Cold... The object that hit Haejin was cold, and it began to trickle down, frigid crystals melting into a stream of icy water down her bare neck. She stiffened and shuddered, feeling its chilling grip. Shaking her head desperately, using her hand for assistance, she got the remaining remnants of a snowball out of the back of her shirt and her hair. Haejin turned around, a mixture of surprise and fury on her face, and she looked for the culprit. He stood in front of her, his eyes sparkling mischievously, and he was biting his lip slightly. Contained laughter within bubbling sense of humor.

Kai took one look at her expression, and he lost it. Falling into a fit of giggles, he clutched his stomach. Haejin stood there watching him, mouth still agape.

"Haejin, your face---your face right now!" Kai was laughing so hard he was hunched over and clapping. When he finally stood up straight and somewhat regained control of himself, a tint of pink kissed his cheeks. A few more chuckles escaped his lips before they parted to speak.

"I'm--I'm sorry.. Haejin," he managed to spurt out. Haejin's brow furrowed, and she pouted slightly.

"You now have one free shot," Kai continued. Haejin stared at him.

In all honesty, Haejin had never been in a snowball fight, nor participated in other winter games. "Childish", they were titled, by her parents. So when she was young, she was kept inside, a recluse and an alien, separated from the typical children's winter wonderland. Even now, she could hear them telling her to walk away, that "she was better than that, had better things to do". So instinctively, she spun on her heel and kept walking.

"Haejin~" Kai whined, and Haejin stopped. "Haejinnie~ You're not going to fight back?"

"No," Haejin called over her shoulder.

"Whyyy~? Now I feel bad!" At this, Haejin turned around and looked at the ground.

"I've... never been in a... snowball fight..." She shuffled her feet, hearing Kai's gasp.

"You poor girl... Your childhood was.. still is INCOMPLETE!" Kai ran up to her and shook her slightly. "How do you live with that? Or without it, I should say."

"I wasn't allowed to play games!" Haejin tried to regain her focus once Kai had stopped shaking her. Kai's jaw dropped. He stepped back and spread his arms wide.

"You haven't lived yet. Throw one," he exclaimed.

"No! I'll feel bad about it!" Haejin turned around and started walking. Two steps in, she felt a snowball hit her back lightly.

"Kim Jong--" As Haejin turned around, another one hit her in the left shoulder. made an "o" shape, and she looked at Kai, who was grinning, his eyes wild with excitement.

"You know what-- you want a snowball? Fine!" Haejin knelt down, and cupped a handful of snow into her hands. She shivered as it bit the creases in her fingers with its icy teeth. She began to pat it together, forming a sphere. She didn't look at where she was aiming. She screwed her eyes tight and launched it.

Haejin heard a muffled noise, and she heard someone stumble back. Opening her eyes, she saw Kai had turned from her, his hands fumbling for his face.

Haejin's snowball had hit Kai in the face. Her hand covered and she blushed as Kai wiped the snow from his face, shaking his head occasionally. Bits of snow fell, and he looked at her, his skin glistening with melting snow. He looked at her with an open smile.

"You just hit me--"

"In the face... omo, I'm so sorry!" Haejin started to bow, but Kai made it over to her quickly and stopped her from doing so. His hand was on her shoulder, and when she looked up at him, he was smiling even wider now.

"You threw one back... You know what that means?" Kai's grin stretched from ear to ear, it seemed. His eyes glinted with anticipation.

"Kai--"

"The snowball fight has officially begun!" Kai's voice rang throughout the park, and several people walking through it looked in their direction.

Haejin panicked. "No no no, that's not what I meant--" She felt Kai's grip on her loosen, then disappear as he turned and walked away from her.

"You ready?" Kai asked, once he was a few meters from her.

"No!!" Haejin waved her hands around frantically. Kai made a snowball and threw it. Haejin dodged it, squealing slightly.

"Jongin!!! Don't do this," Haejin exclaimed. Kai's response, a laugh, could be heard from across the park.

"Fight back, Haejin," he called. He threw another snowball and it missed Haejin by inches. Haejin let out another squeak, and she jumped back slightly.

She'll get frustrated enough, Kai thought, and sure enough, he could see Haejin kneeling down, forming her second snowball, huffing in defeat. She had laid her bag off to the side. He couldn't help but smile at her, and he waited for her to stand up. He saw her look at him, stare him down with a semi-piercing gaze, and then she threw the snowball, turning her head as she did so.

The snowball missed Kai, of course, and he laughed a little.

"Haejin! You're supposed to look at the target," he called, chuckling. As he said this, however, he didn't notice another snowball hurtling towards his chest, and it hit him, a soft thump audible. Kai looked at his chest in shock, and then felt another snowball his his leg, and could hear another whizz past his ear. Kai looked up, and ducked just in time for another one.

"Whoa!!!!" Kai looked at her, and could see Haejin panting slightly, her face flushed, her expression flustered. Now, she was the one biting her lip to contain laughter.

"Let's do this, then," Haejin called, a giggle entangling itself in the four words. Kai grinned.

"You're on!"

...............

They were both soaked with melting snow as they walked down the street.

"So I owe you cake for beating me, right?" Kai had his arm draped lazily over Haejin as they stumbled down the sidewalk.

"Darn straight," Haejin replied, blowing her wet bangs out of her eyes. She looked up at Kai, and Kai looked down at her. They started laughing.

"I can't believe you tackled me," he whispered, still in apparent disbelief. Haejin grinned.

"You were in my bubble; you deserved to be tackled. I don't think snowballs are supposed to be thrown at close proximity," she stated. Kai huffed.

"Says the one who's never had a snowball fight!"

"I watched kids play the game before!" Haejin stood in front of Kai, her hands on her hips. They had stopped walking.

"From inside your window, all lonely and such," Kai poked her cold cheek. Haejin pouted.

"I really was, though." Haejin looked down, laughing bitterly.

"I know," Kai whispered, putting his arm around her again, urging her to walk with him. Haejin obliged, and they continued to walk down the street. A frigid breeze gushed through the street, and Haejin flinched, shivering. Kai pulled her closer to him, protecting her from the cold. Haejin felt a sudden blush creep onto her face, and she was silent as Kai held her firmly against him, his arm wrapping around her shoulders. She couldn't look at him, and Kai could sense this, and he laughed a little.

They walked in silence for a while. Haejin tried to control her raging heartbeat, and she breathed deeply. The wind had long since stopped, but Kai still held her tightly. She snuck a glance up at him, and she thought she could see a hint of a smile on his lips. She quickly looked away, becoming more flustered.

Over the course of the past few months, Haejin and Jongin had grown very fond of one another. And over time, Haejin began to develop an affection for the boy walking next to her. She looked up at him again, studying his face.

I wonder if you feel the same... 

They continued walking until they reached a small cafe, where Kai let go of her momentarily to open the door for her.

"After you," he said with a small smile. Haejin looked at him, baffled.

"You don't have to do that," she blushed again in embarrassment.

"Well I could just walk in and leave you out here--"

"Okay okay I'm coming!" Haejin walked past him, and she soon heard the door shut, and felt Kai nudge her slightly.

"Besides, you owe me food," she looked back at him, and he laughed.

"If my money didn't get soaked, Miss Linebacker." Kai laughed at his own joke, and Haejin shook her head.

"You're ridiculous," she murmured.

"I love you too," Kai giggled. Haejin rolled her eyes and laughed with him.

She suddenly felt eyes on her. She gazed around the cafe, with its round tables and bright lighting, and the smell of brewed coffee and pastries and happiness, and saw that the people there were staring at them.

They had every reason to. Haejin and Kai were both soaked, their hair a damp mess, their clothes drenched, and becoming wetter as the warm cafe melted any remaining snow. Their faces were flushed, and their shoes squished slightly with every step. Their clothes were haphazardly hanging on them. Victims of a good snowball fight. Some people chuckled, others stared in awe. One elderly lady gently tugged at Haejin's coat, and Haejin looked down at her.

"Is that your boyfriend?" she asked, a giggle eminent in her tiny voice. Haejin's eyes widened, and she blushed. She was about to answer when--

"Haejin!" Haejin turned towards Kai's voice, and he was at the counter, looking at her. Haejin bowed towards the old woman and quickly made her way over to him.

"What do you want to eat and drink?" he asked. Haejin looked up at the menu that was displayed on the wall.

"I can order anything?" she asked.

"You beat me somewhat fair and square, so you can get anything you want," Kai joked. Haejin nodded and contnued looking.

"I'll have a glass of milk and a slice of strawberry cake, please," she said to the ahjusshi at the counter. He nodded in response and smiled.

"And you?" he inquired.

"I'll have a mocha and a slice of strawberry cake, please."

"Coming right up."

................

They sat towards the back of the cafe, their food on the table in front of them. Kai watched in amusement as Haejin drank her milk and ate her cake very properly.

"You act like you're at a business meeting," he whispered, leaning in a little.

"People are looking at us," Haejin pointed with her fork. Kai looked over at the other customers, and he smiled, bowing slightly.

"Are they a couple?"

"They're so adorable."

"Reminds me of how we were back in our old days.."

The cafe was filled with warm chatter, and it seemed that they were the main subject. Haejin blushed with each compliment, each comment that reached her ears. Kai seemed to be enjoying it as well; he couldn't stop smiling, and she swore that a blush tinted his cheeks.

Kai looked at Haejin, who was gazing at him. He grinned at her, putting his empty coffee cup down.

Haejin, do you have any idea of how absolutely gorgeous you are right now? You were pretty before, but you're full of life now... Maybe it's the lighting, but your eyes are sparkling, your cheeks are flushed... It's beautiful. He laughed as Haejin looked away in embarrassment, uselessly trying to fix her hair. Kai shook his head and reached over, ruffling it slightly. Haejin batted him away lightly and he chuckled, drawing his hand back. Haejin blew her bangs out of her eyes again, and with that, they continued to eat.

Once they were done, they threw the empty cups and plates away, and started to head towards the door.

"Excuse me." They turned to see the old lady from earlier. She pointed at Kai, and motioned for him to come down at her level. Kai did as he was told, bending down, and lending her his ear. Haejin looked at the two of them in confusion as the ahjumma whispered to Kai, and his facial expression seemed to be one of recognition as he listened to her words. He stood up after a few moments, and bowed towards her.

"Kamsahamnida." He smiled, and a blush hinted his cheeks as he looked at Haejin.

"You ready?" she asked. Kai nodded, the blush fading, but his smile remained.

"Let's go."

..............

"So what did the ahjumma tell you?" Haejin had been pestering Kai on the way back to her house about the incident in the cafe, but Kai wouldn't relent.

"I can't tell you!" He had repeated this over and over. Haejin pouted.

"So you're really not going to tell me?" She looked up at him as they stopped in front of her door, her eyes wavering. Kai in a breath.

"I can't," he reciprocated the action, and Haejin frowned.

"Not even if I do aegyo~?" she looked up at him from under her bangs. Kai ruffled her hair again.

"Not even if you do aegyo with Tao-hyung," Kai emphasized his friend, the aegyo-prince's name to prove his point further. Haejin looked down at her feet. Kai looked at her, then smiled slightly.

"Fine; I'll tell you... She said that you're beautiful, and that I'm lucky to have you as a friend." Kai smiled; he had partially told the truth.

The ahjumma had actually said "girlfriend" instead of friend, Kai thought, and he bit his lip.

"She really said that?" Haejin's jaw dropped. "Yah; I'm not that pretty."

"Yes, you are; are you kidding me?" Kai laughed in disbelief. Haejin looked down at her feet, and Kai's expression softened. He walked a little closer to her and he took her in his arms. Haejin tensed at this sudden action, but she soon relaxed and hugged him back, molding into his embrace. They stayed like that for a few minutes, until Kai pulled away slightly, but leaned in, and planted a soft kiss on Haejin's cheek. It was hardly noticeable, hardly detectable; his soft, plump lips touched her cheek, and pressed slightly. He pulled away from her, his eyes warm.

"You are beautiful, Haejin."

Haejin felt her face become hot, and she stared at him. He smiled at her.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked casually, as if nothing happened. Haejin managed a slight nod, and Kai grinned.

"I'll see you later, then." With that, he turned and walked down her driveway, not looking back. He disappeared down the street.

Haejin stood still for a few minutes, her whole body frozen not from the cold weather, but because of Kim Jongin's sudden kiss. When she managed to move, she quickly ran inside and shut the door behind her. Sliding down the door, she closed her eyes, replaying it over and over in her head.

This boy drove her crazy.

A/N: HEY GUYS!!!! :DDDDD *overexcited*  This chapter turned out longer than I expected. Ah well; the longer the better right??

Did you guys enjoy it? ^^ How is everyone doing? ^^

I love you all~ See you soon~!