S O U N D T R A C K 

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Jinyoung’s car arrived at Gangwon-do right on time after the blizzard had past. He was updated with the news right after he just got off from taping his new drama. 

His show was on filming break that’s why he had the chance to take a day off on Christmas eve and on Christmas itself. So he chose to spend time with his friends this year since it’s been awhile since they all gathered and celebrated Christmas together. 

He came across a dead end. His fog light beamed a waist-high deep snow that was piled before him. He turned the headlights on to blink as he stepped out to assess his location. 

Jinyoung soon saw a sign by written in bold letters that says “Road Block”. 

He sighed in frustration. “Great. Just. My luck.” He uttered while fog blew from his mouth. 

He spun around checking for some signs of life or an establishment he could get into to get himself warm. He glanced at his phone’s GPS that was clearly not working around the area. 

“I’ll get a frostbite at sight of this..” He uttered as he soon shivered as he helplessly looked around the area. 

East side of him, he saw brightly red neoned light with words that screams warmth in it. 

“Ah! Jimjilbang!” He uttered to himself thankful of the serendipity. The sign stood out clearly for him as he immediately got to his senses. 

He grabbed on to his things inside and looked around assessing if it was safe to park his car right there. He thought that maybe it was okay to leave it there for a while since he had no choice. 

He rushed towards the establishment. His sneakers marking the snow as he fixed his messenger bag in his shoulders and got his nose and mouth warm under his scarf. He had his hands shoved inside his padded jacket as he picked up the pace while another gush of cold wind soon enveloped him. 

Jinyoung just arrived at the jimjilbang right on time before another blizzard started again. 

He was greeted by a chubby old man with thick white beard donning a white janitor’s suit and a red thick padded jacket as he mopped the floor by the foot steps of the lobby. 

“Excuse me, do you know when will they fix that road ahead?” Jinyoung inquired. 

“Sorry son, you came at the wrong day. That road is blocked and there are no one to plow the snow out right now. The worker’s are out on a holiday.” The man explained. 

“Aish..” Jinyoung uttered to himself thinking of what he should do. 

“Where were you heading?” The man queried. 

“At a friend’s cabin not far from here at Merry Lane?” Jinyoung disclosed. 

“There’s a trail you can follow from here by foot.” The man shared pointing out a sketchy narrow path to the woods. 

Jinyoung wasn’t familiar with the area so he had reservations to the man’s suggestion. He couldn’t trust him easily. 

“Do you know any hostels around?” He then asked. 

“No sorry, last I heard it’s all booked. There’s a diner close by or this jimjilbang instead.” The man replied. 

“Although I suggest you go inside this jimjilbang first since this blizzard isn’t going anyway soon.”  The man added checking outside the weather. 

“Stay inside and get yourself warmed first.” He followed. 

“Ah, deh. Thank you.” Jinyoung soon retreated inside the jimjilbang since it’s the only best option to take right now under this weather. 

He was mumbling to himself aloud how this day has been for him. He was tired from filming and from the 2 hour drive and all he want is a warm bed. Not to think that he’s also hungry and he’s pretty much still half way of his trip. 

He opened his phone back up again to call Youngjae or Jackson but the signal didn’t allowed him to. 

“Aish.” He mumbled again. 

“The signal’s jammed too, son. But inside they have a working phone.” The man behind him spoke. 

“Ah.. I see.”  Jinyoung was growing frustrated by the minute as he stepped inside the establishment. 

“Great, add more to the list.” He said to himself while fumbling on his while and hearing a nearby girl mumbling to herself. “What more can happen tod—“ 

The girl whose jet black hair is up on a ponytail bumped into Jinyoung’s shoulder while clutching in her phone. 

She appeared to be having problems contacting someone. 

“Watch it will ya??” The girl growled. Jinyoung was abashed at her reaction. 

“Weren’t you the one who’s not looking??” He snapped back. 

“Don’t be a smartass, mister. I’m having a bad day already.” The girl said under the thick purple scarf around her neck, covering half of her face. 

“Well, you and I both.” Jinyoung also replied under his red scarf. 

He could feel the intense death glare the girl was giving him before her eyes turned in curiosity. 

“What’s with you?” She asked. 

“Road block. I need to get somewhere.” Jinyoung disclosed simply. 

“You?” He added in curiosity keeping his cold attitude. 

“Kids. Spoiled rotten. Kids.” The girl replied. 

There weren’t any much context to her disclosure so Jinyoung found her information useless. There weren’t much people around the jimjilbang but some old people, some foreigners and a few locals. 

Jinyoung surveyed the room until he spotted the telephone by the counter where there were lots of food being served. 

“Ah.. there’s the phone.” He uttered to himself. 

The girl shot her look back at him. 

“Wait, I also need the phone.” She disclosed. 

Jinyoung came into a realization and was quick to his steps. “Too late.” He said almost sprinting to the telephone by the counter. The girl was running alongside him competing for the phone. 

The girl was much more faster than him so her hand reached the phone first. Jinyoung came in a few seconds putting his hand on top of hers. 

“Hey I saw it first!” Jinyoung exclaimed. 

“Well I grabbed it first!” The girl argued. 

Neither one was backing down. The girl had a mischievous look on her face, glancing at the phone and back at Jinyoung’s all too good challenging glare. 

A wet sloppy ran across Jinyoung’s hand making him retreat back his hand to wipe it. 

“Ew!” He uttered. 

“Ha!” The girl said getting some cash in her pockets and immediately paid the person at the counter to start using the phone. 

Jinyoung rolled his eyes in defeat waiting in a few meters away for his turn. He couldn’t stop grumbling at the girl as he took off his scarf around him. His irritation increased his body warmth enough for him to cool down from the cold. 

“Halmeoniiiii!!~” The girl whined as soon as the person at the other end of the line took her call. 

“It’s me. I’m at a jimjilbang right now.” She shared. 

She noticed Jinyoung eavesdropping so she turned her body away from him. Jinyoung scoffed thinking he’s not that kind of a person and he couldn’t help it since he was next in line with the phone. 

“I don’t have money to go home so I have to walk home.” The girl added. 

Jinyoung couldn’t help but overhear her predicament. So he got curious and continued to listen. 

“These kids at the diner!” The girl followed answering the person at the other end of the line. 

“I think they’re Seoul kids. They ordered a lot then ran off without paying the bill. I might not be able to bake the gingerbread house with you and unnie.” She disclosed. There was pouting in her tone despite Jinyoung’s ability to see her reaction. She was slowly discarding her purple scarf as well. 

What kind of stupid maniacs run off without paying the bill??? Why is the world so cruel these days?? Jinyoung thought to himself. No wonder she’s in a bad mood. She’s missing a Christmas tradition because of some punks that scammed her. 

“Is she there yet??” The girl added. 

“Ah.. neh. Arasso.” She answered. “I’ll try. There’s still a blizzard out so I might stay here for a few hours so I can let it pass.” 

“Neh, halmeoni. Leave me some cookies and warm milk okay!!” 

“Dehh~” 

The girl finally ended the call and thanked the person at the counter. She spun around seeing Jinyoung waiting. 

“Your turn.” She said. 

The two momentarily froze at the sight of each other without scarves blocking half of their faces. They noted that they had similar feat