☆First Snow☆ | Joshua

26❄️ ABOUT YOU

The next day morning, Aruem woke up thanks to someone's unstoppable calls. "Hel..llo?" She answered even without checking who it was. "Are you still sleeping?" A male voice asked. "Oh my god, Kim Mingyu! I'm so sorry." Mingyu's voice made Areum's come back to sense. "That's fine." Mingyu's calm voice said. "Give me 10 minutes and I'll be down." She hung up it even before Mingyu said something and rushed to the bathroom to do her morning routine.

"Yoonie ya~ Hwang Ha Yoon! Get up. You have work today." Areum shouted as soon as she came out of the bathroom. After what happened last night, Hayoon didn't talk with her. Areum knew it was not because she was angry with her but because of the shock she had. It was the first time Hayoon saw Areum that much furious. So Areum didn't want to talk about that or any other thing. Even though Hayoon was not talking to Areum, she didn't stop talking to her. Hayoon responded to everything but not with words.

"Oh, you have woken up. Good girl!" Areum saw Hayoon holding a serial box in the kitchen as she was pouring milk into a bowl. "You want some?" Hayoon asked. That was the first time she spoke after yesterday's incident. Areum was so happy, but she didn't want it to be obvious, so she acted normally. "No darling. I'm already late. He's here." Areum answered wearing her side bag.

"How do I look?" She asked nervously.

"Perfect. He will definitely confess today." Hayoon said with a bright smile.

"Confess, what confess? It's just a uhm- you know lunch. Yes! Lunch."

"Lunch at 8? Where do you live exactly Miss Kwon?" Hayoon teased her. Areum was so happy to have old Hayoon back. She missed her even just for a few hours.

"Okay, you can go. Enjoy." Areum hugged her bestie before she left.

"Bye!"

As soon as Areum got down, she spotted Mingyu's car at the left side of the building. She rushed there and got on. "You are so late, ma'am." Mingyu said while she was trying to buckle up the seat belt. "That's your problem. I usually wake up at 12 on my off days." Areum frowned at him. She was so cute at the moment that Mingyu couldn't take his eyes off. "Why?" Areum asked. "Nothing, let's go." He said starting his car.

The drive was full of their day-to-day life stories, Aruem's fangirling stories and, of course, seventeen inside stories. It was the 2nd time they drove together, but this time, they were spending their moment instead of being worried about others. As their chit-chat was so interesting, Areum forgot to ask the place where they were going. When Mingyu stopped his car at a car park, that's the time Areum remembered to ask.

"Where are we?"

"Get down. You'll see."

She got down as he asked and looked around.

"Are you kidding me? This is my favourite place."

"Come on, Let's go."

It was the recently opened aquarium where Areum was counting the days to go with Hayoon. But before that, Mingyu, her favourite idol, brought her here as he had read her mind.

Mingyu put on a mask and his pair of sunglasses to avoid public attention. When Aruem saw him, she thought it was a little bit uncomfortable for him and she felt sorry for him. "If you feel uncomfortable here, let's go back where there are no people," Aruem said. "If I feel so, I don't bring you here in the first place. So don't worry. Let's go." Mingyu said as he held her hand. Areum was so nervous to enter the aquarium because it was her favourite place. Ever since childhood, she has loved the sea. The same goes with Hayoon. Both of them never forgot to go to the beach once a month no matter how busy they were.

Fortunately, they arrived just as it was opened. It allowed them to enjoy the exhibit with fewer crowed. Both of them started by exploring the vibrant marine life, wandering through the tunnels where sharks and rays glide overhead. The way Aruem was looking at a baby shark with sparkling eyes made Mingyu smile. "I feel like I'm here with a 4-year-old baby." Mingyu mumbled at her ears. "Play with me appa." Areum said looking at him with her puppy eyes. "Not oppa, but appa.?" Mingyu asked. Before Mingyu caught her, she ran away towards another tunnel. As Mingyu followed her, he also entered another amazing side of the aquarium. They both took their time admiring the colourful coral reefs and playful sea otters, sharing their thoughts and discoveries along the way. At a touch tank, they both have fun gently interacting with starfish and sea urchins, laughing at each other’s reactions. The peaceful ambience of the underwater world makes it easy to hold hands and enjoy each other's company.

Afterwards, they explore the aquarium’s gift shop together, picking out a small souvenir to remember the day.

"It's almost lunch. Let's have lunch first." Mingyu suggested as it was like he had read her mind again. Areum was feeling so hungry. So as the visit winds down, you head to a cosy restaurant nearby with a romantic atmosphere, reflecting on your favourite parts of the aquarium.

After lunch, they take a short walk to a nearby park where a small, illuminated fountain creates a soothing ambience. This park was most likely a small soop more than a park. This was another thing Areum loved. Besides the sea, being with nature was her favourite. Because of her busy lifestyle, she had missed this. They find a secluded bench and sit close together.

"You didn't want me to spoil my reputation, did you?"

"Yes." Areum answered softly.

"Squirrels, birds and raccoons are unlikely to be part-time paparazzi." Mingyu said, looking at a flock of birds at the top of the tree in front of them. "That's very funny." Aruem faked her laugh and Mingyu found it so cute of her. The conversation continues, punctuated by occasional silences as they simply enjoy each other’s company.

"Here you go." Mingyu handed Areum a small cover. "What's this?" Areum was confused. "Open it. You'll see." Areum opened it and found a beautiful key chain with a starfish-shaped tag. "It's very beautiful Mingyu-ssi." Mingyu saw her sparkling eyes again. "You can drop that ssi part. Even after having a beautiful date no need to be more official." Mingyu said. Areum saw what was coming. She patiently waited for Mingyu to speak.

"From that day I saw you at the Hybe, this feeling never left me. Every day I was waiting for you to come to us so I could see you. I always wanted to become a friend of yours and now I want to become more special for you." Mingyu continued holding her hands. "You are always special to my Mingyu-ssi ah, I mean Mingyu oppa." Areum answered, looking at their hands. "Not as a carat to an idol. I mean as a person." Finally, Areum made eye contact with Mingyu.

"Be my lady, Areum ah~" Mingyu's eyes were softened, expecting a positive reaction from Areum.

"Am I your twenties?" Areum was looking at Mingyu, and both of them burst into laughter.

"You are definitely passing as a carat."

"I don't know whether I can be the girl you were expecting but I'll try." Aruem answered.

"So is it a yes?"

"Yes!" Aruem said happily.

"Thank you Areum. Thank you so much." Mingyu hugged Areum to hide his teary eyes. It felt like a huge weight left his heart at once. Suddenly Areum's phone was rung to distract the situation.

"It is still the same. Falling flower." Mingyu said.

"I will never change it."

She answered the call and heard Hayoon's trembling voice. "Hayoon what's happening. Tell me." Areum's reaction made Mingyu shock.

'Haes...Haesuel, Sh.. she.. i..is dy..dying'

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Stay until the next snowfall

Hello Everyone!
I hope you all are doing good. I just want to say that the story had reached its end. This gonna be end soon. Thank you for showing your love and interest to 'first snow' even though I was late to update.

And I'd like to dedicate this chapter to someone so special to me as her late birthday gift🤭.

🎊🎁 Yoon_Soo_Ah_97 Happy Belated Birthday💎🎉 May all your dreams come true..