It was the dead of winter when I met this peculiar girl. 

Classes got suspended already and I am on my way home. I would sometimes take the train home but today a bus seemed warmer than a train so i outed to take the bus. While waitting, crowds of highschoolers like me are starting to pile up on the stop. All wanted to go home. 

It was so cold that my nose started to feel numb and all the layers of clothing seemed to peel off as the cold started to seep in. The good thing is that as the people started to accumulate and the stop became crowded, body heat coming from everyone compensated the discomfort of being to close to one another. 

When my bus arrived, I squeezed myself inside. It was verry silly of me to bring my guitar along with me in the middle of a weather crisis. In the couple of days that classes would be suspended, I figured out that I would be bored to death so I decided to take the guitar home. 

Passengers looked at me as I pass by one row after the other, trying to find a good seat. The bus handles were good enough to make your hands frostbitten, nobody wanted to stand on the isle. There were sufficient seats, it is only a matter of choosing where to seat. 

On the far end, I saw two vacant seats, one on the left the other on the right side. On the left side sat an old businessman who had a huge potbelly probably as a result of seating on the office for a whole day. On the right side sat a foreigner who just looked outside the window, with my mediocre English speaking skills, I'd rather freeze to death than freeze to death trying to speak in English. 

But not far from me was a vacant seat I didn't notice at first. 

I didn't have much choices left and the bus spead away, so I just sat at the third vacant seat. 

I sighed and it made my throat very dry as cold air rushed through my nasal cavity and I felt it very precisely that it was like pulling out ice from my nostrills. 

I fixed my things and made myself comfortable. It would probably take me an hour to get to my stop due to traffic and who knows, maybe an accident. 

I don't usually mind other people's business but I heard someone sob. 

As it turns out, the girl that sat beside me was the one who sobbed. I looked at her with an irritated expression written all over my face, not that I intended too but I was sure it was what she saw. I don't like people aroung me letting too much emotions because I am find it uncomfortable consoling them. More properly said: I don't know how to comfort people. 

Most of them see me, a person who's as cold as today's temperature. 

I realized that she didn't pay any attention to me and continued to cry. She held back her tears as much as she can. 

I wanted to turn my back and change into a different seat but I was already caught in the act. I would be very unpleasant to act that way. I am already a grown up. I know my manners. 

Her hands were shaking and that caught my attention. 'She was holding a cup of sundae ice cream. On the other hand she had a sundae spoon. 

Who eat's ice cream in subzero weather? 

There must be something wrong. 

Even the sundae didn't seem to melt. 

She scooped icecream from the cup and ate it. I watched her in ironic disbelief. It made her lips very red as blood rushed to her veins to keep her warm. I was waiting for her tears to freeze midway her cheeks as it fell down one by one making her cheeks pinkish as cold teardrops trickled down her cheeks. 

When she finished it all up, she was shaking due to the cold. I was alarmed by it. I was afraid she'd just freeze there and die. 

I once watched on tv a show about survival tips. I saw that when I person suffers from a cold shock, the best way to transfer heat to his/hers system is by hugging the person, giving off some of your body heat. 

I thought that I'd just give her my scarf so that she can use it instead, but when I tried taking it off, I realized that I would be the one who'd freeze to death if I did so. 

So I waited for a few moments, thinking that she'd get better but it only worstened. 

I was completely hesitant, ofcourse you're both complete strangers with one another and it would be completely wrong to suddenly hug a stranger. The last thing that I wanted to hear is that people calling me a ert. 

"Hey are you ok?"

She shook her head. 

"You're nuts. What are you doing with icecream in the middle of a snowstorm? Do you seriously want to freeze to death?"

She didn't respond. 

I can she her finger nails turning blue. 

I just summoned all my courage and I hugged her. Loosely at first, still she trembled in the cold so I hugged her tighter. I can feel her shaking subside as I patted her back lightly. I also felt that she became more at ease. 

This made me really tensed, as if my body was like an oven switched on. 

When I looked out the window, I saw that I am near my stop so I released her. 

We didn't say anything at each other. She didn't even say thank you. I stood up, took of my scarf and gave it to her. I felt like I don't have to use it anymore. 

I got off the bus and ran home. 

It was the first time I got close with a girl.

After that, I can't stop thinking about her. 

I tried to recall her face. 

I wanted to know why was she crying.

I should have asked her her name. 

It was the first time that I felt like I cared for someone.

All that I know is that she had my scarf with her. 

SUMMER, TWO YEARS AFTER. 

I just moved in on my own apartment. I have two more years left till I graduate from college. 

The housemovers were in and out of my apartment the whole day. 

When I can finally settle down and relax, I heard someone knocking on my door. 

I went to check.

"Hi, if there's anything I can help you with, don't hesitate. I'm Suzy, your neighbor."

There stood a girl, probably the same age as I am. Tall, with long hair, fair skinned, smiles really well. 

"Ah sure thanks. Myungsoo."

I smiled back. I was a bit shy to be welcomed in that way. 

She stepped closer and took a good look at my face. I was taken a back. I am not really good at socializing. She looked closer, her eyes widened. 

"Wait, just a sec I'll be back", she said and ran across the hall.

I waited for her. It took her a while to comeback. With her was a box, she was catching her breath as she tried to regain composure. 

"Here! I think this belongs to you."

It was the dark blue scarf I gave to the peculiar girl two years ago. 

She smiled. 

"Thanks..you're the only one who cares for me. I hope you didn't get sick back then. I'll make it up to you. Promise..."

"Would you like to go get icecream?"