“You ran away from me earlier!” The obsidian-haired girl jabbed her index finger at Chaeyoung.  “We were on the street and you got all flustered and completely adorable and ran into that cute coffee shop! Right?”

“You remember that — I mean, obviously you remember, it was just earlier, but yeah, that was really unfortunate. I’m really sorry about running away from you. Twice.” Chaeyoung pushed her thumbs together as she stood in front of the girl. It was a nervous habit left over from her shy middle school days, one that she hadn’t let go when she stopped biting her nails and pulling her sweaters over her fists.

At the confirmation, the girl put her hand down, resting her elbows on the long wooden counter in front of her, where she sat. “Twice? I didn’t see you the second time— I guess you’re good at that sort of thing, huh.” She laughed lightly at that, head tilting backwards. “So, you work there? Momo brought drinks over from there this morning, and she liked them so much that she had me go back to get some for her and Nayeon. Didn’t see you, though.”

“Well—” Chaeyoung looked down, swiftly turning red, “That would have been the second time I ran. W-wait, if I met Momo, and you got drinks for her and Nayeon, you must be—”

“I’m Mina. And you’re Chaeyoung, right? Momo was telling me about you.” Mina covered her growing grin with her hand, and Chaeyoung despaired a little over the loss. “Something about, um, liking cute girls?”

Mina. Chaeyoung almost sighed, before remembering where she was. Placing a name to the face was one thing, but the reaffirmation that Mina was Mina, and not Momo’s girlfriend, was beyond satisfying.

Then, it hit her what Mina had said. Shock flashed across her face, leaving her sputtering and gasping for words. Mina giggled as Chaeyoung struggled. The longer Chaeyoung choked, the louder Mina’s laughs grew, and soon her giggles were full-bellied laughs.  When Chaeyoung finally gathered herself, she glared at Mina, and Mina immediately began trying to stop. When her laughter ceased, she was wiping the tears were streaming from her eyes.

“S-s-sorry,” Mina hiccupped, “But that was totally hilarious and adorable at the same time, Chaeyoung!”

Chaeyoung went beet red in an instant as she glowered harshly. “I-I knew she told you about that! It was early and I was really tired—”

“Is that to say it wasn’t true?” Mina asked, seeming very shy. At once, Chaeyoung realized how close she had gotten to Mina. She had mindlessly crossed from directly in front of the door to right in front of the counter. Mina was so close that if Chaeyoung reached out, she could touch her face or maybe her arm.

Chaeyoung didn’t, however. She blinked once, twice, and then swallowed, throat suddenly feeling very dry. “I…” She started, and then cleared ; Chaeyoung took another swallow and tried again. “I did mean it, no matter the manner I said it in.”

Mina smiled, eyes closing and face lighting up. “Same goes for me.” She stated, and before Chaeyoung had a chance recover, moved on. “Speaking of liking cute girls, the reason that the two of them— Momo and Nayeon, that is— aren’t here is that they’re out on a date. They wouldn’t let me come with, so they just left me here, all alone,” Mina sighed dramatically, “Until you showed up… why are you here, by the way? Not that it’s a problem!”

She had completely forgotten her errand, but simply gestured to the boxes in her arms. “For you three. I trust you’ll deliver it to Momo and Nayeon? And not eat all of them yourself?” Chaeyoung teased, playfully smirking at Mina as she pouted. The boxes were dropped on the counter, and Mina immediately pulled them towards herself. She immediately untied the ribbon and popped open the top.

“Woah, Chaeyoung, these smell amazing! Thank you!”

“No problem!”

As Mina continued to gush over the pastries, Chaeyoung glanced out the windows. All of the storefronts on the other side of the street were dark, as was the sky. The light posts had all flicked on, which Chaeyoung knew only happened at exactly 10:37 each night. A yawn overcame her without bidding, as she turned back to Mina, the other girl looked concerned.

“I’d love to stay, but I think I must get on my way.” Chaeyoung smiled softly. This time, she chose to reach out and touch Mina’s arm, and Mina adopted a smile as well. Standing up, Mina walked around the corner where Chaeyoung stood.

“Hey, before you go, could I, perhaps get your phone number? So that I can make sure that you get home safe.” Chaeyoung just nodded her assent and handed over her phone. Mina smiled as she entered her phone number, and handed it back over once she was done. Chaeyoung slid the phone back into her purse, and looked back up, into Mina’s eyes. They crinkled as the girl smiled once more as she moved to grasp Chaeyoung’s hand. “Have a safe night, Chaeyoung. I’ll come visit you tomorrow— if you won’t run away again?” Her smile morphed into a mischievous grin at the end. Chaeyoung, thankfully, was able to laugh though awkwardly, as she released Mina’s hand, feeling conscious on how sweaty her palms are, and pushed her away, playfully.

“W-well then, have a good night, Mina!”

“You too, Chaeyoung!”

As Chaeyoung walks home, she shivers. The air is cool, and her gloves seem to have been lost. She mourns them, and swears to look for them tomorrow— they’re one of her warmest and favorite pairs. Her peacoat isn’t quite satisfactory on this chilly night. She strolls, heeled boots clicking against the pavement.

Suddenly, her phone buzzes. Chaeyoung wrestles it out from under her coat, digging it out from inside her purse. Clutching it in her hands, Chaeyoung’s icy breath frosts the screen as she reads a singular text.

mina 💜 : have a safe night chaeyoung!!! i really enjoyed spending time with you, plese come join me again (i promise i won't run ;) ) xoxo

Chaeyoung feels warm.