Snow Flower (TAEUN)

A Proper Introduction

N-Naeun," she stuttered.

Why she stuttered, Naeun wasn't sure. Perhaps it was the fact that his face was way too close for comfort. Her cheeks burned when he grinned and she had to take a step back, letting go of the breath she had been holding and avoided his gaze.

"So, wanna go for another round?"

She jolted her head up, "Huh?"

"You wanna go for another round or try a different slope?" Taemin repeated. She went quiet again, a little too long this time as Taemin's bright smile turned into a confused expression. He turned his back around, thinking that someone was behind him, but no one was there. He furrowed his eyebrows, "You alright? What, Cat got your tongue? I'm starting to think kitty suits you," he joked.

Naeun shook her head. "No, it's just...y-you shouldn't have skied pass me like that! What if we had crashed into each other?"

"Then I would've made sure you landed on me."

The weather burned ten times hotter now. "So, do you want to, or not? We're losing sunlight here." It was the third time he had asked Naeun, but before she could give him an answer, they heard someone calling Taemin's name. It was his friends and Eunji and Krystal? Naeun blinked her eyes several times, but they were there, walking alongside Taemin's friends. That's when it dawned on her: Taemin's friends were her friends' tutors.

"Oh, sorry, were we interrupting something?" one of the boys teased. Naeun recognized him as the captain of the school's basketball team. "You could say that," Taemin replied. His friend chuckled before introducing himself to Naeun.

"The name's Kai," he said, bowing slightly at Naeun. She did the same to Kai, as well as with Key. The girls also introduced themselves to Taemin.

"We were about to grab some light refreshments," Eunji said.

"Care to join us, or are you not done with your date yet?" she wiggled her eyebrows as the word date slipped out of her mouth. Naeun glared at her, but Taemin only chuckled.

"I'll pass. I wanna try a few more slopes before we leave," Taemin said. He then looked at Kai and Key, "I'll meet you guys back at the bus station." They nodded in reply before Taemin took off.

Krystal suddenly tugged Naeun's arm.

"Why not you go with him?" Her suggestion caught Naeun off guard, "Why?"

"Oh come on, I can tell you're not completely satisfied with snowboarding just yet. Why not go for a few more with your new friend?" Naeun didn't know how to respond. Krystal wasn't wrong, she wasn't satisfied yet, but whether or not she wanted to go snowboarding with Taemin's company was a question mark to the brunette. Naeun then remembered how she had to make up for ignoring his invitation thrice.

"Alright," she finally said. "Great!" Krystal cheered, "We'll meet you at the bus station too, alright?" Naeun gave her a nod and bid goodbye to the rest before running off to find Taemin. He shouldn't have gone too far. There was no way he could walk that fast with the heavy ski boots and gears he carried.

Am I too late?

"Looking for me?" Naeun turned around.

"Taemin!!" she exclaimed and a smile formed on his face.

"So, it's a date then?" he teased. It sounded more like a statement rather than a question.

"Don't push it," she said but not before she returned him with a very small, but clear smile. "Which slope were you headed off to?" Taemin pointed at the gondola that she previously rode.