In The Arms Of Morpheus || CHOI SAN

XLVI

 
 
Preparations for the winter festival began just a day after the first snow.
That pretty snowfall was short lived and only lasted for a few hours.

But just the appearance of it was enough because now the preparations had started and everyone was happily participating in it.

"How many dolls are left?" Chaeyoung asked.

"I don't know," Sieon sighed and put down a doll she was working on, "I have made a lot but it still feels like they are less."

"Well, what can I say, you brought this on yourself."

Sieon glared at her, "I swear I'm not doing this from the next year."

Chaeyoung laughed, "You say that every year!"

Sieon pursed her lips and continued to work on the rag dolls she made every year on winter festival for the children. Something which she had been doing since she started working as a seamstress at Chaeyoung's shop.

Upon coming home tired that night, Sieon hugged her blanket closer to her and a stray tear left her eyes. She always felt depressed whenever the peak of winters arrived.
It would remind her of her parents as they had passed away during a similar time, a few days after the winter festival all those years ago.

She tossed in her bed, unable to sleep, when she heard a faint knock on her door.

She was startled for a second but remembered who it would be and immediately opened her door,
"San," she mumbled.

He smiled when he entered her house, hugging himself, "It's so cold outside."

Sieon hugged him and rested her head over his chest, "I missed you."

"I know you did, that is why I'm here," he cupped her cheeks with his cold hands and frowned, "What's wrong?"

She placed her warm hand over his and snuggled into his hold, "I can't help but think of my parents."

San, who was already aware of her situation, embraced her. He heard her sniff and stood there without moving.

"Sieon," he cupped her face again, but this time his hands were not cold anymore, "Do you want to feel better?"

She gave him a confused look.

He smiles and pointed at her window.
Sieon looked back and instantly understood what he meant.
It was snowing again.

They went outside quietly and towards the forest. It was colder there because of all the trees, and they stopped once they reached a corner with no tree above them so they could have the snowfall to themselves.

Sieon smiled as she panted a bit, and laughed looking at San, their hands intertwined.

"Pretty, isn't it?"

Sieon nodded vigorously, "It is!"

She moved a little far from him and made a snowball,

"Hey, don't–" he was interrupted by a snowball hitting him near the collar bone and he laughed, making a ball to defend himself.

Sieon moved away before his snowball could hit her and she threw another one at him, which once again, hit him.

They played around like that, enjoying the snow which was practically theirs, as they tried to keep their voices as low as possible.

"Ouch," Sieon winced when she felt something sharp poke her palm.

"What happened?" San immediately took her hand into his to inspect, "It's a twig."

They moved a little forward and sat by the almost frozen river –where villagers took bath in the summers, and San passed her a concerning look, "I'll remove it, but it may hurt."

"Do it," she allowed him and within a second, San pulled it out.

"You're a strong one, I forgot," San joked as he mentioned her straight face when he was pulling out the twig.

Sieon smiled, "Indeed. But I'm also used to pins poking me, because if my job."
She showed him a small wound from a few days before.

"What is this?" he pointed out a bruise on the side of her wrist.

"This," she inspected the bruise herself, "Ah, this must be because I'm making the dolls. I have to keep my hand in one position on the table while I sew with my right hand."

"You should take care of yourself," San said, holding both if her cold hands into his less-cold one's and stroked the bruise gently, "I do not like to see you hurt, in any way."

Sieon smiled as San's eyes didn't leave her hands. She pulled him closer, "I don't want to see you getting hurt either, so take it easy. I have seen how hard you are working for the festival."

San chuckled and nodded, "Don't worry about me, I'll be careful. But if you don't want to see me hurt, just take care of yourself. Because if you're hurt, it's like I'm hurt too."

Sieon jokingly roller her eyes, "That's so cheesy of you."

San laughed and pulled her forward, placing a kiss on her lips and smiled when he backed away.

Sieon giggled at his guesture and moved forward to kiss him properly.

It felt unreal how they were together, all alone in the middle of a beautiful place in their village. Snow falling over them, the moon being the only source of light, and even though the temperature was too low, their hearts were filled with warmness and contentment.
 
 
_

a/n : Hello!
I know the chapters are a little small right now, even though I thought I would make them longer. But we are more than half way through the story and sorry for the late update.. I now understand how busy university can get with a part time job over it!