Flying petals
 

Yonghwa strummed his guitar, checking for any inconsistencies in terms of sound. Tonight, Seohyun will be watching. Tonight, his words would be heavy and full of meaning. He would demand Seohyun to feel him in his song.

The man that tied Seohyun down. He thought, checking at which angle holding his guitar looked cooler. She wasn't a person that you can easily ask out. She wasn't interested in anyone yet actually. In her batch, all she did was to read eat with Taeyeon and Tiffany at breaks and then read some more.

It was a wonder to him why she would put up with girls who are her exact opposites. And with upperclassmen too! Taeyeon and Tiffany was two years her senior.

"Hyung." Minhyuk called. He was their band's drummer and innocent maknae. Yonghwa turned questionably to his dongsaeng. "Five minutes."

"I'm ready." Yonghwa held his guitar tighter. Let me show you, Joohyun. We can be a good couple too!

•••••••

Leeteuk had just finished introducing Yonghwa and his band as CN BLUE. For the time being, he can relax, get a few drinks or dance until their set is over. Most of the people still sat at their tables, enjoying Yonghwa's mellow start. In his quick scan of the crowd however, he had failed to locate his date.

He made his way to their table but all he saw were bags and purses placed on the center of the table. Where are they? He checked.

He saw Seohyun taking ballots to the side but she wouldn't have known where they were. She was busy even before he even went on stage; and although he saw Taeyeon walk outside while he was introducing important guests, he assumed she just wanted freshen up or something.

Leeteuk sighed. It took all his savings to buy her that brooch. He was proud of it; but getting crammed in that sad excuse for a vehicle ticked him off. And while it’s true that he didn't own a car just yet, he had a motorcycle that he uses for racing. He can bet its worth more than that can-of-sardines Tiffany's brother calls a car.

But now he ruined it. He must've scared her away or something. If he had let her hold her hand, would she have been more patient in waiting for him? He tried to fight his logic by thinking Taeyeon was a mature girl despite her appearance. Then again, with how she laughs and acts around food... He could be wrong.

He buried his face in his hands. It’s been an hour since the party started but he had not even showed how he thinks he's lucky to be going out with what he deems as the most beautiful girl he has ever met:

Kim Taeyeon.

•••••••

In spring, leaves were just barely sprouting and flowers had just begun to bloom for summer. However there was one oddball tree in campus that shed its crown during this time. Students affectionately named it 'White Tree', primarily because it withers during February, when students tie their wishes of love on white pieces of paper and ties it on its branches.

Taeyeon and Tiffany had tied their wishes to it a year ago; and when the time came that the custodians had to take the paper down, Taeyeon had asked for Tiffany's.

I want my man in shining armor pick me up in his white horse and carry me away to places I've never been before.

So she wanted a guy, and all the kisses they exchanged would have meant nothing if she gets swept off her feet by some guy who is handsome, charming and rich; a guy who owns BMWs like it was just some Hotwheel collection; a guy that can take her to Tokyo, Seoul, London or New York whenever she feels like shopping for shoes or bags.

Siwon. She gritted her teeth. When she saw how Tiffany enjoyed his company, she knew she was a goner. She couldn't kiss her like she did before. She couldn't even look at her the same way! Nothing they did together felt the same.

And then Leeteuk came in.

She had approached Leeteuk because of his this weird collection of earrings that he had worn during a leadership seminar. She still laughs when she remembered how baffled the boy looked like when she first started talking to him. That, and those panda earrings he wore, really hit the spot; Leeteuk, the tough guy, with cute winking pandas hanging on his ear.

He was the one who suggested to try getting more piercings for earring space. He explains that it’s a form of expression. When she had first tried getting her ear pierced, she felt as if the pain relieved some of the anxiety she kept to herself. So she started to build her collection of earrings as well. It wasn't long until Taeyeon had about three piercings on each ear.

Leeteuk provided her a release that she only previously had with Tiffany. Painful, yet oddly refreshing. She was thankful to this, of course. Not only has she found a new friend, but he also gave her a mountain of cute and colorful earpieces to wear.

A few weeks after that, Leeteuk showed up at her house with chocolates and flowers. Her parents couldn't have been happier to see someone head over heels with their ahjumma of a daughter.

Seeing her family light up like that made her want to accept Leeteuk as a person whom she can create memories with; she even wondered if he can even bring out something new in her, like this obsession with earrings. Tiffany has never done any of that. She shops and Taeyeon eats. Although it was routine, she had never questioned it up until now.

She looked at the tree. She figured that he would’ve tied his deepest wishes at least once during his stay at the Academy, she can't help but wonder if it ever came true or not.

Which one of these wishes did the tree grant? And if the tree never bothered to put some wishes to reality, why did it choose to do so? In her mind, she even went as far as rationalizing coincidences.

This tree... She thought. This was the same tree that held a promise of love for her and many others. Is a liar.

She opened up another piece of paper from her hand, reading at it one final time even though its contents were burned into her brain. It took her a second to react to the pain as she began tearing it up to pieces and blowing it into the wind.

Her wish, that fleeting hope that she would also be loved one day.

She had another piece of paper in her hand. The only thing that she wanted more than anything right now; she tiptoed on one of the benches and tied it to a branch she could reach.

Please please please. Just once. Make it happen.