Five Seasons: N.Flying series [On-going]

PAGE 66 [CH]

FIVE SEASONS BK. 4
______________________

WINTER
WINTER
_____________________

P66 • C9
Midnight snow

HUN

I took off my jacket, a long black parka, and wrapped it around Junhee's body. She seemed to be shivering, if not, then her hands were pretty shaky. She seemed confused for a moment upon seeing me. “Are you...” I trailed off because obviously, she wasn't okay. Instead I asked, “Do you wanna go somewhere warm?”

And the only thing still open near midnight was the convenience store in town. We sat inside. I got us warm vending machine beverages, two cups of hot chocolate because I figured it might not be the best time to drink coffee.

“Thanks.” She muttered, voice sounding hoarse but she did not drink it.

“You should drink it. It'll warm you.”

Despite herself, a small and tired smile curved her lips. “I would have gotten myself a beer by now if I was alone.”

“Oh sorry. Do you want beer instead?”

She shook her head. “Hot chocolate is perfect.”

We both turned towards the window, no words spoken for a while but there's comfort in that too. Junhee began drinking her hot chocolate and after a few sips, she seemed to calm down. Her hands stopped shaking. All of these I noticed from my peripheral vision.

The street before us was quiet. The street lights looked like spotlights with nobody to shine on. It was a lonely sight. I sighed softly.

“Are you okay?” Junhee asked.

I glanced at her. “I should be the one asking, don't you think?” I smiled a little, turning towards the window again. “I'm just remembering all the time and all the late nights I've spent here with my friends. Lately, I've been missing the simpler times a lotㅡwhen we didn't have much to worry about.”

“I could almost see high school me and Gaeul, and Jaehyun walking or running around. Usually it's the two of them chasing each other. I've always had the least energy among us. And then when Ahyoung joined our little group, Gaeul and I usually walked behind her and Jaehyun. I didn't think Gaeul liked Jaehyun like that back then. I was supposed to know, right? I call myself their best friend but I had no clue. It's either I'm oblivious to a lot of things or she's just good at hiding it.”

When I realized I was talking too much again, I turned to her and apologized. “Sorry, I'm oversharing again.”

Junhee shook her head with a smile. “Don't you ever get tired of apologizing when you don't even have to?”

“It's a habit, sorryㅡ” I paused. We looked at each other and for the first time that night, laughed. I sighed, a good kind of sigh. “I always thought of myself the quiet one. Of course, I can be loud but growing up beside Jaehyun makes you think twice about the real definition of loud. Anyway, I thought being quiet meant I observed things better than others but why don't I always see things coming even if they slapped me on the face?”

“Maybe because you never expected them. You didn't think they're possible so you don't let them in your head until they're right in front of you.”

“Jaehyun told me today that the company is planning to debut him as an actor.” I said.

I felt Junhee turn to look at me.

“It bothers me so much that I couldn't be completely happy for him. Congratulating him felt like a lie.”