I hugged myself, as if trying to warm myself up, while watching the invisible breeze dance with the fallen cherry blossom petals. I walked towards the biggest cherry blossom tree, which was also the farthest one from our classroom, and settled myself beneath it.

I gasped as I saw the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen in my whole life. It was like raining, but instead of water pouring from the sky, soft and pink flowers fell. Then, I couldn’t help but think. If the clouds were sad, rain would come, and if trees shed their flowers, are they sad, too?

I chuckled to myself, feeling such an idiot for even thinking that. But then, couldn’t I imagine that something else felt the same was as I do too?

I closed my eyes, enjoying the tranquillity I’ve been blessed with. I smiled as I listen to the sound of the soft breeze singing and the birds chirping in the sky.  But suddenly, images of kids playing and having fun swarmed my head. I shook my head, hoping that it would drive those thoughts away. But, it didn’t seem to work. After all, I couldn’t deny the fact that I’m always... alone.

Silence- I loved silence so much. Hearing those kids’ laughter could drive me crazy and I just had to run away from them to keep my sanity. That’s how I saw this tree... my tree. That’s how I saw... my sanctuary.

I hugged my legs closer as I brought my knees towards my chest. Somehow, this made me feel the warmth of having a friend to hug you.

I rocked myself back and forth as I watched the cherry blossom slowly falling to the ground. My eyes followed the journey of every cherry blossom it could follow.

“Five centimeter per second.” I voice said out of nowhere.

Startled, I jumped on my seat, only to find myself lying flat on the ground. The next thing I knew, a pair of hand was helping me to get up.

I was about scream at that person for almost giving me a heart attack when my eyes met with his brown orbs. Somehow, I found myself lost inside them. I was about to open my mouth to speak when I realized that I have forgotten what to say. So I just closed my mouth, almost immediately after I opened them.

I found my cheeks getting hot as soon as I realized that we were staring at each other for a long time now. So, I broke our eye contact and stared at the ground as if I saw something interesting on it.

Then, I went back to my seat, pretending to ignore his presence. On my peripheral view, I saw him walk towards me and he settled himself beside me.

“Sorry if I startled you. I just thought you’re interested to know that.” He said softly.

“Kno-know what?” I stuttered.

“Five centimeter per second.” He said once again. I realized that his voice sounds like the waves crashing on the shores--- so calming.

“What?” It was all I could say without stuttering.

“It’s the speed of the falling cherry blossom before it hits the ground.” He said in an “as-a-matter-of-fact” tone.

“I see.” I responded, somehow feeling a little less nervous.

If the trees were sad, they would shed the flowers faster, just like a person with a heavy heart would shed tears. So, I realized, the trees were not sad at all. They shed their flowers to make the people watching them feel the soft petals against their skin... for them to forget the sadness... for them to be happy... somehow.

For the rest of the day, we just stared at the scenery in silence. But nevertheless, we both enjoyed it.

------------

“Dara and Jiyong”. That’s how they knew us. Ever since that fateful day, we became inseparable. He didn’t have any other friend and so did I. So basically, it was just the two of us. But then, I’m the kind of person who rather have one best friend than a lot of my friends. Yes, you heard it right, Jiyong’s my best friend.

How we became best friends? That I couldn’t answer. You see, we had a weird kind of relationship. More often than not, we just sit beside each other under the cherry blossom tree... our tree... in silence. But even no words were spoken, we somehow understand each other. Just one look, that’s all we need to communicate. It was like someone placed a walkie-talkie inside our heads and that’s why we talk with our eyes.

But then, years after we met, we realized that we were growing up. He was still a tall and lanky boy and I was still a skinny girl, but we’re getting old. That was when I started feeling something else for him.

I wanted to tell him of what I was feeling but several things entered my brain.

If I told him that I like him in a romantic way and he doesn’t feel the same way, then our friendship will be over. And if he does like me back and we became a couple and if we’re gonna have a couple fight and we’re gonna break up, then I’ll be alone... again.

Just the thought of him leaving me, of me being alone, made me cry. So I decided to keep everything to myself and convince myself that I don’t love him romantically. I was just caught up with the situation.

But then, fate was cruel.

We were sitting beneath our tree, watching as the cherry blossom flowers fell to the ground, when he suddenly blurted it out.

“I think I like you.”

I froze. The thing that I’ve been fearing the most was finally happening.

A part of me wanted to jump for joy because he was feeling the same way as I do. But a part of me was scared... scared of what will happen in the future... scared of being alone again.

So, I made him chose.

“Continue to like me and I’ll avoid you or pretend that nothing like this happened and continue being best friends.”

Of course, he chose the latter. But after I made him choose, I felt that somehow... he was slipping away.

Everything grew awkward between us after I “dumped” him. We could no longer communicate using our eyes for we couldn’t even look straight in each other’s eyes anymore.

But despite the awkwardness, we still remain friends. We even promised each other to enter the same university. But like I said, fate is cruel. I broke my promise.

---------------------------------

My parents forced me to take the scholarship I was granted. They left me with no choice but to go halfway around the world.

So here I was, in University of California- Los Angeles, living my life as a university student... once again... ALONE.

But, before I left, he promised me one thing: we should email each other every single day.

Guilty of breaking my promise to him, I complied. Every single day, I would write him an email, telling him of how great my university was, how I love studying here, etc. But I never did say that I missed him.

So, as days became weeks, and weeks become months, I found myself reading fewer and fewer replies. The last time he replied to me was 2 weeks ago and he said that he finally met the ONE.

My heart hurt as I read his email. But then, I remembered. I was the one who let him go. So, I should face the consequences.

I would often go to the library, for I think it was the only place I could enjoy the silence, and would cry silently, feeling self pity.

And that’s how I met HIM.

Choi Seunghyun was everything a girl could ever wish for. He was smart, good looking, rich and extremely talented. We had the same likes and dislikes and I found myself liking him... a lot.

I FELL IN LOVE. Or I thought I did.

Two years, Seunghyun made me happy. But then, SHE entered the scene and ruined what was perfect. Saeyun befriended me. She was the first girl I became friends with. But in the end, she stole my boy...

Sigh.

Seunghyun and I never made it official. So I couldn’t call HER a boy friend stealer. After all, I couldn’t lose something that wasn’t mine.

But still, he left me with a broken heart.

That was when I decided to go back to Korea for a vacation... to get my mind off things... to heal my broken heart.

Little did I know that someone so dear to me was feeling the same way.

------------------------------

I thought I would surprise people when I went back to Korea without telling them, but then, I was the one surprised.

I just arrived in Korea when a hot guy with bleached blond hair stopped in front of me. It took me a total of 15 seconds to realize who it was. Here, standing in front of me, was no other than, the new and improved Kwon Jiyong.

Even if I was a little bit jet-lagged, I found myself following Jiyong, deciding to spend the rest of the day with him.

He brought me to our old school... to the biggest cherry blossom tree... to OUR tree for the last 10 years.

For hours, we told each other’s troubles and pains. That’s how I found out that he broke up with Jina, the girl he thought he would marry.

I also told him about the problems I had in America... how lonely I was... how people played with me because of my race... how someone broke my heart.

The whole time, I saw him clenching his jaw, as if trying to control his temper.

By end of my story, he said just one thing...

“If I were there, I could have protected you...”

I smiled for hearing him say that was enough for me to know that even after years of separation, he still cares.

Silence- We watched the cherry blossom flowers dancing with the breeze in silence. We just sat there, side by side, just like we used too.

He was the one for me. And I was the one for him. It was our destiny. That’s why we got hurt... because we fought against our fate.

I couldn’t help but reminisce our very first meeting... the very first words he said.

“Five centimeter per second.”

That’s the speed of a fallen cherry blossom before it hits the ground.

Ten years...

That’s how long it took... for us to realized... that we were meant for each other.