“Here you go, Hyun.”

Joohyun looks up from her slightly shaking hands to meet Seungwan’s eyes, a curious look on her face before noticing her offering -  the hand gloves she was previously wearing were now off and were held out to Joohyun, such gesture being both thoughtful and familiar, making her feel a little less cold than she was a moment ago.

And before she could say she was fine, Seungwan was already making her move - taking Joohyun’s baby hands in hers and guiding them into the gloves to give the older girl the warmth she desparately needs.

Not being able to do anything but shake her head slightly, Joohyun stared at Seungwan, a small smile forming on her lips despite herself - the younger girl’s thoughtful gesture along with that toothy grin still managing to break her resolve after all this time, just like it first did several years ago.

Stuck in her own thoughts, the older girl couldn’t stop the giggle that came out of her lips, effectively startling Seungwan who was now sitting beside her.

“What’s the joke?”

“That was just so familiar. It was like-“

“The first time I asked you out?”

There it was again. That smile that never failed to make Joohyun feel the butterflies in her stomach that she could only associate with Seungwan.

“You still remember that?”

“There’s no way I could forget.”

8 years ago

“Yah! Park Sooyoung! I’ve been waiting for ages and i’m freezing here. Where the hell are you?”, Joohyun yelled into the receiver of her phone, not minding the stares she got from the people who happened to pass by her and her wrath.

“Ugh, I’m sorry, unnie. But Seulgi unnie and I got held up in class. Our professor won’t let us leave yet.” Her best friend whispered into the call, a lot of guilt and a hint of fear evident in her tone.

“Just go home without me, unnie. I wouldn’t want you to turn into a hyunsicle alright? Love you! Don’t kill me bye-“

“Yah! Park Sooyoung! You little sh-“

Click.

Joohyun could only stare at her phone in disbelief.

The bus she and her best friend (this is still up for debate) were supposed to take already left; the next one not coming for about another twenty minutes. Unprepared for the sudden cold weather, Joohyun doesn't know how she'd last that long while clad only in a sweater; the strong gusts of wind wracking her small frame as her bare fingers become more stiff, feeling like they're about to fall off any minute.

Feeling her frustration slowly get the best of her, Joohyun tried to shake off the annoyance; huddling further into herself while blowing small puffs of air in her hands, doing absolutely everything to prevent her body from freezing on the bench she was sitting on.

"Sunbae?"

Joohyun let out a squeal and almost fell out of her seat if not for the strong arms that caught her just before she could embarrass herself even further. 

"S-Seungwan-ssi?"

Catching her breath, Joohyun looked up and met warm eyes glancing over her with a concerned look; the junior's grip still secure around her as if afraid that she would fall. Seungwan and Joohyun weren't really strangers. They meet each other often through Sooyoung and Seulgi who happen to be both their common friends. And everytime they meet, Joohyun would always find herself gravitating towards the cheery and light personality of the younger girl. But maybe it's because Joohyun is often quiet or because Seungwan always becomes shy and flustered in her presence, the two never really got a chance to talk and get to know each other outside of their small circle. 

Suddenly noticing their proximity, both of them backed away from each other; Seungwan looking at anywhere but Joohyun while the latter tried to convince herself that the light flush in her cheeks was due to the crisp breeze and not because of how close she was to the other girl. 

"I'm sorry, sunbae. I didn't mean to scare you." Seungwan said, gauging Joohyun's expression while putting some distance between them as she sat down on the same bench. 

Noticing the careful expression on the younger girl's face, Joohyun tried her best to lighten the mood. "There's nothing to be sorry for, Seungwan. And you can drop the sunbae you know? It's not like we're strangers."

And as if assured by her words, the once shy demeanor of the junior was replaced by a bright smile, making Joohyun wonder why she was suddenly feeling warm despite the harshness of the weather. 

"By the looks of it, I'm guessing you got ditched too?"

Seungwan sighed, her shoulders hunched slightly before she leaned further back into her seat. "Seulgi and I were supposed to go to the mall together after class. But with a text, I suddenly have no more plans today."

"Psh. At least you got a text. Just wait until I get my hands on Park Sooyoung for making me wait for nothing."

Another gust of wind and Joohyun felt a shiver wrack her frame while her unexpected companion paid no mind to it, the cold seeming not to bother her in the slightest.

"Are you okay, unnie?" 

Joohyun saw the same concerned look back on Seungwan's face and couldn't help but feel pathetic as the younger girl had to witness her blow warm air onto her hands just to survive the cold.

"I'm fine, Seungwan. You really don't have to wait with me here, you know?"

Pushed by a sudden urge of courage at seeing Joohyun barely keeping it together, Seungwan found herself taking one of Joohyun's hands into her own, nearly wincing the moment she felt how cold it was.

"Geez, unnie. Your hand is freezing!"

Flustered at the unexpected contact, Joohyun could only stare and gape as Seungwan momentarily let go of her to take off both her gloves. And once that was done, Joohyun's hands were once again in the younger girl's grip as Seungwan gently slid the gloves over Joohyun's fingers, making sure that they were set snugly.

With crinkled eyes and a grin that lit up her face, Seungwan patted Joohyun's now glove-covered hands for a final check. "Better?"

Joohyun nodded shyly, her lips naturally forming into a smile despite herself,