Snow Flower (TAEUN)

Showdown

Naeun couldn't stop admiring her new rosary bracelet.

It clashed with the outfit she was wearing, but she didn't care. She wanted the dazzling accessory to stand out. She was lightly curling her hair when Eunji stepped out of the showers.

"Look at you getting all dolled up," she teased, "Is there some special occasion I should know?"

Naeun's cheeks flushed. She hadn't told Eunji or Krystal about her romantic night with Taemin. Surprisingly, the girls didn't notice the bracelet that suddenly appeared on her wrist. She assumed they thought it belonged to her from the start. With a few sprays of her new perfume, Naeun was ready. She and Eunji continued to pack their belongings and double-checked every room and furniture to make sure they didn't leave anything behind, before heading down to the lobby where the rest of their peers gathered. They spotted Krystal and the boys talking amongst themselves.

"Damn," Kai sighed, "It seems like yesterday we'd just entered through those doors, and now, we're exiting through them. I'm going to miss this place," taking a good look around the hotel lobby.

"Pull yourself together," Taemin remarked bluntly, earning him an eye roll from Kai.

Taemin caught the sight of Eunji and Naeun approaching them and waved. Naeun waved back using her hand that had the bracelet around it. His smile grew ten times wider and, unconsciously, touched his own.

"Hey," Naeun greeted.

"Hey yourself," he replied. He noticed Naeun looked extra fine today, with her woolen sweater matching her black skirt and stockings. She even put on a hairband - Taemin found it adorable. Then, when everyone was either busy talking or checking their phones, he whispered to her, "Areumdawoyo," which made Naeun blush as red as her sweater.

"Naeun-ssi," someone called her from behind. It was Dong-Hyun, her class maknae.

"Daniel-ssi was looking for you," he said.

Oh?

She checked her phone for any messages or calls from him; there were none.

Naeun frowned in confusion, "I didn't get any notification from him," she replied to Dong-Hyun, "Where is he now?"

"On the fourth floor. Daniel-ssi said he needed to tell you something in private. I-it sounded important too".

Naeun started to worry. She spotted Jihyo not far from her.

Daniel wasn't with Jihyo. That was very unlike him.

Don't tell me something happened between them, she feared. She quickly thanked Dong-Hyun and told her friends that she had to meet her cousin before jogging her way to the lift.

Please don't let it be what I think it is.

~~~

Naeun wandered through the fourth floor, calling out for Daniel.

The sound of a door creaking caught her attention.

"Dan?" she said as she entered the room.

It was the ballroom. The last time Naeun was there, she was with Taemin. His melodious voice echoed through her ears as she remembered the pair of brown orbs shimmering under the moonlight, staring into hers. It was then she realized her feelings for Taemin were blooming, and she believed he did too. Now that they've confessed and confirmed their feelings for each other, she wondered what it meant between the two.

Were they considered a couple like Jihyo and Daniel? They definitely could not go back to just friends. Naeun touched her bracelet again.

"Let this bracelet be a token of my feelings for you."