Whenever it snowed Wendy always stared out of the window. The world seemed to quiet down so that everyone could admire the tranquil snowfall as well. The noisy sound of the city was a quiet hum underneath the blaring silence the soft clouds insulated the town with. She looked down at her pale wrist, and traced the date that was written on her wrist.

04/15/2019

"That's only 4 months away," she told herself.

Looking outside of her window and down at the street she sees a familiar silhouette struggling to carry groceries inside of the apartment. Getting up from the couch, Wendy grabs a jacket and heads downstairs to meet them in the lobby.

"This is the LAST time I offer to do groceries alone-" Yeri huffs as she free's a grocery bag that was stuck in the door of the building.

The elevator dings and the doors open to reveal her rosy cheeked roommate ready to help. Wendy rushes over and grabs some bags from Yeri, but is surprised at the weight.

"You walked in the snow carrying all of this?!" Wendy asked surprised and worried.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you ask for my help?! You could get sick, or hurt or BOTH!"

"I said I'd do it, so I'm going to do it. It's fine anyways. I'm here, aren't I?" Yeri says while moving past Wendy, pressing the elevator call button.

Wendy stands behind Yeri, looking at how heavy her hood hung behind her with fresh snow clinging to the fur collar. Cold air was radiating from the small girl, and all Wendy wanted to do was hug her. The elevator doors opened and the two women stepped inside. Small traces of snow is left behind in the lobby as evidence of her struggle inside of the building. They reach their floor, and make their way into the apartment.

"Get dried up and I'll make you some tea. I was thinking soup would be good today! How does kimchi pork belly soup sound?" Wendy asks while trying to project her voice down the hall.

The sound of Yeri's bedroom door slamming confirmed that she wanted soup and not the tea.

"She always gets so weirded out and stays distant, I have to find a way to get closer to her. She's my roommate, after all, and roommates are supposed to have each other's back. Always!" 

Wendy finished the food and texts Yeri that dinner is ready but got no reply.

"Her match is probably over soon. They don't last too long!" Wendy said to herself enthusiastically.

Two hours pass and Wendy was staring longingly at the pot full of delicious soup that sits on the stove top. 

"I'll just go check on her."

Wendy knocks three times and waits for an answer.

Nothing.

She knocks again but calls out Yeri's name.

Nothing.

"Yeri, I'm coming in and I'm doing this to check on you! Please know that this is out of love and I don't mean to interrupt your space but I'm just worr-" Wendy hushes at the sight of Yeri in her winter coat laying on her bed face up.

Sprawled out and fast asleep was her small roommate. Wendy realized that Yeri was up all night playing in a tournament, and didn't sleep before getting the groceries. Immediately she felt guilty letting her go alone. Wendy starts to prep Yeri for bed; removing her socks and then slowly easing her coat off of her.

"What's this?" Wendy says internally as she looks at the picture Yeri held in her hand.

It was a picture of Yeri kissing another girl's cheek. Wendy smiled at the picture and wondered why Yeri never brought her up before. As she carefully removed Yeri's sleeve, her Love Date was fully exposed. Wendy had never seen a vandalized Love Date before. The year of her date was tattooed over with 4 hearts covering each number of the year. 

"Saeron-" Yeri murmured, still asleep.

Wendy froze in place, hovering above the girl hoping that the hair behind her ear didn't come loose and tickle the nose of the sleeping devil. After Yeri had settled back down Wendy finished tucking her in and shut her lights off, leaving her to sleep even though it was 1PM.

[9 days later]

"Yeri! Did you put the red ornaments on the tree or the gold ones?" Wendy asked from the kitchen as she closes the oven, setting the tray of fresh brownies on the stove top.

"Red."

Wendy peeks at the tree from the kitchen's cut out to the living room and smiles big at the beautifully decorated tree. Red ornaments of different shapes and sizes coat the tree, leaving it looking full and hearty. A red ribbon with gold edges wrap loosely around the branches. Wendy was actually surprised at how nice the tree looked.

"You did a really good job!" Wendy exclaims at a volume so loud that Yeri is startled while trying to get down from the step ladder.

"T-thanks," she says feeling a slight warmth in her chest. 

"Here!" Wendy says as she offers some Eggnog to Yeri.

As she takes a sip, there's a sharp bite at the end of the drink.

"Is this spiked?!"

"It's good isn't it?" Wendy winks as she sips on her owns cup.

Yeri stares at the substance in Wendy's cup. It wasn't a thick creamy off white color, it was golden brown and viscous. She was drinking whisky straight. Yeri was wondering when was the last time she saw Wendy drink like that.

"So you give me spiked eggnog but you get to drink it straight? Not fair."

"Let's switch," Wendy says as she exchanges cups, "I'd rather enjoy my alcohol anyways."

Yeri smiles and watches her roommate move behind the tree to turn on the lights. This fake tree covered in ornaments and ribbon was just glowing. There was nothing special about it, other than their first Christmas together, but it was so serene. Christmas music played in the background while the two stood there staring at their Christmas tree. Yeri leaned her head on her roommate's shoulder and Wendy stood as still as possible. 

"I miss her," Yeri says with her voice cracking slightly.

"Who?" Wendy replies softly, having a feeling she already knew whom Yeri was talking about but not wanting to ruin the moment.

"This dumb girl."

"That dumb girl must be special to you then! I don't think I've ever heard you talk about missing someone before. You should invite her over for Christmas dinner!"

"She can't."

Wendy nods her head and drops the questioning, she doesn't want to push Yeri away after she just slightly opened up to her.

"Well, why don't we get more into the Christmas spirit shall we?!"

Moving over to the stereo Wendy turns the Christmas music up and dances wildly off beat. Yeri tried her best not to laugh but she couldn't hold it in anymore. She started laughing and dancing just as erratic as her roommate and their apartment was filled with shrill yelling and laughter.

"Oh! It's past midnight already!" Wendy says as she grabs a present from under the tree and hands it to Yeri.

Yeri sat there, cheeks flush from drinking, with a present that was almost bigger than her.

"Open it!"
"O-okay," Yeri stutters as she tears at the wrapping paper.

Her eyes widen as the big box turned out to be plain, no hints at to what could be inside of the box.

"I bet it's just packing peanuts in here, its empty isn't it?"

"Can you just shut up and open it," Wendy says with an eye roll, sitting back in her chair while sipping on her drink.

The warm feeling the whisky gave her in her chest triggered an emotional response. This was a present she worked hard to buy for Yeri, her new sister. Wendy was the youngest, but now she had a sister younger than her that she could care for. 

"W-what is this?!" Yeri says as she reaches her hand inside of the box and grabs the first thing she feels.

Lifting it into the air she holds in front of her a brand new Oculus Rift S, the newest virtual reality gaming headset.

"Wendy..." Yeri says, not knowing what else to say.

"I hope you like it! The guy at the store said it was the newest th-" Wendy's sentence was cut short due to a hug from Yeri.

"Thank you so much. I really love it," Yeri says into Wendy's shoulder.

She hugs back tight and rubs her back, explaining that it was no big deal and that she was glad Yeri liked it.

"Okay my turn!" Wendy excitedly says after they pull away from the hug.

"WAIT!" Yeri lunges towards Wendy's terribly wrapped gift, "Let me get you something else. I changed my mind about what I want to give you!"

Wendy stares at her with a confused face.

"It's fine! I'm sure I'll love it!" Wendy says while releasing the gift from Yeri's grip.

Yeri sat in a small ball, holding her knees against her chest. She couldn't look at Wendy because she felt so embarrassed about her present.

The sound of wrapping paper being torn stopped and a silence filled the room.

"Oh! This is exactly what I needed! Thank you so much Yeri!" Wendy says genuinely and hugs. 

Yeri accepts the hug with shifty eyes, not believing her roommate.

"I just ran out of flour this morning, AND I needed a new whisk!"

"A-are you sure?"

"Yes!"

Yeri smiles feeling more relived, still unwary about Wendy's true feelings about the half-assed gift.

"Want to help me bake? How does Oreo brownies sound?"

"M-my favorite thing-"

"I'll take that as a yes! Good thing I got you an apron," Wendy says as she walks to the kitchen and pulls out a clean apron.

Wendy holds it up to show off Yeri's embroidered name. 

"I can't believe you hid it there, I could've found it at any point!"

A hearty laugh leaves Wendy's body, she almost doubles over.

"Like you'd be in the kitchen looking for something other than a plate to microwave food on!" She says through her laugh, as Yeri takes the apron from her.

Yeri tries it on and Wendy ties the back of it for her. They look in the kitchen mirror, both with named aprons. Wendy smiles big and puts her arm around Yeri's shoulder and Yeri smiles back.

"If you tell anyone about this, you're dead," Yeri says through her smile in a flat voice. 

"Gotcha," Wendy replies with a wide eyed nod.

"About those brownies!" Yeri breaks the silence while tugging her roommate to the kitchen.

The sounds of Christmas music plays in the back while the two read the recipe and fight over who gets to do what. The bickering turns into singing, and then quickly into laughter. The snow outside quietly falls and provides a blank canvas for the twinkling lights that line their living room window. The glow of their Christmas tree from the outside makes it look like a family of 5 lived in the apartment, but in reality it was just two young adults who were strangers earlier in the year. Wendy and Yeri were now a family, sisters for how ever long their lives allowed. One thing that was for sure, was that Yeri finally trusted Wendy and Wendy could feel that. It was the best present she could have ever received, a little sister.