겨울 꽃 (Winter Flower)

C h a r a c t e r s: Irene (Bae Joohyun), Jin (Kim Seokjin), BTS, Red Velvet

G e n r e: Romance, Slice of Life, Comedy, Fluff

P R O L O G U E

김석진 (Kim Seokjin)

It was a faint Spring evening and I was casually walking in an old, musky neighbourhood within the Jung district. It was one of those outlier quiet streets in a city as busy as Seoul. I came across the area back when I was a trainee with pretty much had nothing but time and dreams on my hands. It was a gem and exactly what I needed each time I had to cool down on my own, both back when we were nobodies and now that we’ve made a name out of ourselves. A couple of beats later I finally arrived at the neighborhood park and noticed a small and petite figure from afar, sitting right by one of the swings with what I perceive as an ice cream and for a moment I stopped at my tracks, hesitating to go on. A small frown dawned on my face, I needlessly reached for my phone as a buffer towards my movement and mindlessly headed towards the usual bench I go for and out of involuntary movement, I looked up and that’s when I met someone else’s eyes and it belonged to someone who I knew from afar, Bae Irene.

“Oh.” She was the first to react while I stayed still. And in an instant, a warm and gentle smile reached her eyes, one that I never saw her give out despite years of encountering her during work and it felt like,

Spring.

She was noticeably wearing oversized purple hoodie and jeans with the standard black converse on foot.

“Hi.” She softly greeted as if acknowledging that she recognizes me. A short while must have passed. I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out and I ended up rubbing my left hand behind my neck instead, a habit I can’t seem to outgrow when I feel embarrassed. Why did I feel that way? I have no idea. Perhaps, because this was the closest I’ve seen her without pretensions.

“Have a great night.” She just went on and chuckled lightly before finally going on her way. I just blinked my eyes and realized things were happening too fast and turned my body towards the direction she went into and despite her back facing me, she waved her right hand up in the air as if she knew my gaze followed her. 

I awkwardly coughed out of nowhere, tilting my body towards the direction of the swing and sat where Irene was just minutes ago. I have no idea what happened but everything felt like a whirlwind, I had to take a moment to rewind what had just transpired and could only make out a few things. First, I just stood there like an idiot than I was. Second, I don’t know how and why but Irene was so casual, so free that it felt like a breath of fresh air. Third, this was a deja vu, one that I can fully embrace. And then... and then, her smile.

Spring. 

I looked back at all those moments I associated her with Winter, her distant gaze, porcelain skin and measured pleasantries and then thought of her gentle beam,

Spring.

I just shook my head and instantly felt something I haven’t for a very long while. A tug, right at my heart and before I knew it, I can already feel my ears burning.