Chansung called me as soon as he finished unpacking. We agreed to meet in the lobby of my dorm, and then figure out where we'd go from there. I quickly put on a warm outfit that was decently cute. I probably should have put more effort into it though...

As I waited for him in the lobby, I looked out the window of the front door and saw that it was snowing peacefully, then I was reminded of that night on the roof. I sighed, feeling heavy again. Then Chansung showed up.

The second I let him into the dorm, he gave me a warm and cheerful hug as he told me that he missed me over break. When we broke off the hug, I saw that he was holding a little red gift bag. I peeked into the bag and saw a small box sitting inside, wrapped and tied up with a bow. 

"What's that?" I asked

"You'll see," he smiled cheekily, like a little boy.

I smiled a little at his cuteness, softening up a little from the tensity of this morning.

He swept my hair away from my face, placing it behind my ear carefully. "It's nice to see you finally smile." He stopped to check my reaction. I was smiling like an idiot at his charming comment, trying to avoid eye-contact with him. "So where to?" He put one arm around me.

"Hmm...." I thought about it for a moment, but the only places that popped up in my mind were the roof and the little spot next to the pond that Taecyeon took me to the night of the meteor shower. I sighed. "I don't know. You choose."

He flashed a grin. "I have an idea." He took off his gloves and slipped them onto my hands. "You'll be cold without these. We're going outside, if that's okay with you."

"Wait. What about you?"

"Shh." He placed his index finger over his lips. "Stop worrying about me. I should be worrying about you."

Then he held my hand and led me out the door. We walked for about five minutes before we stopped at the school garden. I had only come here once or twice in the Fall to do my homework or to get away from civilization for a couple of hours. I didn't expect it to be so well decorated and pretty in the Winter. The fluffy layers of snow that piled upon the hedges. The maintenance people had done a great job setting lights, stringing them from one lamp to the next, mimicking the star that had been covered by the clouds tonight. They also shoveled the snow off of the paths and even the swinging bench in the middle of the one-pathed maze that no one could get lost in.

My eyes grew wider. It was beautiful. Truly a winter wonderland.

"It's pretty, huh?" Chansung nudged me.

"Mm!" I nodded enthusiastically, still taken back by the wonderful scenery.

"Come on. Let's go in." He was still holding my hand firmly, but gently, leading me through the paths.

We took a seat on the swinging benches. I looked up at the lights strung above, over the hedges that acted as the walls of the maze, then I looked at Chansung. His soft gaze was still set on me.

"Why do you always look at me like that?" I asked cutely, sniffling from the winter air.

He ran his fingers through my hair. He shrugged, avoiding my question. 

I looked away, trying to hide my smile. Then I leaned, back first, into him, placing my head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around me. We sat there, at first quietly, listening to the whistling of the wind, then I asked him how his break was. 

"It was alright. I was just felt like something was missing the entire time, like there was something really important that I was supposed to be doing instead of being at home," he said it in a half-whispery tone, since, by they way I was lying, my ear was relatively close to his mouth.

"Like what?"

"Being with you."

My heart stopped beating momentarily, then it started pounding as the butterflies went insane. I sat up a little bit turning around to look at him; I swallowed to get rid of that dry spot that was forming in my throat.

"O-oh..." I stuttered.

He chuckled. "You're so cute when you're flustered."

"What, so you only said it to see my reaction?" I pouted.

"No, I meant it." I said calmly.

"Which part?"

He laughed. "All of it... Ah! I almost forgot." He handed me the red gift bag. "Happy late New Year!"

"Chan..."

"Just open it."

"Agh. Fine." When I took out the little box, I shook it a little to predict what was inside. First I took off my gloves, to gingerly unwrap the gift without destroying the packaging. Then I peeled off the ribbons, tying it into a bow and sticking it on Chansung's head with a piece of tape, before I continued to unwrap the paper carefully. Then, I opened the box, only to see a dainty necklace sparkling on the padded felt backing. I was touched. I didn't even get anything this year from anyone. Call me a big softy, but I almost started crying. I know it's just a present, but it means a lot more than just that.

"It matches your pin." He added as he saw my facial expression soften.

My eyes became glossy as I pounced on him to hug him. "Thank you."

He put his hand on the back of my head as we sat there, hugging. "You're welcome."

"Ugh." I groaned, letting go of his waist.

"What's wrong?" He sounded extremely worried.

"Nothing. It's just that... now I feel bad that I didn't get you anything. If I knew--"

"You are the present," He smiled cheesily.

"No, no. That's not good enough for me. One of these days.. I'll surprise you." I bit my bottom lip as I smiled with my eyes.

That's when he leaned in and placed his plump, well-shaped lips on mine, again. A nostalgic feeling rushed through the air, bringing me back to the night he took my first kiss away, but just as I continued to walk down memory lane, remembering how Taecyeon and I watched the first snow, Chansung opened his mouth slightly, leading me to open mine as well. He wrapped his arms around my waist and I mindlessly followed, placing my arms around his neck. That's when I felt his tongue in my mouth; I breathed in his exhales as we continued to kiss. The moment heated up, and I could feel my hormones telling me to pounce on him; it almost took all the energy I had to restrain myself from doing so. I ran my cold, un-gloved fingers through his hair, sending shivers up his spine. Then he pulled away from me.

"I--"

I blinked.

"Sorry." He looked truly apologetic. "I was just going to kiss you lightly and say that that would be enough of a gift, but..." he trailed off.

I tried to lighten up the mood a little. "Well.. Now.. we're.. even."

I smiled at him, also feeling equally bad. I still felt like I was somehow attached to Taecyeon and that I was obligated to remain faithful and loyal to him. Then I thought about it, again. I had absolutely no responsibility to Taecyeon. He had a girlfriend anyway, so theoretically speaking, even if we were somehow attached to one another in that way, I would have even more of a reason to be doing this. But that wasn't why I kept kissing Chansung, though. It was something else. I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

He sat there, probably thinking of something to say.

"Are you trying to play hard to get now?" I joked, also wondering if he was having second thoughts now.

He chuckled and shook his head. "I just..."

"Didn't think it was going to happen?"

He nodded.

"Me neither." I looked at the snowy ground.

We continued to sit in silence. Then we heard a girl giggling and a boy saying something back to the girl, quite seductively, may I add. I guess we're not the only people who planned on coming to this spot tonight. 

"Maybe we should leave, and give someone else the time to appreciate this spot," I suggested.

Chansung agreed and got up. He put his gloves on my hands once again, while also helping me hold my gift. "You need to stay warm. Your hands are like icicles."

Then as we made our way out of the maze, I saw Nana and that senior boy from the jock dorm having a snow ball fight in the snowy banks. She waved to me as she spotted me linking my arm with Chansung's. I waved back and winked at her, telling her also that the maze was empty. She thanked me and pulled him into the maze.

I chuckled at her cuteness.

When Chansung and I walked back to my dorm, we talked about school and how we were planning on studying for the exams that would be approaching soon. He told me that if I needed help with something, that I could ask him. I thanked him, but declined telling him that he needed to use that time to study as well. I didn't want to affect his grades. He told me that it wouldn't be a hassle, that we could study together in the library if I wanted and so I agreed.

As we finally reached the dorm I was so wrapped up in Chansung that I was startled to see Taecyeon sitting on the porch, in the cold.

"Hey!" I waved at him.

"Hi." He smiled, but I knew that it was a fake smile.

"What are you doing here?"

He rolled his eyes at the obviousness of the answer. 

"Oh. You're waiting for me?"

He nodded.

"Why didn't you call me? or wait inside or something!! Now you're going to catch a cold and it's going to be my fault." I pouted.

"You're feeling better now?" He changed the subject.

I nodded while smiling to prove that I had indeed cheered up.

"Good." He still looked uneasy, though.

"Hey. So. I'll see you tomorrow in the library then?" Chansung tried to garner my attention again.

I turned towards Chansung, "yeah. At... 7? For study hall?"

"Sounds good." He smiled.

I looked back at Taecyeon as I unhooked my arm from Chansung's. However, before I could start walking up the steps of the porch, Chansung grabbed my wrist. Oh! I was still wearing his gloves. I'm so empty-headed sometimes.

I turned around.

Wait..

Chansung kissed me again. In front of Taecyeon. He held me tightly as my body tingled at the contact of our lips again. As he pulled away, I could see him smiling slyly.

I blushed a little.

"See you tomorrow then." He added as he began to walk backwards into the darkness.

I turned to face Taecyeon as Chansung disappeared from my line of vision.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I put my hand on Taecyeon's shoulder.

"Nothing. I just came to check on you. You just... looked really bitter this morning, and I was just wondering if it was because of Susan..."

I smiled at him to give him reassurance. "I'm feeling a lot better now."

He stared deeply into my eyes, "well.. alright then..." He paused and took in a deep breath. "So you and Chansung, finally."

"That's not a complete sentence, Taec. Tsk Tsk. Didn't you learn anything from all those grammar drills last year?"

"But you guys are a thing now?"

"I don't know, but I don't really want to slap a label on it."

"But you guys kissed."

"Yeah.. but that doesn't mean--"

"Did you... make out with him tonight?"

"What's with all these questions??"

"Just wondering. You didn't even bother telling me??"

"There was nothing to tell you! We only kissed for the second time tonight."

He glared at me.

"What?"

"Nothing." He looked unsettled.

"You look like you have something to say."

"It's getting cold, and it's getting late. I have to clean my room before my dorm parents kill me. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

He stood up, waiting for me to get up as well so that he could hug me before he left for his dorm. He definitely looked like he needed to say something. I'm not sure what, but I'm very curious. I let myself into the dorm. It then hit me that I was still wearing Chansung's gloves. I'm going to have to give them back to him tomorrow. I wouldn't want him to freeze to death in this weather.

When I returned to my room, I found a congregation of sophomore girls in Nicole's and my room.

They all asked me where Nana was and where I have been for the night. I told them jokingly that Nana and her boyfriend were "doing things" in the maze and that I was just hanging out around campus for the night. I tried to remain ambiguous, but they kept asking for details. I couldn't help but to end up spilling everything to them in the end, after they bugged me about it for a good ten minutes.

They all congratulated me on nabbing a hot one. Even Jessica looked happy for me. I asked her if she was okay with the idea of Chansung and I; she said it was fine, making sure to tell me that I had better chemistry with him anyways. Then Nicole asked me about Taecyeon and how this situation played out from that one.

I didn't know how to reply because honestly, I don't think this is a transition from Taecyeon. Deep down inside, I still had a little bit of naive hope that Taecyeon and I would "end up" together. I just shrugged telling her that it just did. I wasn't sure if I should still be thinking about Taecyeon. It's a little hard not to, considering how tough these past two weeks have been because of him.

Then we continued to talk until midnight when someone finally pointed out that they were tired and that we had school the next day. I rubbed my eyes as my body finally ran out of the whim that acted as an energy drink, keeping it running for the entire night. I climbed into bed, without much worry in my mind after the girl talk, drifting away into the land of dreams. Something about this wonderful place, boarding school. It just takes away all the worries and sadness I've accumulated at home. It's like I can just take off the negativity like a jacket and put it away in my closet until the next time I would have to go home. It's nice.

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yay. Happier chapter! :)

I hope you guys enjoyed reading it. I had fun writing it ;P

Thanks for all the comments! I really liked reading them! (some of them made me laugh too :) while others just pushed me to write another chapter)

love,
yellowbee