She is officially trapped.

Which , because it’s finally the start of her highly anticipated winter break, a few precious days off from work thanks to the holidays. And oh, did she have grand plans - grand plans to do nothing but stay on the couch in her pajamas all day, reading a book, watching her all-time favorite holiday movies (Sleepless in Seattle and While You Were Sleeping) or her favorite holiday episodes of Friends (all the ones about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year). But now she can’t even set foot into the living room. Because of him.

Inside their bedroom she stops her frantic pacing to sneak a peek of him sitting comfortably on the couch in his trademark black long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants, hair disheveled, big round glasses on, socked feet on top of the coffee table. He’s happily munching on a plate of brownies and a glass of milk while he watches a morning show in Korean. He doesn’t look like he has plans to leave anytime soon.

Frustrated, she turns her attention to her phone, but the message that pops up on her screen does nothing to console her:

Jongdae: You’re my best friend and he’s my bandmate and I love you both, but I’m staying out of this. You’re on your own this time. Sorry. You’ll thank me for this someday, I promise. Fighting! J

“I loathe you. You’re ruining my only time of rest this year L” she types in response to her supposed lifelong friend, in the usual sulky, whiney, spoiled way that Jongdae is already used to from her. It used to always get her what she wants, but ever since he’s gotten a girlfriend it’s become completely useless – these days, it’s almost impossible for Jongdae to get his off the couch unless his girlfriend tells him to do so.

She gives up on her phone and sighs, defeated. If only she can get his off the couch. Argh.

But the truth is, she doesn’t want Kyungsoo off the couch. Not really. Ever since that night, when it first snowed and when he caught her sneaking up into the living room to drape a warmer blanket over him, i.e. when she slipped and kind of gave away the fact that she actually still cares about him, she hasn’t been able to sleep in their bed, all alone, without him beside her.

The bigger problem was she’s never had the courage to ask him to stop sleeping on the couch, either.

So at a little past midnight every night, desperate for sleep (and for him), she would get out of bed and sneak into the living room. And every night she would find space for her on the couch beside Kyungsoo, who would cover her in his warm, comfortable blanket and wrap his even warmer, more comfortable arms around her as soon as she’s settled beside him. She would breathe in his scent, listen to his even breathing, and within minutes, fall into a deep and peaceful sleep.

In the mornings, she’d always wake up first, right at the crack of dawn, feeling embarrassed and awkward and pathetic, so she’d sneak out of the living room as stealthily as she had snuck in the night before. She isn’t fooling anyone though, most especially not Kyungsoo, about her sneaky, secretive ways – she misses him, she’s just too much of chicken to say it.

And Kyungsoo seems to have decided to sit this one out – if she really wants what (who) she wants, she’ll have to do something about it herself.

Conscious of the nice, winter morning that’s slipping away (and getting increasingly annoyed at how cold the floor feels beneath her bare feet), she takes in a deep breath, takes her book and a pillow from the bed, and walks out of the living room.

For a second she’s awkwardly standing there, across the couch, biting her lower lip and dreading the silence. After what feels like forever, Kyungsoo takes his eyes away from the TV and looks at her.

“Good morning,” he says softly, a small smile on his heart-shaped lips.

“…Hi.” Smooth. Really smooth.

“Did you need something?” he asks nicely with a patient gaze and a warm smile from his place on the couch.

“I’m…cold,” she manages to stutter. It’s the truth, technically. She is cold.

“And you’re eating my brownies,” she quickly adds, a little braver this time. “They’re a gift from work.”

“Oh, these? I’m sorry, I thought they were fan gifts. I didn’t know they were yours.” He still has that genuine, unwavering smile, and he keeps talking in that annoyingly kind, patient tone, and his eyes are bright and happy beneath those glasses and his hair is disheveled and ruffled in that way she’s always liked on him and it’s all just annoyingly, frustratingly…disarming.

“There’s still a lot left,” he tells her, pointing at the box of brownies on the coffee table, still with that patient smile. “And there’s milk too.”

She nods and waits for him to ask her to sit beside him so they can share, but he says nothing else and just keeps looking at her with that smile on his face, and she’s annoyed, frustrated he wouldn’t just ask her so they can finally get over this incredibly long cold war that’s gone on far longer than she’s wanted it to.

Fine, then. Fine! she thinks, and with one last internal, petulant grunt, she takes a small step towards him.

“Can I…have some? I mean, we can share. On the couch. I want to read my book. And the bed is too cold today. And I’m cold. And…yeah.”

For one frozen moment she waits for him to say something, and she worries he’ll be mean and tell her no, or laugh at how pathetic she sounds. But instead Kyungsoo’s patient smile turns into a brighter, happier one, his eyes crinkling into half-moons as he pats the space beside him.  In an instant she’s snuggled up to him on the couch, cheeks flushed red in embarrassment but happy and warm by his side, with his arms wrapped protectively around her. Kyungsoo seems pretty pleased with how everything’s turned out as well, though things could be even better, he thinks. He slowly turns her chin so he can look at her before placing a warm, gentle kiss on her cold lips. He feels her cling to him even tighter, hands reaching up so she can run her fingers through his hair as she kisses back eagerly, and he can’t help but smile into the kiss.  

Maybe the winter won’t be so cold after all.