I didn’t intend to stay long in Korea. My original plans were to visit family and friends for a few months then back to Paris I was. It’s been two years since I left and since then, I’ve opened a café and now in the middle of opening another one in Hongdae. I didn’t have a real reason to return but now I can’t seem to make myself leave anymore.

Summer came with the nostalgic memories of my eighteen year old self then left with closure that was long overdue.

Fall came with a familiar breeze, bringing someone else from the past with it.

Now it’s winter. It’s my favorite season but I never really knew why since it’s cold and lifeless but I think I might know now.

Sitting on a bench in the dead of winter, I sighed while trying to convince it wasn’t cold when my breaths were coming out in big white puffs. We haven’t gotten much snow but there is a thin layer leftover from some snowfall last night. The park is empty since no one else is as insane as we are to come out on such a freezing day.

Yes, I said we.

“Here.”

A warm can of instant coffee gets pressed against my cheek just as I turn to the voice. The man is grinning his usual sweet grin and he chuckles before taking the empty spot next to me.

“Finally!” I gasp, taking the drink from him to warm my numb fingers. “Took you long enough, I was so close to turning into an icicle.”

“That’s okay,” he says with a snicker. “I can just melt you,” he wraps his arms around me and I freeze momentarily. “Like this.”

I sigh and he retracts slowly. “Too fast, Jongdae.”

He smiles still, that idiot.

He’s one of those people who are too nice for their own good.

“I would disagree,” he says after taking a small sip from his own can of coffee. “If you add the years in high school to the years you left, then your unknown return years and even the days after we met at Minseok’s wedding, it’s been,” he sighs loudly and I’m seriously trying my best not to glare at him. “Eleven years?”

“I get it,” I snap quietly and I hear him chuckle next to me before his hands snake around my waist again.

We ran into eachother—literally—three months ago at Minseok’s wedding. How do I define this…he’s the rainbow after the storm? Gosh, now that I look at it, I was really oblivious and dumb in high school. Was I blind or something?

Till this day, he still calls me Gumiho.

I use to hate that name but now it gives me butterflies.

Sometimes, revisiting the past isn’t so bad.

I was rewriting the café menu in a new font I practiced all night when I heard the door chime open. We’ve been closed for an hour now and everybody had already left.

“Gumiho!”

I can’t help but fight back this smile when I hear his voice. Spinning around, I lightly scowl at him who is still always grinning like an idiot.

“I’m sorry sir, we’re closed,” I say sweetly in the most sarcastic way ever.

He shrugs it off and continues forward to the register. Sighing, he leans over as if deciding what to order. “That doesn’t matter since I’m the future boyfriend of the owner anyways.”

“Ya!” I hiss and he chuckles. “Quit with the nonsense.”

Unharmed, Jongdae struts around the dimly lit Parisian theme café with a sense of fluency and familiarity as if he actually owns it. Sighing quietly to myself, I tuck back a loose hair before turning back to my classic chalkboard menu.

A soft melody suddenly fills the quiet room and I turn to find Jongdae leaving my office. I’ve never heard the song before but it’s right up my alley with a nice piano melody to accompany the soothing vocals.

“Oh?” I slightly gasp. “Isn’t this Baekhyun’s voice?”

I step down the stepping ladder and put down my chalk set before deciphering another voice. “And Kyungsoo as well?”

He nods with a satisfied smile while walking up to me. I let him take my hand to lead me towards the center although really I was too busy trying to recognize the other voices. One hand wraps around my waist, pulling me closer to him.

“What are you doing?” I ask, snapping back to reality to find myself swaying with him along to the ballad.

“Dancing,” he answers, smiling as always. “Dancing my way to your heart that is.”

I scoff but don’t pull away and instead place my hand on his shoulder. “Didn’t I tell you to stop with the corny pick-up lines?”

Jongdae shrugs with a cute pout. “They’re not pick-up lines anymore when you already got the girl.”

Meeting his wanting gaze, I feel the small distance between us become smaller with a small tug of his hand. Why is it that I never saw the gentle hue of brown in his eyes until recently? Have I really been so caught up in my devastating first love that I was unable to see this disguised angel beside me? I’m not saying Minseok isn’t an angel himself, it’s just, he’s not my angel. Also, how often does a first love romance ever succeed? There’s a reason why there is a first and last love, correct?

“You,” he breathes, continuing to slowly close the distance. “What are you currently thinking about right now?”

I turn away to rest my chin on his shoulder and at once he leans against the side of my head. “I’m thinking about how late I’m going to have to stay here if you don’t leave soon.”

He chuckles as expected. “Should I call you out on that lie?” He taunts and I smile.

“What do you want, Jongdae?” I ask, closing my eyes to focus in on just us and this melody that weaved through our bodies.

There’s silence between us but it’s not a void. He doesn’t answer but I was not searching for one.

I finally invited him over later that week. Instead of me cooking, he offered instead and surprised me actually with his skills. It’s a new side of him that I’ve never seen before but everything I’ve seen from Jongdae recently is all new to me. His eyes are dreamy, his smile is sweet and I feel weak with him by my side.

I’m not pushing him away, I’m just sort of playing hard to get right now but of course Jongdae sees right through it. I still thank him for playing along though.

After dinner, we moved to the living room with some hot coco and cookies. I had just slipped in a random movie and taken a seat when Jongdae decided to get super comfortable by resting his head in my lap.

“What are you doing?” I ask him at once although a small chuckle managed to escape by accident.

“Shhh,” he whispers and I roll my eyes but let him stay there.

I’m trying to concentrate on the movie but instead I’m trying to figure out when Jongdae slipped his hand into mine. Somehow, my free hand becomes tangled in his brunette locks and I’m tempted to look at him.

When I do finally look at him, his eyes are closed but he’s not asleep. His smile is still present on those precious lips while he quietly hums along to the piano melody. Without realizing it, my fingertips slowly start grazing his godlike features. His eyes slowly flutter open but he doesn’t stop me and instead watches me as I run my index finger down his nose bridge.

“Gumiho,” he calls gently and I turn back to him, answering him with a soft hum. “Tonight, let me sing you to sleep.”

I’ve never known what it feels like to be held to sleep with love until now. It makes my heart flutter and I feel childish. Women my age have all experienced this and I’ve been held to sleep before but why is this time so different?

In my California King sized bed, Jongdae’s in his muscle shirt and a pair of my basketball shorts while I’m in a large t-shirt and sleeping shorts. His arms are wrapped around me with my head resting in his chest.

“I thought you were going to sing me to sleep,” I say quietly and he shifts a bit so he can look me in the eyes.

“I will,” he says, smiling at me. “Once I get some answers.”

I frown at him. “For what questions?”

His hand moves to the small of my back and pulls me closer into him.

“Aren’t you one bit curious as to when I started liking you?” He asks, so shameless and stubbornly as usual.

I can’t help but smile in return. I let him pull me closer and my hands rake into his hair.

“I can be,” I reply. “When?”

He pouts cutely at me in return. “Eh, that’s no fun anymore. Whatever,” he sighs loudly. “You probably already know when so, we’ll move on.”

“Minseok wasn’t the only person waiting for you,” he whispers softly, his eyes melting my soul in the process.

Wrapping my arms around his waist, I feel nervous and the butterflies in my stomach are begging to be released. “I know.”

He kisses my eyelids and I feel as if my heart is going to burst from it beating so fast. I’ve experienced my first love although it was a devastating one, am I currently already on my last love?

I hope I am.

I beg that I am.

That night Jongdae holds me to sleep, singing Yurisangja’s “Can I Love You” into my ear until I fall into a deep slumber. I didn’t dream that night. Was it maybe because I’m already living my dream?

I expected to wake up next to a handsome man with disheveled hair and a raspy morning voice as I quietly wake him up by wrapping my arms around his waist. But none of that happens because instead I wake up to an empty bedside and the smell of freshly brewed coffee in the air.

I can’t really complain because he didn’t leave me and instead woke up early to make me breakfast instead.

After washing up, I join him in the kitchen. Sneaking up behind him, I wrap my arms around his waist as he’s finishing up on some pancakes. I just want to be as close as possible to him now. My heart wants to match his.

“Did you sleep well?” He asks, linking one hand with mine before kissing the back of my hand.

I nod with my cheek plastered on his back. “Yes, very well, thanks to you. Did you sleep well?”

Releasing his waist, I move to his side to check out his cooking instead.

“No,” he snorts and I frown at once. He turns to me with a grin and I’m not sure on how to react to it. Jongdae closes in on me and my eyes widen slightly. “How can I sleep when I’m so distracted by your beauty?”

He kisses me and I feel jolts setting off within me. The moment’s too short and already, I’m yearning for him to kiss me again. Luckily he was already done cooking before I pull him in for another one.

I love the feel of his arms wrapped around my waist with his lips against my own. There’s a pause for air and he chuckles while bringing his lips to my ear.

“I’m just going to assume you’re officially my girl now,” he whispers and I giggle while my eyes catch a glimpse of winter outside my kitchen window.

It’s ironic that I found warmth during such a cold season.

I guess love was in front of me this whole entire time. 

Anyeong you! It's five in the morning here. I'm sleepy. Anyways, there goes the sequel to That Summer. I just wanted to write about Jongdae because he's so flipping awesome. But yeah, the end and thank you all for being so supportive for this story and That Summer. I love you all.