Yubin always chose her head over her heart. Books over butterflies. Logic over love. So, she thought. Yubin has been hopelessly in love with Yoohyeon since freshman year of high school, now they’re in their 2nd year of university together. So, it’s been a while you can say. They’ve known each other since elementary when a tall uncoordinated girl accidentally fell into her. Yubin was quick enough to react and catch her. The girl shyly said thank you and that’s how the friendship started. With Yoohyeon falling into Yubin. Because of that moment, and many moments after that Yubin dubbed herself a prince. Always there to help others, always resolving conflict with reasoning, I guess you could say she was always there to help a damsel in distress. And as any prince, she was looking for her princess. What she did not expect was to fall for the clumsy and somewhat awkward dog-like girl with an adorable smile and a heart of gold that radiates the warmth of the sun. Yubin, being the bookworm, she was, was quiet, in contrast to the other girl who was loud...er. Yoohyeon was liked by many, if not by all who encountered her. Whenever there was a gathering, a game, or anything of the sort, Yoohyeon would always invite Yubin and because of that, Yubin got to experience a lot of things with the girl. They did almost everything together, so naturally, just like how the sun rises every morning, Yubin was bound to fall for her. What she didn’t know was that she would fall so much, so hard, and so deep. Oh, and there was one problem… it wasn’t a problem per se, more like a massive hurdle if you will. Yubin wasn’t great at expressing her feelings. She enjoyed reading and writing so it’s kind of ironic how she could never string a couple of words to tell Yoohyeon how she felt. Maybe it wasn’t because she couldn’t think of the words, but more like she wanted to find the perfect words. There’s nothing that annoyed her more than not being able to describe something to its utmost diligence. One day she’ll tell Yoohyeon she promised herself.

Imagine your heart breaking into a million pieces... now imagine that every time the person you love spoke about someone, they loved... that wasn’t you. That’s what Yubin was feeling when Yoohyeon began describing Minji, the person she was seeing. Every time she mentioned Minji’s name her heart shattered and every piece of her shattered heart was sharp enough to cut her up inside, making her bleed out every ounce of love she had saved up. To only have it healed by the band-aid that was Yoohyeon’s wide smile accompanied by those crescent-shaped eyes. The smile that usually would make Yubin’s heart flutter, but currently the only thing that’s holding her together.

“I think I’m in love with her...” Yubin looked away at her book and down at the girl whose head laid on her lap.

“Are you sure?” Yubin asked.

Yoohyeon giggled “yeah, she just makes me so happy and I get massive butterflies around her all I want to do is...” Yoohyeon trailed off ... give her everything she deserves, plus the world and more Yubin finished off in her head. Tell her no Yubin, tell her that she’s making a mistake. Tell her that she should be with you and that you can give her the world. Just tell her... tell her everything her heart begged.

“She makes you happy huh. Well, I can’t wait to meet her then” Yubin easily lied.

Yoohyeon sat up and gave Yubin a hug. “You’ll love her I promise!” Wrong, I only love you. You’re the only one, my one and only.

“I’m gonna give her the 'if you hurt my best friend speech' ' Yubin jokes.

“Oh no... c’mon, I really like her and you’re gonna scare her” Yoohyeon cried

“No can do, she’s gonna have to deal with it. Also, have you seen my kendo stick?” Yubin smirked.

“Absolutely not, Yubin! You are not scaring her with that!” Yoohyeon whined again. Yubin couldn’t help but smile. The way my name rolls off your tongue and onto your lips... like my name was only meant to be spoken by you...

“Earth to Yubin??” Yoohyeon said while waving her hands in front of Yubin’s face

“I think I left it under my bed. Hold on, I’m gonna go grab it” Yubin jokes. As she turned to retreat to her room, she was suddenly crushed by the force of Yoohyeon jumping on her back, making her fall to the ground.

“No, Yubin, no. Bad Yubin.”

“I’m not a dog, Yoohyeon. I am human” Yubin squeezed out as she lay defeated on the floor.

“I know, but I’m just practicing. Because one day I will own a dog and it will be the cutest little dog ever.”

“I think I have more experience than you. I’m currently looking after a big puppy right now. She’s being bad though. She jumped on me and now won’t get off me” Yubin pouted. This comment earned Yubin a smack on the back, which was followed by a gentle hug. Yubin couldn’t help smiling.

“You’re the best, you know, that right?” Yoohyeon mumbled into Yubin’s back. Yubin’s heart swelled up so much she didn’t know if she could contain it in her chest. Her heart was about to burst all because Yoohyeon said she was the best. A buzz from a phone snapped her out of her daydream and into reality. Yoohyeon got off her back and raced to her phone. The swelling of her heart suddenly deflated as sound as Yoohyeon told her it was Minji. Yubin got up and went to her room. It was nice while it lasted.

One day Yubin was laying on the couch re-reading her favourite book. Something she loved doing when her schedule allowed it. Something about the familiarity of the story that made her feel at ease. Just then the door to the apartment busted open. Before she could look up from the book, Yoohyeon ran inside, slammed the door and straight into Yubin’s arms with tears streaming down her face. Yubin couldn’t do much as the taller girl laid on top of her. All Yubin did was what she has been doing since elementary, comforting Yoohyeon. She rubbed Yoohyeon’s back with one hand whilst the other held the back of her head as she cried. Her shirt getting soaked by the tears, her heartaches for her friend. Yubin didn’t breathe a word, she just held the girl while she let out all her sadness. Yubin didn’t need words to understand what had happened. The signs were all there. Not written in the books but written in between the lines of life. She knew tears of a heartbreak all too well. “She…” Yoohyeon began but failed to continue due to the ongoing tears streaming down her face. “She broke…” she tried again, getting further than last time. “She broke up with me” she finally wailed out. “Shh” Yubin cooed in her ear then kissed the side of her head, “let it out,” she said, holding the other tighter. “I’m here for you” she rubbed little circles on Yoohyeon’s back with her thumbs. “Don’t leave me” Yoohyeon whimpered out. Yubin felt the taller girl tighten her embrace even more, to the point where Yubin was almost losing oxygen. “Never” Yubin whispered in a low tone. “You will never lose me.”

Yubin woke up with the taller girl still on her and her shirt still wet, not of tears but because Yoohyeon sometimes drooled in her sleep. She looked at the girl who clung to her as her life depended on it and wished she could capture this moment, but a mental picture will do. Yubin leaned back a bit and couldn’t help hiding the small smile that graced her face. They broke up so I have a chance! She thought. But after a beat or two of the older girl's heart, the breakup didn’t feel like a victory at all. More like winning a battle and losing the war kind of feeling. She sighed, no matter how badly she wanted Yoohyeon to be hers, her heart was still entangled in someone else’s hands. She knew what she had to do. Yoohyeon stirred a bit but didn’t open her eyes, Yubin ran her hands up and down Yoohyeon’s back and kissed the top of her head.

“Hey sleepyhead, I need to pee” she nudged. Yoohyeon mumbled something incoherent and didn’t move.

“Yoo” Yubin wined “I need to go do a number 1.” Yoohyeon’s face was now buried in Yubin’s chest, Yubin wondered if she could feel how hard her heart was thumping right now.

“Mmm okay, but you have to come straight back” Yoohyeon demanded

“Anything for you princess” Yubin smiled. With that promise Yoohyeon got up and Yubin quickly slid out and bolted to the bathroom, Yoohyeon fell right back down on the couch feeling as if she had a hangover, she snuggled up in the couch and fell right back to sleep. She had no energy to deal with what the day brought.

Yoohyeon woke up to Yubin cuddling her from behind, she wiggled closer to the embrace and asked, “how long was I out for?”

“Long enough for me to sneak out and get us some food, drinks and think of things we could do today” Yubin grinned.

“So, half an hour” Yoohyeon groaned.

“47 minutes to be exact” Yubin answered. As she got up Yoohyeon groaned from the warmth that left her and made an exaggerated annoyed sound as she sat up. Yubin who made her way to the kitchen laughed as she saw Yoo half asleep with Einstein’s hair. She grabbed the Gatorade and made her way over to the giant sleepy pup.

Yubin knelt down next to Yoohyeon, “drink this, then go take a shower. Once you’re done, come out and eat the food I bought, then we can watch movies until you’re ready to kill some zombies okay?” Yubin felt bold and kissed Yoohyeon on the forehead. “And before you protest... you’re too dehydrated to think right now so I’m doing the thinking for you and we think what I just suggested is a good idea.”

Yoohyeon nodded as she drank the Gatorade causing some of the drink to spill out, Yubin had a towel ready to wipe her up. “You really need a shower now she chuckled now go... food will be ready once you’re finished.”

Yoohyeon did as she was told but before she got to her bedroom, she turned back to look at Yubin... humming away as she started to set up the food she bought earlier that day, Yoohyeon couldn’t help but feel a fondness for the shorter girl. Whoever ends up with her is so lucky, I wish I was lucky.

Yoohyeon and Minji got back together, with the help of Yubin. It wasn’t a part of Yubin’s plan to confess to Yoohyeon, but she couldn’t stand by and do nothing while the taller girl cried her eyes out every night. She had to get them back together. Sacrifice her happiness for her loves. She didn’t know why they broke up in the first place. According to everyone who talked to her, they were the perfect two. But after spending a couple of weeks with them (there was no escaping, Minji was over at their apartment a lot), she finally realised it was because the older is graduating this year and wanted to set up a shop... in a different city. Yoohyeon would beg for her to try long distance, but Minji being the more level-headed one, knew that wouldn’t work out well and they’d end up hating each other, which was the last thing she wanted. Minji was Yoohyeon’s first love and so she was stubborn about giving her up. After breaking up and making up multiple times and once Yubin talked to Yoohyeon about how the timing wasn’t right, if they still loved each other they could try later (to Yubin’s dismay), and that it wasn’t healthy going back and forth. They finally called it quits for good. Yoohyeon was finally Yubin’s again. And just like that, Yoohyeon was spending her weekends with Yubin. And just like that Yubin was falling more and more in love with Yoohyeon.

The year was moving along and Yubin still hadn’t confessed. Yoohyeon was living in her mind rent-free and was the only thing occupying her mind when she didn’t have to prepare for exams. Yubin leaned back in her chair, she had enough of writing about Shakespeare, like yes, he was a genius, but damn is there really that much to write about him. She got up and walked into the living room, she needed a drink and to stretch her legs. What she saw made her chuckle. Yoohyeon was hanging off the couch upside down, holding a textbook over her head.

“Are you good?” Yubin snickered. Yoohyeon groaned in response. Yubin rolled her eyes. “What are you learning?”

“I’m trying to learn some Spanish… I am, wait… Yo estoy no Buena?” Yoohyeon replied. Yubin sat next to Yoo and smiled.

“You’re no good?” Yubin tilted her head and asked.

Yoohyeon got up and looked at Yubin with wide eyes. “Tu hablas Espanol?”

Yubin laughed and shook her head. “No, I don’t speak Spanish. I pick up a few phrases when you walk around muttering to yourself. You can practice on me if you like. I need a break from my paper anyways.” Yoohyeon lunged at Yubin, hugging her as tightly as she could.

“Estoy muy Feliz” Yoohyeon beamed. For the rest of the night, Yoohyeon spoke Spanish to Yubin and Yubin just sat there letting the older girl speak in the foreign language. She learnt a few things as well, like how to ask where the bathroom is, and how to order food from restaurants, but more importantly (well the most important thing according to a lovestruck Yubin) was how to say I love you. Te Amo, Yoohyeon. Another way to tell Yoohyeon that she loved her… only if she could say it out loud.

Yubin couldn’t take it anymore. Her heart was about to explode if she didn’t confess. But how? How does she tell Yoohyeon that she’s been hopelessly in love with her, practically her whole life and that Yoohyeon was her sun, her moon, her whole (Yoo)niverse? How does she tell the love of her life that she’s waited all this time for her? How... She took out her laptop and went through all the photos she had of the two together. Watching the progression of their life together, it dawned on her what she should do. She opened up a blank document and started typing as if her life depended on it because in some ways it did.

Yoohyeon got back to the apartment and called out for Yubin like she always does. But she never got an answer. Curious as to why Yubin didn’t answer, she walked into the shorter girl’s room and realised she wasn’t there. Odd, I thought she had a day off… Yoohyeon was about to leave when she saw a book on Yubin’s bed. It was a book she’s never seen before. It must be the book, Yubin had to write for class. Her curiosity got the best of her again as she sat on the bed and picked up the book. To her surprise the book was a bit thin, there were probably around 14 pages. Yoohyeon opened the book and gasped. Dedicated to my person, Kim Yoohyeon.

The girl who waited. By Lee Yubin.

There once was a girl named Lee Yubin and she fell in love with her best friend in the whole wide world, Kim Yoohyeon. But, Yubin didn’t want to ruin the friendship she had with Yoohyeon, so she said she’ll wait for the right time to tell her. She’ll wait for the right moment to confess her love to the most amazing person she’s ever met. So, she waited. First, she thought she’d tell her on a trip they planned to the zoo together in junior year of high school, but Yoohyeon ate too many animal crackers and got sick. That’s okay, she knew how much Yoohyeon loves her frosted covered animal crackers. So, Yubin spent the rest of the day looking after a very sick Yoohyeon. The next opportunity was senior year, out of all the stupid and cheesy clichés, Yubin picked to confess at prom. But... the music was too loud and there were way too many teenagers bumping and grinding that it honestly turned her off. Yubin, being the self-proclaimed prince was a bit more romantic than that. Yoohyeon deserved the best and Yubin was determined to give it to her. Then there was the first year at university together. Yoohyeon was feeling homesick and all Yubin wanted to do was make her feel at home, like how Yubin felt whenever she was with Yoohyeon. Yubin planned a whole picnic, with all of Yoohyeon’s favourite foods. She also bought Yoohyeon a plush puppy, because she knew how much Yoohyeon wanted a dog. But their family surprised both of them and came to visit. Yubin was thrown back, but she wasn’t discouraged though. She knew she had to keep trying, that Yoohyeon is worth it. A couple of months after the visit, Yubin was just going to tell Yoohyeon because whenever she tried to do a grand gesture something got in the way, so a simple confession should be enough right? But something got in the way again... well someone. Yoohyeon fell in love with someone else and that shattered Yubin’s heart. Someone else was making the girl that Yubin longed for, smile, someone else was making Yubin’s best friend laugh, someone else showered Yubin’s one and only love with love and it wasn’t Yubin. Heartbroken, she didn’t know what to do. That person broke Yubin and to be honest Yubin thought about giving up. She fooled around with people and tried to get her mind off the girl she couldn’t have, but at the end of the day, she was still very much still in love with Yoohyeon. Then the moment came when the two broke up, you’d think Yubin would be happy right? But her heart ached because the love of her life’s heart ached. She knew she couldn’t do anything. Yubin knew that she should let Yoohyeon’s heart heal. And that’s what she did. Yubin did whatever it took to make Yoohyeon smile and forget about her... so she thought. After another off and on couple of months, then finally breaking it off, Yoohyeon was finally ready to move on…

Yubin knew she had to confess, and she had to confess soon. Her heart was literally going to explode. She mulled this decision over and over again. And the girl who waited finally got tired of waiting. She was tired of waiting for the right moment when she realised you make every moment right.

Kim Yoohyeon, I’ve been in love with you since I was 14. I’m now 21 and I’m just as if not more in love with you than I was 7 years ago. You make me the happiest, you’re the reason why I know what love is, you are the reason why I love. My heart races every time I see you. I get butterflies every time you smile. I look forward to seeing you each and every single day because there’s no one I want to see every day for the rest of my life but you. I am hopelessly head over heels in love with you. You mean everything to me. You are my Yoo-niverse (sorry I couldn’t resist). All I ask is for a chance to be yours. All I ask is for a chance for you to be mine. I’ll treat you like the princess you are… If you let me.

I love you to infinity and beyond, forever your prince, Yubin.

Yoohyeon put the book down. She didn’t know when she started crying but she’s crying. How could she not know? How could she have been so blind? It took a custom-made book, with photos of their journey together and a heartfelt confession for her to finally realise that she felt the same way as Yubin. I’m such an idiot! Yoohyeon stood up from the bed and paced around the room chanting oh my god over and over again. Words were flying in her head. Was I meant to see this? What if she wasn’t… What if Yubin didn’t want me to see it yet… But if she didn’t want me to see it then why was it on her bed for everyone to see? But no one is meant to go into her room… Oh no, Yubin is going to hate me. What do I do? Should I pretend that I didn’t see it? No that wouldn’t work, Yubin knows you too well and knows when you lie to her. Plus, you’re super awkward when you lie. Ahh, I need to find her and talk to her. I need my person. Yoohyeon didn’t know how to think or feel at that moment. All she knew was that she had to find Yubin.

Yubin was sitting on a park bench that she and Yoohyeon often came to when times were hectic. But she wasn’t feeling anxious or nervous or anything of the sort. If anything, she felt at peace. She finally wrote her confession and the weight of the world is off her shoulders. She didn’t know how Yoohyeon was going to react. She hoped that Yoohyeon would feel the same. All she had to do now, was give her the book. A literature major, writing a book confessing her love… Funny, but nevertheless fitting. Yubin though as she took a sip of her tea. Her favourite part of the day was coming up. Sunset. Only if she could spend it watching it with her favourite person…

“Lee Yubin! Yubinnie! Binnie! Dami! Pandami!” A voice shouted across the field. Yubin turned her head to see Yoohyeon running towards her. Yoohyeon? Yubin stood up and began walking towards the running girl. Just then Yoohyeon tripped over her own feet and Yubin caught her just in time. Like the first time, all those years ago. Their journey is coming full circle.

Yubin looked down at Yoohyeon who was huffing and puffing, with a concerned look. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”

Yoohyeon smiled shyly and said “I guess I’ve fallen for you too”

“Huh?” Yubin said, looking confused as she helped Yoohyeon stand up, then looked up at the taller girl. “What are you talking about? What did you say? Did I hear that right?” Yubin panicked.

“I found your book, well my book, umm I mean our book?” Yoohyeon finally admitted. “I didn’t mean to. I was looking for you and I saw it and I got curious and I’m sorry if you didn’t want me to find it.” Yoohyeon stuttered out in one breath.

Yubin stood there slowly piecing everything together “oh.” Her confession book found its way to the owner… Oh.

“The girl who waited...”

“Mhmm,” Yubin mumbled out as she and Yoohyeon slowly made their way back to the bench.

“I think it’s my favourite book,” Yoohyeon said just over a whisper while looking everywhere but at Yubin.

Yubin heard it and a small smile graced her lips. Her heart was racing and the butterflies in her stomach were going crazy. Am I imagining this? Did she just say that…? “What did you think?” Yubin asked as coolly as she could, trying to keep her composure.

“The two main characters have great chemistry. Umm, it was a shame that one of them was blind and stupid. Honestly, Yubin could’ve done better. But I’m glad she waited for the blind, stupid, awkward girl…”

“Hey, don’t talk about my favourite character like that! It wasn’t her fault that she didn’t know…” Yubin pouted. As they sat down on the bench, Yubin grabbed Yoohyeon’s hands and intertwined their fingers. “What else?”

“There were a lot of instances where Yubin could’ve confessed, but something always went wrong. If I was her, I would’ve given up. Especially when the other girl got a girlfriend. I think if the roles were reversed, I would’ve lost all hope too. I think I would’ve given up” Yoohyeon said looking at the ground after her confession.

“All good things are worth waiting for,” Yubin said calmly, not taking her eyes off Yoohyeon. “What do you think Yoohyeon would say? How does she feel?” Yubin asked absentmindedly, rubbing her thumb over the back of Yoohyeon’s hand with pleading eyes, wanting Yoohyeon to look at her right this moment.

“I think Yoohyeon was scared of ruining the friendship too. Seeing how Yubin was always caring for people and putting others first. Yoohyeon honestly thought that she wouldn’t have a chance with Yubin. That she wasn’t lucky enough to be loved by someone that amazing.” Yubin scooted closer and lifted Yoohyeon’s head up with her finger beneath the taller girl's chin.

“So, tell me.” She started. “Is this the end of the book, or just the beginning of another chapter of our lives together.”

Yoohyeon looked nervously at Yubin’s lips before finally giving her the eye contact that Yubin craved. Yoohyeon and Yubin slowly closed the gap between them until they were only an inch apart. “I think it’s the beginning of my fairy-tale with my prince,” Yoohyeon said with a smile. No one knew who kissed who first, but the kiss was soft, delicate and everything Yubin had hoped for. She finally got her princess and she couldn’t be happy. Yubin pulled back and rested her forehead against Yoohyeons’. She’s mine. She’s really mine.

“I love you.” She said out loud. Her voice was a little shaky, but she was over the moon that she could finally say those words out loud.

“I love you too,” Yoohyeon replies. They share another kiss before Yoohyeon rests her head on Yubin’s shoulder. They looked over the horizon, at the sun that was beginning to set. My favourite moment with my favourite person. Sunsets reminded Yubin that every day no matter how good or how bad things may be, every day ends beautifully. Now sunsets also reminded her that sometimes beautiful things end, to start something even more beautiful. And there was nothing more beautiful than the love story she was living with her soulmate.