chapter one

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Everytime it snowed, I closed myself inside my home just wishing for it all to melt away. But, of course, I could never disappear from this planet just because of one little snowflake. But... I wish I could... 

There was only one reason why I hated snow; or just plain winter. It was the season Christmas occupied the minds of busy shoppers, New Years was full of boasts of new year uncompleted resolutions, and the day of love. Ugh. I despise the word love.

Society shows us that love powers over everything. It affects the way people act. The reason why a person does such a thing. The explanation why we have people on this planet. Love. 

"Kim Jong-dae~" Guem Ha-na sang. Her smile curled onto her blushing cheek, and I waved at her. She skipped on her toes over to me, and puckered her lips. I raised an eyebrow in confusions, and she pointed upwards where a mistle-toe hung.

I chuckled and took small steps backwards, "Desperate much?" I joked. Ha-na pouted her rosy colored lips at me, and crossed her arms across her small chest, "Kim Jong-dae! I thought you'd be one of those people who would just slyly give me a peck on the cheek! Why can't you be nice for once?" she asked.

I shrugged, "Ask my parents," Ha-na's jaw dropped and she grabbed my hands, "Yah, don't ever joke about that!" 

Min-seok came in just in time to save me from a long lecture. His chubby cheeks were crimson from the frigid coldness the northern wind blew in Seoul, South Korea.

"Hey Jong-dae, would you like to join me and the guys to some girl's party? She said to invite all the people you can." He asked with his smile. 

I scratched the back of my head, and looked at Sa-rang, "Um, I don't know... Who is she?" I asked and looked back at Min-seok. 

He stuffed his fists in his puffy, red coat and shrugged at the question, "All I know is that Jong-in met her at some club, and they were just... you know how he is." 

Ha-na smiled, "Oppa, how about we go? That way I can meet all of your friends!" My eyes widened in fear and I chuckled, "Uh, not you. You're definitely not going." 

Min-seok snickered and looked above us, "Ah~ mistle-toe. When did you become such a woman-crazed man, Jong-dae? I'm going to leave in a few minutes... So, just tell me your answer. Jong-in wants to tell his 'girlfriend' the number of people he's invited." 

Ha-na continued to tug on my sleeve and draw invisible circles on my back. She knew it drove me mad when someone does that. I bit the side of my lower lip and sighed, "I guess Ha-na can come as well. But I'm not sure it's the greatest idea..." 

"Oh-give her a break Jong-dae! She just wants to meet the rest of our crew! Anyways, she's cool. I like her." Min-seok confessed and blushed... or was his cheeks still red from the cold? Ha-na silently giggled and grinned like a maniac, "Aw~thank you Min-seok oppa!" 

I rolled my eyes and shook off her hand off of my sleeve of my jacket, "I'll get going," I mumbled and left.

I could hear Ha-na and Min-seok's laughter fill the air. I hated it when she openly flirted and giggled with him. It just showed how much she likes him. She's had a crush on him for at least two months since she's arrived in my life. I don't even know why I hang out with her.

I exited the apartment lobby and was hit by the winter air. My nose immediately began to get runny, and was probably redder than Ruldoph's own bright nose.

The cold air was filled with mixed smells of overly used perfume, barbeque being made, and other smells that didn't go so great together. I breathed through my mouth, and looked around seeing the crowd of people walking on the sidewalks along the streets of Seoul.

High school girls in their uniforms were bouncing on their toes at the food stands on the side, and es watched them with thier mouths hanging open with drool running down thier wrinkled chins. What a disgusting sight!

I scoffed in disgust and kept on walking. I avoided the subway as much as I could. I hated the memories I had of the disgusting place that I had slept in when I was younger.

As I passed one of the most popular beauty shops, a girl with long, silky hair dropped her bag of products and quickly grabbed for her things. An old man eyed her, and he slowly made his way over to her.  I just noticed that she was bending over... Oh gosh. How embarrassing.

I quickly attended her, and eyed the old man. A snarl curled on his flaky, dry lips, and he walked away. I looked at the girl. Her eyes glittered with so many emotions, and her cheeks were flushed. I looked away and grabbed the last item on the ground. BB cream. No surprise there.

She stood up, and I handed her the BB cream. She grinned and looked straight into my eyes, "Thank you... Um, I'm sorry for making you stop and help me." She bowed and sighed.

I blinked and felt my lips curl in a smirk/smile, "Oh-it's okay," then I leaned in her ear and whispered, "Be careful of bending over." 

Her eyes widened in shock, and her face grew red, "AISH!" She shouted in fustration and hit her head with her fist, "Aigoo! I'm so stupid!"

I grabbed her wrist from hurting herself, and grinned at her, "You learn from your mistakes. Don't let this happen again, or else an ahjussi will come to get you for sure." I said in a low voice and she stared at me.

"Who are you?" she asked.

I let go of her hand. People kept on walking past us, minding thier own businesses, and I blinked and cocked my head, "Uh... you see.... well..." she rudely walked off leaving me in the middle of the walking crowd.

I shrugged and smirked. It felt kind of nice... helping someone...

"Where have you been?" Chan-yeol asked me as I wrapped the cafe apron around my waist.

I looked at him and sighed, "You don't need to know. By the way, are you going to that party Jong-in's 'girlfriend' invited us to?" Chan-yeol smirked, "Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

Our manager, Jun-myeon, hit both of our heads with his thick planner of parties and reservations, "Yah, it isn't time to discuss our private lives. This isn't the gossip cafe!" He scolded and then smiled, "I'm going too," he added before leaving.

Chan-yeol scratched the top of his messy, dark brown waves and clicked his tongue, "Jong-dae... do you think I should start dating again?" He asked and began to toy with the ribbons that enclosed the plastic wrapping around the new, fresh red bean buns.

I shrugged at his question. Chan-yeol's last girlfriend passed away with cancer, and left him on this corrupted, stupid planet. He cried for months, and wore black like a widow. It wasn't the prettiest sight.

A perky high-school group of girls surrounded the register, and I looked at their faces. They all stared at Chan-yeol who busied himself with the ribbons. Is it my fault for not being good-looking like him?

I cleared my throat and some of the girl's eyes looked at me, "What would you all like to order?" I asked.

One of the girls giggled and smiled at me, "We'd all like mochi... and maybe... um..." "That's all." One of them answered. Their eyes still lingered on Chan-yeol then back at me. 

I rolled my eyes and fought a scoff, "If you're here to stare at us, please just go sit down. I don't want to hear you make up an order just to get closer to him. Take a picture and savor it, because he's not single." I coldly said.

Chan-yeol's eyes widened and he looked at the group of girls. They shot me glares and then walked out of the cafe, "Yah! Wasn't that a little harsh?" he asked. I shrugged, "I was sick of them just staring at you, trying to imagine you without clothes. It was just sickening, so I got rid of them. Really Chan-yeol, you need a girlfriend." 

His head hung low and he looked down, "You think so... hmph."

He pushed me gently away from the register and smiled, "I don't trust you with the customers anymore, because you easily get annoyed. So, just work the orders." I rolled my eyes in annoyance and shrugged, "Sure. It's not like I don't want to anyways." 

"Annyeong, I'd like to have..." a female voice began. I snapped my head in the voice's direction and smiled. 

She bit her lip and pouted.

It was her.