Breathe deeply Jonghyun. Breathe deep.

Jonghyun shivered from the cold autumn breeze that crept into his black long coat, hugging himself closer and stuffing his hands into the pockets. He scrunched his shoulders, wiggling into his black turtleneck and rubbed his jeans together, regretting his choice of denim.

It felt good to look stylish and with his current outfits and clothes he was sure to attract attention, earning shy giggles from passersby as he gave a polite smile to whoever looked at him curiously. He gave his boots a tap as the wristwatch clicked in sync with the footsteps that approached him.

"I can't believe you're here earlier than me." Key said, his brows rising in amazement. He stepped next to his friend; the two men giving off warm vibes as city men, both having a very careful eye for fashion.

Key looked handsome as usual, his outfit a lot more eye-catching than Jonghyun's chic wardrobe.

"Good afternoon to you too." Jonghyun replied, giving a quick glance at his watch, "Where's Onew?"

"He said he was on his way." Key made a face, pulling out his phone, "I purposefully told him the meeting time was at 11:50am so that'd he'd come at 12."

"Is that him?"

Key looked over Jonghyun's back as Jonghyun peered at the running figure, scoffing when they identified who it was.

"GUYS!" The man huffed, "GUYSS WAIT FOR ME!"

"What took you so long?" Key snapped as soon as Onew collapsed onto the both of them, gasping for air, scarf hanging for its life on Onew's neck.

"Did, did you guys wait for me?" Onew checked the time on his phone; feeling touched at his friends' loyalty and then did a quick double-take at Jonghyun when he realized he was snickering. "What happened?" Onew squinted.

"Fix yourself you look like chaos." Key fussed, smacking the dangling scarf. Onew fumbled to grab the scarf and then whipped it across his neck, patting down his jacket, still looking at Jonghyun for a clear answer.

"The meeting time is at 11. You're good." Jonghyun waved lazily, watching at how Onew’s eyes widened in realization and playfully shoved Key in annoyance, who yelped out in shock.

"I COULD'VE SLEPT MORE!" Onew wailed in disappointment, shaking his phone in anger.

"OR!" Key stomped over to Onew, "You could've been late!"

Onew groaned, plugging his ears with his fingers and ignoring Key's complaints.

"I assume neither of you are embarrassed at how much of a ruckus you are making?"

Everyone turned around at the stern voice, Onew's lips splitting into a relieved smile.

"Thank god you're here. At least one person can control that guy." Onew gestured to Key, making a face.

Key scoffed, at a loss of words at Onew's childish tattletaling and stopped at Ji Eun's choice of outfit, frowning in judgment. Ji Eun stared right back at him, challenging him to make a comment. He second thought it, but opened his mouth to voice it.

"Are you seriously wearing that on a day out?" He pointed out, and both Onew and Jonghyun made an exaggerated gasp at Key's daring words. "What! I'm just asking." Key's eyes widened and shook his head slightly in fake confusion.

Ji Eun had dressed lightly compared to the current weather, wearing a pair of dark jeans, a dark plain gray t-shirt, and a dark fall coat that fell loosely above her knees. Jonghyun shivered just at the sight of her, agreeing wordlessly that he disagreed with Ji Eun's choice of wardrobe.

"You just look cold." Onew eventually also nodded, snuggling happily in his thick padded jacket, frowning in realization that his jacket stopped at his hips, which left his lower half cold and exposed.

"We'll be studying inside." Ji Eun said, scrunching her nose in a sniff, "I didn't think I would need such clothing."

She turned to Key and motioned at his bright and decorative coat, pairing it with a plain white cotton sweater that seemed to sparkle slightly at each move he made. He looked at her with skeptical eyes, finding nothing wrong with his outfit. The genius blinked slowly as if fed up, and turned to Onew who was trying to get her attention.

"I'm sure you didn't, I didn't really think much about what I was wearing either." Onew smiled cheerfully, defending Ji Eun, offering his scarf when Ji Eun shivered from the cold.

"No thanks. We'll go as soon as sunbae comes." Ji Eun shook her head, her eyes matching with Jonghyun.

Jonghyun was in mid-offer of his gloves, ones that he had stuffed into his pocket due to not being able to use his phone, but Ji Eun refused him with an eye roll.

"You should give that to her." She snapped quietly when she approached him and Jonghyun made a small 'o' with his mouth before shoving them back into his pocket, not before giving a glance at Ji Eun's slender red hands.

"You guys are making me seem like douches." Key hissed, his hand stuffed in a pocket, a bulge from his pocket signaling he was grabbing something. Onew grinned at the sight and snickered.

"You're such a tsundere Key."

"WHAT?!" Key yelped, covering his mouth when the passersby jumped in shock and gave a sharp glare at Onew. Shaking his free fist, Key ran over to Onew in an attack attempt. Ji Eun stepped out of the way, earning a puppy look of betrayal from Onew who immediately went down as Key tackled him.

"You are a delusional maniac!" Key shoved carefully, despite the situation.

"You are messing-" Onew grunted, "With the wrong maniac!"

Ji Eun stepped next to Jonghyun, avoiding the boys.

Jonghyun finding the oppurtunity to tease Ji Eun, rested his elbow on her shoulders.

"The perfect arm rest."

Jonghyun grunted as Ji Eun gave a sharp poke that had minimal motion but effective pain. Jonghyun twisted his body to hold his ribcage in a futile attempt to ease it, if that was even possible. Ji Eun gave a satisfied nod, smirking at Jonghyun's pain. Jonghyun peered at her, clicking his tongue.

"You know what."

Ji Eun looked up at Jonghyun's voice, still keeping a smug look.

"I don't think you're an actual person will feelings." Jonghyun continued at Ji Eun's scoff, "I've done some things that I've done to you to other girls, just to test out if it was me that was losing my attractiveness." Jonghyun shook his head and pursued his lips together. "But everyone else has confessed that they've felt their heart beat or at least skip, even my closest lady friends."

Ji Eun raised a brow at him, her smirk amused, as if she was entertaining a small child.

"Oh really? Well, just keep in mind, those exactly aren't friends then. You don't feel romantic feelings for friends. Not ever." Ji Eun nodded and stopped Jonghyun from speaking when he opened his mouth in protest, "That moment when you feel something for them, makes you into potential lovers. Unless it goes away in a split second, you're not friends. Whether it be long lasting, short lived, or one-sided."

Jonghyun pouted, scrunching his nose.

"You and your love talk. When can I have an actual friend conversation with you?"

"This is my friend conversation." Ji Eun protected herself, "You're just going to have to accept that I'm this kind of person."

Jonghyun grunted as he stuffed his hands deeper into his pocket.

"Besides, I don't feel anything when you do those things because I understand why you do them." Ji Eun said.

"Oh?" Jonghyun turned around in curiosity, "Why do I?"

"It's because you want to see how girl's react to you. You're self conscious and you get confidence over that."

Jonghyun thought about it, gave a crooked and small nod, humming in thought.

"Though I don't mind you're using me to fulfill your arrogance, that kind of motive just doesn't do it for me. " Ji Eun explained, shrugging her shoulders. "Most girls don't understand or see the real reason why you flirt with them, so they tend to unconsciously think you're interested, or that you're nice."

"I don't like how well you know me." Jonghyun grumbled.

"You agree?"

"To be completely honest, yeah." Jonghyun let out a small laugh.

"Well at least you don't tell useless lies." Ji Eun patted Jonghyun's head, Jonghyun leaning down when Ji Eun struggled.

"Oh and also-"

"JI EUN LOOK!"

Ji Eun stopped mid-sentence, turning her body towards Onew who was waving a small rectangular pack in the air, far away from Key's reach who was shouting in annoyance.

"GIVE IT BACK!" Key strained against Onew's strength, reaching for the pack to no avail. "Why is it only in these types of situations you get super strong?" Key spat, giving up when Ji Eun walked over to see.

Jonghyun followed close behind, laughing at Key's ruined hair, the diva rushing to fix it when Jonghyun pointed it out. "It's the chicken he eats." Jonghyun nudged Ji Eun with his elbow, who responded with a head shake in shame.

Ji Eun let the pack fall onto her hands, grasping it when it warmed her hands, Onew rubbing it in with a big smile and red cheeks.

"You were making this entire ruckus for a hot pack?" Ji Eun looked up in confusion.

"NO." Key spat.

"Yes." Onew cackled, Jonghyun having to hold Key back from pummeling Onew. "This is what he was trying to give you," Onew smiled, "but I think he got scared of giving it to you just in case you said no. Since you said no to everyone else."

Ji Eun broke into a huff of a small laugh.

"Key's cute, huh?"

Everyone's eyes widened at Ji Eun's sweet comment, Key's ears growing red.

"Dude, your ears are totally red."

"It's because I'm cold." Key mumbled, the 'cold' spreading from his ears to his face.

"Like a little spoiled child."

The three boys took a moment to piece the two dialogues together, Ji Eun innocently looking from boy to boy. She honestly didn't get why Jonghyun and Onew burst out in laughter, she was just saying her opinion.

Key's face grew red, for different reason and he stomped over, snatching the hot pack from Ji Eun's hands.

"Let's GO." He huffed.

"WOW." Onew gasped.

"Hey, there’s no reason to take it away. Her hands are like ice."

Ji Eun looked up at Jonghyun silently, eyes slightly enlarged at Jonghyun's habit of manner. He looked down at his hands; almost engulfing Ji Eun's hands in an unconscious attempt to warm them up. 

He didn't realize that in the past moment, he took away Onew's hands that were rubbing Ji Eun's hands together and replaced them with his own. He felt Ji Eun's slender fingers between his, something awkward about the weird way they loosely enlaced each other.

In a weird way?

Jonghyun paused, shaking the thought out mentally.

In a good way?

He found himself pushing Ji Eun's hands away, towards Onew, at the next thought that popped in his head.

In a perfect way.

"Sorry." Jonghyun mumbled, his nose burying under the turtle neck, shoulders hunching up and hands shoving into the long coat, back where they belonged. Ji Eun stared at Jonghyun, probably in analysis, and then quickly looked away.

Jonghyun couldn't help wondering about what he had said to her, the prickling thought continuously bothering him.

I wonder if her heart skipped a beat.

He couldn't defeat the curiosity and looked up at Ji Eun's face.

He sighed with relief when he saw that she looked normal, as if nothing had happened. He assumed that she examined him and came to the conclusion that it was just an accident and the skin ship was totally unintentional.

His hands balled into warm fists, Ji Eun's cold hands leaving feeling of a thin ice layer that coated his palms.

Ji Eun pulled her hands away from Onew, who resumed to helping Ji Eun after he came back from chasing Key. The diva himself came back, huffing. Onew started to scold him, something that rarely happened, and was cut off by a soft smack on Ji Eun's hands.

"SORRY." Key snapped, stomping in the direction of the library at the sight of Taeyeon sunbae running towards them in a rush.

"I swear. Tsundere." Onew scoffed, made sure that Ji Eun had the hot pack secure in her hands, and went after Key, planning to console him.

Ji Eun smiled politely as Taeyeon crashed into Ji Eun in a tight hug, on replay for apologies for being late.

"Sorry! Were you waiting long?" Taeyeon let go of Ji Eun, the two face to face, and smiled with relief when Ji Eun shook her head. "Oh my god, your hands are so cold! Why are you only wearing this?" Taeyeon sputtered, rushing to unravel her scarf.

Before Ji Eun could begin to protest, Jonghyun stepped in, handing his love consultant his gloves which stopped Taeyeon.

"She's been stubborn, but we should at least leave one girl warm?" Jonghyun shook the gloves in his hands, looking directly at Taeyeon.

Taeyeon looked worriedly at Ji Eun, who took the gloves silently, immediately putting them on for assurance.

"But..." Taeyeon reluctantly and loosely wrapped the scarf around her neck.

"She'll be fine." Jonghyun smiled, earning a nod from Ji Eun, "I don't want you catching a cold sunbae."

Taeyeon smiled softly with a mix of confusion, it completely wiping away when Jonghyun stepped closer to her, adjsuting the scarf to make it tighter and warmer.

Ji Eun paused and quickly turned to avoid bothering the two. Following Onew's footprints, she shoved her hands into the pocket with the hotpack and pushed against the sudden strong breeze that sent shivers down everyone's spine.

Taeyeon looked at Ji Eun's lonely figure and then at Jonghyun with uncertainty, her heart conflicting with her mind as Jonghyun sweetly smiled after patting her scarf.

"You look like a turtle!" Jonghyun finished, laughing.

Taeyeon looked down to realize the scarf came up to the bottom of her eyes, her words coming out muffled. Her laugh came out muted, hands wrapped warmly in white gloves lightly smacking Jonghyun's arm.

"You jerk! You're the one wearing a turtle neck." Taeyeon smiled, tugging the scarf down lower so that she could speak comfortably.

"We're probably the cutest turtles ever." Jonghyun snickered.

Taeyeon stopped mid-giggle.

"Are you playing hard to get?" Taeyeon motioned towards Ji Eun's figure in the distance. Jonghyun gently pulled Taeyeon to walk, nodding his head after a buffered shake and confused look.

"I... I just thought that maybe she'd notice me if I played hard to get?" Jonghyun questioned, not really thinking that Taeyeon would ask him a question so straightforward and so immediately.

His heart felt a pinch, at the reminder of Taeyeon so openly ‘helping’ him.

"Well... Don't overdo it. The way you were talking made it sound like you were comparing us." Taeyeon frowned sadly, "It sounded as if you didn't like her. Not even just playing hard to get."

Jonghyun winced inwardly at Taeyeon's worried comment, admitting to himself that his choice of wording was inconsiderate. "I'll apologize when the timing is right?" Jonghyun suggested, guiding Taeyeon towards the rest of the group.

"You should." Taeyeon glanced at her watch and gasped at the time, "Did you guys eat lunch by the way?"

"No. We didn't think of eating."

"I know a really good place. How about studying at a cafe?" Taeyeon smiled, her steps increasing in speed as she saw the three hoobaes waving for attention.

"Guys! Taeyeon sunbae is suggesting we eat at a cafe and maybe have our study session there!" Jonghyun yelled, hand cupping his mouth for extra volume.

The three talked briefly, all agreeing with an exaggerated nod.

"Hurry up! We're hungry!" Onew shouted, Key smacking him at the volume.

"He's hungry!" Key corrected, hiding a smile when Ji Eun laughed softly.

Jonghyun grinned and softly grabbed Taeyeon's hand, pulling her with a soft tug. Taeyeon let out a short yelp in shock as she let herself get pulled, laughing when Jonghyun did, the two going from a walk to a brisk jog.

"We don't want Onew to get hungry! Trust me." Jonghyun winked, matching his speed with Taeyeon's, earning a shy laugh, her gloved hand going up to cover .

"I'll trust you." Taeyeon smiled, tilting her head.

She ignored the guilty feeling that dully scratched her and grasped Jonghyun's hand as tightly as he did, letting herself get swept away by him and the mood. She wanted to blame the chain of events and give herself an excuse for letting her heartbeat at the younger man’s actions.

Jonghyun beamed with happiness and shifted his hand to not only hold Taeyeon's hand, but to wrap around her fingers as it did before with Ji Eun.

He noticed the way Taeyeon sunbae's hand were warm underneath the glove, and how much longer her fingers were than Ji Eun's was. Jonghyun could already feel how pretty and delicate her hands were.

He let out a laugh out of uncontained happiness, wishing the moment would last forever, hating the glove that was separating his hands and Taeyeon's. He wished he could hold her hand tighter, bring it closer, envelope it with both of his hand and not just one. His heart felt fuzzy, his heart felt light, and his brain also let itself fall on the giddy mood that sprung into the air like a wave.

Then his eyes fell on Ji Eun's red hands.

They looked cold and Jonghyun couldn’t help himself as his laugh fizzed to a confused smile.

Why wasn't she wearing the gloves? Why was she enduring the cold when she didn't have to?

His eyes searched for his gloves, darting from her pocket to her small bags that lie on her hip.

He didn't mean to, but his brows scrunched together in more confusion. It dug deeper into his face as he was unable to understand the sight of his gloves on Onew's hands.

Why did she give Onew his gloves? Why wasn't she wearing them?

Jonghyun's smile sputtered and it lay flat on his face, like it wasn't his. Before he knew it, all he could think about was the girl's small red hands.

It lay on her side as if they weren't cold but with a single glance, you could tell that the cold wind wasn't doing anything to help her.

He let out a weak laugh that was disguised very well as Taeyeon slowed to a stop in front of the two boys, breathing heavily.

"Sunbae, you do tennis. Why are you so out of breath?" Key snorted.

Taeyeon lightly smacked Key in response, an embarrassed laugh sputtering out of her.

Jonghyun laughed along, but he wasn't exactly paying attention, his eyes zoned in on Ji Eun's hands.

Ji Eun's eyes darted from Key and Taeyeon sunbae to Jonghyun, to her hands, and she coolly hid them behind her back, looking away silently.

Jonghyun shot her a look, demanding an answer to fulfill his curiosity, his head giving a small shake of confusion.

"Will you please lead the way sunbae?" Ji Eun said, ignoring the burn of Jonghyun's eyes, her back completely turning to her client.

Jonghyun reached out to grab Ji Eun's hands, but hesitated when Taeyeon clapped her hands and rushed to the front.

In that split second, Ji Eun's small red hands and Taeyeon's gloved ones both called for his attention.

Were they for different reasons?

Jonghyun couldn't figure it out.

Time seemed to stop in front of him, even the fall of dust waiting patiently for his decision.

He just knew he couldn't forget the way Ji Eun's fit into his, the way he just felt the need to protect her, or the way it felt (dare he admit it) nice at how her hands curled into his hands. It kicked him in the gut and he refused to believe that it was anything more than just his habit of manner. It hurt, way differently than how any other pain felt for him before and it also just resonated within him in the strangest, most unexplainable way.

But then he remembered Taeyeon's hands, the short time he held her hand and the way it made him feel like he was flying, the way her hands matched into his fingers into beautifully sculpted curves, and the way it was just her. He couldn't throw away the giddiness he still felt, even after letting her go. He yearned for more time with her, he yearned for her warmth, he wanted to hold her, not only her hand.

He just wanted all of her.

But all went black as his thoughts remained concrete on base one.

He hadn't made a choice and time seemed to start flowing, all of a sudden like a bad tempered child, no longer patient, now that he had thought things through, just enough for his body to respond.

His hand reached out, all thoughts following after.

His heart screamed for attention, but his brain just couldn't comprehend.

 

---

 

Hello there! Author here.

I just want to note that I don't have an obvious couple that will drive this story.

My wish for readers, is to guess or predict who will become a couple!

As the title says love consultant, I'd love for you (readers, fellow storywriters) to find out who ends up with who.

I'm sorry if I end up not fulfilling the pairing you like, but I'd appreciate it if you take the characters as the characters and not just blindly as Taeyeon from SNSD or Jonghyun from SHINee or IU.

Thank you for reading and I hope you understand why I haven't made any clear clues for any love lines.

I hope everyone has a nice day/night!

:3