It's winter again, kids are playing in the snow throwing snowballs at each other. Jungwon is with her older sister giggling while making a snow man.
"Wonie go get sticks and stones." His older sister told him.
"Okay noona!" The young boy smiled at his sister, he started walking to the forest near their town, searching for the perfect sticks and pebbles. The tree's we're covered in white snow and it was such a pretty sight. His cat like eyes grew big when a fluffy cat suddenly appeared. He was relieved that he didn't hurt the cat as he almost stepped on it. The cat has white fur almost identical to the white snow, it's right eye is blue while the other one was a shade of gold.
"Hi." He greeted the cat waving at it, the cat meowed back like he understands the boy, it turned it's back walking away then looked back at jungwon again, seemingly like he wanted the boy to follow.
The curious boy followed the cat going deeper in the dark forest, it brought him to a familiar place, the old castle which he always see from his village. It's huge and pretty,though it's also rusty, like it hasn't been cleaned for years.
The old gate was opened wide and the cat is staring at him, like it's waiting for him to pass the gate. Jungwon looked around deciding if he should go back or go in. The cat tilted it's head to the side still staring at him.
"Okay, fine. I'll go back after this." He went in and he continued following the cat. It brought him to a garden full of beautiful and healthy roses. He was amazed by the beautiful sight. His eyes dropped down to the beautiful stones near a frozen lake. He squatted down to collect a few.
"Who are you?" A girl suddenly spoke. Jungwon was startled and immediately stood up and dropping the sticks and stones he's holding, he looked around and saw a girl taller than him who seems to be older. He was mesmerized by her beauty that he couldn't take his eyes of her. Her black hair is long and wavy, her skin is fair as snow, her eyes are cold like the winter and her lips are red as the roses surrounding them.
"I said who are you." The girl repeated herself, jungwon went back to reality, embarrassed.
"O-oh im jungwon, yang jungwon. D-do you live here?" He asked shyly. Not sure on what to say. The girl nodded at him.
"I've never seen you before, can I uh have your name?" Jungwon asked.
"Y/N" Jungwon blushed, thinking that the girl has a pretty name. His eyes went down to the cat who's now cuddling on the girl's legs.
"Your cat?" He awkwardly ask.
"Yeah, her name is winter." She said in a flat tone, jungwon smiled, happy that he got a response from the girl.
"Uhh, can I take the pebles? My sister and I are making a snowman." He explained. The girl looked at him with curiosity.
"Snowman?" Y/N tilted her head to the side, her eyes with genuine curiosity.
"You don't know what a snowman is?" She didn't respond, she knows what a snowman is but she never got the chance to make one.
"I'll teach you how to make one!" He said excitedly. Y/N watched the young boy make a big ball out of snow, she sat next to him and eyed him with curiosity.
She never saw another child this close before, she was locked in this castle since she was born, never allowed to cross the huge gates, all she can do is look at the children from afar in the balcony of the castle where she can freely see the people from the village interacting with each other. Her mother and her father who lives with her is currently not at the castle, they went on their daily winter bussiness trip and is not coming back until winter ends. She's alone but she's used to it. Y/N is a smart child, she grew up surrounded by books which she already have all finished reading.
"Done! What do you think? " Jungwon smiled showing his dimple , the girl curiously took out her pointing finger and touched the deep circle on the boy's cheek. She letted out a small smirk stunning the young boy.
"You look younger than me, how old are you?" Jungwon blinked a few times blushing by the girl's sudden action.
"Umm 8 how about you?" He asked.
"Im 2 years older than you." She answered. She stood up and eyed the boy coldly.
"You should go back, winter will show you the way." She turned her back and walked back to the door of the castle. She was about to open the door when the boy spoke.
"N-noona! Can I go back here again?" She didn't respond back ,instead she opened the door and went in, vanishing from the boy's vision.
The white cat with unique eyes showed jungwon the way to the village and the girl was looking from the balcony watching the boy until he's safely out of the forest, he was smiling and happy when he got home.
"Oh noona, sorry I forgot about the sticks and stones." He said giggling, his family sighed in relief, jungwon was gone for hours and they were worried about him but here he is looking like he had the best day of his life.
He runned to his grandma and he told her everything, how he saw a white cat and how it brought her to a castle and about the beautiful princess he saw and how he teached her how to make a snowman. He was excited to go back and see the girl again but he was saddened when his parents prohibited him from going to the forest again.
Days passed and jungwon still insisted on going but he still wasn't allowed so he sneaked and went to the castle again.
The girl didn't show it but she was happy when she saw the boy running towards her castle, she immediately went down the castle and greeted him with a happy look. She thought he was never gonna come back again especially because she ignored her, but here he is smiling at her with a few fresh picked flowers in his hands.
"Noona for you." He shyly said blushing. She looked at the flowers on his hand, they were white daisies. She loves roses but maybe the daisies will be one of her favorites now. She gave him a small smile taking his gift for her.
They continued meeting like that, jungwon would sneak and go to the castle instead of playing with other kids.
But summer came again, the snow melted and winter ended. The gates of the castle are closed again and the girl is hidden and locked away. Again.
He was sad when he saw that the gates are closed and just when he was about to walk away the cat, winter, appeared with a letter tied on her back. He took it and a small smile formed in his lips.
Till we meet again next winter
