I pulled my gloves on and exited the school; it was mid-winter and freezing cold. Snow coated the streets as I trudged my way to the bakery near my school. I paused to wrap my scarf tighter, taking in the familiar snow covered landscape while standing still. I smiled faintly when I saw the bakery, its welcoming shape drawing me closer. Warmth embraced me as I stepped into the shop, I quickly shed myself of my gloves and scarf. I took off my hat as I headed to the counter, my long brown hair falling down my back as I did. I quickly ordered myself a hot chocolate, happily sitting down with it once I received it. Once at my table, the one near the window, I rid myself of my coat and wrapped my slender hands around the mug in an attempt to warm them up. I stared down into my cup, enjoying the warmth that emitted from it. I took a sip of my hot chocolate and smiled as the creamy chocolate left a tail of warmth when I drank it. I was officially starting to warm up.

                “May I sit here?” I looked up quickly, surprised that someone was talking to me. I glanced at him before nodding. He was tall, from a sitting point of view that is. I looked down at my drink again, not wanting to stare. Though soon a small plate was pushed into my view, I looked up at the stranger sitting across from me. He smiled “It’s a chocolate chip cookie. To thank you for letting me sit here.” I blinked, then smiled back, “Thank you.” I took a small bite out of it before smiling at him. He had that kind of smile that just made you smile back, it was really nice. “My name is Lee Hyun Woo” I paused for a moment, thinking quietly. I took a sip of my drink before saying “I’m Sheena.” Instantly I realized how out of place I must look to him. I was very obviously not an Asian, and he didn’t seem like the kind of person to assume that I was a transfer student.  “Sheena, I’m pleased to meet you.” He smiled again, “just got out of school?” I took a sip of my drink and looked down at my uniform, then nodded. “Yes, I stop by here occasionally after school to warm up before I head home.” I glanced up at him; I noticed that his reddish brown hair looked slightly messy. He smiled as I took a bite of my cookie, “If I may ask, how old are you?” I paused, took a sip of my drink and examined him. “16, you?” He tilted his head and watched me a moment, instantly I felt self conscious. “I’m 19. I’m surprised you’re so young, you look older.”     

                I sighed “If you sat here because you were hoping to flirt with me then don’t bother. I’m too busy with school to fool around with boys, especially ones I just met.” He looked slightly taken aback, and I simply took another sip of my drink, setting it down next to the plate where the cookie had once been. “Don’t worry, I had no intention. I just wanted someone to talk too, please don’t get the wrong idea.” I laughed and smiled, he really did seem like he only wanted to talk. I guess I could entertain him for awhile.

                It was an hour before I had to leave, and he grabbed my jacket for me as I got ready to leave. I took it with a smile and quickly put it on. Then, all too soon, I was back in the out in the cold. The trip was shorter this time, though in actuality it was quite longer of a walk home than it was from school. I felt like I had made a new friend, even though I’d forgotten to get his number. Maybe if I saw him again I would ask him for his number. Nonetheless, I was quite happy as I made my way home. Upon getting home I went quickly to my room, I had quite a bit of homework to do tonight. I took off my gloves and tossed them onto my desk, then habitually shoved my hands into my pockets as if checking to make sure nothing was in there. Just like always I pulled out, a sheet of paper? That was not normal. I unfolded the paper and looked at was written. Instantly I smiled, turns out I wouldn’t have to ask him for his number. I pulled out my phone and entered the number written on the paper, and shortly later had written down in my planner to be at the same bakery next week. I couldn’t wait.

~*~<>~*~

                We made a point of meeting each other each week on the same day at the same bakery. Each week he made a point of buying me a chocolate chip cookie, and was always waiting for me with it. I enjoyed our meetings; he always had a way of making me feel better after a bad day at school. I learned quite a bit about him though. I found out he was an actor, I should have been surprised. I wasn’t though, somehow it just seemed right to me. We became really good friends, although I never told my friends that I knew an actor. I was happy, incredibly so. I never realized I had been falling in love with him the whole time. Not until he stopped coming.

                It started with him being late once. Only once, he had always been early or right on time. Suddenly he was late; I didn’t think much about it because it was just one time… But slowly he became later more often. I let it slide. All up until one day he just didn’t show up. I was hurt, yes. I even sent him a text asking him why, he responded by telling me he had gotten really busy and couldn’t make it. Over time he stopped coming more often, until finally he stopped coming at all. I went though, every time. Finally after about the 5^th week of him not coming I gave up and pulled out a sheet of paper and a pencil. I wrote a letter to him, telling him that school was ending soon. I told him that I missed our meetings, but I understood that he was busy. He had been picking up quite a bit of fame recently after all. I wrote about my day and all the other days he had missed. Eventually I folded my sheet of paper and addressed it to him, then stood up and left. I paused on my way past the shop, looking through the window at the paper I’d left behind. Chances are he’d never read it. Somehow I had hoped that maybe he would, because as I wrote that paper I had realized something dangerously important.

                I’d fallen in love with him. With this stranger who had unexpectedly become my friend.

~*~<>~*~

                I stretched and yawned, I was tired. But I glanced over at the clock and quickly stood up. “I’m going to be late!” I spent a good minute running around my room trying to find something to wear. “You always act like your actually going to see someone today; we all know that you’re only going to the bakery.” I shot quick glare at my younger brother before throwing a pillow at him, “Shut the door!” I called out as he ran away. Figures he wouldn’t shut the door. I walked over and shut the door before quickly changing into a summer dress; I then slipped on some sandals and left my house. I sighed, my brother was probably right. I wasn’t going to see him today. I was still going to dress nice though, because this was the last time I was going to stop by there. It had been a year now, a year since I left my last letter. I hummed a bit as I walked along, despite that I hadn’t been able to talk to Lee Hyun woo didn’t mean I wasn’t keeping up with the news about him. I found out he had a girlfriend, that was a shocker. An expected one though; who was I to feel hurt that he had gotten a girlfriend? It’s not like he even talked to me anymore. Never even calls or texts, though he is famous after all. So it’s only expected. I laughed as I walked along, smiling to hide the tears that were threatening to run down my face.

                I still remember the latest letter, the letter I finally told him how I had felt. I’d told him that the guy I used to like asked me out. But I told him no, I had fallen in love with someone else. With Lee Hyun Woo. I also told him that today would be the last day I came. I didn’t tell him why, only that I was going to stop coming. I smiled and continued walking; I was already pretty close to the bakery. Once there I opened the door and walked in, breathing in the familiar smell of bread and pastries I smiled and walked to the counter. I ordered a hot chocolate, for good time’s sake. I sat down at the usual table, which is seemingly always open. Once I sat down I noticed a letter on the table, it was addressed to me. A surge of hope went through me as I opened it. I unfolded it, and stared for a moment at the all too familiar writing of Lee Hyun Woo. I quickly began reading it.
 

Sheena,

                                I wanted to tell you this in person, but I got all of your letters. I read them all too. At first it was hard to read them because I felt so bad for not being there. I write this letter to explain why I stopped coming. Although I should go ahead and say this, I was here. Every time. Always at a different table, I tried so hard to talk to you. I don’t know when it started getting harder for me to talk to you.  I didn’t notice it at first, didn’t notice that I had started getting caught up in your smile. That my heart skipped a beat when you laughed, I didn’t realize that I’d fallen in love with you. I knew that you liked someone else, that you didn’t want to date a stranger. I think that’s when I stopped being able to talk to you. I wanted to tell you how I felt, but was afraid you would reject me. I had never felt like this before, never fallen so in love with one girl. You were different though, you were so beautiful. You didn’t act like normal girls; maybe it was because you were American. I fell in love with that, with you. I fell in love with your smile, with your laugh, and with your eyes. I fell love with your personality and your perseverance. I fell in love with the fact that you never treated me different because I was famous; I fell in love with you. As I watched you cry during those sad letters you wrote, I felt like I was dying inside. I wanted to comfort you, to hold you. But I was always too scared, too afraid. I felt useless and horrible for that. For leaving you alone, I still do. Because I was such an idiot I tried to forget about you. Tried to replace you, I dated other girls, but there was always a problem with them. They weren’t you. I never stayed with them for long, because I couldn’t pretend like I loved them for long. Because I couldn’t love anyone but you, I didn’t know how to apologize so I wrote this. This is my apology. I don’t ask for forgiveness, because I truly do not deserve it. I should never have left you alone. Not when I loved you this much. I was selfish. So I truly am sorry.

                                                                                                                                                                                Lee Hyun Woo.

                By the end of the letter I found myself crying. He had been here. He had read my letters. Never before had I felt so happy and so sad all at once. Everything had not been in vain, he had really read everything. I set the letter down on the table and wiped my eyes, trying desperately to understand the swirl of emotions inside me right now. I loved him so much, and to suddenly find out he had loved me was too much. I rested my head on my arms and cried. Cried for everything I had doubted, cried for doubting him. I had just managed to stop crying when I heard the sound of a plate being set down in front of me.  I looked up slightly and found myself staring at a chocolate chip cookie. I sat up quickly and looked across the table. Then fell completely silent. He was sitting across from me. Lee Hyun Woo was sitting across from me. The person I had fallen in love with was sitting across from me, looking at me. His face was sad as he whispered “I’m so sorry… To have hurt you so much.” I smiled and wiped my face, “You came.” I stated. I was so unbearably happy that he had came here. That he had came to see me. He looked down at the letter on the table “yea… I came. I’m a little late though…” I looked down at the cookie, our special symbol. Then back at him, he looked so sad. “I love you.” It came out as a choked whisper. “Please don’t leave me ever again.” There was a split second after I said that before he looked up at me. Then he nodded and stood up. I watched him walk around the table and sit next to me. He smiled and said “I will never leave you again.” I didn’t have a chance to say anything before he suddenly kissed me. His kiss was sweet yet held so much emotion, love and pain. Everything he had always wanted to tell me and everything I had wanted to tell him.

                I fell in love with a stranger under strange circumstances. I never expected this to happen, but with that kiss I knew. That kiss would only be the first of many. I would never leave this stranger, because I had already fallen to deep in love with him. I knew though, that somehow everything would work out between us. Because isn’t that how love always works?

Strangers meet, they become friends or enemies. Occasionally friendship becomes something more. It evolves into love. Love is unstable, it can hurt yet it can heal. Despite all that, love is worth the pain.