I can hear a guitar-strumming across the room. A big smile adorned my face when I recognized the song that she played. I sipped my fresh americano while drumming my fingers into the table. The rhythm synchronized with the music she played. The beat got faster when the guitarist started to quicken the tempo. And then I heard someone singing vaguely. Without realizing it, I began to sing the song too. 

A memory dancing through my head like a dream catcher hanging on the window. Along with that, my strumming got even faster, strong as the wind that makes it spin even more. It seems to be dancing an imitation of the earth rotation in the galaxy in the middle of spinning. 

Finally, she stops her singing, and so with the acoustic played too. Not long after that, I heard another voice. This time, it's not someone singing, more likely someone's footstep getting closer until I can see the person. A raven-haired girl with long silky hair came into the room. In her hand, she brought a brown acoustic guitar that seems bigger than her body. "Good morning!" she greeted me cheerfully. Then she put her guitar on the sofa and started preparing our breakfast. 

"It is weird enough to see you up first in the morning. You knocked your head or something?" I asked teasingly, much to her displeasure. The girl stared at me with annoyance before putting the milk in the bowl of her cereal. 

"Haha, it's funny. You know, I'm a morning person." she sneered. 

"Yeah, but not on the weekend, though," I clarified quickly. "Today is Saturday."

When she heard my argument, she just laughed at me. I told the truth, though. Joohyun is not a morning person, more like a night owl. The only thing that forced her to be up in the morning is going to college. Other than that, don't expect her to wake up earlier, especially on the weekend. The lazy girl will start her day when the sun goes over your head. That's why when I see her up in the morning, it raises a question in my head. Is it Bae Joohyun?

The said girl just shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I'm in a good mood today."

I put my cup on the table and raises my eyebrows. "Oh yeah? I'm happy to hear that."

For the past few days, she was not herself. And that makes me worried about her. Usually, she is energetic and cheerful, but she seems a bit moody and uninterested in everything. It's like there is something wrong with her. When I asked her about that, she just said she's okay. She explained she was just tired and bored due to the hectic schedule of classes and practice. And don't forget about the assignment and report that haunted her. All of it reduced her periods of sleep. Worst of all, I can't help much with it because I'm struggling with the same matter. 

Joohyun nodded quickly, and then she swallowed a big spoon full of food. "I have played my guitar outside. And that's the most wonderful feeling I ever had. It made my day!"

"I know. When The Winds Blows by Yoona, right?" I asked with a knowing smile. 

"How did you—" but her question quickly changed with a smile. "of course, you knew it. Why did I must ask?"

A smile adorns my face when I saw Joohyun stared at her guitar. I knew how big her love for her guitar. It's like the most crucial thing in this world for her. We used to make a cover song, with I am a vocalist and her as a guitarist. Lately, she rarely played it. One of the reasons due to our hectic schedule, and the other reason that she had not told me. "That's one of your favorites, of course, I knew. I heard you singing while playing the guitar. It was amazing, I must say."

She widened her eyes. "Really? Can you hear that? As far as I can remember, the door has been closed the entire time."

I rolled my eyes lazily. "Of course I can hear that, Hyun." she talked like her apartment wall was not thin enough. Even I can hear the annoying voice from the neighbors across the room. 

"Good then if you can't see me, because I can't memorize the chords until now, haha." she showed her entire bunny teeth to me, which is funny to watch. 

"You said it's like a big problem." I sipped my coffee in my hand. 

Joohyun was adjusting her glasses before she stared at me confusedly. "It was a big problem. Don't you ever see someone playing the guitar while looking at the chords?"

"You don't have to memorize it. You have to play it."

She furrowed her eyebrow and then continue to enjoy her meal. "You always said that."

"We are not professional. It's normal for us to play with a chord." meanwhile, Joohyun just hummed when she heard that. 

I tear my gaze away from her and look at her guitar on the sofa. "It's been a long time since you had played it."

"Yeah, it's been a long time. I missed this." She stared at her guitar with a sad face. There was a melancholy feeling that enveloped her when she does that. "But I thought it would be better if I don't play it anymore."

I raise my eyebrows in surprise. "Why? I thought you love playing the guitar?"

Joohyun suddenly looked down. A sad smile adorned her lips when she looked at me. "I know, but I'm not good enough to play that. Maybe that's why I choose to quit. Just because." suddenly, she chuckled and told me to ignore her words. 

Unfortunately, I can't ignore her words. Not when I have known she still want to play. A quiet atmosphere began to envelop us, and I don't have anything to say. When my gaze fell, I noticed that no longer black liquid was left on a cup. Just as I was about to reach the second cup, my phone is ringing. 

Usually, I ignored my phone when I'm with Joohyun. Today, my curiosity gets the best of me. When I opened my message, my eyes widened slightly. 

Jennie Kim

| Would you like to be a performer at my cafe on Sunday night?

A big smile bloomed on my lips. Suddenly I know what to do at this point. 

"I don't believe that you do that to me, Kang Seulgi!" 

A brown-haired girl yelled in front of my face. She looks furious. Since then, she was walking back and forth like some crazy lunatic. I want to put on an earphone and put the music on the highest volume to muffle her babbling. Sadly, I can't do that. 

"Are you crazy, Hyun?" Yerim sneered at the raven. She got tired of watching Joohyun's weird antics. 

"Yeah, and please stop walking back and forth like an iron. You are far from a model, and this is a library, not a runaway, for goodness sake! You made me feel dizzy." Sooyoung grumbled while massaging her temples. 

Finally, Joohyun sitting down. Then she stared at us with horror. "You guys don't understand. This girl—" she pointed at me. "Accepted Jennie's request to be a performer in her cafe."

Yerim and Sooyoung looked at us back and forth. The pink-haired girl raised her eyebrows. "I don't understand. Where is the problem?"

The raven sighed. "Seulgi said to Jennie, she accepted her request and will perform with me. Unfortunately, Jennie broadcast the event on our faculty group chat. She also announced our performance in her cafe!" then she showed us her group chat. 

I couldn't hide my annoyed expression when I read Joohyun's fanboy responses in the group chat. They looked enthusiastic, knowing their favorite will perform there. Jennie's cafe was famous in our neighborhood, and many people will come. Added with Joohyun being the Goddess of Veterinary Faculty, her beautiful looks will attract her fanboy.   

"That's a good marketing strategy! As expected from the Jennie Kim!" Yerim chirped. 

"Our Jennie Kim never disappoints us!" added Sooyoung with clapped hands. Joohyun grumbled when she realized her best friend's response is not expected. 

"Hey, calm down, will you? We're not going to have a concert, and just a few songs are alright." I said to make her calm. 

She rose from her seat and glared at me. "Just a few songs? You've got to be kidding me! Kang Seulgi, you should know I can't perform in front of many people! And it's been forever since I played the guitar. The worst thing is, you decide without consulting with me first!"

I rose from my seat and walk towards her. I grabbed her shoulder, trapped her from moving too much. "Listen, Hyun. Calm down, okay? There's nothing to be worried about. Trust me. It's going to be alright."

The raven-haired struggles to be free, and when she was, the girl crossed her arms, still glaring at me. "It's easy for you to say. You always do that. What if people out there don't like my guitar playing? What if I messed up our performance? I hated you for this, you know?"

I grabbed her again and whispered at her. "There are a few days left for us to practice. Trust me, and It will be fun!"

"Seulgi, you don't understand. I don't want to do this!" Joohyun exclaimed. 

"I promise if this is not working, then it will be the last time I forced you to do anything you don't want."

She raised her eyebrow. "Really? Forever? Including not forced me to eat anymore?"

"Of course— not, besides that, Hyun." I would disagree with that. I have to make sure she eats regularly and not replaying some mistakes as before. 

For a moment, she's been quiet. And finally, after wait for so long, she sighed. The raven-haired girl adjusted her glass before glaring at me. "Okay. You are not leaving me with many choices, Seulgi. This time, I agree with you. This time only!"

"Nice to negotiate with you." I pat my hand on her shoulder. She just rolled her eyes at me, but I ignored that. I hope this performance will be something memorable to her. 

"Are you ready?" I asked Joohyun when I look at her from the camera. She stared at me uninterested, then rolled her eyes. When I saw that, I just chuckled softly while setting the camera in recording mode. 

Joohyun gripped her guitar too hard, as far I noticed. "It's been a while since I do this. Can I back down now?"

"Nope, but it's alright, Hyun. We do it slowly." I encouraged her with a smile. 

The last time we did this when we were in high school. I upload our cover on YouTube. There's nothing special with my channel. There are a few covers of our song with one hundred followers. We do cover in our free time just for fun. Without realizing it, it's been a long time since we last covered a song. 

"Do you see my phone from the camera? I've not memorized the chord yet." Joohyun looked at the camera worriedly. She placed her phone on her lap, and It's positioned so that it's hidden from the camera. 

I chuckled softly. "Relax, you are anxious, Hyun."

"Okay"

I sit beside Joohyun, made myself relax in front of the microphone. Beside me, Joohyun is ready with her acoustic guitar. Nodded slightly, she begins playing until the sounds of the strings could be heard. Through the corner of my eye, I could see the girl seems focused on her playing. 

Loving can hurt; loving can hurt sometimes.
But it's the only thing that I know.
When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes.
It is the only thing that makes us feel alive.

We keep this love in a photograph.
We made these memories for ourselves.
Where our eyes are never closing
Hearts are never broken.
And time's forever frozen still.

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