Yerim admitted that there is something wrong with her and Hyejoo, her friend since forever. Yerim kinda knew what is wrong with herself but she didn’t know about Hyejoo. She was avoiding her for days now. Let’s say it’s not “avoiding” but Hyejoo didn’t have time for her for days.

 

When Yerim asked her about to study together in Library, Hyejoo couldn’t. When Yerim asked her to went to lunch together in the same spot they used to went there, the rooftop, Hyejoo declined the offer. The worst part is that Yerim didn’t know the reason for them.

 

And today, Yerim knows what’s wrong with Hyejoo.

 

She’s in love.

 

“Yerim, you know Chaewon right?”

 

Chaewon? Their senior who has elegant vibes on her and people sometimes called her Princess? That Chaewon, hell yeah Yerim knew.

 

“What’s about her?”

 

“I asked her out on a date, she accepted it. I kinda want to die now,” Hyejoo explained with a hand on her chest, pretend like she was gonna die from short of breath.

 

“That’s great, I don’t know you like her.”

 

“Eh? I thought I talked it with you.” Now Hyejoo squinted her eyes at her and trying to remember her memories.

 

“No, you didn’t. Perhaps you talked with your sister.”

 

Yerim knew that Hyejoo kinda lacking on her memories. Sometimes Hyejoo was late on her promises on Yerim or everyone. She even forgets her sister’s birthday. Yerim who always reminds her schedules, occasionally when it’s out of control.

 

“Well, now, I did. Yes, I like her. Yesterday we got lunch together, we ate each other lunch boxes. And the other time I was watching her cheerleading on a basketball match.”

 

After that Yerim knew all the history of when Hyejoo started like Chaewon. And the reason that Yerim assumed Hyejoo was “avoiding” her was about Hyejoo had time with Chaewon. Hyejoo is really in love with her when talked about her, her eyes so hearty and shines more.

 

“Will you help me with my outfit tomorrow?”

 

“Of course I will,” Yerim replied. Big smile on her face, like always.

 

“You know You are the best right?” Hyejoo side hugs at Yerim and went home together.

 

-

 

The next day, Hyejoo already at Yerim’s house so early even Yerim is still on her bed. With so many clothes on her hands, full.

 

“YERIM! WAKE UP! HELP ME WITH THESE!”

 

Yerim annoyed by the voice, she just rolled her body on the bed, find the other spot to sleep more after put the pillow blocking her hearing. She can’t sleep last night. Every spot on her bed can’t make her sleep, even when she tried to force her eyes closed, only darkness what she could see. Usually, Yerim could portray what she wanted to see when her eyes closed, to help her sleep. But last night it didn’t work.

 

Hyejoo climbed on Yerim’s bed and jump on it. To make Yerim wake from the bounces.

 

“Stop it!” said Yerim lazily.

 

“Then wake up and help me with my outfit today.”

 

“Just wear whatever you want to wear. If she likes you back, she probably doesn’t care about it.”

 

“But I want to make it special on my very first date.”

 

Yerim opened her eyes, glanced at Hyejoo still stood on her bed. Look how blushed Hyejoo’s face right now. How many times did Yerim saw this Hyejoo? Zero, until now. She likes this girl Chaewon. Deep in love.

 

And the fact this is Hyejoo’s first date, Yerim should help her.

 

“Where are you going then?” asked Yerim gets up from her sleep and sat on her bed lazily with her messy hair. She needs water too, her voice croaked. She got the glass of water from the night table.  

 

“Arcade.”

 

Typical Hyejoo, Yerim thought. Hope Chaewon enjoy the time when Hyejoo gonna curses when she had the bad luck. Well, the fact Chaewon accepted the date and knew the place was arcade was something too. Who has the first date on arcade in this era? This means that there is a probability that Chaewon like her back or like the games like Hyejoo did or both of them.

 

How lucky, both of them.

 

“Well then don’t put that your favorite hoodie like every time you go there. Put something cool and flashy. That leather Jacket did,” said Yerim after seeing all the clothes Hyejoo brought.

 

“And wear a turtleneck, it’s going to breezy and cold today. And the lower part, everything fine except that sweatpants you brought. That black jeans suit well.”

 

Hyejoo took everything Yerim suggested, she brought them to the bathroom. She will try them out.

 

“How is it?” asked Hyejoo when she came out of the bathroom.

 

Yerim looked intently, from head to the toe. She surprised for some reason. She smiled at Hyejoo and give her thumbs up.

 

“Perfect!”

 

“Is it?”

 

“Yeah, she gonna fall for you, literally. Now get out, I will continue my sleep.” Yerim put her back down on the bed.

 

“Yerim, the one who always energetic in the morning trying to sleep again? Who are you?” asked Hyejoo dramatically.

 

“I will ask the same, Hyejoo ya. Who are you that gets so energetic in the morning? Hyejoo that I know will sleep more after those night gaming times.” Yerim laughed at her sentences. Hyejoo laughed along with her.

 

“I just have my first date today so I need to prepare well.”

 

“Yeah, I got it already since yesterday. I’m joking you know. Have a nice fun date! Tell my mom that I will come in an hour later.”

 

Hyejoo stared at Yerim who closed her eyes.

 

“Yerim,” called Hyejoo.

 

“Hmm…”

 

When Yerim didn’t hear anything, she opened her eyes. Look at Hyejoo who tried to speak something.

 

“Can I call you when the situation getting worse?”

 

Yerim knew Hyejoo is nervous now. The date is a big day for her, her first time too. Yerim just smiled at her to assure her that she got her back support from her. “Of course, but I will doubt it. Don’t think too much and just enjoy the flows.”

 

“Sometimes I wonder what can I do if I don’t have you. You’re the best,” said Hyejoo with a big smile. the genuine one.

 

“Now you’re sappy, really, who are you?”  

 

“YA!”

 

“You will be fine, Hyejoo. I know you will because I trust you.”

 

After that Yerim just threw everything on her bed to make Hyejoo out from her room. Hyejoo fought back for seconds before she went out of her room. Such a mess in the morning, Hyejoo even didn’t take the clothes she brought.

 

Yerim must get up and clean the mess. At the second thought, she could just sleep more, but well, Yerim wouldn’t do it. She sorted the mess and Hyejoo’s clothes. She made her bed up then came out from her room.

 

“Morning.”

 

Her mom looked at her, “Hyejoo said you take another round to sleep.”

 

“It just an excuse to make her go home. I don’t want to spend time with her and get lost in time when she has a date.”

 

“I can see that, but isn’t that you supposed to help her mentally? She’s kinda nervous.”

 

“She will be fine. I already give her the pep talk,” said Yerim while took a piece of bread from the kitchen. She put it on and wandering around the kitchen to find a cup to pour the tea that her mom made.

 

But she stopped it, kinda thinking while looking at her cup. Took the bread with her other free hand.

 

“Mom!”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I want to try coffee,” said Yerim still looking at her cup.

 

That was sure surprised her mom, but she helped her daughter to make her first coffee. Her mother suggested that to try her first coffee with creamer but Yerim refused it. She wanted the black one like what her mom drink sometimes. She made it with the help of her mom. It’s not that bad, Yerim thought. She kinda enjoyed her first cup of coffee.

 

That day it’s not just Hyejoo who had her first experience on something. Yerim had the very first bitter taste of a coffee.

 

-

 

It was summer break, everyone kinda had their own time. Either together with their friends or just alone with their summer assignments in the library. Yerim took the second one. Sometimes she saw her friends there and just studying together. In her spare time, Yerim would go to every cafe in her neighborhood. Try different coffees, after that first tried, she kinda needs to know more about coffee.

 

One day she took a course for brewing. It was a nice experience and the taste is so different. Especially when you made it, brewed it by yourself. She was kinda proud of that. She kinda made a decision.

 

In another hand, Hyejoo always gave her time to Chaewon more than Yerim. Especially it was her last summer to cheerleading, Hyejoo watched her every time our school basketball team had a match. One day Hyejoo took Yerim to one of those matches. Yerim didn’t know her school basketball team is so popular.

 

After that date, Hyejoo and Chaewon got so close to each other. Sometimes Yerim got time with them to spend but mostly just two of them. People talk about both of them a lot. Especially when a lot of them assuming that they are dating.

 

Its just time will answer that.

 

And that time was in that summer night.  When Hyejoo called Yerim to come to their apartment complex’s park. From the sounds, Yerim kinda worried. So she just ran out to the park without telling her parents.

 

When she saw Hyejoo, she just standing still there.

 

“Hyejoo! What’s happened?” Yerim worried.

 

“I, I just said yes.”

 

Yerim squinted her eyes and try to understand it. When Hyejoo made eye contact with Yerim, she continued her sentence.

 

“Chaewon just ask me out to be her girlfriend in this very place minutes ago. And I just said yes. Is this dream or not?”

 

Yerim let her breathe away, relieved that’s not something bad happening at Hyejoo.  She’s on cloud nine right now, didn’t stop the earth. So Yerim’s task is to get Hyejoo to earth.

 

“It’s not a dream, Hyejoo.” Yerim pinched Hyejoo’s cheek.

 

“Ouch!”

 

“See! You just really in bliss. It’s about the time both of you become a couple.”

 

After hearing that, Hyejoo just fell on her knees. Yerim who tried to catch her failed.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah, I just can’t believe it.”

 

Hyejoo just giggled at something on her mind. Yerim only looked at that with a smile. Hyejoo was falling in love so deeply.

 

“I’m happy for both of you,” said Yerim while side hugged her.

 

“Thank you, Yerim. It’s all thanks to you for giving me so much advice. I don’t know if I don’t have you.”

 

“No-no, I didn’t do anything. You both just love each other.”

 

Hyejoo hugged Yerim now. “You know you are the best, right?”

 

-

 

It’s graduation day, Yerim dragged by Hyejoo to came with her to school. Hyejoo prepared a bouquet flower to give. To celebrate Chaewon graduation. On the road to the school Hyejoo kinda gloomy. Yerim didn’t ask because she knew, she always knew about Hyejoo.

 

Hyejoo is sad because she couldn’t spend her time in school with her girlfriend. And probably not mostly time because Chaewon went to university. Fortunately, Chaewon went to the next city university, Hyejoo still can spend her time with Chaewon on weekend. That’s what they said.

 

They waited in front of the building, waiting for Chaewon. When Hyejoo spotted her, she ran towards her girlfriend. Hugged her while holding the bouquet. Yerim walked slowly towards them, kinda warm herself with the padding she wore.

 

“Hey, Yerim. You are also here,” said Chaewon when spotted Yerim while hugging Hyejoo. Yerim said waved towards her.

 

Hyejoo pulled her hug, looked at her girlfriend and give the bouquet to her. Chaewon smiled.

 

“Happy graduation, Unnie. I don’t bring flowers, so here my hug.”

 

Yerim hugged Chaewon shortly.

 

“Thank you, Yerim. You’re always sweet to us, so I don’t mind if just a hug,” said Chaewon while patted Yerim’s head.

 

Then she looked at Hyejoo who had teary eyes.

 

“What’s happened?” Chaewon who close to Yerim whispered.

 

“She just sad to know she couldn’t spend time with you as much as you both did,” Yerim answered.

 

“Aw, Hyejoo ya,” Chaewon walked closer to Hyejoo and hug her. “We promised that we gonna spend time on the weekend right?”

 

“But how about the other day?”

 

“We still can text and call each other, Hyejoo. We still can play the game together online like what we did usually. The technology exists.” Chaewon gave her a smile and peck on Hyejoo’s cheek.

 

“Hey, to cheer you up, how about we go somewhere together right now?” Chaewon suggested

 

“But….” Hyejoo looked at Yerim and Chaewon realized.

 

“You can come too, Yerim. It’s my treat. We go and eat something delicious.”

 

Both of them now looking at Yerim.

 

“Oh, no-no. It’s okay, you both need to spend more time together. I will just go home.”

 

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” asked Hyejoo.

 

“I’m sure, probably Hyunjin Unnie is waiting for me home right now.”

 

“Your sister is back home? You don’t tell me.”

 

“It’s a sudden visit, we all didn’t know she will come home. She got a night flight yesterday, that is if you wonder you didn’t saw her when you were at my home last evening.”

 

It was almost midnight, Yerim was sleeping then suddenly she felt a hug from behind. Yerim shocked when she saw her sister on her bed. Then she spent an hour to catch up with her sister then fell asleep while Hyunjin talked about Jinsol.

 

“I want to tell you but I don’t get the time of it while you were so gloomy since this morning and didn’t talk at all.”

 

“Oh no, it’s that bad huh? I need to cheer you up,” said Chaewon that only got the pout from Hyejoo.

 

So that was the cue for Yerim to go, she waved to both of them. Hyejoo shouted about to text her later.

 

Then Yerim was alone on her way home. She visited a cafe to hit her caffeine doses before she went home. Hyunjin texted her, asked where she went. She was still sleeping when Yerim went out. So she also bought bread for her sister before went home.

 

“I knew from mom that you drink coffee now, but I don’t believe her. So it was real,” said Hyunjin after saw what Yerim held. It was americano.

 

“Nice try Unnie, here your bread.”

 

“Thank you.” Hyunjin caught her bread when Yerim threw it.

 

“So you were from school with Hyejoo to give a flower who graduated? How is Hyejoo now?”

 

“She’s fine, not really since the one who graduated is her girlfriend so she seems kinda sad lately.”

 

“A girlfriend?”

 

“Yeah, her name is Chaewon. She’s dating her since summer,” told Yerim while changed tv channel. “She’s so pretty, princess-like,” then sip her coffee after she told additional info.

 

Hyunjin looked at her sister intently. Trying to find something on her.

 

“Yerim,” called Hyunjin.

 

“Hmm….” Yerim glanced at her sister but still focus on the tv after.

 

“Is everything fine since when I left for Japan? Nothing bad happened? Even just a small scale?”

 

“Hmm, Mom and I are normally fine, nothing seriously bad happened. We took care of each other well.”

 

Hyunjin still hasn’t found the answer she wanted.

 

“How about you? Not mom.”

 

“Me?”

 

Hyunjin nodded after Yerim asked directly faced her.

 

“School is fine, nothing difficult. I never find any subject is hard, seems like I got the same smart DNA like you too….yeah….” Yerim was thinking, where this question came from? She was tracking back what conversation before. Then realized what her sister meant to ask.

 

“Yeah… everything is fine,” said Yerim couldn’t look at her sister and try to smile.

 

Hyunjin who saw it got closer to her sister. She hugged her warmly, softly, Yerim missed that so much. She felt secure on her sister, so calm.

 

“I admitted sometimes you are more strong than I am. More mature than I am. Did it hurt?”

 

Yerim just nodded on Hyunjin’s shoulder.

 

That day, Yerim’s day all for her sister. She asked everything about Japan. How hard to live there? Where the place that most safe for students? She asked bits of advice about something and ask help to talk it to her mother. That day Yerim prepare for her new journey.

 

-

 

Before the summer break, Yerim’s day kinda busy to visit the teacher room. This made Hyejoo noticed about it.

 

“Why you visit the teacher room that often?” asked Hyejoo after school.

 

“I need some documents from school for scholarship application.”

 

“Scholarship? You need a scholarship to Chaewon’s college?”

 

Yerim gulped her saliva. This is the time, Yerim thought.

 

“Uh, about that. I-I will not go there,” said Yerim, glanced at Hyejoo who put her neutral face expression after hearing that. Yerim didn’t know how is Hyejoo handle this information. “I will apply for an international scholarship.”

 

“Where?” asked Hyejoo with her dislike tone.

 

“I’m following my sister.”

 

“Japan?”

 

Yerim just nodded slowly couldn’t make eye contact with Hyejoo.

 

“Why you don’t tell me about this?”

 

“This idea just hit me recently and I just got permission from my mom. So because I don’t want to burden her, I need a scholarship. That’s why I’m kinda busy lately and you are busy too. I don’t have time to tell you, even when the weekend you spend time with Chaewon Unnie.”

 

It was silent after that, they were still in Yerim’s class. There isn’t another student to stay there. Only several students come and go several times to get their things. Hyejoo still with her neutral facial expression, Yerim couldn’t look at Hyejoo.

 

“But I thought we will go to the same college together.”

 

“I’m sorry, Hyejoo.”

 

“This situation is different than mine with Chaewon. You will be in a different country, Yerim. Why Japan?”

 

“Uhm, first it is much closer to Korea. Second, I have a place already because there is Hyunjin Unnie there. Last I got recommended the best place to learn and work as a barista." Yerim told Hyejoo slowly while trying to find what Hyejoo thought about it.

 

“So you have plans.”

 

“You were the first one that has plans, I just got this recently.”

 

“What do you mean?” Hyejoo lost to understand that.

 

Yerim took her breath slowly. Didn’t know this gonna be this hard to speak. “You have Chaewon Unnie, You both have plans, right? Want to do that, want to do this, and the list goes on. Me? I came with this idea later than you both.”

 

“But still…” Now Yerim saw the sadness on Hyejoo’s eyes. She didn’t know what to say.

 

Yerim couldn’t step back for Hyejoo, She must not. It’s already in her plan. Everything. The thing is that she didn’t take Hyejoo on this plan. Hyejoo had her plan. It’s just the time came that they will not always be together at least for Yerim’s study time.

 

And Yerim needed to part away with Hyejoo. To drink more bitter taste to reach the peak when you just savor it. Her caffeine system worked like that.

 

“Like what Chaewon Unnie said, the technology exists. You can still reach me through these all technologies. Every time you need.”

 

“Yeah, but it will different.”

 

“I know. But that’s the point. We will change, in months we become an adult. It’s a new journey, it will be more different than right now,” told Yerim and reach closer to Hyejoo.

 

“I don’t know and can’t imagine when you are not around me?”

 

“You will be fine, Hyejoo.” Yerim hugged and caress her back slowly. “You have Chaewon Unnie and I know you will be fine because I trust you, remember?”

 

Hyejoo just nodded and enjoy the time that kinda turns slowly. Yerim thought it will be nice if the time stopped at this very moment. She will be missed this for sure, but time is ticking.

 

“You know you are always the best, right? You are my best friend ever, I will miss you.”  

 

Yerim just smiled. For the very first time, she wanted more.

 

That day when Hyejoo saw off Yerim went to Japan, Hyejoo cried. It’s sure a rare moment, Chaewon had to film that moment. Yerim couldn’t cry, she gave Hyejoo hug, told that she will be fine, her and herself. It’s the time, to part away for a certain long time.

 

-

 

It’s a second fall that Yerim in Japan. She lived her life so well in Japan. She never found difficult to live in a foreign country, seems that her adaptation skill is good enough. The language is fine to her since she knew Japanese since She took a learn while Hyunjin learned Japanese back then. She also took a course when she decided to went to Japan. Now she studied more in her major, as compulsory for the foreign student.

 

When it’s outside the college, Yerim worked as assistant one of the best barista in Japan. Her boss and teacher at the same time. She was helping for some like academy for Barista that her boss owned it. But sometimes Yerim asked by her boss to fill in her position in her cafe, as a barista. She worked and learned so much about being barista and coffee.

 

She never found any difficulty yet.

 

She has her sister, Hyunjin if there was something wrong or she didn’t know. She met so many new people. From her classmates until Hyunjin’s friends, quite diverse too. She’s around so great and kind people.

 

About Hyejoo, at first sure they so communicative to each other by this long-distance thing. Mostly Hyejoo first that contacted her. Until a certain time, their communication turned out not so often than at the beginning. By that time, Yerim who contacted first.

 

And by such a busy schedule for both of them, they can’t keep up with this long-distance thing.

 

At first, Yerim thought it’s quite sad that they can’t keep it up. But everything was fine for both of them. The last they communicated was about two months ago.

 

It was Summer, they both asked each other ab