A loud smack of something heavy on the wood of the desk next to mine jerked me awake. The harsh noise disrupted the soothing melodies of my favorite singer belting out all her poetic words of misery. It was only 7:15 a.m., too early for my classmates to be arriving for another long day of studying. I sat upright drowsily, pulled my earphones out, and turned towards the disturbance of my nap. My best friend, Tiffany Hwang, was standing in front of her desk with her eyebrows drawing a sharp V. She was dressed in her version of our uniform: the school white button up blouse, the black and red striped tie tied neatly, the maroon knee length skirt, her usual pink leggings underneath, and the sleeves of the school’s black blazer tied loosely around her waist. The morning sunlight streaming in through the windows on my left highlighted her pink cheeks that were flushed with anger. It had been her hot pink backpack that she slammed down on the table.

“I watched Frozen last night,” was the first thing that came out of as she grabbed the empty chair in front of my desk and took a seat, straddling the backrest in a not-at-all-ladylike demeanor.

“Well Tiff, good morning to you too.”

With a dismissing wave off my sarcastic greeting, she continued, almost accusingly, “I watched it because you—Ms. ‘I’m-too-cool-for-cartoons’—recommended it to me.”

I raised an eyebrow at her in disbelief that she actually took my suggestion. As far as I know, it had been years since Tiffany watched Disney cartoons; the last time had been with me before… well, before everything kind of fell apart for her, when she was still Stephanie.

“Because you said it’s different from the other movies. You lied to me.”

There was disappointment in her eyes as I looked up at her, loneliness, despondency and sorrow. I’ve had my share of family problems, sibling trouble, terrible heartbreaks, and an unrequited crush to know the suffering that love could cause, but the remembrances of the bliss it also brings kept my hopes alive.

“It is different Tiff. It’s about the types of true love other than romantic affection that exist: familial love and friendship. Elsa and Anna’s love… now that’s true love too.”

“Helloo, remember the Anna and Kristoff in the end? It’s the same. Same old Disney movie. The search for true love. ‘Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart’. Who even falls for that stupid nonsense? Love is just stupid. There’s no such thing as true love—”

(There is if you believe in it.)—I thought to myself but didn’t say it out loud as I listened to her walls break down for a fraction of time for what seems like the first time in forever.

“—It’s just Disney fooling young children with unrealistic expectations—” (Love makes fools out of us all.)

“—Happily-ever-afters don’t exist—” (Forever is a long time, but I can promise you happiness if you just believed in me.)

“—People make promises they can’t keep. People lose hope in you. People leave and never come back. People don’t just accept you for who you are—” (Let me show you that there is still good in the world. Let me secure your broken parts back together. Let me heal your wounds.)

“—There’s no one like that in the real world… at least for me—” (Open your heart and look in front of you. I’m waiting right here; can’t you see me?)

“—What did you like so much about it anyways that you even went out of your way to force me into watching an hour and forty minutes of cowpoop?”

Tiffany scowled and snapped at me when I chuckled at her euphemism for swearwords. She may have changed but she hasn’t changed too much in some aspects from the vigorous little girl in pigtails and a big eye smile that I befriended on my first day in Seoul. I grinned at her disgruntled yet cute expression.

“Well, the animations are great. The songs are even more amazing. Elsa’s hot,” I paused to stick out my tongue at her when she shot me a disgusted glare. “And there’s this particular red-headed character reminded me of a certain person who decided to randomly rebelliously dye her beautiful black hair red. What was it that you said; ‘you’re blonde so I should become a redhead so that we can be matching like strawberries and bananas’?”

Tiffany rolled her eyes at my joking direct quotation of her words but a small smile played on her lips—one that didn’t reach her eyes yet—, a rosiness blooming across her prominent cheekbones and a mischievous teasing gleam sparkling in her eyes.

“If I’m Anna, then who does that make you? Elsa? She’s threatening to take away your position as the ice princess.”

(Let me be the Elsa to your Anna.)

I faked a look of deep consideration, playing along with her. “Maybe Olaf?”

Tiffany agreed, giggling as she swatted my reaching arms away playfully, “You do like warm hugs—” (I like it when you are warm.) “—You are like a koala on me all the time!” (I want to hold you and never let you go.) “—I admit, your hugs are nice—” (And you are amazing; you just don’t believe it when I tell you.)

“Then would it be okay if I hugged you more?”

Tiffany paused at my question. There was a twinkle in her eyes that temporarily brought back my cheerful best friend of the past. Her voice suddenly turned quiet and shy when she finally answered, “I would like that very much.”

I reached for her again, over the short distance of my desk, and this time she allowed me to gather her into my arms as I usually did, and I hugged her tight. A soft chuckle, followed by a peaceful sigh escaped her, as she relaxed against my chest, both of us now sitting on my desk. I splayed one hand on the small of her back, holding her steady, while I her hair gently with the other. It felt like a moment that I wouldn’t mind living forever, just her and me, until she decided to speak against the crook of my neck where she was resting her head with a little giggle.

“Jessi, do you want to build a snowman?”

“It’s in the middle of summer, Steph,” My response earned me a little slap on my chest and another round of soft melodious giggles from Stephanie.

“Way to ruin the moment Jessi,” she chided me but snuggled even closer as she looked out the window at the sun shining brightly behind me.

“That was a moment?” I jokingly asked as my heart threatened to skip a beat.

She bowed her head to bite my shoulder as a reprimand, and my heart skipped a beat at the affectionate gesture. I could feel the heat rising from my chest to my neck to my whole face and lastly burning at my ears. Yes, it sure was a hot summer.

“Yes, I want to build a snowman with you.” (Every single winter.)

“Yes, I would really love that.”

(I love you, Stephanie.)

A/N: so hi guys! :D im back with another one-shot. i know i should be finishing up my multi-shots and ongoing but oh well who carez at least i'm back yeh? really still into frozen so here i am.

i actually wrote this for the school magazine, a nonjeti version of course. so if u guys see any errors or any weird parts, plz tell me!