ," Shelby says.

"In. Your. Dreams!" Maria says. "Okay... Go!"

Both of the women race to the tree. It’s Maria that's ahead and then all of a sudden, Shelby comes running past her and touches the tree first. With both of them out of breath, they lean on the tree and look at each other. As they catch their breath, they start laughing.

"Wait! I almost forgot!" Shelby says and starts feeling and looking around the truck. "There it is! It's still here!" Maria looks at what Shelby found and low and behind, she finds a heart with M + S carved on the tree. Maria pulls out her phone and takes a picture of it.

"Hey, Maria?" Shelby looks at Maria.

"Yes?" Maria faces Shelby to make contact.

"I missed you." She hugs Maria and holds her in her arms. "I know it’s been a couple of days, and it gave me a lot of time to think. I'd rather make new memories instead of living with the bad ones. And you know what?" Shelby looks up at Maria.

Maria looks back. "What?"

"I couldn't forgive myself if I left you."

"Trust me. It's hard to forgive myself." Maria starts to tear up.

Shelby starts wiping Maria's tears with her thumb. "Well, I forgive you."

It's like a burden has been lifted when Maria hears those words. As they stand in each other's arms, the sunset turns into many colors. It's the most beautiful sunset they've ever seen. As the light shines into them, Maria looks down at Shelby. "You look more beautiful than ever," Maria says as she puts her hand through the shorter woman's hair.

"You do too," Shelby says. "When do you leave?"

"Wednesday. Why?"

"I wanna talk to you about something, but right now, I just wanna stay here with you," Shelby says.

"That's fine with me," Maria says.

A little while goes by and the two women are still in the same place while holding each other.

"Hey, I forgot to ask," Maria gets Shelby's attention. "I was wondering if you wanted to come to my showcase this Saturday. Besides hearing me sing, there's someone I want you to meet. It would mean the world to me."

"Nothing would make me happier," Shelby says as she gives her infamous dimpled smile. Then she hears her stomach grumble. "Maybe my stomach would be happier if it got some food there." She pats her stomach lightly and giggles.

"Then, let's go and eat shall we? I'll take you to any restaurant you want. My treat," Maria says smiling.

"Then let's go to the one I was going to meet you at," Shelby suggests. "It's the best one in town."

"Well, alright then."

Both of the women get into Maria's car and drive to the restaurant.

When they get to the restaurant, people instantly walk up to greet them and ask for pictures. The staff literally had to step in and lead them to a private room at the back of the restaurant just so that they could have some privacy. During dinner, they laugh about the times they shared during school and share stories about their own experiences during their time apart. It was as if they picked up where they left off.

When they finished dinner, the waiters asked for the key so that they could move Maria's car to the back of the restaurant so that the women could dodge the mob outside the doors going into the main room. They both agree and sneak out the back through the kitchen while thanking the chefs and the managers for a great meal. They both get into the car and drive away from the restaurant and Maria pulls into the parking lot of the bar.

"Wooo! That was fun. Not sure if I wanna go through that again, but it was worth it," Maria says laughing.

"I would have to say the same thing," Shelby says as she looks at Maria with a dimpled smile.

"Let me take you home. Where do you live?" Maria asks.

"I like just outside of the main part of town. From here, it's a ten-minute walk. I could just wall from here actually," Shelby says.

"I'm sorry, but no. I'm not letting you walk by yourself at night especially in the dark. No ma'am," Maria says. "Especially not my Shelby."

There's a moment of silence in the car. Shelby wants to ask something. "Am I yours?"

"I'm your protector. Whenever, wherever. I'm yours. I was thinking you'd be mine, but only if you want," Maria doesn't even know what she's saying at this point.

"Well, then if I'm yours and you're mine, can you please take me home?" Shelby asks softly.

"It would be an honor, Miss Jung.”

After 5 minutes of driving, Shelby asks Maria to stop. Maria notices that they’ve pulled up to a trailer.

“Well, this is me,” Shelby says giving her dimpled smile.

“Why do you always smile like that?” Maria says looking at the angel-like woman.

“Like what?” Shelby looks at her confused.

Maria pokes Shelby’s dimple. “Like that. Your dimple always shows. Like, ALWAYS! It’s so cute! I almost forgot how much I loved it.”

Shelby grabs Maria’s index finger on her face and points it to Maria.

“Stop calling me cute,” Shelby says playfully complaining.

“But you’re so cute! Shelby, look at yourself.” Maria pulls down the mirror in front of Shelby. “See?” Maria grabs and part of Shelby’s left cheek and squeezes it lightly.

Shelby playfully slaps Maria’s hand away. “Stop that. You’re killing my precious cheeks.” She pats her cheek to show proof.

Maria moves her hand back to Shelby’s cheek while using her right hand to squeeze the other one. “I’m sorry. I just can’t help it.” She then starts to tickle Shelby around her face and the upper half of the body.

“Maria… Stop!” Shelby says while laughing.

“I’m sorry. What did you say? I can’t understand you because of all the laughing,” Maria says while laughing. She eventually stops after a few seconds.

“Told you you were cute.”

“Okay fine. You win this one,” Shelby says happily.

“Yes! Now we’re tied!” Maria celebrates.

“Wait, since when was this a competition?” Shelby asks.

“Since right now,” Maria says.

“Then, I accept your challenge,” Shelby says. “It’s getting late. I’d better get some sleep. See you tomorrow?”

“Actually, I have a couple of close friends coming from Seoul tomorrow, and I kinda promised them that I’d pick them up from the train station and show them around town. I also have to rehearse for the showcase. I want to make it my best performance especially since you’re going to be there,” Maria explains.

“That’s completely understandable,” Shelby says. “I look forward to the showcase and meeting your friends. I’m really excited. They seem like lovely people from the way you described them at the restaurant.”

“They are. They’re really excited to meet you too. And hopefully, we can talk about what you wanted to after Saturday,” Maria says.

“Of course. I’ll see you Saturday then,” Shelby says as she gets out of the car.

“See you Saturday.”