If Sana were to describe Mina as an animal, Mina would be a penguin. The comparison was more than just the fact that Mina waddled like a penguin, the distinct trait becoming obvious as Sana and Mina began walking to classes together in the mornings. They had fallen into a comfortable cadence with each other since the first latte that Sana brought to Mina on The Hill three weeks ago, every weekday since then starting off warmly with hot lattes clasped between cold hands.

"You walk like a penguin," Sana giggled as she shared the observation with Mina. They were walking shoulder-to-shoulder up The Hill together, their heads bent down against the chilly autumn winds, making it easier for Sana to notice Mina's unique gait as they headed to class.

Mina groaned playfully, tightening her cold fingers against the warm exterior of her latte cup. "Not you, too. It's a habit I picked after doing ballet for years as a kid. Jeongyeon and Jihyo have been telling me that I walk like a penguin since I was 8."

"Jeongyeon and Jihyo?" Sana asked. She took a sip of her drink, the warmth of it both comforting and vital in the face of a harsh late October. "Who are they?"

"Close friends of mine. They're a few years older than us, but I've known them since we were kids."

"Hmm..." Sana nodded, filing away the information about Mina's friends for future reference. "Speaking of friends, have you made any new ones on campus?"

"I don't think so..." Mina let out a thoughtful hum as she wracked her brain for any friends she had made outside of Sana, Momo, and Nayeon, unable to think of a single additional person that she could consider a friend. "But that's what I get for not being good at talking to people."

"Uh, what?" Sana laughed in mild disbelief. She thought of how easily Mina had inserted herself into Sana, Momo, and Nayeon's friendship, finding it hard to believe that someone as interesting and engaging Mina thought she wasn't good at talking to people. "You talk to us easily enough, don't you?"

Mina shrugged. "It's hard to explain," she murmured, a complicated expression twisting itself onto her face. Sana glanced over as Mina struggled to find the right words, an uneasiness tugging on Sana's heart at the sight of Mina's heavy frown. "Sometimes it feels like a massive struggle to talk to people. And sometimes it's just... it's just easier to be by myself," Mina mumbled softly.

Sana stopped mid-step, the uneasy feeling in her chest became a growing ache as Sana felt the melancholy in Mina's voice in the latter part of her answer. All the mornings where Sana used to observe Mina from afar, too shy to talk to the girl who reminded her of autumn, Sana had taken note that Mina was always by herself. It was a loneliness that had seemed penguin-like to Sana even before she noticed Mina's unique walking style. It was a loneliness that made Sana to want to become even closer to Mina, who was so bold and confident in some ways, but mysteriously fragile in others.

"Sana? You OK?" Mina asked, turning back when she realized that Sana had stopped walking several paces behind her. Sana swallowed, feeling guilty as she thought of all the mornings Mina had sat alone simply because Sana had been too shy to say "hello".

"I... I don't like seeing you by yourself," Sana found herself admitting. She shook her head and took a heavy step against the icy walkway with her heart thudding painfully in chest. "I want to spend more time with you, but at the same time I'm worried that I'm just bothering you..."

Sana's words were shy and tentative, but her actions were quite the opposite as she closed the distance between them, a few short steps bringing her much closer to Mina than she normally would have stood. She took Mina's icy hand into her warm one and felt the coldness sting like a knife through the heart.

Am I bothering you?" Sana asked timidly, wondering how much more it would hurt to hear Mina confirm that hanging out with her was a bother after all. But rather than a frosty reply, a breezy laugh met Sana's ears.

"Of course you're not bothering me!" Mina replied, gazing fondly at the older girl. She was surprised that the situation even needed to be clarified, but Mina clarified it happily with a gentle squeeze to the warm hand that held hers. "I do think it's easier to be alone sometimes, but you're not a bother. Being with you is more than worth the effort, Sana."

A small smile tugged on the corner of Sana's trembling lips, Mina's reassurance spurring a hint of confidence in Sana's next question. "Can we keep spending time together then? I mean, I'd like it if we could keep spending time together."

Mina smiled again, and the only thought in Sana's mind was that Mina's smile was all the warmth she ever needed on a cold day like today.

"I'd like that, too. Now hurry up before we're late for class."

With a gentle tug on the touch of summer held in Mina's hand, she pulled Sana forward and they continued walking up The Hill together, their cheeks significantly redder due to no fault of the icy autumn winds.

"Are you guys dating?"

The question from Nayeon came so suddenly, so unexpectedly, that Sana choked on her fry and Mina hurriedly patted her on the back until the food dislodged from .

"P-pardon?" Sana managed to ask, her cheeks pink from the choking spell and out of embarrassment at Nayeon's question. Sana resolutely avoided Mina's eyes as Momo passed her a water bottle from across the cafeteria table and she took a few quick sips to ease her aching throat.

It was undeniable that Sana and Mina had grown closer to each other over the last few weeks. From their morning talks over coffee, to their late night study sessions in the library, and to the growing frequency in which they casually held hands, it was painfully obvious to everyone that Mina and Sana were very interested in each other. But given that they had never talked about dating, never actually defining their relationship or discussing their feelings for each other, it was hard to say that they were dating.

"I'm asking whether you and Mina are dating," Nayeon repeated, no signs of easing up on Sana even though the latter had nearly choked to death on a french fry. Sana took a few more gulps of water in order to ignore Nayeon's question, causing the older girl to roll her eyes and turn toward Mina. "Since Sana's obviously not going to answer, what about you, Mina? Are you and Sana dating?"

A loaded silence fell upon the table, punctuated only by the sounds of Sana still guzzling water with puffed cheeks. Sana took a heavy swallow as Mina gazed at her with a soft smile, a few moments of unreadable expressions passing between them before Mina finally answered Nayeon's question.

"I think Sana is someone