The sound of footsteps echoed in Luhan’s ears and he tightened his jacket around his body. He looked around wildly for the source of the noise, his eyes panicked and his breath quickened. As Luhan started to speed up, so did the footsteps. He rounded a corner; unsure of where he was going. His ears picked up the sound of people and cars and he hurried to the source. Upon his arrival Luhan noticed the mass amount of people that surrounded him and the bright lights. He blinked quickly, his eyes adjusting to the new light. A new weight was lifted off his shoulders as he turned around only to see no one following him. A blonde woman bumped into Luhan, effectivley bringing him out of his trance. 

            “Would you like to take a picture?” There was a creature in a red furry suit with big bulging eyes protruding from the top of its head. On the back of the creature was a black bag that had English wording displayed on it. Luhan quickly shook his head and walked further into the crowd. He welcomed the stench and the bustle; the noise and the large crowds of people. A few gazes lingered on him and Luhan dipped his head to prevent eye contact. When Luhan did look up from the ground he was met with the gaze of a large man. The person on the billboard displayed no emotion, only an gaze. His lips were parted the slightest bit and his black (at least that’s the color Luhan assumed it was—the photo was in black  and white) hair was messed up yet styled perfectly.

            Luhan almost tripped when he saw it. The small, almost unnoticeable, mark peeking out from under the man’s shirt. Thoughts flooded his mind and his eyes widened. His lips mirrored the man’s as Luhan stared up at the picture. A man—probably a year or two older than Luhan—literally knocked Luhan out of his daydream. Luhan felt the familiar rush of wind but it was uncomfortable this time around. He did not feel the warmth, only the cold November air. He heard the man mumble something in a foreign language but Luhan couldn’t focus on trivial matters like that when Kai, one of his best friends, was on a billboard in Times-ing-Square. When did Kai get that handsome? What happened to his hair? It was then that Luhan noticed the small text at the bottom left corner of the dark billboard, quickly imprinting ‘Jongin Kim’ in his brain.

            His feet were moving before his brain processed the information. He was quickly picking up speed and he felt his large black coat hitting his waist with every step he took. Luhan’s brain told him it was about to snow so he should probably hurry the hell up. He didn’t linger on the fact that he always seemed to be able to know the weather before it happened. Luhan halted when a thin hand wrapped around his bicep, pulling him backwards. He turned to face the culprit and was met with the cheery face of his co-worker. She was wearing a long black Burberry coat and she wore a red scarf. 

            “Hey! What’s the rush?” The woman let go of his arm and fell into step with him as they both walked the ever so busy Broadway. Luhan let her shoulder brush against him and he gave the shorter a small push.

            “Well hello Alyssa,” Luhan smiled at the woman as he gave her a side glance, “I saw a picture of an old friend and was hoping to get in contact with him. The rush is mostly because it’s about to start snowing.”

            True to his words, small, white precipitation started to descend from the graying skies. Winter was the hardest yet most comforting season for the young Chinese man. His friend, Alyssa, took a long stare at his relaxed face. Almost as if the cold snowflakes melting on his face didn’t bother him. Luhan didn’t shiver at the contact but seemed to welcome everything the cold brought with it.

            “My sister probably knows who he is. What did you say his name is?” Alyssa asked as she shoved her dainty hands into the pockets of her thick coat.

            “I didn’t say but his name is Jongin Kim,” Luhan replied, replicating her action. The two waited at a crosswalk, looking both ways to check if they could go before speed walking—not quite running because that’s just childish—to the other side. Alyssa seemed to be deep in thought until she let out a small noise of surprise.

            “Kim Jongin! My sister always talks about him. I think he’s some sort of pop star but my sister would know better than me,” Alyssa exclaimed. Her cheeks were dusted in a red hue and her body shuddered at a particularly chilling gust of wind. Kai, Luhan thought, a pop star. No wonder he’s on a billboard in Times-ing-Square. He chuckled to himself and Alyssa gave him and odd look before facing forward again and quickening her pace. Both approached the towering brick building. A few people, mostly staff members, could be seen loitering in the lobby through the large glass windows. What would seem like a meaningless building held so many memories and firsts for both Luhan and Alyssa, along with hundreds of other people. Within this building, Luhan and Alyssa got their first tastes of adulthood; of freedom, relief, and burdens. 

            “Sorry to cut this short Luhan,” She said, “but Matt it waiting for me in my apartment. It was nice talking to you. I’ll see you tomorrow?” Luhan gave her a quick nod as he held open the door for her. He quickly entered behind the short black-haired girl and wandered to the left, towards the staircase, while she took a right to the elevators. Alyssa gave him a bidding wave, one that he returned with a bright smile.

            As the boy hopped from stair to stair he could only think of two things. His old friend Kai, the boy he spent years growing and learning with, and the bittersweet frost of winter.