"First snowfall, hyung."

I stick out my tongue and let the snowflakes fall onto it.

"How does it taste, Taeminnie?"

My tongue rolls back into my mouth as I look at Jonghyun-hyung.

"Pure!" I laugh.

He laughs at my silliness and links his arm with mine.

"Too coooold!" He pouts.

"It's not too far of a walk to the car, hyung. Don't pout! Besides, look at your surroundings. Pretty, isn't it? Enjoy it! Smile!" I nudge him in the arm, playfully.

"We could be in a snowstorm and you would still be in high spirits! Smiling no matter what, huh, dongsaeng?" He smiles at me.

I pull the scarf around my neck a little tighter and nod. "Neh! Smiling makes everything better."

"Even when you're in pain?"

I look up at him and smile. "It helps."

"You're in pain right now, right?" He nods his head toward my foot. "Your ankle..."

"Is that why you linked arms with me, hyung? To help me walk?"

I see a little surprise in his eyes before he pouts. "I was cold, you know. Besides, that's not answering my question."

"I can manage. It's not that bad at all." I give him an encouraging smile.

He stops walking and forces me to stop, as well. "We're at the car. Get in and I'll drive us home."

"Can we do something ridiculous today, hyung?" I smile devilishly.

"I get the feeling I won't like this. Especially, coming from you! What is it?" He looks at me suspiciously.

"Let's walk all the way home!"

"Eh?! Taemin, that's a one hour walk! At the least!"

"Just once. Besides, it's early."

"You're ankle--"

"Better to exercise it, neh?" I interrupt.

He sighs. "Fine!"

We leave the car and continue walking along the lightly snow-covered streets.

"See? It's not so ridiculous! We're just walking."

"In the snow! In thirty degrees! At three in the afternoon! Instead of a nice warm bed--I'm using my day off walking in the cold! We can't get more ridiculous, right?"

"Right!" I laugh.

"So why the sudden want to go out today? And walk?" He asks.

"To make my ankle and self-esteem feel better."

"Eh?"

"Because, hyung, walking in the snow and being with you is making me smile! It's making me happy!"

"Don't you think that's why I agreed to walking with you and spending my day off out here?" He sinks his face deeper into his scarf.

"Am I that obvious?" I look at the ground and shake my head.

"With us, neh! Sometimes we know too much about each other!" He laughs.

I smile. "Never! Or else, you would have been a grump and not agreed to do this with me!"

"Agreed." He smiles.

"At home, I was so bored in bed all day. My ankle hurt and I was disappointed in myself for getting hurt. Staying inside just wasn't doing anything for me! Sure, the jokes you hyungs crack can add a burst of laughter but it wasn't enough. Today, I just had to throw myself out of that bed, go outside, take a walk to exercise this stupid ankle, and just be happy!"

"So you're doing better?"

"Honesty?"

He nods.

"My ankle still hurts a little but because I'm smiling--it's not as bad as it would be in bed."

"Let's make you smile even more! That way your ankle won't hurt at all." He smiles.

"What do you have in mind, hyung?"

He comes up from behind me, kneels to put his head in between my legs, and stands up to carry me on his shoulders.

"Hyung!" I laugh.

"Am I curing you?"

I put my arms around his neck and smile.

"Neh! They say laughter is the best medicine."

 

****

Short and sweet, I guess? :)

Comments are loved! And thanks for reading!

-T4L