The hazy afternoon was predictable. He sat there under the sakura tree, once again, reading a book. On the other side of the park was Byeol, with her girl friends. She had waved at Hyunho without him noticing. It wasn't too long until someone had sat in the unoccupied space beside him - it was her. He glanced at her while still looking down at his book, then had his eyes glued back to the book.

"Hey, got nothing to say?" She waved a hand in front of his face. He slips in a bookmark and closes the book, placing it into his backpack. "You should live your life and do things you want to do, instead of talking to a boring person like me."

"Nope. I just came to ask if you're free tomorrow?" She flashes her a smile that no one would want to refuse. He quickly shook his head and was about to stand to leave when he heard her speak; "You're the one who told me to do things I want to do, right? And I want to do it with you."

"You have a lot of friends, it wouldn't hurt to ask any of them." He spoke with no emotions in his voice. She stood up and started walking, still facing his way though, "I'll be waiting for you at Cafe 11. Don't make me wait too long!"

"W-wait a minute—" Hyunho was too slow to even refuse. Something inside him told him that he couldn't stand her up too. It was no use to even tell her he didn't want to come, she was too far away to hear him.

—

Occupying a table outside, Hyunho did wait there, at Cafe 11. He took out his book to read, and then she arrived after a few minutes. Byeol smiled widely, "you came!" He scoffed quietly and whispered under his breath, "as if I had a choice."

"짠!" She proudly showed him a flyer for some kind of dessert museum. It looked colorful, but the desserts were sure enticing. "I went through a lot just to get a reservation, now come on!" She walks away and he was left with no choice again, but to follow.

After a bus ride, they had arrived at the place. As expected, it was colorful, somewhere around the outskirts of Seoul. She dragged him into the place and asked for the table she reserved. Soon enough they were stuffing their plates with unimaginable shapes and sizes of sweet delicacies.

"Sooo, you said you didn't have friends? Didn't you like someone, at least?" She asked once they were settled on their table, enjoying their desserts. He shakes his head, slightly cringing. "Don't get me wrong. I'm just never interested in anyone at all."

"I see. But there has to be someone special to you, right? Maybe a childhood friend, or something?" She says, stuffing the chocolate-covered strawberry in her mouth. "Childhood friend... I guess.. there was this girl in second grade. She was nice to me, but they moved away quickly. I don't even remember her name."

"Mhm. I see. Ask me about myself too!" She pleads, more like demands - but always with the same smile she always wore. Sometimes, he wondered why a dying woman could seem so happy. He chewed a bit and then paused for a moment. "Are you..." Hyunho doesn't look at her in the eyes but she looks at him in anticipation. "Are you really... dying?"

She chuckles, "of course I am!" He sighed inaudibly, for some reason. He already knew, but why was he still intimidated by the fact she was dying? "Come on, ask me something you don't know. Like, aren't you curious about my first crush, or something?"