Scene 1: Europe, still on the ski piste on the glacier on the Jungfrau Mountain at dusk

On the set: Aaron, Taemin, production team, a few other tourists here and there

But even though, Aaron can now ski down the slope together with Taemin without worrying about the production team, there isn’t much left of the slope, actually. They have almost reached the chairlift. Still, that is enough for Taemin to manoeuvre Aaron and himself in yet another compromising situation.

The two are a little ahead of the others and because of a small hill in between them out of the production team's sight. Taemin is catching up to Aaron who is waiting for him at the border of the slope. And seeing the fluffy-looking pile of snow right next to his Wings, Taemin's lips curl upwards into a mischievous smile.

Aaron, however, doesn’t notice anything and unsuspectingly watches him coming nearer with an affectionate smile. But instead of pulling to a stop beside her, Taemin navigates his skis in such a way that one of them comes to halt right in between Aaron's!

Taemin (a tiny little bit out bit out of breath, but with a too darn attractive smile): Hey, gorgeous.

Aaron, completely taken by surprise, wants to move backwards. But she has forgotten that she has still a pair of skis attached to her feet and, moreover, they are entangled with Taemin’s. She loses her balance and would have almost fallen over if it were not for Taemin’s quick reaction who quickly grabs her by the waist. However, instead of steadying her, he just changes the direction of her fall and they both plump sideways into the ungroomed snow. Snowflakes fly everywhere making Aaron momentarily close her eyes. And when she opens them again, she finds herself lying on top of a whimsically smiling Taemin, her head comfortably resting on his chest and his arms still comfortably encircled around her waist. During the fall, Taemin has all gentlemanly turned his upper torso in such a way that he has served as a cushion for Aaron.

Blushing furiously, she tries to push herself up but only manages to gain a few centimetres of distance because Taemin refuses to let go of her waist.

Aaron (completely flustered): Yah, let go of me! What if someone sees?!

But Taemin just shakes his head, pouting. And after a few seconds Aaron can’t support her body anymore and she lets herself fall back down on Taemin’s chest. Instead, she lifts her head to look at Taemin; resting her chin on his chest. But this only lets her become even more aware of their closeness.

Aaron (with a slightly shaky voice): Y-You’re really not going to let go?

But Taemin makes no move to do so. Rather, he tightens his hold on Aaron’s waist and moves his shoulders a little. Like he’s making himself comfortable in the snow.

Aaron feels her heartbeat speeding up and she just hopes that their winter coats are thick enough to muffle the loud thumping of her heart.

Still, she starts another attempt to get up. But it’s to no avail; Taemin’s hold is just too strong. And then he even plays on his good looks.

Taemin (using his aegyo shamelessly): Yah, what’s this?! My Wings doesn’t like being hugged by me?!

Aaron stops wriggling about and bashfully lower her eyes.

Aaron (mumbling): That’s not it…

Taemin: What did you say?

Aaron (louder but still so soft that Taemin barely hears it): I said it’s not that I don’t like you hugging me…

And after admitting to it, Aaron quickly hides her red face in Taemin’s chest. Thus she misses the blissful smile her confession conjures on his lips. He momentarily closes his eyes and takes a deep breath; once again inhaling her scent of jasmine and lavender. Only now it’s also mixed with the freshness of the alpine air.

But then he notices her somewhat twisted position. Even though her face is still buried in his chest the rest of her body is turned to the side a little because the skis prevent her from lying completely face down. Thus, Taemin unwraps one arm from her waist and gently turns her head sideways too.

Taemin (softly and the smile audible in his voice): This is more comfortable, no?

He then wraps his arm around her shoulders instead of around her waist like before and Aaron just nods; now it’s her turn to smile blissfully.

Taemin (sighing): I could lie like this for forever…

Aaron lifts her head again, resting her chin on his chest.

Aaron (looking at him worried): Really? Aren’t you cold?

Taemin (while grinning and shaking his head a little): No. Having you I will never feel cold.

Instantly, Aaron’s eyes widen and she looks to the side, biting back a smile.

Taemin (continuing as if he hasn’t seen Aaron’s reaction and as if he was actually speaking his thoughts out loud): Aww, really, I should have done this earlier…! Why did I wait almost until the end of the slope?

Then, he watches with amusement, how Aaron freezes in her movement and her forehead creases as she processes what he has just said. Then, when she’s figured it out, her eyes snap back to his face and she stares at him disbelieving.

Aaron incredulously: You planned all this?! The crashing into me and even the falling over?!

Taemin (grinning at her impishly): Well…? (Shrugs his shoulders)

Aaron: YAHH!! (Hits his chest half seriously half playfully)

Just that moment, the a few members of the production team come skiing over the little hill and spot the two lying entangled in the snow. Among them the director and that one camera man who by now already has a quite good picture of what is going on. Unfortunately, Kihyun is still a little further up as skiing is definitely not his expertise.

Director (frowning): Taemin? Aaron? Is everything alright?

He certainly isn’t liking how Taemin seems to be a little too familiar with this girl…

Immediately, Aaron pushes herself up but keeps her eyes fixated on the ground. If possible, she would now very much like for the ground to open up and swallow her. Like, right now!

Aaron (trying to explain): Err… um… Taemin couldn’t stop and collided into me… we fell down and… well… um…

She looks towards Taemin for support but, to her shock, he’s still lying on the ground with his eyes closed. His jaw is set and his face stony. An expression Aaron recognises right away: It’s the same as he had worn two days ago when he had landed after the skydiving; his I’m-in-pain-but-I-won’t-show-it expression.

Aaron: Oh, ! His broken rib! What the hell was I thinking when I hit his chest?! Am I crazy?!

Instantly, she kneels down next to him and touches his arm.

Aaron (while frowning worried): Yah, are you alright? Does it hurt a lot? I’m so sorry!

Hearing this, the production team immediately crowds around Taemin as well.

Director: What’s wrong, Taemin?

Coordi noona: Taemin? You’re hurt?

A camera man: Where does it hurt?

Finally, Taemin opens his eyes again and he forces a smile.

Taemin: I’m fine. I just fell a little unhappily…

Aaron exhales exasperated and rolls her eyes before she throws Taemin a reprimanding glare.

At that moment, Kihyun and the rest of the team arrive at the scene as well.

Kihyun: What’s going o— (Interrupting himself when he sees Taemin lying on the ground) Oh no, Taemin! What happened?

He glances at Aaron who looks back at him apologetically and he knows what’s going on.

Kihyun (to the other team members): Excuse me. Let me through, please. (Kneels down beside Taemin) How bad is it? Can you stand up and ski down to the chairlift or do we have to call someone?

Taemin (after pushing himself up with clenched teeth): I will ski down.

Even though Aaron can’t understand them she can more or less guess what they are saying. And the determined expression on Taemin’s face leaves little doubt about his intentions. Aaron just closes her eyes and lets out a sigh. If she wasn’t wearing a helmet, she would have torn her hair. But then she remembers again that it's actually her fault and her expression turns sorry.

She and Kihyun then help Taemin stand up and the later puts on his ski again. The binding of his left ski had come undone during the fall.

Aaron (while biting her lips): Is there something else I can do?

Taemin (turning to her with a smile): Just smile and stop blaming yourself. It was my choice to begin with.

Aaron (after exhaling audibly but smiling): Alright. I’m smiling. Let’s go.

Scene 2: Europe, at the valley station of the chairlift

On the set: Aaron, Taemin, production team, chairlift staff, and a few other tourists

To everybody’s relieve, Taemin has made it safely down to the chairlift and they are now waiting in the short line until it is their turn. Kihyun and the director are talking to each other agitatedly in Korean while glancing over at Taemin every now and then. It doesn’t take a genius to guess what they are discussing but Aaron would give a lot to know the exact words they are exchanging. It’s obvious that they want to know how Taemin got that injury and she’s only waiting for someone to come stomping over and ask how she could have been so careless.

But no one did and then it was their turn to get on the chairlift. Aaron tried to make a step to the side, thinking to let all the others get on first and then follow them. But someone grabbed her arm, making her turn around again.

Taemin: You ride with me.

Aaron whispering: What? Are you crazy?! Everyone’s looking!

She tries to wind her arm out of Taemin’s grasp but to no avail.

Taemin: Would I have asked if I cared?

Aaron still whispering: Yah, you’re injured, you know? What am I going to do if you faint all of a sudden? Can’t you ride with Kihyun instead?

Taemin: I won’t faint. I just want to have a break from having to put a smile all the time. Please, my Wings?

And looking at his pleading face, Aaron feels her resistance dissolving into nothing.

Aaron (breathing out): Alright. I’ll go with you.

Taemin gives her a thankful smile and turns to the camera man at his side.

Taemin: Okay, we’re next!

And before anyone can say anything against it, he has already pulled Aaron and himself onto the next chair.

Scene 3: Europe, on the chairlift back to the top

On the set: Aaron, Taemin

While the chair slowly hovers out into the open, Aaron carefully pulls down the security bar. Then she turns her head to look at Taemin. He is just silently sitting there, his expression stiff.

Aaron (while biting her lips concerned): How are you feeling?

Taemin throws her a short glance accompanied by a small smile.

Taemin: I’ll manage.

Aaron: Didn’t you want to ride with me so you don’t have to put up a front? So, again: How are you feeling?

This time Taemin leans his head back against the metal bar at the back of the chair and closes his eyes.

Taemin (softly): Tired…

Aaron: Does it hurt a lot?

Taemin doesn’t answer that question though. But no answer is an answer too.

Then, Aaron’s eyes fall on the metal bar that Taemin is resting his bare head on.

Aaron: Isn’t it cold? Why… Why don’t you rest your head on my shoulder instead? (Takes off her helmet)

Taemin turns to look at Aaron and a grateful smile shows on his lips again.

Taemin: Thank you. My Wings. (Shifts his body so that his head gets to rest on Aaron’s shoulder) If not for the head wind I could almost think I’m back in my bed…

Aaron (mentally smacking herself): Ah! (Pulls down the transparent wind-breaker of the chair too) Better?

Taemin: Hmm-hmm… (Snuggles a little closer and links his arm with Aaron’s) You’re really warm, you know.

Aaron: Are you cold? (Mumbling to herself) Well, I guess that’s obvious. (Louder again) Here, give me your hands. (Takes Taemin’s hands and slips her own hands into his gloves too) Still cold?

She feels Taemin slightly shaking his head and the corners of turn upwards as she looks down on his closed eyes.

But what the two forgot is that even though they are the first to ride the chairlift and thus no one of the production team is able to see them from the front, nothing is covering their interaction to all the chairs following behind them. Indeed, their linked arms may be obscured from the production team’s sight because of the backrest, but that is not the case for Taemin’s head that is resting on Aaron’s shoulder…

Kihyun (while momentarily closing his eyes): Oh boy…!

Hey, everyone!

I'm so sorry for not updating all this while!! >.< I've been feeling a little unmotivated the last few weeks (not just on AFF but in my daily life as well...) and just couldn't bring myself to continue writing... :/ Also, I had to think and organise the plot of my other story a little and pull all the loose ends together, which turned out to be more difficult than I had expected... Even now, I'm still not fully satisified with the solution I've come up with... =.= And to think that I actually did some planning before I started this fic! Oh well...

Back to this fic, I’m also really sorry about how the whole broken rib business makes just no sense at all… >< When I’m going to edit this story sometime in the future, I will definitely do something about this! Yagsoghae!

Anyways, thanks for your support all this while!
And to my subscribers: Thank you so much for staying with me! XDD
And to the commentors: Thank you so much for always cheering me up with your kind words!
And to all the other my most greatful thanks as well!! XD