criminal love; jungwon

8

The first snow of the season fell silently, blanketing the city in a soft, white glow. Jungwon watched from his window as flakes danced through the air, settling on rooftops and tree branches. The world outside looked peaceful, untouched.

His phone buzzed on the desk, breaking the quiet. He picked it up, seeing Nanhee’s name flash across the screen.

“Hello?” he answered, his voice low.

“Jungwon! It’s snowing!” Nanhee’s voice was bright, full of excitement.

“I noticed,” he said, glancing out the window again.

“Come outside,” she urged. “Let’s play in it.”

Jungwon hesitated. The idea of going out, of being around people, didn’t exactly appeal to him. But there was something in Nanhee’s voice—an infectious kind of joy he couldn’t ignore.

“I don’t know...”

“Please?” she added, her tone softening. “It’s the first snow. It’s special.”

Jungwon sighed, already grabbing his coat. “Fine. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

Nanhee’s laughter echoed through the phone. “I’ll wait for you at the park!”

---

The park was transformed under the blanket of snow, the trees draped in white, the paths barely visible. Nanhee stood near the entrance, bundled up in a puffy coat and a bright red scarf that stood out against the snow.

“You made it!” she cheered, running up to him.

Jungwon nodded, pulling his hood tighter around his face. “I’m here.”

Nanhee grinned and grabbed his hand. “Come on!”

She led him deeper into the park, their footsteps crunching in the fresh snow. The air was crisp, the cold biting at their cheeks, but Nanhee didn’t seem to mind. She twirled around, arms outstretched, catching snowflakes on her gloves.

“It’s magical,” she whispered, gazing up at the sky.

Jungwon watched her, his heart unexpectedly light. “You really like snow, huh?”

“I love it,” she said, turning to face him. “It feels... new. Like anything is possible.”

He couldn’t help but smile at that. Nanhee had a way of finding beauty in the simplest things.

Suddenly, she bent down, scooping up a handful of snow. Before Jungwon could react, she threw it at him, the snow exploding against his coat.

“Hey!” he protested, brushing it off.

Nanhee giggled, already making another snowball. “What? You’re not going to fight back?”

Jungwon smirked, grabbing some snow of his own. “You asked for it.”

They ran through the park, hurling snowballs at each other, their laughter echoing through the trees. For a moment, Jungwon forgot about everything—the bullies, the anxiety, the weight of it all. There was only this: the snow, the cold, and Nanhee’s laughter.

Eventually, they collapsed onto a bench, breathless and rosy-cheeked. Nanhee leaned back, her eyes closed, a content smile on her face.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

“For what?” Jungwon asked, glancing at her.

“For coming out. For being here.” She opened her eyes, meeting his gaze. “I know you don’t like crowds, but... this means a lot to me.”

Jungwon felt a warmth spread through his chest. “It’s not so bad,” he admitted.

Nanhee’s smile widened, and she reached over, brushing a bit of snow from his hair. “See? Told you the first snow is special.”

Jungwon chuckled. “Yeah, I guess it is.”

They sat in comfortable silence, watching the snow fall around them. And for the first time in a long while, Jungwon felt truly at peace.