Soo Jung never liked winter. She wishes winter would end soon. It isn't because of the cold, the way one is able to see one's own breath. She never once felt cold in her entire life. Nor is it due to the irritating layers of clothes she has to wear. But right now, as she trudges towards the grocery store, she feels plainly annoyed by the way those layers of clothes cling to her skin. She clenches her teeth while seeing her breath condense into a cloud. Her hands automatically ball into fists — something she does whenever she's angry. She steps into the store, feeling a little warmer due to the heater. She fills her arms with the usual necessities and checks out at the counter. Hand holding plastic bags filled with groceries, she heads home on a cold winter night.

It is snowing ever so slightly. The streets are empty, except for a few people. The streetlights are dim, flickering slightly even, providing little light. The clubs across the street are open, providing booze and all sorts of drugs to people. The drunkards near the club brings a shake to Soo Jung's head. She knows she should never go to the grocery store this late. It's too dark and possible dangers linger.

A man brushes past her accidentally. As a result, she loses her grip and the groceries spill out.Irritated, she mumbles incoherent curses as she picks up the items. The man stoops down to her level and starts helping her. She flicks her wrist in a gesture to tell him to go away. He continues helping anyway. Her irritation grows because why wouldn't he just go away. He senses her rising anger and pauses, hands in mid-air.

"As stubborn as always. Soo Jung, you're incorrigible," The man says, clicking his tongue in disapproval, eyebrows furrowing together.

She raises her head up, inwardly begging it isn't him. She winces, almost as if in pain as soon as she recognizes him. She hurriedly picks up everything and stands, patting away the imaginary dust on her pants. Her posture is so stiff and so straight and her face holds no expression. Even so, he still thinks she's pretty.

"I'm sorry, I don't know you," She says quickly.

The man's shoulders slump forward, automatically making him look shorter. He watches as she walks away quickly. His face falls, as if all the lines that had been used to draw his face were smudged. After all, she knows him and he knows her, like the back of his hand. And yet, they are merely nothing but strangers. She is but a beautiful stranger that he had just bumped into. He doesn't chase her because why would you chase. More importantly, he knows that she doesn't and will never want him to chase her. He can only pray that fate allows them to meet again.

That night, Soo Jung feels terribly cold.

That same exact winter, Soo Jung is irritated once again. She doesn't know exactly how many times she had cursed that, she just knows that she cursed a lot. She messes up her hair in frustration while looking at the mess around her, created by her. She has been packing her closet for a long time — way too long. Throwing clothes over her shoulder, figuring which one to keep and which one to throw. She's just about to throw another away when she feels the familiar fabric in her hands. She takes a closer look at it — and she curses again. It really isn't normal for her to curse so many times in one day. But then again, it's winter, it's too many layers of clothes, it's condensing breaths, it's his shirt she's holding.

She briefly wonders what she should do about. Should she throw it away? Maybe she shouldn't, after all it's his shirt, not hers. She figures that she should not decide for others and wants to return it to him. She should definitely return his shirt to him.

She convinces herself that she's seeing him because of his shirt, not because she wanted to see him. After all, they are just strangers. She'll just see him for maybe 60 seconds, just a little talking and she's gone. Just like that.

Because their relationship is simple. Just like that.

The door opens and he appears at the doorway after she rings the doorbell. He is shocked, but he knows better than to let his emotions get the better of him. She can't find the right words to say so she settles for a simple 'hi'. And because he's nothing but a pathetic excuse for a human being, he simply follows her greeting. He figures that he has only about 60 seconds with her, because he knows her like the back of his hand. He contemplates asking her why she's here but decides against it.

"I found your shirt in my closet just now while I was packing. Yeah. It was your favorite shirt, I think. Would you like to have it back?"

He thinks that she already has a boyfriend because she's just so beautiful. He just stares at her, not bothering to answer her question. She tilts her head in confusion. He wants to laugh because it's just so cute and so her. Knowing her — like the back of his hand —, he guesses she is thinking on the lines of 'Why would you stare, it's creepy' or something close to that.

"Myungsoo?"

His heart lurches — it's the first time in a long time that she had called his real name. And he realizes how much he misses her. Impulsive and reckless, he blurts out the cheesiest pick up line he can think of.

"I'm not a genie, but I can make your dreams come true,"

"Oh, so you are a genie. My wish is for you to reply so I can get the hell out of here,"

He laughs at her witty reply. Soo Jung swears that her heart did not just skip a beat. She rolls her eyes, masking any emotion she might feel. His face falls and she can't help but feel a little pity for him. She clears and tries to ignore his expression. Immediately realizing that his tactics don't work anymore, he scratches his head, and starts shooting her questions.

"So, urm, what are you doing here?"

Rolling her eyes again just to make a point, voice dripping with sarcasm, she says, "Oh, I came here because I wanted to hear your cheesy, nonsensical pick up lines,"

His shoulders shake with silent laughter as he tries his best to reply, "Sorry, I wasn't really listening just now,"

"Your shirt,"

She pushes his shirt to his chest. He blinks. Immediately understanding what he means, she explains.

"I have no idea what it was doing in my closet, so don't look at me like that. Must have been that time when you came over and-"

She stops herself, realizing what she has said. She bites her lower lip, looking very contrite. He doesn't even get why she looks so guilt-ridden, because it's not even her fault anyway. She looks at the ground, unable to look at him in the eye. She looks exactly like a student who's awaiting punishment from a teacher. Myungsoo frowns 一 he doesn't like it when she looks like that. He snaps his eyes shut, only to open it a moment later. He bangs the door with his fist.

"Damn it, Soo Jung! It isn't your fault! It's mine!"

She looks up, eyes reddening. Those glassy eyes staring at him, scared. So very scared. And she runs. She runs away from him.

Their relationship was never simple in the first place.

Soo Jung hates herself. She made a stupid, dumb decision. She should never have visited him. Especially not when it's winter and not when she's carrying his shirt in her hands. She should never have fallen in love in the stupid winter season. She should never let herself be attracted to how he was always so quietly brilliant 一 just like that dumb HTC motto. She should never have fallen for his cheesy, nonsensical pick up lines. She should never have met him on that stupid and dumb winter's day. What she should have done was ignore him. Ignore the idiot who asked her for directions. Ignore that stupid skipping of her heart. Just ignore him. Everything about him is just idiotic, dumb and stupid.

But deep down, Soo Jung knows 一 she's the idiotic, dumb and stupid one.

How stupid she was, playing hard to get, when she had obviously fallen for his charms. Their relationship was never simple — oh, the many times she had convinced herself that they werejust friends. They were never just friends. They had been from awkward acquaintances, to flirty friends, to somewhat lovers playing the who-shall-say-i-love-you-first game. In the end, no one said those magical three words and eight letter. Too scared. The result: Back to being awkward acquaintances. To be honest, she doesn't even know what stage they're at now. They're relationship consisted of too many ups and downs, too much impulsiveness, and too many heartbreaks. That was one of the main reasons why se didn't want to continue playing this game anymore. She was never sure where she stood when it came to Myungsoo. Most times, he lovedher. Sometimes, he liked her. Other times, he probably disliked her.

She had quit the game, mumbling, "Let's stop this. It hurts,"

And he had replied, saying, "Don't you love me anymore?"

"I don't know, Myungsoo. I don't know anymore,"

He didn't beg her to stay. He knew he had caused her enough heartbreak. He had let go. And Soo Jung was free.

Her eyes are red, tears already b, threatening to fall. She stares at her right hand, still clutching on to his shirt. She throws it over her shoulder and it lands on her floor. She doesn't know why his shirt is still in her house.

"Irritating. Just so dumb and so stupid. Annoying,"

She grumbles and curses under her breath. And she can still see her breath condensing. Stupid, stupid winter. She's unsure of what she's feeling. She used to be sure, just earlier today. But after the incident, she's not sure anymore. She's not sad because there is nothing to be sad about. Yes, she's exasperated because it's winter.

There is a knock in her door. She doesn't immediately answer. She takes all of her emotions and stores it in an imaginary bottle she has. And she pretends that she's fine. She turns the doorknob, opening the door.

"Yah! Jjung! What took you so long?"

"Other than being lazy, I'm not really sure. What are you doing here, Ssul?"

"Have you lost track of time? It's New Year's eve tomorrow. Being y, free and single, I have no choice but to spend it with my Jjung,"

Soo Jung lets Sulli in. Sulli wraps her in a tight hug. She struggles for air and pats Sulli's back desperately to tell her. Sulli retracts her arms and raises her hands up, surrendering.

"What's wrong with you?" Soo Jung mumbles softly.

Sulli manages to catch the question. Realizing that she had picked the wrong time to drop by, she lowers her head in disappointment. Soo Jung instantly notices the change of the taller girl's mood. She exhales, shaking her head.

"Sorry,"

"It's not your fault,"

"It's Myungsoo, right?"

She freezes for a moment before she starts denying everything. She shakes her head, frowning at her friend. Sulli drops the things in her hands and engulfs Soo Jung in a big bear hug. She wriggles, trying to escape but the taller girl tightens her arms in response.

"It's just the season. It's just winter..."

Sulli hears the soft sniffs of her best friend. She caresses Soo Jung's back gently, hushing her.She knows that it's Myungsoo because only Myungsoo can affect her like this. And whenever something happens between her and Myungsoo, it's always winter.

They broke up in winter. And Sulli knows this fact.