_____ looked herself over in the mirror for the 12^th time in 10 minutes making sure that she looked absolutely perfect.

                It was Christmas Eve and she had made plans to meet up with her best friend, Sehun, at the local park by her house.

                They had promised each other when they were 16 that the year that they were both 18 years old, they would meet on Christmas Eve and spend the whole night together, the date being the 8^th year that they’ve been best friends.

                They met at the exact same park 8 years ago when their mom’s had introduced them and since then, they were inseparable. They went to the same middle school and high school and were always together. Like they were twins but just separated at birth.

But that feeling had now died down inside of _____ since Sehun had gotten himself a girlfriend, Jenny. _____ wasn’t jealous of Sehun’s girlfriend at all though she was sad that she didn’t get to spend much time with him outside of school like she had before. She was truly happy for him, seeing that he was also happy. His happiness meant everything to her.

                She wore a black winter parka, under that a grey sweater, under that a white blouse and under that, a tank top. The bottom half of her body wore black skinny jeans and black army boots. She had to layer up since the weather that day was 42^o F and dropping as time went by.

                She looked out of her window and saw frost forming near the edges of the window. And although it was only 5 p.m., winter had forced the sun to sleep much earlier than it usually would.

                _____ and Sehun had planned to meet at the park at 6, so she was in a rush to leave.

                She scurried out of her room and headed toward the kitchen to tell her mother where she would be for the night.

                “Umma, I’ll be out tonight with Sehun, so if I come back late, don’t worry yourself. And have fun alone tonight with Appa,” she said smiling at her mom.

                “Arasso, hunny. Make sure to come back home safe. And call me every so often to check in.”

                _____ kissed her mom on the cheek and rushed out of the front door. As soon as she stepped out of the house, the cold hit her like a ton of bricks. Even all the clothes she wore didn’t protect her much from the cold.

                “Omo, I didn’t know it would be this cold. Hopefully I won’t have to wait too long for Sehun to come.” She hugged herself trying to warm herself, which helped but only for a short while. She set off down the street toward the park listening to her iPod, enjoying the solo stroll she was taking.

                It was 5:45 when _____ arrived at the park. Realizing she was early, she decided to wait for Sehun while sitting on a park bench. She lolled her head back, staring at the dark blue sky and all the twinkling stars that shown in it. She was so distracted by the sky around her and the music of the birds playing in her ears that when she reached for her phone in her pocket, it was already 6:10.

                “Hmmm, where could Sehun be?” She shivered from the cold. He didn’t cancel on me or tell me that he would be spending the day with Jenny, so where could he be?

                _____ decided to sit and wait until Sehun would come and meet her.

                It was now 6:42 and _____ was getting colder. She noticed small snowflakes falling around her as she stared blankly in front of her. There was no one else in the park except for her. They were probably with their loved ones spending a good night with them and feasting on warm food. But she was outside waiting for her best friend.

                Her teeth chattered and she was getting chills from the cold weather. But she blew it off, knowing that Sehun would soon come and take her to the noraebang or to a diner to eat.

                She waited. Stupidly. For Sehun.

                _____ held her phone in her hand and looked at the wallpaper of her & Sehun that they had taken a couple of days ago. His smile lifted the ends of her lips.

                The only thing that warmed her in this deathening weather, were the tears that cascaded down her cheeks. She lifted her legs to her chest as she sat there on the bench and cried.

                Sehun forgot about me. He forgot about our promise. He forgot about… us.

                She sat there shaking, trying to calm herself. All the crying she did caused her to fall asleep right there; on the park bench with the snow slowly falling on her body.

                _____’s phone violently shook in her numb hand. But she felt nothing but the warmth of sleep.

                Although she knew Sehun wouldn’t come for her, she still sat there waiting. Waiting.

                _____ ‘s mom had called her 6 times with no answer. She was getting worried for her daughter as she stared out of the kitchen window watching the flakes fall. She had given up calling her daughter and decided to call who _____ said she would be with.

                Sehun picked up the phone on the 3^rd ring. “Annyeong, Mrs._____! What brings about this phone call?” He says while excusing himself from the table he and Jenny were eating at to go outside.

                “Well, I just called _____ to check to see how she was doing but she hasn’t been answering any of my calls, so I was wondering if you knew why? She said she would be with you tonight.”

                “With me? I never knew she & I were supposed to meet up today…” Sehun thought hard about any plans he & _____ had together. A flashback of he & _____ on her 16^th birthday hugging pinkies came across his mind. . “Mianhae, Mrs._____, I’ll have to call you back later.” Sehun hung up the phone, cutting off _____’s mom’s reply. He ran back into the restaurant, grabbed his jacket, told Jenny that he was really sorry and ran to the park he & _____ were supposed to meet at.

                When he got to the park, it was 8:46. He saw a still body sitting on the park bench under a street lamp. He ran towards _____ and shook her crazily, trying to wake her.

                _____ looked up from her knees, saw Sehun & smiled. “You didn’t forget…” she said softly, smiling at him.

                Sehun smiled back sadly. “Of course I wouldn’t. Now let’s get you home, you’re freezing to death.”

                Sehun took _____’s hand and lifted her from the bench.

                As soon as she got up, _____ fell to the ground, her body limp.

                Sehun crouched beside her, yelling her name, shaking her; trying to keep her awake.

                “Sehun-ah,” she said in barely a whisper. Sehun fell silent at her voice. A tear spilled from her eye as she said;

                “It’s so cold.”

                With that, _____ completely out. Not feeling the cold she once did before or the warmth of Sehun’s tears falling on her face.

                _____ woke up to the smell of antibacterial and itchy fabric against her skin.  She looked to her right and saw a saline drip tube running up her arm. I’m in the hospital…? She looked to the left of her and saw Sehun staring out of the hospital window, snow still falling from the endless sky.

                “Sehun-ah,” she croaked out weekly.

                Sehun immediately whipped from the sound of his name and quickly went to _____’s side.

                “_____, I am so sorry. I did forget about our plans. It was my fault you got sick. It’s my fault you’re lying in this hospital bed with hypothermia. I’m so sorry,” Sehun chocked out through his sobs.

                She reached for his face and it slowly.

                “Sehun, it isn’t your fault. It’s mine. I shouldn’t have sat there idiotically waiting for you. I should’ve known you would’ve probably been out with Jenny.” She smiled at him.

                “_____. I don’t understand how you can forgive me so quickly. I’m your best friend and I broke my promise…”

                “Because, Sehun-ah…” she wasn’t sure if she should tell him this or not, but, “I love you.”

                Sehun looked at her shocked and wide eyed. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

                “You… love me?”

                She smiled. “Yes. I do love you.”              

                Sehun was so happy hearing those words come from _____’s mouth. He had never said it, but he also loved her. The only reason he had started to go out with Jenny was in hope of forgetting the feelings he had for _____ so that he wouldn’t ruin their friendship. But to realize she felt the same as he, his tears of sadness turned into ones of joy and happiness.

                “I love you, too, _____-ah.”

                “Bwo? But Jenny… and you… are…”

                “I didn’t want to ruin this friendship we have, so I tried to block out my feelings for you using Jenny. But, aha, seems like that didn’t work.” They both smiled at each other as Sehun took her left hand and kissed it.

                “Promise you’ll never leave me again. And that you won’t forget about us,” she said to Sehun.

                “I promise. Forever.”

                Their pinkies hugged once again, sealing their fate together.

                And here, in this scarily white hospital room, the two watched the snow fall outside of the window.

                Now, it didn’t seem so cold.