In the beginning of winter, the year they met, Yongsun and Byulyi meet up on a day off. It was only mid-November, Yongsun didn’t expected it to be too cold, and she had only worn a coat and a sweater. It really wasn’t enough, she thought regrettably, as another cold rush of wind traveled down her back.

While Yongsun is pretending that her teeth aren’t chattering, Byulyi takes off her new scarf and wraps it around her companion.

It’s brown, plaid, and Yongsun doesn’t feel cold anymore, not at all.

Yongsun promises she’ll give it back. Byulyi tells her not to worry about it.

That night, when Yongsun returns home, she washes the scarf as delicately as she can and folds it neatly after it dries. She’ll return it to Byulyi the next time they see each other. For now, she feels the weight of it in her hands and decides to sniff it. Only because she wants to make sure it’s clean, of course. For some reason, with her face fully planted in the scarf, Yongsun blushes.

It’s brown, plaid, and somehow, it still smells like Byulyi.

When they meet the next time, she forgets to bring the scarf. She forgets the next time, and the next time, and the next time. It ends up folded next to her gloves and hats and when Yongsun cleans for spring, the scarf gets packed away too.

-

In the beginning of winter, their second year of knowing each other, Kim Yongsun is a little scared, and she’s a little in love with Moon Byulyi. They’re meeting again for dinner, and this time, Yongsun checked the weather beforehand. Slight wind chill.

When Yongsun unpacked her winter wear, she’d haphazardly thrown her accessories around. Since she was running a little late (the effect of spending too long picking an outfit), she grabs the first scarf she sees and tosses it around her neck. It’s only when she’s walking towards their meeting place that she pulls it over her face and catches a faint scent of something and she remembers what the scarf is.

It’s brown, plaid, and it immediately makes her feel warm all over.

Then Yongsun remembers her promise to give it back, and the warmth she’d been feeling turns to embarrassment. Byulyi had lent her the scarf out of the sweetness of her heart and here she was, going to flaunt the stolen garment in her face. Her only hope was that maybe Byulyi had forgotten about the scarf too.

When she scampers into the restaurant to escape the cold, Byulyi’s already at their usual table with their usual orders and a hot pot of tea, waiting for her. She smiles gratefully and nervously sets her coat and the scarf down on the empty chair beside her. At first, Byulyi only has eyes for her, but then she glances at the chair beside her and Yongsun bites her lip. She’s about to say something but Byulyi beats her to it.

“Nice scarf.” The corner of quirks like it always does when she’s teasing. Yongsun’s got apologies lined to the alleyway but Byulyi continues. “You should wear it more often.” And she grabs Yongsun’s hand, giving it a tender squeeze.

Despite the garment sitting innocently to her side, Yongsun feels a heat creep up her neck.

In the beginning of winter, after three years, Byulyi and Yongsun are unpacking their stored things together. Heavier curtains, snow shoes, heated blankets, and winter wear. While Yongsun is busy changing the sheets, Byulyi picks up some sweaters to go hang up when she notices something familiar underneath them. Something she recalled buying one day and giving it away the next. Something she saw Yongsun wearing every time they were together in the winter.

It’s brown, plaid, and looks well loved. When she picks it up, it smells like Yongsun, but somehow, also a bit like herself.