Starlight Encounters

Winter's Warmth

"Wouldn't this cute, wintery flu-induced romance blossom into something deeper?"

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Word Count: 1394

As winter begins to set in, the first cold breeze of the season sweeps through the city, bringing with it the crisp scent of snow. Lisa, not quite used to the sudden change in weather, catches a flu. Wrapped up in layers, her nose red and runny, she tries to maintain her usual energy but ends up sneezing every five minutes. Enter Jungkook, ever the charming and slightly mischievous flirt, who insists on taking care of her, despite her half-hearted protests.

"You're going to get sick too," she warns with a sniffle, but Jungkook just grins, playfully tugging on her scarf to adjust it.

"Maybe, but it'd be worth it. Someone's got to keep an eye on you," he teases, handing her a cup of hot tea. He keeps a close watch, wrapping her in his jacket when he thinks she's cold, making her giggle despite her stuffy nose.

In the quiet moments, under the soft light of the setting sun, Lisa feels herself starting to melt—not from the warmth of the tea, but from Jungkook's unexpected tenderness. Winter has only just begun, but something between them is beginning to bloom.

The next morning, Lisa wakes to the gentle ping of her phone. It's Jungkook, checking in on her. Her heart does a little flutter as she reads his message: "How's my favorite patient doing? Scale of 1-10, how much do you miss your personal nurse already? 😉"

She can't help but smile, even as she sniffles and reaches for another tissue. "Don't you have better things to do than worry about a sick girl?" she types back, but her fingers hover over the send button for a moment before she adds, "But thank you for yesterday. It meant a lot."

His response is almost immediate: "I'll be there in 30 with soup. No arguments!"

True to his word, Jungkook shows up at her door exactly thirty minutes later, holding a thermos of homemade chicken soup and wearing that characteristic smile that makes his eyes crinkle at the corners. "Special family recipe," he announces proudly, making his way to her kitchen like he belongs there.

"You didn't have to," Lisa protests weakly, but she's already following him, wrapped in her fluffy blanket like a human burrito. Her apartment, usually meticulously organized, shows signs of her illness – scattered tissues, half-empty medicine bottles, and abandoned tea mugs.

"I know," he says simply, but there's something in his voice that makes her look up. He's watching her with an expression she can't quite read, something softer than his usual playful demeanor. "But I wanted to."

As he heats up the soup, Lisa settles onto one of her kitchen stools, observing him move around her space with surprising familiarity. She's known Jungkook for almost a year now, ever since he started working at the graphic design firm across from her dance studio. Their friendship had begun with casual coffee runs and playful banter, but this – this feels different.

"You know," she says, breaking the comfortable silence, "I always thought you were just a smooth-talking flirt who enjoyed teasing me." She blames her candidness on the cold medicine.

Jungkook pauses in his soup-stirring, turning to face her with an arched eyebrow. "And now?"

"Now..." she trails off, suddenly finding the pattern on her blanket fascinating. "I'm not so sure anymore."