IQ148 // namjoon ✔️

__DECEMBER__

December ; 2016

JungMi visits the bookstore on a cold, winter day. She's immediately shielded from the harsh winds of winter just outside the glass sliding door. In there, the air is still and makes a person wonder if it really is winter.

But around JungMi, anyone in her vicinity can feel the air of determination.

Her legs feel a bit numb since they're exposed from under the skirt of her dress; despite the skirt being long enough to reach just below her knees, the light material isn't enough to insulate her body heat. But this skirt is one of the only fashionable attire she could find in her closet that's decent enough for winter.

JungMi grits her teeth and bears the cold as she tries to warm herself up with the bookstore's atmosphere.

Sensing someone at the counter after hearing the doorbell, the bookstore clerk glances over his shoulder just enough to confirm her presence, but not to confirm her identity.

"Welcome to the Daeo Bookstore! I'll be with you in a moment." HyunSeok says unsuspectingly as he reaches high above his head to store away the stack of books on his arm.

JungMi watches his struggle amusingly.

"It's alright. I already know my way around." JungMi teases him as he pushes the last book of the stack into its respective place high on the bookshelf.

HyunSeok almost falls off of the step ladder from whiplash when he recognizes her voice immediately.

"JungMi, you're back!" HyunSeok composes himself as he leans on the counter to talk with her, "Aren't you supposed to be on a book tour right now?"

"I thought I'd make a quick stop before moving on." JungMi admits as she bashfully rocks on her feet from heel to toe. Although she claims to know her way around, she stands in front of the counter as if waiting for permission to go to the back room of the bookstore.

HyunSeok isn't sure if she feels out of place from her long break from visiting the bookstore, or if she feels awkward from the last time they've talked this extensively...

"Well.... it's always great to see you." HyunSeok tries to ease her consciousness, despite feeling awkward himself.

Her hair is trimmed a bit shorter, similar to her hairstyle from before but still long enough to cascade over her shoulders. She plays with the ends of her hair as if she's not used to having it cut so short.

"You cut your hair..." HyunSeok observes as JungMi brushes through strands of her hair with her hand.

"Huh?... Oh, yeah... I thought... it was growing a bit long. I used to keep it short so I got it trimmed," JungMi comments sheepishly and pushes a fallen strand behind her ear, the same way she used to.

It is only then that HyunSeok takes notice of her attire: A white long sleeve button-up shirt with a black ribbon tie neck and a pink ruffle skirt with a pink sash that wraps the skirt tightly around her waist.

HyunSeok notices that she's wearing a dress. She's never worn a dress to the bookstore before. It's modest, but still a major step-up for JungMi's usual visits to the bookstore. She didn't even wear something so fancy at her book signing here a few months back.

"Woah..." He catches himself staring and shakes his head, "You...must be freezing..."

JungMi smiles and shrugs off his comment, making her hair scrunch up on her shoulder. She brushes off imaginary lint from her skirt and straightens out the bow of her tie neck as she responds, "I'm alright... It's not that cold."