a/n: this has been in my drafts for a month and i've actually written half of the story by mid december but writer's block is a and i kinda lost my excitement for writing for a while. i'm glad i'm able to finish this story finally. pardon any grammar mistakes or holes in the plot, i didn't proofread much. chased myself to post this as soon as i can so i can get a breather.

happy new year and i hope you guys have a good year ahead! i appreciate if you could comment your thoughts, a lot of the comments from my previous story made this story come to life and motivated me. see you guys soon!

weather has been unpredictable in south korea these past few weeks, forcing wendy and irene to stay at home, postponing their routine night walk together after work. however, the weather forecast for tonight was too good to pass up for their long abandoned routine walk. wendy had texted irene earlier if she was up for their usual stroll at the han river before her work ended, both of them agreeing to meet up as usual. irene headed straight to the park after work and she cursed under her breath for her minimal layer of clothing. dressed in her work attire—khaki pants, black blazer and a white knitted turtleneck underneath—she trudges along the sidewalk, hugging herself to warm up her tiny frame. it was nearing winter, the temperature reaching below irene’s comfort but still bearable for a walk, especially when she hasn’t been on one since hers with wendy. 

the crowd there wasn't packed much to irene’s liking. it was cold and most would prefer staying in the warmth of their home, except for wendy (and maybe irene as well although she agreed partly because she wanted to meet wendy). irene could count some passersby and a few couples filling the empty cold park, blushing at the thought of considering her walk with wendy a date. well it is, at least on her part. she wouldn’t want to admit it out loud, but she may have a teeny tiny crush on her friend. irene also didn’t want to risk their friendship if wendy were to reject her, so she sought burying her futile crush; she’d rather stay as her friend for a long time rather than to lose her.

irene found herself wandering aimlessly for the past five minutes, deciding if she should shoot a text to wendy on her whereabouts. it was unusual for her to not be on time or earlier by a few minutes. as irene worries grew over the minutes that passed by, suddenly interrupted with a tap on her shoulder from behind. she turned around, curiosity and confusion plastered on her features as she faced a rather fluffy woman, fitted with a blue furry jacket too big for her own size; cream beanie on her head and a mask highlighting the woman’s mesmerising eyes. 

“yes?” confusion laced irene’s voice. “how can i help you?”

the stranger chuckled, her eyes turning crescents before she answered with another question mirthfully, “didn’t you order a ‘night walk’ to go?”

now this is borderline weird and creepy. irene’s mouth opens and closes, struggling to find her words to answer the stranger or at least find a way to escape this conversation. her mind going into haywire—the cold temperature making it harder for her to think rationally—at the peculiar woman’s words. who on earth would walk up to a stranger just to say that? literally covered from head to toe makes her more suspicious, to hell her fluffiness. irene shouldn’t be fooled with appearances; there were plenty of news and articles she’s read that even the friendly neighbourhood grandma can be a bad guy. with no one around for irene to call for help, she mentally preps herself to break for a run, far far away from this possible dangerous situation.

okay, deep breaths. 1, 2— 

“geez, we didn’t see each other for two and a half weeks and you can’t recognize me anymore?” the girl in front of her huffs while pulling down her mask, probably tired of waiting for irene to unfold the situation.

“wendy!” irene hitted her square on the shoulder. wendy snickered in amusement at irene’s antics. she does find startling irene entertaining, her reactions are always top tier; she doesn’t really hide her emotions that well. “you’re a menace for coming up to me like that!” 

“i thought you’re one of those people who would abduct me, ship me off to another country,” irene pouted, flailing her arms, her inner turmoil taking over. she gasped incredulously, covering with her hands. “i could’ve had my organs sold off!”. wendy couldn’t hold her laughter in and guffawed at irene’s comment. how irene’s mind works leaves wendy wondering. “what makes you think i won’t do either of those you mentioned?” wendy lifted her brows in a questioning manner to irene. she wouldn’t, but teasing irene had never failed to make her smile. 

“you’re just a fluff ball, in human size of course. you don’t even have the heart to kill an ant,” irene retorted in a duh manner as if it’s the most obvious answer ever. they walked in sync, basking in the comfortable silence they both had longed for to make up for the lost time they endured the past few weeks. 

“oh i almost forgot.” wendy reaches to her side, giving irene a warm hot chocolate to which she was too busy to notice thanks to wendy’s overall fit. “i got your favourite hot chocolate at your favourite cafe, though i hope it’s still warm to your liking. the line was what got me late, i’m sorry.” wendy sheepishly shrugged, putting her hair behind her ears, an act that irene notic