On one Sunday in the autumn, Minhyun unusually took the first move to ask Yesoo hangout. It was nothing fancy, just a casual lunch date and walking around Itaewon without much words between them. Since Yesoo didn't take Minhyun's hand, and it seemed like holding Yesoo's hand never slipped his mind, Yesoo tended to walk behind him. And once again, no one really knew if Minhyun at least realized that Yesoo was not beside him when walking.

The last stop was gelato cafe. Minhyun ordered Yesoo's favorite yogurt and strawberry sorbet for her and got himself vanilla milkshake. They sat at a corner with a window and street view.

"Yesoo, do you remember when I said there is something I want to say?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"First of all, please forgive me for everything, and for this too."

Okay. Yesoo braced herself. Here it comes.

"Yesoo, I don't think I can continue this relationship anymore," he briefly said. Then he started stuttering. "It's just.. I.. you know..."

"Okay," she calmly responded, cutting off his stuttering. "It's fine. You don't have to give any reason."

"But, I..."

"No, really. I understand."

"What? You do? How?"

She shrugged. "I just do."

The two of them remained silent, seemingly trying to find the right words. As for Yesoo, she also tried hard to hold her tears from falling. Minhyun, as usual, maintained his flat face.

"Anyway, thank you for everything. I really appreciate your time spent with me." Yesoo started to talk quickly and a bit mumbly when she got nervous. "I don't even know why I confessed to you. Maybe I was crazy back then. I didn't even expect an answer. But, well, look at us." Eventually a drop of tears successfully fell.

Minhyun noticed that. Yet he did nothing. All he said was sorry and handed her a tissue he got from the cashier, which she refused to take.

Yesoo wiped her eyes with her hand. "No need to be sorry. It's not your fault." Her voice sounded trembling. "Maybe this relationship is a mistake. And it's nobody's fault. We just met at the wrong time, and I'm not the right one for you and so are you."

Minhyun sat still. He couldn't think of anything.

"So, this is it, yeah? Thank you, Minhyun, for spending your time and bearing with me for the last 2 years. It's been a lovely merry go round with you."

"You're ...welcome?" He wasn't even sure if he should say that. "Thank you, too, for bearing with me," he slowly said.

"Likewise." She got up from her seat, which made Minhyun look puzzled.

"Are you leaving now?"

"Yes, I'll get going first. It's embarrassing that you looked at me tearing up like this." Her voice sounded unstable.

"Let me take you home." He also got up.

"Thank you, but no, thank you. If you do, it just makes it harder for me." She faked a smile after her eyes got all teary. "See you when I see you, Hwang Minhyun."

After that, only the clicking sound from Yesoo's shoes was heard. Bit by bit, the clicking sound was leaving further and further, until it didn't leave any trace.

Minhyun sat down again. His eyes stared at nothing. He surprised himself that it just happened quicker than he thought. He expected a long talk instead of approval 3 seconds after he spilled it. It's okay, you did right, Minhyun, he convinced himself.

Yesoo wished her eyes didn't get puffy after letting her tears out by binge-watching tear-jerker movies she rented at a movie cafe. That was a silly wish, she knew it. She had finished watching Hachiko, Cell No.7, and she was about to continue to watch Along with the Gods. She found her cheeks wet by her running tears and she didn't need a mirror to find out her eye make-up was already a mess. She regretted wearing non-water proof mascara.

Yesoo didn't even want to cry in the first place. In fact, she couldn't cry her heart out. How she wished she could bawl out loud until her eyes dried out. It was just she couldn't, even though her heart felt congested so bad. That was why she needed those tear-jerker movies to help her relieve everything she felt.

The cafe waiter suddenly knocked her rented room to tell that her time was running out in 15 minutes. She raised her head to see the clock that showed it was already 8 PM. She quickly fixed her messy face - wiping off her eye makeup and patting some lipstick on her cheeks, tied her hair into a bun, and paid the bill before leaving the place. She probably looked drunk - or sick - although not even one drop of alcohol went into .

While wandering around on her way to get home, of course she had to bump into Hui. Thank goodness it was just Hui.

"Hey, where are you going and what's with your face?"

"It's nothing," she said, shaking her head twice. "I'm going home. You?"

"No particular destination." Hui took his time glancing at his old friend. "Do you need someone to talk with?'

Yesoo shook her head again. "I'm good."

"I'll walk you home?" Hui had predicted her answer, so he quickly continued before she opened . "Come on. I don't take no as an answer."

Being a gentleman, he offered his arm to Yesoo who gladly took the offer. She let her arm linked to Hui's. That was actually the first time they had such a physical contact even after being friends since junior high school. Although it was the first time, nothing felt awkward. Instead, she found it warm. Or probably the cashmere coat that Hui wore was what makes it feel warm.

"Do you have some spare time tomorrow?" Hui suddenly asked.

"Tomorrow? Tomorrow is Monday, though?"

"Yes, I know tomorrow is Monday. What time do you finish work? Or is it possible for you to finish work early?"

Yesoo looked puzzled.

"Or how about taking a day off?" Hui suggested, quite wildly.

"Are you trying to make me lose my job?"

Hui laughed.

Looking at his best friend's face last time, he just knew there was something wrong. He wanted to do some favor to make her feel better. The God of Fortune probably heard Hui's prayer that night. The next Monday, Hui immediately paused his work once he got a text message from Yesoo. She did finish her work earlier than she thought. Smiling ear to ear, Hui shut down his computer that instant. He was known to be a hard worker and he barely left his studio and his working space. His computer was his life. To see him leaving work earlier than usual was like a miracle. He cheerfully said good bye to his friends and co-workers, who almost dropped their jaw looking at Hui stomping around and humming loudly.

His humming suddenly stopped when he met Minhyun in the elevator. An inevitable awkward silence struck. Both of them just smiled and bowed their head to each other. There were some questions in Hui's head to ask Minhyun. Including if Minhyun knew that he and Yesoo were going out that day. Even if he did know, so what? Hui wouldn't be any careless because the agendas he had planned for Yesoo must go on.

On the other hand, Yesoo had no idea why Hui was very eager asking her spare time on Monday. She waited for him at the cafe across Hui's office. It was kind of irritating for her to be around Hui's office, which was Minhyun's office too. She just wanted to move on quickly and completely.

Hui's plan turned out to be a list of random and organized things to do with Yesoo. Starting from eating at all you can eat restaurant, playing at a game center, riding bike at the Han river park, until getting a haircut and dying hair together. Hui just had to hold tight Yesoo's fist when they arrived at a salon. Right now there was nothing Yesoo wanted to do more than beating Hui down for making her get a haircut.

"Chill. It's all on me," he said, hoping his best friend wouldn't hit him. "A nice hair cut that matches with this autumn, please," Hui told the stylist who asked Yesoo how she wanted to get her hair done.

"Nice, now I have a spokesperson." Yesoo rolled her eyes. Her fist was securely in Hui’s hand, while the other one d tightly onto the arm chair. Yesoo had been living with her long hair her entire life that she probably went to a salon 4 times in a year, or whenever she felt her hair started getting crazy.

In less than 15 minutes, Yesoo's long black hair was gone and was turned into a great make over: her very first short hair with fringe. After that, the of her make over was to dye her hair into a bright brown color. She felt like she was in 'Asia Next Top Model' and she was so ready to get mad at Hui for this experience.

"It turns out great. I like it," Hui commented once the stylist finished drying Yesoo's new hair. "Mine looks good too, doesn't it?" he talked to himself while checking out his new dark blonde hair in the mirror.

It was quite hard to disagree with Hui. Despite this was the first time with chin-length hair, Yesoo did like it. Having short hair in fall was probably not the wisest decision, because she would need to wear scarf all the time. Also, she couldn't do a high bun when she got stressed. Other than that, she had nothing else to complain about. She had to admit that the makeover was a success. She simply couldn't help but to happily keep looking at her reflection on the shop windows along the road she walked.

"Hey, last month was your birthday. Let me buy you something," Hui uttered out of the blue.

Yesoo raised one eyebrow. "Seriously, what's with you today?"

Hui didn't answer that but only beamed. "How about earrings?" he asked when they passed an accessories shop, and he just went in there. Still looking puzzled, Yesoo only followed where Hui went.

Hui spent a good time looking at the displayed earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and even rings. He kept saying that was pretty, that was good, that was sparkly, and everything. "Hey, pick one. Which one do you like?"

"Let's just go. You don't have to do this." Yesoo began pulling Hui's arm.

Hui was still enthusiastic choosing between earrings and bracelet. Eventually he picked a pair of dangle earrings with 5 cm rose gold chain and little birds on it. "Now that your hair is shorter, I think this would look pretty." Hui tried to put the earrings closer to her ears. "How? What do you think?"

Without words and with groggy smile, Yesoo just nodded her head. She didn't even pay attention to the earrings Hui chose.

"Right? They're pretty, right?" Then he asked the shop clerk to wrap the earrings he picked. "Hey, how about getting couple earrings?"

"Huh?"

"They give discount for the second purchase. Hurry, pick one."

Without thinking much, she just pointed at a pair of simple earrings with round and triangle shape that resembled the unique sign of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow. Hui approved just like that. For this one he didn't ask for wrapping, instead he wore it right away. He pierced one earring on his right ear, and pierced the other one on Yesoo's left ear.

"Looks pretty," he said, grinning widely at his best friend, as he her hair gently to the back of her left ear.

She blinked her eyes twice. She was conscious enough to feel her cheeks blushing.

The new, fresh look of Yesoo simply caught her colleagues’ and friends’ attention, including Hwari, Yesoo's friend since elementary school. The fact Yesoo never had short hair was very well known among her circles.

"What happened? I thought you don't like short hair," Hwari commented as they met for lunch break.

"I know. Does it look weird?"

"Yes, it does at first. But in a good way."

They were having little chit-chats while waiting for their kalguksu. Hwari seemed busy checking out her phone. Yesoo didn't ask because she thought it was something about work. Until suddenly Hwari said, "Hey, check your email. Yunhee just sent her wedding invitation."

Yesoo gasped and immediately got her phone. Hwari didn't lie. She was aware that Yunhee was getting married, but she thought the wedding day would be held in 3 months. Now that Yunhee herself just sent the invitation for her big day, which was going to be 2 weeks from now, the first thing she thought about was Hui.

She knew how hard Hui's effort to move on. She was with him through his ups and downs back then. Although he eventually found nice and kind girls after breaking up with Yunhee, Yesoo was pretty sure Hui still had feelings for her.

Like a telepathy, suddenly a text from Hui arrived.

Hui : Did you get that email?

Yesoo : Umm, yeah. Are you okay?

Hui : I'm perfectly okay. Why wouldn't I be okay?

Yesoo : Just call me if you need drinking buddy

Hui : Yeah, right, like you can handle 1 bottle without puking

Hui : Regardless, expect my call

Yesoo : At your service

Yesoo sighed, that Hwari had to ask her why. "It's just, I'm thinking about Hui. I hope he's completely moved on," she muttered.

"It's been years. I'm sure he has," Hwari reassured.