Part 1
Spring (봄)
Wonyoung knew, before she had been staring at the girl several moments, that tomorrow was coming closer and closer; like a train with death as its destination. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. The sky was a melancholic grey as they both exited their apartment building, chatting as they made their way to the café, passing the roaring food market and cream houses which ran down the path. They saw the familiar couple who always sat on the park bench talking as if they were telling each other their deepest secrets – Wonyoung was not conscious of them, but their image passed automatically into her mind, releasing envy: pricking her with longing, futility and anger.
"One iced vanilla latte and one green tea please," Yujin ordered as the maknae admired her from the corner of the room- their special spot in the café.
"They spelt my name wrong again. Do I look like a 'Eugene'?" the girl asked as she sank into the blue chair; her chair.
"What would a 'Eugene' even look like?", Wonyoung asked as she nonchalantly stirred her latte.
"Well, if I'm apparently 'Eugene' then they must be incredibly athletic, definitely talented and probably the
most awesome person in the world!" she said aloud, as if she was rehearsing a speech to her school's track team.
Wonyoung began to fiddle with the straw of her drink when she thought, the two of them being inside the café, as the sun started to paint the walls a soothing orange, made it feel like there was no one else in the world except them. However, as if the universe was ironically continuing to split them apart and condemn their relationship...
"Ouch!" the younger exclaimed in pain as a stranger spilt her coffee down her back and Yujin, with her puppy-like eyes, stared with alarmed care.
Rising from her seat, she snapped: "You bloody idiot!" and she momentarily clenched her fists. But looking back at Yujin's shocked, stunned and almost worried expression, she no longer felt any antagonism but a faint nostalgia for the building and the people she had met inside it for the past several years.
"I'm going to go clean myself up" she stammered, walking towards the restroom—she carried the image of Yujin quite tenderly down the steps toward the toilet.
A few minutes later, the dowsabel emerged from the bathroom doors and resumed her special spot opposite her best friend.
"The future is funny isn't it? We never actually know if we have one, yet we dream. What's your dream in the future Yujin?" Wonyoung said like a curious child, but sincere. Almost choking on her tea, Yujin was taken aback by the
girl's question—a question so earnestly unexpected during the place where they perfunctorily talked and drank.
"Well, I'm not too sure, I guess. Life's boring if you plan everything step by step. I think improvisation and choosing the different paths fate has designed for you is all part of living. We'd just be soulless sailors following a predestined journey otherwise." Yujin answered.
"How abruptly poetic. I didn't know my Yujinniee had these hidden thoughts" Wonyoung giggled, "I used to always want to be an announcer or a lawyer, but I think that doesn't matter anymore. Life is unpredictable and full of hardships; the people who are in it are most important." she smiled. Rambling on about their hopes and dreams, fear and inevitability ate at their romanticised future; the realisation of her impossible future made Wonyoung feel nauseous and she silently gagged.
Evidently uncomfortable at the discussion of their future, Wonyoung eased her mind by changing the subject, "I have something special planned for today!"
"Something special? Why am I so lucky?" Yujin queried with eager written on her face.
"Tomorrow is our anniversary! The day we first met!" the bunny excitedly explained. Whilst Yujin reciprocated this excitement, a sense of uneasiness seized her in the quiet and growing brightness; she'd known that their anniversary was approaching but Wonyoung's answer seemed... rehearsed?
Dodging the truth, Wonyoung justified, "Our friendship has given me this desire to cling to the time that I have with you. Even though we're still young, I want to savour every moment before it's too late." She reached out her hand - an invitation for an adventure - with loving affection. Their hands folded over each other like a pair of wings settling after flight.
The café would soon become a vestige for the meaningless conversations and trivial memories of their childhood together.
