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It was a cold, autumn day as Yoongi walked down the path to the park.  He’d decided he needed some fresh air after spending all week cooped up in his office cubicle at work.

Days like this brought him back to his high school days when he used to visit this same park.  As a small freshman, he’d climb the tall oak tree in the middle of the park and watch his then crush sketch her heart out onto a piece of paper.  He’d discovered that she came there every day after school to draw, so he had decided to follow her.

She’d been a junior when he was a freshman.  But Yoongi had fancied her over the loud freshman girls.  She’d been quiet and reserved but not shy.  She wasn’t afraid to speak when she needed to.  Yoongi had admired that trait of hers.  Especially when she’d used it to tell off the kids who bullied him.

But then she’d graduated the next year, and Yoongi had been left alone.  He wondered what she was doing now.  She’d had quite the talent for art.  He’d always thought she should become a cartoonist.  For the two years he’d watched her draw, she’d gotten better and better nearly every day.

Now as he watched the red and orange leaves fall from the trees, he wondered what it would be like to go visit that memory.  He looked around the park, breathing in the crisp air.  But then he stopped short.  Across the park, sitting on a park bench, was a girl bent over a drawing tablet.  She had chocolate brown hair, but it was streaked with odd amber highlights.  He stared at her for a few moments.  Was it her?

But then she looked up from her tablet, her gaze traveling around the park.  And he caught sight of her different colored eyes; one green and one brown.  He was sure it was her then.  But…how should he approach her?

He watched her for a few minutes.  She’d sketch for a few minutes and then look around the park for a few moments before resuming sketching.  Eventually, he worked up the courage to go talk to her.  He crossed the park and came to a stop when he was a couple feet in front of her.  She looked up at him, her bicolored eyes connecting with his dark ones.

“Yoongi?  Is that you?”

He nodded. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been good!” she patted the bench next to her. “Please, sit with me.”

So, he did.  And they sat there for a good spell of time talking about their lives.  Yoongi learned that she’d gone on to be a comic book illustrator and that her books were a popular pick at the local shop.  He wouldn’t have known; he never had time to go in there.

He noticed she still had the same bright and bubbly personality that she had had back in high school.  She was still outgoing and friendly, and she appeared to still have the talent of being able to talk his ears off for hours if she wanted to.

Eventually, she cut herself off. “How have you been, Yoongi?  You were always the quiet one back in high school.  Have you managed to find some friends now?”

If anyone else had asked him, he would’ve thought they were mocking him.  But he could tell Ara was being sincere.

“I’ve got one friend…but you know, I prefer to be alone.” He offered her a small smile. “I got a job at the firm downtown.  It’s boring work, but it pays well.”

“Ah…you should find something you like to do.  I remember you were an amazing pianist back in high school.”

“I couldn’t be a pianist…I’m not good in front of people.”

“Yoongi…all you need to do is believe in yourself.  You can do it, I know you can.”

Her phone chimed, and she pulled it from her pocket. “Ah…I have to go now.  Could I have you number?  We should get together sometime for coffee.”

Yoongi walked out of the park that day with his old friend back.   Now he had someone he could text when he was having a bad day.  Or someone to go out with when he just wanted to get a drink.  He smiled.  Today was a good day after all.