“Dongsaeng-ah, wake up,” her brother sang as he shook Seonmi’s legs.

She moved a little bit, making some noises, and stayed silent. As her brother, Kris wasn’t bothered by these kinds of thing. Even he enjoyed having a cute little sister. Even though his friends would say Seonmi was cute, none of them had tried to hit on her so Kris wasn’t that worried.

After a minute of legs shaking, Seonmi got up. Kris pulled and led her to the bathroom as he let out a small chuckle because of her amusing bed hair. He always found it funny.

***

“I see you making a lot of friends nowadays,” Kris said with the intention of complimenting.

Seonmi who was just finished with her things reached the chair and sat down. She took the sandwich in front of her and started to eat it.

Only those two were home because their parents were in China. Their father was Korean and their mother was Chinese. Kris grew up in China until when he was 6, they moved to Korea. He spoke a few languages including his parents’ while Seonmi only understood Korean.

“You know that this is winter, right? People love me in winter,” she stated the truth.

“Only in winter?” Kris asked and raised one of his eyebrows not accepting the fact that everyone sounded like using her.

“No, oppa. It’s more like they’re friendlier in winter,”

Kris nodded. He finished his bread while Seonmi was still chewing hers. He had to wait for her because they went to the school together.

“You slept with shorts, didn’t you?” He asked raising one of his eyebrows.

“It was knee-length. At least I used the heater,” she answered without looking at her brother’s eyes because she was too busy with her last bite.

“It was me who turned it on. You didn’t even use the thick blanket,”

“Why are you talking as if you don’t know about my so called superpower?” Seonmi joked.

  Kris chuckled at Seonmi’s little grin. He knew about her ‘superpower’. She was warm, inside and outside.

***

“Seonmi!” A group of girls squealed.

They approached her and touched her warm skin. Seonmi was a little bit annoyed, but she could feel their skin. They were cold like ice so she decided to let them hug her arms.

“Seonmi-yah, good morning!” A girl attacked her with a hug as soon as Seonmi’s feet landed in the class.

Seonmi hugged her back tightly. Seonmi couldn’t ask for her to loosen the hug because she loved to be hugged as well, especially with Rina.

“Rina, let me put my bag first. You can hug me again later,” Seonmi said as she loosened the hug and went to her seat.

Right when she put the bag down, Rina attacked her again. Other girls who saw her would at least immediately hold her hand. They can’t help it, Seonmi made them felt cozy.

“Seonmi, let’s walk along the corridor! Breathing the fresh air outside, you like it, don’t you?”

 

***

“Double thick jackets again?” Luhan asked Xiumin, whose body looked big because of the clothes he wore.

Xiumin nodded as he hugged his arms.

“If you were a girl, I’d directly hug you,” Luhan said.

Xiumin rolled his eyes. He didn’t look cool doing that because he was freezing. Cold air, he hated it the most.

“I’m cold too. Give me one of your jackets,” said Tao with a frown on his face.

“No. You’re only feeling cold. I’m freezing,” Xiumin answered coldly.

Tao’s face fell. He wanted a thick jacket too even though he did know that Xiumin was feeling even colder than him, but his stubborn self still wanted it. An idea came into his mind. There was a way to make everyone would give him what he wanted.

“Gege,” Tao called.

“Don’t call me gege. I like hyung better,” a cold answer escaped from Xiumin’s mouth.

“Give me your jacket first,” Tao begged.

“Don’t be so childish, Tao. He’s freezing,” Luhan said.

Tao smirked and prepared his irresistible weapon anyone would fell for.

“Bbuing-bbuing,” Tao said cutely while putting a fist beside his cheek.

That was it. He threw his deadly cuteness. Luhan stayed silent and waited for Xiumin’s respond. It seemed like he fell for it.

“Take one in my bag,”

A big smile was gradually formed on Tao’s face. He ran to Xiumin’s bag and took the jacket. Xiumin watched him from far. He sighed but he felt glad that he brought an extra jacket.

 

 

“Seonmi, you’re so warm. I love you so much especially in winter,” suddenly a voice of a girl and followed by a small giggle was heard outside the class making Xiumin glanced at the source.

Two girls were walking on the corridor, showing off their friendship. One girl was walking while circled her arms on the other girls’ waist.

Xiumin cursed his cold body. How he wished to have a warm friend too.

***

“Hello, mom, what’s wrong?” Xiumin said to his mom on the phone.

“I suggest you to sleepover in your friend’s house. The heater is broken. It’s colder than usual. Not really that cold because mom can still take it but I don’t think you can,”

“Um, okay then. Please tell someone to fix it soon. I don’t want to stay in my friend’s house forever,”

“Okay,”

He ended the phone call and walked to random directions. Tao’s parents wouldn’t let him. They didn’t trust anyone. For Luhan, like anyone would want to. He was dirty and messy. Xiumin couldn’t take it.

On other side, Kris saw Xiumin walking with a clueless face. He thought he should ask what happened so maybe he could help him.

“What’s wrong?” Kris asked after he reached Xiumin.

“Oh, hyung, it’s nothing,” Xiumin lied.

“No, there’s something, right? I can see it from your eyes. Tell me,” he demanded.

“No, real—“

“Xiumin,”

Xiumin sighed.

“Err, you know about my body temperature, don't you? The heater in my home is now colder than usual, it’s broken,” he explained.

Kris nodded as a sign that he understood being in Xiumin's position.

“Sleep in my house. I’ll lend you my clothes,” he said directly without thinking further.

“B-but—”

It was too late. Kris grabbed Xiumin’s bag and lead him to somewhere. He stopped near the school gate, in front of a bench to be specific. A girl was sitting there.

“Seonmi, this is my friend, Xiumin. For some reason, he’ll stay in our house,” Kris said to the girl in front of him.

Xiumin narrowed his eye. Based on his memory, there was something special in that girl. Then, Xiumin remembered that she was the ‘warm girl’ who walked in front of his class with her friend.

“Xiumin, this is Seonmi. He’s my sister,” Kris introduced Xiumin to her.

Seonmi bowed to Xiumin, he did the same in reply. She held out her hand asking for a handshake. Xiumin stared for a second. If he shook her hand, he’d feel her warmth.

Xiumin reached her hand and grabbed it. He could feel her warmth, no, it was beyond warm. It was hot, a cozy hot feeling. It makes him comfortable. This was what he needed instead of wearing double—or even triple—jackets. Unfortunately, he only got to experience it for a second because Seonmi quickly pulled her hand.

“Ah, So cold!” She exclaimed put her hand near her lips so that she could blow some warm air to it.

“Seonmi!” Kris yelled.

“S-sorry, I didn’t mean it. I was just surprised, sorry,” Seonmi noticed her unintended rude action and quickly apologize.

“It’s okay. I know my skin feels like ice,” Xiumin smiled.

They started walking home together. Seonmi was glad that Xiumin was a nice person. If he wasn’t, she’d be dead. She glanced at Kris. He wasn’t happy about her behavior.

“Oppa, sorry,” Seonmi said frowning.

“Don’t apologize to me. Comfort him,” he demanded. “I don’t want my sister to be known as a bad person,”

He patted Seonmi’s head. Seonmi nodded. She went to Xiumin.

“You’re older than me, aren’t you? Then, Xiumin oppa,” Seonmi beamed her sweetest smile. Usually she would feel weird and uncomfortable addressing older boys other than Kris as 'oppa', but this time, she didn't feel anything wrong.

Weird. Xiumin was freezing, but a part inside him melted. It felt warm.

“Can we re-do the handshake?” She asked and held out her hand once again.

Xiumin was afraid if his hand would feel worse than an ice. He carefully grabbed her hand.

“You’re warm,” he said unconsciously. Xiumin gasped. “No, I mean… well, yes, you’re warm,”

Seonmi was silent at first, and then she chuckled at his action. Xiumin was stunned to see her laughing. Either it’s because she seemed like a hard person to approach at the first or because she was beautiful. Maybe both.

 ***

They three arrived on their house. Seonmi directly went to her room and change her clothes while Kris took care of Xiumin. He prepared some clothes for Xiumin.

“Here are your clothes,” Kris handed out some of his clothes.

“Thanks, hyung,”

“You’ll sleep in this room. Just pretend that this is your own house since my parents are not here,” Kris said, pointing to a dark room.

Xiumin entered the room and switched on the lamp. He put his bag near the bed and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Now I’m going to buy some food. There isn’t much food left for three people,”

Hearing those words, Xiumin felt like the most horrible person in the world. He stayed in Kris' house and borrowed his clothes. The food which was supposed to be enough for only Kris and Seonmi wasn't enough for the three of them.

“I’ll go with you,” Xiumin volunteered. He felt guilty if he only receive and couldn’t repay him.

“No need to. If you want to help me, stay at home with my sister. I don’t want her to be home alone,” he said and smiled.

“With Seonmi? But she’s a girl. Do you even trust me?” Xiumin asked made Kris went silent.

Kris put his index finger to his chin and tapped it as if he was thinking.

“Well, if it’s you then I agree. Go on if you want to hit on her. Honestly I’ve observed you for a long time and it seems like you’re a good person,” Kris acknowledged Xiumin's kindness.

Xiumin’s cheeks went pink on the sentence 'go on if you want to hit on her'. He didn’t think that Kris would think like that. On the other side, he was happy.

“I’m leaving,” Kris said as he walked outside the house. Before he stepped outside he yelled, “Seonmi, Take care of Xiumin first!”

Again, Xiumin’s cheeks were hot and turned pink.

Footsteps were heard from above. Seonmi was walking to his way. Xiumin turned to see her and— what is she wearing on such a cold day?

Xiumin found what Seonmi wore were out of mind. She wore shorts and t-shirt, and all of them looked thin. Well, he didn’t know if normal people could take it but he definitely couldn’t.

Seonmi caught Xiumin was looking at her with a face.

“Sorry, this is what I wear at home. Is it too short?” She asked.

“Yes. I mean, it’s too short and thin for the cold weather, you know. You might catch a cold,”

“You obviously don’t know anything about me. My body temperature is higher than normal people’s, got it? I sleep like this with a thin blanket,” Seonmi explained.

“Um, do you turn on the heater?” Xiumin asked carefully. He thought it was a crazy question but he thought she might be.

Seonmi laughed.

“Sorry, you’re funny, oppa. I’m not that great. I do need heater,” she said after she finished laughing.

“I thought you don’t,” Xiumin mumbled, loud enough, making Seonmi busted into laughter. “Hey, I don’t think I’m funny. Why are you laughing?”

“Oh, sorry, many people said that I have to fix my sense of humor,”

Other than her weird and unexpected self, Xiumin found her so cute.

“Where are you going?” he asked Seonmi who was walking upstairs.

“To my room. Do you want to come, oppa?” She offered.

Xiumin got rid of any weird thoughts in his mind and followed her without saying anything. She smiled at him and continued walking to her room.

“Ta-da! This is my room, pretty messy for a girl’s. I’m watching a drama. Let’s watch it together! Come, sit,” she exclaimed.

Xiumin silently smiled and sat down on her bed which was in front of the television. Seonmi put her hands together in front of her chest happily and sat beside him.

They were watching the drama Dream High. She let out a small squealing before it started. She obviously loved Dream High. Her favorite character was Song Samdong which was played by the actor Kim Soohyun. Sometimes Seonmi would pretend to fall to the bed when Kim Soohyun appeared. Xiumin could only watch her silently. Girls.

There it came. The so called Milky Couple. Because Wooyoung was his favorite in 2PM, she wasn’t happy at the fact that he was paired up with IU, but then she liked them because they were so cute together.

“Is it an advice or jealousy?” said Jason, the character Wooyoung played as.

“Ack!” Seonmi squealed. “Let me hold your hand, oppa,”

“Why?”

“Just let me. You can get the benefit too; I’m giving you my warm hand,”

Xiumin rolled his eyes and touched her hand which was waiting for his. Without thinking any further, she grabbed Xiumin’s hand tightly.

Like their first handshake, it was warm, or maybe warmer because her hands were holding it tightly.

“Okay, I admit it. It was jealousy, and you?” Jason said.

“Why do they have to be so cute?” Seonmi sequealed and fanned herself with her hand.

Xiumin lost his desire to continue watch the drama; he didn't even understand the story because he didn't watch it from the beginning. He preferred looking at Seonmi who was focusing on the drama while still holding his hand. Warm. Xiumin was too tired so he decided to close his eyes for a moment.

***

“Seonmi, Xiumin, wake up,” a voice said.

Seonmi felt someone shook her legs. It must be Kris. She got up and found Xiumin lying beside her, facing the other side. Seonmi blushed when she got the whole thing.

“Xiumin,” Kris called. He slowly opened his eyes.

Xiumin immediately got up when he saw Kris. He tried to recall his memory and blushed.

“I did say I allow you to hit on my sister, but not to sleep with her,” he said and smiled.

Xiumin bowed and said, “Sorry, hyung, I fell asleep,”

“Yeah, he watched Dream High with me and I think he was bored so he fell asleep. I fell asleep too,” Seonmi explained, not wanting her brother to misunderstand.

“It’s okay. Go sleep in your room, Xiumin. It’s late night,” Kris commanded. Xiumin nodded and went to his room.

When the door was closed from outside, Kris looked at Seonmi.

“W-what?” Seonmi asked with a pink face.

“Nothing. Do you like him? He’s nice, you know,”

“I know. I can tell,”

“You two are like born to be together. You know, body temperatures,” Kris hinted.

***

Days changed. Weeks changed. Months passed.

Since that sleepover, Xiumin and Seonmi would greet each other in a friendly way. Kris would go away if he noticed them together; he just wanted them to have some private time together. They exchanged phone numbers too. Sometimes Kris asked Xiumin to go somewhere together with Seonmi only to hook them two.

It was summer. The time when students fanning themselves and craving for a fresh cold air. Well, not everyone did. Xiumin sat down and listened to what the teacher had been teaching without fanning himself for the whole hour. He looked so cool, and yes, he was cool.

On the other side of the school, Seonmi’s hair was wet of sweats dripping on her head. It was only half an hour and she sweat a lot. How she wished to meet Xiumin as soon as possible.

Hours passed. The bell rang to tell everyone that the lunch time had come. Another hot day Seonmi has survived on with sweat.

She saw a pair of puffy cheeks and became ecstatic.

 “Xiumin!” Seonmi squealed. She attacked him with a hug, only on his arm, no less or more.

“Whoa, look who’s sweating here,” Xiumin said when his palm touched her forehead, and soon it was covered with sweat. “Ew,”

Xiumin was pretending to be disgusted making Seonmi frowned.

“Let’s get icy drinks for you. I’ll treat you,” Xiumin said and pulled her towards the canteen.

Seonmi didn’t have any energy left, but hearing what Xiumin just said—and offered, her energy boosted up only to go to the canteen.

“Two lemon tea please,” Xiumin ordered.

After a few minutes of waiting, they took their orders. Seonmi immediately stir it and put the straw in it. She took a long sip while Xiumin hadn’t even started yet. He was busy looking at her.

“Ah, this feels so good. Anything icy and free is the best! I love you!” She said after gulping half of the glass with the straw. The confession, she meant it in a friendly way.

“Looking at you drinking, I somehow lost my appetite. Would you like to drink mine?” He joked and being nice at the same time.

Seonmi felt mocked and put a face, but then she grabbed Xiumin’s glass and pulled it closer to her. She was only going to save it for when hers was finished. When there was nothing left in her glass, she took the straw and put it on the glass Xiumin gave her. Seonmi pour the ice cubes left in her glass.

“Can you hold my cheek?” Seonmi asked. Weird question, but there was a reason. “I just wanted to know how it feels to drink iced lemon tea with a cool face on summer,”

“You sound so desprate for almost never feeling the cold air in summer, but, okay,” Xiumin agreed.

Because Xiumin was sitting in front of her, it was hard for him to reach her cheeks so he moved to the chair beside her. In no time, Xiumin’s hands were on Seonmi’s cheeks. She closed her eyes in amusement feeling this new thing she never felt before in summer.

“Are you dating him already? Why didn’t you tell me?” Rina suddenly came and asked playfully.

Xiumin pulled her hands from her cheeks in reflex.

“W-what?” Seonmi asked to make sure if she heard the correct thing.

“It’s nothing. I just hope that you two are dating each other. You’re like destined,” Rina stated.

Xiumin’s cheeks were pink and he shyly smiled making Rina squeal.

“Oh my god, you two are so cute. Please get married,” she blurted out things making their face reddened.

When Rina finally left, Seonmi apologized. But because of his face was red, she laughed.

“You make it look like as if you laughed until you’re sweating. At least wipe them off first,” Xiumin suggested. Seonmi put her ‘oh’ face and grabbed something from her pocket, a towel. She patted it on her face, neck, arms, and other sweaty parts.

Xiumin could only gulp his saliva. Well, to be honest, he was thinking of something other boys would. He was a boy after all, and a boy couldn’t get rid of those thoughts.

“I finished wiping them, can I laugh now?” Seonmi asked.

After a few minutes of chatting, Xiumin realized the time.

“It’s better if we go back to our classes. Look at the time,”

Seonmi checked her cell phone to see the time and it was true. The lunch time was going to end in a few minutes.

“Oh, right,” she said as turning around so her back faced Xiumin and walk.

But Xiumin blushed. Why? He could clearly see the back of her shirts was wet and it revealed the clasp of her undergarment. He didn’t know if he should stay silent or do something. Then, he decided to take off his cardigan and directly put it to Seonmi’s shoulder.

“Why?” She asked.

“Just wear it. Your back, it’s too obvious,” Xiumin answered shyly without looking at her.

When she got what he meant, Seonmi blushed. It wasn’t pink, but red. Xiumin noticed it but he stayed silent. Seonmi wore the cardigan properly and they started to walk again.

“Why are you wearing a cardigan? Xiumin, is it yours?” Kris, who they met on their way to their classes, asked. He noticed that Xiumin didn’t wear his cardigan.

Xiumin glanced to Seonmi, hoping she would explain it instead of him. She got the signal but she was shy.

“So, my back is too visible. He gave me this so it can cover my back,” she explained.

“You make a great boyfriend, Xiumin,” Kris complimented him making Seonmi lightly hit his arm. Kris chuckled while Xiumin froze on the spot. Inside Kris’ mind, it was like; if only they could see how cute they were.

***

A day had passed and came a new day where Seonmi must survive on.

She was fanning herself with her mind thinking of nothing but one person, Xiumin. She didn’t know how to act when she was around him anymore. The bubbly and cheerful Seonmi all this long, it was only acting.

Yes, she did know about her feelings.

Moreover, Seonmi should give the cardigan she ‘borrowed’ back. Maybe she should ask Kris to, but no. He might ended up told her to give it back herself. She tried to gather her courage and went to Xiumin’s class after the classes had ended.

“Um, Xiumin oppa,” Seonmi called in front of his class.

“Oh, Xiumin oppa, your soulmate is looking for you,” sung a pretty boy with small face and big eyes imitating how Seonmi called him as ‘oppa’.

“Who?” a voice asked. She believed it was Xiumin.

“Kris hyung’s little sister,” he stated.

Seonmi heard an ‘ah’ and the figure of Xiumin was finally visible. He walked towards her. When he approached, Seonmi gave her the cardigan.

“Thanks,” she said without being cheerful and bubbly like usual.

“You’re welcome. What’s wrong with you? Where’s your usual self? Is it because of the weather?” Xiumin asked and touch her forehead.

Seonmi put away his hand from her forehead.

“No! My feeling has nothing to do with weather.” She blurted out and later she gasped.

“F-feeling?”

“Ah, forget what I said,” she said as she fanning herself. She did it faster than the usual. It wasn’t because of the weather; it was the atmosphere between them two.

“Okay then,” Xiumin said as he shrugged and stuck out his lower lip. “Kris hyung asked me to take you home. Wait for me after your classes end, okay?”

Holding her willing to ask Xiumin why Kris couldn’t take her home, she nodded and decided to just follow what he said.

***

“Seonmi!” Xiumin called when he saw a familiar girl with a ponytail walking to his direction.

Seonmi ran and reached his hand. It seemed that she had recovered from her embarrassment. Seonmi held Xiumin’s arm and tugged him excitedly.

“Let’s go home now. Icy drinks are waiting for me,” she said happily with a big grin.

Xiumin smiled and follow her fast steps. Unfortunately, the hot air was still Seonmi’s biggest enemy. She slowed down to notice that her hair was drenched with her sweat. Then, she stopped.

“Oppa, wait a minute,”

Seonmi took out a towel and began to wipe her sweaty part. Xiumin watched her like how he did earlier. Again, he gulped his saliva.

“Yah, I’m a boy,” he cut the wiping-sweat scene.

“What?” Seonmi didn’t stop wiping her sweat until she turned around to see Xiumin blushing. “W-why are you blushing?”

“Don’t I look like a boy?”

“Of course you do,” she answered in a tone.

“I mean like a boy who can fall in love with a girl or can’t resist a girl’s beauty,” he continued.

Seonmi went silent. She needed to register the words from his mouth to her brain first.

“Well, do you?” Seonmi asked. She started to get the hints and her face began to turn red.

Xiumin took a deep breath and exhaled it. His hand curled into a fist while his eyes looked at nowhere but the ground.

“I do. If the girl is you then I do,” he confessed. He finally did.

Butterflies started to attack Seonmi’s stomach and danced along the beats of her heart. Xiumin’s word started to color her cheeks red. She was half dizzy at the time. Her knees felt weak.

“Are you serious?” Seonmi made sure. She just didn’t like it if someone messed with her about a serious thing, no one does.

“Do you think I’m kidding? My hands are freezing in the hot air!” he exclaimed as his hands tightened the curls and shut his eyes.

Suddenly a pair of hands reached Xiumin’s. Soft and warm hands. Xiumin slowly opened his eyes to find out that Seonmi was holding his hands. She wasn't even surprised that his hands were freezing because they were always cold.

“Stupid,” she mocked without the real intention. Seonmi looked so cute in Xiumin's eyes. She was frowning with a half angry face, but he could see her cheeks were slightly red. “Why didn’t you say it earlier?”

Seonmi wrapped his hands by hers and trying to transfer the heat.

“I don’t have the courage to confess to you until no—“

“Not the confession!” she cut with a red face but still holding his hands. “Stupid oppa, not the confession. I mean about your freezing hands,”

“Oh, okay I’m really embarrassed now. So, are you going to say anything about my confession or not?” Xiumin said all in one breath.

Seonmi smiled and reached her pocket to take out her towel and handed it to Xiumin. His eyebrows pinched together in confusion.

“Wipe me, won’t you?” Seonmi asked and added some cuteness in it because she knew that Xiumin would actually fall for it.

As what she expected, he blushed.

“D-do you really think you’re that seductive for a boy?” he asked.

“I do. If the boy is you then I do,” she answered imitating him.

Xiumin rolled his eyes, but inside he was embarrassed.

“Just say what you want to say,” he demanded in impatience.

“Okay, I like you too,” she confessed.

Without his knowing, a smile began to form on Xiumin’s face. He tried to calm his face down but he couldn’t. He ended up smiling even more.

“Just like that?” he teased. “Oh, I don’t remember saying ‘I like you’ to you,”

Feeling dumbfounded, Seonmi hit Xiumin’s arm. She hit it playfully, but it did hurt. Xiumin took revenge by tickling her waist. She struggled to get out of his way so that he couldn’t tickle her anymore.

“Okay, I do like you, so much,”

“Me too,”

 

They both exchange a long eye contact with smile on both of their faces. Feeling enough, they chuckled and held hands. They forgot for a minute that they were on their way to Seonmi’s house so they decided to continue the walk.

“I wonder what Kris hyung will say about us,” Xiumin blurted out as he looked at the sky. It matched his mood, sunny and bright.

“You’re the one who will explain to him, okay? I’m enough with him saying that we would look cute together and all,”

In the middle of walking, Xiumin stared at Seonmi who was smiling by herself and sometimes glanced at him. He felt a big urgent feeling to lean closer to her. His lips—with the mind of its own—touched her cheeks. Seonmi’s eyes widened before she showed the big smile on her face. She pecked him on the cheek as a return.

 

***

Hi~^^
I'm sorry I took so long to do this oneshot.
I wrote and saved this story in my mom's laptop, but it turned out that she brought it with her when she went away.

Let's just pretend that Kris is older than Xiumin, okay? Well, it looks like that!