“Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart.”

Suho

It’s crowded, as usual. I think as I look around the café I own and manage. It’s a cold December day; so naturally, people would go for coffee to have some semblance of warmth in the winter.

The same could be said for me. The cold season never fails to take a toll on me with its boisterous presence. Even while inside the cafe, I could still feel the cold icy winds cloaking me. It was as if the weather was affecting me with its gloom, and I hate it, I really do.

As people chattered and buzzed over their steaming cups, I scan the whole space for the  familiar figure I was so used to seeing. The familiar figure who always seems seems to calm me with her cheerfulness.

After a few minutes of craning my neck, I decided to stand up for good to get a better view.

 She’s must be running late.

“Looking for Jooyeon?” our barista, Xiumin-hyung, suddenly asked, making me jump.

I couldn’t help but get flustered at this. “A-aniyo.” I stammered as I looked down on the pile of papers scattered on my desk, pretending to look busy. 

Xiumin-hyung chuckled at me before returning to his work.

I sigh as I think of my high-spirited, fun-loving hoobae who always seems to be late. Ah, yes. Son Jooyeon. The girl I started going out with 5 weeks ago. My girlfriend.

Honestly speaking, dating her had never crossed my mind until the day she decided to confess her feelings. Before that, she was just the dongsaeng I loved sharing jokes with and I was the oppa she’d run to for academic help, so you can imagine my shock when she says this: “Suho-oppa, I have been in love with you for quite some time now. Please go out with me!”

I didn’t reciprocate her feelings at the time, but I also didn’t have to heart to refuse her, so… I said ‘yes’.

And I don’t regret doing so.

It’s funny how I ended up with someone like Jooyeon. She was the exact opposite of the usual, reserved, filial girls I went out with in the past, but… somewhere along the weeks we’ve been together, I found myself falling for her, her long, wavy hair; her dark brown eyes; her sense of humor; her quirky remarks; her never-ending stories; her constant need to show how much she appreciates the little things. I love all of it. I love her.

With this in mind, I couldn’t help but smile. In the weeks we’ve been dating, I have never told her the words, ‘I love you’ yet. I know it’s customary for a boy to tell that to a girl he was dating, but with Jooyeon’s personality, I didn’t think there was a need for it, so I kept quiet.  She wasn’t the type of girl who’d ask for constant skinship, she prefers to just walk side by side, while we talk about almost anything under the sun. She wasn’t the type of girl who’d ask me to drop everything just to spend all day with her, she prefers staying by my side and cheering me on even if it meant coming to the cafe ever single day.

But at times like this when the low temperature makes me feel lonesome, all I want to do is hug her all day and whisper sweet nothings to her. I know, I know. It’s not something the usually kept and well-mannered Suho would do, but it’s something he’s always wanted to do to someone special. It’s a side of me I’ve always wanted to show to the girl I’d cherish forever, and I think that maybe I found that girl in Son Jooyeon’s person. She may not be the erudite, even-tempered girl I’ve always imagined, but in dating her, I realize that one would not always find love in what he expects, but rather, in what is existent.

Just as I was thinking this, I saw the familiar figure I’ve been scanning for. Son Jooyeon… in glasses?

I couldn’t help but furrow my eyebrows as I walked over to the girl seated near the window of the café. She tapped her fingers on the coffee table, as if waiting for someone.

“Ehem.” I coughed from behind her.

“Finally!” I heard her mutter under her breath.

I sat on the seat across hers and stared at her.

“Hi there, op--*ehem* S-suho-ssi. It’s quite a lovely day, isn’t it?” She uttered as she gave me a small smile, tucking her straight hair smoothly behind her ear. Lovely? Since when does Son Jooyeon use ‘lovely’ as an adjective?

That was when I noticed it. The glasses… Her hair… The book on her lap… The way she was speaking. It was all... different.

Confusion dawns over me as I continue to stare. “Jooyeon-ah, is something the matter?” I asked her gently.

“A-aniyo. Why would you think that? You shouldn’t think that.” She quickly stated as she gulped down her cup of Americano coffee. I was quick to see the look of displeasure on her face the moment the cup touched her lips. She doesn't even like coffee.

“Jooyeon-ah…” I started, priming to hold her hand. She seemed to have noticed this because the moment I did, she blushed furiously as she fumbled for the book in her lap.

She covered her face with the book and read through the pages, flipping them over from time to time.

I stared at her book and laughed. Aigoo. So cute.

“Jooyeon-ah…”

“Hmm? Yes?” She asked as she looked up from her book.

“Your book is upside-down.” I told her as I suppressed my laughter once more.

Her eyes looked like they were about to pop out when she heard this. She then looked at the cover, and pouted. Seconds after, she burst into laughter as well.

Once the laughter died down, Jooyeon spoke.

“Aisssh. I really wanted to pull this off, but I guess it won’t work.” She told me as she gave me a sad smile. She took off her glasses and looked out the window with a solemn expression.

This made me frown at her. “Son Jooyeon, what is this all about?”

She, in turn, looked at me with the same solemn eyes. “Oppa, I know I’m not your ideal girl and as much as I want to be, I just can’t change, so if you want to break---”

I knew what she was about to say and before she could continue, I pulled her in for a warm hug.

“I don’t want to. You don’t have to change for my sake, Jooyeon-ah. You’re fine just as you are...”I whispered into hair. I then heaved a sigh and continued.

“Besides, if you change now, how sure are you that I’m gonna fall in love with you again the second time around?”

“You l-love me?” She looked up at me with questioning eyes.  

“Ne. I know I may not say it often, but I love you, Son Jooyeon. You made me fall for you, no matter how different you were from the girl I’ve always imagined I’d be with. You made me realize that there is no need for ideal types because what matters most is appreciating the beauty that lies in front of you, so stay as your beautiful, bubbly self. Arasso?”

I could feel her nod as she snuggled deeper into my chest. “ Arasso.”

After a few more seconds, she released herself for my embrace.

“So, I guess I won’t be  needing those anymore.” She told me cheekily, pointing at the book and pair of glasses resting on the table.

“No, no you won’t.” I told her as I gave her a pat on the head. I then took a breath and called her attention. "Jooyeon-ah?"

"Yes, oppa?" She looked at me questioningly.

"Can I hug you some more, please?" 

She looked at me, surpise written all over her eyes. Surprise then turned to fondness, accompanied with a nod.

I immediately took it as a signal and pulled her close. "Saranghaeyo, jagiya."

Euphoria enveloped my entirety as I held her close. For a while, no one spoke.

This silence, however, was broken by the Son Jooyeon I knew. The Son Jooyeon who'd talk, no matter what the situation was. I smile as I continue to breathe her in.

“Oppa?”

“Hmmm?”

“Have I told you ‘I love you’ yet?”

I smiled at her question before I shook my head ‘no’.

She then stood on her tiptoes and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

“I love you, oppa.”

They say that winter is a sad season, for the icy winds give gloom to even the happiest people. But for me, it doesn’t matter what season occurs at present, for in my heart, as long as I spend today with her, it will always be a happy spring.

This chapter is dedicated tooo..*drum rolls*.. exoisloveot12! (YAAAAY. :D)

Sorry for taking so long, I had to help my mom with New Year's Eve cooking.

Anyway, I hope you liked it! ^^

COMMENTS are greatly appreciated. So please do leave some. :)

Happy New Year's guys! :D