Good morning.

 

Seoul received the first snowfall of the season Wednesday morning, about a month earlier than last year, the state weather agency said.

 

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said light snow was observed at the Songwol-dong weather observation station in central Seoul at 6:10 a.m. The KMA records the first snow seen at the Songwol-dong observatory as Seoul's first snow of the season every year.

 

This year's first snow came in Seoul 30 days earlier than last year, when it fell on Dec. 10, and 10 days earlier than the average of the capital's first snow days from 1991-2020, which is Nov. 20.

 

The broad capital area...

 

“Oh! It snowed?” the red-haired girl exclaimed in the dressing room as the girls and their stylist team were watching the news. 

 

“Yes,” one stylist answered, “it was really early, but I was able to witness it.”

 

“Oh, me too,” another stylist chimed in.

 

The stylists chuckled when they saw Karina pout in disappointment.

 

“There’s always next year, Karina,” says their make-up artist as she finishes the red-haired girl’s look, “all done.” Karina stood up from the chair and moved to the couch where the maknaes were chilling. Ningning was taking a nap, while Winter was watching a video on Youtube. 

 

Karina sat beside the short-haired girl and immediately, Winter offered the other piece of her airpods to the red-haired girl for her to listen in, which Karina accepted. The older girl rested her head comfortably on Winter’s shoulder as she listened along.

 

It was Giselle’s turn to be glamed.

 

“Speaking of the first snow,” Giselle got into the conversation, “I noticed how it seemed to be a huge deal here in Korea. Why is that?”

 

“There’s a lot of beliefs surrounding the first snow,” one stylist points out, “and it's very popular as they are quite romantic.”

 

“You might have seen some of those beliefs in dramas, too.”

 

“Oh, really?” Giselle was surprised. “What kind of beliefs are there?”

 

“There was one about finding your first love, you need to paint your nails red with balsam flowers,” the make-up artist shares.

 

“Balsam flowers? That’s really specific,” Giselle expressed.

 

“Another one is a belief about how during the first snow, you can lie anything and it will be forgiven,”

 

“That’s really old though,” another stylist points out, “I don’t think anyone is practicing that one anymore.” The other stylists agree.

 

“One of the famous beliefs would be about making a wish under the first snow and it will surely come true.”

 

“That’s really romantic,” Giselle smiles,

 

“Isn’t it? But there’s one more belief that I think is the most romantic,” The hair stylist points out, “There is this belief that if you witness the first snow with your special someone and confess, then they will stay together for a long time.”

 

“Ooh, that’s so sweet,”

 

The make-up artist chuckles and shares, “that is why a lot of couples or people want to experience the first snow with their loved one.”

 

The talk about the first snow continues. Little did they know, both Winter and Karina were also listening in on their conversation.

 

The older girl sighed heavily. “I’m jealous,” Karina expressed her disappointment, “I wanted to see it too.”

 

Winter glanced at her, “you want to see it that badly, huh.”

 

“Of course,” Karina expressed, “we will only see the first snow once a year, it’s very memorable.” Winter hummed in agreement.

 

“Romantic, too,” Karina added.

 

“But you don’t have any ‘special someone’, Unnie,” Winter playfully retorts which made Karina nudge her in response, “it doesn’t have to be like that romantic romantic. I’m just saying, witnessing the first snow is romantic by itself. I can see it on my own and it will still be romantic."

 

"True."

 

"However," Karina imagines, "I will admit that it would be nice to witness it with someone I care about,” She looked at Winter and said, “like you.”

 

At that moment, Winter stopped breathing. She couldn’t believe what she just heard. With an erratic heart, she faced the other girl, “m-me?” 

 

“Yeah, I mean,” Karina immediately looked away and clears , “you’re my fellow member, right? It would have been nice if we saw the first snow together...like with the other members...as a group.”

 

Ah, Winter gave her a tight-lipped smile, "of course."

 

Both of them became silent.

 

Winter suddenly had a thought. "Unnie," she faced the older girl.

 

"Hmm?"

 

"You really want to see the first snow, right?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

“How about you see it this way,” Karina looked at Winter confused, “you haven’t seen the first snow yet. The first snow that was on the news, the people who saw it, will claim it as them witnessing their first snow, but that doesn’t mean it’s also ‘your’ first snow.”

 

"Okay…" Karina doesn't know where the conversation was going.

 

"That means," Winter sweetly smiles at her, "the moment you witness snow, that will be ‘your First Snow." 

 

The moment Karina understood what Winter had said she couldn't help but smile as well, “You’re right.”

 

She felt a bit better. 

 

Karina couldn’t help but squeeze Winter’s cheeks and tap the younger girl's nose, which made Winter whine, in adoration. She leaned on Winter’s shoulder again and whispered, "thank you, Mindeongie."

 

Both went back to listening to music, as the younger girl tried to contain her blush.

 

‐-----------------

 

"AND...CUT!" said the director, "we got it!"

 

Aespa bowed and greeted the people they worked with formally as they exited the studio. After a whole day of activities, the girls returned to their dorm and rested.

 

In their respective rooms, each of them were in their own world. 

 

Winter scrolled aimlessly on her social media, only to be greeted with a lot of posts about the first snow that had happened hours ago.

 

Don't get her wrong, she's also very interested in seeing the first snow. She even looked forward to it (She won't admit that out aloud). However, for this year, the first winter snow came way too early. It was a bummer, yes, it’s not like she has control over it.

 

She remembered the conversation earlier about the beliefs surrounding the first snow. She’s aware of most of them as her friends keep on discussing it.

 

She also agrees to what Karina said about seeing the first snow as memorable, especially as it only happens once every year.

 

“Romantic, too,” Karina added.

 

Romantic, huh, Winter thought. She does find it romantic. Who wouldn’t?

 

The thought of meeting up with your special someone and witnessing the first snow is really romantic. It would be nice to experience it myself, too, she thought.

 

“it would be nice to witness it with someone I care about...like you”

 

Words of her fellow member resonate in her head. She can’t believe that the older girl just casually said that, she couldn't help but blush. She buried her face on her pillows and groans as her face heats up, why did she say it like that?

 

It made her feel things.

 

What things?

 

She doesn't know.

 

And she doesn’t wanna know.

 

She should be used to this now as she's been friends with the older girl for years.

 

But still.

 

Just by words and actions of the older girl, her heart would still go erratic, it would make her brain short circuit and leave her, internally, a mess.

 

Uuggghhh.

 

She can’t believe Karina has that hold on her.

 

She groaned once again on her pillow, a bit louder this time as it caught the attention of her roommate. "You okay there, Winter?"

 

Still deep in her pillows, Winter answered, "Yeah," she gave Giselle a thumbs up to assure the other girl before fully slumping down on her bed.

 

She sighed heavily. She needs a distraction.

 

An idea popped into her head.

 

She sighed as she slowly stood up from her bed. She went to her closet and pick some change of clothes. Giselle immediately noticed, “You goin' somewhere?”

 

“Yeah,” Winter put on her coat, “I’m bored and I wanna breathe some fresh air,”

 

“Want me to come with you?”

 

“Nah, it’s alright, Unnie.”

 

As she left her room, she noticed Ningning on the television, watching some anime. The youngest saw her, “Oh, Winter Unnie, you’re leaving too?”

 

Winter halted her steps and turned to the younger one. She was confused, “too?”

 

“Ah, yeah, Karina Unnie just left.”

 

“Oh,” Winter looked down on their shoe shelf and indeed, Karina’s shoes weren’t there. “I just wanna take a walk for a bit before I go to sleep.” Winter puts on her own shoes and opens their front door.

 

She then heard Ningning exclaim, “Enjoy your date!”

 

It took a few minutes before it hit her what the youngest just said, date? What the hell, Ning.

 

It’s not like she knows where Karina was.

 

And even if she knows, it's not like she's going on a date with the older girl.

 

Winter could only shake her head.

 

Me? And Karina Unnie? She internally scoffs, like that would even happen.

 

She suddenly remembered all of Karina’s sweet and flirty gestures and how it's been affecting her ten fold lately.

 

I'm just overthinking things, she tries to convince herself, it's not like I have feelings for Unnie.

 

Wait…

 

Do I? She immediately dismissed that thought in her head.

 

As she reached the entrance of their building, Winter immediately felt the chills all over her body. Even though she pretty much wrapped up herself with a lot of layers of clothing, she can still feel the coldness in the air.

 

For the autumn season, it was surely really cold.

 

Winter started to walk aimlessly, not knowing where she ended up, she put on her airpods and listened to the music. It's not like I would get lost, she thought, as she has mastered the roads and streets in the neighbourhood for a long time.

 

As she continued to stroll, she suddenly saw a familiar girl near a vending machine. The girl was trying her hardest for the machine to heed to her command, it made Winter smile in amusement.

 

"You know Unnie, you can kick or move that vending machine for it to spit out your drink," she casually says as she sees the familiar girl get surprised.

 

"What- ah!" Karina was so shocked to see her and slapped her arm, "don't scare me like that."

 

"I didn't even scare you," Winter could only chuckle, "you're just not too aware of your surroundings."

 

"Yeah, well, I'm too focused on this machine." Karina cutely kicked the vending machine out of frustration.

 

"For a strong person, you sure are not using your strength."

 

Karina looked at her, confused, "what do you mean?"

 

"Kick it harder, Unnie."

 

"Kick? Wha-" Karina looked at the machine, "I don't want this to break."

 

"It won't."

 

"I think it will."

 

"It won't, I promise."

 

The older girl looked at the vending machine, contemplating. She was unconsciously pouting, "but what if it breaks…"

 

Winter could only sigh,"you know what…" she took the older girl’s hand, "come with me."

 

"But my mon-"

 

"Hush, Unnie. You can't get it back anyway." Hand in hand, Winter smiled at her as they walked away from the vending machine, "think of it like you lost your money."

 

Karina furrowed her brows,"that's not a good thought."

 

"Technically, it is what just happened to you anyways," Winter jokes, "you lost your money the moment you gave it to that vending machine."

 

When the older girl rolled her eyes as Winter laughs. Karina couldn’t help but join in.

 

With Winter leading their walk, Karina couldn’t help but ask as she looked around, "where are you taking me?"

 

"Here,"

 

The moment they the right corner, they were in front of a convenience store, "You're still thirsty, right? I can buy some drinks."

 

"I don't remember that there's a store in this area."

 

"Of course, you wouldn't remember, Unnie," Winter smirked at the older girl, "you have a bad memory, remember?"

 

The short-haired girl just earned another slap on the shoulder.

 

‐---------------

 

Both the girls are walking in the street, each with a hot coffee on hand.

 

“Mindeongie,” Karina spoke.

 

“Hhmm?” As Winter was about to glance at the older girl, she felt a poke on her cheek, "got'cha."

 

Winter could only roll her eyes as Karina laughed, "I got you there."

 

"That wasn’t even fair. I wasn't even aware."

 

"That’s not my fault," Karina grins, "you're just not too aware of your surroundings,"

 

It took a second before Winter just realized Karina was playing her...again. "Why you-!" She playfully punched Karina's shoulder as the other girl laughed.

 

They continue to bicker around each other and make jokes until they reach a park. As it was already near midnight, they were the only ones in the place. They settled on one of the benches and peacefully watched the water fountain.

 

The sky was clear, which made the stars shine brighter than the usual. Both girls couldn’t help but admire the view. "So beautiful," the older girl said. Winter smiles as she agreed. She glances at her companion, only to be mesmerized by the older girl’s beauty. 

 

She had always known how pretty her fellow member was even back then when they were trainees. But that doesn’t mean Winter stopped admiring her beauty. She still can't believe that a person like Karina even exist. God definitely took his time with you, she thought.

 

"It is," she's definitely not talking about the stars. You're really beautiful, Jimin, Winter thought, really...really beautiful, she immediately caught herself. Winter clears and looked away. It was there again.

 

Feelings.

 

She's feeling things she couldn’t describe. Too many thoughts run through her head.

 

Jimin is beautiful, I known that already. But why is my heart racing like crazy? Why do I feel like a fanboy ready to confess their love? Wait? Confess? Why do I need to confess? It's not like I like Jimin that way,

 

Right?

 

“I kinda miss this,” Winter snapped out from her thoughts and glances back at the older girl as the other continued, “taking walks late at night, bickering, playing around without any worry in the world. We used to do this alot. I just miss...doing these things...” Karina glanced at Winter and softly smiled, “with you.”

 

Winter’s heart skipped a beat for the nth time. The short girl immediately felt her face was heating up, she didn’t expect Karina to splash her once again with sweet words. She tried to function properly but her brain was lagging. She doesn’t understand why she is feeling this way. Karina is always the sweet talker, always had been, but why? Why do I feel things now?

 

All she could was to distract herself from the situation. Using her trembling hands, she drank a bit too much of her hot coffee.

 

Crap, it was too hot. Winter almost spilled her drink.

 

“You okay?” the other girl asked worriedly.

 

“Yeah,” Winter breathlessly answered, “I’m good.” Though her tongue says otherwise.

 

She suddenly hears Karina chuckling, “you should be careful in drinking. Even now, I still need to take care of you.”

 

"Says the clumsy one," the younger girl immediately retorts.

 

"Yah!" Karina playfully slapped Winter’s arm, "I have been better, lately. There hasn’t been any accident.”

 

“True, but that doesn’t mean you're not anymore clumsy.”

 

Karina pouts as Winter chuckles softly.

 

Comfortable silence embraces them. It was nice and comforting.

 

Winter realizes she haven't replied to the older girl yet, “I kind of missed this, too.” It has been a while since they did this. 

 

“I mean, this is our dream. To debut and become artists we could be proud of. And we are just starting, but…," she sighs, "I also can’t help but feel sad that we can't be who we are before anymore. We can't do the stuff that we used to do. And that… we had to lose something in order to gain another…"

 

The moment Winter glances at the other girl, her breathe got caught up as Karina had been staring at her (too) intently. It was too much for Winter to handle. She immediately looked away and sipped her coffee. She can feel her ears reddening. 

 

She thanks the gods that they were hidden by her hair.

 

"Minjeong."

 

For Winter, it's pretty much a trivial matter for her members to call her by her real name. But the way the older girl says it made her stomach do some somersaults. She didn't expect Karina would use her iconic hoarse low voice to call out her name. 

 

Again, too much for Winter to handle.

 

In a span of seconds full of gay panicking, Winter glances back at the other girl, "thank you."

 

Huh?

 

Karina must have seen the confusion on Winter’s face. She reached out to one of the short-haired girl’s hands and caress it's back, "I just want...to say thank you...for everything." She glances back at Winter, "we went through lots and lots of struggles and hardships together, it's a miracle we're both still here...able to debut together."

 

"I don't mean that you stayed because of me. After all, I know this is also your dream, but like...you know…" the older girl sighs, "I don't think I would last this long if you weren't there with me. That's why…" Karina looked at her sincerely, "thank you."

 

Winter let every word sink in and smiled softly, "likewise."

 

Karina smiled back at her.

 

To lighten up the mood, Winter nudge the older girl and , "what's gotten into you, Unnie? Ate too many cheese today?" The older girl playfully pushed her away, "I'm trying to be serious here."

 

Before Winter could reply, she suddenly felt a cold touch on her cheeks. She touched it, only for it to be wet. She looked up to see if it’s raining, but it was

 

"Snow?!?!" The younger girl hears Karina exclaimed, "oh my god, it's real. It's snowing."

 

Winter was still shocked seeing the snow. It was too sudden, but she couldn’t help but smile. Especially when she sees the older girl, the leader of her group, playing around the snow like a little kid.

 

"Minjeong! It's snowing! Minjeong!" Winter laughs as the other girl was already jumping around, "remind me again that you're older than me."

 

"That doesn't matter anymore," the older girl chuckled. She went closer to the short-haired girl and pulled her out of the bench to play with her.

 

Laughter can be heard all over the place as the two girls were amazed to see the snow.

 

"Minjeongie,"

 

Winter’s attention switched from the snow to her companion, only to see her smiling widely at her, "it's our first snow."

 

Our...first snow.

 

Upon realizing what it meant, Winter smiles, "it is."

 

But that wasn't the only thing she realized.

 

Winter sees the older girl smile so brightly, she felt like she's ready to give the world to her.

 

I like you.

 

Those words spilled unconsciously in her mind when she saw the older girl.

 

She likes Karina.

 

This revelation left her breathless, it made her mind go overdrive. But at the same time, it seemed her heart already knew this, only now that Winter had caught on.

 

No wonder she's been feeling things.

 

No wonder she couldn't help but be affected whenever the older girl shower her with sweet words and actions.

 

She likes Karina.

 

I like her.

 

Alot.

 

Suddenly, she remembered that famous belief about first snows.

 

There is this belief that if you witness the first snow with your special someone and confess, then they will stay together for a long time.

 

That is why a lot of couples or people want to experience the first snow with their loved one.

 

Ah, I get it now, she thought. She understands why people confess during the first snow.

 

It's something she can't explain, but she felt it.

 

She wants to spill it.

 

"Jimin Unnie,"

 

The mention of her real name made Karina looked at her. Wide-eyed and innocent, Karina went closer to the younger girl, "yes?"

 

"Remember the famous belief of the first snow," Winter sees Karina’s confused face but she continued on, "witnessing the first snow with your special someone and confess."

 

"Oh," Karina titled her head to the side in curiosity, "what about it?"

 

"I understand it now."

 

"Understand?"

 

"Jimin Unnie," Winter smiles at the older girl, "I like you."

 

She sees the other girl shocked before smiling, "I know that already, Minjeong-ah. I like you, too, remember?"

 

"No, Unnie," she shook her head, "this is different." She clenches her fists, to gather enough courage, to say it properly and make the older girl understand. "I like you, Unnie. Like...like like...romantically."

 

Both of them fell into silence. 

 

Karina was too speechless to reply which made the younger girl anxious. It made Winter feel like she just made the biggest mistake of her life. 

 

Not only she is risking her friendship with the older girl, she's also risking her group.

 

She was about to speak when she sees Karina smile.

 

"Minjeong-ah…"

 

Blink.

 

"Minjeongie…"

 

Blink.

 

"Minjeong!"

 

Winter snapped away from her trance only to see the older girl looking at her worriedly, "are you okay? You seemed out of it."

 

She blinks again, ah.

 

It was all in her head.

 

Her heart beats so rapidly as she realized what just happened. "I-I…did...I say something weird?"

 

"You called out for my name...and that's it." Karina’s touches her face, "do you feel sick? Do you want to go home."

 

Ah, the confession didn't happen, she thought. It's for the best.

 

Like the first snow…

 

It was too early.

 

Too early to confess.

 

Winter forced a chuckle, "I'm okay, Unnie," she gave the older girl a smile, "I just thought of something and then forgot about it."

 

"That fast?"

 

The younger girl embarrassedly scratched the back of her head, "yeah."

 

Karina is still not convinced, "okay." It was then she realized how cold Winter’s face was, "you're cold."

 

Both girl’s weren't dressed properly for the weather.

 

"It's snowing, after all, Unnie."

 

Karina softens. She took Winter’s hand and intertwined with it, "it's getting late. Let's go home."

 

This gesture made the younger girl blush, but this time, she let herself feel it.

 

Feel the fluttering feelings in her stomach as the older girl held her hand.

 

She likes it.

 

She likes it a lot.

 

"Unnie," she spoke.

 

"Hmm?"

 

"Next year, let's see the first snow," Winter smiles at the older girl, "together." Maybe, at that time, I will confess to you, too.

 

She sees the older girl smile widely, loving the idea, "can't wait for it."