WINTER FALLS (I loved you ❤️‍🩹)

❄️P R O L O G U E - 0❄️

"겨울이 다시 불어온다
시간이 또 흐른 걸까
나만 빼고 모두 변했다
아프도록 외로워진다"

"Winter is blowing again.
I wonder how much time has passed.
Everything has changed except me.
I get so lonely that it hurts so much."
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 PRESENT,

  Amidst the heavy snowfall, Min-ho remained engrossed in his thoughts while seated in the rear of the car. He was so preoccupied that he didn't even realize that someone had been calling him.

"Min-ho hyung..."(faded voice) "Hyung?" Han, sitting in the passenger seat, turned to look at Min-ho, only to notice he wasn't wearing anything to keep himself warm.

"Ah, hyung, aren't you feeling cold?" Han said with concern. Min-ho looked at Han, then glanced down at his tshirt and said, "I'm fine." Then he turned to his right to see the snow falling outside the window.

Han knew that Min-ho was not feeling well and kindly offered, "If you would like, you can stay at our dorm and we can all watch a movie together." Min-ho politely declined, "Thank you, but I think I should go home and rest." "Alright," Han didn't force him. "Please wait here, hyung. I will go and bring Chan-hyung quickly." Han said as he unlocked the car door. Min-ho hummed in response.

Han then got out of the car. Their car was parked at the side of the road. There was a café facing the road where they parked their car. He quickly ran towards the café, as it was snowing heavily.
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Chan, on the other hand, was having a meeting in a café regarding his song to delay its release as he was going through certain issues. Han then entered the café and approached Chan.

However, he stopped midway, as he saw their manager engaged in a seemingly serious discussion. 'Why is Cho Ye-ji meeting Chan at this hour? I thought it was..' Han wondered to himself. 

Thus, he stopped himself from not wanting to interrupt what appeared to be a serious meeting. He tried to gain Chan's attention from where he was standing by waving at him and silently mouthing the words.

"... I understand the song is completed and recorded, but I still feel as though it lacks the ambiance I desire for it. And, I do not believe this is the appropriate time to release this song as it is-" Chan abruptly stopped speaking when he noticed Han waving at him and communicating something in sign language.

He decoded Han's message and turned to the individual in front of him, "Alright, Ye-ji, we shall continue this discussion later. I have to run an errand." "Okay, we'll sort this out later," said Ye-ji.

Chan then stood up from his seat and bowed to his manager, respectfully taking his leave. He then proceeded to approach the tense Han. As the manager was leaving, Han turned his back really quickly so the manager wouldn't catch him.

Chan tapped Han on the shoulder. "She's gone. You can relax and stop trying to look like a spy." He glanced at the table where their manager was seated and then saw her leave the café. He let out a sigh of relief.

Han then looked at Chan with furrowed brows. "Hyung, why'd the manager call you for a meeting at this hour? Is it about the song we recorded? We usually talk about this stuff together, you know. I thought the person who called you to meet was Jeongin."
Han inquired with curiosity.

Chan responded by placing his hands on Han's shoulder and said in a reassuring tone, "Calm down, Han-ah. It is true that Jeongin contacted me first, but as we were driving, I was unable to answer his call before it ended. Subsequently, I received a call from Ye-ji requesting a meeting. However, this matter is of lesser importance at present, as Min-ho needs us." Han nodded his head and left the café with him.
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Minho gazed out the window, his attention drawn to a lamppost standing tall on the opposite side of the road. The snowy landscape blanketed the ground, and people strolled along the footpath, couples sharing laughter as they walked.

Deep in contemplation, Minho's thoughts were interrupted by the sudden honk of a passing car. As the road fell silent once more, he noticed an individual standing beneath the lamppost, seeking shelter under an umbrella.

He squinted to see who it was, and as the person raised their umbrella, Minho's eyes widened, and his heart began racing. He felt a mix of emotions and didn't know what to do. Without thinking, he opened the car door and got out.

As he was about to cross the road, a truck passed by. He stepped back and let the truck pass. When the truck was out of sight, he saw that the person was nowhere to be seen. He became anxious and searched everywhere, but his efforts were in vain. There were some passersby, but the specific individual he was seeking was nowhere to be found. 'Perhaps it was just my imagination. Ha..ha..ha', he thought to himself. Tears welled up in his eyes and began to roll down his cheeks.

Realization hit him. He noticed it was snowing and began to feel cold and started to shiver. Snowflakes fell upon him, covering his hair. He tried to open the car door, but his vision got blurry due to his tears. Unable to succeed, he crouched down and cried more.

He sensed a comforting warmth enveloping him and looked up to see that he was covered with a black overcoat. "Seung....Seung-min?" he said in a shaky voice. "Do..Don't look back. This is the..last time our paths will cross, since you... don't wanna see my face anymore. You hate me. You hate me, don't you?" Seung-min stated in a slightly trembling voice as he stood up straight and walked away, wiping away his tears.

Min-ho tried to stop Seung-min. "No...no, wait. Don't go... We can talk about this-" He tried to hold his hand. "Don't follow me," Seung-min said and jerked his hand away.

"I'm so sorry, Seung-min. I never meant to hurt you like this," Min-ho said, his voice full of regret. Seung-min paused, his fists clenched at his sides, but he didn't turn around. He just kept walking away.

Min-ho stood there, weeping uncontrollably. 'I never knew you would affect me this deeply...'
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As Han and Chan exited the café, they saw Min-ho leaning against the car, shedding tears. Concerned, they quickly ran towards him.

"Hyung! What happened?" Han asked, concern in his eyes. Chan opened the rear door of the car. "Let's get him in the car first. It's freezing out here," he said.

Han helped Min-ho get up by holding his hand. He then placed his hands on Min-ho's shoulders so that he could bend down when entering. Once they were seated, Chan fastened his seatbelt and told Han to do the same. He started the car and drove off from the side of the street where they had been parked.

Min-ho couldn't stop crying as he told Han and Chan about what had happened earlier. "....it's my fault. All this happened because of me. How could I hurt him when I actually loved him.... I still love him..."

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Two Years Ago,

To be continued.