The morning light filtered through the frost-covered window, soft and pale like a whispered secret. Outside, the city of Seoul lay draped in a thick quilt of snow, the streets muffled by white, and the world seemed to move slower, as if time itself had paused to take a breath.
Yuna sat curled on the edge of her sofa, a heavy blanket wrapped around her shoulders, her fingers tracing idle patterns on the fabric. The book resting open in her lap was untouched; her mind was far away, tangled in memories and the quiet storm that had settled between her and Jisoo.
---
A Lingering Silence
It had been days since the terse message from Minho, the name that slipped like a shadow through the warmth of their new world. Jisoo's smiles had grown less frequent, and even in moments when his laughter returned, it seemed forced, like a fragile mask worn to protect both of them from the harsh reality lurking just beneath the surface.
Yuna worried, but she knew the walls around Jisoo were thick and guarded. He'd learned long ago that trust was a fragile thing—easy to break, hard to rebuild.
Her own heart felt stretched thin, caught between hope and fear.
---
The Knock on the Door
The knock on the door startled her from her thoughts. She had barely been awake when she heard it, and the warmth of her apartment suddenly seemed fragile against the cold world outside.
She opened the door to find Jisoo standing there, bundled in a thick coat, cheeks flushed from the cold. His dark eyes were tired but held the steady warmth she needed.
"I thought you might want some fresh air," he said softly.
Yuna smiled, nodding. "I could use that."
Together they stepped into the winter world — the sky a soft slate gray, snowflakes drifting lazily in the air.
---
Walking Through the Winter Silence
The streets were quiet except for the crunch of their footsteps on the frozen sidewalk. Lampposts glowed faintly, casting pools of light that shimmered on icy patches like scattered stars. Around them, the city pulsed with life, but here in this small pocket, everything was hushed and still.
Jisoo's breath came in soft puffs, his scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. Yuna matched his pace, her fingers tucked inside the pockets of her coat.
They didn't speak at first, letting the cold silence fill the space. The world felt heavy with expectation, like the fragile snow balancing on the edge of a branch — one breath, one word away from falling.
---
Breaking the Silence
Finally, Yuna stopped and turned to face him. Her cheeks were flushed pink, her eyes searching his.
"Jisoo," she said gently. "Tell me what you're afraid of."
His eyes flickered with surprise, and then the weight of truth pressed out in a slow sigh.
"I'm afraid," he admitted quietly, "that the past will come crashing back. That it'll take away everything I'm trying to build — with you, with this new life."
The words hung between them, heavy and real.
Yuna reached out, her hand steady on his arm. "You don't have to carry it alone."
Jisoo's eyes met hers, vulnerability shining through the shadows.
"Being with you makes me want to be brave. But some days, it's like the past is a storm I can't outrun."
She squeezed his arm. "Then we'll face it together. No more running."
---
Memories in the Snow
They continued their walk toward a small park near the university — a place where they had spent many quiet afternoons before the snow came. The bare branches of the trees reached out like frozen fingers, and a thin layer of ice glazed the frozen pond, reflecting the pale sky.
Jisoo stopped and looked down at the ice, his reflection fractured by the cracks beneath.
"My past isn't just a story I can leave behind," he said softly. "There are people who won't let me forget — who want to pull me back."
Yuna moved closer, wrapping an arm around his waist. "Let them come. We're stronger than that."
He turned to her, a faint smile breaking through the gloom.
"Do you really believe that?"
"I have to," she said firmly. "Because I believe in you. And in us."
Her words were like a balm, soothing the ache of fear that clung to him.
---
The Festival of Lights
The city was preparing for the winter festival — a tradition that brought warmth and light to the darkest days. Streets were lined with colorful lanterns and strings of fairy lights, and the air smelled of roasted chestnuts and cinnamon.
Yuna and Jisoo joined the celebration, their hands intertwined as they wandered through the stalls. The laughter of children and the chatter of couples filled the air, and the world outside their worries felt full of possibility.
They paused near a small carousel, its painted horses frozen in mid-gallop beneath twinkling lights.
"Remember when we talked about the future?" Yuna asked, her eyes shining.
Jisoo nodded, pulling her close. "I want to believe in that future. With you."
Under the glow of lanterns, their lips met — soft, tentative at first, then deepening with a promise that no cold or shadow could ever erase.
---
Snowfall and Promises
Later that night, snow began to fall again — soft, silent flakes that blanketed the city in white. Yuna and Jisoo stood beneath a tall pine tree near her apartment, the branches heavy with snow.
The world felt suspended, a perfect moment held between past and future.
Jisoo took her hands in his, eyes searching hers.
"Whatever comes," he whispered, "I won't let go. You're my reason to keep moving forward."
Tears glistened in Yuna's eyes as she nodded.
"And you're mine."
The snowflakes settled on their hair and shoulders, silent witnesses to the promise they made — to face the seasons ahead, together.
---
The Weight of Snowflakes
As Yuna lay in bed that night, the weight of snowflakes on the city felt like a metaphor for their lives. Each flake fragile and unique, yet together they formed something beautiful and strong.
She thought about the future — uncertain and daunting — but now, for the first time in a long while, she felt ready.
Because with Jisoo beside her, no storm could break them.
And the season he arrived wasn't just a moment in time. It was the beginning of everything.