The feeling of a warm hand on yours was comforting. Even if the hands weren’t the softest, they bring with them tranquility and a feeling of being protected. The way they felt and the way they were wrapped around yours was all too familiar to you. As you strolled around holding Jinki’s hand, you were taken back to the first time you reached out to hold it.

You were at this same street when it happened. Cafes, restaurants, and bookstores lined the walkway. It was your first time going to that particular cafe together. The cold autumn weather almost begged you two to get a hot drink. Jinki had had black coffee and you, hot mocha, the usual selection for the two of you. The comfy atmosphere with yellowish lighting, bare brick walls, good drinks  and comfy sofas made The Cafe a regular date spot for you two after that . You’d sometimes sit there for hours just pleasantly chatting or enjoying each other’s company while reading or finishing assignments. No bad topics are allowed to be brought up there, it was like an unspoken rule.

That day, you two took your time finishing the drinks and just talking about anything that came to mind. By that point you knew that Jinki was the type of person that would carry on any topic of conversation you’d bring up. Sometimes leading it to places you least expect it to go, and that was so attractive to you. You thought the way his mind worked was different in the most wonderful way. In the midst of one such conversation, you noticed the sky getting dark. “We should head back,” Jinki stated after noticing you glancing at your watch.  

So the two of you went on your way, stepping out of the comfort of the cafe and into the cold outside. Maybe it was because your hands were getting cold, or maybe you wanted to cling onto the comfort that you just walked away from, but you found yourself reaching out to him. “Jinki,” you mumbled as a sort of heads up before closing the distance between the two of you.

“Hm?”, before Jinki had a chance to fully turn to face you, your hands were wrapped gently around his, almost as if asking wordless permission. His dazed expression melted into a bashful smile as he faced forward, not uttering a word, just tightening his grip. You appreciated that about being around him. Not everything needed explanations. Not everything had to be justified, you can just do you. And as the seasons passed and falling leaves transitioned to snow, and snow made way for cherry blossoms, you still found comfort in that.  Until the warmth of the hand holding yours fades, you will cherish the contentment that came with it.