A thick blanket of snow covered the road, still white and pure aside from the tire tracks through the lanes. The sidewalk, however, had been scooped clean of the offending precipitation and the concrete was a blackened brown colour, with the snow pushed to the edge of the street in lumpy and dirty borders. It was dark with a blue night covering the world outside, and it was clear that the city made an effort to compensate with the warm glow of the lampposts and festive lights tangled in the branches of barren trees.

Seohyun walked along the sidewalk with her hands in the pockets of her coat while salt crunched under her black heels, and she never liked heels in the first place, but she was in such a good mood today that it didn't even bother her. She couldn't help but smile at the beautiful decorations and the bright vibes of the city at night. There were vibrant red ribbons and rich forest greens to accompany them, and bells hung in a few stores' windows, and decorative ornaments hung on small pine trees that stood in the corner of most every shop.

She was on her way to see one of her best friends, Jeon JungKook. Okay, maybe he was a little bit more than her best friend. Maybe Seohyun had a bit of a crush on him, and maybe that was a lie, too. Maybe Seohyun had the biggest crush ever on JungKook. And maybe that last part wasn't a lie.

And Seohyun was heading over to see the guy right now after he'd just come back from Busan for two months. It was so fitting that he came back right in time for the holidays, too, like he was Seohyun's gift.

They were going to meet at the coffee shop where they used to hang out when they were both 17 and eager to talk about their school days and petty things. They didn't go to the same school at the time, so that was practically the only time they could see each other during the week. Then they both got into after-school activities and their visits grew lesser and lesser until they were both in college in different places and never got to see each other.

Now, they were both 24 and the coffee shop was far off the list of the places they would hang out, but JungKook suggested that they go, just for nostalgia's sakes.

As soon as Seohyun got there, she smiled as she looked through the window to find that gorgeous face with those big brown eyes, effortlessly perfect black bangs, and several piercings that lined his ears. He was looking down at his phone, possibly texting someone out of boredom.

Then he put down the phone and drummed his fingers on the table, letting out a sigh and resting his chin in his hand while he searched for Seohyun. She walked in the door of the coffee shop, and he smiled into his palm with his eyes forming bright crescents. And Seohyun had to tell her heart to stop pounding at how wonderful it felt to see his smile, especially knowing that she caused that smile.

"Hi, JungKook," she greeted him as she sat at his table. He had yet to stop smiling.

"Hey, Joo-Hyun. You look nice," he complimented her. Seohyun felt her face grow hot with a blush, but she smiled through it because it felt nice for once.

"Thanks, you do, too. Do you want to come up and order with me?" She asked, and it seemed that he finally came to his senses.

"Oh, no, I'll stay here and keep the table. There are a lot of people here today. I'm sorry," he returned with a genuinely apologetic expression.

As Seohyun came back with the coffee in her hand, she sat down and JungKook took the coffee. "Yah, what are you doing?"

"Poison control, Seohyun-ah," he reasoned. JungKook took a sip and swallowed, only to gag and give it right back to her while he drank his own coffee. "Ugh, I forgot you liked yours dark," he choked.

Seohyun giggled when she remembered that JungKook's favourite type of coffee was practically just cream and sugar with a shot of decaf. And he would always steal her milkshakes or sweet drinks to "test for poison" when he really just wanted the first sip. "Yeah, and you like weak coffee," she returned.

"What can I say? I have a sweet tooth," he said with a smile, which promptly faded once he looked towards the cashier in the back of the store. "Chanyeol still got a thing for you?" JungKook asked in a cold tone, and she could actually hear how the name left a bitter taste on his tongue.

Seohyun sipped her coffee quietly and nodded as she recalled how Chanyeol flirted with her when she paid for her coffee. "Yeah, but it's not like we talk or anything. He only talked to me because I was there. It's no problem," she assured him.

"He's such a greasy brat and he flirts with literally every girl who walks into the shop. Even worse, I'm pretty sure he has a girlfriend, but he's so flaky that he doesn't even care. God, he pisses me off," JungKook hissed as he glared lasers at Chanyeol.

"He doesn't even matter, JungKook," Seohyun stated.

"Yeah, well, one of these days, he's gonna lead some poor girl on and she'll get her heart broken. I hate people like that, especially him, and his happy smile. And his stupid, pretty hair. I hope he goes bald," JungKook seethed. Then he chugged some of his coffee and put it back on the table, scrunching his face painfully. Seohyun laughed.

"Burnt your tongue?" She asked expectantly. JungKook shook his head and managed to swallow.

"That was such a bad idea. I got way too much coffee in that one," he responded. Seohyun giggled.

"Aww, poor baby," she told him with playful sarcasm. JungKook took a small sip of his coffee and pouted.

"It tastes so bad now," he added softly in such a disappointed and betrayed tone that Seohyun couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Then get a new one," she suggested once she had calmed down.

"But then it would cost more money..."