"Hyung, look. It's snowing."

Minhyun looked up from the cobblestone path, eyes squinting shut as flutters of white landed on his nose and eyelids and atop the black mask he was wearing. The weather had long turned cold since the last few weeks, too cold to be brushed off as Autumn. Trees have shed its autumn foliage and lost the shades of green, branches turning bare and rattling in the wind. It was too cold to simply walk out without a thick turtleneck on top of a warm undershirt, too cold to miss out on a long coat with heat packs in both pockets. Eventually that would have to be layered on with an additional padded coat, but for now, it was still bearable under the simple layers. 

The male turned away with a pursed lip pout, hidden behind the black mask that covered half his face. The taller male laughed, voice muffled behind the collar of his turtleneck that was tugged upwards all the way below his nose. Deck in matching colors with the exception of a brown coat instead of dark grey, the model looked stunning under the glow of the afternoon rays - and no matter how many times he's seen the younger strut the walkway or grace the covers of magazines, it still felt different watching him in such close proximity when they're outside and decently dressed. Being a known name in the industry often led to more casual dressing in private sphere in seek of more alone time, but today was a date, and exceptions were made.

( It's no wonder that the very tips of his ears turned pink, then, though the singer would pass it off as the chilling breeze out in open space. )

With eyes turning into long slits in his laughter, the only visible indication, Minhyun resisted the urge to pull it down so he could have a face-full of wind for laughing at him. But he eventually settled on a firm bump of their shoulders, deciding that it's way too cold to remove his hands from the pockets of his coat. The elder would very much have preferred the warmth of the floor heating back in their apartment, cuddling up under the covers and newly bought bean bags as he read the latest book from Higashino Keigo, warm tea in hand. Hyunbin would be off playing his mobile games, as per usual, or napping away like a bear in need of his hibernation as Winter loomed.

And now, with the fall of the first snow, Winter had officially made its presence known.

"Hyungie, you look like a sunbathing fox."
"Oh, not Comme des Garçons today?"
"No, not Comme the Gasso today."

It's the singer's turn to laugh, turning away briefly as he looked at his own feet. The same pair appeared as Hyunbin shifted, stepping close enough that the tips of their canvas shoes barely touched, the red heart with eyes painted on the sides. He didn't need to pull down the turtleneck to see the younger's amused yet serious expression because he could visualize it well inside his mind. Years of living together had allowed him to paint every detail of his lover's facial features into his mind. The fun-loving smile that could rival the sun, the wavering eyes of uncertainty followed by the nervous bite of his bottom lip, to the partly swollen and red face as he woke up from a late slumber. Minhyun sometimes wished that he was a painter or a photographer, so he could print every moment on a piece of canvas to document them. 

Then again, with Hyunbin by his side, perhaps, there was little need to do so.

"...What are you doing?"

He looked up to find Hyunbin with his hands clasped tightly together as if in prayer, and waited for the model to be done with whatever he was doing. It's nothing too unusual by now, considering the number of odd things the brunet had done over the years. Spontaneity lived in every gene of his excitable lover, resulting in a series of hilarious, meme-worthy selfies, random dates and outbursts, as well as flabbergasting situations that he would get himself into. Like the time he got his foot stuck in between the metal gates at the part, a result of his sudden inclination to force his foot through the bars without reason. Or the time they took a left turn instead of the right on their random drives, ending up on the highway out of Seoul until he miraculously found a shortcut to make a u-turn back home. But for as many misunderstandings, frustrations and bouts of disbelief it brought Minhyun, he couldn't deny the adventurous episodes were memories that he could laugh about for days to come.

"You're supposed to make a wish for first snow, Minhyunnie hyung. You don't know?"

The exaggerated gasp earned Hyunbin another hard bump on his elbows before he looked up to the skies. Making a wish for first snow was a distant memory now, akin to the elementary chatter and debates on whether Santa is real. Minhyun believed in none of those things because wishes were too hopeful and impractical as compared to tangible efforts and hard work, because sometimes destiny was to be fought for and fate lies in his decisions. But logical explanations flew out the window under Hyunbin's expectant look, and he couldn't help but give in, just like time and time again, and raised his hands to clasp in the same fashion as the model did before.

It was odd, two tall men situated in the middle of a not-so-busy shopping street, making wishes under the descending first snow of the Winter. Even then, Minhyun was sincere in his actions (because if you were to do it, might as well give in your all); eyes closed and head dipped, chin resting atop his knuckles, he made a quick, brief wish like how he would at a birthday party of his own.

Eyes opening to the breath of warm air, Minhyun found himself face to face with the handsome features he's grown to love, so close that every exhale from Hyunbin ghosted over his mask and exposed skin. A flush of embarrassment rushed up his neck, exposed in the tint around his ears, so much so that it looked like it'd bleed with a gentle pinch of fingers. His first instinct was to step away because the chatter of a passing group of girls was enough to pull him back to the reality that they weren't alone, that the very distant ring of a bicycle and chimes as doors opened and closed were all warning bells ringing in his head.

"Hyunbin-"
"Fulfill my wish, hyung."

Maybe it's the frost in the air and the need for warmth, or maybe it's the tiniest bit of curiousity. But when an arm gripped onto his waist so firmly that his hands found leverage on the younger's shoulders, the caress of cold wind with his mask removed quickly blocked and replaced by the heat of Hyunbin's pouty lips, Minhyun closed his eyes and found himself pressing his lips in return.

It was crazy. Them, kissing in the middle of a street no matter how little people there are strolling by. They were always so careful when they were out, never holding hands unless absolutely sure they were alone or well concealed among the festive crowd. They bumped shoulders more so than interlace their fingers, and they sneak little pecks on cheeks in toilets or behind walls in a dead spot that no one else would be able to see.

But this, with the sun still shining upon them and warming his hair and the little bits of unconcealed skin; between the lul of chimes from the jewelry store further down the street to the soft gasps and gossip by passers-by, Minhyun found himself letting go for once, even if it was just a quick moment in reality. His back was facing away from the slow stream of onlookers, some hurrying through in embarrassment of such bold display of affection, others hesitating in their steps out of shock and confusion. Time seemed to slow down as his shivering fingers curled tightly against the cashmere coat, butterflies settling in the bottom of his stomach warming him up. 

"Heol? Isn't that Hyunbin?"
"...who? Since when is Hyunbin-nim so tall."
"No, Kwon Hyunbin, the model? YG K+? No?"
"...heol, no way. Why would he be kissing in broad daylight like this? With a man? Yah, any tall handsome dudes and you're going to call them a famous model?"
"Looks like- but right. Right."

The chatter of the handful of people had dispersed soon enough, and the streets were quiet once more before Hyunbin pulled away, the arm locking him in place losing the firm grip. Minhyun blinked from his mild haze, before the realization of what happened put a rosy hue across his pale cheeks. That, coupled with the cheeky wide grin from the younger had him blushing in shame for how absurd the whole event was. Swift fingers tucked the mask back on with careful movements, and Minhyun raised both hands to cover his eyes as if his self-consciousness would ease away just like that.

( The singer knew that they just got lucky this time, but he would take it regardless. )

A pair of larger hands removed them from his fox-like eyes, and Minhyun puffed his cheeks in retaliation, a nagging mumble of how he shouldn't be doing such things in public could be heard behind his mask. Hyunbin had pulled his turtleneck up again, but his curved eyes couldn't hide the glee, and it was the soft call of his name followed by the warmth of their intertwined hands that had him heaving in defeat.

"Minhyunnie hyung, it's alright. No one recognized us."

He closed his eyes, allowing Hyunbin to hid their intertwined hands into the pockets of his jacket, tugging him back along the path once more. The street was silent again, with sounds so seemingly distant that Minhyun almost thought they were wrapped up in the bubble of their own world right now. Shoulders bump into one another every now and then due to the close distance they kept, but the younger's warm hand was an inviting excuse for him to stop his derailing train of worries in his mind.

"Right, hyung, what's your wish?"
"..."
"Secret? Why is it a secret?"
"...wishes won't come true if you speak it out loud, Hyunbin ah."

Lips curling upwards in amusement at the grumblings now coming from the younger, he leaned his head close to his shoulders before straightening up. It was a gesture of appreciation, almost like a word of thanks, even if Hyunbin did not quite understand the reason behind it. Still, he basked in the attention, distracted enough to start pointing out his favourite stores and dragging him towards them.

His lover had tried prodding later that night over dinner, but Minhyun merely chirped over a mouthful of mashed potatoes that his wish was fulfilled.

For he had wished that, one day, perhaps, they could hold hands in broad daylight without the scrutiny of others.

Even if the 'one day' had been too literal in the last few hours, Minhyun knew that it was as close to the wish being a reality as it could get. So for that one day, he would allow himself the luxury of what seemed like an actual date for the first time. 

And this first snow - their first snow - was a memory to be cherished for the end of time.

a/n: so i heard that it started snowing in seoul yesterday, 20 november (i am 1 hour and 19 mins late in korean time :"c) and this story just came to mind. can't believe i clocked in close to 2k words today. treat it as a make-up for the really short chapter last week. have a good day, readers and i hope you guys would enjoy this impromptu chapter too. as always, feel free to drop by my twitter mhb_sng or my curiouscat.^^ my kofi donation is here for those interested!