Everything seemed so warm outside, despite the cold. The yellow glow from the streetlights, the couples huddling close to each other for warmth in the harsh winter breeze, the dim lighting from the setting sun against the traditional light gray sky of the season. Yet one soul couldn’t feel any type of warmth resonating through his body. He was alive. From what he could remember. He hadn’t died, but it felt like it. There was a bitter cold aching in his chest and spreading throughout his being.

His doe eyes stared at the figure as it left him. He didn’t want to feel the tears that stained his cheeks. He hated the way that his lip trembled as the object of his affection walked away, fingers tangled with those of another. He lifted his arm to wipe his tears from his face, but they had already dried thanks to the cold of the air curling around him. His body shook, but it wasn’t at all from the cold. He trembled from how loudly the breaking of his heart was echoing in his ears.
 

~~~

Luhan wandered into the corner coffee shop before heading back to his apartment. Too many things would remind him of how his heart was just trampled in the snow and left there to freeze over and dry up. His eyes teared up again as the scene continued to replay in his head, the chime from the bells above the door scaring him in his broken state.

His feet refused to carry him to the counter, not that he’d noticed. He let his body do as it pleased as he made his way to the booth in the far back corner of the shop, staring with blurry eyes through the fogged glass at the world outside. He folded his arms and laid his head atop, fighting back the tears that he could’ve sworn there hadn’t been any more of anyway.

“I’ve fallen in love with him,” Sehun had tried to smile sweetly at him. “I’ve been trying to decide how to tell you, but I couldn’t find a way that wouldn’t hurt you, so I figured it would be best just to say it.”

Luhan nodded weakly, trying to comprehend what his heart and head were refusing to accept. The sight of Sehun’s fingers curling with another made his stomach churn. What really made it hurt was how the fingers of the other gripped at the hand holding his own.

Jongin was his name. They were the same age and Sehun was transferring to his university in the spring. That was how they met after all - through an orientation for new students. They clicked from the beginning, with Jongin’s ice-breaking jokes and managing to get a timid Sehun out of his shell.

Luhan froze as Sehun cupped his cheek, wiping away a tear or two with his thumb before pressing a kiss to his forehead and disappearing in the fog of the dying day, holding onto tightly to the new hands that apparently held his heart.

“It’s closing time,” a gentle voice came from what seemed like a great distance, drowned out by Luhan’s thoughts. He lifted his head, adjusting his forest green beanie and brushing the dirty blonde curls pressing against his forehead from his eyes to see the stranger. Once his eyes adjusted to the present, he realized that most of the lights were out in the shop and the smell of coffee beans and cocoa and baked goods were dying down.

“It’s closing time,” the other repeated, “...Are you okay?”

Luhan couldn’t get himself to speak. Where had his voice gone all of a sudden? It scared him that he’d forgotten what his own voice was supposed to sound like. He hadn’t made a peep during Sehun’s confession and no words left his mouth afterwards.

Warm eyes caught the tears pouring down from the other’s eyes and he couldn’t stop himself from reaching out to wipe them. Luhan stared up at him, startled by the heat of the hand. The apology he received made him smile. A bright smile was given in return and Luhan could feel warmth bubbling in his empty chest.

It was closing time, but the barista sat down across from him. Neither was sure what the pull was that held them in the seats but it was too strong to deny. Comforting words were poured into Luhan’s ears, filling the cracks that the winter breeze had gotten through on his way there. It was possible that there would only be a temporary binding, but Luhan was silently hoping and praying that it wouldn’t. It’d been such a long time since someone had smiled at him that way, so pleasant and so joyful. He couldn’t remember if Sehun had honestly ever smiled at him that way.

For the time being, he’d even forgotten who Sehun was. He could feel himself laughing along with the jokes he heard and smiling sincerely in return. It was a pleasant feeling that felt so incredibly foreign and unreal.

“I’m sorry if this sounds odd, but would you like to come to my apartment for hot chocolate? I can’t exactly make you any here for the night~” That soft smile was there again, with pink-tinted cheeks and a sparkle in his eyes.

Luhan nodded almost immediately, “I’d like that.”

He stood outside, waiting for his host to return as the shop was locked up. He stared up at the sky, blowing out little clouds as his warmth breath danced around with the icy breeze. The chiming of the door’s greeting bells caught his attention again. “I never caught your name,” he turned to face the other, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

“I’m Baekhyun,” the brunette nodded, running his fingers through his hair before sliding on his knitted hat, his ears already turning red from the air.

“Luhan.”

“I know. We’ve run into each other a lot over the year,” he chuckled.

Luhan tilted his head, trying to recognize his face from somewhere.

“It’s fine if you don’t remember me~”

The blond shook his head, disapproving of the statement, but couldn’t bring himself to do anything other than that. He felt bad for not knowing who he was. With a smile like his, how could he have been so easily overlooked?
 

~~~

Baekhyun looked over his shoulder, making sure the older was still following him. He shyly grabbed his hand, forcing him to walk up beside him, giving him a warning that he’d get swept away in the crowded streets if he didn’t keep up. Luhan simply smiled down at the concrete, gripping onto the hand holding his.

The apartment was very cozy as the two settled in in front of the television with their cocoa. It wasn’t on. Instead the two were staring out of the window as it began to snow outside, sneaking glances at each other as they continued their conversation from earlier in the shop.

As the conversation went on, Luhan realized that they really had been around each other a lot lately, their stories casually intertwining with events that they both remembered. From the Santa Claus that rode down the streets of the neighborhood a week ago, giving gifts to the homeless that were trying to get warm as winter finally began to take its toll, to the New Year’s party at the beginning of the year where some boys by the names of Chanyeol and Tao had gotten themselves a little too drunk and had somehow gotten their hands on glitter, throwing it on everyone as they danced around the room.

Luhan could remember him, at least seeing him. He’d never interacted with him and could only remember having seen him standing off in the corner to himself, watching everyone else - seeming to be enjoying himself, but also wishing that he could join in on the fun.

“It’s okay if you don’t remember me,” Baekhyun repeated for the nth time.

“It’s not okay,” Luhan finally replied, “I...I’m beginning to feel like I don’t ever want to forget you...”

Many winters came to pass after that simple encounter. Snow fell and flowers bloomed. There aren’t many rules to love, at least there shouldn’t be. As long as you never forget the one that mends your heart, and that they’ve traded theirs in return.